For better or worse, Fortnite will let creators make NPCs that ditch the script and go freestyle. A new tool in the Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) will allow developers to create their own generative AI-powered NPCs. Their voice types, delivery styles and personality traits are all customizable.Epic demoed the tech on Tuesday during its "State of Unreal" keynote. The company said the NPC generated its responses in real-time during the presentation. It was created using "about 20 lines" of prompt text.The demoed character, Mr. Buttons, was created solely to persuade the player to press a...

https://www.engadget.com/gaming/fortnite-is-about-to-unleash-ai-powered-npcs-172728548.html?src=rss

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Discord co-founder and CTO Stanislav Vishnevskiy wants you to know he thinks a lot about enshittification. With reports of an upcoming IPO and the news of his co-founder, Jason Citron, recently stepping down to hand leadership of the company over to Humam Sakhnini, a former Activision Blizzard executive, many Discord users are rightfully worried the platform is about to become, well, shit."I understand the anxiety and concern," Vishnevskiy told Engadget in a recent call. "I think the things that people are afraid of are what separate a great, long-term focused company from just any other...

https://www.engadget.com/gaming/discords-cto-is-just-as-worried-about-enshittification-as-you-are-173049834.html?src=rss

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Apple pushed iOS 18.5 on Monday. The most eye-popping new feature is a new wallpaper to honor the LGBTQ+ community ahead of Pride Month. Apart from that, the iPhone update isn't exactly a barnburner, with only minor features and bug fixes.Apple's Pride Harmony wallpaper has bold, colorful stripes that change position as you move, lock or unlock your device. You can find it in Settings > Wallpaper or by long-pressing on your lock screen. If you're an Apple Watch owner, you'll find a corresponding Pride Harmony watch face in watchOS 11.5. That can pair well with Apple's new...

https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ios-185-arrives-with-a-new-wallpaper-for-pride-month-172836075.html?src=rss

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Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are officially live at Nintendo's online store — but only if you've received an invite. As advertised, the My Nintendo Store began sending out Switch 2 pre-order invites on Thursday to those who previously registered their interest and meet the company's "priority criteria." If you've been chosen, congratulations! You have 72 hours from the time your email was sent to complete your purchase. If you previously signed up but haven't received a notice, well, we'll have to see when exactly it'll arrive. Nintendo has been accepting registrations since April 2, and it's...

https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-switch-2-pre-order-updates-the-latest-on-restocks-my-nintendo-store-invites-and-more-140931152.html?src=rss

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YouTube has launched an experimental Premium plan that would let you and another person in your household share one discounted subscription. First reported by Moneycontrol, the online video platform is currently piloting the test option in India, Taiwan, Hong Kong and France. To be able to opt for the subscription tier, you and your companion have to be 13-years-old and above and have Google accounts that are part of one Google family group. The plan's pricing will, of course, cost you less than if you're paying for two Premium accounts. In India, the two-person plan costs Rs 219...

https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-is-testing-out-a-premium-plan-you-can-share-with-one-household-member-143038942.html?src=rss

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This week, Engadget's Sam Rutherford dives into his experience with Google's new $499 mid-range smartphone, the Pixel 9a. Is it really the new mid-range king, as we previously predicted? Or is it worth spending more for the Pixel 9? Also, we chat about how the Trump administration's volatile tariff strategy will affect consumer technology (not to mention everything else you buy).Subscribe!iTunesSpotifyPocket CastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsTopicsSam Rutherford’s Pixel 9a Review: Basic in just the right way – 1:16Tariff Watch: Switch 2 preorders delayed, Razer pauses laptop sales in the U.S...

https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/engadget-podcast-pixel-9a-review-and-bracing-for-tariffs-113049119.html?src=rss

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Amazon’s autonomous vehicle company Zoox has begun testing its robotaxis in Los Angeles. It has deployed a small fleet of retrofitted test vehicles throughout the city for the purposes of mapping and data-collection. They won’t be available for public rides just yet.Lidar, camera, action! LA, we're coming your way. Our test fleet is expanding to the Los Angeles metro area. Give us a wave if you see us around. 🎥🌇🌴Learn more: https://t.co/cLNuc1LuAt. pic.twitter.com/VgwZc8U6oJ— Zoox (@zoox) April 8, 2025 The company is sending out manually-driven Toyota Highlanders at first...

https://www.engadget.com/transportation/amazons-zoox-starts-testing-its-robotaxis-in-los-angeles-172605497.html?src=rss

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I appreciate devices that don’t try to do too much. There are too many products throwing too many features at the consumer in the hope one or two sticks. I’m reminded of the recently revived Pebble, which offers a pared down way to check your phone’s notifications from your wrist, and little else. That’s the best way to describe Even Realities’ G1 smart glasses, which puts a second screen for your smartphone on your face. G1 is almost aggressively low-tech, putting in your line of sight a dot matrix display that’ll leap into life when required. You’ll be able to see the time...

https://www.engadget.com/wearables/even-realities-g1-review-limited-but-effective-smart-glasses-140059586.html?src=rss

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After years of lagging behind rivals when it comes to video capture (and then suddenly buying cinema camera manufacturer RED), Nikon is pushing new boundaries in that area. Its latest salvo is the $1,699 24-megapixel full-frame Z5 II, perhaps the cheapest mirrorless camera so far to support internal RAW video. It also offers improved autofocus with new AI powers, cleaner images and enhanced image stabilization. The Z5 II is a wholesale remake of the original Z5 and that starts with video. While still limited to 4K 30 fps and cropped 4K 60 fps, it can now capture those formats internally...

https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikons-z5-ii-is-the-cheapest-full-frame-camera-yet-with-internal-raw-video-113041486.html?src=rss

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Apple is planning to dramatically rethink the look and feel of its operating systems with the introduction of the next version of iOS, iPadOS and macOS, according to Bloomberg.The redesign is meant to make using the company's software more consistent, and will impact "the style of icons, menus, apps, windows and system buttons," Bloomberg writes. The changes may take loose inspiration from visionOS, the mixed-reality operating system of the Vision Pro. The headset featured a slightly different style from Apple's other software, with a focus on translucency, floating interface elements and...

https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-is-reportedly-planning-a-major-redesign-for-ios-19-and-macos-16-202804091.html?src=rss

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It was while walking past the RadioShack booth at CES 2025 that I spied the Kodak stand not far ahead. And it was while musing about the fate of those two storied — okay maybe not storied — names that I spied another Kodak booth two rows over. For a company that’s been dead more than a few times over, it’s certainly enjoying something of a renaissance. Look, it’s not as if there haven’t always been brands that die and get revived in pursuit of a quick buck. Especially if the price is cheap and there’s any residual degree of affection for it, but even so there are a hell of a lot...

https://www.engadget.com/general/a-tale-of-four-kodaks-173040742.html?src=rss

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TripAdvisor has entered into a partnership with Perplexity to offer a human touch to the AI company's hotel information. Through this deal, listings for hotel searches on Perplexity will now include summaries of information from TripAdvisor explaining why they were included in the results. Ratings, perks and images from TripAdvisor will also appear on Perplexity."From the Tripadvisor side, they provide an up-to-date trustworthy source of information that we sync regularly," Perplexity cofounder Johnny Ho told The Verge. "On the fly, we’ll index and retrieve the right results depending on the...

https://www.engadget.com/ai/perplexity-will-now-show-hotel-information-from-tripadvisor-202923788.html?src=rss

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In this bonus episode, Cherlynn and Devindra discuss the latest innovations in robot vacuums, new AI PC hardware from AMD and Intel, and Dell's decision to nuke its PC brands in favor of Apple-esque "Dell Pro" and "Dell Pro Max" branding. (Note: We recorded this episode before NVIDIA announced its new RTX 5000 GPUs, but we'll have more to say on that soon!)Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!...

https://www.engadget.com/computing/engadget-podcast-weve-survived-two-days-of-ces-2025-052543789.html?src=rss

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Time to get into the habit of writing "2025" instead of 2024, and the year may have just begun, but the Engadget team is already working hard for CES 2025. This weekend, many from the Engadget team will be flying to Las Vegas, where we’ll be covering tech’s biggest annual conference. We've scoured our bursting inboxes, full of pitches from companies that are planning to be there, and meticulously filled out copious spreadsheets with upcoming launches and appointments for briefings and demos.Based on our experience, as well as observation of recent industry trends, it’s fairly easy to make...

https://www.engadget.com/ces-2025-the-new-tech-were-expecting-to-see-from-samsung-nvidia-lg-and-more-in-las-vegas-200052148.html?src=rss

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We told you back in 2021 that The Outer Worlds 2 was a thing that existed, and now, more than three years later, we have evidence in support of this claim: a gameplay trailer. The new trailer, which debuted at The Game Awards, shows off a vibrant universe of flora, fauna and firearms, with a layer of classic Obsidian cheekiness. The joke here is that The Outer Worlds 2 is just more of the original game — more action, more weapons, more graphics. You get the idea.All chuckles aside, that's not a terrible pitch for a new game. The Outer Worlds came out in 2019 and offered an engaging...

https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-outer-worlds-2-gameplay-trailer-reveals-its-coming-to-ps5-as-well-as-xbox-022608769.html?src=rss

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I don't know about you but I plan to spend the next three months tucked away watching movies, reading books and playing games under a warm blanket. Black Friday and Cyber Monday might have come and gone, but there are still plenty of worthwhile deals out there that I will be perusing in pursuit of my gaming goals. If you have the same idea then let me point you toward a great sale currently on: The three month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is down to $29 from $50 on Woot. The deal comes courtesy of a 32 percent discount and an additional $5 off at checkout with the code GAMEPASS. The Xbox Game Pass...

https://www.engadget.com/deals/three-months-of-xbox-game-pass-ultimate-is-on-sale-for-29-right-now-143059157.html?src=rss

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If vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores, a robot vacuum can take that largely manual process and make it almost entirely automated. And unlike a few years ago, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent robot vacuum today. That being said, it’s always advisable to wait for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period if you want to get the best deal on a brand new robo-vac. This year, we’re seeing steep discounts on some of our favorite machines, including both robot vacuums and cordless vacuum cleaners. These are the best Black Friday vacuum deals you can still get...

https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-16-best-black-friday-vacuum-deals-on-robot-vacs-from-shark-irobot-dyson-and-more-161528751.html?src=rss

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Black people throughout the country, in more than 20 states, have been getting racist text messages that order them to report to a plantation for slave labor, according to reporting by CNN and numerous other outlets. The texts reference “slave catchers” and “picking cotton,” in addition to warning the recipients that they will be searched upon arrival.Following the 2024 election, people in Virginia, Georgia, and more reported receiving racist text messages claiming they were ‘selected to pick cotton at the nearest plantation.’ pic.twitter.com/XUYTyaI1Su— Complex (@Complex...

https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/black-people-across-the-country-have-been-getting-racist-texts-about-slave-plantations-173059798.html?src=rss

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Meta had plans to build an AI data center in the US that relies on nuclear power — it even already knew where it wanted the facility to be built. According to the Financial Times, though, the company had to scrap its plans, because the a rare bee species was discovered on the land reserved for the project. Company chief Mark Zuckerberg was reportedly ready to close a deal with an existing nuclear power plant operator that would provide emissions-free energy to the plant. The Times said he told staff members at an all-hands last week that pushing through wouldn't have been possible...

https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/bees-reportedly-stopped-meta-from-building-a-nuclear-powered-ai-data-center-143050114.html?src=rss

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The beloved 7-in-1 Ninja Creami ice cream maker is $40 off right now directly from the company with the coupon code “CREAMI40.” This brings the price down to $160, which is close to a record low. This isn’t your average ice cream maker, as we detailed in our Ninja Creami review. The design is based on machines found in restaurants, allowing for uniquely high-end frozen treats. This technology wasn’t available to consumers until the last few years, as the machine was under a strict patent. Once that patent expired, Ninja took a look at the design and a sensation was born. It doesn’t...

https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ninja-creami-is-up-to-40-off-right-now-173045379.html?src=rss

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Amazon finally did it: This week the company announced the Kindle Colorsoft, its first color E Ink e-reader. In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn discuss where this device sits in a world of cheap tablets, and they dive into the updated Kindle Paperwhite and the writable Kindle Scribe. Also, we've got final thoughts on the Meta Quest 3S, the updated iPad Mini and tons of news.Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast...

https://www.engadget.com/mobile/engadget-podcast-why-were-intrigued-by-the-kindle-colorsoft-113050334.html?src=rss

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There’s little better than finding a killer deal on a great product, and here’s an October Prime Day deal that checks pretty much all the right boxes. Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones are on sale for $130, which is a new record low. They often sell for $348 and the previous record low price was $198. These aren’t quite the very best Sony headphones on the market anymore. The XM5s are now at the top of the mountain (they’re our favorite noise canceling headphones overall). However, the XM4s are still a fantastic set of cans, especially at this bargain price. We gave the XM4s a score of 94 in...

https://www.engadget.com/sonys-wh-1000xm4-headphones-drop-to-a-new-low-of-130-for-prime-day-142955371.html?src=rss

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With October Prime Day just around the corner, we're starting to see more and more early deals pop up each day. While it might be too early for your liking to think about holiday shopping, you might want to after you check out the latest Prime Day Lego deals. A number of Lego sets from the Super Mario, Star Wars and Harry Potter lineups are already on sale for up to 41 percent off. There are even steeper savings on general Lego sets as well.On the Star Wars side of things, this Spider Tank set is 36 percent off and down to only $32, which is the lowest it's ever been. It includes 526 pieces...

https://www.engadget.com/prime-day-lego-deals-include-up-to-41-percent-off-super-mario-star-wars-sets-143008945.html?src=rss

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This week, Microsoft started rolling out the Windows 11 2024 update, but it quickly became clear that the company was far more eager to unveil new features for its Copilot AI and Copilot+ AI PCs. In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn chat about Microsoft's current AI priorities, and what it means for people with older PCs. Also, we discuss the death of HoloLens and Microsoft giving up on AR as Meta, Apple and even Snap build for an augmented reality future.Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to...

https://www.engadget.com/computing/engadget-podcast-why-the-windows-11-2024-update-is-all-about-copilot-ai-113026863.html?src=rss

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As world wide as the web is, language barriers still often limit how much of a site people can explore. Well, Reddit is using AI in an attempt to lessen this issue. The company announced Redditors across more than 35 countries will soon be able to automatically translate their entire feeds. The tool first launched in France earlier this year. The machine learning-powered feature is now available in Brazil and Spain, where Redditors can click a translate icon displayed in the overflow menu. This move will translate their entire feed, including comments, into Portuguese and Spanish...

https://www.engadget.com/ai/reddit-is-rolling-out-ai-powered-translations-to-35-countries-143055337.html?src=rss

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Yesterday, the US government announced the first-ever interagency sea level rise website. It’s a result of the work of the US Interagency Task Force on Sea Level Change. The website is called US Sea Level Change. Honestly, we’re kind of surprised that data on rising sea levels hasn’t been easily accessible to the public until now.The website lets you check how much sea levels have risen in a given region, and even has predictions of how much the sea level will rise in the future. According to the home page, the data is federally supported and has “explanations and science education to...

https://www.engadget.com/science/new-government-website-shows-how-much-sea-levels-have-risen-173042808.html?src=rss

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TikTok Music is shutting down following an attempt to translate views on its base app to music streaming. The music arm announced the news that accounts will close by November 28, with all user data and login information deleted. Google subscribers whose subscription ends after November 28 should automatically get a refund or can request one through Google Play before TikTok Music shuts down. On the other hand, Apple users must request a refund through Apple support before the 28th to get one. Anyone who actually uses TikTok Music might want to wait a minute, though, as the premium...

https://www.engadget.com/apps/tiktok-music-is-on-its-way-out-143058957.html?src=rss

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Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio simply cannot stop pumping out Like A Dragon (aka Yakuza) games. The studio and publisher Sega have revealed that the next entry will hit PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Steam on February 28, just 13 months after Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth debuted. The latest spinoff has a typically kooky twist that’s not exactly kept secret by its title: Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.A seven-minute announcement trailer shown at the studio's RGG Summit features Goro Majima, a regular of the series, explaining what's been going on with him recently. About six...

https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-next-like-a-dragon-game-recasts-a-series-regular-as-an-amnesiac-pirate-142935001.html?src=rss

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Our reviews of the iPhone 16 Pro and Apple Watch Series 10 are up, thanks to one very tired Cherlynn Low. In this episode, Devindra and Cherlynn discuss her final thoughts on Apple's new hardware, including why the iPhone 16 Pro’s photo processing is particularly interesting. In other news, we also chat about Snap's fifth-generation AR Spectacles, as well as HTC Vive's new Focus Vision headset.Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out...

https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/engadget-podcast-reviewing-the-iphone-16-and-apple-watch-series-10-113033805.html?src=rss

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Meta is once again at risk of getting fined heavily by the European Commission. The bloc's regulatory arm is preparing its findings that Meta linked its Marketplace service to Facebook to undermine competitors, the Financial Times reports, citing sources familiar with the case.If found guilty, Meta could be on the hook for 10 percent of its global annual revenue — a number that reached almost $135 billion last year. However, the fine could be much smaller, and Meta will almost certainly appeal it.The Commission launched its initial probe in 2019, announcing its preliminary findings three...

https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-could-face-massive-eu-fines-over-marketplace-competition-113033743.html?src=rss

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