Science/Tech

Alaska could be the next state to crack down on AI-generated CSAM and restrict kids' social media use

Alaska's House of Representatives unanimously passed HB47 , a bill that imposes sweeping limits on when and how minors use social media apps, along with bans on generating or distributing harmful deepfakes of children. The bill's original form was focused on prohibiting the possession and distribution of sexually explicit images of children using AI, but Alaska lawmakers decided to add amendments that would impose social media restrictions. The proposed limitations include a statewide curfew on using social media between 10:30 PM and 6:30 AM, banning addictive design features and requiring social media platforms to verify user ages and get parental consent if they are minors. While the House bill saw 39 votes in favor and zero against, the amendments offered some hints at potential upcoming revisions. Before the bill went to a vote, some of the House representatives expressed concern about adding such broad rules on social media without consulting the companies behind them first. The bill still has to make its way through the Alaska State Senate, which already has presented a companion bill , and the governor. Alaska is following the footsteps of many other states , and the House even modeled its social media amendments in the HB47 bill after Utah. While Utah was the first to propose social media restrictions for kids, it was later met with a preliminary injunction . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/alaska-could-be-the-next-state-to-crack-down-on-ai-generated-csam-and-restrict-kids-social-media-use-190506366.html?src=rss

In puzzling outbreak, officials look to cold beer, gross ice, and ChatGPT

An AI chatbot convinced health investigators they had the right answer.

Shuttered studio Bluepoint reportedly pitched a Bloodborne remake, but it got shot down by FromSoftware

Bloodborne fans may not be happy to hear that a remake was reportedly rejected, but that doesn't mean it's completely off the table. Bluepoint Games , Sony's closed-down studio behind many PlayStation remakes, pitched remaking the classic Gothic horror RPG in early 2025, but was blocked by the game's developer, FromSoftware, according to a Bloomberg report. As Bloomberg reported, Bluepoint pitched a Bloodborne remake after several years of working towards a live-service title in the God of War franchise that was ultimately canceled. Looking for the next project, a modern-day version of Bloodborne made a lot of sense, considering the title came out in 2015 and Bluepoint was responsible for the successful Demon's Souls remake in 2020. However, Bloomberg 's sources said that FromSoftware was against it, but didn't offer a concrete reason why. With some digging, Bloomberg 's Jason Schreier pointed to an interview from Kinda Funny Games with PlayStation exec Shuhei Yoshida, which aired last year. In the video, Yoshida mentioned that FromSoftware's president, Hidetaka Miyazaki, wanted to pursue a Bloodborne remake, but was too busy to do it himself and doesn't want anyone else to touch it. After failing to get the Bloodborne remake greenlit, Bluepoint wasn't able to secure another project for more than a year, according to the Bloomberg report. Now that Bluepoint has been shut down , we're likely even further away from a remake. That's not to say a remake will never happen, but when it does, it'll have to get a stamp of approval and likely a lot of oversight from FromSoftware . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/shuttered-studio-bluepoint-reportedly-pitched-a-bloodborne-remake-but-it-got-shot-down-by-fromsoftware-173744228.html?src=rss

Everything announced at MWC 2026: The new Leica Leitzphone by Xiaomi, Honor's ultra-thin MagicPad 4 and more

MWC 2026 officially gets underway on March 2 and will continue through March 5, but the announcements are already coming ahead of its start. We can always count on the annual tech event to bring tons of new phones, laptops and tablets, and we're expecting to see some robots and other gadgets too plus plenty of AI news, of course. In addition to the announcements, MWC is our chance to get hands-on time with some of the most interesting new devices, like the Xiaomi 17 Ultra . We'll be updating this story as the week goes on to keep you in the loop on everything that caught our attention, so keep checking back here for the latest MWC news. Xiaomi x Leica Xiaomi kicked off MWC this year by announcing the global launch of its 17 Ultra smartphone, which debuted first in China back in December. It's unclear if the phone will ever come to the US, but it's now rolling out in Europe. Xiaomi teamed up again with Leica to make a photography-focused smartphone, and the 17 Ultra sports a 1-inch 50-megapixel camera sensor with a f/1.67 lens, a telephoto setup with a 200MP 1/1.4-inch sensor, and a 50MP ultrawide camera. There's also a manual zoom ring around the camera. Check out our hands on for our first impressions of what it's like shooting with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra . And there's more to it than just the camera. The 17 Ultra has a 6.9-inch OLED 120 Hz display that peaks at 3,500 nits of brightness, and a 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery. The Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at 1,299 (roughly $1,750). Leica also announced a new phone made in partnership with Xiaomi at MWC. It looks a whole lot like Xiaomi's 17 Ultra, but isn't the 17 Ultra, exactly. Leica Leitzphone by Xiaomi hands-on at MWC 2026 Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Like the 17 Ultra, Leica's Leitzphone by Xiaomi has a 1-inch camera sensor and physical controls for zoom and other settings, using a mechanical ring around the camera unit. It features a Leica-designed intuitive camera interface with the option to show just the essentials when you're shooting, hiding all the modes and labels. There's a monochrome shooting mode and Leica filters. The Leica branding is splashed all over it in design and wallpapers, but it's otherwise pretty similar to the 17 Ultra, with the same specs. Like the 17 Ultra, it has a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and a 6.9-inch 120Hz display. This one's priced at 1,999 (roughly $2,362). Honor MagicPad 4 Honor Ahead of MWC, Honor announced what it claims is the thinnest Android tablet in the world: the 4.8mm thick MagicPad 4 . We're expecting to hear more about this at Honor's press conference on Sunday, but so far we know it features a 12.3-inch 165Hz OLED display and weighs just 450g. It comes with up to 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage, and is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. The thinness doesn't count the camera bump, Honor notes. The MagicPad 4 has 13MP rear and 9MP front cameras. It also boasts spatial audio, with eight speakers. Just as the display is slightly smaller than the previous MagicPad, the MagicPad 4 has a smaller battery at 10,100 mAh. It comes with a 66W fast charger. The MagicPad 4 will run Honor's MagicOS 10. We don't yet know how much it will cost, but we'll update this after Honor's press conference (where we're also expecting to see the company's robot) with any new details. Tecno We can always expect to see some wild phone concepts at MWC, and this year we're starting with one from Tecno . The company unveiled a modular concept smartphone design that can be as thin as 4.9mm in its base configuration. Thered be 10 modules to choose from based on the announcement, including various camera lenses, a gaming attachment and a power bank, relying on magnets to keep it all together or Modular Magnetic Interconnection Technology, as Tecno is calling it. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/everything-announced-at-mwc-2026-the-new-leica-leitzphone-by-xiaomi-honors-ultra-thin-magicpad-4-and-more-172442426.html?src=rss

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Xiaomi launches 17 Ultra smartphone, an AirTag clone, and an ultra slim powerbank

We round up everything Xiaomi announced at its Mobile World Congress event.

Why Chinas humanoid robot industry is winning the early market

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Review: Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Leitzphone Pack Leica Magic Into a Flagship Phone

The latest Xiaomi flagship is a beast and comes in a specially co-designed Leica edition thats picture-perfect.

Xiaomi 17 Ultra hands-on: Incredible cameras, but maybe hard to get

Chinas biggest phone makers continue to relentlessly forge ahead with high-spec phones that you may never see in the US. With the Xiaomi 17 Ultra this year, the company has continued its pattern from previous iterations by focusing on powerful camera sensors, huge batteries and being selective about global availability. Xiaomis 17 series is launching across multiple European territories months after its Asia debut, but at the time of writing, no word yet on US availability. Another logistical point of interest? When we last checked out Xiaomis devices, it was the 15 series, and the company has decided to skip 16 and leap straight to 17, conveniently matching Apples latest number. Storied camera brand Leica has been involved with Xiaomis phones for a few years and its newest flagship doesnt disappoint in that regard , because this is another Xiaomi device dedicated to photography. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget The 17 Ultra has a huge 1-inch 50-megapixel main camera sensor with a f/1.67 lens, and a telephoto setup with a 200MP 1/1.4-inch sensor and going up to 4.3x optical zoom. Xiaomi claims its capable of up to 17x optical-level zoom, but quality doesnt measure up to, say, the Oppo Find X9, with its dedicated telescopic lens add-on. Theres also a 50MP ultrawide camera to round things out. The main camera is very impressive, delivering plenty of detail and performing incredibly well in low light, seemingly before any computational photography kicks in. A new Light Fusion 1050L sensor features LOFIC HDR technology, delivering stronger control over highlights and more detail in darker areas of your shots. I've been impressed by the balanced color tone and contrast, without having to edit or add one of the (many) Leica camera filters. If anything, the slightly heavy-handed algorithms can sometimes ruin parts of a shot. For instance, by scrambling lettering or capturing blurry, AI-mutated faces where computational photography takes a swing (and a miss) at people in the distance. Mat Smith for Engadget The telephoto camera alone is also technically interesting in a few ways. It offers continual optical zoom across the 75-100mm range without in-sensor cropping. This means the lenses physically move to deliver lossless zoom across a range of distances, without jarring leaps between camera sensors and crops. This doesnt run across the full gamut, but it does roughly cover the 3-4x optical zoom range, which is often used in portrait photography. The APO (apochromatic) lens design on the telephoto is more immediately useful and effective. An APO lens significantly reduces chromatic aberration by focusing three wavelengths of light (red, green and blue) onto the same focal plane. This lens design means it can correct color fringing and improve image sharpness. At full optical zoom, this light fitting at Soho Theatre Walthamstow doesn't bloom or fringe to the extent that most smartphone zooms suffer from. Mat Smith for Engadget At higher zoom levels, fringing and lighting bloom often hamper telephoto photos on smartphones, and Xiaomis solution has some appeal. I noticed less fringing than on other zoom-capable Android phones from Samsung, Oppo and Google. It also supports macro photography, but is hindered this time by a minimum focal distance of 30cm (11.8 inches). Most smartphone cameras macro modes let you get much closer. The 17 Ultra can capture up to 8K video (at 30 fps), 4K Dolby Vision up to 120 fps, and 4K 120 fps Log video, ensuring you can make the most of that huge 1-inch sensor in video, too. That said, it seems to struggle with stabilization at times, while its low-light performance doesnt match its prowess in still photography, lagging behind flagship phones from Apple, Google and Samsung. There's also a special Leica edition of the 17 Ultra, which is largely the same, specification-wise, but with a manual zoom ring around the camera unit. It's a cool gimmick, but felt oddly loose on a few devices I've handled. Xiaomi made a few design changes to its Ultra line this year, with a new, entirely flat display, and flattened edges that look like a certain family of devices . In fairness, its not the only company using imitation as flattery . Theres also IP68 protection against dust and water. While cameras may be the highlight, this is a flagship device by any specification metric. With a 6.9-inch display, this expansive OLED display has variable refresh rates (1-120Hz) and peaks at 3,500 nits of brightness. At that size, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is in the territory of devices like the iPhone 17 Pro Max and S26 Ultra. A phone this size isnt for everyone, but it is the thinnest Ultra phone from Xiaomi to date, with a profile measuring 8.29mm. Xiaomi has also reduced the camera units diameter and raised it on the device, making it easier to use and helping keep fingers out of your shots. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget Also, Id be remiss if I didnt mention the huge 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery, with support for Xiaomis 90W HyperCharge (if you have the right charger) and 50W wireless HyperCharge (which also requires Xiaomis own dock) speeds. Other phone makers: Please put a battery this huge in your flagship. At MWC 2026, the company announced the global launch and rollout of the device across Europe, including the UK where the Ultra will start priced at 1,299 (roughly $1,750). We're still waiting to confirm US availability and pricing. While the specs are powerful, launching a flagship device thats already been in the wild for a few months even if elsewhere in the world reduces the spectacle. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/xiaomi-17-ultra-global-launch-hands-on-leica-camera-143006810.html?src=rss

Groww unveils AI enabled platform to expand investment basket

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Leicas Leitzphone by Xiaomi has a huge 1-inch camera sensor and a stylish new design

Alongside a global launch for Xiaomi's 17 Ultra (read about that right here), the company announced a further deepening of its relationship with Leica . The CEO of Leica, Mattias Harsch, took to the stage to announce a new Leitzphone, which appears to be an even deeper collaboration than 17 Ultra by Leica, which is a different phone. Confused? That's fair. Design-wise, Leica has shifted back to a single tone body color, which looks more Leica to this camera dilettante's eyes. And if youre thinking youve heard of the Leitzphone before, you probably have: it was a series of phones made by Sharp that launched in Japan in 2021. They all had a 1-inch camera sensor and yes, as does Xiaomis first Leitzphone. It also gets a customizable ring to control camera settings. The camera interface is also designed by Leica. with the aim of being as intuitive as possible, with a new Essential mode within the camera app for stripping away all those modes and labels, showcasing whatever you're looking to shoot. Image by Mat Smith for Engadget The regular Xiaomi 17 Ultra and Leica edition have a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip and a 6.9-inch 120Hz display that can reach up to 3,500 nits of peak brightness. While cameras are the focus, its a flagship device by pretty much any metric and the Leitzphone seems to have a very similar specsheet. Well be taking a closer look at whats different when we get to test it out very soon. After years of collaboration (and cute little badges), this may be the first pure Leica phone manufactured by Xiaomi but sold directly by both companies. It's priced at 1,999 (roughly $2,362), but it's not known yet whether this phone will launch in the US. This is a developing story... This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/leica-leitzphone-xiaomi-mwc-2026-135744417.html?src=rss

14 Best Travel Toiletry Bags, Tested Over Many Miles (2026)

Our team evaluated a ton of toiletry bags to find the best storage, organization, and design options for all your essentials.

Steam Next Fest, a different flavor of The Witcher and other new indie games worth checking out

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. It's Steam Next Fest week, with literally thousands of demos for upcoming games for us to dive into. I'm trying to check out as many as I can before the event wraps up on Monday. However, I made a near-critical error in my planning: I opted to try the Raccoin demo first. I could and would have happily played that all week. This is a coin-pushing roguelike deckbuilder that adopts the format of Balatro . To progress, you need to earn a certain number of points and the target increases each round. Every three rounds there's a sort-of boss a few coins that negatively impact your game until you can get rid of them. After every round, youll go to a shop to buy and sell special coins and other upgrades. As you might expect with this type of game, finding ways to boost the points you can score from each coin is how to win. On my first successful run, I found a way to electrify the coins (which boosts their score) by charging them and use passive abilities and special coins to spread and amplify the effect. Then I was able to replicate a special coin that pulls all other nearby coins into a cyclone having the water-based coins in there helped to spread the electrical effect between other coins. There were a few rounds in which I didn't even have to do anything. The cyclones just dumped enough coins over the edge for me. This was only the first way I've figured out how to break the game. Six hours in, I'm eager to find many more. Raccoin from Doraccoon and Balatro publisher Playstack will hit Steam on March 31. The demo is currently still available . I've had The Eternal Life of Goldman on my wishlist since we first learned about it a couple of years ago. I'm very glad that was one of the demos I've tried. This is an utterly gorgeous platform adventure with hand-drawn art. As Goldman, an elderly gentleman, you'll swap parts of your cane on the fly so you can hook onto floating rings or pogo off springs. The platforming is challenging enough that I had to focus to get through the demo, which lasts about 75-90 minutes. There's almost always something going on in the background or foreground too. This game from Weappy Studio is shaping up to be quite something. I can't wait to play the full thing when The Eternal Life of Goldman hits PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, hopefully later this year . Of course I had to check out the Next Fest demo for Vampire Crawlers , which is also available on Xbox . The latest game from Poncle is a turn-based deckbuilder roguelite. Oh, and it's also a Vampire Survivors spin-off. Instead of passively firing your weapons at surrounding enemies, you have a bit more control here. It plays a bit like those first-person maze games from the '90s. You'll walk around each level with the help of a map that shows where enemies, chests and bosses are located. When you encounter enemies, you'll play cards in a certain order to deal damage or boost your stats for that particular battle. You can play all your available cards in one go, but you might want to rearrange them first so that you, for instance, use a card that boosts your damage before firing any weapons. Each card has a mana point value you can only play a full hand if you have enough mana. And yes, there are weapon evolutions. Turn-based games usually aren't my bag, but sometimes they just hit right. The Vampire Crawlers demo hits right. I can already tell I'm going to spend dozens of hours with the full game, which is coming to Steam, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, iOS and Android this year. I tried a few other demos so far, including one for John Carpenter's Toxic Commando , a co-op shooter in the vein of Left 4 Dead . It's a little rough around the edges right now, but it seems enjoyable enough. There are a bunch of other Next Fest demos I'm hoping to try over the weekend, including precision platformer Croak , PvE pirate game Windrose , cyberpunk platformer Replaced , record store sim Wax Heads , match-three/tower-defense game Titanium Court and Dragon Care Tarot . I read that you can pet dragons in the latter, so I'm sold. New releases If you can't get enough of The Witcher and are impatiently waiting for CD Projekt Red to unleash The Witcher IV , here's one way to keep your thumbs busy in the meantime. Reigns: The Witcher is the latest installment of the Reigns series from Nerial and Devolver Digital for Steam , Android and iOS ($6). You still play as Geralt of Rivia. However, this is a narrative-focused game in which you make choices by swiping. It's something a little different for Witcher fans. It might just pull some long-time Reigns players into that fantasy universe for the first time too. Bread and Fred is the cutest thing. The co-op platformer from SandCastles Studio has been available on PC ( Steam , GOG and Epic Games Store ) and Nintendo Switch for a while, and this week it landed on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S , PS4 and PS5 . It normally costs $15 and there's a 20 percent launch discount on those consoles. You'll need to be a PS Plus subscriber to get those savings on PlayStation, though. You and a friend take control of a pair of adorable penguins that are tethered together. The aim is to ascend a mountain, sometimes by swinging each other to get to hard-to-reach places. But if you miss a jump, you can plummet back down and erase a chunk of your progress. There is a single-player mode in which one of the penguins is replaced by a rock. The pixel art aesthetic here is super charming. Here's another co-op game. This one is a sidescrolling RPG brawler. After several months in early access/game preview, the full version of Stoic's Towerborne arrived on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox on PC , Steam and PS5 . It costs $25, though there's a 20 percent launch discount on Xbox. Its on Game Pass Ultimate and Premium as well. After the 1.0 update, the game has a full campaign that you can play offline by yourself or online with friends. Stoic has added fresh biomes, enemies and bosses, and there are said to be hundreds of missions, side quests and bounties. I really dig the fluidity of the animations in the trailer, though the action is a bit hard to parse at first glance. Still, I'm curious enough to try out Towerborne . Ive been a little too occupied with other Next Fest demos (plus Overwatch challenges, Ill admit it) to play Dice A Million yet, but this roguelike deckbuilder looks pretty interesting. The aim is to find the right combination of dice and rings (i.e. passive abilities) to roll a million points in one go. As with the likes of Balatro , it's all about figuring out powerful synergies between dice and rings to break the game and rack up ridiculous scores. I did quite enjoy a line on the Steam page that reads, Cutting edge next-gen graphics (not really, I drew all of them on paint). Dice A Million from Countlessnights and publisher 2 Left Thumbs is also available on Itch and Xbox on PC . It's on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. Otherwise, it costs $13, but there's a 20 percent discount on Steam until March 11. There's a demo available on Steam too. Upcoming MOUSE: P.I. For Hire will now launch on 16 April 2026. pic.twitter.com/gwD3QW5Vyt MOUSE: P.I. For Hire (@mousethegame) February 23, 2026 Let's start this section with a news roundup. Mouse: P.I. for Hire continues to look rad, but unfortunately we'll have to wait a little longer to play it. Fumi Games and publisher PlaySide have delayed it by a few weeks until April 16 to polish the game up. I do love voxel-based heist game Teardown , so I'm jazzed for the online multiplayer update. Tuxedo Labs revealed it will go live on Steam on March 12. It will add a co-op campaign option (for up to 12 players!). There'll be hundreds of other multiplayer modes created by the studio and the community, including prop hunt, battle royale and floor-is-lava modes. There's going to be so much carnage. The PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of Teardown will get the multiplayer update later this year. ConcernedApe (aka Eric Barrone) marked the 10-year anniversary of Stardew Valley by showing off some very early gameplay footage, some stories from his time of working on his all-time-great indie game and revealing the two additional characters that players will be able to marry when the 1.7 update goes live . Sandy's cool, so it'll be nice to have her as an option, but Clint? That guy sucks. Here's hoping Barrone will finally focus more of his attention on Haunted Chocolatier once this Stardew update is done and dusted. Also as part of the 10th anniversary celebrations, it was revealed this week that an orchestra will deliver a one-night-only performance of music from Stardew Valley at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado on October 25. I missed my chance to see the Symphony of Seasons tour in person when it stopped near me, because I don't always make the wisest decisions in life. At least we can now watch an official recording of a previous concert. Minimap, a social platform for gamers, ran its first indie game showcase this week. Among the highlights: Thrifty Business (Spellgarden Games), a cozy thrift-store management sim that's coming to Steam this year. A demo's available now . Another look at Please, Watch The Artwork , an anomaly-spotting game without jump scares or monsters from Please, Touch The Artwork developer Thomas Waterzooi. Lilys World XD , a psychological horror game from SonderingEmily in which you'll investigate a teenage girl's laptop in the early 2000s. The trailer brings to mind screenlife films like Searching and Unfriended . Coming-of-age adventure Ikuma - The Frozen Compass from Mooneye Studios. You'll play as both cabin boy Sam and husky Ellie (or have a friend take control of one of them) as you try to make your way home from the Arctic. This should hit Steam later this year. Tombwater was originally supposed to arrive in November , but Moth Atlas and publisher Midwest Games delayed it for further refinement. It's now set to arrive on Steam on March 31.A Next Fest demo is available now. This is a 2D Soulslike with a Western setting and 2D pixel art that's inspired by Bloodborne and early Legend of Zelda games. You'll face off against horrific eldritch creatures as you search for a missing friend. You'll have seven playable classes to choose from and the ability to wield more than 50 firearms and melee weapons, and more than 20 spells. Tombwater is said to have around 20 hours of gameplay. There's no release date for Solarpunk as yet, but I found this trailer quite soothing. It offers a first look at co-op gameplay for this base-building and exploration game from the two-person team at Cyberwave and publisher rokaplay. Up to four players will be able to explore floating islands, gather resources and build out a homestead together. As the title suggests, there's a technology-driven element to Solarpunk . You can use renewable energy sources to power tools that can automate things like resource harvesting and watering plants. The airships you use to travel between islands look cool too. Solarpunk is set to hit Steam later this year. A demo is available now. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/steam-next-fest-a-different-flavor-of-the-witcher-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-120000900.html?src=rss

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OpenAI partners with Pentagon after Trump orders agencies to stop using Anthropic

Washington: The Trump administration on Friday, February 27, ordered all US agencies to stop using Anthropics artificial intelligence (AI) technology and imposed other major penalties, escalating an unusually public clash between the government and the company over AI safety. President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other officials took to social media to chastise Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

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OpenAI strikes a deal with the Defense Department to deploy its AI models

OpenAI has reached an agreement with the Defense Department to deploy its models in the agencys network, company chief Sam Altman has revealed on X. In his post, he said two of OpenAIs most important safety principles are prohibitions on domestic mass surveillance and human responsibility for the use of force, including for autonomous weapon systems. Altman claimed the company put those principles in its agreement with the agency, which he called by the governments preferred name of Department of War (DoW), and that it had agreed to honor them. The agency has closed the deal with OpenAI, shortly after President Donald Trump ordered all government agencies to stop using Claude and any other Anthropic services. If youll recall, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously threatened to label Anthropic supply chain risk if it continues refusing to remove the guardrails on its AI, which are preventing the technology to be used for mass surveillance against Americans and in fully autonomous weapons. Its unclear why the government agreed to team up with OpenAI if its models also have the same guardrails, but Altman said its asking the government to offer the same terms to all the AI companies it works with. Jeremy Lewin, the Senior Official Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom, said on X that DoW references certain existing legal authorities and includes certain mutually agreed upon safety mechanisms in its contracts. Both OpenAI and xAI, which had also previously signed a deal to deploy Grok in the DoWs classified systems, agreed to those terms. He said it was the same compromise that Anthropic was offered, and rejected. Anthropic, which started working with the US government in 2024, refused to bow down to Hegseth. In its latest statement, published just hours before Altman announced OpenAIs agreement, it repeated its stance. No amount of intimidation or punishment from the Department of War will change our position on mass domestic surveillance or fully autonomous weapons, Anthropic wrote. We will challenge any supply chain risk designation in court. Altman added in his post on X that OpenAI will build technical safeguards to ensure the companys models behave as they should, claiming thats also what the DoW wanted. Its sending engineers to work with the agency to ensure [its models] safety, and it will only deploy on cloud networks. As The New York Times notes, OpenAI is not yet on Amazon cloud, which the government uses. But that could change soon, as company has also just announced forming a partnership with Amazon to run its models on Amazon Web Services (AWS) for enterprise customers. Tonight, we reached an agreement with the Department of War to deploy our models in their classified network. In all of our interactions, the DoW displayed a deep respect for safety and a desire to partner to achieve the best possible outcome. AI safety and wide distribution of Sam Altman (@sama) February 28, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-strikes-a-deal-with-the-defense-department-to-deploy-its-ai-models-054441785.html?src=rss

India disrupts access to popular developer platform Supabase with blocking order

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Anthropic Hits Back After US Military Labels It a 'Supply Chain Risk'

Anthropic says it would be legally unsound for the Pentagon to blacklist its technology after talks over military use of its artificial intelligence models broke down.

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In this photo essay, we showcase highlights from annual editions of the Mahindra Percussion Festival, along with performer insights.

Trump orders federal agencies to drop Anthropic services amid Pentagon feud

President Donald Trump has ordered all US government agencies to stop using Claude and other Anthropic services, escalating an already volatile feud between the Department of Defense and company over AI safeguards. Taking to Truth Social on Friday afternoon, the president said there would be a six-month phase out period for federal agencies, including the Defense Department, to migrate off of Anthropic's products. The Leftwing nut jobs at Anthropic have made a DISASTROUS MISTAKE trying to STRONG-ARM the Department of War, and force them to obey their Terms of Service instead of our Constitution, the president wrote. Anthropic better get their act together, and be helpful during this phase out period, or I will use the Full Power of the Presidency to make them comply, with major civil and criminal consequences to follow. Before today, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had threatened to label Anthropic a supply chain risk if it did not agree to withdraw safeguards that insist Claude not be used for mass surveillance against Americans or in fully autonomous weapons.In a post on X published after President Trumps statement , Hegseth said he was directing the Department of War to designate Anthropic a Supply-Chain Risk to National Security. Effective immediately, no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic. Anthropic did not immediately respond to Engadget's comment request. Earlier in the day, a spokesperson for the company said the contract Anthropic received after CEO Dario Amodei outlined Anthropic's position made virtually no progress on preventing the outlined misuses. New language framed as a compromise was paired with legalese that would allow those safeguards to be disregarded at will. Despite DOW's recent public statements, these narrow safeguards have been the crux of our negotiations for months, the spokesperson said. We remain ready to continue talks and committed to operational continuity for the Department and America's warfighters. Advocacy groups like the Center for Democracy and Technology (CDT) quickly came out against the presidents threats. This action sets a dangerous precedent. It chills private companies ability to engage frankly with the government about appropriate uses of their technology, which is especially important in national security settings that so often have reduced public visibility, said CDT President and CEO Alexandra Givens, in a statement shared with Engadget. These threats undermine the integrity of the innovation ecosystem, distort market incentives and normalize an expansive view of executive power that should worry Americans all across the political spectrum. For now, it appears the AI industry is united behind Anthropic. On Friday, hundreds of Google and OpenAI employees signed an open letter urging their companies to stand in solidarity with the lab. According to an internal memo seen by Axios , OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the ChatGPT maker would draw the same red line as Anthropic. Update, February 27, 6PM ET: This story was updated after publish to include a link to and quotes from Hegseth about the designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk. The subheadline was also updated. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/trump-orders-federal-agencies-to-drop-anthropic-services-amid-pentagon-feud-222029306.html?src=rss

FCC approves the merger of cable giants Cox and Charter

The Federal Communications Commission has given the go ahead for two of the US' biggest cable providers, Charter Communications and Cox Communications, to merge. Charter announced its intention to acquire Cox for $34.5 billion in May 2025, with specific plans to inherit Cox's managed IT, commercial fiber and cloud businesses, while folding the company's residential cable service into a subsidiary. By approving this deal, the FCC ensures big wins for Americans, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr said in a statement. This deal means that jobs are coming back to America that had been shipped overseas. It means that modern, high-speed networks will get built out in more communities across rural America. And it means that customers will get access to lower priced plans. On top of this, the deal enshrines protections against DEI discrimination. The FCC claims that Charter plans to invest billions to upgrade its network following the closure of the deal, leading to faster broadband and lower prices. The company's Rural Construction Initiative will also extend those improvements to rural states lacking in consistent internet service, a project the FCC was heavily invested in during the Biden administration, but has been pulling back from since President Donald Trump appointed Carr . The FCC also claims Charter will onshore jobs currently handled off-shore by Cox employees and commit to new safeguards to protect against DEI discrimination, which essentially amounts to hiring, recruiting and promoting employees based on skills, qualifications, and experience. While Carr's FCC paints a rosy picture of Charter's acquisition, history has provided multiple examples of mergers having the opposite effect on jobs and pricing. For example, redundancies created when T-Mobile merged with Sprint in 2020 led to a wave of layoffs at the carrier. And funnily enough in 2018, not long after Charter's merger with Time Warner Cable was approved by the FCC , the company raised prices on its Spectrum service by over $91 a year. The FCC's obsession with diversity, equity and inclusion as part of the deal is stranger, if only because it appears to fall outside of the commission's purpose of maintaining fair competition in the telecommunications industry. It does fit with other mergers the FCC has approved under Carr, however. Skydance's acquisition of Paramount was approved in 2025 under the condition it wouldn't establish any DEI programs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/fcc-approves-the-merger-of-cable-giants-cox-and-charter-230258865.html?src=rss

OpenAI fires employee for using confidential info on prediction markets

The company said such trades violates its internal company policies about using confidential information for personal gain.

Paramount agrees to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, pays Netflix $2.8 billion for breakup

Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery are officially merging . The studio paid Netflix the $2.8 billion termination fee it was owed for breaking its original deal to buy Warner Bros. earlier today, and the historic film studio has now formally accepted Paramounts offer. Along with the deal, which values Warner Bros. Discovery at $31 per share, Paramount is making several commitments to assuage the fears of regulators and the entertainment community. Those include a guarantee that the new company will produce 30 theatrical films annually, that theatrical releases will have a minimum 45-day window in theaters before theyre brought to video on demand (something Netflix ultimately also agreed to ) and that deal itself will close by Q3 2026. This turnaround in Paramount's fortunes has happened quickly. Warner Bros. Discovery announced that Paramount's offer was superior to Netflix's on Thursday , and not long after the streaming service said that it wouldn't provide a counter offer, effectively abandoning its previous agreement. Ultimately, Netflix and Paramount were vying for different parts of Warner Bros. Disocvery. Netflix was primarily interested in Warner Bros. proper, while Paramount Skydance wanted the whole company, cable networks and all. Either deal would need to be approved by regulators, which is the hurdle Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery face now. The general assumption has been that the close relationship Paramount CEO David Ellison and his billionaire father Larry Ellison have with the Trump administration would smooth over any issues, but the deal will receive scrutiny abroad and likely also at the state level, based on a recent post from California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Paramount Skydance has proven its willingness to comply with President Donald Trump , but delays in closing the deal could be costly. The company is on the hook to pay Warner Bros. Discovery a daily ticking fee equal to $0.25 per share per quarter beginning after September 30, 2026. The company also has to pay $7 billion to Warner Bros. Discovery if the deal is terminated for regulatory reasons. Netflix lost the battle for Warner Bros. Discovery, but getting a competitor to potentially overpay for the studio might be its own reward. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/paramount-agrees-to-buy-warner-bros-discovery-pays-netflix-28-billion-for-breakup-215936514.html?src=rss

Pentagon moves to designate Anthropic as a supply-chain risk

We don't need it, we don't want it, and will not do business with them again, the president wrote in the post.

Trump Moves to Ban Anthropic From the US Government

President Donald Trumps sudden order comes after the Defense Department pressured Anthropic to drop restrictions on how its AI can be used by the military.

The Best Roku Is $20 Off

The Roku Ultra isnt just speedier, it also offers some advanced features that some viewers will find really handy.

The PS5 Pro is getting upgraded upscaling tech in March

After suggesting a version of AMD's FSR 4 could be ported to the PS5 Pro last year, it looks like Sony is finally rolling out an update with the upscaling tech in March. Mark Cerny, the lead architect of the PS4, PS5 and PS5 Pro, shared via a blog post that the PS5 Pro will be updated with a new version of the company's PSSR (PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution) upscaling tech next month, and Resident Evil Requiem is one of the first games to use it. PSSR is an AI library that analyzes game images pixel by pixel as it upscales them, Cerny says, which boosts the visual fidelity of games on the PS5 Pro, while running them at a less demanding resolution. The upgraded version of PSSR takes a very different approach to not only the neural network but also the overall algorithm, and is now able to keep both framerate and image quality high when it's enabled. Cerny's blog post includes comparison images if you're curious about the visual differences the new PSSR is able to achieve. Masaru Ijuin, a Senior Manager from Capcom's Engine Development Support Section R&D Foundational Technology Department, also provided comments on how the new upscaling tech improves Resident Evil Requiem : With Resident Evil Requiem , we focused on enhancing the presentation quality of the protagonist through an upgraded version of RE Engine to deepen the players immersion in horror. For example, each individual strand of hair and beard is rendered as a polygon, allowing it to move realistically in response to body motion and wind. The way light passes through his hair changes depending on how the strands of hair are overlapped as well. This detailed expression of texture is one of the many details that we would especially love for our fans to see. The upgraded PSSR has allowed us to elevate our expressiveness by successfully processing these details and textural particularities, which are traditionally difficult to upscale because of their intricacy. We hope you will experience this unprecedented level of horror and visual fidelity, and the new gameplay feel it delivers. Sony and AMD formally announced Project Amethyst, their collaboration to develop machine-learning technology to improve graphics and gameplay, in 2024. The partnership has already benefitted both companies: Cerny says Sony contributed to the development of AMD's FSR 4 and similar improvements are now trickling back to the PS5 Pro. Both companies' plans to improve everything from upscaling performance to energy efficiency could also pay further dividends in future consoles and GPUs. Sony Interactive Entertainment The upgraded PSSR will roll out to PS5 Pro owners as part of a software update in March, and will be able to be toggled on and off in the console's settings, according to Cerny. Around the same time, multiple PS5 games are also supposed to be updated to support the upscaling tech. While the graphical improvements are still incremental over a normal PS5, the fact that Sony's still squeezing more performance out of its console should at least be reassuring to anyone who spent $700 ( or now $750 ) on a PS5 Pro. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-ps5-pro-is-getting-upgraded-upscaling-tech-in-march-200105816.html?src=rss

Google and OpenAI employees sign open letter in solidarity with Anthropic

Hundreds of employees at Google and OpenAI have signed an open letter urging their companies to stand with Anthropic in its standoff with the Pentagon over military applications for AI tools like Claude. The letter, titled We Will Not Be Divided, calls on the leadership of both companies to put aside their differences and stand together to continue to refuse the Department of Wars current demands for permission to use our models for domestic mass surveillance and autonomously killing people without human oversight. These are two lines that Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has said should not be crossed by his or any other AI company. As of publication, the letter has over 450 signatures, almost 400 of which come from Google employees and the rest from OpenAI. Currently, roughly 50 percent of all participants have chosen to attach their names to the cause, with the rest remaining anonymous. All are verified as current employees of these companies. The original organizers of the letter arent Google or OpenAI employees; they say are unaffiliated with any AI company, political party or advocacy group. The open letter is the latest development in the saga between Anthropic and US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who threatened to label the company a supply chain risk if it did not agree to withdraw certain guardrails for classified work. The Pentagon has also been in talks with Google and OpenAI about using their models for classified work, with xAI coming on board earlier this week. The letter argues the government is trying to divide each company with fear that the other will give in. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told his employees on Friday that the ChatGPT maker will draw the same red lines as Anthropic, according to an internal memo seen by Axios . He told CNBC on the same day that he doesn't personally think the Pentagon should be threatening DPA against these companies. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-and-openai-employees-sign-open-letter-in-solidarity-with-anthropic-194957274.html?src=rss

Musk bashes OpenAI in deposition, saying nobody committed suicide because of Grok

In his lawsuit against OpenAI, Musk touted xAI safety compared with ChatGPT. A few months later, xAI's Grok flooded X with nonconsensual nude images.

What's an E-Bike? California Wants You to Know

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Anthropic vs. the Pentagon: Whats actually at stake?

Anthropic and the Pentagon are clashing over AI use in autonomous weapons and surveillance, raising high-stakes questions about national security, corporate control, and who sets the rules for military AI.

Everything Larry and David Ellison Will Control If Paramount Buys Warner Bros.

Paramount Skydances sprawling media empire will get a major boost if the deal is approved.

Hyperion author Dan Simmons dies from stroke at 77

I went into Hyperion blind, decades ago, knowing almost nothing about it. I was never the same.

ChatGPT reaches 900M weekly active users

OpenAI shared the new numbers as part of its announcement that it has raised $110 billion in private funding.

Heres your first look at Kratos and Atreus in Amazons upcoming God of War TV adaptation

With the likes of The Last of Us and Fallout out of the way for a bit, Amazon has seized its opportunity to put the spotlight on the next big video game adaptation, its currently-in-production God of War show. Today we got our first look at Ryan Hurst and Callum Vinson as Kratos and Atreus. The image released by Amazon shows the eponymous God of War standing next to a tree as he watches his son who notably looks a bit younger than the video game version of 11-year-old Atreus we first met in 2018s God of War take aim with his bow. Exactly what theyre hunting is unclear, but we know that the developing relationship between father and son that was such a big part of the PS4 game is also going to be at the heart of the show. Whether Sony Pictures Television and Amazon MGM Studios have nailed the looks of its central characters is a matter of opinion. Personally I think Hursts Kratos in particular looks a little bit off here, but theres every chance it all comes together later in production. Or when we first hear him angrily exclaim boy! The Sons of Anarchy star was cast as Kratos back in January, and earlier this week we learned that Deadpool s Ed Skrein will play Baldur in the Amazon show. The rest of the cast includes Mandy Patinkin as Odin, Max Parker and Heimfall, lafur Darri lafsson as Thor, Teresa Palmer as Sif, Alastair Duncan as Mimir, Jeff Gulka as Sindri and Danny Woodburn as Brok. No release date has been announced yet, but a second season of God of War has already been confirmed. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/heres-your-first-look-at-kratos-and-atreus-in-amazons-upcoming-god-of-war-tv-adaptation-172251366.html?src=rss

AI music generator Suno hits 2M paid subscribers and $300M in annual recurring revenue

Suno lets users create music using natural language prompts, making it possible for people with little experience to generate audio with little effort.

Apple and Netflix team up to air Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix

As Netflix continues its live sports push, the company has partnered with Apple to air the Formula 1 Canadian Grand Prix.

OpenAI secures another $110 billion in funding from Amazon, NVIDIA and SoftBank

OpenAI just announced a massive funding round of $110 billion , which is one of the biggest investment rounds in Silicon Valley history. The investors feature many of the usual suspects, including Amazon with $50 billion, NVIDIA with $30 billion and SoftBank with $30 billion. This investment brings OpenAI to a $730 billion valuation Were super excited about this deal, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told CNBC . AI is going to happen everywhere. That last statement seems more like a threat than a boast, but I digress. Beyond the funding round, OpenAI has announced strategic partnerships with both NVIDIA and Amazon. This will involve Amazon Web Services (AWS) running OpenAI models for enterprise customers to build generative AI applications and agents at production scale. It also names AWS as the exclusive third-party cloud distribution provider for OpenAI Frontier, which is an agentic enterprise platform. OpenAI has also committed to consuming 2 gigawatts of Amazon's Trainium capacity, which is the company's custom-designed AI training accelerator. In other words, Amazon is spending a lot of money on OpenAI and then OpenAI will turn around and spend a lot of money with Amazon. The AI funding ouroboros continues . It's also worth noting that Amazon's investment in OpenAI will be staggered. The funding begins with $15 billion, but the remaining $35 billion will only be invested when certain conditions are met. Oddly, it's been reported that one condition is that OpenAI achieves artificial general intelligence . AGI is when AI evolves to or beyond human-level abilities, at which point the entire world turns into rainbows and everyone gets a pony. This could happen later this year, according to those bullish on the technology , or never, according to many researchers . Sam Altman said it was coming in 2025 but has since grown weary of the term . The new partnership with NVIDIA evolves the long-standing collaboration between the two companies . OpenAI has pledged to consume 2 gigawatts of training capacity on NVIDIA's Vera Rubin systems and an additional 3 gigawatts of computing resources, likely in the form of GPUs, to run specific AI inference tasks. In other words, NVIDIA is spending a lot of money on OpenAI and then OpenAI will turn around and spend a lot of money with NVIDIA. The ouroboros must feed . As for revenue, OpenAI has forecast a massive loss of $14 billion in 2026. It lost around $5 billion in 2024 and reports estimate a loss of $8 billion in 2025 . Despite this trajectory, the company claims it'll be raking in $100 billion in revenue by 2029 . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-secures-another-110-billion-in-funding-from-amazon-nvidia-and-softbank-171006356.html?src=rss

NASA overhauls Artemis program, delaying Moon landing to 2028

NASA is making major changes to its Artemis Moon program. On Friday, Administrator Jared Isaacman announced the space agency would carry out an additional flight in 2027 to test commercial lunar landers from SpaceX and/or Blue Origin . The new mission will take the place of Artemis 3, which previously would have seen NASA attempt to land on the Moon for the first time since 1972. The flight will also see the agency test a new spacesuit made by Axiom Space. As part of the new plan, the redesigned Artemis 3 mission will give NASA the chance to test at least one lander in the relative safety of low Earth orbit. NASA will attempt to return humans to the Moon during Artemis 4 sometime in 2028, with the potential for another mission as early as later that same year. Per CBS News , the decision comes after NASA's Aerospace Safety Advisory Plan said the agency's existing mission plan was too risky. NASA must standardize its approach, increase flight rate safely, and execute on the Presidents national space policy. With credible competition from our greatest geopolitical adversary increasing by the day, we need to move faster, eliminate delays, and achieve our objectives, said Isaacman. Standardizing vehicle configuration, increasing flight rate and progressing through objectives in a logical, phased approach, is how we achieved the near-impossible in 1969 and it is how we will do it again. The change of plan also comes as Artemis 2 has faced multiple delays in recent months. The Space Launch System (SLS) heavy-lift rocket has, once again, proven to be temperamental. NASA had planned to launch Artemis 2 in early February, but pushed the flight back after it caught a hydrogen leak during a fueling test . More recently, NASA delayed the mission to give its engineers time to fix a helium pressurization issue in the upper stage of the SLS. At the earliest, the mission can now get underway on April 1. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/nasa-overhauls-artemis-program-delaying-moon-landing-to-2028-164255318.html?src=rss

Celebrate Pokmons 30th anniversary with this Game Boy-shaped music player

Pokmon celebrates its 30th anniversary today, and as youd expect, Nintendo and The Pokmon Company are cranking up the nostalgia in every possible way. In addition to re-releasing the Game Boy Advance remakes of Pokmon Red and Blue on Nintendo Switch Online, theyre also selling us a Game Boy-shaped portable Pokmon jukebox. Officially titled the Pokmon Game Music Collection, the little music player is palm-sized and can be loaded up with 45 different cartridges, each featuring a different melody or sound effect from the original games' soundtrack. The device was announced by longtime series composer Junichi Masuda during todays anniversary Pokmon Presents livestream, where he said that special care has gone into the audio sounding like it did on the Game Boy. Each cartridge also features a screenshot from the games, so when you slide it into the devices display slot it looks like youre playing as well as listening. Put one of these next to last years equally charming Lego Game Boy on a shelf and youve got two entirely non-playable replicas of the iconic handheld, which is sure to confuse and disappoint your guests in equal measure. The Pokmon Game Music Collection is available to buy from Pokmon Center starting today, but US pricing is yet to be confirmed. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/celebrate-pokemons-30th-anniversary-with-this-game-boy-shaped-music-player-154644225.html?src=rss

Pokmon Winds and Waves are coming to Switch 2 in 2027

The Pokmon leakers were right: the Gen 10 games are called Pokmon Wind and Pokmon Waves . The Pokmon Company confirmed the titles during a 30th anniversary stream on Pokmon Day . The games are set to hit Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027. (A Game Freak leak last October suggested Wind and Waves would be out this year with DLC to follow in 2027.) According to the Pokmon account on X , in Wind and Waves , youll travel across beautiful windswept islands and a vast ocean with glittering waves that ebb and flow. Youll also team up with Pokmon to overcome challenges and even the forces of nature! Theyll be playable in 11 languages, including Brazilian Portuguese . Introducing the first partner Pokmon from #PokemonWindsWaves ! Say hello to Browt , Pombon , and Gecqua . Who will you partner with on this adventure, Trainers? pic.twitter.com/UfKtE5lszu Pokmon (@Pokemon) February 27, 2026 A trailer for the two games revealed the three new starter Pokmon: Browt, Pombon and Gecqua. As suggested by their colors and environments theyre shown in, they are grass, fire and water types, respectively. Other Pokmon that were featured include Pikachu (sporting fetching beachwear) and Oddish. The trailer, which reveals a new region for the series, ends by taking us into the ocean to gawk at an number of water Pokmon. The Pokmon Presents stream on Friday included updates for many other games in the franchise, including the battle-focused Pokmon Champions (a modern spin on the likes of Pokmon Stadium ). That will debut on Nintendo Switch in April before arriving on iOS and Android later this year. Cross-play will be available between the three platforms. It was also confirmed that Pokmon XD: Gale of Darkness will hit the GameCube library on Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack on Switch 2 in March. Pokmon Day marks the 30th anniversary of the series debut with the 1996 release of Pocket Monsters Red and Pocket Monsters Green (later released as Pokmon Red and Pokmon Blue in the West) on Game Boy in Japan. The games were remade for GameBoy Advance in 2004 as Pokmon FireRed Version and Pokmon LeafGreen Version . Starting today, those are available on Switch and Switch 2 for $20 each. Meanwhile, Pokmon Pokopia , a cozy life sim spin-off, will hit Switch 2 on March 5. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/pokemon-winds-and-waves-are-coming-to-switch-2-in-2027-152248895.html?src=rss

Spotify is rolling out Audiobook Charts

Similar to the streaming giant's Music and Podcast Charts, the Audiobook Charts will be updated weekly and highlight the top audiobooks overall and by genre

The Morning After: The Galaxy S26 Ultras Privacy Display is pretty cool

Samsungs Unpacked event midweek revealed three new phones and two sets of earbuds, but the real standout, as usual, is the Galaxy S26 Ultra . This year, the Ultra actually features a bit of genuine tech innovation and no, we dont mean it folds. Lets talk about its new Privacy Display. This isn't a shimmery, holographic screen protector thats hard to read and constantly peels off at the corners; this tech is engineered directly into the S26 Ultras OLED display. Samsung Display revealed its Flex Magic Pixel technology back in 2024 . The S26 Ultras Privacy Display is built off the back of this. It controls the direction of light emitted from the AMOLED at the pixel level, integrating wide-angle and narrow-angle pixel arrays so the display can switch between a wide-angle viewing experience and more private, straight-on views. While HPs SureView tech is similar, the amount of customization possible is incredible and we all have our phones out in public much more than our HP laptops. It could be perfect for keeping prying eyes off your banking apps, messaging apps and even dating apps. Otherwise, the rest of the S26 series offers incremental updates with better cameras and newer processors. This makes the base S26 and S26+ a harder sell unless your current Galaxy phone is several years old. Also, following the 2026 trend, they are all pricier this year. Make sure you check out our early impressions ( S26 Ultra , S26 , Galaxy Buds 4 ); reviews are coming soon. Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning Apple and Netflix are teaming up to share Formula 1 programming Burger King will use AI to monitor employee friendliness Canadian government demands safety changes from OpenAI Amazon introduces three personality styles for Alexa+ Ambient Dreamie bedside companion review How much for a good nights sleep? $250? Cheyenne MacDonald for Engadget Ambients dedicated alarm clock offers many of the conveniences of your smartphone alarms highly customizable alarm schedules, a library of soundscapes and noise masks and even Bluetooth so you can connect earbuds. Theres no subscription, it sounds great and sleep insights are supposedly incoming. However, $250 is a lot. Check out our full review. Continue reading. An AI-generated Resident Evil Requiem review briefly made it on Metacritic By a video game news site owned by ClickOut Media. Review aggregator Metacritic has removed a review of Resident Evil Requiem because it was AI generated. Kotaku explained the review was published by UK gaming site VideoGamer , but appears to be written by a fake AI journalist rather than a real person. Brian Merrygold doesnt seem to exist. The authors profile on VideoGamer is just as awkwardly written as the review, and the profile picture of the account also appears to be AI-generated. Literally, the file name includes ChatGPT-Image. ClickOut Media, the company that owns VideoGamer and a collection of other publications, reportedly laid off the staff of its gaming sites earlier this month to pivot to AI-generated content. Here it is. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-144951777.html?src=rss

Engadget Podcast: Xbox's leadership shakeup and Samsung's Galaxy S26

This week, we're diving into the big changes at Xbox and what it all means for Microsoft's gaming future. Phil Spencer, the longtime face of Xbox, announced he's retiring last week. He'll be replaced by Microsoft's former CoreAI CEO Asha Sharma, instead of his longtime deputy Sarah Bond, who plans to leave the company. Will this change actually help the beleaguered Xbox division, or is it another example of Microsoft shoving AI into everything? Also, Samsung held its latest Unpacked event this week to announce its new Galaxy S26 family. They look pretty much the same as last year, but the Ultra model includes a unique privacy feature that can instantly make the screen unreadable to bystanders. It's one of those features we expect to see in every phone eventually. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topic Xbox leadership falls apart. what happens next with Phil Spencer and Sarah Bond out? 1:53 Samsung Unpacked: Privacy display on the S26 Ultra looks amazing 27:27 U.S. Defense leadership gives Anthropic a Friday deadline to let it use Claude as it sees fit 42:38 MrBeast editor accused of insider trading on Kalshi 50:40 Discord delays age verification program after user revolt 54:09 Around Engadget 1:04:04 Working on 1:05:16 Pop culture picks 1:08:21 Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Igor Bonifacic Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence OBrien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/engadget-podcast-xboxs-leadership-shakeup-and-samsungs-galaxy-s26-150000180.html?src=rss

Last 24 hoursto get TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 tickets at the lowest rates of the year

The lowest rates of the year for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 end after today. Prices go up at 11:59 p.m. PT. Don't miss connecting with 10,000 founders, investors, and operators, and key takeaways from 250+ industry leaders. Register now to save up to $680, or up to 30% on group passes.

After Zomato, Deepinder Goyal returns with a $54M brain-monitoring bet

Zomato co-founder Deepinder Goyal's new wearable startup Temple has raised $54 million in a friends-and-family round at a post-money valuation of about $190 million.

How to downgrade from macOS 26 Tahoe on a new Mac

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OpenAI raises $110B in one of the largest private funding rounds in history

The new funding consists of a $50 billion investment from Amazon as well as $30 billion each from Nvidia and SoftBank, against a $730 billion valuation.

[Weekly funding roundup Feb 21-27] Steep fall in VC inflow due to absence of large deals

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Deepinder Goyal's wearable startup Temple raises $54M funding

The hardware company started by Deepinder Goyal reached a $190 million post-money valuation in a friends-and-family round backed by early Zomato investors and over 30 of its own employees, who invested at par valuation with no equity discount.

Apple says it has a big week ahead. Here's what we expect to see.

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India Towards a Startup Nation: How Mehsanas Startup Model Became a Model for the Country

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A cheap MacBook is the perfect way for Apple to win over Windows users

The MacBook is coming back or at least, that's what the rumors claim . Next week, Apple is expected to announce a colorful, low-cost, non-Air, non-Pro MacBook powered by one of its mobile processors. By avoiding its pricier M-series chips, Apple may reportedly be able to reach a low $699 or $799 price for the MacBook. The $999 MacBook Air is the cheapest laptop on the company's website right now, but Apple also sold the older M1 MacBook Air at Walmart for $700 in 2024, which later went down to $650 last year. That Walmart deal was a smart way for Apple to test out the viability of cheaper MacBooks without building an entirely new product. But now the M1 Airs design looks seriously dated, and the company also needs to move beyond the six-year-old M1 chip. It's time to get serious about delivering a true low-cost Apple laptop. There's another compelling reason to bring back a cheaper MacBook: It's the perfect way to court disgruntled Windows users, something Apple hasn't really done since its Get A Mac ads from the mid-2000s. I figure the unbridled success of the iPhone and iPad made Apple focus less on directly competing with Windows. The sleek designs of the 2011-2015 era MacBook Air and Pros were their main selling points, but Apple's push towards USB-C-only machines and unreliable butterfly keyboards later made it clear it wasn't totally focused on Macs. A MacBook Air M5 on a table. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget But now Microsoft is distracted by AI it's been pushing Copilot and AI features for years, instead of improving the Windows experience with more useful upgrades. Recent talk of agentic AI capabilities , which would let Copilot handle tasks for you automatically, also sparked plenty of criticism from Windows users . And with all of the focus on AI, Microsoft has also released some disastrous Windows updates over the last year, which have bricked OS installations . So, Apple, why not make a direct play for Windows users? Last year, I covered why it's a great time to jump ship from Windows to Mac , and I haven't been able to let go of that idea since. Apple's M-series chips are shockingly fast and efficient, and its hardware tends to be more durable than typical PC fare. Rumors point to Apple developing a new aluminum case for the low-cost MacBook, so it will likely feel more polished than a typical sub-$1,000 Windows laptop. macOS has also avoided the bloat that's plagued Windows for years you can turn off Apple Intelligence with two clicks if you want to, and there aren't any annoying ads to deal with. And while it used to be a pain to transition from Windows to Mac, its far easier these days, especially if you mainly rely on web apps. It also wouldn't be tough for Apple to make short tutorials to help Windows users get their bearings with the macOS basics, like installing apps and juggling app windows. Apple could also make a play for iPhone owners using Windows, who may not be aware of the many ways iOS and macOS are integrated. iPhone mirroring may be a huge draw on its own. Rumors also suggest the upcoming MacBook might use the A18 Pro from the iPhone 16 Pro, a chip that benchmarks faster than the M1 . Even if it only has six cores, making it slower for heavy workloads than the M2, an A18 Pro-powered MacBook would still be more than enough power for basic productivity work. Not everyone needs the surprising amount of GPU power in the MacBook Air especially if downgrading means they can save $200 to $300. I'm not saying any of this through any sort of Apple-loving bias. I typically use a MacBook Pro for work, but I'm a Windows user at heart. Windows was my gateway to computing in the '90s, back when Macs were far more expensive than PCs. These days, I spend more time on my Windows desktop making podcasts, playing PC games and bumming around the internet than I do working on Macs. And yet, its hard to deny everything Apple is doing right today the only thing its missing is an inexpensive laptop entry. A $699 or $799 MacBook simply makes sense.And for many Windows users, itll be just the escape from Microsoft they need. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/a-cheap-macbook-is-the-perfect-way-for-apple-to-win-over-windows-users-130000045.html?src=rss

Ultrahumans new Pro ring comes with 15 days battery life

If theres one thing that stops people using their smart rings over the long term, its the battery life. After all, theyre so unobtrusive , its easy to forget to drop it on the charging plate every few days. It doesnt take long for your pricey gadget to become little more than a very expensive piece of jewelry. Its one of many maladies Ultrahuman is looking to address with the advent of its new Pro, a smart ring boasting up to 15 days of battery life. It even ships with a fancy battery case, which itself includes enough power to last it 45 days, making it easier to keep re-charged on the go. Ultrahuman Ring Pro hasnt just got a far bigger battery, its been re-engineered from the ground up. The companys Bhuvan Srinivasan explained the older hardware had been pushed to its limit, especially in terms of the data it could process. Consequently, the Pro is equipped with a dual core processor with on-device machine learning to better crunch the numbers your body is throwing out. Its memory has also been increased, holding up to 250 days of data before it needs to sync with your smartphone. As well as improvements to durability, the new ring is also easier to cut apart in the hopefully rare event your finger, or its battery, begins to swell. Ultrahuman Ill admit, having seen a prototype Pro Charger in person back in January, that its the prettiest way to re-juice a smart ring Ive ever seen. Whereas Samsung and Oura have both opted for discreet, ring box-style hardware, Ultrahuman made something designed to sit on your nightstand. Its not taking up space just for show, either, since it includes the aforementioned battery, LED charge indicator, speaker and haptics. Its also got the ability to diagnose and address firmware issues to eliminate worries around firmware issues bricking devices. Ultrahuman At the same time, Ultrahuman is pulling the covers off Jade, its new real time biointelligence AI. The company promises Jade will be able to pull real-time actionable insights, and even start breathwork or trigger Afib detection. Jade is expected to get new features over time, with some examples being ordering good, changing your room temperature or flagging potential health issues. The idea is that Jade will keep a constant eye on your health, pulling in data from the ring, M1 continuous glucose monitor and environmental stats from your Ultrahuman Home. Naturally, well be getting in the Pro to test and will give our opinions on how effective all of this is when weve spent a month or two actually using it. But if youd rather not wait and youre based outside the US, you can pre-order the Ultrahuman Ring Pro right now, for $479, with shipments beginning in March. If you already have an Ultrahuman Ring, you can also get a trade-in deal to help cut the cost of the new model. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ultrahumans-new-pro-ring-comes-with-15-days-battery-life-120038820.html?src=rss

OpenAI will notify authorities of credible threats after Canada mass shooter's second account was discovered

OpenAI has vowed to strengthen its safety protocols and to notify law enforcement of credible threats sooner in a letter addressed to Canadian authorities, according to Politico and The Washington Post . If youll recall, Canadian politicians summoned the companys leaders after reports came out that it didnt notify authorities when it banned the account owned by the Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia mass shooting suspect back in 2025. Some of OpenAIs leaders have already met with Candian officials, and British Columbia Premier David Eby said Sam Altman had also agreed to meet with him. While OpenAI has yet to announce changes to its rules, Ann OLeary, its vice president of global policy, reportedly wrote in the letter that the company will tweak its detection systems so that they can better prevent banned users from coming back to the platform. Apparently, after OpenAI banned the shooters original account due to potential warnings of committing real-world violence, the perpetrator was able to create another account. The company only discovered the second account after the shooters name was released, and it has since notified authorities. Further, OpenAI will now notify authorities if it detects imminent and credible threats in ChatGPT conversations, even if the user doesnt reveal a target, means, and timing of planned violence. OLeary explained that if the new rules had been in effect when the shooters account was banned in 2025, the company would have notified the police. OpenAI will also establish a point of contact for Canadian law enforcement so it can quickly share information with authorities when needed. The Canadian government sees OpenAIs decision not to report the shooters original account as a failure. It threatened to regulate AI chatbots in the country if their creators cannot show that they have proper safeguards to protect its users. Its unclear at the moment if OpenAI also plans to roll out the same changes in the US and elsewhere in the world. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-will-notify-authorities-of-credible-threats-after-canada-mass-shooters-second-account-was-discovered-112706548.html?src=rss

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Google Maps will finally be usable in South Korea

Google will finally be able to provide real-time driving and walking directions in South Korea, The New York Times reported. The company has received permission from the nation's Transport Ministry to export geographic data out of the country, which will allow it to provide GPS services as well as detailed listings for restaurants and other businesses. We welcome todays decision and look forward to our ongoing collaboration with local officials to bring a fully functioning Google Maps to Korea, Google's senior executive Cris Turner told the NYT in a statement. However, the approval is contingent on the condition that strict security requirements are met, a spokesperson from the Transport Ministry said. Those conditions reportedly restrict Google from displaying sensitive military sites and longitude and latitude coordinates. South Korea has generally restricted the export of 1/5000 scale map data over national security concerns, as it's still technically at war with its neighbor North Korea. Google hasn't been able to provide mapping directions or business details since it arrived in the nation, though it has applied twice in 2007 and 2016. This lack of data sharing has reportedly been a bone of contention in trade talks with the US. Google argued that it was unfairly handicapped by the restrictions that allowed local apps like Naver to thrive. However, critics in the nation have expressed concern that Google could now come in and monopolize the market. If Naver and Kakao are weakened or pushed out and Google later raises prices, that becomes a monopoly. Then, even companies that rely on map services logistics firms, for example become dependent [on Google], geography professor Choi Jin-mu told Reuters . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-maps-will-finally-be-usable-in-south-korea-104301396.html?src=rss

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The best Wi-Fi extenders in 2026

Weak Wi-Fi can turn everyday tasks into small frustrations, whether its a video call that drops mid-sentence or a stream that refuses to load in certain rooms. If upgrading your router isnt an option, a Wi-Fi extender can be a practical way to stretch your existing network farther and smooth out coverage gaps without rewiring your home or rearranging furniture. Todays Wi-Fi extenders range from simple plug-in repeaters to more advanced models that behave like miniature access points or mesh nodes. Some are best suited for extending coverage to a single room, while others are designed to preserve faster speeds across larger spaces. Choosing the right one depends on your homes layout, your internet plan and how much performance youre willing to trade for convenience. Weve tested a variety of Wi-Fi extenders to find the best options for different budgets and setups, from affordable fixes for small dead zones to higher-end models built to handle heavier traffic and faster connections. Best Wi-Fi extender for 2026 How do Wi-Fi extenders work? These handy wireless devices do exactly what their name suggests: extend your Wi-Fi network so it covers more areas of your home. Most wireless extenders plug into an AC outlet and connect to your existing router so they can then rebroadcast it to spots that your router alone may not cover well. As a rule of thumb, youll get the best results by placing the extender half way between your router and the dead zone youre trying to fix or improve your W-Fi connection and strengthen the wireless signal. One important thing to note about Wi-Fi range extenders (also sometimes called repeaters) is that most of them actually create a new Wi-Fi network when rebroadcasting your existing one. That network will have a new name (itll often be your default networks name with an EXT appended at the end, unless you change it) and that means youll have to connect to different networks when in different parts of your home. While thats a small tradeoff in return for improved internet connection, some will be more inconvenienced than others. If youd rather have one, much larger network in your home, youre better off upgrading to mesh networking systems. Mesh systems come with a main router and a wireless access point or two that, by default, create one large Wi-Fi system that should be accessible throughout your whole home. They tend to be the best Wi-Fi routers you can get, but that also translates to more expensive, and possibly more complicated, devices. Mesh Wi-Fi systems are, by far, more costly than a simple extender, plus you may have to work with your internet service provider to get your homes existing network working on your new router. What to look for in a Wi-Fi extender Speed Extenders today can support single, dual or tri-band Wi-Fi, and they will tell you the maximum speeds they support on all of their available bands. For example, one dual-band device might support 600Mbps speeds over its 2.4GHz band and up to 1300Mbps over its 5GHz band, for a combined maximum speed of 1900Mbps. For the best performance, youll want to go with a Wi-Fi extender that has the highest speeds possible (and those, as you might expect, tend to cost more). Some extenders even support Wi-Fi 7, giving you the latest in wireless technology for higher bandwidth, faster internet speed and lower latency. However, its important to remember that Wi-Fi extenders are not true signal boosters since they are not designed to increase speeds across your home. In fact, you may find that the extenders network is slower than your routers. Instead, extenders are designed to increase the strong Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home, making them ideal for filling in dead zones. Some mesh extenders can help create a more seamless network, reducing the drop in speed and improving connectivity in larger spaces. Range, and number of supported devices With the name of the gaming being coverage area, taking note of a devices range is important. Depending on the size of your home and property, you may only need up to 1,200 square feet of coverage. But those with larger homes will want to spring for an extender that can support upwards of 2,000+ square feet of coverage. Similarly, those with lots of gadgets will want an extender that can handle them all at once. If you spend most of your time on your phone or laptop and maybe have your smart TV online for a few hours of Netflix each day, you could get by with a more limited extender. Smart home aficionados and tech lovers should invest in one that wont buckle under the pressure of a few dozen connected devices. This is especially important if you plan on linking all of the devices in a certain part of your home to your Wi-Fi range extenders network, rather than directly to your existing router. Some models with external antennas can improve performance by providing stronger, more directional wireless signal. Design There isnt a ton of innovation when it comes to design in the Wi-Fi extender space. Most of the ones youll find today are rounded rectangles roughly the size of your hand that plug into a standard wall outlet. They usually have a few indicator lights that will show you when the extender is connected, how strong its signal strength is and when theres a problem, and some will even have moveable external antennas that companies claim provide even better Wi-Fi signal. Generally, they are pretty simple to install and get connected, but if youre struggling with how to set up your Wi-Fi extender, there are plenty of YouTube videos you can check out. Aside from that, there are the scant few standalone Wi-Fi extenders that sit on an end table or a desk, and those look pretty similar to regular ol routers. But make no mistake, anything labeled as an extender or a Wi-Fi repeater will need an anchor router in order for it to work. Another convenient feature youll find on most Wi-Fi extenders is an extra Ethernet connection port (or a few). This allows you to use the extender as a wireless access point if you connect it to your existing router, or an adapter to provide devices like TVs, smart home hubs or game consoles a hardwired connection to the internet. Unsurprisingly, this wired connection usually provides you with the fastest speeds possible, so you may want to use it for your most crucial devices. Wi-Fi extender FAQs What's the difference between a wifi booster and extender? Nowadays, theres really no difference between a Wi-Fi booster and Wi-Fi extender - theyre just different names for the same thing. Previously, however, Wi-Fi boosters were devices that received signals from wireless routers, broadcasting them to another network. This essentially extends the range of the signal. Wi-Fi extenders expand the coverage within your homes Wi-Fi network, but often you will see extenders described as boosters. Is a Wi-Fi extender better than a mesh router? Mesh routers, or mesh Wi-Fi systems , use multiple devices (or nodes) across your home to create a larger home network. Essentially, you have multiple routers around your home with these systems, and that will hopefully provide the best coverage possible. Wi-Fi extenders, on the other hand, are usually just one device that extends your existing Wi-Fi signal, and they often require you to switch networks when connecting. Wi-Fi extenders are more affordable, though, and are great if youre traveling or need a Wi-Fi signal in harder-to-reach areas. However, a mesh router can offer a better long-term solution to upgrade your entire homes Wi-Fi. Should I use multiple Wi-Fi extenders? Some people may need to use multiple Wi-Fi extenders, for instance, if your home is large or has dead zones in different areas. But if you do use multiple Wi-Fi extenders, theres a chance of interference. You may also need to manually connect to the extenders separately, which isnt always convenient. What is the maximum distance for a Wi-Fi extender? The maximum distance for a Wi-Fi extender varies depending on the model, but most can effectively extend your wireless signal between 800 and 2,500 square feet. Some high-end models may reach even farther, especially if they feature external antennas or are part of a mesh system with additional dedicated wireless access points. However, keep in mind that real-world performance depends on factors like your home's layout, wall materials and interference from other devices. For best results, place your extender about halfway between your router and the area with weak or no Wi-Fi connection. Always check the manufacturers specs some of our top picks clearly list their expected range so you can find one that fits your space. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/best-wifi-extender-130021313.html?src=rss

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Anthropic refuses to bow to Pentagon despite Hegseth's threats

Despite an ultimatum from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Anthropic said that it can't in good conscience comply with a Pentagon edict to remove guardrails on its AI, CEO Dario Amodei wrote in a blog post . The Department of Defense had threatened to cancel a $200 million contract and label Anthropic a supply chain risk if it didn't agree to remove safeguards over mass surveillance and autonomous weapons. Our strong preference is to continue to serve the Department and our warfighters with our two requested safeguards in place, Amodei said. We remain ready to continue our work to support the national security of the United States. In response, US Under Secretary of Defense Emil Michael accused Amodei in a post on X of wanting nothing more than to try to personally control the US military and is OK putting our nation's safety at risk. The standoff began when the Pentagon demanded that Anthropic its Claude AI product available for all lawful purposes including mass surveillance and the development of fully autonomous weapons that can kill without human supervision. Anthropic refused to offer its tech for those things, even with a safety stack built into that model. Yesterday, Axios reported that Hegseth gave Anthropic a deadline of 5:01 PM on Friday to agree to the Pentagon's terms. At the same time, the DoD requested an assessment of its reliance on Claude, an initial step toward potentially labelling Anthropic as a supply chain risk a designation usually reserved for firms from adversaries like China and never before applied to an American company, Anthropic wrote. Amodei declined to change his stance and stated that if the Pentagon chose to offboard Anthropic, we will work to enable a smooth transition to another provider, avoiding any disruption to ongoing military planning, operations or other critical missions. Grok is one of the other providers the DoD is reportedly considering, along with Google's Gemini and OpenAI. It may not be that simple for the military to disentangle itself from Claude, however. Up until now, Anthropic's model has been the only one allowed for the military's most sensitive tasks in intelligence, weapons development and battlefield operations. Claude was reportedly used in the Venezuelan raid in which the US military exfiltrated the country's president, Nicols Maduro, and his wife. AI companies have been widely criticized for potential harm to users, but mass surveillance and weapons development would clearly take that to a new level. Anthropic's potential reply to the Pentagon was seen as a test of its claim to be the most safety-forward AI company, particularly after dropping its flagship safety pledge a few days ago. Now that Amodei has responded, the focus will shift to the Pentagon to see if it follows through on its threats, which could seriously harm Anthropic. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-refuses-to-bow-to-pentagon-despite-hegseths-threats-085553126.html?src=rss

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