Author Archives: Lawrence Bonk

iRobot’s Roomba Combo Essential with self-emptying base is $170 off right now

Posted on by

iRobot's Roomba Combo Essential bundle is available for $280 right now via QVC. This is a discount of $170 for a combo pack that includes the Roomba Combo 2 robovac and the self-emptying base. The vacuum typically costs $280 all by its lonesome, so this basically gets you a free base. However, the vacuum is available for just $200 right now via Amazon without the base.

This is certainly a budget-friendly entry in the company’s lineup of robot vacuums, but it gets the job done. The company says this model outperforms the Roomba 600 Series, with 20 times more suction power. It’s also a vacuum/mop hybrid, so it can handle all aspects of floor cleaning.

It accesses the same smart navigation algorithm as other iRobot vacuums, which allows it to move freely around the space without bumping into things or falling down stairs. The battery life is also on point, allowing for around two hours of use per charge. Of course, it’ll return to the charging base on its own when the battery gets low.

It also integrates with the company’s proprietary app, which lets people customize a whole host of settings and dictate cleaning schedules. The only major downside of this vacuum is that it doesn’t typically come with a self-emptying base, but this bundle does. It holds up to 60 days of debris, so that’s two glorious months of laying on the couch without having to do a dang thing.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/irobots-roomba-combo-essential-with-self-emptying-base-is-170-off-right-now-184650126.html?src=rss

Meta will use AI to create lip-synced translations of creators’ Reels

Posted on by

Meta just announced an intriguing tool that uses AI to automatically dub Reels into other languages, complete with lip-sync. This feature was revealed at the annual Meta Connect livestream event and was introduced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg showed this off during the keynote, and everything seemed to work flawlessly. The technology not only translates the content, according to Meta, but will also “simulate the speaker’s voice in another language and sync their lips to match.” It’s worth noting, however, that this didn’t appear to be a live demo, but was still pretty impressive. 

As for a rollout, the company says the feature will arrive first to “some creators’ videos” in English and Spanish in the US and Latin America. Meta didn’t give a timetable here. It just said the US and Latin America will be getting it first, which indicates that it’ll be tied to English and Spanish at launch. The company did mention that more languages are coming soon.

That wasn’t the only AI tool spotlighted during Meta Connect. The company’s AI platform will now allow voice chats, with a selection of celebrity voices to choose from. Meta AI is also getting new image capabilities, as it will be able to change and edit photos based on instructions from text chats within Instagram. Messenger and WhatsApp.

Catch up on all the news from Meta Connect 2024!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-will-use-ai-to-create-lip-synced-translations-of-creators-reels-175949373.html?src=rss

Meta will use AI to create lip-synced translations of creators’ Reels

Posted on by

Meta just announced an intriguing tool that uses AI to automatically dub Reels into other languages, complete with lip-sync. This feature was revealed at the annual Meta Connect livestream event and was introduced by CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg showed this off during the keynote, and everything seemed to work flawlessly. The technology not only translates the content, according to Meta, but will also “simulate the speaker’s voice in another language and sync their lips to match.” It’s worth noting, however, that this didn’t appear to be a live demo, but was still pretty impressive. 

As for a rollout, the company says the feature will arrive first to “some creators’ videos” in English and Spanish in the US and Latin America. Meta didn’t give a timetable here. It just said the US and Latin America will be getting it first, which indicates that it’ll be tied to English and Spanish at launch. The company did mention that more languages are coming soon.

That wasn’t the only AI tool spotlighted during Meta Connect. The company’s AI platform will now allow voice chats, with a selection of celebrity voices to choose from. Meta AI is also getting new image capabilities, as it will be able to change and edit photos based on instructions from text chats within Instagram. Messenger and WhatsApp.

Catch up on all the news from Meta Connect 2024!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-will-use-ai-to-create-lip-synced-translations-of-creators-reels-175949373.html?src=rss

Meta will stop selling the Quest 2 and Quest Pro by the end of the year

Posted on by

Meta just revealed the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset at its annual Connect keynote event, but it also made a sad announcement about some of its previous headsets. The company will stop selling both the Quest 2 and the Quest Pro by the end of the year.

“With Quest 3S on the shelf, we’re officially winding down sales of Quest 2 and Pro. We’ll be selling our remaining headsets through the end of the year or until they’re gone, whichever comes first,” the company wrote in a blog post that also announced the pending launch of the Quest 3S.

The company will be selling Quest 2 and Pro accessories for “a bit longer” after the stock of headsets runs out. This includes the carrying case, the Touch Pro controllers and bundles like the Quest 2 Active Pack. Meta recently lowered the price of the Quest 2 to $200, and it’s still a decent headset for beginners. The Quest 3S is better in every way, but it starts at $300, while the standard Quest 3 costs $500.

It’s the end of an era for the Quest 2. This was a hugely successful headset, as it launched during the dog days of COVID-19. For many, it became a crucial item to survive endless isolation, along with stuff like Zoom and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. 

It’s the end of an error (see what I did there?) for the Quest Pro. This headset never caught on, likely because it was originally priced at $1,500 before being quickly lowered to $1,000. It still costs a grand from Meta, but can typically be found for around $900 via Amazon and other retailers.

As they say, out with the old and in with the new. The Quest 3S is, essentially, the new Quest 2. It starts at $300, boasts the same CPU as the original Quest 3 and handles full-color passthrough.

Catch up on all the news from Meta Connect 2024!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-will-stop-selling-the-quest-2-and-quest-pro-by-the-end-of-the-year-173704500.html?src=rss

Meta will stop selling the Quest 2 and Quest Pro by the end of the year

Posted on by

Meta just revealed the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset at its annual Connect keynote event, but it also made a sad announcement about some of its previous headsets. The company will stop selling both the Quest 2 and the Quest Pro by the end of the year.

“With Quest 3S on the shelf, we’re officially winding down sales of Quest 2 and Pro. We’ll be selling our remaining headsets through the end of the year or until they’re gone, whichever comes first,” the company wrote in a blog post that also announced the pending launch of the Quest 3S.

The company will be selling Quest 2 and Pro accessories for “a bit longer” after the stock of headsets runs out. This includes the carrying case, the Touch Pro controllers and bundles like the Quest 2 Active Pack. Meta recently lowered the price of the Quest 2 to $200, and it’s still a decent headset for beginners. The Quest 3S is better in every way, but it starts at $300, while the standard Quest 3 costs $500.

It’s the end of an era for the Quest 2. This was a hugely successful headset, as it launched during the dog days of COVID-19. For many, it became a crucial item to survive endless isolation, along with stuff like Zoom and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. 

It’s the end of an error (see what I did there?) for the Quest Pro. This headset never caught on, likely because it was originally priced at $1,500 before being quickly lowered to $1,000. It still costs a grand from Meta, but can typically be found for around $900 via Amazon and other retailers.

As they say, out with the old and in with the new. The Quest 3S is, essentially, the new Quest 2. It starts at $300, boasts the same CPU as the original Quest 3 and handles full-color passthrough.

Catch up on all the news from Meta Connect 2024!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-will-stop-selling-the-quest-2-and-quest-pro-by-the-end-of-the-year-173704500.html?src=rss

Meta reveals the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset

Posted on by

Meta has announced the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset at its annual Connect keynote. Rumors have been swirling for months that the company was working on a cheaper follow-up to the impressive Quest 3, and now it’s here and priced at $300.

This is pretty dang close to the original Quest 3, which costs $500. The latest headset uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen2 processor and boasts 8GB of RAM, so it can easily handle Quest 3 exclusives like the forthcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow. It offers the same full-color passthrough for mixed reality apps and games and ships with the same controllers as last year’s model. The refresh rate also hovers between 90Hz and 120Hz. 

A picture of the headset.
Meta

The external sensors/cameras also seem nearly identical to the standard Quest 3. There are two RGB cameras to create the stereoscopic color passthrough and four VGA cameras for hand tracking and controller tracking. These also help determine user movements and position in 3D space. Finally, there are two flood LEDs for illumination.

So what’s the catch? Meta has to make up for that lost $200 somehow. First of all, there are no pancake lenses and there’s no 4K content. These look to be the same Fresnel lenses as found with the Meta Quest 2, with a resolution of 1832 x 1920 per eye and 20 PPD (pixels per degree.) The field of view is also slightly reduced when compared to the regular Quest 3 headset.

The storage gets a major hit. The base model comes with 128GB, though there’s a 256GB model available for $400. Meta has lowered the price of the 512GB Quest 3 to $500, from $650, so the entry-level 3S features around a quarter of the storage.

On the plus side, the battery life is actually a bit better with the Quest 3S when compared to the Quest 3. Meta says it should get around 2.5 hours of use per charge, compared to 2.2 hours with the Quest 3.

There’s also a nice little bonus for the holiday season. Customers who orders any Quest 3 or 3S model will get a free digital copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow when it’s released this October. The company did the same thing with the criminally underrated Asgard’s Wrath 2 last year. The promotion goes until April.

The Quest 3S works with most Quest 3 accessories, which is good news because it also ships with the standard, and totally uncomfortable, headstrap. That Elite Strap is a wise investment, especially the one with the battery.

Preorders are open right now and there’s a shipping date of October 15. With the pending release of the Quest 3S, Meta’s phasing out the Quest 2 and the Quest Pro. The Zuck gives and the Zuck takes.

Catch up on all the news from Meta Connect 2024!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-reveals-the-budget-friendly-quest-3s-vr-headset-171843107.html?src=rss

Meta reveals the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset

Posted on by

Meta has announced the budget-friendly Quest 3S VR headset at its annual Connect keynote. Rumors have been swirling for months that the company was working on a cheaper follow-up to the impressive Quest 3, and now it’s here and priced at $300.

This is pretty dang close to the original Quest 3, which costs $500. The latest headset uses the same Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 Gen2 processor and boasts 8GB of RAM, so it can easily handle Quest 3 exclusives like the forthcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow. It offers the same full-color passthrough for mixed reality apps and games and ships with the same controllers as last year’s model. The refresh rate also hovers between 90Hz and 120Hz. 

A picture of the headset.
Meta

The external sensors/cameras also seem nearly identical to the standard Quest 3. There are two RGB cameras to create the stereoscopic color passthrough and four VGA cameras for hand tracking and controller tracking. These also help determine user movements and position in 3D space. Finally, there are two flood LEDs for illumination.

So what’s the catch? Meta has to make up for that lost $200 somehow. First of all, there are no pancake lenses and there’s no 4K content. These look to be the same Fresnel lenses as found with the Meta Quest 2, with a resolution of 1832 x 1920 per eye and 20 PPD (pixels per degree.) The field of view is also slightly reduced when compared to the regular Quest 3 headset.

The storage gets a major hit. The base model comes with 128GB, though there’s a 256GB model available for $400. Meta has lowered the price of the 512GB Quest 3 to $500, from $650, so the entry-level 3S features around a quarter of the storage.

On the plus side, the battery life is actually a bit better with the Quest 3S when compared to the Quest 3. Meta says it should get around 2.5 hours of use per charge, compared to 2.2 hours with the Quest 3.

There’s also a nice little bonus for the holiday season. Customers who orders any Quest 3 or 3S model will get a free digital copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow when it’s released this October. The company did the same thing with the criminally underrated Asgard’s Wrath 2 last year. The promotion goes until April.

The Quest 3S works with most Quest 3 accessories, which is good news because it also ships with the standard, and totally uncomfortable, headstrap. That Elite Strap is a wise investment, especially the one with the battery.

Preorders are open right now and there’s a shipping date of October 15. With the pending release of the Quest 3S, Meta’s phasing out the Quest 2 and the Quest Pro. The Zuck gives and the Zuck takes.

Catch up on all the news from Meta Connect 2024!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-reveals-the-budget-friendly-quest-3s-vr-headset-171843107.html?src=rss

Blink security cameras are up to 64 percent off for Prime Day

Posted on by

If you've had your eye on Blink security cameras to make your home a bit more safe, October Prime Day has you covered with some good discounts. A number of security cameras and bundles are on sale for the event, with one of the most impressive discounts being on a bundle that includes both the Blink Outdoor 4 and the Blink Mini 2 for just $50. That’s a massive savings of $90, or 64 percent, which is a record low. You get the Blink Sync Module 2 in this bundle as well, making it a great option for those who don't have an existing Blink system already.

The Blink Outdoor 4 security camera easily made our list of the best smart home devices, and for good reason. Despite having “outdoor” in the name, this camera also excels with indoor use. The device runs on two AA batteries, so pop it in the backyard, the basement, the kitchen or wherever. The batteries last a full two years before running out.

It’s weather resistant and supports night vision, motion detection and two-way audio. You need a subscription to store clips in the cloud, but it also integrates with USB flash drives via the Sync Module 2 peripheral (sold separately.) It offers Alexa support, which is nice, but doesn’t work with any other smart assistants.

The Blink Mini 2, which also comes in this bundle, is a simple little security camera with color night vision, a built-in spotlight, two-way audio and motion detection. It needs to be plugged into an electrical socket or a USB port to work. This Amazon sale features another bundle with two Mini 2 cameras for $42.

Another notable deal is for a bundle that includes three Outdoor 4 cameras and the Blink Video Doorbell, along with the Sync Module 2 for saving clips to a flash drive. This one costs $120, which is a massive savings of $200.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/blink-security-cameras-are-up-to-64-percent-off-for-prime-day-153819713.html?src=rss

Duolingo, best known as a language learning app, now makes a piano

Posted on by

Duolingo just announced a portable piano. Yes, we are talking about the same app that’s become synonymous with learning a foreign language. The app also has some music-learning courses, so this keyboard is intended for that and not for, uh, pushing down keys to trigger Spanish phrases.

The company teamed up with Loog for this instrument, so this is basically a reskin of the pre-existing Loog Piano. It swaps out the red for a, dare I say, Brat green and it ships with a neat little smartphone stand, for keeping an eye on the app during practice sessions. Other than that, it looks nearly identical to the OG version.

That’s not a bad thing. The Loog x Duolingo Piano is a three-octave digital keyboard with built-in stereo speakers, wood sides and a rechargeable battery for portable use. The keys are likely one of the biggest selling points, as they allow for dynamics (piano to forte.) These Loog keyboards are pretty much the only digital pianos with velocity-sensitive keys at this size and price point.

It doubles as a standard MIDI controller, via USB-C, and there’s a sustain port and a headphone jack. This particular version also ships with Duolingo flashcards for budding piano players. Of course, it also integrates with the company’s app, for on-the-fly tutorials. There’s a Loog Piano app coming, but we don't know when. We reached out to the company for a concrete release date and confirmation that the Duolingo piano will integrate with the Loog app. We’ll update this post when we find out, though I’d be extremely surprised if there isn’t cross-app functionality.

Just like the original Loog Piano, this one costs $249. Preorders are live right now, though it doesn’t ship until November. If you really have a hankering for a student-grade portable piano, the standard Loog Piano ships immediately.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/duolingo-best-known-as-a-language-learning-app-now-makes-a-piano-172012643.html?src=rss

HP’s Print AI will offer a better way to print websites

Posted on by

HP just announced HP Print AI, which is being advertised as “the industry’s first intelligent print” experience. Beyond squeezing in tech’s two favorite letters (AI), the software looks to “simplify and enhance printing from setup to support.” There are several tools here, but the most interesting aspect is something called Perfect Output.

This could actually solve the problem of printing from web pages, which typically produces something just a hair above absolute garbage. The company says the embedded algorithms will reduce all of that unnecessary white space and will get rid of ads.

Image size will also be optimized, so printing from a website should look about as good as something that came from a word processor. HP says everything will “fit perfectly on the page for the first time.” Perfect Output isn’t just for websites, as the company says it’ll also make short work of spreadsheets, which are another frustrating thing to print out.

This feature begins rolling out today, but only to select customers as a beta. HP told Engadget that Perfect Output will work with any of the company’s printers, so long as the correct driver is installed and it’s connected to a Windows 10 or Windows 11 machine. Once some customer feedback comes in, it should go into a wider release.

HP Print AI will also use artificial intelligence to customize support for each user, with the company saying that its “intelligent technology anticipates” the needs of consumers. HP says this will be especially useful when it comes to setup and for remembering user preferences. There’s also a chatbot in there that allows for language-based queries, which runs off of a proprietary LLM the company calls a "print language model." So it's technically a, sigh, PLM. 

For now, these tools are tied to driver software. HP says that they’ll be featured prominently in a forthcoming app update scheduled for next year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/hps-print-ai-will-offer-a-better-way-to-print-websites-170523565.html?src=rss