Tag Archives: Technology & Electronics

How to add someone to an Apple Family account

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Apple’s Family Sharing feature is designed to make digital life simpler for households that use multiple Apple devices. It links individual Apple IDs under one family group so everyone can share subscriptions, purchases and storage without sacrificing personal privacy. A single organizer manages the group and decides who’s invited, what’s shared and how payments are handled. Once someone joins, they can access shared Apple services like Music, TV+, iCloud+, Fitness+ or Arcade, along with any compatible third-party apps that support Family Sharing.

Setting it up only takes a few minutes, but understanding how it works makes it far easier to manage long-term. Whether you’re adding a new partner, a roommate or creating an Apple ID for a child, the process is similar across iPhone, iPad and Mac, and each person keeps their own private account within the shared ecosystem.

Before adding someone new, make sure you’re the organizer of the family group. The organizer controls invitations and payment preferences, while each member uses their own Apple ID to sign in. You can manage everything from the Settings app on iPhone or System Settings on Mac. It’s worth checking for software updates first, since Family Sharing menus can vary slightly between iOS versions.

When you’re ready, open Settings, tap your name at the top then select Family. From there, you’ll see a summary of your group, any shared subscriptions and the option to add new members. Apple will ask whether you’d like to invite an existing user or create an account for a child who doesn’t yet have an Apple ID. Invitations can be sent through Messages, Mail or AirDrop, and if the person is nearby, you can let them enter their details directly on your device.

On a Mac, the process looks a little different but leads to the same result. Open System Settings, select your name then choose Family. You can then add a member, send an invite or set up a child account with appropriate parental controls. Once the invitation is accepted, the person automatically appears in your group list.

When someone joins, they instantly gain access to the subscriptions and features that the organizer has made available. That can include Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and Apple Fitness+, along with the shared iCloud+ storage plan if you have one. Photos, calendars and location information can also be shared through the Family section of the Settings app, letting everyone see joint reminders, events or device locations through Find My.

If purchase sharing is enabled, everyone in the group can use the organizer’s payment method for App Store and iTunes purchases. Each transaction is still tied to the buyer’s own Apple ID, but it’s billed to the organizer’s payment method. It’s entirely optional, and you can disable it if you’d prefer each person to pay separately. Shared purchases can still be re-downloaded by other members from their purchase history without paying again, so long as the app or media supports Family Sharing.

Parents also gain access to tools like Screen Time and Ask to Buy, which give them oversight of a child’s activity. These options appear automatically when you create a child account and can be fine-tuned later from the organizer’s device. For example, Ask to Buy can send a notification each time a child tries to install a new app or make an in-app purchase, letting the organizer approve or decline it in real time.

Creating an account for a child works slightly differently from inviting an adult. Apple requires a parent or guardian to set up the account directly from their own device, adding the child’s name, birthday and Apple ID credentials during setup. The age you enter determines what privacy and parental-control features are switched on by default, such as limits on explicit music or app downloads.

Once the child’s account is created, it behaves like any other Apple ID but remains tied to the family group until the child reaches the minimum age to leave or until the organizer removes them. Screen Time reports, purchase requests and content restrictions can all be adjusted as the child gets older. It’s a flexible way to give kids their own Apple ID and access to family-purchased content without sharing login details.

Most people can add members without any problems, but sometimes the invitation process can stall. If the person you’re inviting doesn’t see the request, resend it from the Family settings and ask them to check their Messages or Mail. Invitations occasionally end up in spam folders or are filtered by older devices. If they’ve previously joined a different Family Sharing group, they’ll need to leave that one before they can accept your invite.

It’s also possible to hit the group limit. Family Sharing supports one organizer and up to five additional members, for a total of six people in one group. If you try to invite more, you’ll be prompted to remove someone before adding another. And if the Family menu doesn’t show the option to add members at all, double-check that you’re signed in with the organizer’s Apple ID, as members without organizer privileges won’t see those options.

If someone accepts but can’t see shared subscriptions, open the Subscriptions page under your Apple ID in Settings and ensure the toggle for “Share with Family” is switched on. For iCloud+ storage, confirm that the plan you’re sharing is large enough to include everyone’s data.

Once everything is configured, Family Sharing can quietly simplify the way your household uses Apple’s ecosystem. Instead of juggling multiple subscriptions or repeating purchases, the organizer can consolidate everything in one place. Each member keeps their personal messages, photos and preferences, but benefits from shared apps, music and cloud storage. It’s also the easiest way to manage children’s digital habits while still giving them independence.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/how-to-add-someone-to-an-apple-family-account-130033896.html?src=rss

Engadget review recap: Apple Watch SE 3, DJI Neo 2, PlayStation Portal and more

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The busiest section of the holiday season is just two weeks away and we’re shoring up our reviews library with some of the products that might be on your list. We’ve got another well-rounded round-up this week, spanning multiple product categories and even taking another look at an older device. Read on for everything you might’ve missed.

Apple Watch SE 3

You don’t have to sacrifice as much as you used to if you want to save money on a current Apple Watch. Managing editor Cherlynn Low makes the case for the Apple Watch SE 3, laying out the specific items she missed from the Apple Watch Series 11. “In the end, it wasn’t the features like blood oxygen readings or hypertension notifications that I wanted back,” she explained. “It boiled down to physical components like a brighter display or bigger battery and more durable case that I wanted around for peace of mind.”

Apple Vision Pro M5

Apple’s M5 refresh for the Vision Pro is an improvement, but the product still very much feels like it’s in the beta phase. The main problem? Price. “Once again, the Vision Pro feels like a proof of concept — a symbol of what Apple can do when it’s not constrained by traditional screens,” senior reporter Devindra Hardawar said. “But the company’s dream of spatial computing won’t go anywhere until it can deliver cheaper devices.”

DJI Neo 2

The biggest problem with the DJI Neo drone was its deafening howl, and on the way to (somewhat) fixing that issue, the company added a host of new features for the Neo 2. The result is a highly capable drone that’s now the best budget option. “It retains everything I liked about the Neo, especially the ease of use and safety features,” contributing reporter Steve Dent wrote. “On top of that, it adds a host of useful functions like obstacle protection and, thank goodness, lower noise levels.”

Acer Predator Triton 14 AI

Gaming laptops are rarely actually portable. According to senior reporter Sam Rutherford, Acer has managed to fix that with the Predator Triton 14 AI. “In a lot of ways, this isn't just a travel-friendly gaming machine, it's a true do-everything ultraportable,” he explained.

OnePlus 15

There’s a lot to like about the OnePlus 15, including the processor, display and battery. What you have to contend with is a basic design and subpar cameras. “If you’re okay with a worse camera overall, the OP15 has a lot going for it, and provided OnePlus can successfully navigate an uncertain tariff regime, it will end up not just one of the best phones of 2025 but much of 2026 too,” senior reporter Igor Bonifacic said.

Other reviews you might have missed

Those devices aren’t all we’ve been testing over the last two weeks. I spent some time with Bowers & Wilkins’ luxurious Px8 S2 headphones. Reviews contributor James Trew put the Rodecaster Video S through its paces and deputy editor Nathan Ingraham met Alexa+ via the Echo Dot Max. Senior editor Daniel Cooper is keeping tabs on Framework’s modular, upgradable PCs and he reviewed the 2025 update for the Laptop 16.

Speaking of laptops, senior reporter Amy Skorheim took on the rare feat of reviewing a laptop charger, proclaiming the Anker Laptop Power Bank as an outstanding option for your gear bag. Sony recently gave the PlayStation Portal a big upgrade, so Devindra had a third review stint with the two-year-old gaming handheld.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-apple-watch-se-3-dji-neo-2-playstation-portal-and-more-130000029.html?src=rss

X is finally rolling out Chat, its DM replacement with encryption and video calling

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X has finally revealed its long-promised chat platform, which replaces the service's basic DM functionality with features more like the messaging capabilities on other mainstream apps. The update adds voice and video calling, file sharing and the ability to edit and delete previously sent messages, as well as privacy-focused features like end-to-end encryption and screenshot notifications. 

The overhauled messaging features, called Chat, are rolling out now on iOS and the web and will be "coming soon" on Android, according to the company. X also said it's working on a voice memo feature for users to exchange audio messages. 

X has been teasing its new "chat" features for several months. The company rolled out an early version of encrypted messaging earlier this year, but "paused" the feature in May to address unspecified issues. Now, it appears that X's encryption no longer has some of the limitations it initially did. An article on X's help center states that "unlike before, group messages and media can now be encrypted," though it notes that associated metadata (including information about the recipient) is not encrypted. 

X also states that "we do not offer protections against man-in-the-middle attacks," which could compromise an encrypted chat. "As a result, if someone—a malicious insider or X itself as a result of a compulsory legal process—were to compromise an encrypted conversation, neither the sender or receiver would know," the company explains. X says it's working on features that will help users verify the authenticity of encrypted conversations. 


This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-is-finally-rolling-out-chat-its-dm-replacement-with-encryption-and-video-calling-233032571.html?src=rss

‘Divine’ is a Jack Dorsey-backed Vine reboot for 2025

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Nearly a decade after going offline, Vine is (sort of) back and, in a truly bizarre twist, Jack Dorsey is at least partially responsible. An early Twitter employee has released a beta version of a rebooted Vine — now called "Divine" — that revives the app's six-second videos and includes a portion of the original app's archive. 

The project comes from Evan Henshaw-Plath, a former Twitter employee who goes by "Rabble," and has backing from Dorsey's nonprofit "and Other Stuff," which funds experimental social media apps built on the open source nostr protocol. Rabble has so far managed to resurrect about 170,000 videos from the original Vine thanks to an old archive created before Twitter shut down the app in 2017. In an FAQ on Divine's website, he says that he also hopes to restore "millions" of user comments and profile photos associated with those original posts as well. 

But Divine is more than just a home for decade-old clips. New users can create six-second looping videos of their own for the platform. The app also has many elements that will be familiar to people who have used Bluesky or other decentralized platforms, including customizable controls for content moderation and multiple feed algorithms to choose from. The site's FAQ says Divine plans to support custom, user-created algorithms too.

Divine is also taking a pretty strong stance against AI-generated content. The app will have built-in AI detection tools that will add badges to content that's been verified as not created or edited with AI tools. And, according to TechCrunch, the app will block uploads of suspected AI content.

"We're in the middle of an AI takeover of social media," Divine explains on its website. New apps like Sora are entirely AI-generated. TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are increasingly flooded with AI slop—videos that look real but were never captured by a camera, people who don't exist, scenarios that never happened. Divine is fighting back. We're creating a space where human creativity is celebrated and protected, where you can trust that what you're watching was made by a real person with a real camera, not generated by an algorithm."

While all that may sound intriguing, Divine has a long way to go before it can accomplish all that. The app hasn't made it onto either app store yet, though it's already added 10,000 people to an iOS beta, according to its founder. In the meantime, you can also browse some of the app's videos, including some old Vine posts, on its website, though not all of the videos are working properly at the moment.

Still, any kind of reboot is good news for fans of the original, who have long hoped the app might make a comeback. Elon Musk has suggested more than once that he would revive Vine in some way, but has yet to follow through.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/divine-is-a-jack-dorsey-backed-vine-reboot-for-2025-192307190.html?src=rss

Subnautica publisher transforms into ‘AI first’ company and introduces voluntary resignation policy

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South Korean games publisher Krafton recently announced its transformation into an "AI first" company, which typically means that human jobs are about to go on the chopping block. To that end, the company is now trying to slash its workforce by offering voluntary resignations, according to a report by Eurogamer.

Krafton is a giant company with tentacles in numerous development studios, including the folks that make PUBG and Subnautica. The organization says this isn't a plan to lay off its human workforce, but will "support members in proactively designing their growth direction and embarking on new challenges both inside and outside the company amid the era of AI transformation." Yep. Those are certainly words.

The company also says it will "support members in autonomously deciding whether to continue the direction of change internally or expand externally." That's corporate speak for "my way or the highway."

CFO Bae Dong-geun said during a recent earnings call that "individual productivity must increase at the company-wide level." Oh yeah. It's worth noting that Krafton recently noted record profits. It looks like these profits will not be going to the staff, but rather will be funnelled into large-scale investments in AI. It's a tale as old as time, or at least modern AI.

The company plans to "automate work centered on agentic AI" including the development of an "AI-centered management system." It's freezing all hiring except for those "developing original intellectual property and AI-related personnel."

Agentic AI systems have, so far, proven to be underwhelming when tasked with taking the reins. A recent MIT study noted that 95 percent of these efforts fail. Another study predicts that 40 percent of agentic AI projects will be cancelled by the end of 2027. In other words, good luck in your forthcoming endeavors, Krafton. You're gonna need it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/subnautica-publisher-transforms-into-ai-first-company-and-introduces-voluntary-resignation-policy-181042212.html?src=rss

You need a fabric shaver — this one I use is down to $13 for Black Friday

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If you, like me a few months ago, didn't know fabric shavers existed, I'm willing to bet you're not alone. Not too long ago, I went looking for something, anything, that could help get rid of the pilling on some of my most loved pieces of clothing. I stumbled upon the Philips Fabric Shaver in my search and was pleasantly surprised to learn such a device existed — and in such a cute, compact form. I decided to give it a shot and now it's an essential piece of tech in my house. Thanks to Black Friday deals, you don't have to pay as much as I did for it now that it's on sale for only $13.

Sure, it may not seem revolutionary — especially if you already knew of the wonders of such devices — but it was for me. I have a lot of T-shirts, joggers, sweaters and more that I've had for at least three years and wear regularly. We also have a bunch of throw blankets around the house, partially because I love a good throw, and partially because my cat demands soft spots on which to sleep. All of those well-worn, well-loved fabrics have pilled over time, and I was tired of picking at the pills myself.

This Philips Fabric Shaver makes it so I never have to do that anymore. It runs on two AA batteries, has a simple on-off switch and a shaving head with three sized holes that, as you glide it over your sweater or blanket, catches the pills and shaves them right off. It's literally as simple as that; after I tried it the first time on a pair of joggers, I spent far too much time running around my house and through my closet de-pilling as many things as I could. All the little fabric bits collect in a removable chamber that you simply empty as often as you need into the trash. If you're like me and try to make the most of the wardrobe you have and not buy new clothing all the time, this little gadget will keep the pieces in your closet looking fresh.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/you-need-a-fabric-shaver--this-one-i-use-is-down-to-13-for-black-friday-163402337.html?src=rss

Apple Black Friday deals: Get a four-pack of AirTags for a record-low price

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Good deals on Apple products are generally harder to come by throughout the year than with other brands, but sale events are usually the best time to look around. And sure enough, for Black Friday, Apple’s AirTags are cheaper than ever. You can pick up a four-pack of these handy Bluetooth trackers for $63, a record low price, at Amazon and Walmart. Bear in mind that this deal brings the price per AirTag down to about $16 if you were to buy them individually, and when not on sale they usually cost $29.

If you use Apple devices and are prone to losing stuff, AirTags are the obvious choice of Bluetooth tracker to buy. Adding one to your account requires little more than a single tap, and with Apple’s Find My network offering such extensive coverage these days, it’s never been easier to find missing belongings.

Tracking down a still nearby misplaced item is as easy as using your iPhone to trigger a sound from the AirTag’s built-in speaker, or alternatively you can use Precision Finding to pinpoint its location through Find My. You just follow the instructions on your iPhone’s screen, paying attention to its vibrations as you get closer.

If you only need a single AirTag, they’re also on sale right now for $18, another record low. It works out a bit better as a deal if you purchase the four-pack, but if you just want to attach one to your keys or backpack, $65 might seem like a stretch. Just remember that AirTags can’t be attached to items right out of the box. You’ll need to add an accessory in order to turn one into a keyring, or even attach it to your pet’s collar.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-get-a-four-pack-of-airtags-for-a-record-low-price-161756513.html?src=rss

Anthropic’s AI was used by Chinese hackers to run a Cyberattack

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A few months ago, Anthropic published a report detailing how its Claude AI model had been weaponized in a "vibe hacking" extortion scheme. The company has continued to monitor how the agentic AI is being used to coordinate cyberattacks, and now claims that a state-backed group of hackers in China utilized Claude in an attempted infiltration of 30 corporate and political targets around the world, with some success.

In what it labeled "the first documented case of a large-scale cyberattack executed without substantial human intervention," Anthropic said that the hackers first chose their targets, which included unnamed tech companies, financial institutions and government agencies. They then used Claude Code to develop an automated attack framework, after successfully bypassing the model’s training to avoid harmful behavior. This was achieved by breaking the planned attack into smaller tasks that didn’t obviously reveal their wider malicious intent, and telling Claude that it was a cybersecurity firm using the AI for defensive training purposes.

After writing its own exploit code, Anthropic said Claude was then able to steal usernames and passwords that allowed it to extract "a large amount of private data" through backdoors it had created. The obedient AI reportedly even went to the trouble of documenting the attacks and storing the stolen data in separate files. 

The hackers used AI for 80-90 percent of its operation, only occasionally intervening, and Claude was able to orchestrate an attack in far less time than humans could have done. It wasn’t flawless, with some of the information it obtained turning out to be publicly available, but Anthropic said that attacks like this will likely become more sophisticated and effective over time.

You might be wondering why an AI company would want to publicize the dangerous potential of its own technology, but Anthropic says its investigation also acts as evidence of why the assistant is "crucial" for cyber defense. It said Claude was successfully used to analyze the threat level of the data it collected, and ultimately sees it as a tool that can assist cybersecurity professionals when future attacks happen.

Claude is by no means the only AI that has benefited cybercriminals. Last year, OpenAI said that its generative AI tools were being used by hacker groups with ties to China and North Korea. They reportedly used GAI to assist with code debugging, researching potential targets and drafting phishing emails. OpenAI said at the time that it had blocked the groups' access to its systems.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropics-ai-was-used-by-chinese-hackers-to-run-a-cyberattack-142313551.html?src=rss

PlayStation Portal in 2025: From home streaming dud to cloud streaming star

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The PlayStation Portal is the rare product that launched as a truly baffling device, but has evolved into something genuinely useful. At first, it could only stream games from your PlayStation 5, it lacked core features for a handheld like Bluetooth audio and it felt a bit overpriced at $200 for such a limited product. Add on the fact that home streaming can be notoriously unreliable, since it depends entirely on your ISP and home networking setup, and the Portal simply didn't make much sense. But in 2024 Sony finally added limited cloud streaming for PS Plus titles, and last week it went even further by letting you stream games you own directly from the cloud. All of a sudden, the PlayStation Portal doesn't seem so crazy after all. 

It also helps that the Portal is still $200 (or less at Gamestop and other retailers), while the cheapest Digital Edition PlayStation 5 has jumped to $500 (up from $400 at launch). Sure, it's still far from a perfect device, but at least it's more functional and significantly less than the PS5 today. Just be aware you'll need to subscribe to the $18 a month (or $160 a year) PlayStation Plus Premium plan to access the cloud streaming features.

While my hardware frustrations with the PlayStation Portal remain (more on those later), I can't deny that it's a genuinely great handheld for streaming games from the cloud. Jumping into Ghost of Yotei typically takes between 15 to 30 seconds, and it often loads directly into the game world if I'm continuing from a recent session. The game also plays smoothly, with no noticeable stuttering or lag, and I can still choose between the graphics-heavy 30 fps modes or the smoother 60 fps performance option. It's far from the ideal way to play Ghost of Yotei, which demands an enormous screen and capable speakers, but it's fine in a pinch.

In comparison, using Remote Play to access my PlayStation 5 Pro remains as headache-inducing as it did when the PS Portal launched. The handheld can't consistently wake up the PS5 Pro from standby mode, so I'm forced to turn on the console manually if I ever plan to use the Portal. If my PS5 Pro is on, the Portal can typically connect in around five seconds, and it takes another five to ten seconds to launch Ghost of Yotei. Gameplay is typically smooth via Remote Play, but there's occasional stuttering that can interfere with intense combat sequences. 

PlayStation Portal playing Ghost of Yotei.
PlayStation Portal playing Ghost of Yotei.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

My main issue with the PlayStation Portal at launch was that I simply couldn't trust it. Sometimes it would let me remotely connect to my console with no problems, and sometimes it would simply refuse. I've got a fairly robust Wi-Fi 6 networking setup and AT&T gigabit fiber, so my connectivity shouldn't be much of an issue. But clearly something about my networking configuration doesn't play well with the Portal for Remote Play, even if I connect my PS5 Pro via Ethernet. 

Strangely enough, the PlayStation Portal is far more reliable at streaming games from servers thousands of miles away than it is remotely connecting to the console a few dozen feet away from me. That just goes to show how far cloud streaming has come — it practically feels like local gameplay now. I suppose that shouldn't be too surprising for Sony, since it's only pumping out 1080p streams. NVIDIA's GeForce Now has proven it's possible to stream PC games in 4K, so long as you have gobs of bandwidth to support it.

The best thing I can say about the PlayStation Portal now is that I can finally trust it — up to a point, anyway. I had no trouble signing onto its streaming servers to play Ghost of Yotei and Spider-Man 2 on my home network, and I was also able to stream games while tethering on my phone. But the Portal remains a useless device if you're stuck somewhere without decent internet access. You can forget about using it on a plane, even with fast in-flight Wi-Fi, or at hotels with crummy internet and no cellular reception.

Spider-Man 2 on the PlayStation Portal
Spider-Man 2 on the PlayStation Portal
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Given its need for decent connectivity and its clunky design, the PlayStation Portal also remains a terrible gaming option on the go. You'll need to find a large case to fit the Portal's huge controller and delicate display, a combination that really does look like a tablet shoved between Sony's DualSense gamepads. It's simply smarter to travel with the slimmer Switch 2, and I'd argue even the massive Steam Deck is easier to stuff into a backpack. And it’s worth noting you can also use apps on the Steam Deck to Remote Play from your console, and you can install the PlayStation Plus Windows app to stream games from the cloud.

I'm also still annoyed that Sony didn't include Bluetooth connectivity in the Portal. If you want wireless audio, you'll either have to use Sony's Pulse Explore earbuds or Pulse Elite headphones. You'll have to plug in a separate Bluetooth receiver if you want to use AirPods or any other wireless headphones. You'll definitely want to invest in some sort of audio solution if you plan to game on the Portal for long sessions, since its tinny speakers simply can't do justice to Ghost of Yotei's immersive soundscape.

Not surprisingly, cloud gaming didn’t change the Portal’s battery life much. I still saw between four and five hours of play time (broken into dad-friendly chunks, of course). And if you’re on some sort of marathon session, you can always plug in to charge. Since the Portal isn’t using any local hardware to power games — it’s really just decoding video and pushing data over its network connection — you can also expect more reliable battery life than other handhelds. The Switch 2, for example, could last between two to six hours, depending on what you’re playing.

While I still can’t wholeheartedly recommend the PlayStation Portal to every gamer, its latest updates make it a more viable option for PlayStation diehards. Maybe you’ll have better luck with Remote Play than me. And if you’re already a PS Plus subscriber, it’s the easiest way to access Sony’s cloud infrastructure. Or, like Engadget’s Jeff Dunn, it could also be the ideal way to game while you juggle the struggles of being a new parent. At the very least, the Portal is no longer truly baffling, but it’s also still not a Vita 2.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-portal-in-2025-from-home-streaming-dud-to-cloud-streaming-star-130000144.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Valve revives the Steam Machine

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Valve has announced a raft of new hardware, including a new VR headset, Steam Machine and Controller. The devices are all designed to usher in a new era of PC gaming, with Valve’s usual focus on the player. Steam Frame is a slender VR headset that connects wirelessly to your PC and has a built-in battery to rid you of those pesky cables. That focus on freedom extends to the Frame operating as a standalone device, like the Meta Quest.

At the same time, the company has revived its long-loved (but not massively successful) Steam Machine. This new model has semi-custom AMD silicon capable of running 4K games at 60 frames per second. Valve says it’s roughly six times as powerful as its portable unit, the Steam Deck. Rounding out the list is the controller, which looks like a Steam Deck with the screen cut out. But it’s not as if that’s a bad thing, especially as it’s got TMR sensors which, while using a different underlying technology, promise the same benefits as a Hall Effect stick.

As someone on the not particularly game-y end of the spectrum, I use announcements like this as an exercise to see how excited I would be. To that end, I’m curious how much Valve will charge for this gear when it makes its debut early next year. On one hand, the performance promises laid out here are fairly substantial but, on the other, this is also a company that sells the base model Steam Deck for less than a Switch 2.

That said, I would certainly get off the couch if there was a new Half-Life game in the works, and that seems plausible here. Nathan Ingraham is certainly getting his little hopes up that the revival of the Steam Machine might see Valve revive something else too.

— Dan Cooper

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Image of the Even Realities G2 on a desk.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget

I was a massive fan of Even Realities’ original smart glasses and was excited to see what Sam Rutherford thought of their successor. Sadly, he was testing the specs with a beta version of the new software and found them lacking in several important ways. He’s urging folks to hold off buying these until the gaps in the software have all been filled in.

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Image of the Framework 16 with its two new GPU and CPU modules.
Daniel Cooper for Engadget

For years, the world has clamored for a modular, upgradeable gaming laptop offering the same longevity as a desktop. Now, Framework has achieved where so many have failed, selling an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 for its two-year-old Laptop 16. I reviewed the new GPU (and CPU), and I’m blown away by it — quite literally, thanks to the cooling issues that mean the fans are running at full speed whenever you put it under heavy load.

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AppleID
Apple

Apple is rolling out a Digital ID to its wallet that will, at some point in the near future, be legally accepted at TSA checkpoints. It’s coming to more than 250 US airports and can eventually be used as your ID for domestic flights. But, you know, probably worth reading all of the details before you declare your paper passport a thing of the past.

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Image of the DJI Neo 2 floating in mid air
 
Steve Dent for Engadget

DJI’s Neo was good but not great — short battery life, noisy propellers and a lack of object avoidance all dulled its shine. Now, the company’s successor has addressed all of those issues, leading our Steve Dent to call it “the best personal drone on the market.”

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121512665.html?src=rss