Tag Archives: Technology & Electronics

Google Maps is adding live lane guidance for the Polestar 4

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Google is bringing live lane guidance to Google Maps in cars with the company’s built-in infotainment system, starting with the Polestar 4. Using the vehicle's front-facing camera, Google Maps will be able to "see" the road just as the driver does. It will then create more detailed depictions of which lane a driver should be in and guide them using visual and audio cues.

Google says the new feature uses AI to analyze lane markings and road signs, which it then integrates in real time with Google Maps' navigation system. Google paints a picture of fewer missed exits, as its navigation system reminds drivers in the left lane that their exit is coming up on the right side of the highway.

Details are scarce on where exactly this will function. In Google's blog post announcing the feature, the company says it will expand live lane guidance to "more road types" in the future. We've reached out for clarification.

Live lane guidance with Google Maps will be rolling out on the Polestar 4 in the US and Sweden over the coming months. Google says it will expand to include more cars in partnership with other automakers.

Update Nov 4 3:39 PM EST: Google says the feature will only work on highways for now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/google-maps-is-adding-live-lane-guidance-for-the-polestar-4-192705050.html?src=rss

OpenAI’s Sora app is now available on Android

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Sora is now available to Android users on the Google Play Store. The iOS version of OpenAI's text-to-video generative AI app is still only available in select markets and requires an invitation, but people are still extremely excited about making slop of their own; the app reportedly reached more than 1 million downloads in less than five days. And it didn't take long for the company to land in hot water over users creating disrespectful clips of Martin Luther King Jr. and drawing censure from the Japanese government over copycats of famous manga and anime. 

Those aren't the only legal issues Sora has been skirting. OpenAI was sued by Cameo on claims of copyright infringement, and the very next day, the company released a feature called "cameo" for putting existing entities into Sora's gen-AI videos. Whatever it winds up being named, some form of licensing personas looks like it will be part of OpenAI's eventual monetization plans for Sora.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-sora-app-is-now-available-on-android-191722821.html?src=rss

Samsung has a new line of microSD Express cards for the Switch 2

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Samsung just announced the P9 Express series of microSD Express cards, which are primarily intended for use with the Switch 2 console. This is a good thing, as Nintendo's latest console only works with microSD Express cards and, to be honest, there aren't that many options out there for consumers.

The company boasts that these new cards feature maximum sequential read speeds up to 800MB/s, which is a mighty fine metric and in league with some of our other favorite cards for the Switch 2. The cards also include the company's Dynamic Thermal Guard (DTG) technology, which was originally developed for SSDs. This should help things stay cool while you're out there catching Pokémon or rampaging around as a cartoon gorilla.

A microSD card.
Samsung

Of course, these cards aren't tied to the Switch 2. That's just the most common use case scenario. They'll work with just about anything, like tablets, drones, cameras and rival portable gaming consoles.

Samsung's P9 Express microSD cards are available now, and the price is in line with similar offerings. The 256GB model costs $55 and the 512GB version costs $100.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/samsung-has-a-new-line-of-microsd-express-cards-for-the-switch-2-190933303.html?src=rss

Apple may release its first ‘low-cost’ Mac laptop in early 2026

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It seems Apple is preparing to debut a low-cost Mac laptop in the first half of 2026. According to Bloomberg, such a system is in early production at the company’s overseas suppliers and Apple is testing the devices internally.

Apple’s aim with this laptop, per the report, is to draw people away from the likes of Chromebooks and cheap Windows PCs and into its own ecosystem. The company is said to be making the system with casual users, students and businesses in mind — the kinds of folks who use laptops for tasks like web browsing, light media editing and working on documents. Apple is also reportedly planning to aim the system at potential iPad buyers who’d still rather have a traditional laptop.

The laptop is said to have a new design with a “lower-end LCD display” and it’s expected to run on an A-series iPhone processor that’s said to deliver better performance than the M1. It’s also likely to have a smaller display than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air.

Performance is important, but the price point will be crucial if Apple wants to really compete with the proliferation of Chromebooks and entry-level Windows devices. The company is said to be ready to sell this Mac for “well under $1,000.” Chromebooks and Windows laptops often sell for just a few hundred bucks. Higher-end Chromebooks cost around $600, so Apple would likely have to sell this laptop for $700 or less for it to make a real splash.

Apple has traditionally focused on making premium devices, but would be a smart time for the company to enter the lower end of the market. Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10, including on devices that don’t support Windows 11 and owners of such systems (including businesses) may need to buy new laptops in the near future to have the latest security updates.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-may-release-its-first-low-cost-mac-laptop-in-early-2026-174143869.html?src=rss

The best VR headsets for 2026

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Stepping into VR is about more than strapping on a headset and loading a game. The best VR headsets today are gateways to fully realized experiences, whether that’s gaming, fitness, creative work or simply spending time inside a richly rendered virtual world. As the hardware has improved, so has the sense of presence, with sharper displays, wider fields of view and tracking systems that make movement feel more natural and responsive. The result is VR that feels less like a novelty and more like a platform you can actually spend time in.

That said, not every headset is built for the same function. Some prioritize ease of use and standalone play, while others demand a powerful PC in exchange for higher fidelity. Compatibility also matters more than ever, especially as VR begins to overlap with mixed reality and early smart glasses experiments. Whether you want a simple way to explore virtual spaces or a high-end rig that pushes immersion as far as possible, this guide breaks down the best VR headsets you can buy in 2026 and explains who each one is really for.

I tend to judge candidates for the best VR headset on a few basic criteria: Ergonomics, immersion and controls. It's not that hard to shove a mobile display into a plastic headset and strap some cheap elastic headbands onto it. But it takes real design skill to craft something that's well balanced, includes a supportive headstrap, and doesn't feel uncomfortable after 30 minutes.

My test for ergonomics is fairly simple: How long can I wear a headset until I start to feel discomfort? For the most ergonomic devices, like the Quest 3, that could easily be an hour or two. But heavier PC hardware often feels cumbersome after just 15 minutes — you won’t find those kinds of devices in our list of the best VR headsets.

Immersion, meanwhile, comes from having high resolution screens with fast refresh rates, like a 120Hz refresh rate, helping users feel fully present inside a virtual world. Field of view is also a major element, as it describes how well VR screens can cover what you see. A narrow FOV makes it feel like you're peering through a pair of binoculars, which limits your sense of “presence.” The best VR headsets aim for a wider field of view, helping virtual environments feel more natural and fully surround you.

A wide field of view, on the other hand, can make it seem like you’re actually flying over the globe in Google Earth. We look at a few popular video games, like Superhot, Beat Saber and Pistol Whip, on every headset to judge how immersed we feel and how enjoyable the gaming experience is overall.

The best controllers fit naturally in your hands and offer accurate tracking. The industry has basically adopted the design of Meta’s excellent touch controllers, but we're also seeing intriguing leaps forward like Valve's finger tracking gamepads. We judge controllers based on how easy they are to hold, how they hold up to sweaty gameplay sessions and how easily headsets can track their position in space.

However, it’s important to look at a virtual reality headset’s specs as a whole, including compatibility with your existing hardware and the kind of experiences you plan to use it for. Depending on what you’re looking for in yourVR headset, you’ll want to consider factors like your PC’s CPU and graphics card if you plan to use the headset to play the best VR games. You might not need a super powerful PC, but you should check the minimum requirements for the headset you’re looking to purchase. If you’re not looking to invest in a VR headset solely for gaming, features like head tracking allow you to explore your environment just by simply moving your head in the simulator. This often results in a more immersive and realistic experience.

The Vive Focus Vision is a sleek premium standalone VR headset that can also deliver solid PC VR. But it’s also running aging hardware, it’s riddled with software issues and it’s expensive compared to the Meta Quest 3.

As great as the Meta Quest 3 is, the Quest 2 is still a very good entry-level VR headset, and it’s worth considering if it’s on sale below its current $250 list price. The Meta Quest Pro, on the the hand, is an expensive boondoggle best ignored.

Outside of Meta’s hardware, the HTC Vive Pro 2 remains a fantastic PC headset, but it’s far more expensive than the Valve Index, which is more comfortable and offers better audio.

At the most basic level, a VR headset is simply a high quality screen that you’re holding up to your face. For a wired headset, the actual work of rendering a game is done on either a PC or game console. For completely wireless devices, like the Meta Quest 3, that work is handled right on the headset. They rely on either external sensors, or sensors built into the headsets, to map your physical space. While you can use a traditional gamepad or keyboard and mouse in VR, they typically use motion tracking controllers to immerse you in their 3D environments.

What VR headset is best for full body tracking?

While we’re still waiting for a truly great haptic VR bodysuit to arrive, you can still achieve accurate body tracking with most Steam VR-compatible PC headsets. The Valve Index and HTC Vive Pro 2 both rely on room-tracking sensors that can map your body more effectively than the built-in sensors on competitors. You can also add HTC Vive Trackers to wrist and leg straps, as well as belts, for even better coverage. The Meta Quest 3 doesn’t have any easy body tracking solutions, but you can add Vive trackers when it’s plugged into your PC to mimic a Steam VR headset.

Only a few experiences, like VRChat, take advantage of full body tracking at the moment. Currently there aren’t any body tracking solutions for the PlayStation VR and VR2, but we’re intrigued by the company’s Mocopi body trackers, which were really announced in Japan.

Oculus is the previous name for Meta’s VR hardware. Currently, Meta only supports the Quest 3, Quest 3S and Quest Pro, all of which are wireless headsets. As we explain above, PC VR headsets can generally achieve better quality virtual reality, since they rely on more powerful graphics hardware.

Currently, Microsoft’s Xbox consoles don’t support any VR headsets.

November 2025: Updated to include the Apple Vision Pro M5.

April 2025: Updated to include review scores for our top picks, where applicable.

November 2024: Added the HTC Vive Focus Vision to the "others we tested" section.

October 2024: Updated our "best cheap VR headset" top pick to be the Meta Quest 3S.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/best-vr-headsets-140012529.html?src=rss

Apple’s Mac mini M4 drops to $479 for Black Friday

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While there are lots of great Black Friday sales on cheaper devices, it's the big ticket items that really make a world of difference. Take Apple's 2024 Mac mini M4, which has dropped to $479 from $599 as part of early Black Friday deals. The 20 percent discount brings Apple's mini desktop computer with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD to only $10 more than its all-time low.

We gave the Mac mini M4 a 90 in our review, in part, because it packs an incredible amount of power into such a small design. It also has front facing USB-C and headphone ports, a first for the Mac mini lineup. Plus, it starts with 16GB of RAM, an upgrade from its predecessors. 

However, if you want more memory or storage, the other Mac Mini M4 models are also on sale. You can get 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD for $719, down from $799. Then there's the option for 24GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD at $889, down from $999. Plus, if you want to bundle in three years of AppleCare+, each model ends up being about $100 cheaper than normal.

If you're looking to build a desktop setup from scratch, there's a small but notable discount on Apple's Magic Trackpad as well. It's down to $120, which is only seven percent off its usual price but it's the cheapest we've seen it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-mac-mini-m4-drops-to-479-for-black-friday-150749921.html?src=rss

Meta finally made a proper WhatsApp app for Apple Watch

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Meta has unveiled an overhaul for the WhatsApp experience on Apple Watch. The first official such app for the wearable is rolling out today and it includes support for what the company calls "many requested features." You'll now be able to see everything your friends are saying via your Apple Watch as longer WhatsApp messages won't be truncated. You'll have the option to respond to messages with quick emoji reactions.

The Apple Watch app will enable you to record and send voice messages from your wrist. In addition, you'll be able to see call notifications with details on who's trying to get in touch with you without having to look at your iPhone. Other features include the ability to see "clear images and stickers" on the Apple Watch app, as well as more of your chat history. Of course, there's still end-to-end encryption for your messages and calls.

The new app is a major upgrade over only being able to reply to WhatsApp messages via mirrored iPhone notifications on Apple Watch.  To use it, you'll need an Apple Watch Series 4 or newer that's running at least watchOS 10.

It's a little wild that it has taken Meta so long to create a proper Apple Watch app. Even BlackBerry made a BBM app for the wearable, and that was a decade ago. But perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising given how long we had to wait for an Instagram iPad app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/meta-finally-made-a-proper-whatsapp-app-for-apple-watch-150000781.html?src=rss

Alexa+ comes to the Amazon Music app

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Amazon has launched its new and improved AI assistant in the Amazon Music app. From today, anyone signed up to Alexa+ Early Access with the latest version of the app downloaded to their iOS or Android device can start using Amazon’s reimagined virtual assistant for music discovery and organizing their libraries.

To access the chatbot, you tap the “A” button in the lower right corner of the screen when Amazon Music is open. You can then test its knowledge by asking it a range of questions, from something as basic as finding a recently released song by a particular artist, to more complex searches based on a single lyric or the name of the TV show the song you’re trying to find is featured in.

Alexa+ is designed for more conversational interactions, so you can use natural language prompts and then ask follow-up questions as you would if you were talking to a friend, to narrow down its search results. Amazon says you can search for specific eras, moods and instruments, as well as telling Alexa what you don’t want it to serve up.

Alexa+ can also be used for playlist creation, allowing you to request something as specific as a high-energy running playlist with songs from a particular decade that starts with a song from a certain artist. You can also be more vague, asking for something that fits your current mood or the time of day.

Alexa+ in Amazon Music is being marketed not only as an AI tastemaker and personal DJ, but also a music expert, so you can ask it things like the inspiration for a song’s lyrics, where an album charted and questions about upcoming live performances.

Alexa+ has been gradually rolling out in Amazon’s various smart devices since the beginning of the year, with mixed results. You’ll be using it in everything from new Ring devices, to the latest Kindles and Vega, Amazon’s new smart TV operating system. It’s also built into the new Echo Studio speaker, and Engadget’s Billy Steele was impressed by the AI assistant’s more human-like conversation skills, even if it’s still prone to basic errors right now, such as getting the day of the week wrong in a response.

Alexa+ is currently available in Early Access for all tiers of Amazon Music. Eventually it’ll be free to all Prime members, and available to non-Prime members for $20 per month (more than an Amazon Prime subscription on its own).

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/alexa-comes-to-the-amazon-music-app-143234227.html?src=rss

Motorola introduces its latest takes on the Moto G and Moto G Play phones

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Motorola has been consistently offering solid budget smartphone offerings, and the company back with new refreshes to its Moto G and Moto G Play for 2026. The latest versions offer some incremental tech upgrades and a couple lovely new color options for the aesthetic upgrades. 

These smartphones both sport 6.7-inch displays with 120Hz and peak brightness of 1,000 nits. The Moto G boasts a 50MP camera as well as a 32MP front camera for selfies, while the Moto G Play has 32MP for its main camera and 8MP for the front camera. Both devices' photography is backed by quad pixel technology to provide detailed image capture in a variety of lighting conditions. These two phones have a 5,200mAh battery and adds some quick-charging options: 30W for the Moto G and 18W for the Moto G Play. On the durability front, the Moto G is still using Gorilla Glass 3 and boasts an IP52 water resistance rating, as the 2025 model did, and the same will also be available in the Moto G Play model.

Both phones are getting some Pantone color options in leather-inspired finishes. The Moto G will have a gray color called Slipstream or the purple of Cattleya Orchid, while the Moto G Play comes in Pantone Tapestry blue.

Moto G will continue to retail starting at $200 and will be available directly from Motorola starting on December 11, followed by Amazon and Best Buy availability on January 15. The Moto G Play will be available online from Motorola, Best Buy and Amazon on November 13 for $170; the model will arrive in stores some time in the coming months.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/motorola-introduces-its-latest-takes-on-the-moto-g-and-moto-g-play-phones-140000620.html?src=rss

Logitech is going after keyboard snobs with the hot-swappable Alto Keys K98M

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Logitech is hoping to attract all the keebheads out there with its latest Alto Keys K98M. While this keyboard has been available in Asian markets for a while, Logitech finally brought its customizable work keyboard to the US. It may appeal to a specific demographic, but it's a welcome return to hot-swappable offerings from Logitech. The Alto Keys K98M is now available in US markets through its website for $119.

According to Logitech, the Alto Keys K98M comes with hot-swappable Logi Marble linear switches. While Logitech sells several mechanical keyboards, the last notable one with a hot-swappable board was the Logitech G Pro X from 2019. Now, Logitech wants to dive back into the hardcore side of the keyboard world with something that's more tailored for the workspace. Instead of obnoxious RGB lighting, the Alto Keys K98M features a translucent frame that's paired with white backlighting. For long days, the keyboard has a UniCushion design, where the full frame gasket mount absorbs typing vibrations for an improved feel and sound.

For customizability beyond switches, Logitech included three action keys that can be programmed for whatever you need. The first three F keys also work as Easy-Switch buttons that let you cycle between up to three devices. The Alto Keys K98M works wirelessly through Bluetooth and is compatible with Windows, macOS, ChromeOS and iPadOS. Logitech said that the keyboard will get up to a year of wireless use if you keep the backlighting off. When the Alto Keys K98M's battery runs low, you can continue using it as you recharge it through the USB-C port.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/logitech-is-going-after-keyboard-snobs-with-the-hot-swappable-alto-keys-k98m-031051209.html?src=rss