Tag Archives: provider_name|Engadget

Amazon brings same-day deliveries of perishable food items to 1,300 new areas

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Amazon is introducing same-day delivery of perishable food items to 1,300 new cities and towns throughout the country, upping the total service area to more than 2,300 locations. This expansion covers cities like Boise, Salt Lake City, Fort Collins, Omaha, Des Moines and many more.

Check the link to see if it has expanded to where you live. The commerce giant says it will be bringing the service to even more cities in 2026, making the platform a real rival to stuff like Instacart and Walmart+.

Amazon introduced this feature earlier this year and it has proven to be quite the success, given today's move. It lets people order perishable food items like fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat alongside other more traditional items like electronics and books.

Amazon uses a "specialized temperature-controlled fulfillment network” to ensure that perishables remain in tip-top shape and they are delivered in insulated bags. The deliveries are free for Prime members, as long as the order exceeds $25. Everyone else has to pay $13 per order.

Some items.
Amazon

The company says that fresh groceries already make up nine of the top ten most-ordered items for quick delivery, which is a fairly astounding metric. People want their avocados. Amazon has been steadily increasing the number of items available via this method by incorporating Whole Foods products.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-brings-same-day-deliveries-of-perishable-food-items-to-1300-new-areas-175746531.html?src=rss

The UK government will ‘look into’ Rockstar’s firing of union-organizing workers

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Rockstar Games may have to answer for what appears to be union-busting behavior. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, under pressure from parliament, said the government will "look into" the firing of 31 employees in October.

The sacked workers were all part of a private trade union chat group on Discord. The company claimed the firings were "for gross misconduct" and accused the workers of sharing confidential information outside of the company.

But based on what we know, it's hard to see that characterization as anything but union-busting in search of legal cover. The Independent Workers' Union of Great Britain (IWGB) described the case as "the most blatant and ruthless act of union busting in the history of the games industry."

In November, IWGB issued legal claims against the Grand Theft Auto developer. The next day, over 200 staff at Rockstar North signed a letter condemning the firings and pressuring management to reinstate the workers. Earlier that month, the fired workers and their supporters protested outside Rockstar North's Edinburgh headquarters. Others picketed in Paris, London and New York.

People protesting and holding picket signs outside Rockstar North headquarters
Fired workers and supporters protesting outside Rockstar's headquarters
IWGB

“It’s clear to everyone close to this situation that this is a blatant, unapologetic act of vicious union busting,” one of the fired staffers said anonymously in a November statement. “Rockstar employs so many talented game developers, all of whom are crucial to making the games we put out.”

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh MP Chris Murray, who prompted Starmer's response, said in parliament that he recently met with Rockstar to discuss the case. "The meeting only entrenched my concerns about the process Rockstar used to dismiss so many of their staff members," he said. "I was not assured their process paid robust attention to UK employment law, I was not convinced that this course of action was necessary, and alarmingly, I did not leave informed on exactly what these 31 people had done to warrant their immediate dismissal."

Murray added that Rockstar initially refused entry to the MPs unless they signed a non-disclosure agreement. The company eventually relented on that front.

On Wednesday, Murray triggered Starmer's response in parliament. The MP asked the Prime Minister if he agreed that "all companies, regardless of profit size, must follow UK employment law and all workers have the right to join a union?"

Starmer replied that he found the case "deeply concerning." He added that "every worker has the right to join a trade union, and we're determined to strengthen workers' rights and ensure they don't face unfair consequences for being part of a union. Our ministers will look into the particular case the member raises and will keep him updated."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-uk-government-will-look-into-rockstars-firing-of-union-organizing-workers-174216696.html?src=rss

The next Nintendo Switch Online additions are N64 games Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Tonic Trouble

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Nintendo has announced its Nintendo Switch Online additions for December, which are for all the N64-era 3D platformer fans out there. On December 17, Rayman 2: The Great Escape and Tonic Trouble are joining the Switch’s Nintendo Classics library. As a reminder, N64 games are exclusive to Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscribers, along with the emulators for the Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis and GameCube.

For retro gaming completionsists, Tonic Trouble might actually be the more interesting get for NSO, despite being far less well known than the Rayman series. It was Ubisoft’s first 3D platformer, but a number of delays meant it ended up releasing in the same year as Rayman 2, and therefore has become a bit lost to time. The game stars an alien janitor named Ed, who accidentally drops a powerful green tonic out of his spaceship and all over Earth, making a mutated mess of the planet that he has to clean up.

Tonic Trouble was also conceptualized by Rayman creator Michel Ancel, but Ubisoft clearly only had room for one limbless mascot going forward. Arriving in 1999, Rayman 2: The Great Escape was the series’ Super Mario 64 moment, reimagining the original 2D game as a 3D platformer that was met with critical acclaim at launch. These days, the superb Rayman Legends would probably be most fans’ pick for the best game in the long-running series, but Rayman 2 would likely be near the top of the list.

Today’s announcement means that Rayman arrives on the N64 NSO app before Nintendo's own Donkey Kong 64, which has been one of the most requested games for years. Why the company still hasn’t handed that one over in a year when the big ape made his triumphant 3D platformer comeback remains a mystery. But with the Rayman series kicking off its 30th anniversary celebrations back in September, the arrival of Rayman 2 makes a lot of sense.

Nintendo updated its N64 app for the launch of the Switch 2 earlier this year. Fire it up on today and you can make use of a rewind function, as well as a new CRT filter for optimum nostalgia.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/the-next-switch-online-additions-are-n64-games-rayman-2-the-great-escape-and-tonic-trouble-171500122.html?src=rss

Reddit is starting to verify public figures

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Like it or not, the checkmark has become an almost universal symbol on most social platforms, even though its exact meaning can vary significantly between services. Now, Reddit, which historically hasn't cared that much about its users' identity, is joining the club and starting to test verification for public figures on its platform.

The company is beginning "a limited alpha test" of the feature with a small "curated" group of accounts that includes journalists from major media outlets like NBC News and the Boston Globe. Businesses that are already using an "official" badge, which Reddit started testing in 2023, will also now have a grey "verified" checkmark instead of the "official" label. 

Verification has long been a thorny issue for many platforms. For users, it's at times been a source of confusion, especially on sites where verified badges only require a paid subscription. Reddit's approach, at least for now, is closer to how Twitter handled verification prior to Elon Musk's takeover of the company.

The company has handpicked the initial group who will get checkmarks indicating they have verified their identity and seems to be geared around high-visibility accounts. "This feature is designed to help redditors understand who they're engaging with in moments when verification matters, whether it’s an expert or celebrity hosting an AMA, a journalist reporting news, or a brand sharing information," Reddit explains in a blog post. "Our approach to verification is voluntary, opt-in, and explicitly not about status. It’s designed to add clarity for redditors and ease the burden on moderators who often verify users manually." 

For now, Reddit users — even notable ones — won't be able to apply for verification. But the company notes that its intention isn't to limit checkmarks to famous people only. A Reddit spokesperson tells Engadget that "our goal is that anyone who wishes to self-identify will be able to do so in the future." 

The company also notes that verification doesn't come with any exclusive perks, like increased visibility or immunity from the rules of individual subreddits. Reddit requires accounts to be in good standing and already active on the platform in order to be eligible for verification. Accounts that are marked NSFW or that "primarily engage in NSFW-tagged communities" won't be eligible. 


This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-is-starting-to-verify-public-figures-170000833.html?src=rss

OpenAI’s house of cards seems primed to collapse

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OpenAI is in a far less commanding position than it was following the public release of ChatGPT a few short years ago. 

Back in 2022, the sudden popularity of ChatGPT sent Google into a panic. The company was so worried about the possibility of the upstart chatbot disrupting its Search business, executives sounded a "code red" alert inside of the company and called Sergey Brin and Larry Page out of retirement to help it formulate a response to OpenAI. It then rushed out Bard, announcing its first commercial chatbot on February 6, 2023. Google's stock tanked days later when the AI incorrectly answered a question about NASA's James Webb Space Telescope during a public demo. 

But it wasn't just Google that wanted a piece of OpenAI, while the search giant sought to compete with it, others — including Microsoft and Apple — made deals with the company to bring its technology to their products and services, all the promise that AI would eventually revolutionize every facet of the economy. 

Since then, OpenAI has seen its lead against Google and much of the AI industry evaporate, culminating in a series of successive blows throughout 2025. On January 20, the same day Altman was busy rubbing shoulders with other tech oligarchs at Donald Trump’s inauguration, China’s DeepSeek quietly released its R1 chain-of-thought model. A week later, the startup's chatbot surpassed ChatGPT as the most-downloaded free app on the US App Store. The overnight success of DeepSeek eliminated $1 trillion worth of stock market value, and almost certainly left OpenAI blindsided.

In response, the company showed a newfound urgency. In one week, for instance, OpenAI released both o3-mini and Deep Research. It even went so far as to announce the latter on a Sunday evening. But for all its new urgency, OpenAI's biggest, most important release of the year was a miss. 

It's safe to say GPT-5 hasn't lived up to anyone's expectations, including OpenAI's own. The company touted the system as smarter, faster and better than all of its previous models, but after users got their hands on it, they complained of a chatbot that made surprisingly dumb mistakes and didn't have much of a personality. For many, GPT-5 felt like a downgrade compared to the older, simpler GPT-4o. That's a position no AI company wants to be in, let alone one that has taken on as much investment as OpenAI.    

Anthropic was quick to take advantage of the weakness, signing a deal with Microsoft to bring its Claude models to Copilot 365. Previously, Microsoft depended exclusively on OpenAI for partner models in Copilot. Before the company announced the integration, reporting from The Information said Microsoft made the decision based on the strength of Anthropic's Sonnet 4.0 model, judging it "perform[ed] better in subtle but important ways" relative to OpenAI's offerings.   

However, what will likely go down as the defining moment occurred a few short weeks after OpenAI announced the conclusion of its restructuring. On November 18, Google released Gemini 3 Pro, and immediately the new model leap-frogged the competition, including GPT-5. As of the writing of this article, Google's new model is at the top of LMArena, the site where humans compare outputs from different AI systems and vote on the best one. GPT-5, by contrast, is currently ranked sixth overall, behind models from Anthropic and Elon Musk's xAI.  

According to a December 2 report from The Wall Street Journal, Sam Altman sent a companywide memo following the release of Gemini 3 Pro. Echoing the words Google used to describe the situation it found itself against OpenAI in 2023, he called for a "code red" effort to improve ChatGPT. Altman reportedly told employees there would be temporary reassignments and that the company would delay some products, all in an effort to catch up to Google and Anthropic.    

The few numbers these companies are willing to share don't paint a promising picture for OpenAI. Each month, about 800 million people use ChatGPT. On paper, that's impressive, but Google is catching up there too. In October, the company said the Gemini app had 650 million users, up from 450 million just a few months earlier in July, thanks to the popularity of its Nano Banana Pro image generator. 

More importantly, OpenAI has an inherent disadvantage against Google. For the search giant, AI may touch everything the company does now, but Gemini is just one product in an extensive portfolio that includes many other popular services. Google can fund its AI advancements with money it makes elsewhere. OpenAI cannot say the same. The company is constantly raising money to stay afloat, and according to a financial roadmap obtained by The Journal, it will need its revenue to grow to about $200 billion annually to become profitable by 2030. In November, Altman said on X the company was on track to hit above $20 billion in annualized revenue this year. 

In an effort to grow revenue, Altman and company have adopted an incredibly risky strategy. In recent months, OpenAI has signed more than $1.4 trillion worth of infrastructure deals in a bid to outscale the competition that is already beating it. Many of those agreements can only be described as circular, and I think the fears about a financial bubble are real. In the first half of 2025, investment in data centers accounted for nearly all of US GDP growth. Even if there's not a repeat of the 2008 housing market crisis or the dot-com crash, the AI boom is at the very least poised to make everyday electronics (and utilities) more expensive for regular people in the short term.

Since late October, demand for server-grade computer components, including memory and storage, has sent the price of consumer PC parts skyrocketing as manufacturers devote more of their production capacity and wafers to high-margin customers like OpenAI and Google. Since late October, the cost of most RAM kits has doubled and tripled. In November, the price of some SSDs went up by as much as 60 percent. Next year, the cost of LPDDR5X memory, which is used in both smartphones and NVIDIA servers, is expected to climb as well.  

"Be it carmakers, smartphones or consumer electronics, everyone that uses memory is facing pressure from price hikes and supply constraints in the coming year," Zhao Haijun, the co-CEO of memory manufacturer SMIC told analysts, per Bloomberg.

Gita Gopinath, former chief economist for the International Monetary Fund, recently estimated that if the AI bubble were to burst, it would wipe out $20 trillion in wealth held by American households. The Great Recession, considered the worst financial meltdown since the Great Depression, reduced US household net worth by $11.5 trillion, and it took years before for American families to rebuild their wealth to pre-recession levels.   

The modern AI bubble may have been started by ChatGPT, but given the crowded field of chatbots and LLMs, it won't necessarily pop should OpenAI go bust. With novelty and technical prowess no longer on its side though, it's now on Altman to prove in short order why his company still deserves such unprecedented levels of investment. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-house-of-cards-seems-primed-to-collapse-170000900.html?src=rss

Petco accidentally exposed heaps of customer information

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Petco has accidentally exposed a whole lot of customer data and personal information, according to a report by TechCrunch. This is thanks to a security lapse involving its Vetco clinics website, forcing the company to take a portion of that site offline.

Petco has confirmed the leak and TechCrunch noted that the security lapse allowed anyone to download customer records without login information. The exposed data includes customer names, driver's license numbers, dates of birth, Social Security numbers and even financial information. It also includes customer records from visits to Vetco, like medical histories, pet names, vaccination records and other stuff like that.

This was due to an incorrect software setting that made a number of files accessible online, according to a notice filed by California’s attorney general and reported on by Mashable. The company has since corrected the setting, removed the exposed files and implemented security measures.

However, Petco hasn't said if any data was actually extracted during the security lapse or if it even has the means to suss out that kind of thing. Vetco customers should probably perform some due diligence to shore up personal security. The company is offering credit and identity monitoring services to impacted customers, but only in some states. We recommend giving Petco a call to discuss options. 

Data breaches of this sort are becoming an unfortunate part of modern life. Recent security breaches have impacted entities like AT&T, Discord, the social network Tea and the human resources company Workday, among others.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/petco-accidentally-exposed-heaps-of-customer-information-163825302.html?src=rss

CloverPit, a Balatro-style game with a grungy slot machine, hits iOS and Android on December 17

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CloverPit is one of my favorite games of the year so far. Developer Panik Arcade took the formula that helped make Balatro so successful — using various tools to bend the rules of the game to help you rack up obscenely high scores — and based it around a slot machine rather than poker. It’s been a hit so far on PC, where it has sold more than a million copies since September, and on Xbox. CloverPit has been among the top 20 most-played titles on Game Pass since its surprise debut there last month. Now, the horror-tinged roguelite is venturing into new territory, as it’s coming to iOS and Android on December 17.

The mobile versions of the game are said to have a fully-optimized interface, as well as all of the post-launch updates, such as the Hard Mode that Panik Arcade recently added. CloverPit will cost $5 on mobile and it will have no microtransactions or “predatory mechanics.” That might seem surprising for a game centered around a slot machine, but CloverPit isn’t really about gambling (which the developers say they don’t like anyway). It’s about breaking the rules to tilt the odds in your favor.

The setup is pretty straightforward. You’re imprisoned in a rusty cell and you have a rapidly increasing debt to pay off. The only way to do that, and hopefully leave through the door, is to earn enough coins from the slot machine to pay what you owe. There are more than 150 items (which are called charms here) to experiment with that affect things like the number of spins, how much each symbol or pattern is worth and how many tickets you earn. Tickets are what you need to buy more charms.

Figuring out combinations of items that work well together is key to quickly scaling up the number of coins and tickets you can earn from each visit to the slot machine. Fail to pay off your debt by a deadline (i.e. after a certain number of spins) and it’s game over, as you plunge into the titular pit.

CloverPit is strange and beguiling and heaps of fun. I’ve plowed around 39 hours into it on Steam, and I’m sure it’ll take up much of my attention on my phone after it hits mobile next week. Doomspinning seems slightly healthier for my brain than doomscrolling.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cloverpit-a-balatro-style-game-with-a-grungy-slot-machine-hits-ios-and-android-on-december-17-154500028.html?src=rss

Apple’s Studio Display is $230 off right now

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Apple’s Studio Display hasn’t been updated since it launched in 2022, but it remains one of the best monitors for the Mac-oriented, and right now you can pick one up for $230 off. This deal applies specifically to the tilt-adjustable model, which means you can’t adjust the height of the built-in stand. That might be a deal-breaker for some users, but if not, $1,368 is a near-record low.

The Studio Display was a product that Apple devotees had been asking the company to make for years. As well as being a solid 27-inch 5K LED monitor, it also packs in a variety of ports and some surprisingly good speakers. In our 80-scoring review at the time, we praised its bright and color-accurate screen, while bemoaning the fact that it isn't as smooth as Apple’s many ProMotion-equipped devices.

If you’re content with what's already on offer, this is a good deal on what has always been a very expensive luxury device, but bear in mind that there are swirling rumors of a next generation Studio Display that could arrive in 2026. Mark Gurman of Bloomberg reported earlier this year that Apple might currently have two new models in the works, though it isn’t clear if both will end up making it to retail.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-studio-display-is-230-off-right-now-152328981.html?src=rss

MasterClass deal: Get 50 percent off subscriptions for the holidays

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If learning a new skill is one of your New Year's resolutions, then you might want to know that MasterClass subscriptions are currently 50 percent off. This brings the top-tier subscription with offline mode and use on up to six devices down from $240 annually to $120. The entry-level plan, which supports just one device and doesn't offer offline viewing, is marked down to $60 from $120.

Over the past few years, MasterClass has grown to over 200 classes, sessions and original series. You can learn about entrepreneurship from Richard Branson, screenwriting from Aaron Sorkin, cooking from Gordon Ramsay and heaps more. Each of these offers classes in a one-on-one format with slick instructional videos and often workbooks to accompany them.

MasterClass also appears on our list of the best subscription gifts for this Christmas. Loved ones will enjoy superb production quality and a rich library where they are sure to find something that piques their interest. Gift subscriptions can also be scheduled, so you can take advantage of the current sale even for future gifts. If you're buying it for yourself, know that MasterClass offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Whether you're looking to learn about business from Kim Kardashian or basketball skills from Steph Curry, MasterClass can help you expand your horizons in 2026. The holiday offer is available through December 24.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/masterclass-deal-get-50-percent-off-subscriptions-for-the-holidays-150520715.html?src=rss

Projectors won us over in 2025

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Not long ago, you may have thought of projectors as complicated, unreliable or just too expensive. In 2025, though, consumer sentiment started to flip. Companies like Anker and Valerion made the projector experience more practical and immersive, helping drive consumer interest and, ultimately, sales.

This shift has been quite a few years in the making. LG helped kickstart the projector renaissance back at CES 2018 when it introduced its unusual-looking CineBeam HU80K projector that could provide a 150-inch image. The next year at CES saw the dawn of the ultra short-throw (UST) laser projector that could create a similarly large display while sitting just inches from your wall. Another big technological upgrade over the following years was the bright and long-lasting laser light engines that replaced weaker, more fragile bulbs.

The timing couldn’t have been better for projector manufacturers. When COVID shut down theaters in 2020, consumers were forced to get their entertainment at home. Many wanted something akin to a movie theater experience — both indoors and out — and thus interest in projectors started to take off.

In 2025, though, projectors really entered the zeitgeist thanks to two new products. The first was Anker’s SoundCore Nebula X1, the highest-rated home theater product Engadget reviewed this year. It comes with a triple-laser engine that allows for 3,500 lumens of brightness — enough that you can watch it during the day. It also uses liquid cooling to reduce annoying fan noise and offers color-accurate picture quality with support for Dolby Vision HDR.

Even better, it can be carried outside easily via the retractable handle and used for movie nights under the stars. If you splurge for the Soundcore Nebula X1 Pro version that comes with huge party speakers, you can even expect excellent sound quality. It also looks sleek and modern, unlike the plasticky models normally aimed at mid-range buyers.

However, the most interesting feature — which is new for a projector in this price range — is the motorized tilting lens that automatically fits the picture to your screen or surface. That allows buyers to set up the Nebula X1 themselves in just a few minutes, rather than hours. That also makes it easy to move the projector around and use in another location.

Valerion VisionMaster Max
Valerion

The other model that captured our imagination was the Valerion VisionMaster Max. This projector shares many traits of the Nebula X1, like Dolby Vision, a triple laser system and automatic setup. It’s also a nice-looking, modern product.

However, it has two other innovations that made it extra interesting. The first is the dynamic iris and its Enhanced Black Level technology. That had reviewers raving about its deep black levels that were comparable to projectors like JVC’s NZ8 that cost twice as much. The other is the so-called anti-rainbow technology, which eliminates most of the rainbow-hued strobing that appears with models using Texas Instruments DLP chips. This resolves a common complaint with mid-range projectors.

For a similar price as a good quality TV ($1,500 - $3,000), these models can beam an image double the size. And to install one, you just need to position the projector in front of the screen, roughly center it and hit “calibrate” to get a perfect image.

Both the X1 and VisionMaster Max were first announced on Kickstarter and became the top two projectors ever sold on the site. Plus, several projector models, particularly from Anker/Soundcore, appeared on Google’s gadget search trends. All of that is helping the home projector market increase to the point that it’s, well, projected to nearly double by 2030.

As people researched these products, they may have noticed the other advantages. Along with movies, they’re also great for gaming and sports, particularly if you have a big group of people. In fact, they actually take up less room than a TV if both the projector and screen are ceiling mounted. And many models are portable, battery-powered and bright enough to use outside for parties and camping.

Formovie Theater projector
Steve Dent for Engadget

A prime example of a recent projector convert is Engadget editor and cinema podcaster Devindra Hardawar, who explained why he decided to make the leap. “I know big TVs have gotten cheaper, but they still can't reach the massive 120-inch screen size of my Formovie ultra-short throw projector,” he said. “It makes watching anything feel truly cinematic, and not like I'm just staring at another screen.”

Even though projectors are gaining some ground, they won’t replace TVs for most people. Mid-range televisions still cost less at around $1,000. TVs are obviously easier to install and more convenient to use, as all projectors need time to warm up. TVs are much brighter, too: even dim models put out at least 500 nits of brightness, compared to 200 to 300 nits max for very bright projectors. However, even though projector setups are less tricky than before, you still need to buy and install a screen for optimal performance, which adds cost and complexity.

How much more can projectors improve? I think they’ll continue to get brighter, more color accurate and even easier to install. Another piece of technology with potential to reduce complexity and improve image quality is the roll-up screen. If those come down in price enough, they may convince some buyers to replace their TVs with a projector. They’re still likely to remain a niche product, but for cinephiles who want a theater-like experience, projectors are now a more compelling option.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/projectors-won-us-over-in-2025-143655492.html?src=rss