Tag Archives: Technology & Electronics

How to watch today’s iPhone 16 launch event, live soon with a new Apple Watch and AirPods

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The iPhone 16 launch event is starting imminently, where Apple will finally be introducing its newest lineup of smartphones. The Apple event is today, September 9 at 1PM ET (10AM PT) at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park in Cupertino. You can livestream Apple's It's Glowtime event on YouTube (which we’ve embedded above for your convenience), as well as on Apple’s site. You can also follow our Apple 16 launch event live blog for real-time updates Engadget’s Cherlynn Low and Billy Steele, who are on-site in Cupertino.

As far as new products go, we’re expecting four new iPhone models to be announced: The iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. Don’t expect a huge leap forward from the iPhone 15, which our senior editor Billy Steele called the “most substantial update to the regular iPhone in years.” Instead, the major push will be around iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence. In terms of hardware, there'll be the usual more powerful processor, screen sizes may adjust slightly and there’s supposedly a new dedicated camera button for the Pro models.

Away from iPhones, we’ll likely also get new Apple Watch models (Series 10 or Series “X,” and maybe an Ultra 3 or an Ultra 2 in black), alongside new AirPods in both entry- and Pro-level models. You can get the scoop on everything we expect at the event in our in-depth what we expect at the iPhone 16 launch article.

For anyone not planning to buy any new Apple devices this year, you'll still have access to the latest iOS 18 update, likely later in September, as long as your device is eligible (find out here). Here's everything coming with the iOS 18 update this year, including Apple Intelligence and more home screen customization options.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/how-to-watch-todays-iphone-16-reveal-along-with-a-new-apple-watch-and-airpods-113044331.html?src=rss

Bang & Olufsen debuts the $1,549 Beoplay H100 headphones

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Luxury audio brand Bang & Olufsen is know for its high-end design and equally exorbitant prices. Typically the company's earbuds and headphones are more expensive than most competitors, but not astronomically so. That's changed with the company's flagship noise-cancelling headphones though. Following the $999 Beoplay H95, B&O has announced the Beoplay H100 that will cost you $1,549. The company says the H95 have been its "most successful headphones to date," and the H100 has a number of improvements over that model. 

Like most B&O headphones, the Beoplay H100 is crafted with premium materials, from the lambskin leather ear pads to the use of aluminum and knitted cloth. There's even a scratch-resistant glass touch interface on the outside of the ear cups. The company says it was inspired by fine jewelry for the black, sand and apricot color options, all of which combine the "solid sheen of aluminum, softness of leather, and cold-to-the-touch glass" for what B&O describes as "design excellence." The inner headband and ear pad are both detachable, so you can replace them if they become overly worn or dirty. 

Inspired by the company's Beolab 90 speaker, the Beoplay H100 packs in 40mm drivers with "sound clarity and dynamic performance that you normally only hear on high-end loudspeakers." High-resolution audio is in the mix, with support for 96 kHz/24-bits tunes. Dolby Atmos is also in play, with head tracking available if you're into that. B&O says its adaptive audio tech, which it calls EarSense, monitors the fit of the headphones and adjusts the sound profile in real time. 

The inner headband and ear pads are user replaceable on the H100.
Bang & Olufsen

B&O says it doubled the active noise cancellation (ANC) performance of the H95 for this set, employing 10 microphones that also provide what the company describes as its best transparency mode yet. What's more, a dial on the outside of the ear cups rotates to find your preferred level of so-called TrueTransparency. There's also a Quick Listen mode when you need to pay attention to your surroundings at second's notice, but don't necessarily want to leave transparency enabled. Of course, there are also lofty claims of crystal clear calls "even in very demanding situations," but that's the expected refrain from any headphone company. 

The company has been designing its speakers and other audio gear for longevity for a while now. B&O says its building products to they can be updated for years before becoming obsolete. It's also making them easier for technicians to service, and all of this applies to the H100. That's definitely something you need to harp on when you're asking over $1,000 for a set of cans. Aside from the aesthetic upgrades users can complete themselves, the company says the design of the headphones enables quick access for service to batteries, glass surfaces, drivers and circuit boards. Software "won't be surpassed by new technology," the company explains, with key features like wireless high-resolution audio and three-device multipoint Bluetooth among the future updates.

Similar to AirPods Max, the Beoplay H100 enters a low-power mode when it's outside of the carrying case but not being worn. The company says the headphones can remain in this state for up to 90 days, ready to be used as soon as you put them on. If you store them in the case though, the headphones will fully power off. The H100 will last up to 34 hours on a charge with ANC on, which is four hours less than the more affordable H95. 

The Beoplay H100 is available today from B&O stores and the company's website. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/bang-and-olufsen-debuts-beoplay-h100-headphones-that-cost-1549-070041891.html?src=rss

Resident Evil mobile ports now require an online check-in before you can play

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Capcom has updated the mobile ports of several Resident Evil games to now require an internet connection when the apps are opened. As noted by Eurogamer, patch notes for the latest Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Village updates read, "Due to changes to the startup process, an internet connection is now required when starting this app."

It's unclear why Capcom added this requirement, but it stinks. It prevents anyone taking a flight without Wi-Fi or those hoping to sneak in a little game time while camping in the middle of nowhere from playing any of these games on their phone or tablet. It mitigates the notion that mobile games can be played anywhere, but you can avoid the issue if you already have the games you want to play on your device and automatic updates are off.

Several commenters on a Reddit thread that flagged the change said they'd be asking for a refund. However, Capcom may not have to be too worried about having to pay back a ton of players. There are reports that the mobile versions of the three games haven't been very successful. For instance, data suggests that just 2,000 people had paid for the iOS port of Resident Evil 7 in its first two weeks.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/resident-evil-mobile-ports-now-require-an-online-check-in-before-you-can-play-161156065.html?src=rss

The Morning After: A Tamagotchi made with real egg

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It’s Labor Day, so tech news typically slows down. We’ve still got some intriguing headlines to share, though, like, er, a new Tamagotchi. Bandai’s newest digital pet is made with recycled eggshells. The Original Tamagotchi Celebration digital pet is even colored like a tan/brown egg, with green and white designs with pink accents and buttons.

In ways, it’s a bit of a throwback compared to the recently released Tamagotchis. In May, the company re-released Tamagotchi Connection, the model with a faux antenna, to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Last year’s Tamagotchi Uni had WiFi connectivity and gave users access to the Tamaverse.

This one is a little more basic, and it’s available at Amazon, currently on pre-order for $30.

— Mat Smith

Engadget Podcast: iPhone 16 and Apple rumors with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman

Seeking Mavis Beacon is a wild search for a lost tech icon

Apple reportedly plans to drop USB-A ports with the M4 Mac mini

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Starliner is scheduled to undock from the International Space Station and return to Earth, uncrewed, in just a matter of days, but it’s keeping the team busy before it departs. On Saturday, astronaut Butch Wilmore alerted NASA’s Mission Control to an unexplained “strange noise” coming from a speaker in the spacecraft. You can hear the mystery sound right here, around the 45-second mark.

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Given the speed of tech news and announcements, sometimes our more involved reviews might pass under the radar. Our bi-weekly (ish) recap should make sure nothing gets missed. This second edition includes our reviews of the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and the latest CoPilot+ laptop from Dell.

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Engadget

The final summer holiday weekend is here, and there are Labor Day sales. Historically, Labor Day isn’t a big deal for tech bargains, but there are usually a few worth your time. Some good deals cut a chunk of change off several MacBook models.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-a-tamagotchi-made-with-real-egg-111507644.html?src=rss

Apple reportedly plans to drop USB-A ports with the M4 Mac mini and is working on a low-end Magic Keyboard

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Apple’s M4 Mac mini will boast a ton of ports, but not a single one of them will be USB-A, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. In the Power On newsletter, Gurman reports that Apple is ditching USB-A ports with the upcoming Mac mini. The company is working on a standard and Pro version of the computer, and while it won’t have USB-A, the Mac mini with the M4 Pro chip will have five USB-C ports, an ethernet port, HDMI and a headphone jack, according to Gurman. The new Mac mini is also expected to have an internal power supply. Gurman reports that the standard and Pro versions will begin shipping to warehouses in September and October, respectively.

Apple is also reportedly working on a cheaper, pared down version of its Magic Keyboard that’s slated to launch “by the middle of next year.” The company introduced a new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro this spring, and Gurman indicates it’s now turning its attention to the non-Pro devices. He writes that the upcoming accessory “will be a low-end version that may be designed for an entry-level iPad or the new iPad Airs.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/apple-reportedly-plans-to-drop-usb-a-ports-with-the-m4-mac-mini-and-is-working-on-a-low-end-magic-keyboard-154306266.html?src=rss

Engadget review recap: The Pixel 9 phones are surprisingly great, in spite of their price

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Welcome back to another Engadget Review Recap (or as I prefer to call it, ERR). This is the second edition of a mostly bi-weekly series rounding up the reviews that our team has published, as well as some insight on what's coming, what we skipped and how we do our testing. Plus, fun team trivia! If you missed a review in the last two weeks or simply didn't have the time to read every single thing we publish (how dare you), let this roundup be your quick catch-up. 

This week, we're looking back at the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro reviews, as well as the Dell XPS 13 Copilot+ PC, which is a mouthful of a name if I ever saw one. Other Pixel devices are also being tested as we speak, and the reviews team is pretty busy behind the scenes. On Monday, Apple announced an "It's Glowtime" event for September 9, which means we're also expecting new iPhones and Apple Watches to play with soon.

For now, though, here's what's been happening on the Engadget reviews team. 

by Sam Rutherford

First of all, huge news from the Engadget team: Our senior writer Sam Rutherford just had a baby! Sam will be off on parental leave for a bit, and has managed to keep himself extremely busy right down to the wire, filing hands-ons and helping with reviews up until he went off to the hospital. We will be lost without Sam, but are extremely happy for him and his family as they welcome the lovely addition to their lives. 

The Pixel 9 review is the last full review you'll see from Sam for a while, and in it he clearly explains how impressed he is by Google's premium-ish handset. To him, it's the go-to Android phone, overshadowing Samsung's S24 and any other Android flagship worth considering. It's got a grown-up vibe to it like the Pixel 9 Pros, and has great camera and battery performance. At $799, it delivers plenty for the money.

It's a little tricky to consider the Pixel 9 in the shadow of its Pro counterparts, since there's also the Pixel 8a or the future Pixel 9a possibly nipping at its toes with a great set of features for a lower price. If you have the $200 or so to spare, you might be considering the Pros, which we also reviewed last week.

by Mat Smith

I kid you not: My jaw dropped when I saw the score that Mat Smith, UK bureau chief, proposed for the Pixel 9 Pro. It's possibly the highest we've ever given any Google-made phone, not to mention also arguably the first time a Pixel has been scored in iPhone territory. In fact, both Mat and myself found ourselves mistaking the Pixel 9 Pro for our own iPhones by touch and when their screens were facing up. Sam also thought the Pixel 9 looked and felt remarkably similar to Apple's flagships, which is, in a weird way, a compliment to Google. 

These phones feel grown up, refined and classy. Gone is the glossy finish that the Pixel 6 and newer came in, and with it also went the tendency for these devices to slide off any non-stable surface. The camera bar also looks more elegant, and the straight edges give the Pixel 9 Pros that iPhone vibe that older models lacked.

I love how Google was able to give its latest flagships the iPhone treatment while retaining its character with the camera bar. I adore the new colors, too, especially the pair of pink Pros I received. 

A huge part of why we scored the Pixel 9 Pro as high as we did is the fact that the new smaller Pro doesn't have many compromises due to its size. The Pixel 9 Pro XL and the smaller version both have the same camera setup and are really only different in display and battery size. The larger flagship charges slightly faster, but the baby Pro lasts so. danged. long. It beat pretty much every recent phone we've on our video rundown battery test.

As usual, Google's cameras beat the competition (especially at night), and while we don't know if we'd pay to use its Gemini AI services ourselves, the fact that they're available for free for now means it's not a downside. Some of the new software, like the Pixel Screenshots app or the Add Me tool in the camera, are nifty and generally effective. Others, like Pixel Studio and Reimagine in the photo editing tools, are somewhat problematic, as detailed by Allison Johnson at The Verge.

If you can avoid using those features, which I think is remarkably easy to do, then you'll find the rest of the Pixel 9 Pro satisfying. Its upgraded display is bright and beautiful, though Mat, who only slightly bragged in his review that he had larger-than-average hands, didn't like that the Pro XL had a bigger screen than last year's model. He's not wrong, that thing is hard to maneuver, especially for those of us cursed with smaller extremities. For that reason, we took a point off the Pro XL's score compared to last year's Pixel 8 Pro. We also wish Google had kept its flagships more competitively priced for one more year, since the Pixel 9 lineup costs pretty much the same as the corresponding devices from Samsung and Apple, instead of a hundred or so dollars cheaper in prior years.

Go on over to Mat's review for the details and camera samples. For now, suffice to say that the Engadget team is very impressed with the Pixel 9 lineup, and we eagerly await our own verdicts on the other products in the family, like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, the Pixel Watch 3 and Pixel Buds Pro 2. 

by Devindra Hardawar

Feels like we might be getting several iterations of the Dell XPS 13 soon. The XPS 13 Copilot+ PC that Devindra reviewed this week feels like one such variant, as if we're in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's the XPS 13 we reviewed earlier this year but instead of an Intel Core Ultra processor, it uses an Arm-based Snapdragon X Elite chip. That means it lasts a lot longer than your typical PC using x86 system architecture, but also is more likely to encounter potential compatibility issues. 

If you don't plan on gaming on your laptop or need it to run obscure apps, a Snapdragon notebook might work for you, especially if you want long battery life. Gamers who plan on playing Fortnite or League of Legends will need to opt for an x86 system. because the anti-cheat features on those titles will prevent them from working on Arm-based machines. 

Considering we'll likely be getting an XPS 13 with Intel's Lunar Lake CPU later this year, those who want greater software compatibility in an AI PC with Dell's premium design won't have long to wait. The Lunar Lake processors also have neural processing units (NPUs) that are faster than the Snapdragon X Elite's, too. If you don't mind waiting, you'll likely find a variant that satisfies your needs (or your prime timeline) soon enough.

Speaking of AI PCs powered by Intel, let's not forget AMD. Devindra had a chat with AMD's product leads for Ryzen AI and published an article last week around the company's AI PC strategy. This type of interview informs our coverage and reviews of devices with these components, and they're a great opportunity for us to unleash our inner nerds (innerds? never mind).

We also got the chance to nerd out with Bloomberg's Mark Gurman on the Engadget Podcast this week, getting an inside look at what Apple might be unveiling at its event on September 9. 

Gamescom took place last week, and the Engadget team covered the event live, with news around titles from franchises like Dune, Indiana Jones, Marvel, Call of Duty and Civilization. Sam published a hands-on with "King of Meat," which he called a "monstrous mash-up of a co-op platformer."

Not enough gaming coverage? We've got you. Mat published a piece on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, which looks like a beautiful RPG from French studio Sandfall Interactive. Our team also produced a series of lists and roundups of various types of games, from the best Apple Arcade options and Netflix games to titles for specific consoles like the Playdate and puzzle and word games you can play daily.

Senior reporter Jess Conditt checked out Razer's new Wolverine V3 Pro controller for Xbox and PC this week, which is the company's first fully wireless controller for Xbox consoles and also its first with Hall effects joysticks. Jess spent a few days with the V3 Pro, mostly playing Overwatch 2, and she found it "snappy and surprisingly compact." She said "the joysticks are precise — they require a little more force than the wireless Forza Horizon 5 Xbox controller I generally use, but they’re nice and accurate."

We continue to test Pixel devices that are becoming available to the public later in September, while working on testing more AI PCs, leftover Samsung Galaxy products and more. I'm personally extremely excited to check out the new Barbie flip phone from HMD, because I can type so much more quickly on a T9 keypad than on a touchscreen. I think I can, anyway.

Many products are announced every week, not to mention every year, and just this week we saw new gadgets like that Barbie phone, as well as a new AI wearable called the NotePin. Whether we review these devices depends largely on how important they are to our audience (which is usually determined by our understanding of reader interest and how likely they are to want to buy something). Whether a product is ever going to make it to a larger market also matters, so vaporware or mini personal projects on Kickstarter aren't things we typically review. 

Finally, our individual staff members' workload and desire to test these things also contribute to the decision-making process — if someone on the team liked something so much they bought it with their own money, they are always welcome to write up their experience for the site, as part of our ongoing series around things we bought.

As always, it is shaping up to be a busy few weeks ahead for our team, so please send good thoughts and vibes. Thank you as always for giving us your time, and have a fantastic weekend!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-the-pixel-9-phones-are-surprisingly-great-in-spite-of-their-price-140056442.html?src=rss

Apple has released iOS 18 to install but is your iPhone compatible? Here are the eligible devices and new features

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Apple

Apple on Monday released its new iOS 18 for all compatible iPhones to install — here's how download and install the new update. iOS 18 will already come installed on the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models (see our iPhone 16 Pro review), which will hit shelves on September 20. But not every iPhone will be able to run iOS 18, and even the ones that can won't have all the bells and whistles of the new Apple Intelligence features.

That update stratification is nothing new. Generally each year, some older iPhone models are removed from Apple's iOS eligibility list. Last year, for instance, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X were left off the compatibility list. That meant those iPhone owners couldn't update to iOS 17 and missed out on some notable features. On the flip side, some older hardware will get major new features: Consider the upcoming software update that effectively turns existing AirPods Pro headphones into a hearing aid, complete with a built-in hearing test. (Apple just received FDA authorization to release that feature later this year.)

We'll help you find out if your iPhone will support iOS 18, as well as Apple Intelligence. In addition, Apple has also released a firmware update for AirPods Pro 2. If you want a full list of all the new iOS 18, check out Apple's exhaustive list in PDF form (via MacRumors). Still catching up on everything new that Apple announced at its September 9 launch event? Check out our full AirPods 4 review, along with hands-on previews of the Apple Watch Series 10, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. 

We have good news: If you had an eligible phone last year when you updated to iOS 17, that device should still be compatible with iOS 18, according to Apple. That means you won't have to buy a new phone to check out most of the new software features.

  • iPhone SE (second generation or later)

  • iPhone XR

  • iPhone XS

  • iPhone XS Max

  • iPhone 11

  • iPhone 11 Pro

  • iPhone 11 Pro Max

  • iPhone 12

  • iPhone 12 mini

  • iPhone 12 Pro

  • iPhone 12 Pro Max

  • iPhone 13

  • iPhone 13 mini

  • iPhone 13 Pro

  • iPhone 13 Pro Max

  • iPhone 14

  • iPhone 14 Plus

  • iPhone 14 Pro

  • iPhone 14 Pro Max

  • iPhone 15

  • iPhone 15 Plus

  • iPhone 15 Pro

  • iPhone 15 Pro Max

  • iPhone 16 

  • iPhone 16 Plus

  • iPhone 16 Pro

  • iPhone 16 Pro Max

Put another way, if you have an iPhone from the 2017 model year or earlier (iPhone 8 or iPhone X), you can't upgrade to the latest iOS, but your phone should continue to work — albeit without the latest and greatest features. 

While your older device will still be able to support the latest iOS, chances are that you won't get to try the Apple Intelligence beta yet next month. Unless you have an iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max — the top-end 2023 models — or one of the new iPhone 16 models, your iPhone isn't eligible. 

If your device is compatible with Apple Intelligence, you can start playing with some of those features in October, when they begin to hit those newer iPhones in subsequent updates. 

The first round of Apple Intelligence features will be available in English in the US this October. In December, it'll become available in localized English to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the United Kingdom. Additional language support, including Chinese, French, Japanese and Spanish, will be available sometime next year, Apple says.

As previously reported, Apple Intelligence will not be making its way to EU countries anytime soon. The American tech giant remains locked in a battle with European regulators over enforcement details of the EU's Digital Markets Act.

While Apple Intelligence is by far the biggest update coming with iOS 18, its features are going to be released more piecemeal over the subsequent few months. And the more advanced features won't be available on older iPhone models aside from the iPhone 15 Pro series. But the rest of the iOS 18 features are available now. Here are just some of the highlights you can expect when you download Apple's new software.

Passwords app: Securely store all your credentials in one place, including passwords and security alerts that you can access directly in the app. (While this functionality currently exists in Settings, moving it to a new app should make it easier to locate and access.)

Improved Messages app: A new iMessages experience is bringing the option to bold, italicize, underline and strikethrough your text. You'll also be able to add animations to your text messages. The update is also bringing RCS to iPhones to better support Android compatibility.

An organized photos library: The Photos app is getting a redesign, which allows you to create and pin your own collections in the app — think "wedding photos" or "trip to Aruba." It removes the current tabbed bottom and leans into a grid layout. The updated carousel view that was touted at WWDC was removed during the beta process.

Personalized home screen layout: You'll finally get the option to rearrange your apps — for instance, you can leave the middle space open to display your home screen photo, and instead have your apps alone the border of the screen. You can also change the appearance of the apps by tinting them with any color, as well as making the apps larger.

There are plenty of other tweaks and improvements to keystone apps like Maps, Calendar, Safari and more. Check out Cherlynn Low's choices for the best hidden features of iOS 18 and its sibling Apple operating system updates, based on the betas released earlier this year. 

Here's when you can download the newest software updates on your other Apple devices (most are today as well).

  • MacOS Sequoia: September 16

  • iPadOS 18: September 16

  • WatchOS 11: September 16

  • tvOS 18: Apple hasn't announced an official date for its latest tvOS software update. It's still in public beta testing at this time, though it's close to the final stages, per MacRumors.

  • visionOS 2: September 16

As for AirPods, Apple has reportedly pushed new firmware to AirPods Pro earbuds to prep for the added features coming to that device with iOS 18. (Just note that hearing aid functionality mentioned above may not hit with the first wave of updates, despite its recent FDA clearance.)

Update, September 16, 1:55PM ET: Confirmed iOS 18 availability. 

Update, September 12, 3:28PM ET: Added details about the FDA authorizing the hearing aid functionality for AirPods Pro.

Update, September 11, 12:13PM ET: New information added about new firmware pushed to AirPods Pro earbuds.

Update, September 10, 9:54AM ET: Added release dates for additional Apple OS software updates.

Update, September 9, 5:00PM ET: Added details regarding the lack of Apple Intelligence availability in EU countries.

Update, September 9, 3:37PM ET: This story has been updated with the announced release dates for iOS 18 and Apple Intelligence. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-has-released-ios-18-to-install-but-is-your-iphone-compatible-here-are-the-eligible-devices-and-new-features-155304539.html?src=rss

Labor Day sale discounts a four-pack of AirTags to $75

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The Labor Day discounts continue to roll in. You can scoop up a four-pack of Apple AirTags for just $75 via Amazon. That’s a drop of around 25 percent, as the typical cost is $99. It also breaks down to $18 per AirTag, which is a great deal and much cheaper than buying them piecemeal.

For the uninitiated, AirTags are tracking devices that use Bluetooth to send location data to the Find My app on an iPhone or iPad. They have built-in speakers for when something is lost underneath a couch cushion and it’s been driving you mad for weeks. Newer iPhone models also allow for more precise location tracking via Ultra Wideband technology.

In other words, these things are useful. They are so useful, as a matter of fact, that an entire cottage industry of related accessories has popped up. We searched for the best AirTag accessories and came up with all kinds of stuff. There are keychain attachments and wire holders for luggage, as a start. If you have an object you want to track with an AirTag, there’s likely a way to get it done.

We’ve enjoyed using AirTags since they were first released back in 2021. They are smaller than a quarter and get the job done. No muss and no fuss. The only downside is we wish they were slightly flatter, for wallets and the like.

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/labor-day-sale-discounts-a-four-pack-of-airtags-to-75-150721797.html?src=rss

Sonos made a public Trello board to track its broken app fixes

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The Sonos app is broken, and it's been causing not just customers, but also dealers and installers so many problems over the past few months. Now, it's documenting the app issues it has already fixed in a public Trello board that you can view and browse yourself. The company's Social & Community manager, Keith Nieves, has announced the Trello board on Reddit, describing it as a way for people to keep updated about its "progress on the path to a normal core app." While this is the first time Sonos has taken this approach, this isn't a new idea for the tech industry: Fortnite maintains a Trello board packed with information on bugs plaguing different aspects of the game.

Issues with the Sonos app started popping up after the company pushed a major app redesign back in April. The refreshed app was supposed to make it easier to play different kinds of content and was supposed to introduce more new features. Instead, users discovered that the application was lacking basic features like the ability to set alarms. It was also riddled with performance and reliability issues, such as those that prevented them from rearranging speakers, kept speakers from working altogether and made it difficult for them to add new devices to their home setup.

Sonos CEO Patrick Spence acknowledged that people were experiencing "significant problems" with the company's new app in a post published in July. He said that Sonos had released updates that improved the app's performance since May and laid out a timeline for other fixes, including improving alarm consistency and restoring edit mode for playlists, which are rolling out in the next couple of months. 

Nieves is maintaining the Trello board by himself for now, and so far, it contains release notes from previous fixes, as well as a list of patches coming out soon. He said that the cards in the board were sourced from various posts and release notes communications, and he admitted that the board is "not an exhaustive list of every item on [Sonos'] internal roadmap, nor is it a complete view of all known issues." He seemed to be open to collaboration with users, though, and is asking users to PM him if they are experiencing issues not noted on a card. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/sonos-made-a-public-trello-board-to-track-its-broken-app-fixes-140013331.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Remarkable Alexa will reportedly run on Claude AI and cost $5-10 per month

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Amazon's next-gen "Remarkable" Alexa assistant will be powered by Anthropic's Claude AI, cost $5-10 per month and arrive in October ahead of the holidays, five sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters. 

The company originally planned to use in-house software for the new chat assistant, but it reportedly struggled with latency issues, taking up to six or seven seconds to acknowledge a request and reply, one source said. By contrast, Claude — a rival to Google's Bard, ChatGPT and others — performed better. 

Amazon didn't confirm the story, but said that it uses language models from partners as well as its own. "When it comes to machine learning models, we start with those built by Amazon, but we have used, and will continue to use, a variety of different models — including (Amazon AI model) Titan and future Amazon models, as well as those from partners — to build the best experience for customers," a spokesperson told Reuters. 

Since last year, reports indicated Amazon was planning to supercharge Alexa with generative AI features. Remarkable Alexa will supposedly allow complex prompts like composing and sending emails while ordering dinner, all from a single command. It will also offer upgraded home automation capability, deeper personalization and, of course, shopping advice. 

The latter is key for the company, as Alexa has long been an unprofitable business. Late last year, it laid off several hundred people who were working on the voice assistant.

In September 2023, Amazon announced it had invested $4 billion in Anthropic, promising its customers early access to the AI. Earlier this year, Anthropic boasted that Claude 3 scored better than ChatGPT 4 on key benchmarks including math, coding, reasoning and knowledge. 

Remarkable Alexa (still an internal codename only) reportedly won't be offered as a Prime benefit and users may need new devices to run the upgraded AI properly. Any monthly fee is likely to be a tough sell to consumers, as Amazon will continue to offer its "classic" voice assistant for free. In any case, the company's plans could still change if the updated voice AI fails to meet internal benchmarks, Reuters' sources said. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazons-remarkable-alexa-will-reportedly-run-on-claude-ai-and-cost-5-10-per-month-122532161.html?src=rss