Tag Archives: author_name|Sarah Fielding

EU warns Meta over blocking rival AI chatbots on WhatsApp

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The EU could take "interim measures" against WhatsApp as it investigates AI providers' access to the app. On Monday, the EU's regulatory arm announced its "preliminary view" that Meta, WhatsApp's parent company, violated antitrust laws by blocking third-party AI assistants from operating on WhatsApp. 

The European Commission's is concerned that Meta's actions will limit competitors from entering the AI assistant market. "We must protect effective competition in this vibrant field, which means we cannot allow dominant tech companies to illegally leverage their dominance to give themselves an unfair advantage," Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition said in a statement. 

Ribera continued: "AI markets are developing at rapid pace, so we also need to be swift in our action. That is why we are considering quickly imposing interim measures on Meta, to preserve access for competitors to WhatsApp while the investigation is ongoing, and avoid Meta’s new policy irreparably harming competition in Europe." 

The issue arose in October when Meta announced updates to its WhatsApp Business Solution Terms. According to the European Commission, the January 15 update would "effectively" make Meta AI the only AI assistant available on WhatsApp. The regulatory agency opened an investigation into the matter on December 4. 

Today's update stands as a warning to Meta that the European Commission initially believes the company has violated antitrust regulation. A final decision is still to come. It also gave Meta a chance to respond to the allegations — which it swiftly did. 

"The facts are ‍that there is no reason for the EU to ​intervene in the WhatsApp ‌Business API," a Meta spokesperson told Reuters. "There are many AI options and people can use them from app stores, operating ⁠systems, devices, websites, ​and industry ​partnerships." 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/eu-warns-meta-over-blocking-rival-ai-chatbots-on-whatsapp-121708895.html?src=rss

The first BTS concert in over three years will stream live on Netflix in March

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Netflix is back with another livestream production guaranteed to excite K-POP fans worldwide. The streamer has announced that BTS will be performing live on Netflix. It marks the band's first performance after almost four years — the members took a hiatus to complete South Korea's mandatory military service. 

The live concert will air on Saturday, March 21, one day after BTS releases their new album Arirang and will be aptly titled BTS The Comeback Live | Arirang. The show will physically take place in Seoul's Gwanghwamun Square and stream live at 8PM KST/7 AM ET/4 AM ET. Yes, viewers in the US will have to choose between a really early Saturday or a very late Friday night. Alternatively, you can skip out on any potential livestream glitches and likely watch it later (or catch the K-Pop group on their upcoming world tour). 

Plus, come Friday, March 27, Netflix will be releasing BTS: The Return, a documentary all about the making of Arirang. As Netflix puts it: "The film offers rare behind-the-scenes access as the group comes back together and charts an unprecedented path forward together after a nearly four-year hiatus."

Netflix has leaned further into livestreaming over the last few years — though the BTS concert is arguably their biggest coup. Livestreams have included everything from reality shows to sports, with some serious infrastructure issues along the way. Here's hoping the BTS concert goes off without a hitch. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-first-bts-concert-in-over-three-years-will-stream-live-on-netflix-in-march-155428505.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Echo Show 8 and 11 are down to new all-time lows

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Amazon is running a sale on two of its newest devices. First, there's the Echo Show 8, which is down to $150 from $180 — a 17 percent discount. Next up is the Echo Show 11, which is more or less the same device, just bigger. This model has dropped 18 percent to $180 from $220. Both deals bring the Echo Shows down to new all-time low prices. 

The Echo Show 8 and 11 came out in mid-November with the main difference being screen size. The Echo Show 8 has an 8.7-inch HD screen that Amazon claims is 15 percent larger than its predecessor. Meanwhile, the Echo Show 11 is, you guessed it, an 11-inch Full-HD display that has 60 percent more viewing area than the Echo Show 8. 

Both of the devices come with an AZ23 Pro chip and Omnisense technology, which Amazon describes as "our custom sensor platform designed for ambient AI." They also have Prime Video and Netflix apps, while other streamers can be reached through the browser. Each comes with spatial audio, dual full-range drivers and a 2.8-inch woofer. Plus, they have a 13MP camera with auto-framing. 

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-echo-show-8-and-11-are-down-to-new-all-time-lows-150021328.html?src=rss

The 8BitDo Pro 3 Bluetooth Controller is down to a new all-time low

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If you've been inside all winter gaming then it might be time to upgrade your gear. Right now, the 8Bitdo Pro 3 Bluetooth Controller is available for just over $48, down from $70. The 31 percent discount is the lowest price we've seen yet for the controller. Notably, the sale is only available on the Gray model.

The new 8Bitdo Pro 3 came out in August and offers TMR Joysticks with a 12-bit ADC sampling chip. It also has a Trigger Mode Switch, 2 Pro paddle buttons and swappable magnetic ABXY buttons for moving between the Switch and Xbox layouts. Plus, it has an integrated charging dock. 

This 8Bitdo controller is compatible with Apple, SteamOS, Android devices, PC, Switch, and Switch 2 devices. 

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-8bitdo-pro-3-bluetooth-controller-is-down-to-a-new-all-time-low-143036684.html?src=rss

Apple Presidents’ Day sales are live: Get the Apple Watch Series 11 for $299, plus more deals to shop now

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If you need a little help with your New Year's resolution to be more active, you can save on the latest Apple Watch right now. The Apple Watch Series 11 is on sale for $299 for Presidents' Day, which is $100 off and the lowest price we've seen. A number of other Apple devices are on sale for the holiday as well.

We named the Apple Watch Series 11 as our choice for best smartwatch overall. It scored a 90 in our review thanks to its 24 hours-plus of battery life and a thin, light design that's easy to wear. It also offers new health metrics, including Apple's hypertension alerts system and Sleep Score. 

The Apple Watch Series 11 deal is available on the 42mm case with a small/medium band. It also only includes GPS and four colorways: the Jet Black and Space Gray aluminum cases with a Black sport band, the Rose Gold aluminum case with a Light Blush sport band and the Silver aluminum case with a Purple Fog sport band.

Among the other Presidents' Day Apple deals are mostly accessories: there are solid deals on AirPods, AirTags (the first-gen trackers, not the new, second-gen ones), the iPhone Air battery pack and even Apple's new crossbody straps that attach to the company's iPhone cases so you can essentially "wear" your iPhone like a bag. As with most Apple first-party accessories, you can find plenty of more affordable, third-party versions of them as alternatives. But if you're keen on outfitting your phone with Apple's own gear, it's best to wait for discounts like these. We've collected the best Presidents' Day sales on Apple gear below so you don't have to go searching for them.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-presidents-day-sales-are-live-get-the-apple-watch-series-11-for-299-plus-more-deals-to-shop-now-151616701.html?src=rss

iPad deal: Get $100 off the latest iPad mini right now

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Apple's smallest tablet is a great option for frequent travelers or anywho who prefers their slabs be the size of an ereader. The latest iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip is down to one of the best prices we've seen right now — $400, which is $100 off.

Apple released this iPad mini in late 2024 and it was a solid update. We gave it an 83 in our review thanks to the power of its A17 Pro chip and that it comes with a minimum of 128GB of storage. The model currently on sale comes with 128GB, Wi-Fi and all four color options: Blue, Purple, Space Gray and Starlight. 

We named the Apple iPad mini our favorite compact iPad — though, to be fair, its only competitor is itself. Still, it's a good iPad with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display, Apple Intelligence and 12MP Wide back and 12MP Ultra Wide cameras. For 20 percent off, it's a great option for a light, useful way to entertain yourself through the rest of winter and beyond. 

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ipad-deal-get-100-off-the-latest-ipad-mini-right-now-140900989.html?src=rss

TikTok says it’s ‘back to normal’ after winter storm-related outages

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TikTok is finally "back to normal" in the US after days of technical issues and outages tied to winter storms. Less than a week after companies like Oracle took ownership of TikTok's domestic operations, the platform faced a major power outage when one of its primary US data center sites — run by Oracle — got taken down by the storm. 

The problems started last Monday, January 26, when TikTok announced it was working on a "major infrastructure issue" and warned of bugs, time-out requests, missing earnings, and more. The next day TikTok shared that progress has been made but there were still some issues. It added, "Creators may temporarily see '0' views or likes on videos, and your earnings may look like they're missing. This is a display error caused by server timeouts; your actual data and engagement are safe."

Then, yesterday, February 1, TikTok claimed the problem was straightened out and that users shouldn't experience any more related issues. "We're sorry about the issues experienced by our U.S. community. We appreciate how much you count on TikTok to create, discover, and connect with what matters to you," the platform stated in its update. "Thank you for your patience and understanding."

A number of US users have uninstalled TikTok in response to its new ownership and technical issues. Some users also claimed that TikTok was censoring what they could post or what others saw. For instance, The Guardian reports that many people faced issues sharing videos about ICE agents killing Alex Pretti and general anti-ICE content. 

On January 26, analytics firm Sensor Tower told CNBC that uninstalls of the app had increased by over 150 percent during the five days since its change in ownership, when compared to the three months before. At the same time, independent app and competitor UpScrolled saw a surge in downloads. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/tiktok-says-its-back-to-normal-after-winter-storm-related-outages-114848212.html?src=rss

Apple’s AirPods 4 with ANC are on sale for $119

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Apple's AirPods 4 have a ton of improvements over the previous generation, but the version with active noise cancellation takes things up a notch. With them, you can get noise-cancelling power without the in-ear design of the AirPods Pro 3 that may bother some folks.

They're even more enticing when they're on sale, like right now. The AirPods 4 with ANC are down to $119 at the moment, or $60 less than their usual price. While we've seen the ANC model as low as $99, the $119 price tag is the best deal we've seen so far this year.

Apple released its fourth-generation AirPods in late 2024 and they're still our pick for best budget AirPods on the market. We gave the ANC model an 86 in our review thanks to their effective noise canceling, better sound quality and features like adaptive audio. Overall, at $60 off, they're a great option to pick up. 

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-airpods-4-with-anc-are-on-sale-for-119-153239333.html?src=rss

Lego has a new round of Star Wars sets that work with the Smart Brick

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Lego unveiled its Smart Play system at CES 2026 earlier this month, with a selection of sets designed for the engaging feature. Now, the toy company has announced five new compatible sets — all Stars Wars themed — available now for pre-order. Anthony Daniels, the original C-3PO, shared the news during the Nuremberg Toy Fair. 

The Smart Play system, Lego's newest venture, involves a Smart Brick, Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures. Each Smart Brick has proximity sensors, an accelerometer, a speaker and more. The Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures relay what's happening to the Brick. For example, if you whoosh a spaceship through the air, the Smart Brick should make a sound that imitates that. Vader, of course, also makes his deep breathing sound. Plus, it requires no screens or apps, so the fun remains in its true, tactical form. 

The five new Smart Play sets span the Star Wars universe: 

These sets join three initially announced Star Wars Smart Play ones: Darth Vader's TIE Fighter ($70), Luke's Red Five X-Wing ($90) and Throne Room Duel & A-Wing ($150). However, these three are "all-in-one" sets, meaning they come with the Smart Bricks. The newly announced options don't come with a Smart Brick, requiring an extra purchase, but will have the Smart Tags and Smart Minifigures that will know what to do. 

All of the Smart Play Star Wars sets are available to pre-order as of today. They should be available starting March 1. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lego-has-a-new-round-of-star-wars-sets-that-work-with-the-smart-brick-131210482.html?src=rss

Apple’s second-generation AirTag offers greater range but still doesn’t have a keyring hole

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Apple has launched its next-generation AirTag for $29 and brought a slew of new features along with it. But, first, it's important to get this out of the way: The new AirTag still doesn't have a keyring hole, so you'll still need accessories like a case, holder or secure pocket.

Once you get over that, the new Apple AirTag does offer some nice improvements. For starters, it's now powered by Apple's second-generation Ultra Wideband chip — the same one used in the iPhone 17 lineup and for the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It also uses Precision Finding to reach items up to 50 percent further away than the previous AirTag model. This feature will now work with any Apple Watch Series 9, Ultra 2 or a later iteration of either. That means the directional guidance that shows you down to a few feet where your AirTags are will be available on those compatible watches in addition to your iPhone.

New AirTag.
New AirTag.
Apple

The new AirTag is also 50 percent louder than before and has what Apple calls a "distinctive new chime." It still uses the Find My network to bounce off other Bluetooth users and locate the AirTag. 

Launched in 2021, Apple's AirTag has long stood as our favorite Bluetooth tracker for iPhones. It's convenience within the Find My app is a big help and almost makes up for the fact that it doesn't have a key ring — almost. 

Update, January 28 2026, 11:58AM ET: This story has been updated to add a clarification on the Precision Find update for Apple Watches, as well as a link in the intro.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apples-second-generation-airtag-offers-greater-range-but-still-doesnt-have-a-keyring-hole-150540407.html?src=rss