The latest Made by Google showcase is in the books and, as expected, we got the formal unveiling of the Pixel 9 lineup. Google has redesigned its smartphone lineup with an eye-catching (and perhaps pocket-catching) camera bar. The camera array in the Pixel 9 includes a new 48MP ultrawide sensor for Macro Focus closeups.
The company has given the entry-level device a welcome memory increase to 12GB and included the latest Tensor G4 chipset. The 6.3 Actua display, meanwhile, is 35 percent brighter than the one on the Pixel 8. The Pixel 9 has Gorilla Glass Victus 2 on the front and rear along with a 100 percent recycled aluminum enclosure.
In terms of features, there is, of course, a heap of AI-powered tools. One called Add Me seems pretty interesting as it allows you to both take a photo and be in it. After you take a photo of a group, take one of the photographer. The phone will then "magically" merge the two photos, Google says. The Magic Editor has a new generative AI feature called reimagine, which allows you to make changes using natural language prompts.
Google is also infusing its Gemini AI assistant into the Pixel 9. You'll just need to hold the power button to activate it and get help with things like drafting an email or text message. Gemini can pull data from Google apps such as invitation details from Gmail so you can RSVP.
As things stand, the Pixel 9's closest flagship Android rival is the Samsung Galaxy S24 given that they're effectively the same price and share a lot of similarities. The S24 has a triple rear camera array compared with the Pixel's dual-lens setup. However, the Pixel 9 has a marginally larger screen and it will be the first of the pair to get Android 15 — Galaxy S24 users will have to wait a little longer to gain access to the new operating system's features.
To illustrate other similarities and differences, here's a spec comparison of the Pixel 9 and Galaxy S24:
None
Google Pixel 9
Samsung Galaxy S24
Pricing (MSRP)
From $799
From $800
Dimensions
6.0 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches
5.79 x 2.78 x 0.3 inches
Weight
7.0 ounces
5.93 ounces
Screen size
6.3 inches
6.2 inches
Screen resolution
1,080 x 2,424
1,080 x 2,340
Full HD+
Screen type
OLED Actua Display
60-120Hz
Up to 1,800 nits (HDR) and 2,700 nits (peak brightness)
2,000,000:1 contrast ratio
HDR support
Gorilla Glass Victus 2
AMOLED 2x
Up to 120Hz (1-120Hz)
Up to 2,600 nits brightness
Gorilla Glass Victus 2
SoC
Google Tensor G4
Snapdragon 8 Gen 3
RAM
12GB
8GB
Battery
4,700mAh
4,000mAh
Charging
USB Type-C 3.2
Up to 55 charge in around 30 minutes
Fast wireless charging (Qi-certified)
Battery Share
USB Type-C
Up to 50 percent charge in around 30 minutes
Fast Wireless Charging 2.0
Wireless PowerShare
Storage
128GB / 256GB
128GB / 256GB
Rear camera(s)
Main: 50 MP, ƒ/1.68
Ultrawide: 48 MP with Macro Focus, ƒ/1.7
Up to 8x Super Res Zoom
Up to 2x optical zoom
Main: 50 MP, ƒ/1.8
Ultrawide: 12 MP, ƒ/2.2
Telephoto: 10 MP, ƒ/2.4
3x optical zoom
Front camera(s)
10.5 MP, ƒ/2.2
12 MP, ƒ/2.2
Video capture
Rear: 4K at 24/30/60 fps, 1080p at 24/30/60 fps
Front: 4K at 30/60 fps
Rear: 8K at 24/30 fps, 4K at 30/60 fps, 1080p at 30/60/240/960 fps
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/google-pixel-9-vs-samsung-galaxy-s24-how-the-flagship-android-phones-compare-171550491.html?src=rss
Despite being one of the first gaming handhelds from a major PC maker, ASUS got a lot right with the original ROG Ally. It offers better performance in a smaller chassis than Valve’s Steam Deck, but without a huge increase in price. And because it’s based on Windows instead of Linux, it delivers almost universal game compatibility. That said, issues like weak battery life and faulty SD card slots left plenty of room for improvement. So on the new Ally X, ASUS tweaked almost everything aside from its chip and display. But this time, what we’re getting is the fully armed and operational battle station that I wanted all along.
Design and display
From afar, it may appear like all ASUS did was switch the color of the Ally X’s chassis from white to black. But the second I picked it up, I noticed a lot of little changes including more pronounced grips, slightly taller face buttons and smaller paddles around back designed so that they’re harder to hit by accident. There’s also a brand new D-Pad which is a big improvement from the one on the vanilla Ally, though I’d still prefer a traditional cross or one of Sony’s pentagon-shaped arrangements.
On the inside, ASUS added stiffer springs to Ally X’s joysticks, making them tighter and more responsive. However, ASUS stopped short of switching to Hall Effect sensors like the ones on rivals like the Lenovo Legion Go. There’s also a third vent and a new fan system that improve cooling and airflow, though at full load, the back of this thing still gets pretty toasty.
But the best part is that even with all these changes and a handful of new components on the inside (more on those later), the Ally X isn’t much bulkier than its predecessor. The original ROG Ally weighs 1.34 pounds and measures 1.28 inches at its thickest while the Ally X comes in at 1.49 pounds and 1.45 inches. I’ve even been told by an ASUS representative that the Ally X fits in the original Ally’s official case, though I haven’t confirmed that myself, because, unlike the Steam Deck, you don’t get one bundled with the system.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Finally, there’s the Ally X’s 1080p display, one of two components that’s the same as on its predecessor. It has great brightness with a peak of around 500 nits (our review unit was actually a touch better at around 515 nits) and a variable 120Hz refresh rate. It’s pretty much exactly what you want on a system this size and in brighter environments, its black levels are so good that I’ve mistaken it for an OLED panel.
Performance
The other major component that hasn’t changed is the Ally X’s AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t any performance improvements. That’s because ASUS massively upgraded the rest of its components with 24GB of faster LPDDR5X-7500 RAM (up from 16GB) and a larger 1TB M.2 SSD (up from 512GB). This time, ASUS even opted for a full-size 2280 module, so if you want to upgrade your storage down the line, you’ll have way more options than the smaller 2230 stick used in the previous model. Plus, and I can’t stress this enough, ASUS has also had extra time to polish the Ally X’s drivers. As we saw on the original, improved software support can make a big difference in performance, especially in a category that still benefits a ton from better optimization. And depending on the title, we’ve seen performance increase by as much as 5-10 percent, which is pretty significant considering its chip hasn’t changed.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
In Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 720p on high graphics, the Ally X hit 54 fps in performance mode and 64 fps in Turbo mode compared to 54 fps and 60 fps for the original. Meanwhile when playing Cyberpunk 2077, I saw even bigger gains with the Ally X getting up to 78 fps in Turbo mode versus just 69 fps for the vanilla Ally. This improvement seems to be due in large part to the Ally X’s increased RAM, which the handheld shares with its GPU. And unlike on a laptop or desktop with discrete graphics, the Z1 Extreme’s Radeon 780M doesn’t have its own dedicated memory.
But regardless of how it’s getting there, all these changes make the Ally X one of the most powerful handheld PCs on the market. That’s because while the Legion Go uses the same processor, it has 8GB less RAM, so in games, it generally lagged behind by three to five fps.
Software
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Windows-based gaming handhelds continue to be a bit clunky when you need to switch between various game launchers and menus, but ASUS has streamlined its Armoury Crate app to be more responsive and easier to use. It’s generally less buggy and better equipped to be a one-stop shop for aggregating all different games (and launchers) or quickly tweaking settings. Even with all that, though, it’s still less cohesive than Valve’s Steam OS. And despite recent improvements, I still ran into things like Armoury Crate interrupting what I was trying to do in Windows when it automatically boots up after a restart (which thankfully you can disable).
Battery life and ports
One of the biggest issues with the original Ally was its short battery life, which often lasted just an hour or an hour and a half at best. And when you have a system that needs to be plugged into a wall that frequently, it calls into question how good of a gaming handheld it really is.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
But on the Ally X, ASUS doubled battery capacity to 80Wh. Now it can easily game for at least two hours to two and a half hours (or more, if you don’t mind fiddling around with settings). And when you remember that the Ally X isn’t that much heftier than its predecessor, you have an even greater appreciation for how much extra juice ASUS managed to cram inside.
I also appreciate that ASUS replaced the proprietary XG Mobile connector on the original model with a second USB-C port that supports Thunderbolt 4. This means you can still plug in an external graphics dock if you want, while also giving you the flexibility to hook up all sorts of peripherals. This allows the Ally X to better serve as a portable desktop because you can plug in accessories like a mouse and keyboard without the need for external docks or dongles.
Wrap-up
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
While the Ally X isn’t a true 2.0 version of its predecessor, ASUS has addressed pretty much every complaint I had about the original and then some. Its joysticks feel tighter, its performance is better and battery life has essentially doubled. Even ASUS’ Armoury Crate app is easier to use, though it still hasn’t fully solved the issue of Windows feeling clunky on PC handhelds. And while it’s a touch thicker and heavier than before, those changes don’t impact its portability. ASUS also claims it has improved its RMA process to better support people who need servicing or repairs after numerous customer complaints. But it’s still too early to say if this has made a difference.
Really, the biggest hurdle for the Ally X is its price. At $800, it costs $150 more than the original Ally or the closest equivalent Steam Deck. For those who bought its predecessor, that could still make it a tough sell after only one year. I’d also argue that thanks to Steam OS, Valve’s handheld remains the more streamlined and easier-to-use option. But make no mistake, if you’re talking about the best PC gaming handhelds on the market, the Ally X sits at the top of the hill right next to the Steam Deck.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/asus-rog-ally-review-a-fully-armed-and-operational-handheld-battle-station-133043986.html?src=rss
Intel has unveiled a discrete GPU for cars, the Arc A760A, designed to bring the "triple-A gaming experience" from home over to your car, the company announced. No automotive partners were revealed, but vehicles with the new chips will go on sale as soon as 2025.
With car buyers increasingly focused on in-vehicle entertainment above all else, the chips are designed to "unlock a new era of AI-powered cockpit experiences," according to Intel's press release.
The GPUs will allow voice, camera and gesture recognition to make it easy to control up to "seven high-definition screens rendering 3D graphics and six-in vehicle cameras and interactive features." At the same time, it can supposedly run demanding triple-A gaming titles, in-vehicle entertainment and AI-powered productivity apps.
Intel
The system will also be highly personalized to the driver. It'll include the ability to "execute complex vehicle control commands through natural language processing, answer vehicle-related questions accurately, and even engage in leisurely chat with users, providing a more interactive and enjoyable journey," according to Intel.
Intel added that it has created over 500 features and AI apps for automobiles, with over 100 independent software vendors working on in-vehicle experiences. In addition, the A760A will be fully compatible with software developed for its iGPU PC platform, while scaling from entry- and mid-tier vehicles up to higher-end cars.
Intel said it wants to be the "go-to partner for automakers." It's clearly looking to diversify its offerings in the wake of quality-control problems with recent PC chips and financial woes that may see it lay off up to 15,000 employees.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intel-is-bringing-gpus-to-cars-120057738.html?src=rss
On more occasions in the last few weeks than I’d like to admit, I found myself doing jumping jacks in my kitchen an hour before going to bed.
That’s not when I’d usually prefer to do any exercise, but on those nights, I looked down at my watch only to see I was so close to hitting my Move Goal, yet still far enough away that shuffling around doing my nightly routines wouldn’t get the job done. And there’s no way I’d finish the day without making the elongated blue cat on my watch face vomit up a bunch of ice cream and turn rainbow-colored. Or, in other words, close my movement ring and watch it play a celebratory animation. I guess you could say the Fitbit Ace LTE has been a great motivator.
How the Fitbit Ace LTE works
The Fitbit Ace LTE is Google’s latest kid-focused activity tracker. It offers some smartwatch features, like location-tracking and the ability to call and text parent-approved contacts (who have downloaded the Fitbit Ace companion app). It looks a lot like the company’s adult fitness smartwatches from the Sense and Versa lines compared to the original Fitbit Ace, but more fun.
The digital clock face, for one, is trimmed with a faint ring that’s gradually overtaken by a cartoonish “Noodle” design as the wearer’s activity points rack up throughout the day. That includes the cat I mentioned, a dog, a tentacle, a robot arm and a deeply unsettling anthropomorphic hotdog that surely only kids in a certain pre-tween age range will get a kick out of. By swapping out the Ace LTE’s “Cartridge” band with one of the other styles (sold separately), you can add different Noodles and themes to the watch. There are built-in movement-based games as well, including quirky interpretations of a kart racer, golf and fishing.
Meet the eejie
Then there’s the eejie: a customizable humanoid creature that lives in the device, whose happiness is dependent on the completion of daily health goals.
Photo by Cheyenne MacDonald/Engadget
I’ll be honest, I wasn’t that drawn to the eejie at first glance. When it comes to virtual companions, I’m typically more interested in weird little critters that in no way look human. But after designing my own eejie, I couldn’t help but get attached. It turns out there are a bunch of skin colors, eye shapes, hair types and mouths to choose from, so you can make your eejie as human or nonhuman as you want. Creating a character is always fun, and I could see kids getting really into crafting their virtual friends and switching up their outfits as they unlock more clothing and accessories. My eejie is a freaky-cute Nosferatu-like child with purple skin, sporting a huge pink bow.
The watch’s Daily Quests and Arcade are really the main stars, as they’re what actually entice you to move. Every day, there are four new quests to complete, which feels like a comfortable amount of tasks to be achievable without taking over a kid’s life. These include playing a game — the quests will always pick up from the last game you played — and hitting the daily Move Goal, which kids can set in the app. The other two items have less to do with activity. You might be instructed to visit Bit Valley, where the eejies live, and shown a brief tap-to-open fact to learn more about the watch’s health features. These more random tasks also sometimes included small mindfulness exercises, which is a thoughtful touch that I’m sure parents would appreciate.
Called Community Notes, these challenges asked me to do things like write down the sights and smells around me, or turn off the lights in a room that isn’t being used. The watch will sometimes show fun facts to complement your movement goals, like “walk 5,000 steps, the length of 33,333 hot dogs.” It’ll also deliver gentle reminders to complete your quests in the notification section. (Parents have the option to silence these and other notifications during designated “School time” so they don’t become a distraction).
Games on the Fitbit Ace LTE
Cheyenne MacDonald/Engadget
As I would imagine will also be the case for kids, completing my game quest for the day has been easy. The games are a lot of fun, more so than I was expecting. So far, the Fitbit Ace LTE offers six: Kaiju Golf, Pollo 13, Jelly Jam, Smokey Lake, Galaxy Rangers and Otal’s Secret. And Google said that new games will periodically be added to keep things fresh. Two more — Spirit Garden and a virtual pet game, Sproutlings — are already on the way.
Games require a bit of patience on startup, though, with slow loading times and a few too many dialogue boxes to tap through before you can actually play, especially the first time. Even I was antsy trying to get through this, so I can only imagine how a kid might be squirming. But once you’re in, it’s smooth sailing. There’s a good amount of variety in the small catalog, too, with options for both relaxed and more active play.
Pollo 13, in which you play as a chicken racing through space in an inflatable tub, had me out of my seat, moving around and shouting. On the other hand, Otal’s Secret had me solving puzzles, which I did from the comfort of my couch. At first, I was unsure how such seemingly involved games would work on the watch’s small screen, but everything was well-sized and laid out nicely.
You can only play for limited amounts of time before the game will stop and prompt you to get moving in order to proceed. Only after hitting certain activity milestones will the game be unlocked again. Most of the time, this meant I’d just play in short bursts and return later after I’d naturally racked up more move points over the course of the day. But there were a few moments where I had nothing better to do, so I’d set out to hit those goals right away, taking a brisk walk in the vicinity of my house or, again, launching into some jumping jacks (I’m not very creative).
Pollo 13 on the Fitbit Ace LTE.
Photo by Cheyenne MacDonald/Engadget
After months of using a Fitbit Charge 6 prior to this, I found that the Ace LTE was turning me into a much more active participant in my fitness. I exercise a fair amount in general, and my Charge 6 has basically become a way to passively keep track of my habits. But the visual rewards that came with achieving my goals on the Fitbit Ace LTE felt more like a gratifying pat on the back than the boring notifications on the standard trackers, so I worked to keep earning them. In addition to the silly Noodle animations, I’d be surprised here and there with the appearance of a bouncing pug piñata that I could tap to break open, revealing presents like arcade tickets to buy things for my eejie.
Fitbit also slyly uses a dash of guilt as a motivator by tying the eejie’s emotional state to the fulfillment of quests. After the first time I saw how dejected she looked when I accidentally neglected my goals for a few days, I never wanted to let her down again.
The Fitbit Ace LTE versus Tamagotchi and Digimon
All of these things make it a really great health-focused device for kids. Hell, if a software update could bring some of these features to Fitbit’s regular fitness trackers, I’d download it in a heartbeat. The Fitbit Ace LTE is essentially a fully realized version of something toymakers have dipped their toes into with wearable virtual pets like recent Tamagotchi and Digimon devices. It straps a little companion to your kid’s wrist in hopes that it’ll encourage them to get moving, and uses games to make it all go down easier.
Bandai’s Digimon Vital Bracelet — which was released in Japan in 2021 before coming to the US the following year with the Vital Hero model — took a direct approach to fitness, using metrics like daily steps and heart rate activity to influence the outcome of the monsters’ evolution paths. With a companion app, you can also participate in battles, and more monsters can be unlocked by buying and swapping in what are known as DIM cards.
The Tamagotchi Uni, the first version of which came out in 2021, expanded on the basic step-counters of earlier models to include a full-fledged walking activity. Rather than simply logging steps, initiating a Tama Walk will send your pet on a 20-minute stroll, during which it can pick up supplies that can later be used to craft special items. How fruitful these outings are depends on how much you moved in real life to fill up the red activity bar. Plus, going on Tama Walks is a good way to boost your pet’s happiness.
Photo by Cheyenne MacDonald/Engadget
As a sophisticated fitness device rather than a toy, Fitbit Ace LTE is able to go so much further. Its game Jelly Jam, for example, almost exactly mirrors a movement-based dancing game found on the Tamagotchi Uni and the Japan-exclusive Tamagotchi Smart. But while the Tamagotchi version is something I stopped playing pretty quickly after the novelty wore off — it’s boring and the toy’s sensors don’t correctly log the motions half the time — Fitbit Ace LTE’s spin on an arm-tracking dance game is pretty fun, if only because it actually works as it’s meant to.
Best of all, it could come with me anywhere. I swam with it, went horseback riding and even put it through a few dance classes. It’s lightweight and never felt cumbersome in any of those situations.
Still, a part of me wishes there were more ways to get involved with the eejie’s care beyond simply dressing it up and keeping it happy, like feeding or playing with it directly. Right now, it doesn’t have much depth and mostly feels like a mascot. I wouldn’t mind seeing future eejie options that include more animal-like creatures, either. My only real gripe with the watch is its battery life. It’ll need to be charged every night, which might be tricky for kids to remember. I woke up to find it dead several times after taking it off and forgetting to pop it on the charger. And it doesn’t track sleep.
Nonetheless, the watch is also a good peace-of-mind option for parents just as much as it is a solid wellness device. The call/messaging features are as basic as they come, but they work just fine for the intended purpose — giving parents and trusted individuals an easy way to get in touch with their kids, and vice versa.
Screenshot by Cheyenne MacDonald/Engadget
Calls with the watch sounded decent on both ends, and the location-sharing feature accurately reflected the device’s position when I checked it in the app. The Fitbit Ace app itself is easy to set up and navigate, with a simple interface that shouldn’t be hard to work with, even for someone who isn’t very tech savvy.
It’s not a full-featured smartwatch with an app library or even a way to communicate outside of the Fitbit Ace app, but its limitations are designed to keep risks to an absolute minimum. Given it’s made for kids starting at age 7, I think this is worth the trade-off. At $230 plus the $10/month Fitbit Ace Pass (which allows you to use the LTE connectivity without adding a new line to your existing phone plan), it is pricey. But it should be able to grow with a kid for at least a few years into the early double-digits without coming off as age-inappropriate. Pop off that bright green protective bumper, and it looks like any other smartwatch.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/fitbit-ace-lte-review-a-kids-activity-tracker-that-was-fun-for-me-an-adult-140043586.html?src=rss
New York City has implemented a new drone warning system to alert residents to hazardous weather conditions. Unfortunately, the drones need to work on their Spanish.
A resident spotted one of the new drones issuing a flood warning on Wednesday to NYC neighborhoods in English and Spanish, but the Spanish words that came out of the drones were “incomprehensible,” according to a resident who shared a video on X.
As a Spanish speaker, I can confidently say that this is incomprehensible. The city couldn’t find a single person who spoke Spanish to deliver this alert? https://t.co/uI9ERCuDmV
The drones had no problem issuing a weather warning in English as it delivered the news about an incoming batch of heavy rainfall in a clear and distinguishable tone. The Spanish message, however, sounded like a robot speaking the language for the first time.
“I’m very proud of the work our team has done preparing for this storm, but this shouldn’t have happened and we’re going to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Iscol wrote in a reply.
The New York Times published a story on Tuesday about the new emergency alert drone system. The city sent the drones out to communities around 1 p.m. to inform residents about the heavy rainfall headed their way. Iscol told the newspaper that NYC Mayor Eric Adams came up with the idea to use drones as a new part of its warning system. Adams has instituted similar, tech-heavy initiatives during his term such as a security robot that patrolled the Times Square subway station, and the controversial “Spot Robot,” also known as the “Digidog,” for the New York Police Department to use during hazardous situations like hostage standoffs.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/new-yorks-flood-warning-drones-screamed-at-residents-in-incomprehensible-spanish-194507725.html?src=rss
Fujifilm’s X-T30 II is one of my favorite cameras, as it offers many of the capabilities of the higher-end models for a lot less money. So I was particularly excited when the company launched the X-T50, which is like a miniature version of the $1,700 X-T5.
It shares many features, including a 40.2-megapixel sensor, 6K 30P video support and, in a first for the series, in-body stabilization. At the same time, it retains the small size and retro-cute styling of past models.
At $1,400 it’s not nearly as affordable as the $900 X-T30, though. To find out if it’s worth an extra half grand, I tested the X-T50 out in London with some professional photographer friends.
Body and handling
The X-T50 is all about portability and style, so it’s nice and light at 438 grams (0.96 pounds), just 50 grams more than the previous model. If you’re traveling with a compact lens, it can easily be slipped into a bag.
At the same time, the grip has been enlarged enough to make the camera easier to hang on to. Operation is largely unchanged, with two control dials, a shutter speed dial and an exposure compensation dial, along with a joystick and eight buttons. However, Fujifilm did introduce one new trick: a film simulation dial in place of the previous drive mode — more on that shortly.
All of that makes it nearly as easy to control as much larger cameras. The dedicated shutter dial is an unusual feature these days, so it does take some getting used to. The advantage is that you can see that setting just by looking down at the camera, a must for discreet street or travel shooting.
Like past models in this series, the X-T50 has a tilt-only display that doesn’t flip out, which is likely a bummer for the vloggers it’s tantalizing with its video capabilities. And rival models like the Sony A6700 and Canon R7 do have flip-out displays. The 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder isn’t super sharp, but is par for the course in this price range.
With a smallish battery like the one on the X100 VI, the X-T50 can manage just 305 shots on a charge or 390 in economy mode. That’s near the bottom in its category. By comparison, Canon’s like-priced R7 can take up to 660 photos before the battery dies.
The X-T50 has a decent array of ports, including microHDMI, USB-C and a mic jack. As before, there’s no headphone input, but you can use the USB-C slot with a 3.5mm adapter to monitor audio. It comes with a single, but fast UHS-II card slot.
Performance
If it’s pure performance you’re after, the X-T50 probably isn’t for you. Burst speeds are decent at up to 13 fps in electronic shutter mode or 8 fps with the mechanical shutter — far from the 30 fps of the Canon R7 in electronic mode. Also, the electronic shutter is only good if your subject doesn’t move too quickly, as rolling shutter distortion is very noticeable in this model.
Steve Dent for Engadget
Autofocus still isn’t a Fujifilm strong point, either. When I was shooting quick-moving subjects, it was a bit hit or miss in continuous mode, particularly when they were close to the camera. However, performance depends greatly on the lens being used.
On top of face and eye detection, Fujifilm has added subject-tracking autofocus modes for animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, airplanes and trains. This feature is completely separate from the regular eye and face detection modes, so you have to dive into the menus to switch between them, or program two separate buttons.
For the other types of photography it's designed for, the X-T50's autofocus works well, though it isn’t quite up to Sony, Canon or even Nikon’s standards.
A key new feature is in-body stabilization. With up to seven stops of shake reduction, you can get sharp photos down to about a quarter second. That’s the same as the 557-gram X-T5, which is quite an accomplishment given the size difference. It makes the X-T50 far more versatile, letting you blur motion to create interesting shots or shoot in dark environments.
Image quality
With the same 40MP sensor as the X-H2 and X-T5, the X-T50 offers a major boost in resolution over the 26MP X-30 II. On top of boosting sharpness, the extra pixels make it possible to crop in, something that’s handy for travel photography, wildlife shooting or anything else where you might not be able to get close to the subject.
In-camera treatment of JPEG files is handled well, with pleasant, accurate colors and just the right amount of sharpening and noise reduction. You can often share photos straight out of the camera, with no need for any post-processing — an advantage for street and other photographers who don’t like to mess around in post.
The 14-bit RAW photos offer plenty of room for fine-tuning, as they retain high amounts of detail in highlights and shadows. As such, I saw low levels of banding, noise and other artifacts at low ISOs in all image areas.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The higher resolution doesn’t hurt image quality much in low light, either. Noise is controlled well up to ISO 6,400, and you can go up to ISO 12,800 in a pinch. Considering that the X-T50 is an APS-C and not a full-frame camera, I was impressed with the lack of noise when shooting in bars and other dim environments.
And of course, the X100 VI offers Fujifilm’s full array of film simulation modes, and they’re easily accessible on the new dial. You can experiment with popular looks like Velvia, Eterna, Acros black and white and others. It also comes with Fujifilm’s new Reala Ace, based on one of the company’s old negative films. At the same time, you get a RAW backup in full color, so you’re not locked into a specific look.
Video
With excellent video specs, the X-T50 is a solid hybrid camera, as long as you keep in mind some caveats — particularly around cropping and sharpness.
Much like the X-T5, you can shoot 6.2K at 30 fps with a 1.23x crop, or 4K at up to 60 fps with line-skipping and a 1.14x crop. The cropping occurs because 6K video only requires 24 megapixels, and the sensor/processor combination isn’t up to the job of supersampling the entire sensor width.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The camera also offers sub-sampled 4K at up to 30p using the full sensor width, or high-quality 4K 30p with a 1.23x crop. For super slow-motion, Fujifilm also introduced 10-bit and F-Log2 settings for extra dynamic range.
At 6.2K and 4K HQ, rolling shutter skewing is pronounced so you’ll want to avoid excessive or sharp camera movements. Sub-sampled 4K is better in that area, but video is noticeably less sharp.
Video autofocus matches what I saw with photos, meaning it was decent but not ideal for moving subjects. The AI-powered AF did lock onto subjects, but again, couldn’t always keep up with birds, animals or vehicles.
Handheld video is now a realistic option with in-body stabilization. It works well if you don’t make abrupt movements, and the “boost” mode offers near tripod-like smoothness. Digital stabilization is also available, but isn’t supported with the 6K or HQ modes, and doesn’t reduce jolts when walking.
Video quality is solid for such a small camera, offering the same accurate colors I saw in photo modes. Shooting in 10-bit F-Log made it possible to adjust footage considerably in post or get creative. You can also shoot video using the film simulation modes if you want a specific look straight out of the camera.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent for Engadget
All told, the X-T50 is an awesome upgrade to the X-T30 II, with improvements in nearly every area — particularly resolution, stabilization and video. The film simulation button is a bit gimmicky, but it should appeal to fans of the brand, particularly those who love the X100 VI.
The problem I have with this camera is the price. The $900 X-T30 II was easy to recommend to buyers on a mid-level budget. However, at $1,400, the X-T50 is only $300 less than the superior X-T5, and at that price it has lots of stiff competition from the likes of the Canon R7 and Sony A6700, along with full-frame models like the Canon R8, Nikon Z6 II/Z5/Zfc and Panasonic S9.
Fujifilm likely figured that the X-T50 was nearly as capable as the X-T5 and that the 40-megapixel resolution beats out rivals — but it has priced a lot of potential buyers out of the market. If you’re looking for something that costs around the same as the X-T30 II, Nikon’s $1,100 Zfc is just as pretty and a lot less expensive.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilm-x-t50-review-a-big-improvement-for-a-lot-more-money-180046809.html?src=rss
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is coming to last-gen consoles on September 17, including the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game was originally released for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC back in 2023.
For the uninitiated, this is a sequel to the absolutely fantastic Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. It’s a third-person adventure with a bit of Metroidvania flair that’s set in the Star Wars universe in between the events of Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. It’s a very good video game, particularly for franchise fans.
Pre-orders are available now and early purchasers get some bonuses. These include in-game cosmetic items that will turn the protagonist into someone who resembles Obi Wan Kenobi and a new blaster set. As for the software, EA says it’s been fully optimized to run on those older consoles.
It’s worth noting, however, that the game has struggled to run on PCs. EA has issued several updates to address performance problems but some still linger. To that end, the company’s prepping a new PC update that’ll release “in the coming weeks.” This will bring “enhancements to the game’s technical performance, controls and more,” in addition to “a variety of quality-of-life improvements.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/star-wars-jedi-survivor-is-coming-to-ps4-and-xbox-one-on-september-17-181004549.html?src=rss
That’s right. The sequel to the K.O. II is a sampler built entirely around sounds inspired by the middle ages. It’s all here, from Gregorian chants and lutes to drum sounds that recall Monty Python. The sampler also comes pre-loaded with tons of themed foley effects, like sword slashes, arrows, farm animals and, according to the company, “an actual dragon.” The EP-1320 Medieval has everything, if by “everything” we mean samples of screaming peasants.
Aesthetically, it’s basically the K.O. II with a different skin. The design features red calligraphy, castle towers and, of course, plenty of latin. As a matter of fact, it’s not even referred to as a sampler at all. The company’s calling it “the world’s first medieval electronic instrument” and there’s a large label on the front that reads “instrumentalis electronicum.”
Teenage Engineering
There are new effects, for those worried it would just crib from last year’s model. These include something called a “torture chamber reverb” and another referred to as a “Bardic ensemble." The arpeggiator has been redesigned and there are hundreds of new multi-sampled instruments. Teenage Engineering also says, and I’m not kidding, that the drum pads smell of cocoa. We reached out about that last one and will report back when we get some info.
Of course, this is a sampler at heart, so users can put anything they want on it via the internal microphone or USB-C connection. It’s also essentially a K.O. II, so there’s the same punch-in FX tool, nine memory slots, dinky speaker and a battery compartment that holds four AAAs. But out of the box, it has everything you could possibly need for a D&D-themed rave.
Just like the original, it’s $300. Orders are available now. Diehards can also pick up a themed t-shirt, a vinyl record and a quilted carry bag.
The EP-133 K.O. II was a huge hit, but was plagued by some performance concerns, including a number of units that shipped with busted faders. TE says all of this was due to poor packaging. Let’s hope the company got all that sorted out.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/teenage-engineerings-built-a-medieval-themed-sampler-complete-with-gregorian-chants-164941795.html?src=rss
If there was ever a movie franchise that was seemingly made to be turned into a video game, it would be A Quiet Place. The films are basically already stealth horror titles. The premise, after all, involves bloodthirsty and noise-sensitive aliens. To that end, we already knew the franchise was getting the gaming treatment. Now we have an official release date of October 17 for the first digital spinoff.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead is a first-person horror adventure that’s set in the same world as the movies, but tells a brand new story. In other words, you won’t be controlling a digital John Krasinski or a digital Lupita Nyong'o. You’ll play as a brand-new character charting her own path in this royally screwed up dystopia.
Just like the movies, players will have to rely on their wits and whatever simple tools they find when scavenging about, like flashlights and noise detectors. Developer Stormind Games, who was behind Remothered and Batora: Lost Haven, promises both thrills and chills. Today’s release date trailer certainly confirms that. The spooky vibes are off the chart.
A Quiet Place: The Road Ahead will be released on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Pre-orders are available right now and early purchasers get “exclusive in-game content and digital concept art.” The game costs $30.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-quiet-place-the-road-ahead-is-coming-to-pc-playstation-and-xbox-on-october-17-151706002.html?src=rss
Apple is pumping the brakes on some of its updates to the Photos app in iOS 18. The company made some changes — removing some features and tweaking others — on Monday to address user feedback. The pared-down version can be found in the software’s fifth developer beta, which app makers can install today.
The biggest change is that Apple removed the Carousel from the Photos app altogether. The iOS 18 feature used “on-device intelligence” (which, confusingly, isn’t the same as Apple Intelligence) to aggregate what it thought was your best content, placing them in a swipeable row. Previously found to the right of the photo grid, it’s now gone altogether, helping Apple clean up one of the features that earned a healthy dose of complaints from beta testers.
In addition, Apple tweaked the All Photos view in today’s update to show more of the photos grid. The company also added Recently Saved content to the Recent Days collection. Finally, Apple made albums easier to find for users with more than one. (The difficulty of locating that section was a frequently echoed complaint among testers.)
Apple
Apple pitched the changes to the Photos app as one of the pillars of its 2024 software update. Although the app is streamlined into a single view and designed to be more customizable, it too often ends up as a mishmash of extra features most people won’t need, sometimes getting in the way of finding what you’re looking for.
A Reddit thread from July with over 1,000 upvotes gave voice to some of the most frequent complaints. “Once again taking a rapid-use app and making it into an experience for no reason,” u/thiskillstheredditor commented. “I just want a camera roll and maybe the ability to sort photos by location. It was perfectly fine, if maybe a bit bloated, before. But this is an unmitigated mess.”
Time will tell if today’s updates are enough to clean up the app’s user experience ahead of iOS 18’s fall launch to the public. The changes aren’t yet in the public beta but will likely appear there in the next version or soon after.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-latest-ios-18-beta-walks-back-some-changes-to-the-redesigned-photos-app-180145232.html?src=rss