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Google celebrates Pac-Man’s 45th anniversary with a Halloween Doodle

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Google Doodle is featuring something special for gamers today: A tribute to Pac-Man's 45th anniversary, just in time for Halloween. For today and tomorrow, you'll be able to play four haunted-house mazes especially designed for the event by Pac-Man's parent company, Bandai Namco Entertainment. Like other games in the franchise, you'll have to control Pac-Man and eat all of the dots in a maze without being caught by a ghost. 

Yes, the Ghost Gang, with Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde, is back for this event. The maze's design reflects the ghost' personalities, so you can move according to how you think each one will try to get you. Blinky the red ghost, for instance, tends to actively chase Pac-Man, while the others would corner him. If you grab a Power Pallet, you'll be able to activate a time-limited event wherein you can chase and eat the ghosts, as well. 

To play the game, simply go to the Google homepage on desktop or fire up the Google app on mobile, whether on Android or on iOS. On a PC, you control Pac-Man with your keyboard's arrow keys, while on mobile, you'll have to swipe or press and move your finger to change directions. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/google-celebrates-pac-mans-45th-anniversary-with-a-halloween-doodle-133034299.html?src=rss

WhatsApp will let you use passkeys for your backups

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WhatsApp is rolling out passkeys for backups, which is great news for anyone who has been on the platform for years. This will add another layer of security to anything that's been backed up, including chats, photos, voice notes and more.

It's also convenient because passkeys don't force users to keep track of yet another password or encryption key. For the uninitiated, passkeys allow users to access personal data via biometric markers like fingerprints and face scans. However, these particular passkeys will also work with screen lock codes on certain devices.

The feature is rolling out today, but it'll take a few weeks to reach every user. WhatsApp is a gigantic global platform. Once updated, folks can get started by heading to the Settings tab.

This is just another layer of security for WhatsApp users, as these backups are already end-to-end encrypted. The platform has been doing that since 2021. It began offering passkey support just last year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/whatsapp-will-let-you-use-passkeys-for-your-backups-130022640.html?src=rss

OpenAI’s character cameos will let you put pets and original personas in Sora videos

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OpenAI has rolled out the capability to create character cameos of your pets, doodles, original personas or even objects in the Sora app, which you can put in your videos. You can start the process by going to your profile page in the Sora app, tapping on the "Create cameo" button and then uploading a video of the character (or pet) you want the model to generate. The company says just a few seconds of footage are enough, and you can even use old Sora-generated videos as reference. 

You can then give your character a display name and describe how you want the model to animate it. In the example OpenAI uploaded, for instance, the description for a wicked green witch character reads: "She glides with a mysterious, whimsical grace, speaks in rhymes when casting spells, and her pointed hat always tilts as if listening to secrets on the wind." You can choose permissions for each character you create. Under the "Who can use this" permissions section, you can choose between several options: Only me, People I approve, Mutuals, Everyone and Everyone (excluding specific sets of users). Whenever you want to generate a Sora video with a cameo in it, you can just tag a specific character.

Sora 2 launched with a cameo feature that lets you create an avatar of yourself, but this is a new application of the capability. Cameo, the app that allows users to buy videos from celebrities, just sued OpenAI over trademark violation by using the "cameo" name. It said that OpenAI's use of the word is likely to cause consumer confusion and dilute its brand. OpenAI disagreed "that anyone can claim exclusive ownership over the word 'cameo.'"

In addition to character cameos, OpenAI has introduced "stitching," allowing you to stitch several clips together and connect videos. There's now also a leaderboard that shows the most cameod and most remixed videos.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-character-cameos-will-let-you-put-pets-and-original-personas-in-sora-videos-123043189.html?src=rss

The best 2025 advent calendars: Our favorites from Lego, Pokémon, Funko Pop, Magna-Tiles and more

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Why settle for tiny pieces of chocolate when you could unwrap a Pokémon card, a Funko Pop or a Star Wars LEGO ship instead? Advent calendars have gone full geek mode, with options for fans of movies, comics, games and even science. They’re the perfect way to add some holiday cheer to your desk, game shelf or living room. Consider this your guide to the best geeky countdowns for 2025.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-2025-advent-calendars-our-favorites-from-lego-pokemon-funko-pop-magna-tiles-and-more-120042098.html?src=rss

YouTube is offering employees buyouts as part of an AI-focused reorganization

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As part of an AI-focused reorganization, YouTube CEO Neal Mohan told employees that it will offer voluntary buyouts, according to an internal company memo. At the same time, he emphasized that there would be no specific role eliminations as part of new structure.

"Looking to the future, the next frontier for YouTube is AI, which has the potential to transform every part of the platform," Mohan wrote. "We also understand some of you may be ready for a new challenge, so we've decided now is the right time to offer a voluntary exit Program." 

The restructuring is designed to help YouTube focus on fast-growing areas like AI while "driving faster decision making and execution," the memo states. To that end, the platform is organizing into three separate product organizations: viewer products, creator and community products, and subscription products. 

Viewer products will focus on the viewer experience by making improvements to search & discovery, engagement, the living room experience and "our foundation of responsibility." Creator and community products, meanwhile, is "driving creation through genAI tools, Shorts, Live and creator support. Subscription products, as you'd expect, will operate around subscription growth across Music, Premium and OTT (YouTube TV) platforms. 

Mohan noted that YouTube has been the number one streamer in the US for the last two years. So far, it has signed up 125 million Premium and Music subscribers, along with 8 million YouTube TV subs. The platform has paid out $100 billion to its ecosystem (presumably, creators and recording artists). 

YouTube isn't the only tech giant reducing headcount while citing AI as an impetus. Amazon recently announced that it had laid off 14,000 people, while citing the need to be "lean" due to transformative technology like AI. Meanwhile, YouTube parent Alphabet announced its first-ever $100 billion quarter, largely on the strength of cloud services and search.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/youtube-is-offering-employees-buyouts-as-part-of-an-ai-focused-reorganization-120047466.html?src=rss

Meta will add a ‘huge corpus’ of AI content into its recommendation system

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It looks like Meta's Vibes feed is just the start of the company's pivot toward AI slop. In an earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that "we're going to add yet another huge corpus of content" to Meta's recommendation system, via AI's ability to create and remix content — so you're likely to see even more AI generated posts on Facebook and Instagram. 

"Social media has gone through two eras so far. First was when all content was from friends, family, and accounts that you followed directly. The second was when we added all the creator content," he said, seemingly suggesting that AI content will be the third era.  

Zuckerberg added that recommendation systems that "deeply" understand AI content are "increasingly valuable" since they can "help you achieve your goals." 

He then nodded to Vibes, calling it an example of a new type of content enabled by AI. Retention on the feed "is looking good so far, and its usage keeps growing quickly week over week," he proclaimed. Furthermore, there are more opportunities to build "many more novel types of content aheads, as our new models become ready," Zuckerberg added. To put some numbers to Vibes takeup, Meta CFO Susan Li said that users have generated over 20 billion images in the feed to date. 

Meta has already introduced a number of AI features across its social media platforms. Those include in-app photo and video editing via text prompts directly in Instagram Stories, AI chatbots across WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram, and a standalone Meta AI app that includes an AI assistant and discovery feed. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-will-add-a-huge-corpus-of-ai-content-into-its-recommendation-system-113027353.html?src=rss

What’s next for Vision Pro? Apple should take a cue from Xreal’s smart glasses

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Forget Samsung's $1,800 Galaxy XR, the Android XR device I'm actually intrigued to see is Xreal's Project Aura, an evolution of the company's existing smart glasses. Instead of being an expensive and bulky headset like the Galaxy XR and Apple Vision Pro, Xreal's devices are like over-sized sunglasses that project a virtual display atop transparent lenses. I genuinely loved Xreal's $649 One Pro for its comfort, screen size and relative affordability. 

Now that I'm testing the M5-equipped Vision Pro (full review to come soon!), it's clearer than ever that Apple should replicate Xreal's winning formula. It'll be a long while before we'll ever see a smaller Vision Pro-like device under $1,000, but Apple could easily build a similar set of comfortable smart glasses that more people could actually afford. And if they worked like Xreal's glasses, they'd also be far more useful than something like Meta's $800 Ray-Ban Display, which only has a small screen for notifications and quick tasks like video chats. 

Xreal One Pro smart glasses
Xreal One Pro smart glasses
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

While we don't have any pricing details for Project Aura yet, given Xreal's history of delivering devices between $200 and $649, I'd bet they'll come in cheaper than the Galaxy XR. Xreal's existing hardware is less complex than the Vision Pro and Galaxy XR, with smaller displays, a more limited field of view and no built-in battery. Project Aura differs a bit with its tethered computing puck, which will be used to power Android XR and presumably hold a battery. That component alone could drive its price up to $1,000 — but hey, that's better than $1,800.

During my time with the M5 Vision Pro, I couldn't help but imagine how Apple could bring visionOS to its own Xreal-like hardware, which I'll call the "Vision Air" for this thought experiment. The basic sunglasses design is easy enough to replicate, and I could see Apple leaning into lighter and more premium materials to make wearing the Vision Air even more comfortable than Xreal's devices. There's no doubt it would be lighter than the 1.6-pound Vision Pro, and since you'd still be seeing the real world, it also avoids the sense of being trapped in a dark VR headset. 

To power the Vision Air, Apple could repurpose the Vision Pro's battery pack and turn it into a computing puck like Project Aura's. It wouldn't need the full capabilities of the M5 chip, it would just have to be smart enough to juggle virtual windows, map objects in 3D space and run most visionOS apps. The Vision Air also wouldn't need the full array of cameras and sensors from the Vision Pro, just enough track your fingers and eyes. 

I could also see Apple matching, or even surpassing, Project Aura's 70-degree field of view, which is already a huge leap beyond the Xreal One Pro's 57-degree FOV. Xreal's earlier devices were severely limited by a small FOV, which meant that you could only see virtual screens through a tiny sliver. (That's a problem that also plagued early AR headsets like Microsoft's HoloLens.) While wearing the Xreal One Pro, though, I could see a huge 222-inch virtual display within my view. Pushing the FOV even higher would be even more immersive.

In my review of the original Vision Pro, I wrote, "If Apple just sold a headset that virtualized your Mac's screen for $1,000 this well, I'd imagine creative professionals and power users would be all over it." That may be an achievable goal for the Vision Air, especially if it's not chasing total XR immersion. And even if the Apple tax pushed the price up to $1,500, it would still be more sensible than the Vision Pro’s $3,500 cost. 

While I don’t have high hopes for Android XR, its mere existence should be enough to push Apple to double-down on visionOS and deliver something people can actually afford. If Xreal can design comfortable and functional smart glasses for a fraction of the Vision Pro’s cost, why can't Apple? 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/whats-next-for-vision-pro-apple-should-take-a-cue-from-xreals-smart-glasses-113000437.html?src=rss

Proton launches ‘Data Breach Observatory’ to track personal info leaks

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Proton, the company behind Proton VPN and other encrypted apps like Proton Mail and Proton Drive, just launched a new web page called the Data Breach Observatory that aims to make accurate cybercrime data more widely accessible. The Observatory is intended to be a continually updated report that records any data leak detected on the dark web, with information sourced from the underground data marketplaces themselves.

The reason for the Observatory, according to Proton, is that too many studies of cyberattacks depend on organizations reporting when they've been hacked. A company might not make a data breach public for fear of backlash from customers, regulators or stockholders. Although it's impossible to tell how many breaches aren't reported, Proton believes it's a significant portion.

Compounding the transparency problem, most stolen data is advertised and traded on dark web markets that are hard to trace without specialized knowledge, like how diamond thieves don't tend to fence their loot at above-board jewelry stores. In other words, while most people know that personal information is frequently stolen and leaked, it's very difficult to know how much data is getting stolen, how often breaches occur and who's buying and selling the goods.

Proton's solution is to monitor the dark web itself, watching locations where data thieves go to advertise stolen information. By keeping an eye on these exchanges, Proton believes the Data Breach Observatory will be able to warn victims as early as possible, including before the targets themselves are aware of the leak. Making breach reports available in one place is also meant to educate the public about the actual size and scope of cybercrime, while making it harder for companies to keep quiet about getting hacked.

Proton plans to update the Observatory in "near real time," working with a risk detection firm called Constella Intelligence. It remains to be seen whether they'll be able to keep up the workload — according to Proton's own research, around 1,571 data breaches have occurred in 2025 so far, compromising well over 100 billion records. A clearing house for reporting on all of those definitely sounds valuable, but at around five breaches a day, it'll be a busy page.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/proton-launches-data-breach-observatory-to-track-personal-info-leaks-110047833.html?src=rss

The best streaming deals: Save on Hulu + Live TV, Audible, Starz and more

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Streaming services keep raising prices. At this point, if you subscribe to all the major services out there, you're basically paying the same price as cable — those antiquated local monopolies that streaming was supposed to save us from. But streaming still has one big advantage over the old ways: no contracts. That means you can grab a good streaming deal and then cancel without penalty.

Our advice is to sign up for a service when you see a good streaming deal (or the latest season of, say, Doctor Who, Severance, Andor and/or The Last of Us). Then, when the deal ends or you've binged whatever it is you want to watch, cancel as needed. But streaming deals don't come around all that often and, when they do, it's easy to miss them thanks to...everything. So we're keeping eyes out for the best streaming deals out there and we update this guide often — so check it out the next time you have a hankering to watch something new.

True streaming deals can be hard to come by. Most often, they’ll pop up during the Black Friday shopping period. On occasion, we’ll see them sparingly throughout the year and they usually take the form of a discounted monthly or annual rate for a limited period of time. Also, true streaming deals are typically on the ad-supported versions of a service, but once in a while you’ll find a unicorn of a deal on a tier that has ad-free viewing.

If you’re able to wait for a deal before subscribing to a streaming service, we recommend doing so. You’ll save money upfront and in the long run, and you also have the option to cancel your subscription before the price goes back up to the normal rate.

Audible subscription (three months) for $3 ($42 off): From now through mid-December, you can get Amazon’s audiobook subscription for just a dollar a month for three months. Note that it will auto-renew at $15 per month after that, but you can cancel at any point.

Starz (one year) for $30 ($40 off): Pay upfront for one year and you can get $40 off a Stars annual subscription. There's a month-to-month option too, which costs $5 per month for the first three months if you don't want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library with offline viewing and no ads.

DirecTV starting at $50/month for one month ($35 off): All of DirecTV's signature packages are $35 off right now for your first month when you sign up. If you opt for the base "Entertainment" package, you'll spend $50 for the first month and get access to over 90 channels, including many local stations as well as ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports 1. You'll also be able to watch on the go with the DirecTV mobile app.

Fubo Pro for $55/month for the first month ($30 off): Fubo has introductory discounts on most of its packages, and the Pro package is the least expensive plan currently listed. It offers access to 224 channels, unlimited cloud DVR and up to 10 simultaneous streams. It even includes regional sports content from the NHL, MLB and NBA.

Spotify Premium Individual (3 month) for $0 ($36 off): This is our favorite music streaming service for podcasts and social features. The Premium Individual plan lets you listen ad-free and skip songs at will. You can also organize your listening queue and download content for offline listening. Just be aware, your subscription will auto-renew at the end of the trial period. So if you don't want to be on the hook for the $12 monthly fee, set a reminder to cancel and go back to the free version.

There’s more consolidation happening now than ever before in the streaming space, and that means there are more streaming bundle options. These bundles offer you access to more content with one subscription price, but those prices are typically higher than paying for a single service by itself (obviously). It may be tempting to just get the bundle, but if only one of those services in the bundle speaks to you, you’ll spend less overall by just paying for the single service.

Speaking of a deep love for a single streaming service: if all of your favorite shows are on Peacock or the latest releases on HBO Max consistently bring you joy, consider paying for one year upfront. Subscribing with an annual plan usually saves you money in the long term over paying on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, not all streaming services (looking at you, Netflix) have an annual subscription option.

If you feel like Charlie Kelly trying to figure out who Pepe Silvia is when you look at Disney's streaming prices chart, you're not alone. The confusion comes from the fact that Disney owns, or has a hand in, many streaming services including Hulu and ESPN. Throw in a partnership with HBO Max and you have a ton of options to consider and, probably, whiplash to match. Here's a quick overview of popular Disney+ bundle pricing.

Peacock doesn't have any streaming bundles available all year round, but you can save if you pay for one year upfront.

Paramount+ used to bill its tier with Showtime as a sort of bundle, but it has since renamed its plans and focused the Showtime inclusion in its premium tier as just another bonus of paying for the higher priced plan.

It pays to be a student — sometimes, at least. A number of streaming services have student discounts you can take advantage of as long as you're actively studying. What that translates to most of the time is being able to verify your student status and signing up with your .edu email address.

HBO Max student discount — subscribe for $5/month (50 percent off): HBO Max offers their ad-supported tier to students for half off the usual rate. You’ll just have to verify that you’re a student through Unidays, and make note that this offer is only good for up to 12 months of service.

Hulu student discount — subscribe for $2/month (75 percent off): Those with a valid student ID can get Hulu’s ad-supported tier for 75 percent off the typical rate. They’ll keep the same sale price for as long as they’re a student as well.

Spotify student discount — Premium + Hulu with ads for $6/month (72 percent off): Spotify’s student offer continues to be one of the best around, giving you access to the Premium tier of the music streamer and Hulu’s ad-supported plan for only $6 monthly. Purchased separately, you’d pay $22 per month for both of the services. Plus, the first month is free when you sign up.

NBA League Pass student discount — one year for $120 (40 percent off): Students can get one year of League Pass for only $10 per month, which includes access to NBA TV and the ability to watch classic and archive games on-demand. On the NBA League Pass website, look for the student discount banner at the top and follow the instructions to verify your student status.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/best-streaming-service-deals-133028980.html?src=rss

These are the Black Friday deals on tech I’m hoping to see for 2025

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Black Friday is a time for all kinds of shopping, not just gifts. And since it’s become more of a month-long affair than a one-day event, it’s a good time to pick up things for yourself and for other people while you can save some money in the process. But to say money is tight is an understatement this year. If Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days was any indicator, folks are spending more on essentials than anything else right now. That, combined with the rising trend of holding on to big tech purchases for longer means that gadgets may be showing up lower on your shopping list this year.

Even if that’s the case, I’d recommend not overlooking tech entirely this Black Friday. Besides, all of us have essential tech that we use every day; more often than not, you can avoid paying full price for most of those devices (and all of the rest of the best tech of the year) if you're looking to add to your repertoire or need a replacement. I'm actually not eyeing a new smartphone or laptop this holiday shopping season, but there are a few tech purchases I’d like to make if the prices are right. This is the tech I’m hoping to save on this year during Black Friday.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/these-are-the-black-friday-deals-on-tech-im-hoping-to-see-for-2025-100014802.html?src=rss