Ford shows off the tech going into its $30,000 electric pickup truck

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Ford may be discontinuing its F-150 Lightning pickup but it hasn’t given up on electric cars. CEO Jim Farley just teased the automaker’s electric pickup based on its new Universal Electric Vehicle platform that he called “one of the most audacious and important projects in Ford's history.”

The Universal EV platform will be used on a family of affordable EVs sold around the world, but will start with a mid-sized pickup for the US built in Louisville, Kentucky. It’s set to go on sale next year with a target price of $30,000.

Farley discussed some of the tech going into the pickup, particularly the aerodynamics, a key aspect if Ford is to compete with rivals. “The team is spending countless hours getting every last drop of aero efficiency on the mid-size electric pickup,” he noted. Farley also discussed the “simplified aluminum unicastings [that] condense over 146 parts into two” as a way to boost production efficiency.

Ford will invest $5 billion, including $2 billion at the Louisville factory on top of $3 billion already announced for its BlueOval battery plant. It will expand the Louisville facility by 52,000 square feet and "create or secure" nearly 4,000 direct jobs, the company said late last year.

Ford hasn't yet revealed the pickup’s name or shown a photo, but it’s supposed to have more interior room than a Toyota RAV4. Buyers will be able to lock bikes or surfboards into the pickup bed, mooting the need for roof or trailer hitch racks. It will have a low center of gravity from the battery, instant torque and a 0 to 60 mph time "as fast as a Mustang EcoBoost [around 4.5 seconds], with more downforce," Ford said.

Jim Farley famously imported a famously fast and high-tech Xiaomi SU7 EV from China and drove it daily, telling a podcaster he didn’t want to “give it up.” Hopefully, his experience will result in more tech-forward Ford EVs based on the Universal platform.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/ford-shows-off-the-tech-going-into-its-30000-electric-pickup-truck-140000509.html?src=rss

Opus 4.6 vs GPT-5.3 : Opus 4.6 Excels at Long Memory While GPT-5.3 Steals Speed Crown

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Opus 4.6 vs GPT-5.3 : Opus 4.6 Excels at Long Memory While GPT-5.3 Steals Speed Crown Side by side chart of GPT-5.3 Codex racing through a terminal coding test, posting a 77.3 percent result.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the breakneck pace of AI advancements? You’re not alone. In this breakdown, Prompt Engineering walks through how the latest models, Claude Opus 4.6 and GPT-5.3 Codex, are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in enterprise and technical workflows. With features like a staggering 1-million-token context window and collaborative agent teams, […]

The post Opus 4.6 vs GPT-5.3 : Opus 4.6 Excels at Long Memory While GPT-5.3 Steals Speed Crown appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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Master Samsung Galaxy Shortcuts to Save Time and Boost Productivity

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Master Samsung Galaxy Shortcuts to Save Time and Boost Productivity Samsung Galaxy shortcuts guide for faster and easier smartphone use

Samsung Galaxy smartphones offer a wide range of features designed to enhance usability, but one of the most practical and often overlooked tools is the use of shortcuts. These customizable options allow you to access specific app functions with a single tap, allowing you to streamline your daily tasks and improve overall accessibility. By mastering […]

The post Master Samsung Galaxy Shortcuts to Save Time and Boost Productivity appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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Apple reportedly axed its planned AI health coach

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Apple is no longer launching an AI service that can “replicate” a doctor and act as a personal health coach, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The company has reportedly scaled back the unannounced initiative in recent weeks, following a recent organization reshuffling wherein services chief Eddy Cue took over the health division.

While Apple has never officially announced the AI health coach, it was reported last year that the company was working on developing the service that has been unofficially dubbed Health+. It was supposed to be able to help users track food and correct workout forms using their iPhone’s camera, as well as to recommend lifestyle changes based on users’ health data. Apple even reportedly produced videos for the service, including ones explaining medical conditions and some training guides.

Cue reportedly wanted Apple to move faster and be more competitive when it comes to its health-focused products, seeing as the most well-known names in the field like Oura are already offering a lot of compelling features on their iOS apps. He didn’t think Apple’s plans could compete, Bloomberg said.

Instead of rolling out an AI health coach as a whole package, Apple will instead release the individual features it has developed to its Health app over time. The videos it shot and the capability to make recommendations based on user data could be available early this year. Apple is also reportedly working on an AI health chatbot to answer wellness questions. It’s just an interim solution, however, and the company’s goal is to let its reported upcoming Siri chatbot handle those inquiries in the future.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-reportedly-axed-its-planned-ai-health-coach-133000941.html?src=rss

Engadget Podcast: So there’s a social network for AI agents now

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If you haven't heard, there's now a social network for AI: Moltbook, a site that purportedly features AI agents talking to each other. That includes OpenClaw, a personal AI agent (formerly called Clawdbot and Moltbot) that's open source and free for anyone to run on their systems. In this episode, Devindra and Senior Reporter Karissa Bell discuss the rise of these services, and the potential future that AI agents may have for all of us.

  • What is Moltbook and OpenClaw? – 1:31

  • Anthropic reinforces its commitment against ads with Super Bowl ad spots – 19:32

  • SpaceX acquires xAI and plans for a mega IPO – 27:08

  • Alexa + rolls out free for all Amazon Prime subscribers – 33:36

  • Around Engadget: Reviews of the New AirTag and Switch Virtual Boy – 44:12

  • Working on – 46:34

  • Pop culture picks – 49:24

Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Karissa Bell
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/engadget-podcast-so-theres-a-social-network-for-ai-agents-now-133000813.html?src=rss

EU says TikTok uses ‘addictive design’ and must change

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TikTok’s signature features that hooked users around the world are its algorithm and endless scroll. Now, though, the European Union has called those aspects of the app illegal and may order the company to alter them.

“Today, the European Commission preliminarily found TikTok in breach of the Digital Services Act for its addictive design,” the EU’s regulator said in a press release. “This includes features such as infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications, and its highly personalized recommender system.” It said that TikTok failed to put up safeguards to ensure that those “addictive” features don’t “harm the physical and mental wellbeing of users,” including minors.

“For example, by constantly ‘rewarding' users with new content, certain design features of TikTok fuel the urge to keep scrolling and shift the brain of users into ‘autopilot mode'. Scientific research shows that this may lead to compulsive behaviour and reduce users' self-control,” the regulators stated.

TikTok’s current parental controls and features to limit screen time are insufficient, the Commission added, and TikTok may need to modify them. The platform may also be required to limit its infinite scroll and adjust its recommendation algorithms.

The EU Commission will give TikTok an opportunity to rebut the findings and the company said would use “any means available” to challenge them. “The commission’s preliminary findings present a categorically false and entirely meritless depiction of our platform,” the company told The New York Times in a statement.

Europe opened its wide-ranging investigation against TikTok in February 2024 and has already found the company at fault for its data sharing practices and advertising transparency. If found guilty of violating the DSA, TikTok faces a fine up to six percent of its annual worldwide turnover.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/eu-says-tiktok-uses-addictive-design-and-must-change-131738425.html?src=rss

Valve Machine Delayed : Early 2026 Slips for Valve’s Steam Hardware Lineup

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Valve Machine Delayed : Early 2026 Slips for Valve’s Steam Hardware Lineup Graphic showing Valve’s revised Steam Machine window shifting to first half of 2026 due to parts shortages.

What happens when one of the biggest names in gaming hits a major roadblock? That’s exactly what fans of Valve are grappling with after the company announced delays for its highly anticipated hardware lineup, including the Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame VR headset. In this guide, NerdNest explains how these setbacks stem from […]

The post Valve Machine Delayed : Early 2026 Slips for Valve’s Steam Hardware Lineup appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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How to Spot Fake AirPods: The Ultimate Guide to Authenticity

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How to Spot Fake AirPods: The Ultimate Guide to Authenticity How to check AirPods authenticity using iPhone popup notifications

Making sure the authenticity of AirPods is crucial, particularly when purchasing from third-party sellers. Counterfeit AirPods often lack the quality, features, and performance of genuine ones, which can lead to a subpar user experience. Fortunately, Apple provides several built-in tools and methods to help you confirm whether your AirPods are authentic. This guide outlines the […]

The post How to Spot Fake AirPods: The Ultimate Guide to Authenticity appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

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HBO is making a Baldur’s Gate 3 TV show

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The Last of Us series co-creator Craig Mazin is teaming with Hasbro Entertainment to create an HBO series based on the popular (and spicy) Baldur’s Gate 3 game, Deadline reported. The show will be simply be called Baldur’s Gate and the story will resume where Baldur’s Gate 3 left off. Mazin will reportedly have full creative control and act as co-creator, writer, executive producer and showrunner.

"It is a dream come true to be able to continue the story that [Baldur’s Gate 3 developer] Larian and Wizards of The Coast created," Mazin said in a statement. "I am a devoted fan of DnD and the brilliant way that Swen Vincke and his gifted team adapted it. I can’t wait to help bring Baldur’s Gate and all of its incredible characters to life with as much respect and love as we can.”

Larian, which won’t be making the Baldur’s Gate 3 sequel, said it wasn’t involved in the creation of the show. However, Larian CEO Swen Vincke said that to his knowledge, Mazin is a “big fan” of the game and even requested to visit the studio (Mazin told Deadline that he has put about 1,000 hours into the game).

Mazin is best known for co-creating the Emmy-winning limited series Chernobyl as well as The Last of Us. The latter was widely praised for its first season but critics and fans were mixed on season 2, which deviated a bit more from the corresponding game.

The show will reportedly feature familiar and new characters, but no other details have been released. A Baldur’s Gate 4 game is not currently in development, so the series creators will have no source material to draw from. That gives them a lot of freedom, but also puts the storytelling onus fully on Mazin and his team of writers. Wizards of the Coast story head Chris Perkins will reportedly act as a consultant on the show to ensure it doesn’t stray from its DnD origins.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/hbo-is-making-a-baldurs-gate-3-tv-show-130000864.html?src=rss

The best VPNs with free trials in 2026

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A free trial to a virtual private network (VPN) can mean a few different things. Several of the best VPNs let you try them out without paying. A rare few, and only one on this list, let you try them without submitting payment information at all. Some VPNs have forever free plans that let you use them indefinitely without paying, as long as you're OK with some limits.

For the most part, though, your best chance to test a VPN for free is to pay for a subscription. Then, if you don't like the service, you can get your money back before the refund guarantee expires. This takes a bit more work, and some services have very tight turnarounds. However, it'll get you the most time with the most complete version of the VPN.

With that out of the way, let's talk about the best VPN free trials for each definition of "free trial." I'll start with VPNs that actually have free trials, most of which require a payment method and only work on mobile devices. The next section lists the best forever free plans. Finally, I'll share instructions for how to use a VPN money-back guarantee as a free trial.

Although VPN free trials are great when you can get them, you'll enjoy a lot more flexibility by taking advantage of refund guarantees. Almost every provider has a money-back guarantee that doesn't require you to prove a specific problem. You'll probably have to deflect some upselling attempts before you actually get the refund, but most policies do promise you all your money back, with no pro-rating.

I like to download VPNs on their one-month plans so I can put the full service through my usual battery of tests. A 30-day money-back guarantee grants you enough time to learn whether you can use the VPN long-term. If you don't like the service, the standard method for getting a refund is to get in touch with customer support on the VPN provider's help page.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/best-vpns-with-free-trials-130000435.html?src=rss