Beyond the sound's quality, we want two things when it comes to headphones: a lightweight design and noise canceling. Bose's aptly named QuietComfort wireless headphones make a case for both and, right now, do so at a record-low price. The 2023 QuietComfort headphones are currently available for $249, down from $349 — a 29 percent discount. The sale applies to all colors: Cypress Green, Moonstone Blue, Black and White.
The newest iteration of the Bose QuietComfort wireless headphones improves on the QuietComfort 45. While many of the features (which we'll get into) are quite similar, the 2023 model offers adjustable ANC models and an option to save custom modes. The headphones are our choice for the best noise-canceling wireless headphones for 2024.
Bose's QuietComfort headphones also offer a soft earcup and padded band for that comfort component. They provide 24 hours of battery life with a 15-minute charge providing another two and a half hours of juice. As for sound quality, the QuietComfort headphones offer high-fidelity audio and adjustable EQ for even greater customization.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/boses-new-quietcomfort-headphones-are-100-off-right-now-145839415.html?src=rss
Beyond the sound's quality, we want two things when it comes to headphones: a lightweight design and noise canceling. Bose's aptly named QuietComfort wireless headphones make a case for both and, right now, do so at a record-low price. The 2023 QuietComfort headphones are currently available for $249, down from $349 — a 29 percent discount. The sale applies to all colors: Cypress Green, Moonstone Blue, Black and White.
The newest iteration of the Bose QuietComfort wireless headphones improves on the QuietComfort 45. While many of the features (which we'll get into) are quite similar, the 2023 model offers adjustable ANC models and an option to save custom modes. The headphones are our choice for the best noise-canceling wireless headphones for 2024.
Bose's QuietComfort headphones also offer a soft earcup and padded band for that comfort component. They provide 24 hours of battery life with a 15-minute charge providing another two and a half hours of juice. As for sound quality, the QuietComfort headphones offer high-fidelity audio and adjustable EQ for even greater customization.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/boses-new-quietcomfort-headphones-are-100-off-right-now-145839415.html?src=rss
Last month, Bose took an interesting approach to debuting a new product when it launched its Ultra Open Earbuds exclusively through a collaboration with fashion company Kith. Now, Bose is back with its own version, nixing the co-branding while keeping the same price. For both varieties, the $299 Ultra Open Earbuds sit outside of your ear canal and clip onto the ridge of your ear to stay in place. Due to the open nature of the design, active noise cancellation (ANC) is moot, but Bose does bring its Immersive Audio tech to the table for spatial sound.
Bose has gone the “open” route before, debuting the Sport Open Earbuds in 2021. That model has the over-the-ear hook that we’ve seen on some fitness-focused earbuds, only the company opted for a hard plastic hook that doesn’t bend or flex at all. This meant they weren’t the most comfortable and you couldn’t use them while wearing glasses or a hat. As open-type earbuds have become increasingly popular, mostly for the allure of “all day” wear by allowing you to stay in-tune with your surroundings, Bose developed this model that fixes all the issues of its previous design. There are some trade-offs with earbuds that sit outside of your ear canal, but you may be willing to overlook them in the name of style, comfort and functionality.
Design
Photo by Kate Steele/Engadget
For the Ultra Open Earbuds, Bose created a two-piece design that consists of a rounded speaker chamber that sits outside of your ear canal and a cylindrical battery box that rests behind your ear. In between is a strip of soft-touch, flexible silicon that wraps around the edge of your ear for what the company calls a “light-as-air grip.” There are onboard controls too, as the battery barrel on both sides each holds a single, multi-function button.
Bose describes the Ultra Open Earbuds as “more fashion accessory than traditional wearable,” and they certainly aren’t inconspicuous. They provide a lewk that you’ll need to be okay with. During my testing, not everyone I encountered, even in my own home, was a fan.
“It’s really hard for me to look at you when you have those things on,” my wife said. “They’re a vibe.” On the bright side, that vibe got me out of a conversation with a door-to-door internet salesman quickly as they suggested I was “on call.”
Polarizing design aside, the Ultra Open Earbuds are extremely comfortable to wear. Earbuds that go into your ears are fine for a few hours at most for me before they become a test of my endurance. Open-type earbuds are different, of course, and these are certainly the most comfy of the sort that I’ve tested thanks to the lack of a hook. And that clip-on pressure is so light that you don’t feel any irritation there. There’s enough of a grip to hold the IPX4-rated earbuds in place though, even during workouts.
Bose Music app and features
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
Like most of Bose’s recent products, the Ultra Open Earbuds work with the company’s Music app for access to features and settings. There isn’t anything new here that wasn’t available on the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds that debuted last year, except for some guidance about how to put the Ultra Open Earbuds on. Most of the tools you’ll need are still front-and-center on the main screen, with things like battery life, sound modes, EQ, Immersive Audio and Bluetooth connections easily accessible. The Ultra Open Earbuds don’t have multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, so though the app does show multiple devices to stream from, you can only sync with one at a time. And since these are meant to be worn all the time, there’s no automatic pausing either.
The app also lets you reassign what the onboard button does, but only one gesture is available for customizing: press-and-hold. By default, it’s set to cycle between stereo and Immersive Audio modes. You can also employ it to change the Immersive Audio setting (Still, Motion, Off), switch Bluetooth connections, summon your voice assistant or simply disable it entirely. Left and right buttons can be configured individually, putting different tasks on either side. Bose does include onboard volume control despite only having one physical button on the earbuds. A double press then hold on the right increases the level while the same sequence on the left lowers it.
Sound quality
One unique aspect of the Ultra Open Earbuds audio-wise is the fact that you can wear them anywhere along your ear they sound and feel the best. This could be at the bottom of your ear or along the back edge. Bose says positioning around your ear doesn’t affect overall sound quality so long as the speaker component is placed first before wrapping the silicon “flex arm” around back. There are certain spots where the Ultra Open Earbuds feel and sound better, but it always takes a small adjustment to find the sweet spot when I first put them on.
Bose says that the Ultra Open Earbuds use so-called Open Audio in tandem with its spatial Immersive Audio tech for “a breakthrough experience.” According to the company, the former allows you to listen to tunes with “almost no sound leaks” to those around you. I found that this only holds true up to about 50 percent volume level. Above that, people around you in quiet settings will hear what you’re listening to. Not in great detail unless you crank the earbuds all the way up, but a general rumble is audible to those nearby.
Immersive Audio, Bose’s spatial sound technology, puts you in the acoustic sweet spot to improve the overall listening experience. This works really well on the QC Ultra Earbuds and QC Ultra Headphones where your ears are closed off and the sound is directed at them. With the Ultra Open Earbuds, the difference between stereo and Immersive Audio in terms of overall sound quality is subtle. And since Immersive Audio has such an impact on battery life, it’s probably best if you leave it off if you aren’t able to greatly distinguish between the two modes.
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
In general, the Ultra Open Earbuds suffer the same fate as most open-type audio wearables. You sacrifice sound quality to keep your ears clear, which certainly increases overall comfort most, if not all of the time. Specifically, there’s a lack of dynamic tuning as the audio profile rests mostly in the mid range. Bass is subdued, as are the crisp highs from Bose’s other recent audio gear. These are still some of the best open-type earbuds I’ve tested in terms of sound, but their design leads to a less impressive listening experience compared to in-ear buds.
There is a decent low-end thump when listening to things like Com Truise’s synth-tinged electronic instrumentals. But, it doesn’t have the same deep bass punch as closed-off earbuds. There’s also still good detail in mellow selections like Kacey Musgraves’ “Deeper Well” but even then the sound is more compressed than usual, so the openness of the track is quite subdued. The overall audio quality depends on how the earbuds fit on your ears as I could improve things by holding them close to my ear canal, but they don’t stay there without assistance. Where they rest on their own, though, doesn’t deliver the best these buds have to offer.
There also seems to be a reverb-y echo on the Ultra Open Earbuds, like the two sides are slightly out of sync. This is the biggest knock on the sound quality for me as it’s very evident when listening to podcasts. It sounds like the host recorded in a school hallway even when the audio is pristine. It doesn’t make the earbuds unusable, but it’s enough to be noticeable, especially on isolated voices. I’ve reached out to Bose for more information on why this is happening, and whether there might be a fix coming. (Update: This is caused by Immersive Audio mode being active for podcasts. After some guidance from Bose, I disabled it, which fixed the issue.)
Call quality
Due to their design, the Ultra Open Earbuds are great for hearing yourself on calls. Your ears aren’t blocked, so you don’t ever feel the need to shout or worry about a subpar transparency mode. When you’re speaking, voice quality is decent, but only in quiet areas. If you encounter medium-to-high levels of ambient noise, which I simulated with a white noise machine and a louder-than-average bathroom fan, that background clamor is very apparent to the person on the other side.
Battery life
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
On the Ultra Open Earbuds, battery life is drastically impacted by the spatial Immersive Audio. Bose says you can expect up to four and a half hours with it turned on or up to seven and half hours without. Battery life also took a hit on the QC Ultra Earbuds and the QC Ultra Headphones when Immersive Audio was at work, so this isn’t a surprise. But, cutting the expected play time by about half is more of a decrease than what I experienced on those two models. During my tests, I managed just over five hours of playtime at 75 percent volume with Immersive Audio active almost the entire time. This includes letting the earbuds sit idle in standby mode twice for around 30-45 minutes before picking them back up (breaks not factored into use time).
The good news is there are nearly three full charges in the case, no matter which audio mode you use. A 10-minute rest will give you up to two hours of playtime and the Ultra Open Earbuds take one hour to fully charge. The bad news is that the case doesn’t charge wirelessly out of the box, so you’ll need to plug in a USB-C cable. Bose will sell a wireless charging cover for the case like it does with the QC Ultra Earbuds ($49).
The competition
There are fewer options for open-wear earbuds than there are “traditional” models. One in particular is worth considering as an alternative to the Ultra Open Earbuds. Shokz is better known for its bone-conduction models that keep your ears completely free from obstruction, but the company also makes the OpenFit ($180) open-ear headphones. Engadget homepage editor Jon Turi observed “rich bass” during his review, but with a “crunchy” edge to super-low frequencies. Senior commerce editor Valentina Palladino has also tested these, noting the balanced weight distribution that helps them stay in place during workouts. Of course, these have the over-the-ear hook, so you’ll have to contend with that interfering with glasses or headwear.
For something more mainstream, I’d suggest Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. They are certainly the best true wireless model yet from the company, with stellar ANC performance and that Immersive Audio tech that doesn’t require special content for spatial sound. They’re also slightly cheaper at $249.
Wrap-up
Kudos to Bose for thinking outside the box for its latest set of open-style earbuds. The Ultra Open Earbuds’ design is certainly unique, and it’s also very comfortable. If you’re going to wear these all day like the company expects, they can’t be painful at any point, and these certainly aren’t. However, you’ll need to make some sacrifices in terms of audio, unless these fit you right in the sweet spot close to your ear canal. If all-day wear is your goal, though, and you enjoy the benefits of the open design, you’ll likely be ok with the sonic deficiencies.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are available starting today in black and white color options for $299.
Update, February 15 2024, 11:09AM ET: This review was updated with more info on the use of Immersive Audio when listening to podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bose-ultra-open-earbuds-review-function-meets-fashion-140015467.html?src=rss
Last month, Bose took an interesting approach to debuting a new product when it launched its Ultra Open Earbuds exclusively through a collaboration with fashion company Kith. Now, Bose is back with its own version, nixing the co-branding while keeping the same price. For both varieties, the $299 Ultra Open Earbuds sit outside of your ear canal and clip onto the ridge of your ear to stay in place. Due to the open nature of the design, active noise cancellation (ANC) is moot, but Bose does bring its Immersive Audio tech to the table for spatial sound.
Bose has gone the “open” route before, debuting the Sport Open Earbuds in 2021. That model has the over-the-ear hook that we’ve seen on some fitness-focused earbuds, only the company opted for a hard plastic hook that doesn’t bend or flex at all. This meant they weren’t the most comfortable and you couldn’t use them while wearing glasses or a hat. As open-type earbuds have become increasingly popular, mostly for the allure of “all day” wear by allowing you to stay in-tune with your surroundings, Bose developed this model that fixes all the issues of its previous design. There are some trade-offs with earbuds that sit outside of your ear canal, but you may be willing to overlook them in the name of style, comfort and functionality.
Design
Photo by Kate Steele/Engadget
For the Ultra Open Earbuds, Bose created a two-piece design that consists of a rounded speaker chamber that sits outside of your ear canal and a cylindrical battery box that rests behind your ear. In between is a strip of soft-touch, flexible silicon that wraps around the edge of your ear for what the company calls a “light-as-air grip.” There are onboard controls too, as the battery barrel on both sides each holds a single, multi-function button.
Bose describes the Ultra Open Earbuds as “more fashion accessory than traditional wearable,” and they certainly aren’t inconspicuous. They provide a lewk that you’ll need to be okay with. During my testing, not everyone I encountered, even in my own home, was a fan.
“It’s really hard for me to look at you when you have those things on,” my wife said. “They’re a vibe.” On the bright side, that vibe got me out of a conversation with a door-to-door internet salesman quickly as they suggested I was “on call.”
Polarizing design aside, the Ultra Open Earbuds are extremely comfortable to wear. Earbuds that go into your ears are fine for a few hours at most for me before they become a test of my endurance. Open-type earbuds are different, of course, and these are certainly the most comfy of the sort that I’ve tested thanks to the lack of a hook. And that clip-on pressure is so light that you don’t feel any irritation there. There’s enough of a grip to hold the IPX4-rated earbuds in place though, even during workouts.
Bose Music app and features
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
Like most of Bose’s recent products, the Ultra Open Earbuds work with the company’s Music app for access to features and settings. There isn’t anything new here that wasn’t available on the QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds that debuted last year, except for some guidance about how to put the Ultra Open Earbuds on. Most of the tools you’ll need are still front-and-center on the main screen, with things like battery life, sound modes, EQ, Immersive Audio and Bluetooth connections easily accessible. The Ultra Open Earbuds don’t have multipoint Bluetooth connectivity, so though the app does show multiple devices to stream from, you can only sync with one at a time. And since these are meant to be worn all the time, there’s no automatic pausing either.
The app also lets you reassign what the onboard button does, but only one gesture is available for customizing: press-and-hold. By default, it’s set to cycle between stereo and Immersive Audio modes. You can also employ it to change the Immersive Audio setting (Still, Motion, Off), switch Bluetooth connections, summon your voice assistant or simply disable it entirely. Left and right buttons can be configured individually, putting different tasks on either side. Bose does include onboard volume control despite only having one physical button on the earbuds. A double press then hold on the right increases the level while the same sequence on the left lowers it.
Sound quality
One unique aspect of the Ultra Open Earbuds audio-wise is the fact that you can wear them anywhere along your ear they sound and feel the best. This could be at the bottom of your ear or along the back edge. Bose says positioning around your ear doesn’t affect overall sound quality so long as the speaker component is placed first before wrapping the silicon “flex arm” around back. There are certain spots where the Ultra Open Earbuds feel and sound better, but it always takes a small adjustment to find the sweet spot when I first put them on.
Bose says that the Ultra Open Earbuds use so-called Open Audio in tandem with its spatial Immersive Audio tech for “a breakthrough experience.” According to the company, the former allows you to listen to tunes with “almost no sound leaks” to those around you. I found that this only holds true up to about 50 percent volume level. Above that, people around you in quiet settings will hear what you’re listening to. Not in great detail unless you crank the earbuds all the way up, but a general rumble is audible to those nearby.
Immersive Audio, Bose’s spatial sound technology, puts you in the acoustic sweet spot to improve the overall listening experience. This works really well on the QC Ultra Earbuds and QC Ultra Headphones where your ears are closed off and the sound is directed at them. With the Ultra Open Earbuds, the difference between stereo and Immersive Audio in terms of overall sound quality is subtle. And since Immersive Audio has such an impact on battery life, it’s probably best if you leave it off if you aren’t able to greatly distinguish between the two modes.
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
In general, the Ultra Open Earbuds suffer the same fate as most open-type audio wearables. You sacrifice sound quality to keep your ears clear, which certainly increases overall comfort most, if not all of the time. Specifically, there’s a lack of dynamic tuning as the audio profile rests mostly in the mid range. Bass is subdued, as are the crisp highs from Bose’s other recent audio gear. These are still some of the best open-type earbuds I’ve tested in terms of sound, but their design leads to a less impressive listening experience compared to in-ear buds.
There is a decent low-end thump when listening to things like Com Truise’s synth-tinged electronic instrumentals. But, it doesn’t have the same deep bass punch as closed-off earbuds. There’s also still good detail in mellow selections like Kacey Musgraves’ “Deeper Well” but even then the sound is more compressed than usual, so the openness of the track is quite subdued. The overall audio quality depends on how the earbuds fit on your ears as I could improve things by holding them close to my ear canal, but they don’t stay there without assistance. Where they rest on their own, though, doesn’t deliver the best these buds have to offer.
There also seems to be a reverb-y echo on the Ultra Open Earbuds, like the two sides are slightly out of sync. This is the biggest knock on the sound quality for me as it’s very evident when listening to podcasts. It sounds like the host recorded in a school hallway even when the audio is pristine. It doesn’t make the earbuds unusable, but it’s enough to be noticeable, especially on isolated voices. I’ve reached out to Bose for more information on why this is happening, and whether there might be a fix coming. (Update: This is caused by Immersive Audio mode being active for podcasts. After some guidance from Bose, I disabled it, which fixed the issue.)
Call quality
Due to their design, the Ultra Open Earbuds are great for hearing yourself on calls. Your ears aren’t blocked, so you don’t ever feel the need to shout or worry about a subpar transparency mode. When you’re speaking, voice quality is decent, but only in quiet areas. If you encounter medium-to-high levels of ambient noise, which I simulated with a white noise machine and a louder-than-average bathroom fan, that background clamor is very apparent to the person on the other side.
Battery life
Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget
On the Ultra Open Earbuds, battery life is drastically impacted by the spatial Immersive Audio. Bose says you can expect up to four and a half hours with it turned on or up to seven and half hours without. Battery life also took a hit on the QC Ultra Earbuds and the QC Ultra Headphones when Immersive Audio was at work, so this isn’t a surprise. But, cutting the expected play time by about half is more of a decrease than what I experienced on those two models. During my tests, I managed just over five hours of playtime at 75 percent volume with Immersive Audio active almost the entire time. This includes letting the earbuds sit idle in standby mode twice for around 30-45 minutes before picking them back up (breaks not factored into use time).
The good news is there are nearly three full charges in the case, no matter which audio mode you use. A 10-minute rest will give you up to two hours of playtime and the Ultra Open Earbuds take one hour to fully charge. The bad news is that the case doesn’t charge wirelessly out of the box, so you’ll need to plug in a USB-C cable. Bose will sell a wireless charging cover for the case like it does with the QC Ultra Earbuds ($49).
The competition
There are fewer options for open-wear earbuds than there are “traditional” models. One in particular is worth considering as an alternative to the Ultra Open Earbuds. Shokz is better known for its bone-conduction models that keep your ears completely free from obstruction, but the company also makes the OpenFit ($180) open-ear headphones. Engadget homepage editor Jon Turi observed “rich bass” during his review, but with a “crunchy” edge to super-low frequencies. Senior commerce editor Valentina Palladino has also tested these, noting the balanced weight distribution that helps them stay in place during workouts. Of course, these have the over-the-ear hook, so you’ll have to contend with that interfering with glasses or headwear.
For something more mainstream, I’d suggest Bose’s QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. They are certainly the best true wireless model yet from the company, with stellar ANC performance and that Immersive Audio tech that doesn’t require special content for spatial sound. They’re also slightly cheaper at $249.
Wrap-up
Kudos to Bose for thinking outside the box for its latest set of open-style earbuds. The Ultra Open Earbuds’ design is certainly unique, and it’s also very comfortable. If you’re going to wear these all day like the company expects, they can’t be painful at any point, and these certainly aren’t. However, you’ll need to make some sacrifices in terms of audio, unless these fit you right in the sweet spot close to your ear canal. If all-day wear is your goal, though, and you enjoy the benefits of the open design, you’ll likely be ok with the sonic deficiencies.
The Bose Ultra Open Earbuds are available starting today in black and white color options for $299.
Update, February 15 2024, 11:09AM ET: This review was updated with more info on the use of Immersive Audio when listening to podcasts.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bose-ultra-open-earbuds-review-function-meets-fashion-140015467.html?src=rss
NVIDIA is doing very well for itself, so much so that the chip maker has overtaken Alphabet, Google's parent company, to become the third most valuable company in the United States, Reuters reports. The news comes almost immediately after NVIDIA pushed past Amazon in the rankings, with the company now valued at $1.83 trillion. Worldwide, it sits in fourth, behind American companies Microsoft ($3.04 trillion) and Apple ($2.84 trillion) and the Saudi Arabian state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco ($2.07 trillion).
AI's boom over the last year is largely to thank for NVIDIA's jump in valuation, with about 80 percent of the high-end chip market in its hands. It created the H100 chip, which powers LLMs at OpenAI, Amazon, Meta and more. In January, Mark Zuckerberg said Meta will buy 350,000 of NVIDIA's H100 chips by the end of the year.
Unlike most companies that are engaged in a competition over which will advance in AI the quickest, NVIDIA has its figurative hands in all baskets. The chip maker is also expanding its business to create custom chips for cloud computing firms. This additional offering can keep NVIDIA in the mix, even as AI manufacturers seek more bespoke options.
NVIDIA's quarterly report will drop on Wednesday, February 21, and while it's expected to be positive, anything less than excellent could lower the company's valuation and, thus, ranking. Predictions set NVIDIA's quarterly earnings tripling to $20.37 billion and net profits jumping 400 percent to $11.38 billion.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidia-becomes-the-third-most-valuable-us-company-at-alphabets-expense-123503967.html?src=rss
NVIDIA is doing very well for itself, so much so that the chip maker has overtaken Alphabet, Google's parent company, to become the third most valuable company in the United States, Reuters reports. The news comes almost immediately after NVIDIA pushed past Amazon in the rankings, with the company now valued at $1.83 trillion. Worldwide, it sits in fourth, behind American companies Microsoft ($3.04 trillion) and Apple ($2.84 trillion) and the Saudi Arabian state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco ($2.07 trillion).
AI's boom over the last year is largely to thank for NVIDIA's jump in valuation, with about 80 percent of the high-end chip market in its hands. It created the H100 chip, which powers LLMs at OpenAI, Amazon, Meta and more. In January, Mark Zuckerberg said Meta will buy 350,000 of NVIDIA's H100 chips by the end of the year.
Unlike most companies that are engaged in a competition over which will advance in AI the quickest, NVIDIA has its figurative hands in all baskets. The chip maker is also expanding its business to create custom chips for cloud computing firms. This additional offering can keep NVIDIA in the mix, even as AI manufacturers seek more bespoke options.
NVIDIA's quarterly report will drop on Wednesday, February 21, and while it's expected to be positive, anything less than excellent could lower the company's valuation and, thus, ranking. Predictions set NVIDIA's quarterly earnings tripling to $20.37 billion and net profits jumping 400 percent to $11.38 billion.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidia-becomes-the-third-most-valuable-us-company-at-alphabets-expense-123503967.html?src=rss
Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg has posted his own review of Apple's Vision Pro on Instagram, coming inexplicably for our jobs here at Engadget.
In a video shot direct from a Meta Quest 3 (oh of course), Zuckerberg didn't mince his words. He said he expected the Quest to be the better value for most people, because it's "like seven times less expensive" than the $3,500 Vision Pro. Eventually, he concluded that the Quest 3 was “the better product, period."
Zuckerberg thinks the Quest is "a lot more comfortable," noting that the headset’s field of view is wider and has a brighter display than the Vision Pro. He added that the Quest had a bigger library: Meta’s Quest, unlike the Vision Pro, has access to the YouTube and Xbox apps. And that’s definitely a fair criticism.
All in all, two out of five Zucks. Don't forget to like and subscribe.
Kimi gave viewers access to pirated shows and movies.
An app called Kimi curiously outranked well-known streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video in the App Store's list of top free entertainment apps this week. Now, Apple has pulled it, probably because it gave users access to pirated movies.
Kimi was disguised as an app that tests your eyesight by making you play ‘spot the difference’ between similar photos. In reality, it was packed with bootlegged shows and movies. If anyone remembers the heyday of pirated movies on slow internet connections, you got to relive the variable video quality of yesteryear.
Walmart might buy budget TV maker Vizio. The rumored $2 billion deal would make Vizio a house brand for the retailer and would allow the company to compete directly in the affordable smart TV space currently dominated by Amazon and Roku. Vizio has been eyeing up buyers for years. It was nearly purchased by Chinese media conglomerate LeEco back in 2016, which was another $2 billion deal, but that fell through. If the purchase happens, Walmart would also have access to all of that sweet, sweet customer data collected by Vizio’s smart TV platform.
Since 1979, Arctic ice has shrunk by 1.35 million square miles and Antarctic ice is now at the lowest level since records began. Frozen Arctic, a report produced by the universities of the Arctic and Lapland alongside UN-backed thinktank GRID-Arendal, collates sixty geoengineering projects that could slow down or reverse polar melting. A team of researchers examined every idea, from those already in place to the ones at the fringes of science. Daniel Cooper breaks down some of the possible solutions.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-mark-zuckerberg-thinks-the-quest-3-is-much-better-than-the-vision-pro-121503056.html?src=rss
Intuitive Machines' Odysseus has started making its way to the moon and could make history as the first privately built lander to touch down on the lunar surface. The lander was ferried to space by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket using a booster that already had 17 flights under its belt before this one and could even fly again in the future, seeing as it had safely returned to Earth on the company's Landing Zone 1. Both SpaceX and Intuitive Machines have confirmed that Odysseus has successfully been deployed and has started its multi-day journey to the moon.
To be exact, Intuitive Machines has set its sights on the Malapert A crater near the moon's south pole as Odysseus' landing site. The spacecraft can operate for around 14 Earth days when powered by sunlight, but the company is hoping for touchdown to take place by February 22. Odysseus, the first of the Nova-C type landers Intuitive Machines is planning to launch this year, is carrying five NASA payloads in addition to commercial cargo.
The mission's objectives include demonstrating precision landing and testing certain communication and navigation node capabilities. It will also observe how rocket plumes and space weather interact with the lunar surface. IM-1 was one of the missions NASA had chosen to take its scientific instruments to the moon over the next few years as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The first of the CLPS missions to take off was Astrobotic's Peregrine Mission 1, which unfortunately experienced an anomaly that prevented the lander from pointing its solar panels at the sun and caused it to leak propellant. Peregrine never made it to the moon and ended its journey by burning up in the Earth's atmosphere upon reentry.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intuitive-machines-lunar-lander-begins-its-multi-day-journey-to-the-moon-113535550.html?src=rss
Intuitive Machines' Odysseus has started making its way to the moon and could make history as the first privately built lander to touch down on the lunar surface. The lander was ferried to space by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket using a booster that already had 17 flights under its belt before this one and could even fly again in the future, seeing as it had safely returned to Earth on the company's Landing Zone 1. Both SpaceX and Intuitive Machines have confirmed that Odysseus has successfully been deployed and has started its multi-day journey to the moon.
To be exact, Intuitive Machines has set its sights on the Malapert A crater near the moon's south pole as Odysseus' landing site. The spacecraft can operate for around 14 Earth days when powered by sunlight, but the company is hoping for touchdown to take place by February 22. Odysseus, the first of the Nova-C type landers Intuitive Machines is planning to launch this year, is carrying five NASA payloads in addition to commercial cargo.
The mission's objectives include demonstrating precision landing and testing certain communication and navigation node capabilities. It will also observe how rocket plumes and space weather interact with the lunar surface. IM-1 was one of the missions NASA had chosen to take its scientific instruments to the moon over the next few years as part of its Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. The first of the CLPS missions to take off was Astrobotic's Peregrine Mission 1, which unfortunately experienced an anomaly that prevented the lander from pointing its solar panels at the sun and caused it to leak propellant. Peregrine never made it to the moon and ended its journey by burning up in the Earth's atmosphere upon reentry.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/intuitive-machines-lunar-lander-begins-its-multi-day-journey-to-the-moon-113535550.html?src=rss
While Apple's MacBook Pro is a clear choice for most creatives over its MacBook Air counterpart, the higher cost is prohibitive. If that's been stopping you from picking one up, then you're in luck: Apple's 2023 MacBook Pro with a M3 Pro chip is currently on sale for $1,799, down from $1,999. The 10 percent discount still leaves the 14-inch laptop with a few hundred dollars between it and even the most expensive 2023 MacBook Air, but it's worth it if you want the 11-core M3 Pro's extra power.
Apple released the new 2023 MacBook Pro last November with three different M3 chips: the standard, M3 Pro, and M3 Max. The mid-range model is what's currently on sale and offers a 14.2-inch screen, a Liquid Retina XDR display and a magic keyboard with touch ID. It has 18GB of RAM, a 14-core GPU and 512GB of SSD storage. Plus, it has 18 hours of battery life when starting out.
This MacBook Pro also has a 1080p HD camera and a Spatial Audio-equipped sound system with six speakers. It's also very connection-friendly, with an HDMI port, a headphone jack, MagSafe charging port, three Thunderbolt 4 points and an SDXC card slot.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-macbook-pro-with-m3-pro-chip-falls-back-to-a-low-of-1799-110557157.html?src=rss