Apple has temporarily paused the rollout of iPadOS 18 for M4 iPad Pro models, some of the most expensive iPads that the company sells, after some users complained that the update bricked their devices. Apple acknowledged the issue in a statement to Engadget, saying, “We have temporarily removed the iPadOS 18 update for M4 iPad Pro models as we work to resolve an issue that is impacting a small number of devices.”
The issue first came to light through Reddit, where a growing number of M4 iPad Pro users described how their iPads became unusable after they tried installing the latest version of iPadOS. “At some point during the update my iPad turned off, and would no longer turn on,” a user named tcorey23 posted on Reddit. “I just took it to the Apple Store who confirmed it’s completely bricked, but they said they had to send it out to their engineers before they can give me a replacement even though I have Apple care.”
Another Reddit user called Lisegot wrote that the Apple Store they took their bricked M4 iPad Pro to did not have a replacement in stock, which meant they they would need to wait five to seven days for a working iPad. “No one was particularly apologetic and they even insinuated that there was no way for them to know whether the update caused this,” they wrote.
Having a software bug brick an iPad is rare. ArsTechnica, which first reported this story, pointed out that iPads can typically be put into recovery mode if a software update goes bad.
If you own an M4 iPad Pro, Apple will no longer offer you iPadOS 18 until it fixes the issue. It’s not clear when it will be fixed.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apple-halts-ipados-18-update-for-m4-ipad-pro-after-bricking-reports-000258237.html?src=rss
Discord is rolling out new end-to-end encryption for both audio and video calls on its platform. The tech will be applied to calls from DMs, group DMs, voice channels and Go Live streams. Discord detailed the tech and its goals for the end-to-end encryption (E2EE) in a blog post. Desktop and mobile clients already support the new upgrade, and the rest of the clients should be getting the feature next year.
The company has focused on transparency with its E2EE protocols, and has made plenty of information about it publiclyavailable. Discord is also promising that there should be no sacrifices to call quality with the addition of E2EE. One notable exception to the encryption protocol will be messages. Discord said that's so that the messages can still fall under the company's content moderation rules.
This type of thorough encryption has become increasingly common over the years. It's not unusual to see it as either an option or a new default for users on platforms such as Signal, WhatsApp and Zoom.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/discord-is-rolling-out-end-to-end-encryption-for-voice-and-video-calls-224548948.html?src=rss
Logitech is revealing plenty of new gaming accessories and gear at Logi Play 2024, which is happening right now. Of the many new offerings from Logitech, two keyboards and two mice caught our eye.
Let’s start with the G Pro X TKL Rapid Wired Gaming Keyboard, a keyboard featuring magnetic analog switches, a first for the G Pro line. These switches have adjustable actuation points, rapid trigger functionality and key priority. In short, the keyboard lets you customize how hard presses need to be, has speedy key press recognition and the ability to prioritize certain keys when pressing two at once.
You can also use the multi-point feature in the G Hub keyboard customization software to assign more than one command to a key depending on how far it’s pressed down. As the name suggests, this is a tenkeyless model (no number pad), and you can get it for $170 in November. The three available colors are black, white and pink.
The next keyboard is the G915 X series, a trio of new members of the G915 family (we reviewed the G915 TKL back in 2020). The mechanical keyboards all have a height of 23mm and redesigned galvanic switches with a 1.3mm actuation point. They retain the original volume roller, G key and media buttons, but the Keycontrol feature allows for more macros, even letting users combine the G key with other keys.
Logitech
The G915 X series includes the G915 X Lightspeed ($230), G915 X Lightspeed TKL ($200) and G915 X Wired Gaming Keyboard ($180). The G915 X Lightspeed is a tenkeyless version of the G915 X Lightspeed, while the G915 X doesn’t support wireless connections but is identical in almost every way to the G915 X Lightspeed. The Lightspeed models can come in black or white, but the wired model is only available in black. They’re all available right now.
Moving on to the mice, the G Pro X Superlight 2 Dex Lightspeed wireless gaming mouse is an upgrade of the Pro X Superlight and Pro X Superlight 2, both of which are favorites among current and former Engadget staffers. This new mouse is designed with the help of pro esports athletes, boasting a maximum limit of 44k DPI, 888 IPS acceleration and steady 8kHz polling rate performance.
Logitech
The Superlight 2 Dex Lightspeed has five buttons and Lightforce switches while weighing only 60 grams. It’s also compatible with Logitech’s PowerPlay wireless charging system. If you’re interested, you get it now for $160 in black, white or pink.
For those who like the original G Pro mouse, consider the Pro 2 Lightspeed wireless gaming mouse, an improvement over the old model. The Hero 2 sensors on this one are rated for 32k DPO and over 500 IPS acceleration. The highest polling rate for the Pro 2 Lightspeed is 1kHz.
Logitech
Similar to the first G Pro, this one weighs 80 grams, perfect for gamers who prefer something heavier. It doesn’t support wireless charging but can work with the Pro Lightspeed receiver for 8kHz polling rates. The receiver will only be available for $30 in October. This mouse is now available for $140 in black, white and pink.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/logitech-drops-an-analog-keyboard-and-new-pro-superlight-mice-180113818.html?src=rss
Snap’s latest augmented reality glasses have a completely new — but still very oversized — design, larger field of view and all-new software that supports full hand tracking abilities. But the company is only making the fifth-generation Spectacles available to approved developers willing to commit to a year-long $99/month subscription to start.
It’s an unusual strategy, but Snap says it’s taking that approach because developers are, for now, best positioned to understand the capabilities and limitations of augmented reality hardware. They are also the ones most willing to commit to a pricey $1,000+ subscription to get their hands on the tech.
Developers, explains Snap’s director of AR platform Sophia Dominguez, are the biggest AR enthusiasts. They’re also the ones who will build the kinds of experiences that will eventually make the rest of Snapchat’s users excited for them too. “This isn't a prototype,” Dominguez tells Engadget. “We have all the components. We're ready to scale when the market is there, but we want to do so in a thoughtful way and bring developers along with our journey.”
Snap gave me an early preview of the glasses ahead of its Partner Summit event, and the Spectacles don’t feel like a prototype the way its first AR-enabled Spectacles did in 2021. The hardware and software are considerably more powerful. The AR displays are sharper and more immersive, and they already support over two dozen AR experiences, including a few from big names like Lego and Niantic (Star Wars developer Industrial Light and Motion also has a lens in the works, according to Snap.)
The glasses
To state the obvious, the glasses are massive. Almost comically large. They are significantly wider than my face, and the arms stuck out past the end of my head. A small adapter helped them fit around my ears more snugly, but they still felt like they might slip off my face if I jerked my head suddenly or leaned down.
Still, the new frames look slightly more like actual glasses than the fourth-generation Spectacles, which had a narrow, angular design with dark lenses. The new frames are made of thick black plastic and have clear lenses that are able to darken when you move outside, sort of like transition lenses.
The fifth-generation Spectacles are the first to have clear lenses.
Karissa Bell for Engadget
The lenses house Snap’s waveguide tech that, along with “Liquid Crystal on Silicon micro-projectors,” enable their AR abilities. Each pair is also equipped with cameras, microphones and speakers.
Inside each arm is a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. Snap says the dual processor setup has made the glasses more efficient and prevents the overheating issues that plagued their predecessor. The change seems to be an effective one. In my nearly hour-long demo, neither pair of Spectacles I tried got hot, though they were slightly warm to the touch after extended use. (The fifth-generation Spectacles have a battery life of about 45 minutes, up from 30 min with the fourth-gen model.)
Snap's newest AR Spectacles are extremely thick.
Karissa Bell for Engadget
Snap has also vastly improved Spectacles’ AR capabilities. The projected AR content was crisp and bright. When I walked outside into the sun, the lenses dimmed, but the content was very nearly as vivid as when I had been indoors. At a resolution of 37 pixels per degree, I wasn’t able to discern individual pixels or fuzzy borders like I have on some other AR hardware.
But the most noticeable improvement from Snap’s last AR glasses is the bigger field of view. Snap says it has almost tripled the field of view from its previous generation of Spectacles, increasing the window of visible content to 46 degrees. Snap claims this is equivalent to having a 100-inch display in the room with you, and my demo felt significantly more immersive than what I saw in 2021.
The fourth-generation Spectacles (above) were narrow and not nearly as oversized as the fifth-gen Spectacles (below).
Karissa Bell for Engadget
It isn’t, however, fully immersive. I still found myself at times gazing around the room, looking for the AR effects I knew were around me. At other points, I had to physically move around my space in order to see the full AR effects. For example, when I tried out a human anatomy demo, which shows a life-sized model of the human body and its various systems, I wasn’t able to see the entire figure at once. I had to move my head up and down in order to view the upper and lower halves of the body.
Snap OS
The other big improvement to the latest Spectacles is the addition of full hand tracking abilities. Snap completely redesigned the underlying software powering Spectacles, now called Snap OS, so the entire user interface is controlled with hand gestures and voice commands.
You can pull up the main menu on the palm of one hand, sort of like Humane’s AI Pin and you simply tap on the corresponding icon to do things like close an app or head back to the lens explorer carousel. There are also pinch and tap gestures to launch and interact with lenses. While Snap still calls these experiences lenses, they look and feel more like full-fledged apps than the AR lens effects you’d find in the Snapchat app.
Lego has a game that allows you to pick up bricks with your hands and build objects. I also tried a mini golf game where you putt a golf ball over an AR course. Niantic created an AR version of its tamagotchi-like character Peridot, which you can place among your surroundings.
The interface for Snapchat's AI assistant, MyAI, on Spectacles.
Snap
You can also interact with Snapchat’s generative AI assistant, MyAI, or “paint” the space around you with AR effects. Some experiences are collaborative, so if two people with Spectacles are in a room together, they can view and interact with the same AR content together. If you only have one pair of Spectacles, others around you can get a glimpse of what you’re seeing via the Spectacles mobile app. It allows you to stream your view to your phone, a bit like how you might cast VR content from a headset to a TV.
The new gesture-based interface felt surprisingly intuitive. I occasionally struggled with lenses that required more precise movements, like picking up and placing individual Lego bricks, but the software never felt buggy or unresponsive.
There are even more intriguing use cases in the works. Snap is again partnering with OpenAI so that developers can create multimodal experiences for Spectacles. “Very soon, developers will be able to bring their [OpenAI] models into the Spectacles experience, so that we can really lean into the more utilitarian, camera-based experiences,” Dominguez says. “These AI models can help give developers, and ultimately, their end customers more context about what's in front of them, what they're hearing, what they're seeing.”
Is AR hardware about to have a moment?
CEO Evan Spiegel has spent years touting the promise of AR glasses, a vision that for so long has felt just out of reach. But if the company’s 2021 Spectacles showed AR glasses were finally possible, the fifth-generation Spectacles feel like Snap may finally be getting close to making AR hardware that’s not merely an experiment.
For now, there are still some significant limitations. The glasses are still large and somewhat unwieldy, for one. While the fifth-gen Spectacles passably resemble regular glasses, it’s hard to imagine walking around with them on in public.
Then again, that might not matter much to the people Snap most wants to reach. As virtual and mixed reality become more mainstream, people have been more willing to wear the necessary headgear in public. People wear their Apple Vision Pro headsets on airplanes, in coffee shops and other public spaces. As Snap points out, its Spectacles, at least, don’t cover your entire face or obscure your eyes. And Dominguz says the company expects its hardware to get smaller over time.
Snap's fifth-generation Spectacles are its most advanced, and ambitious, yet.
Karissa Bell for Engadget
But the company will also likely need to find a way to reduce Spectacles’ price. Each pair reportedly costs thousands of dollars to produce, which helps explain Snap’s current insistence on a subscription model, but it’s hard to imagine even hardcore AR enthusiasts shelling out more than a thousand dollars for glasses that have less than one hour of battery life.
Snap seems well aware of this too. The company has always been upfront with the fact that it’s playing the long game when it comes to AR, and that thinking hasn’t changed. Dominguez repeatedly said that the company is intentionally starting with developers because they are the ones “most ready” for a device like the fifth-gen Spectacles and that Snap intends to be prepared whenever the consumer market catches up.
The company also isn’t alone in finally realizing AR hardware. By all accounts, Meta is poised to show off the first version of its long-promised augmented reality glasses next week at its developer event. Its glasses, known as Orion, are also unlikely to go on sale anytime soon. But the attention Meta brings to the space could nonetheless benefit Snap as it tries to sell its vision for an AR-enabled world.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/snaps-fifth-generation-spectacles-bring-your-hands-into-into-augmented-reality-180026541.html?src=rss
An annual membership to Dashlane’s premium password manager is on sale for just $39, which is a discount of more than $20 and a savings of 35 percent. Just use the code “SEPT35” at checkout. The company says this is in celebration of something called Cyber Security Awareness Month, which actually doesn’t start until October. It’s always nice to see a festive new holiday on the scene.
Anyways, this deal is for the premium plan, which includes unlimited password and passkey storage. Users also get phishing alerts to stay on top of attacks, dark web monitoring and more. The plan even comes with a VPN, which I’ve found particularly useful for watching my stories when in another country.
Dashlane found a place on our list of the best password managers. We admired the robust suite of features and noted that some of these tools, like password storage, are even available with the free plan. We also called out the secure sharing functionality, with password sharing baked right into the system. It’s also available for plenty of platforms, including macOS, iOS, Android, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera and other browsers.
There’s one major platform missing, however, which could be a dealbreaker for some. Dashlane doesn’t support Linux. There’s also the issue of an annual subscription. There’s no telling how much it’ll be next year, though switching password managers isn’t as tough as it used to be. There’s a free plan if the price shoots up too high. The deal ends on September 22.
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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-one-year-of-dashlane-premium-password-manager-for-only-39-172851487.html?src=rss
Uber just announced the expansion of safety features directed toward drivers, including a national rollout of enhanced rider verification, which begins tomorrow. If a rider undergoes these additional verification steps they’ll get a “Verified” badge on their account, which will let drivers know everything is on the up and up.
The company says it designed these new verification measures “in response to driver feedback that they want to know more about who is getting in their car.” The company began testing this feature earlier this year and it must have been a success, as it's getting a national rollout. Lyft has its own version of this tool, though it's still being tested in select markets.
Uber verifies riders by cross-checking account information against third-party databases, though it’ll also accept official government IDs. The program will also allow users to bring in their verification status from the CLEAR program.
While rider ID is the most notable safety tool announced, Uber’s also bringing its Record My Ride feature to the whole country after another successful beta test. This lets drivers record the entirety of the ride via their smartphone cameras, without the need to invest in a dashcam. The footage is fully encrypted, with Uber saying nobody can access it unless a driver sends it in for review. The company hopes this will allow it to “more quickly and fairly resolve any incidents that may arise.”
Uber
Drivers can now cancel any trip without a financial penalty and they can “unmatch” from any riders they don't feel comfortable picking up. Finally, there’s a new PIN verification feature in which drivers can request riders to enter a number to confirm they are, in fact, the correct guest.
Uber tends to focus its resources on riders over drivers, so this is a nice change of pace. It is kind of a bummer, however, that drivers require this kind of enhanced verification system just to root out some bad apples and keep doing their jobs. In other words, don’t be a jerk during your next Uber ride.
Correction, September 17 2024, 10:45AM ET: This story and its headline originally stated that Uber's rider verification program was rolling out nationwide as of today. The rollout starts tomorrow, September 18. We apologize for the error.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/ubers-rider-id-program-is-now-available-everywhere-in-the-us-143037313.html?src=rss
Meta and Ray-Ban owner EssilorLuxottica have extended their partnership into the next decade. The duo have collaborated since 2019, producing two generations of Ray-Ban Meta glasses. The agreement between Meta and EssilorLuxottica should bring more "multi-generational smart eyewear products."
The first iteration launched in late 2021, right before Meta became Facebook, and was known as Ray-Ban Stories. We weren't totally sold on them, though there were some good points. The $300 sunglasses looked like a slightly bulkier Ray-Ban with, thankfully, no Facebook logo on them and offered decent audio quality through their tiny speakers at mid-range volume. The camera was so-so and worked better in brighter light. But privacy is really where we had an issue with data sharing and audio transcriptions on by default.
We were more into the 2023 Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, giving them an 85 in our review. The new model's perks include slimmer frames, hands-free photo messaging and Instagram livestreaming abilities (with an improved 12MP ultra-wide camera). It also offers better mics and sound quality — including at higher volumes. Plus, the charging case looks just like a classic Ray-Ban pouch.
The smart glasses originally came with an AI assistant, but Meta has since introduced Multimodal AI. The toolset allows the assistant to see and comprehend the world in real-time, processing photos, videos, text, and audio. You can ask it to identify things you're looking at, such as a dog's breed, the name and information for landmarks, and a road sign in a different language. Plus, there are new frame designs to choose from, starting at $300.
Notably, in July, reports from the media and EssilorLuxottica CEO Francesco Milleri indicated Meta might take a five percent stake in the company. Whether that will happen is still up in the air, with no mention of a purchase in the extended partnership release.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/meta-and-ray-bans-owner-extend-smart-glasses-partnership-140052046.html?src=rss
Nintendo has announced a couple of new Switch bundles in time for this year's upcoming holiday shopping season. Starting in October, it will sell Switch consoles bundled with a download code for the digital version of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and a 12-month Switch Online Individual membership, which will give you access to classic NES, Super NES and Game Boy titles. The basic Switch system bundle with red and blue Joy-Cons will set you back $300. Nintendo already has an existing Switch-Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Bundle, but it's selling for $360 and only comes with three months of Switch Online subscription instead of 12.
The company will also sell an OLED model bundle with the same inclusions as the basic one for $350, $10 less than what the current package with the non-OLED system costs. Nintendo's OLED model has a bigger screen than the standard model with better battery life. There's no time limit to get the bundles, but both options will only be available from the My Nintendo Store and in select retail stores until supplies last.
Nintendo could announce the next-gen Switch as soon as later this month. Based on previous reports, the new Switch will likely be fully backwards compatible for both digital and physical games. It is, of course, expected to have a more powerful processor than the first Switch, which was released way back in 2017, and could have 8GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage. The console is also expected to support NVIDIA's DLSS upscaling technology that would give the console the power to render games internally at a low resolution while producing a high-resolution output. It could either have an 8-inch display LCD display or a 7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate, as well. The next-gen Switch will most likely be released sometime in 2025, though, and will not be available to purchase as a gift for others or yourself these holidays.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-will-sell-cheaper-switch-mario-kart-bundles-in-october-123024329.html?src=rss
The Apple Watch has been around for ten years. Looking at pictures of the device then, it might not seem like much has changed — even the apps drawer seems identical. But subtly and quietly, the Apple Watch — the company’s first new product line of the post-Steve Jobs era — has evolved to become capable of so much more today. Over the last few years, there have been some big leaps forward for the Apple Watch’s feature set, up to and including wrist-based ECG and heart-rate readings that were once the purview of science fiction. We’ve heard many testimonials, mostly from Apple at its events, about how the Apple Watch has saved lives — whether it be by detection of a fall or atrial fibrillation. Smartwatches as a category have matured and found their place, it seems, and the Apple Watch has carved out a comfy spot within the space.
So color me surprised when the Series 10 launched to very little fanfare last week. I guess I was expecting Apple to be a bit more self-congratulatory, but the company seemed to gloss over the product’s birthday. Instead, we got to learn about the device’s thinner profile and bigger screen with greater viewing angles. It also has smaller onboard speakers, apps for water sports enthusiasts and health features like the new sleep apnea monitoring and alerts. It may sound underwhelming compared to the seemingly futuristic features we were seeing in the Apple Watch’s early days, but the Series 10 is just following in the footsteps of the iPhone. It’s a mature product that’s traded massive annual overhauls for iterative updates that add up over time. For a smartwatch that has consistently been called the best in its class, the Series 10 largely continues that tradition, even as it walks back a feature or two thanks to ongoing copyright litigation.
Design and display
Compared to the Series 9, the latest Apple Watch is ever so slightly bigger and noticeably thinner and lighter. It’s not such a great difference that you’ll notice without having the two side by side, but every time I pick up the Series 10 I definitely feel a tiny spark of joy. The squatter shape, slimmer profile and more rounded corners somehow make the new watch feel a bit like a biscuit, while the Series 9 comes off more like a smaller mahjong tile.
Both sizes of the mainstream Apple Watch have grown ever so slightly, with the 41mm version now coming in at 42mm and the 45mm one sitting at 46mm. I’ve worn the smaller Series 10 and Series 9 on both wrists for a few days now and genuinely don’t find there to be a major difference in daily use. As significant as I think the thinner body and lighter weight is on the Series 10, it’s not like I was having trouble squeezing its predecessor through jacket sleeves before. I will say that the new model will certainly be more comfortable under the snuggest of my cuffs.
Apple cutting the Series 10 down to just 9.7mm thin is certainly a feat, considering the Pixel Watch 3 is still a pretty chunky 12mm thick. Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 7 is the same height, so Google needs to play a bit of catch-up here.
The Series 10’s bigger screen does make some things easier to see, like road names on Maps and the clock when you’re in Spotify. You’ll likely find greater gains here by choosing larger font sizes, which is a bit of an obvious note but at least on the Series 10 you’ll have more room to work with. If you need something even bigger, you should consider the Watch Ultra 2, which has a 49mm screen.
Apple’s also using a wide-angle OLED this year to make things easier to read even if your wrist is simply resting on the table, not held up in front of your eyes. Again, in my side by side observations, the change is noticeable but not in a huge way. There does appear to be greater contrast between the digits of the time against the photo in the background, too, which makes the clock more visible at an angle.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
However, it’s worth pointing out that when you’re staring at the Series 10 face on, you might find its bezels noticeably thicker than on the Series 9. Even if you’re planning on upgrading from a Series 9, where you’ll be most primed to feel the bigger bezels’ impact on design, it’s still a tiny complaint, if at all. Thicker borders don’t really affect the watch’s performance.
Apple introduced some new watch faces with the Series 10, as it does with every successive generation. This time, the Flux face is supposed to make full use of the display’s wider angle view as it spills over the sides (sort of). There’s also a bit of an animation that mimics a second hand ticking across the screen, which is nice, but doesn’t add much to the experience.
There are other small design changes around the watch. For example, instead of an inch-long slit on the left edge for the speaker output, there now sits two half-inch grilles which blend more seamlessly into the watch. I’d also be remiss if I didn’t at least mention the new jet black case color option, as well as the polished titanium models that replace the previous stainless steel ones. They’re nice options to have, if you can afford the $300 upgrade for the new lighter material.
Finally, part of why the Series 10 got thinner is its redesigned metal back, which allowed Apple to integrate the antenna into the case and compress two layers into one. There’s also a little so-called isolation circle to help maintain cellular performance. This isn’t something you’ll feel necessarily, but it does contribute to the Series 10’s overall thinness.
The Apple Watch Series 10’s speaker
Something Apple brought to the Series 10 is the ability to play music and podcasts through the watch’s onboard speaker. It might seem silly to want to use the tiny device for any sort of media, especially things like songs where you’d like at least some semblance of sound quality for the experience to be enjoyable. In the few days I’ve had the Series 10, I never found the need to stream songs from the speaker on the watch, until I had to test it.
At the maximum loudness in a quiet conference room, I enjoyed listening to Running Through the Night by Seori and Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter. It wasn’t as bass-heavy as I’d like for a regular listening session, but given the circumstances and the size of the watch, the mids and trebles were plenty clear and punchy. You’re not meant to rely on this for long periods anyway, and it’s just there to scratch an itch if or when it arises. With noisier environments, though, it’s a struggle.
Screenshots
The Apple Watch Series 10 vs. sleep apnea
Arguably the biggest feature coming to the Series 10 is sleep apnea monitoring (though that feature is also available on the Series 9 and Ultra 2 via watchOS 11). This is only for people who haven’t been diagnosed with sleep apnea, meaning if you already know you have this condition, it’s not designed to help you see if your CPAP machine is effective, for instance.
I’ve not been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and might very well be one of the 80 percent of people that has the condition and don’t know it. Still, it would be nice to know for certain and when watchOS 11 dropped yesterday, those of us on iOS 18 with compatible Apple Watch models were able to opt in to notifications. I went to the Health app to set this up, answered a series of questions about my age and whether I’d been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and was informed I was set up for the feature.
In the explanation Apple provides during the onboarding process, it says “Apple Watch tracks your breathing while you’re asleep and records any disturbances in a 30-day period.” It can notify you if those disturbances “are suggestive of sleep apnea,” so you can go to a doctor for a proper diagnosis.
It’s been only about a week since Apple announced sleep apnea notifications were coming, and clearly 30 days haven’t passed. I have yet to glean enough information for any alerts, and cannot yet gauge the impact of this feature.
The Apple Watch Series 10 as a health and fitness tracker
Barring changes that come with watchOS 11, which older Apple Watches will also get, the Series 10 is essentially the same as its predecessor when it comes to tracking your activity. As long as you’ve set things up right, you’ll get reminders to log your mood, take your meds and move after you’ve been idle too long.
Having just reviewed Google’s Pixel Watch 3, I can’t help but wish Apple were a tad more sensitive and consistent at automatically prompting me to start logging a walk. There’s no real guidance as to how long you have to have been active for the watch to suggest you’d been working out. That leads to some confusion and pure frustration when you think you’d walked or run enough for the auto detection to kick in, but only to find out you maybe hadn’t moved in the right way or for long enough.
I’ve been a yearslong Apple Watch user, so I’ve grown extremely familiar and reliant on its interface and the data it collects. I like diving into my calendar view and looking proudly at all the days I closed my rings. The Health app does a good job of presenting my recent trends and how that compares with my performance a year ago, subtly shaming me into realizing I should maybe take a few more walks a week. The Series 10 doesn’t differ much from the Series 9 in that way, and if you’re already in Apple’s ecosystem, this will largely feel extremely familiar.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
The Apple Watch Series 10’s water-sports features
There are some new tools on the Series 10 that are borrowed from elsewhere in the family, though. Apple’s brought the Watch Ultra’s Depth app over and introduced a new Tides app across the Series 10 and Watch Ultra 2 that should be helpful for those who spend a lot of time in the water.
I’m not a big water sports girl, but I do occasionally hang out at beaches. Whether it’s Long Island’s pristine, sandy shores or the rocky terrain of Red Hook’s Valentino Pier, I’ve certainly encountered sudden swells in water level that I’ve had to run to avoid. It’s not the biggest problem, of course, but I can see how the Tides app would help anyone plan a day. I launched the app, and in a few seconds, the Series 10 located the closest beach, informing me that the tide was falling and that water levels would hit their lowest at about 2:07AM.
I didn’t verify this by going to Newport Beach at 2:07AM to measure water levels, but even from my brief testing it appears to be a helpful app for those who need to know this information for a full day of surfing, for example. It’s also useful for those who want a convenient way to locate the closest body of water, since the map view shows beaches around you.
It’s hard to imagine the Depth app being useful for a non-snorkeler or non-scuba diver like me, as I’ve watched one too many videos of underwater cave diving gone wrong. But the Depth app and water temperature sensor could theoretically be useful in other scenarios. If you have a deep enough tub, you could potentially stick the Series 10 on your wrist into the bottom and get a reading for whether the water is too hot for your kid.
Unlike on the Apple Watch Ultra (1 and 2), which go down to 40 meters (131.2 feet), the Series 10’s depth gauge will only provide readings up to 6 meters. That does mean you won’t want to take this scuba diving, and it’s not rated for that, either. All three models I mentioned here offer the same water temperature capability, though.
The Apple Watch Series 10’s battery life and charging speed
In the few days I’ve had the Apple Watch Series 10, it’s generally outlasted the Series 9, not usually by much. One day, after a cross-training workout at 8AM followed by a GPS-enabled walk and a day full of Slack and Telegram alerts, the Series 10 still managed to have 46 percent left at 11:45PM when I got home. The Series 9 was struggling at 19 percent, and both had the same display and Always On settings. This is one aspect that I’d like more time testing to better understand, but considering the new watch’s slimmer profile and bigger screen, the fact that it even has similar runtime at all would be respectable.
Apple also updated the charging setup on its latest smartwatch, which should bring the Series 10 back to 80 percent in 30 minutes. It’s worth noting you’ll have to use a fast-charge-certified accessory, such as a charging cable from the Series 7 or later, which you can tell by confirming that the wire is braided. Faster recharge speeds are nice, since they make up for any shortfalls in battery life by making sure you don’t need to wait too long for your device to get back up to a healthy level.
Still, considering many devices from Garmin, Fitbit and even Samsung can last longer than two days and even up to seven days per charge, the Apple Watch’s day and a half feels like a number that could be higher. If the company were looking for ways to push the envelope further, battery life is certainly the area to investigate. I don’t mind charging my watch every morning (or night), but some people want to be able to go camping over a long weekend and not have to worry about bringing along chargers. Don’t tell them to buy an Apple Watch Ultra for that benefit.
Wrap-up
It’s hard to sum up how I feel about the Apple Watch Series 10. On one hand, I definitely still need more time to form a conclusion about things I don’t feel familiar with yet, like sleep apnea alerts. On the other, I feel like I already know this product very well, thanks to its similarity to its predecessor(s). Plus, with watchOS 11 bringing a lot of similar features to the Series 9, Watch Ultra 2 and more, it feels difficult to recommend anyone with a recent device spring for an upgrade. Some of my friends considering the Series 10 are coming from the Series 8 or older, and for them Apple’s latest certainly feels worthwhile.
However, those using an older model should be aware that upgrading to a newer Apple Watch would cost them access to the blood oxygen detection features. The company has yet to bring back the Blood Oxygen app that it removed from the Series 9 and Ultra 2 that it sells in the US, as a result of a patent lawsuit filed by Masimo. It’s entirely possible the company is able to revive this feature simply through a software update, but if this measurement is crucial to your daily life, it might be worth sticking with your Series 8.
Those looking for a huge leap forward because of the number “10” in the device’s name should be prepared to be underwhelmed. But just because the Series 10 isn’t a reinvention of smartwatches doesn’t mean it isn’t still an excellent companion device and well-rounded health-tracker. If you’re simply looking for a new Apple Watch or don’t care for SpO2 readings, and are coming from a model that’s at least two years old, the Series 10 will feel like a solid upgrade. And it’s still the best for any iPhone owner.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apple-watch-series-10-review-legacy-and-sequel-in-equal-measure-120021405.html?src=rss
Apple expanded its AirPod family with two new models last week. We’ve now tested out the AirPods 4 — and a second version with Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) — and we have some thoughts. Improved sound quality and some advanced features are the key additions, but you’re more likely to notice the redesigned shape for keeping the buds more firmly (and comfortably) lodged in ears.
With the ANC version, Apple offers useful noise cancellation while keeping your ears open — no silicone tips. There are also a lot of Pro features, but the issue is the more technically capable AirPods Pro are often on sale, undercutting those $179 buds.
I wouldn’t have guessed it, but the basic $129 AirPods 4 may be the better deal.
The ban on outlets like RT will take effect over the next few days.
Meta has banned RT and other Russian state media outlets on its platforms, which include Facebook and Instagram. “After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets,” the company told Engadget. “Rossiya Segodnya, RT and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity.” This comes days after the Biden–Harris administration publicly accused RT of spreading propaganda and disinformation online.
The New York Times has brought its all-conquering daily word game to a new platform in the shape of Meta Quest headsets. Wordle VR works in much the same way as the game on your phone or computer, with six attempts to guess a five-letter word. Except you’re wearing a VR headset.
Amazon’s big sale event / buyer’s remorse generator will return this year on October 8 and 9, giving us all the more reason to call it October Prime Day as we have done in years past. Prime Day in July remains Amazon’s biggest sale event for Prime members, but ever since its debut in 2022, October Prime Day provides subscribers with thousands of exclusive deals during the two-day window. In case you missed out on that Echo. Again.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-our-verdict-on-apples-new-airpods-4-111506361.html?src=rss