Tag Archives: author_name|Anna Washenko

Adobe Photoshop upgrades its Firefly-powered generative-AI editing tools

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Adobe Photoshop introduced some new features that are rolling out for creators today. As you'd expect from any service operator in this day and age, there's some AI involved. Adobe has improved the tools for Generative Fill, Generative Expand and Remove that are powered by its Firefly generative AI platform. Using these tools for image editing should now produce results in 2K resolution with fewer artifacts and increased detail all while delivering better matches for the provided prompts. The Reference Image option for Generative Fill has also been upgraded to deliver "geometry-aware results that better match the scene." 

 One of the other new updates is a beta version of Dynamic Text, which should allow simpler transformation of a text layer into a curved shape. Photoshop has also added new adjustment layers: Clarity, Dehaze and Grain. These allow non-destructive image editing on layers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/adobe-photoshop-upgrades-its-firefly-powered-generative-ai-editing-tools-213737915.html?src=rss

Sennheiser debuts new models of wired headphones and earbuds

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Wireless audio has become the industry standard, but there are still options out there for people who prefer a wired connection. Two new choices joining the market come from Sennheiser, which has released the CX 80U wired earbuds and HD 400U wired over-ear headphones. These new takes on the company's previous models for wired listening have replaced the 3.5mm audio jack connector with a USB-C cable. Both sets support 24-bit, 96 kHz digital audio playback. They're compatible with a broad array of devices, including iOS, iPadOS, Android, ChromeOS, MacOS, Windows and SteamOS. 

Both of these items are priced at an entry level for a brand that might charge up to $500 for its higher-end headphones. The CX 80U earbuds cost $40 and the HD 400U headphones retail for $100. Both products are available starting today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sennheiser-debuts-new-models-of-wired-headphones-and-earbuds-201245058.html?src=rss

Sonos introduces Amp Multi for complicated residential installs

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Sonos has unveiled its first new product of 2026, the Amp Multi. This amplifier is a niche option for the owners of very large or complicated spaces, and it's being billed as professional grade option for residential audio installations. The Amp Multi has eight 125W outputs and four configurable zones, and each channel can support up to three Sonos Architectural speakers. In other words, that's a lot more audio than the average home needs. Even the Sonos Amp would probably be overkill for those of you living the apartment life.

The Amp Multi will be available "in the coming months," according to the company's press release, and there's no pricing information yet for the product listing on its website. But given the high-end customers this is targeting, expect the Amp Multi to cost a fair bit more than the $800 Sonos Amp.

Sonos has mostly been keeping its proverbial head down on the product side as it continues to address fallout from a bungled app redesign in 2024 that soured customers and put the company in dire straits. First there were layoffs, then the CEO left. Sonos' temporary chief exec, Tom Conrad, got the position permanently last summer. Once the business' position does stabilize at last, we will hopefully be hearing more positive updates from Sonos in the future.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/sonos-introduces-amp-multi-for-complicated-residential-installs-191000421.html?src=rss

The Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold will cost $2,900 in the US

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As promised, Samsung is bringing its Galaxy Z Trifold smartphone to shoppers in the US. The unique foldable goes on sale on January 30. 

The phone was announced along with its select markets' sale dates at the close of 2025. We didn't have price information for Samsung's domestic market at that time, and even though we were anticipating the Galaxy Z Trifold to cost a bundle, the actual cost is more absurd than we'd guessed. In reality, getting your hands on this slim triple-screen smartphone will run you $2,900. 

Putting aside the ludicrous expense, this smartphone is pretty dang cool. After his hands-on experience with the phone at CES 2026, Engadget senior writer Sam Rutherford had overall positive things to say about the device, despite it demanding some tradeoffs in bulk. To borrow his own phrase: "I kind of hate how much I like the Galaxy Z TriFold."

Maybe as this cutting edge design becomes easier to manufacture, prices will eventually drop into the realm of reality for the average consumer. But if you’re a person who would buy a separate smartphone and tablet, combining both into a single device might feel worth the price tag. For now, anyone willing to pay the premium in the US will receive the model that has 512GB of storage and only comes in a black color.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-samsung-galaxy-z-trifold-will-cost-2900-in-the-us-140000013.html?src=rss

Google agrees to $68 million settlement in voice assistant privacy lawsuit

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Google has agreed to a $68 million settlement regarding claims that its voice assistant inappropriately spied on smartphone users. Plaintiffs claimed that the company’s Google Assistant platform began listening to them after it misheard conversations that sounded like its wake words. The suit argued that private information that Google Assistant shouldn't have heard was then used to deliver those individuals targeted ads. 

Reuters reported that Google denied wrongdoing in the suit, but according to court papers, the company agreed to a settlement in order to avoid the risk and costs of litigating the issue. The preliminary class action settlement was filed on Friday and now awaits approval from U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman.

Google has been transitioning away from the Google Assistant platform in the past year, replacing it with its Gemini tool. Not that AI chatbots should be trusted as paragons of privacy either.

Apple faced a very similar allegations around its Siri voice assistant in 2019; that class-action suit ended in a $95 million settlement in January 2025. Not sure if a reward of $20 per device feels sufficient when these companies are accidentally overhearing deeply personal conversations and details, but that's how the justice system shakes out some times.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-agrees-to-68-million-settlement-in-voice-assistant-privacy-lawsuit-222405727.html?src=rss

Sennheiser introduces new TV headphones bundle with Auracast

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Sennheiser has unveiled its RS 275 TV Headphones, which are bundled with a BTA1 digital receiver. These headphones use Auracast technology to provide low-latency audio at a range of up to 50 meters, and can connect to other devices enabled with Auracast or Bluetooth Classic. For those unfamiliar, Auracast is broadcast Bluetooth audio; we have an explainer about it after CES 2024 put this audio tech onto the big stage. The digital receiver introduces an Auracast signal in a physical space for any other compatible devices, which might include hearing aids or loudspeakers as well as other headphone sets.

The company promises 50 hours of listening with the RS 275 TV Headphones on a single charge, and the set can be powered up from the receiver's USB-C port. Sennheiser designed the headset for long-term comfort; the ear cushions and battery can be replaced by the device's owner. The headphones can be further personalized with the Sennheiser Smart Control Plus App. In addition to finding lost headphones, the app provides controls such as transparency mode, left-right balance, hearing profiles and device-type audio modes.

The RS 275 TV Headphone bundle will retail for $300, while a standalone BTA1 receiver will cost $130. Pre-orders will open on February 3 and the audio gear is expected to start shipping on February 17.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sennheiser-introduces-new-tv-headphones-bundle-with-auracast-233735294.html?src=rss

Telly has only delivered 35,000 of its free televisions with always-on ads

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Telly appeared on the home theater scene in 2023 with an unusual proposition. Its business model revolves around giving customers free dual-screen televisions where the lower screen shows non-stop advertisements. At the time, the start-up’s execs projected that Telly would ship its first 500,000 screens that summer. However, Janko Roettgers of Lowpass reported that Telly only had 35,000 sets in people's homes at the end of the third quarter of 2025. The figure appears to come from a quarterly investor update, but Telly didn't provide Roettgers with any comment on the report.

Personally, I don't think I'd want a free TV that perpetually pelts me with ads, but it seems Telly did in fact have some interest in its approach; the company reportedly had 250,000 pre-orders in June 2023. However, it ran into issues with getting those televisions to customers in one piece. The quarterly report allegedly said that 10 percent of Telly's shipments through FedEx arrived broken. A thread on the company's Reddit page from a year ago backs that up, chronicling delayed shipments and broken replacements. So in short, things aren’t going so great for the company right now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/telly-has-only-delivered-35000-of-its-free-televisions-with-always-on-ads-215033698.html?src=rss

Double Fine announces delightful-looking multiplayer pottery game Kiln

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Double Fine has been on a tear with its smaller projects lately. The popular indie game developer is following up last year's atmospheric adventure game Keeper with a new title in a totally different direction. As its Double Fine founder Tim Schaefer attempted to say five times fast during today's Xbox Developer Direct, Kiln is an "online multiplayer pottery party brawler" that boasts exactly the sort of colorful, clever fun that fans have come to expect from the studio. 

Kiln is a game with two facets: creation and destruction. On the creation side, players get to design a ceramic vessel of their choosing, anything from a dainty saucer to a massive vat. From the clips showed, this riff on character creation imitates many of the real processes of throwing on the wheel. There are options to decorate your vessel with glazes and stickers for additional personalization.

Once you've made your pottery creation, it's time to destroy it. The game mode that Double Fine showed off during the Developer Direct is called Quench. In these capture-the-flag style matches, your teammates are trying to carry water in the vessels they've designed to the enemy's kiln, where the goal is to douse its flames before opponents can do the same to yours. Different vessel types have different attacks for smashing enemy ceramics to shards, so there can be a strategic angle to building up a smart team composition with a mix of defensive and offensive capabilities.

Kiln looks like a really fun time, and it is due out in spring 2026. The game will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and Steam, as well as through Xbox programs such as Game Pass Ultimate and Xbox Cloud Gaming.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/double-fine-announces-delightful-looking-multiplayer-pottery-game-kiln-195837155.html?src=rss

Mario Kart World adds a team option in Knockout Tour

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Mario Kart World received a free update today that brings a team option to its Knockout Tour mode. Initially, the Knockout races in this Nintendo Switch 2 launch title were only for solo drivers, challenging players to finish ahead of enough other competitors or get eliminated from the series. It was one of the highlights of the game in our review, and this new wrinkle should bring plenty more fun chaos to the racetrack.

In the team mode, players compete either in two teams of twelve, three teams of eight or four teams of six. If you don't have enough people to fill out a team CPU drivers will complete the roster. You’ll still progress or be knocked out based on individual performance, but your score will be pooled with your teammates’ results. More points are awarded for placing highly in a race, with 50 going to the top finisher while drivers who don’t advance to the next course only get one. Eliminated drivers can continue to spectate the game and cheer on their teammates. Team play can be hosted via local wireless or online play.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-adds-a-team-option-in-knockout-tour-190348248.html?src=rss

Apple is reportedly overhauling Siri to be an AI chatbot

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Apple has been spinning its wheels for many months over its approach to artificial intelligence, but a strategy finally appears to be emerging for the company. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported today that Apple's long-awaited Siri overhaul will allegedly involve transforming the voice assistant into an AI chatbot, internally called Campos. 

Sources have reportedly told Gurman that Apple chatbot will completely replace the current Siri interface in favor of a more interactive model similar to those used by OpenAI's ChatGPT and Google's Gemini. He also cited sources who claimed that while Apple has been testing a standalone Campos app, the company doesn't plan to release it for customers. Instead, the new chatbot will emphasize deep software integrations when it rolls out, reportedly as part of the iOS 27, iPadOS 27 and macOS 27 wave late next year. However, there will reportedly be a new features for the current iteration Siri coming in the iOS 26.4. Those additions will include the much-delayed updates Apple first promised for the platform back in 2024.

Pivoting to a chatbot gives some additional context to Apple's recent move to collaborate with frequent rival Google; the companies announced earlier in January that Gemini models will be used to power the upcoming versions of Siri. Gemini has become ubiquitous in the Google ecosystem, and it makes sense for Apple to leverage outside help in this segment where it has already been trailing its competitors. 

 Although Apple may not have a standalone app for its Siri chatbot, the company does appear to be considering new places to host its AI resource. Additional reports today claimed that 2027 could also see the release of a wearable AI pin.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-is-reportedly-overhauling-siri-to-be-an-ai-chatbot-205303818.html?src=rss