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This story was produced by our colleagues at the BBC.

It’s 5 a.m., and I’ve just entered London’s New Covent Garden Market — the United Kingdom’s largest flower market — from the parking lot. I’m greeted by bright lights and rows upon rows of blooms: Italian ranunculus, Dutch tulips, eucalyptus and English ivy. This place has it all. (Kind of reminds me of a place David Brancaccio visited not too long ago.)

The roots of the New Convent Garden Market stretch back to the 17th century and, these days, it shifts $50 million of flowers annually. And I’ve gotten up at the crack of dawn to find out what goes into all those sales.

First stop: the stall run by Luke Gilbert of Green and Bloom. By now, he’s been awake since midnight, waiting for deliveries from across Europe.

“You never get used to it, though. Doesn’t really get any easier,” he said.

Luke Gilbert of Green and Bloom stands amid rows of bouquets. (Courtesy BBC)

His trick of the trade? Buy fast and stay nimble. Sometimes, he doesn’t know the exact price he’ll pay until the auction in Holland happens just hours before.

“If it goes too high, people just won’t buy it. So you can roughly say how much it’s going to be, but every now and again, we do get some shocks.”

Brexit red tape can be the biggest shock of them all. The U.K.’s split from the European Union has meant lots of fresh border checks. A key one for plants came in last year, with further phases rolling out too. The U.K. government has forecast that border charges could cost British businesses hundreds of millions of dollars a year.

“It’s also affected some of the delivery times,” Gilbert said. “There’s a lot more paperwork they have to go through.”

Further inside, Paul Fairhead from Evergreen Exterior Services is hunched over the counter, surveying his bulbs in pots. His main business is supplying window boxes to offices and pubs across London.

Paul Fairhead’s family has been in the flower business for generations. (Courtesy BBC)

“Brexit has been the biggest pain,” he said. “The government has brought in this new check down at Sevington. They’re taking lorries [trucks] in at 3 o’clock in the morning and pulling them over, but their staff aren’t starting work till 8 o’clock in the morning. So the lorry has been held for five hours,” he said. “We shut at 10 o’clock, so we’ve lost the day’s sales.”

It’s not all doom and gloom, though. I meet Natalie Keller, a florist with a stall in Barnes in southwest London, eyeing a big bucket of colourful tulips to add some color to her bunches.

“I’m normally back to the store for about 9 o’clock,” she said. “We prepare and condition all the flowers and get it out on display for everyone to see and hopefully buy.”

And here’s a trick I picked up today: If the flowers aren’t the right hue, you can always paint them. That’s exactly what wedding florist Susie Ball from Peckham Rye will be doing to her hydrangeas later.

“Because they’re not quite in season, we’ve got to paint them a little bit to get the color right for the event,” she said.

Long nights, early mornings and a constant race against the clock — traders here rely on a delicate supply chain that’s become more complex since Brexit.

Bunches of flowers at London’s new Covent Garden Flower Market. (Courtesy BBC)

Find all of our Tricks of the Trade stories accumulating here.

SpaceX has successfully launched the Fram2 private crewed mission on March 31 at 9:46 PM Eastern time on top of a Falcon 9 rocket. Fram2 is the first human spaceflight to explore the Earth's polar regions, which are not visible to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The crew will observe the Earth's poles through a panoramic cupola attachment from an altitude of 430 km (267 miles). SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule can fly from the North to the South Pole in around 46 minutes and Fram2 is a three-to-five day mission, so it's expected to provide scientists with a healthy amount of footage capturing the polar regions. In fact, SpaceX has already released the mission's first views of the Earth's poles from space. 

First views of Earth's polar regions from Dragon pic.twitter.com/3taP34zCeN

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 1, 2025

The crew will observe unusual light emissions resembling auroras in the regions, including STEVEs, which appear as purple and green light ribbons in the night sky. They will also conduct 22 experiments designed to better understand human health in space for the sake of long-duration missions in the future. The crew will capture the first human X-rays in space, study exercises meant to preserve muscle and bone mass, explore sleep and stress patterns using wearable tech, monitor their glucose and observe the female crew members' hormonal health. They also won't get the typical medical and mobility assistance upon landing to see how they re-acclimate to gravity on their own, and they will get an MRI immediately after they arrive. NASA called Fram2's launch a "significant step" in humanity's understanding of how our bodies will fare in outer space.

pic.twitter.com/SYngaLWghI

— NASA (@NASA) April 1, 2025

Chun Wang, a Chinese-born cryptocurrency investor who now lives in Norway, paid for the trip and is one of the astronauts currently on board. Jannicke Mikkelsen, a filmmaker working on technology for movies shot in remote and hazardous environments, serves as the mission's vehicle commander. Rabea Rogge, a robotics researcher from Norway, is the pilot. Finally, Eric Philips, a professional polar adventurer and guide, is the mission's medical officer. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/spacex-launches-fram2-the-first-crewed-spaceflight-to-explore-earths-polar-regions-130006166.html?src=rss

ChatGPT's built-in image generation feature is now available to everyone. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said last week that the company is delaying its rollout to free tier "for a while," because the tool was way more popular than they had expected. But the company made the feature available to free users over the weekend, allowing them to generate images from within ChatGPT and without having to switch to OpenAI's DALL-E generator. Prior to its rollout to the free tier, the tool was only available to Plus, Pro and Team subscribers. 

Altman previously said that free users will get a limit of three images per day. Based on our experience trying it out, some accounts are limited to just one a day. Those who find themselves able to generate more than one will still have to wait anywhere between a few minutes and a few hours. One of the tool's most popular uses that we've seen so far is the creation of Ghibli-style images using real-life photos. Users simply have to upload the photo they want to use and then instruct ChatGPT in natural language to create a Ghibli-style version of it. The trend had raised concerns, yet again, about the legality of using copyrighted work as training data for artificial intelligence. It also resurfaced the reaction of Hayao Miyazaki, Studio Ghibli's founder, upon being shown AI-generated animation years ago. "I strongly feel that this is an insult to life itself," the director said. 

In a tweet, Altman said that the tool could still exhibit erratic behavior and could refuse some generations that should be allowed. OpenAI is still fixing the issue. The company also told TechCrunch that it "takes action" if a generated image violates company guidelines, though it didn't exactly detail about what those actions are.

Creating and customizing images is as simple as chatting using GPT‑4o—just describe what you need, including any specifics like aspect ratio, exact colors using hex codes, or a transparent background. pic.twitter.com/fnen1aDjNZ

— OpenAI (@OpenAI) March 25, 2025

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-built-in-image-generator-for-chatgpt-is-now-available-to-free-users-120003146.html?src=rss

Creatives in the UK are once again speaking out against AI developers accessing copyrighted material. The Society of Authors have published an open letter calling for UK Secretary of State Lisa Nandy to hold Meta accountable for possible copyright infringement regarding its LLM, Llama 3. Signatories of the letter include successful British authors Richard Osman, Kazuo Ishiguro, Val McDermid and Sarah Waters. 

A March 20 article in The Atlantic served as the letter's impetus. It reported that Meta had used LibGen, a pirated collection of over 7.5 million books, to train its AI models. Anyone on the internet over the last few weeks has likely seen videos of distraught authors learning that their work is available on the database (and potentially used by Meta without their permission). A lawsuit in the US alleges Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg approved the use of LibGen's data to train its AI. The lawsuit's plaintiffs include writers Sarah Silverman and Ta-Nehisi Coates.

"These cases are shining a light on the unscrupulous behaviour exhibited by global tech companies which seemingly exploit copyright-protected material, safe in the knowledge that they will not be held to account," the Society of Authors' letter stated. "This must change, and global tech companies must now be held accountable and pay for the use they make of authors’ works."

The authors implore Nandy to bring Meta senior executives before Parliament and make them commit to respecting copyrights and compensating authors for any previous infringements. 

"Authors are almost powerless given the enormous cost and complexities of pursuing litigation against corporate defendants with such deep pockets," the letter continued. "We call upon you and the UK Government to take all action available to ensure that the rights, interests and livelihoods of authors are adequately protected. Failure to act without further delay will unquestionably have a catastrophic and irreversible impact on all UK authors given that from development through to output, creators’ rights are being systematically and repeatedly ignored."

Artists across the creative industries have also recently protested the UK government's December 2024 proposal to change copyright law. The shift would provide AI developers with a copyright exemption and require creatives to "opt out" or allow access to their materials. 

In February, over 1,000 musicians released an album called Is This What We Want?, with 12 songs spelling out, "The British government must not legalise music theft to benefit AI companies." It coincided with the UK News Media Association's Make It Fair campaign calling on the government to support creative industries and compensate those individuals if allowing AI to train on their work. 

That same week creatives, from Paul McCartney to Helen Fielding, also shared an open letter against the proposal. Published in The Times, it stated, "There is no moral or economic argument for stealing our copyright. Taking it away will devastate the industry and steal the future of the next generation."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/british-authors-want-meta-to-answer-for-alleged-copyright-infringement-114501800.html?src=rss

I’m sidestepping the desperate attempts at April 1 shenanigans and focusing on the imminent Nintendo Direct broadcast, which is likely to confirm rumors and sink others.

The last few Switch 1 games have been revealed, meaning tomorrow’s Nintendo Direct: Switch 2 presentation, kicking off at 9AM ET / 6AM PT will be all about the new console — no distractions. (Although, I’d be cool with a Silksong release date, finally.)

We already know the Switch 2 will be a bigger console, with a bigger screen and Joy-Cons. There also may be some sort-of-mouse functionality baked into the controllers this time, but Nintendo’s focus is on tech specs — and the games. What does the company have cooking?

— Mat Smith

The biggest tech stories you missed

• Google’s new experimental AI model, Gemini 2.5 Pro, is now available to free users too

• The best midrange smartphones

• Apple is reportedly on track to launch the M5 iPad Pro and MacBook Pro later this year

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The Light Phone III doesn’t have apps or internet, but still costs $799 $599 if you pre-order. Light Phone

The company behind several minimalist handsets has just released the Light Phone III. It may be the perfect device for folks who brag about giving up smartphones and have the money to experiment with stripped-down phones that are the ultimate step back from modern convenience. Whoops, sorry, I let my mask slip there. Hey, at least there’s no AI nonsense.

There is a cool, crisp B&W OLED display, new for this third iteration, instead of e-ink paper. There’s still no internet, no apps, no email. There is, however, a place for your podcasts and a simple camera with a physical button. There’s also a Maps app, powered by Here, but it’s private, so there’s no info shared on where you’re trying to get to. Privacy like that, however, costs a heady $799, unless you can get the pre-order price of $599 at launch, with estimated delivery in July.

Continue reading.

xAI, Elon Musk’s AI company, just purchased X, Elon Musk’s social media company Confused? You should be.

Yes, xAI has purchased X, according to a post shared by Musk. Besides their owner and similar names, the companies are already connected through xAI’s chatbot, Grok, so it makes some sense. The biggest surprise may be that X is still valued at $33 billion — according to Musk and his companies, at least. X, once Twitter, was acquired by Musk in 2022 for $43 billion. xAI, like many leading AI companies, has been raising money as often and as quickly as possible. Combining the two companies may ease some of the debt Musk took on.

The companies’ futures are “intertwined,” according to Musk. Financially, now, that’s very true.

Continue reading.

iOS 18.4 is available now It adds new emoji, Apple News+ Food and priority notifications.

iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4 and macOS 15.4 include a new Apple News+ Food section in the News app that collects recipes and food-oriented articles, including exclusive recipes for Apple News+ subscribers. The updates also introduce new emoji, AI-sorted Priority Notifications in the Notification Center and a new Ambient Music tool in the Control Center.

After a bit of a delay, Apple Intelligence will be available in the European Union for the first time on iPhone and iPad. The suite of AI features will now also work in several new languages “including French, German, Italian, Portuguese (Brazil), Spanish, Japanese, Korean and Chinese (simplified) — as well as localized English for Singapore and India.”

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111414827.html?src=rss

TVs are getting slimmer and sleeker, but that often comes at the expense of sound quality. Built-in speakers just don’t cut it when you want room-filling audio for movies, gaming or even just hearing dialogue clearly. That’s where a good soundbar comes in — an easy space-saving way to dramatically improve your TV’s audio without the hassle of a full home theater system.

Whether you’re after a Dolby Atmos setup for immersive surround sound, a compact, budget-friendly option or a feature-packed soundbar with smart assistant support, there’s something out there to match your needs.

Table of contents

• The post-CES soundbar outlook for 2025

• Best soundbars for 2025

• What to look for in a soundbar

• Other soundbars we tested

• Soundbar FAQs

The post-CES soundbar outlook for 2025

I typically come out of CES with a pretty clear understanding of the new soundbars that are coming for the year, but that wasn’t exactly the case in 2025. LG decided to carry over its most premium soundbars from 2024, but it will add the compact S20A this year. The company only previewed the model at CES, so full specs are still forthcoming.

Samsung will once again keep the same overall design and features for its top-end Q990 soundbar. However, the company is adding a few new tools and it drastically reduced the size of the wireless subwoofer that comes in the box. Samsung does have one new model for 2025, the QS700F, that’s designed to sit on a table or automatically adjust to being mounted flat on a wall. Details are scarce on that soundbar for now and I anticipate a full spec sheet when the company is really to sell it.

Of the big three TV companies, Sony is the only one that didn’t announce any home theater gear at CES. The company has decided to focus mainly on its automotive efforts at the show recently, leaving TV and audio announcements for later in the year. The company debuted multiple soundbar options in 2024 and a four-speaker setup for the living room in the Bravia Quad. That said, it wouldn’t surprise me if Sony released new soundbars later in the year since its most recent models were only announced last April.

One company I would keep an eye on is Sennheiser. The original Ambeo model is nearly six years old and could use a refresh. The company has added medium and mini options to the Ambeo lineup since then, but it would be nice to see a refined version of the largest model too. The original Ambeo soundbar is huge, so no matter how good it sounds, it will always be a tough sell for some people.

Although I think it’s less likely, it’s also possible that Sonos has new soundbars this year. While the company’s next device will likely be the rumored set-top streaming box, the Sound Motion tech inside the Arc Ultra would offer a big improvement to bass performance in compact models like the Beam and Ray. The company may bring Sound Motion to standalone speakers first, but it’s destined for those smaller soundbars eventually.

The best soundbars for 2025

What to look for in a soundbar Features

When it comes to features, the more you pay the more you're going to get in your new audio system. Most affordable options ($150 or less) will improve your television's audio quality, but that's about it. Step into the $300 to $400 range and you'll find a smart soundbar with things like built-in voice control, wireless connectivity, Google Chromecast, AirPlay 2 and even Android TV. They're all helpful when you want to avoid looking for the remote control, but the best sound quality is usually only in the top tier and the formats those premium soundbar systems support. I’m talking about things like Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and other high-resolution audio standards. These are essential if you want truly cinematic sound for your living-room setup. And not all Atmos soundbars are equal, so you'll need to look at the finer details carefully before you break into the savings account. If you're looking for one of the best Dolby Atmos soundbars, size, channels and subwoofer options will be important factors to consider. Some models even include a dedicated subwoofer to enhance bass performance, bringing an extra punch to action scenes and soundtracks.

Ports

This is a big one. A lot of the more affordable soundbars are limited when it comes to connectivity options. They either offer an optical port or one HDMI jack and, if you're lucky, both. Things get slightly better in the mid-range section, but that's not always the case. The Sonos Beam, for example, is $449, but only has a single HDMI port. Even at the higher-end, the $899 Sonos Arc still only has one HDMI port. If you plan to connect multiple devices like a set-top box, gaming laptop or console directly to your soundbar for the best audio experience, you’ll want an option with at least two HDMI (eARC) inputs. HDMI connections are critical for supporting Dolby Atmos and Dolby Digital audio formats, as well as high-res passthrough for HDR and 8K/4K content.

Channels

Another big thing you’ll want to pay attention to when looking for the best soundbar is channels. That’s the 2.1, 7.1.2 or other decimal number that companies include in product descriptions. The first figure corresponds to the number of channels. A two would just be left and right while a more robust Atmos system, especially one with rear surround speakers, could be five or seven (left, right, center and upward). The second number refers to the dedicated subwoofer, so if your new soundbar comes with one or has them built in, you’ll see one here. The third numeral is up-firing speakers, important for the immersive effect of Dolby Atmos. Not all Atmos-enabled units have them, but if they do, the third number will tell you how many are in play and how they contribute to the overall soundstage.

Wireless

Most soundbars these days offer either Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or both. When it comes to Wi-Fi, that connectivity affords you luxuries like voice control (either built-in or with a separate device), Chromecast, Spotify Connect and AirPlay 2. Depending on your preferences, you might be able to live without some of these. For me, AirPlay 2 and Chromecast are essentials, but the rest I can live without. Those two give me the ability to beam music and podcasts from my go-to apps without having to settle for — or struggle with — a Bluetooth connection. For instance, Sonos speakers often offer seamless integration with iOS devices, making it easy to connect and stream music wirelessly. If you’re looking for a wireless speaker that can enhance your TV setup while also offering flexibility for audio throughout the house, it's worth considering a multi-room system.

Size

This one might seem obvious but humor me for a minute. Nothing is more soul-crushing than getting a pricey soundbar in your living room only to discover you have to rearrange everything to find a spot for it. This was my plight when the Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar arrived at my door. Yes, that speaker is absurdly large (and heavy), and most soundbars aren't nearly as big. I learned a valuable lesson: Make sure the space where you want to put a soundbar will accommodate the thing you're about to spend hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars on.

Basically, it all comes down to the TV you have (or are planning to get) and what the primary goal is for your living-room audio. Is it ease of use? Do you want the best possible sound from a single speaker or speaker/sub combo? Do you just want to be able to actually hear your TV better? Or do you want to turn your living room into an immersive home theater system with surround sound?

By paying attention to each of those areas, you should have a good idea of what to look for in a soundbar, soundbar/subwoofer combo, Dolby Digital system or a more robust setup. With that said, we've put numerous products through their paces at Engadget and have a few favorites for best soundbar at various price points to get you started.

Other soundbars we tested Sonos Arc

There’s no doubt that the Arc is Sonos’ best-sounding soundbar, but it’s also the company’s most expensive. With a new model based on the Arc rumored to be on the way, it’s difficult to recommend this product over the likes of Samsung and Sony. The Arc works well as both a soundbar and a speaker, and the device will fit in nicely with other Sonos gear you might already have for a multiroom setup. It only has one HDMI port though, where much of the competition allows you to connect streaming and gaming devices directly to their soundbars.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Plus

I don’t think Sennheiser’s medium-sized model offers enough to stand out from the more powerful Ambeo Soundbar Max or the Ambeo Soundbar Mini. The Mini is more affordable and does a solid job with immersive audio in its own right. Like the rest of the Ambeo lineup, there’s no option for satellite speakers as you can only add a subwoofer to the soundbars. However, the Ambeo Soundbar Plus does have RCA input, so you can use it with a turntable if you’re into vinyl.

Soundbar FAQs Is a soundbar better than speakers?

It really depends on what you’re after. A soundbar is definitely a simpler, more compact solution compared to a full speaker setup. If you want better sound than your TV’s built-in setup but don’t want to deal with multiple speakers and wires everywhere, a soundbar is probably the way to go. Some soundbars can even deliver impressive surround sound effects, thanks to features like Dolby Atmos and virtual audio technology. 

However, if you’re an audiophile or want true surround sound for an at-home theater experience, a multi-speaker setup with a receiver, surround speakers and subwoofer will give you a richer soundstage and more control over your experience.

What connection do I need for a soundbar?

Most modern soundbars connect to your TV via HDMI ARC or eARC, which is the easiest and best option for achieving high-quality audio. If your TV supports this, all you need is an HDMI cable, and you’ll get not only great sound but also some extra features like controlling the soundbar with your TV remote. 

If HDMI ARC isn’t an option on your TV, you can use an optical cable, which also delivers solid audio quality. Some soundbars even offer Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections for streaming music, and a few still have a 3.5mm aux jack for connecting to older devices. 

Do all soundbars come with subwoofers?

Not all soundbars come with subwoofers, but many do or at least offer one as an optional add-on that you can purchase separately. A subwoofer is what gives you that deep, booming bass, so if you like action movies or want a fuller sound for music, having one can make a big difference. Some soundbars have a built-in subwoofer, but these generally don’t provide the same punch as a separate one. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-soundbars-143041791.html?src=rss

The economy gained nearly 63,000 restaurant and bar jobs in December and January. But the industry had no time to get comfortable because it lost nearly all of them by the end of February. 

In the grand scheme of things, this change wasn’t insane, and the numbers are still preliminary, but on face value the sector hadn’t seen drops that big since the dark days of the pandemic. 

Restaurant and bar jobs seem to have roughly tracked restaurant and bar sales over the past three years, and sure enough, retail sales in the industry have mostly fallen since November — and they dropped sharply, by 1.5%, in February.

“We definitely were not as busy as we would have liked to have been in January and February,” Jason Smith said. He’s the owner and chef at Cantina 18 in Raleigh, North Carolina. It’s been there for 15 years. North Carolina’s hiring trends mirrored the national numbers pretty closely.

Smith puts some of this down to weather. In January, it was sub-zero or snowing all the way down into Florida.

“I have a lot of empty nesters and, you know, older clientele, and when it’s, you know, 25 degrees five days in a row, a lot of those folks just don’t go out, understandably,” he said. “We closed, I think, two nights and closed two or three shifts. You know, the snow’s, it’s expensive.”

But it may have been more than just the snow at work here.

“February is where we start to see a definitive shift in consumer behavior,” said R. J. Hottovy, head of analytical research at Placer.ai. Placer uses anonymized mobile device data to analyze foot traffic, and Hottovy zeroed in on restaurants.  

“Visitation trends for really every restaurant category were down year over year,” he found.

This was around the same time that consumer sentiment surveys showed people were getting extra-anxious about the economy. Hottovy said that’s not a coincidence.

“People are asking a lot of questions about the direction of the economy. I think that’s certainly had an impact on things. And the reason why we believe that is because it was so widespread across a lot of retail and restaurant categories,” he said.

The possibility of tariffs pushing up prices is one source of that anxiety for customers. It’s also a source of anxiety for the restaurants themselves. Especially if they get certain foods from, say, Mexico.

“I am a lowly guacamole salesman,” said Smith. “I also am a lowly tequila salesman, so I am more than puckered up about it, yes. But nothing’s happened yet, so let’s just hold on before we panic.”

Some restaurants are trying to plan — negotiating with vendors, consolidating products, planning large buys to stock up.  

Amber Moshakos, president of LM Restaurants, which has 34 locations in the Southeast, said she’s spent a lot of time and energy on planning.

“You know, if we get tariffs on tequila and Mexican beer, all right, we have a formula, we know how to respond, we know what to do,” she said.

Planning for specific tariffs is tough when they change by the day or even the hour.

“And so instead of trying to get all wrapped up in this go-no-go, stop-start mentality, our focus is just creating an agile organization. So no matter what happens this year, we’re prepared,” she said.

The one thing Moshakos said she cannot do is pass costs on to customers. “It’s going to be our last option.”

That’s the bind a lot of restaurants are in — customers might just lose it if menu prices start soaring again.

“The primary headwind to customer traffic formation at restaurants has been inflation,” said David Portalatin, food industry adviser for market research firm Circana. Price hikes are a no-go for another reason: The restaurant landscape has become more competitive.

“There’s actually more restaurant locations, but less traffic than in 2019,” he said.

Restaurants do have options, especially if just a few of their ingredients are hit by tariffs. “They can reformulate their recipes, they can swap product in and out,” said Rich Shank, senior principal at Technomic.

And despite the rough start, a lot of analysts say 2025 may turn out OK for restaurants. “We are predicting modest levels of growth this year,” Shank said.

Because, he said, people still need to eat, and after all the adapting restaurants have had to do over the last five years, they’ve become pretty good at it.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said in a recent Radio France interview that the current economic and geopolitical situation marks “the beginning of a march towards independence” for Europe. With the increase in U.S. tariffs, she said, the Continent can come together to take greater control of its destiny.

This comes as Europe grapples with macroeconomic challenges — notably, paltry economic growth. The EU could look at U.S. trade policy as a kind of opportunity.

“Make America Great Again may actually be MEGA — Make Europe Great Again,” said Harold James, a professor of history and international affairs at Princeton University.

He said Europe has its share of problems: an aging population, inflation and a relatively low level of investment in innovative businesses. 

“It’s not that Europe doesn’t produce good ideas,” said James. “But on the other hand, they haven’t really translated that into mass marketing of these products.”

But now, he said, Europe is putting more money into areas like defense spending. 

“This is not going to be traditional expenditure on boots and leather belts and … trench-digging equipment,” he said. “The war of the future is about drones and about electronic warfare.”

James said there’s hope that some producers in sectors that will likely be hurt by U.S. tariffs, like automakers, could convert to high-tech defense manufacturing. 

“They have a lot of skills and a lot of historical legacies that they can use in terms of responding to a new defense buildup,” he said.

But before the EU starts printing baseball caps emblazoned with “MEGA,” warns Ángel Talavera at Oxford Economics, building this kind of high-tech ecosystem would be really hard. 

“You hear this very, very often in many countries, like, we’re going to turn this area into the Silicon Valley of Country X, but it doesn’t happen very often, and it doesn’t happen because it’s very difficult,” he said.

Talavera said there are lots of things the European Union could do that would make it easier for companies to grow across boundaries, like make the banking system less fragmented. 

“You have a bank operating in Spain and the same bank operating in Portugal, which is next door, really, and they have to be operating under two different licenses. You cannot have a bank account that is the same one in both countries, things like that,” he said.

But getting political buy-in for large-scale changes to industries like banking would be tough, said Shannon O’Neil, senior vice president and director of studies at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“Politics is never easy, and it’s never easy when you’re bringing together more than two dozen countries with all of their politics,” she said.

It might not be so much a march toward independence, she said, and more of a walk. Maybe a crawl. 

Monday is the final trading day of the first quarter. So far, markets have been volatile, thanks to all the uncertainty around tariffs — and by extension, U.S. growth. But the stock market isn’t the only thing that’s been falling this year. So has the value of the dollar.

Year to date, the greenback is down about 4%. That also reflects concerns about where the economy’s headed.

A lot of investors went into the year with a pretty optimistic outlook for the U.S. economy, said Juan Perez, director of trading at Monex USA.

He said they were hoping “that there was going to be a lot of policies coming from the Trump administration, and they’re pro-business, they’re pro-growth.” 

But then the trade wars kicked off, Perez said investors’ optimism quickly faded.

“The ultimate consensus is that trade wars will affect growth,” Perez said. “And right now, the narrative is very much not so positive for the United States.”

Investors who are nervous about economic growth often react by moving their money out of relatively risky assets, like stocks.

“And that flow, if it’s significant enough among enough investors, can actually alter the trajectory of a currency,” said Christopher Vecchio, head of futures and foreign exchange at the research company TastyLive.

He said that’s because U.S. stocks and other American financial assets are bought and sold in dollars. So when demand for stocks falls, demand for dollars does too.

Vecchio said a lot of foreign investors are starting to think twice about whether they want to invest in the U.S. to begin with.

“Those foreign investors have been selling their stocks. They’ve been taking those U.S. dollars, converting them back to euros, to pounds, what have you, and investing in their domestic markets once again,” said Vecchio. 

Another factor that’s been luring money away from the dollar is the yield on other countries’ government bonds, said Vishy Tirupattur, chief fixed income strategist at Morgan Stanley.

“So for example, in Japan, local currency government bonds in Japan are yielding meaningfully greater than what they were yielding six months ago,” said Tirupattur. 

The thing is, Tirupattur said tariffs could cause other countries’ economies to slow down too. And that means their government bonds might not keep attracting investors.

“The question really is: Will the tariffs weaken their growth prospects more? Would their central banks have to cut rates more than they would have otherwise?” said Tirupattur. 

And if that happens, the dollar’s value could start to strengthen again.

It’s not just you — it’s gotten a lot harder to afford a new house.

If you want to buy a typical home in 2025, your household income has to be about $117,000, according to a new study on housing affordability from Bankrate. Just before the pandemic, you needed $78,000. That’s a 50% increase in five years. All while wages have gone up just 27%.

There are two big reasons homes are so difficult to afford, said Redfin chief economist Daryl Fairweather: “It’s a combination of high prices and high mortgage rates.”

With higher home prices come higher property taxes and home insurance premiums.

On top of that, mortgage rates are nearly double what they were five years ago.

“The barriers to homeownership are really high especially for people who are borrowing,” Fairweather said.

You know who’s more likely to borrow money to pay a mortgage? First-time home buyers.

“Twenty-six percent of all houses purchased in 2024 were all cash, and they’re squeezing out that first-time home buyer who has … a 9% down payment,” said Mark Eppli, a visiting professor of real estate at Georgetown University. 

He said that’s partly why the average age of a first-time homebuyer has gone up from 32 in 2020 to 38 today. With multiple bidders on limited housing stock, they just can’t compete with the empty nesters.

“If you got a cash buyer in one hand and a buyer who needs a 91% loan to value loan and get approved for financing, and you’re selling your house, who do you sell to?” he said.

Home prices are expected to go up another 5% this year, according to Bankrate analyst Jeff Ostrowski. Inventory remains tight. But he said we may have reached the boundaries of affordability.

“The days of bidding wars and 30 people putting in an offer on an unremarkable suburban house … those days are gone,” he said.

Those days might be gone, but better days aren’t coming yet either. 

“The lesson of the past four years has been: It doesn’t look like a great time to buy a house now, but it’s probably going to get worse,” Ostrowski said. It’s hard to time the market, he added.

Redfin’s Daryl Fairweather said if you can’t buy, that’s not terrible, because the rental market is more affordable right now. She said renters should largely be safe from major rent hikes this year.

Back in February, when President Trump announced sweeping tariffs at both the Canadian and Mexican borders, “Marketplace” reporter and host Kristin Schwab looked at how small businesses were coping with the uncertainty and the new costs. Among the people she spoke with was Daniella Velazquez de León, a general manager at Organics Unlimited, a banana grower and wholesaler based in San Diego. Since the business imports most of its supply from Mexico, the proposed 25% tariff was going to hit hard.

And then, most of the promised tariffs against Mexico and Canada were rolled back, but only temporarily. Tariffs are currently set to resume on April 2.

Velazquez de León rejoined Kristin Schwab to catch up ahead of that deadline. A transcript of their conversation is below.

Kristin Schwab: Give me an update. How has business been?

Daniella Velazquez de León: I mean, for the most part, we’ve been having a good year so far. What’s scary is all of the uncertainty around tariffs. Everything could change from one day to the next, and it’s just been a lot of whiplash from February to March and now April.

Schwab: We talked, I think, last in February when tariffs were on the horizon and you were figuring out what to do. And then a lot happened after that. On March 4, the Trump administration enacted a 25% tariff on products coming in from Canada and Mexico. And then March 6, just two days later, he rolled those back. Before we get to the now, can you tell me what those 48 hours were like if you can remember?

Velazquez de León: They were pretty horrible. We had prepared for it as best we could, but there’s very little guidance. We were talking to our customs brokers, our Customs Brokers were talking to CBP, and even CBP didn’t have clear direction on how to handle this. And in those two days alone, we paid over $14,000 in tariffs.

Schwab: Wow. And then, just like that, they kind of temporarily went away. Does that mean your sort of chaos went away? Or what’s been happening for the last month or so?

Velazquez de León: It feels like it’s been psychological torture. For the last couple months, we’ve done as much preparing as we can, and even just the costs of preparing have been crazy. I mean, we’re a small business. We got an invoice from our legal team for almost $40,000 just in guidance for how to approach these tariffs. And even so, we didn’t have a concrete, clear direction of “this is exactly how you should be managing this, how you should be doing the valuation.” And so it feels like the fate of our future is in the hands of the president and what he decides this week.

Schwab: Well, these tariffs are meant to be back on in just a couple days. What does that mean for you?

Velazquez de León: I mean, we’re trying to stay optimistic. I’m hopeful that we’re going to come together and figure out a way to survive and get through to the other side. But if I’m more realistic than optimistic, that seems very difficult if these tariffs do go into place all the way.

Schwab: What are you hearing from the grower side, from these farmers?

Velazquez de León: They’re very concerned, all of these growers that we’ve been working with for generations. My great-grandfather was a banana grower. It’s a whole region that depends on this commodity to survive and to thrive, and, if these tariffs go into place, that could completely destroy the whole economy in that region. And at retail stores, it’s pretty much forbidden to go anywhere above the 99 cent mark for organic bananas. So growers know that. Again, it’s make it or break it for their businesses and their communities.

Schwab: You know, you just talked about being a fourth-generation member of your family to work at this company. What comes up when you think about this time and what it means for the future of your business?

Velazquez de León: It makes me a little emotional because it’s my family’s legacy, and it’s what we’ve dedicated our lives to. It’s our story. And we’ve made a name for ourselves in the industry and also in our growing communities, so it’s not just our businesses, our employees, our customers, on the line. It’s also all of these programs that we’ve dedicated this business to on the line. So honestly, it’s kind of an emotional roller coaster these past few months and going into this week.

About an hour outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, construction is underway for a brand-new Newton-Conover High School. Superintendent Aron Gabriel said it will serve both small towns, which are just off the interstate in rural area.

Gabriel is optimistic that the new building, with its spacious classrooms and new athletic facilities, will attract new students. In the five years it took to plan and build this school, student enrollment in this small district has dropped 11%.

“We’ve just got to figure out how to get people to follow, and then more people to have babies and bring them here,” Gabriel said.

Now a school that was meant to prevent overcrowding isn’t likely to be crowded.

The school district population has dropped 11% in the five years it’s taken to plan and build Newton-Conover High, meant to prevent overcrowding. (Liz Schlemmer/WUNC)

Gabriel doesn’t know why. There are no competing charter schools, and it’s not like the town recently lost a factory. But fewer kids keep showing up for kindergarten.

“I’m still scratching my head, but I can’t control it,” Gabriel said.

Public school enrollment peaked in the United States in 2019 and has been falling at many school districts across the country ever since. When the pandemic hit, some families flocked to homeschooling or private schools. Some wanted to avoid catching COVID, while others wanted to avoid masking or remote learning. Whatever their reasons, five years later, public schools still have fewer students than they did before the pandemic.

But school choice isn’t the only reason why. Larger demographic trends are also changing the economics at public schools, especially in small towns. 

Gabriel receives annual enrollment projections from the state that tell him how many students to expect each fall, but they’re based on historical trends and are not a crystal ball.

Aron Gabriel, superintendent at Newton-Conover City Schools, on the site of the new high school. (Liz Schlemmer/WUNC)

Researchers at Carolina Demography at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, calculate those projections. The center’s director, Nathan Dollar, hasn’t analyzed what’s happening in Newton-Conover specifically, but he said there are three factors causing enrollment decline across the state.

“No. 1 is births. You have market share. And then you have migration,” Dollar explained.

For any school district, you have to look at all three, starting with births, he said. “Fertility is on the decline everywhere.”

The birth rate in North Carolina and the country has been falling for almost 20 years, then it took a nosedive with the pandemic. As far as migration, North Carolina has been gaining residents from other states, but they’re not coming in droves to rural places like Newton.

“Most of the people that are moving to North Carolina are moving to our urban centers, and they’re in those prime working ages … so they’re the most likely to have children,” Dollar said.

Then the last factor is what Dollar calls “market share” — people leaving a particular school district for homeschooling, charter schools or private schools.

All three of these forms of schooling are on the rise in the state. The problem for school districts like Newton-Conover is that all these forces are hitting them at once, affecting their bottom line.

At the end of his day, Gabriel stops by South Newton Elementary, a school that has been losing students.

“The way our funding flows is per kid, and as the per-kid numbers go down, so does our funding,” Gabriel said.

Most of that funding goes to pay educators. Gabriel hasn’t yet let go of teachers, but he has cut about half of the district’s administrative positions in the last five years. That means some staff — including Chief Academic Officer Tammy Brown — now do the work of several people.

Gabriel bumps into Brown while she is helping students in the car pickup line. The two of them have known each other since elementary school.

Said Gabriel: “She was in first grade when I was in kindergarten, so we’ve known each other —”

“Forever!” Brown pipes up, finishing Gabriel’s sentence.

Tammy Brown, chief academic officer at Newton-Conover City Schools, is doing the work of several people since budget cuts tied to falling enrollment have reduced staff. (Liz Schlemmer/WUNC)

Gabriel explains that Brown has recently taken on management of federal programs and English as a second language services, joking that she does 50 jobs now.

“About that,” Brown replied.

“And if she stands here long enough, I’ll give her another one,” Gabriel said with a chuckle.

They’re joking, but Gabriel is visiting the school this particular afternoon to meet with staff about more possible cuts. He said he can’t name any positions yet, because if he did, everyone in town would know who’s at risk of losing their job.

As the district cuts staff who manage programs that serve the most vulnerable kids, Gabriel is worried it will affect the students who are still here.

“You worry — am I going to be able to provide the same level of service?” Gabriel said.

Big picture, Gabriel said: Drops in enrollment lead to cuts, and that impacts the kids — especially the ones who need the most support.

There may come a point where you want to break ties with Amazon — maybe you’re cutting down on impulse buys, trying to escape the subscription rabbit hole or just rethinking where your money goes. Whatever the reason, Amazon gives you two main options: you can cancel your Prime membership to stop the monthly (or yearly) payments, or you can go all in and delete your entire Amazon account including your order history, personal data and access to services like Kindle and Prime Video. This guide will walk you through both processes step by step so you can take control of your Amazon presence.

How to cancel your Amazon Prime membership

Canceling Amazon Prime is a lot easier than you might think — especially if you’re looking to save money or you’re not using the perks much anymore. Prime comes with benefits like free shipping, access to Prime Video, Prime Reading and more, but if you’re not using those, you may want to let it go.

1. Go to Amazon’s “End Your Amazon Prime Membership” help page, or sign into your Amazon account and select Account & Lists then Prime Membership.

2. Select “End Membership.”

3. Amazon may prompt you with offers to stay (like reminders of what you'll lose or a discounted rate). If you're sure, keep clicking “Continue to Cancel.”

4. Confirm your cancellation.

Once canceled, your membership will run until the end of your current billing period. If you cancel during a free trial, your Prime benefits will end immediately and you won’t be charged.

How to delete your Amazon account entirely

If you want to take things a step further and permanently delete your Amazon account — along with all your personal data, order history and any associated services — you can request full account closure. While this will irreversibly delete account details like your order history, you can always sign up again from scratch if you change your mind. Once your account is gone, you won’t be able to access anything tied to it again. This includes your:

• Order history and invoices

• Access to digital content (like Kindle books, Prime Video purchases or Amazon Music)

• Saved payment methods and shipping addresses

• Amazon Photos, Amazon Drive and Alexa voice history

• Any remaining Amazon gift card balances or promotional credit

So, before you go through with it, make sure you download anything you want to keep, spend any remaining credit and cancel open orders or subscriptions.

1. Head to the Close Your Amazon Account help page, or sign into your Amazon account and select Account & Lists then Account, and navigate to the Manage your data section then Close Your Amazon Account.

2. Review the list of services associated with your account. This helps you see what you'll lose access to, such as Audible, Alexa devices, Kindle purchases or Amazon-owned services in other countries.

3. If you're sure you want to continue, select a reason for leaving from the drop-down menu.

4. Check the box confirming: “Yes, I want to permanently close my Amazon account and delete my data.”

5. Click Close My Account.

Georgie Peru for Engadget

After submitting the request, Amazon will send a confirmation message to your email or phone number. You’ll need to reply within five days to verify the deletion request. If you don’t, the request expires and your account stays active.

If you have multiple Amazon accounts, you’ll need to go through this process for each one individually. Once your account is deleted, you can’t get it back. If you want to use Amazon again in the future, you’ll have to create a brand-new account. Also, your account will be deleted across all Amazon sites globally — so if you also use amazon.co.uk, amazon.de or amazon.co.jp with the same login, those will be gone too.

FAQs Can you get a refund on your Prime membership?

Yes, in some cases. If you haven’t used any Prime benefits during the current period — for example, if you haven’t placed an order with free Prime shipping or streamed anything on Prime Video — Amazon will typically give you a full refund. It usually takes three to five business days to process.

What happens to your Prime add-ons?

If you’ve signed up for Prime Video Channels like Paramount+ or Showtime, those will also end when you cancel your Prime membership. These subscriptions won’t renew once Prime is canceled.

Also, if you subscribed to Prime through Google Play on an Android device, you'll need to cancel through Google Subscriptions instead. Similarly, if your Prime came bundled with a third-party service like Metro by T-Mobile, you’ll need to contact that provider directly to cancel.

For more general tips on managing and canceling subscriptions you’re no longer using, check out our guide to finding and canceling unused subscriptions.

What if you can’t log in to your account?

If you’re having trouble accessing the account you want to close, Amazon has a help page that walks you through password recovery, identity verification and other troubleshooting steps.

And if you're helping someone else delete their account — for example, if you're an authorized agent — Amazon recommends contacting it via email with legal proof of authorization under your state's privacy laws.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/how-to-cancel-your-amazon-account-160046999.html?src=rss

How can we push CPUs forward? That's the question the computing industry has been asking since the Intel 4004 processor launched in 1971. Chipmakers have tried cranking up clock speeds, adding multiple cores and miniaturizing chip architectures to make them faster and more efficient. The conflict between RISC and CISC chip instruction sets (ISAs) — "reduced" designs versus "complex" ones — rages on to this day with RISC-V.

For the past few years, AMD has been exploring a unique approach to speeding up some of its processors with 3D V-Cache, a technology that stacks more L3 cache on top of Ryzen cores. By doing so, the company avoids crowding the 2D plane of its chips, and it's able to cram in more memory without making its CPUs larger. With the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, AMD has now evolved 3D V-Cache to the point where every hardcore gamer will want one — even if few people actually need a $700 CPU.

3D V-Cache first appeared in the Ryzen 5800X3D in 2022, and AMD brought it to laptops in 2023. While there were some obvious downsides initially — the 5800X3D had slower clock speeds than the standard Ryzen 5800 — AMD has steadily improved the technology. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D and Ryzen 9 7900X3D were both notable for reaching the same maximum clock speeds as their 2D counterparts. While AMD's second-generation 3D V-Cache technology isn't as big of a leap in the 9950X3D (and other recent chips like the 9900X3D and 9800X3D), the company has managed to overcome the few compromises it's had to make so far. Simply put, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is a beast of a CPU for gaming and productivity work alike.

What's new in the Ryzen 9 9950X3D?

The 9950X3D is a 16-core processor with a 4.3GHz base clock speed and a boost speed of 5.7GHz, just like its 2D sibling the 9950X. The big difference between the two is in their total L2 and L3 cache: the 9950X has 80MB, while the 3D V-Cache technology crams 144MB in the 9950X3D. By having more cache, the 9950X3D is able to tackle more processing loads without hitting RAM, which could take eight to 10 times as long, according to Robert Hallock, AMD's director of technical marketing.

The major upgrade in the Ryzen 9 9950X3D, in addition to being powered by AMD's new Zen 5 cores, lies in the positioning of its 3D V-Cache layer. Previously, it sat on top of Zen 3 and Zen 4 cores, which slightly hindered cooling and overall performance. Now, the 3D V-Cache layer sits below the 9950X3D's Zen 5 cores, which gives those hotter elements direct access to your CPU fan’s heatsink. The 9950X3D has the same 170 Watt TDP (Thermal Design Profile) as its 2D variant, so cooling shouldn't be a huge problem, and unlike most other 3D V-Cache chips, it's also fully overclockable.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget In-use: An absolute powerhouse

I expected the Ryzen 9 9950X3D to wallop every other PC CPU I've tested, but I didn't expect the leap to be so dramatic. In the Geekbench 6 single-threaded CPU benchmark, it was 20 percent faster than the Ryzen 9 7900X I was previously using. The 9950X3D was also 33 percent faster in the same benchmark's multi-threaded test. (I didn't have a 7950X3D for direct comparison, but based on a median of scores from 3DMark users, it hits 14,290 points. The 9950X3D reached 17,025, or 19 percent faster, in my testing)

CPU

GeekBench 6 CPU

3DMark CPU Profile

Cinebench 2024

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D

3,366/18,950

17,025 Max

134/2,124

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

2,822/14,216

12,553 Max

113/1,103

Apple M4 Max

4,090/26,394

N/A

190/2066

Apple M2 Ultra

2,776/21,403

N/A

N/A

I've only seen better scores from Apple's hardware. The M4 chip is slightly faster for single-threaded tasks, while the M4 Max and M2 Ultra chips in the Mac Studio trounce AMD's multi-threaded Geekbench 6 scores. Still, you could build a solid Ryzen 9 system for far less than the Mac Studio M4 Max's $2,000 starting cost, even while accounting for the 9950X3D's $700 price tag.

Apple doesn't always come out ahead. In the Cinebench 2024 multi-threaded benchmark, the 9950X3D slightly surpassed the M4 Max chip. That result is also a sign that AMD's flagship chip will be a big help for Windows-based content creators. The 9950X3D and the M4 Max both took 14 seconds to transcode a 4K clip into 1080p, which is the fastest result we've ever seen.

The major appeal of the 9950X3D is that it'll also be able to handle demanding games over the next few years without bottlenecking high-end GPUs like NVIDIA's RTX 5080 and 5090. On my system, which is using an RTX 5090 and 64GB of RAM, the 9950X3D reached 195 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 while playing in 1080p with high graphics settings. The Ryzen 9 7900X, on the other hand, hit 166 fps with the same GPU and RAM. You'll see less of an immediate uplift at higher resolutions, where your video card is doing more of the work. Cyberpunk hit 64 fps in 4K without DLSS upscaling on the 9950X3D, while it struggled to reach 56 fps on the 7900X with the same settings.

For 4K, in particular, the 9950X3D could be useful for scaling performance for monitors with faster refresh rates. On the 7900X, Dragon Age: The Veilguard ran at a smooth 250 fps in 4K with graphics settings and frame generation cranked up, but with the newer chip I saw 270 fps. If you’re running a 4K 240Hz monitor with a less powerful GPU, you’ll likely have a better shot of edging close to 240 fps thanks to 3D V-Cache.

Given all of its power, I was surprised to find that the 9950X3D ran at a relatively cool 81.5 Celsius at 100 percent load. It also idles between 30C and 35C, depending on what you’re doing. Those results are pretty impressive for a CPU that can push up to 170 Watts.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Should you buy the Ryzen 9 9950X3D?

Much like NVIDIA's $2,000 RTX 5090, I can't easily recommend the $700 Ryzen 9 9950X3D to most people. Most gamers would likely be better off with the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, which sells for a more reasonable $479. Sure, it has half as many cores, but the majority of titles don't tap into many of those to begin with. There's also the $600 12-core 9900X3D, which could be more useful for people who actually need a healthy amount of CPU cores.

You could of course consider AMD's current chips without 3D V-Cache, like the Ryzen 7 9700X, which has an MSRP of $359 but is currently selling for under $300. But if you're already in the market for an expensive video card, it's likely worth paying a bit extra to get more L3 cache. When AMD first debuted the 5800X3D, the company claimed 3D V-Cache alone boosted 1080p performance by 15 percent. As games get more complex and demanding, having more available cache could be even more useful. (And it's also easier to pay more for a better chip now than buying a new one in a few years.)

As for Intel, it only has plans to bring its version of the technology, dubbed Local Cache, to next-generation Xeon server chips, according to der8auer and Bens Hardware (via Tom's Hardware). Intel's current high-end desktop chip, the 24-core i9-14900K, is no gaming slouch, but it's saddled with just 36MB of L3 cache.

Wrap-up

If anything, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D is yet another sign that AMD is on a hot streak. After releasing a pair of excellent midrange GPUs, which showed that the company can genuinely go toe-to-toe with NVIDIA, this CPU and its accompanying 3D V-Cache technology is a reminder of how AMD is far ahead of Intel in many ways. And let’s not forget that it was also the first x86 chipmaker to include NPUs in laptop and desktop CPUs. While it’s certainly not the best deal around, if you can afford it, the 9950X3D is the best desktop CPU you can buy today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/amd-ryzen-9-9950x3d-review-a-no-compromise-cpu-for-demanding-gamers-152452811.html?src=rss

We've reached the final day of Amazon's Spring Sale, but there are still plenty of great deals to shop. That list includes a $50 price cut on our pick for best MacBook overall this year, Apple's 2025 MacBook Air M4. The 13-inch, 16GB model is available for $949, down from $999. 

Apple only released the new MacBook Air M4 in mid-March. It scored a 92 in our review, thanks to features like its M4 chip. The 13-inch base model boasts a 10-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine. It also has an excellent battery life, lasting more than 18 hours while playing HD video. 

The 2025 MacBook Air M4 is also well done from an exterior standpoint. It has a 13.6-inch liquid retina display and it's very lightweight. The smaller model (it's also available, and on sale, in a 15-inch option) is 0.44 inches thick and weighs 2.7 pounds. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m4-macbook-air-is-50-off-in-the-amazon-spring-sale-132413964.html?src=rss

According to Mark Gurman in the Power On newsletter this weekend, we may see at least two devices with Apple’s upcoming M5 chip before the end of the year. Gurman reports that the M5 iPad Pro has reached the late stages of testing, putting it “on track for production in the second half of this year.” And the M5 MacBook Pro should be here sometime in the fall, in line with the timing of the past few years’ releases.

This year’s iPad Pro likely won’t be the generation that adopts Apple’s in-house modem, though. According to Gurman, that shift is expected to happen in 2027 with the arrival of the M6 models — which he reports that Apple has already begun “early” work on. Apple introduced its first in-house cellular modem, the C1, with the iPhone 16e in February this year, and so far it seems to be performing pretty well.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/apple-is-reportedly-on-track-to-launch-the-m5-ipad-pro-and-macbook-pro-later-this-year-211013731.html?src=rss

An AI overhaul may be on the horizon for Apple’s Health app. In the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is working on a much more comprehensive version of its Health app under the code name Project Mulberry, with plans to integrate an AI agent that would somewhat “replicate” a doctor and act as a personal health coach. In addition to making lifestyle recommendations based on users’ health data, the app will reportedly include educational videos from real doctors about an array of health topics.

The Health app will also put a new emphasis on food tracking, and may even offer form correction tips for workouts using the device’s camera, Gurman reports. The service, unofficially being referred to as Health+, could arrive with iOS 19.4, which Gurman says is expected to be released next spring or summer. In the meantime, Apple reportedly has doctors on staff whose data is being used to train the AI agent, and it’s planning to open a studio near Oakland, California where they can film content. Don’t be surprised if Health+ arrives with a celebrity doctor on board, too — according to Gurman, Apple is on the hunt for a “major doctor personality” to be the face of the service.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-is-said-to-be-developing-a-revamped-health-app-with-a-built-in-ai-doctor-170020277.html?src=rss

Non-paying Gemini users can now play around with Google’s newest model, the experimental version of Gemini 2.5 Pro. The company announced this weekend that it’s making Gemini 2.5 Pro (experimental) free for everyone to use, albeit with tighter rate limits for non-subscribers. Google introduced Gemini 2.5 Pro just last week, touting it as its “most intelligent AI model” yet, and rolled it out to Gemini Advanced users first. It’s available now in Google AI Studio and the Gemini app.

While free users can now try it out too, Google added that “Gemini Advanced users have expanded access and a significantly larger context window.” Gemini 2.5 Pro (experimental) is the first of Google’s Gemini 2.5 “thinking” models, which are said to deliver more accurate results through reasoning. In a blog post, the company explained that this “refers to its ability to analyze information, draw logical conclusions, incorporate context and nuance, and make informed decisions.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-new-experimental-ai-model-gemini-25-pro-is-now-available-to-free-users-too-150005863.html?src=rss

Back at CES, Samsung teased some of its upcoming high-end appliances for 2025. But more recently, I got a chance to check out the entire lineup all in one place. It seemed like a perfect time to do a quick rundown of some of the most interesting new products and features coming to Samsung’s Bespoke portfolio later this year.

The centerpiece of the Bespoke line remains Samsung’s 4-door French-Door refrigerator, which is now available with two different-sized screens. There’s a model with a smaller 9-inch screen that starts at $3,999 or one with a massive 32-inch panel called the Family Hub+ for $4,699. The former is ostensibly designed for people who want something a bit more discreet but still want access to Samsung’s smart features, which includes widgets for your calendar, music, weather, various cooking apps and more. Meanwhile, the larger model is for families who aren’t afraid of having a small TV in their face every time they open their fridge. You can even play videos from TikTok on it, if that’s what you’re into.

Samsung's massive 32-inch Family Hub+ display supports a number of widgets for stuff like weather, music and even TikTok.Sam Rutherford for Engadget

That said, Samsung is hoping to entice people to take advantage of those displays with even more AI-powered tools, most notably its improved AI Vision Inside object recognition. By using sensors mounted within the appliance, Samsung says its latest Bespoke fridge can detect 37 different types of fresh ingredients (e.g. produce and dairy) and up to 50 processed foods. This allows the device to keep an up-to-date list of items you may (or may not) have on hand, which you can view on the fridge’s display or from your phone while you’re grocery shopping.

Samsung's smaller 9-inch display blends in much better for anyone averse to big screens in their kitchen. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Now, I will fully admit that AI has become a somewhat empty buzzword recently, and in this situation, I’m not entirely sure what the difference between AI-based and traditional object recognition really is. But being able to have your fridge generate a list of what’s inside when you’re at the store is the kind of convenience I’d like to see more of. Other features on Samsung’s Bespoke French-Door fridges include built-in Wi-Fi and SmartThings connectivity, a Dual Auto Ice maker that can create both regular and smaller “Ice Bite” cubes and the always useful Beverage Center with its built-in cold water pitcher.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

If all this isn’t techy enough, Samsung also has a Hybrid version of its 4-door fridge (starting at $3,999) that chills its contents using both a standard compressor and a solid-state Peltier module. The idea is that in normal use, the compressor provides consistent baseline cooling while the Peltier module (through the power of AI) turns on to address big changes in temperature. For example, the module would kick on when you're loading groceries or simply have the doors open for too long. Not only does this help bring temperatures back to normal faster, it also reduces overall energy consumption. For people looking to cram a new fridge in a tight spot, Samsung also made the Bespoke 4-Door Flex Kitchen Fit Refrigerator (price is still TBD). While it doesn’t have a Peltier module, the advantage of this model is that it has different doors and hinges that don’t protrude nearly as much when open. This means the fridge only needs a gap of just 4mm (0.15 inches) on each side instead of multiple inches like a normal fridge.

Samsung's Bespoke Auto Open Door Dishwasher has a dedicated pan holder and sprayers on its third-rack for glasses. Sam Rutherford for Engadget

For cooking, Samsung’s matte glass induction cooktops are mostly the same, but its Bespoke 30-inch single ($3,759) and double ($4,649) wall ovens have…you guessed it, more AI. In addition to a 7-inch display, there are also cameras and sensors inside the oven that can recognize up to 80 different recipes to provide optimal cooking times. But if you prefer to go off-script and create something original, Samsung says the oven will give you the option to save the recipe and temperature settings after cooking the same dish five times. And for a more fun application of its tech, the oven’s cameras can record videos and create time-lapses of your baked goods for sharing on social media.

When it’s time to clean up, Samsung’s $1,399 Bespoke Auto Open Door Dishwasher has a few tricks of its own. In this case, the washer uses AI (yet again) and sensors to more accurately detect food residue and optimize cleaning cycles. There’s also a third rack with dedicated sprayers for glasses. But the best part is that while in use, the washer tops out at just 38 decibels, which Samsung says makes it one of the quietest models in its class.

Samsung claims its all-in-one vented combo can do a full wash and dry cycle in as little as 68 minutes.Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Moving on to laundry, Samsung says its $3,099 Bespoke AI Laundry Vented Combo is the first of its kind, as most combined washer/dryers are typically meant for ventless installations like small apartments (of course, there is a non-vented model as well). But to me, the more impressive thing is that Samsung claims its combo laundry machine can perform a full wash and dry cycle in as little as 68 minutes, which is faster than many paired units can achieve.

Finally, there’s the $1,099 Bespoke AI Jet Ultra Cordless Stick Vacuum, which seems like Samsung’s attempt to one-up Dyson. Thanks to its new HexaJet motor, the Jet boasts up to 400AW of suction while battery life is rated at up to 100 minutes. The company says that combo makes this stick vac the most powerful and long-lasting model available today. It also uses AI to better detect what surface its on to more effectively hoover up dirt and debris. The main downside is that the vacuum’s shaft and housing are significantly thicker than what you get on many of its rivals, so it may not be quite as maneuverable.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Finally, there’s the $1,099 Bespoke AI Jet Ultra Cordless Stick Vacuum, which seems like Samsung’s attempt to one-up Dyson. Thanks to its new HexaJet motor, the Jet boasts up to 400AW of suction while battery life is rated at up to 100 minutes. The company says that combo makes this stick vac the most powerful and long-lasting model available today. It also uses AI to better detect what surface its on to more effectively hoover up dirt and debris. The main downside is that the vacuum’s shaft and housing are significantly thicker than what you get on many of its rivals, so it may not be quite as maneuverable.

Pre-orders for Samsung’s 2025 Bespoke appliances begin today and include discounts of up to $1,000, along with an additional year of warranty.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/samsungs-2025-bespoke-appliances-are-going-all-in-on-ai-020018377.html?src=rss

We’re coming up on the 10-year anniversary of Undertale’s release, and to mark the occasion, a 25-piece orchestra will perform the game’s soundtrack for a one-night-only concert at London's Eventim Apollo this summer. The event, dubbed The Determination Symphony, will be held on June 22, and tickets are on sale now.

The Determination Symphony is described as “a musical journey from your initial fall at Mount Ebott, leading you through Froggit Village, the Snowdin Forest, Temmie Village and so much more.” Attendees (who I’m deeply envious of) will be able to watch all of that on screen while the orchestra makes its way through arrangements of the soundtrack. It’s hard to believe that Toby Fox’s Undertale is already 10 years old, but its enduring popularity just speaks to the impact it’s had on so many who have played it. We may not all get to experience the orchestral rendition, but at least we'll always have the original soundtrack.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-live-orchestra-will-perform-undertales-soundtrack-in-london-to-celebrate-its-10th-anniversary-214830716.html?src=rss