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When Google debuted AI Mode at the start of March, the company promised to work quickly on bringing the feature to more users, and now it's doing exactly. Following a smaller expansion last month, the company says AI Mode is now available to all Labs users, with no wait list in place to limit access. As a reminder, AI Mode is a new chatbot that Google has built directly into Search. Labs, meanwhile, is a program you can sign up for to try out new Search features before they're widely available.      

With today's expansion, Google is also updating AI Mode to add new visual cards that will appear when you ask the chatbot for information related to places and products. "For local spots, like restaurants, salons and stores, you can quickly see info like ratings, reviews, and opening hours, and if you’re looking for a product, you’ll see shoppable options with real-time prices (including the latest promotions), images, shipping details and local inventory," Google says of the new feature.

Google

On desktop, Google is also adding a search history tool, allowing users to revisit and continue previous conversations they've had with AI Mode. The idea here is to allow people to pick up on research they might have left unfinished. 

If you're not enrolled in Labs and live in the US, there's a chance you might see AI Mode appear in Search sometime in the coming weeks. Google says it's doing this because the response to the feature has been "incredibly positive," and it wants to collect additional feedback before a broader rollout.     

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-prepares-to-start-testing-ai-mode-with-regular-search-users-160027861.html?src=rss

Apple has been ordered to pay a $502 million lump sum payment by UK courts for infringing on patents owned by Optis Cellular Technology LLC, based out of Texas. When you include interest and fees, Optis estimates the total sum to be in excess of $700 million. This particular company is not an aggrieved innovator, but instead what is referred to as a “patent troll.” That’s a company that buys up niche patents with the specific intent to seek damages for infringement from lucrative defendants like Apple, and it’s not their first time being awarded damages from the Cupertino giant.

This lawsuit was originally filed through London courts in 2019 over patents governing cellular technology, including 4G, that Optis says was improperly used in iPads and iPhones. In 2023, London’s High Court ruled in Optis’ favor and ordered Apple to pay just over $56 million plus interest to settle the dispute, inclusive of past and future sales that featured the offending tech. Optis successfully argued that this was far too low a sum, leading to the half-a-billion-dollars in damages ordered today.

The iPhone maker has found itself in court over patent infringements time and time again in the past — not only with patent trolls, but also fellow industry stalwarts. The ability for enormous tech companies to (allegedly) infringe on design or utility patents and pay pennies on the dollar for the damage done years later seems to be a feature, not a bug.

Apple has unsurprisingly responded by promising to appeal the court's decision, to which Optis insisted it will fight to defend its intellectual property.

Optis provided Engadget with the following statement: 

"We’re pleased the UK Court of Appeals has recognized and corrected a clearly flawed prior ruling and has made meaningful progress toward affirming the true value of our patents to Apple devices. In addition to ordering payment that exceeds $700 million with interest and fees, the Court has judged that 'Apple’s significant negotiating strength leads some parties to agree lower rates than would be agreed between a willing licensor/willing licensee' thereby gaining an unfair advantage. We will continue to ensure fair compensation for the Optis intellectual property that enables high-speed connectivity for millions of devices around the world."

Update, May 1, 2025, 11:53AM ET: This story was updated with a statement from Optis and details about the total compensation inclusive of fees and interest. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-ordered-to-pay-502-million-to-optis-by-uk-courts-153053338.html?src=rss

The recently-released Apple iPad Air M3 is already on sale via Amazon. You can pick up the 11-inch model starting at $499 and the 13-inch version starting at $699. Both discounts mark the lowest prices we've tracked. If Amazon isn’t your bag, these deals are also available at Best Buy.

The Air topped our list of the best iPads, as we called it the ideal choice for most Apple tablet buyers. The M3 chip is extremely powerful, which increases performance and multitasking when compared to the base iPad. It offers support for the Apple Pencil Pro and Magic Keyboard, which is nice, and the overall design is lovely.

The battery can last up to 12 hours, which is a decent metric for a modern tablet. The two 12MP cameras won’t be winning any awards, but they get the job done. These are also fairly lightweight, which makes sense given the name. The 11-inch version weighs around a pound and the 13-inch model shoots up to 1.36 pounds. That’s light enough for long-term use without any real issues.

While the screen is certainly above-average, it’s not quite on the level of the iPad Pro's OLED panel. It also maxes out with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is rather basic. It’s worth noting that the $499 base price for the 11-inch model gets you a healthy 128GB of storage and 8GB of RAM. Other variations are on sale, but the cost can add up. For instance, the 13-inch version with a 1TB drive will set you back $1,200.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-ipad-air-m3-is-100-off-151340723.html?src=rss

Apple has been warning possible victims of spyware attacks, according to several alleged recipients of the messages. At the time of writing there appears to be at least two people who have confirmed they’ve been notified by Apple, and that the warning itself says that users in 100 countries have received similar alerts. The company does not offer any specifics as to how many people may have been targeted, or where the attacks are coming from

As reported by TechCrunch, one recipient of the warning message is the Italian journalist Ciro Pellegrino, who works for an online news outlet called Fanpage in his native country. The other (as far as we know right now) is Dutch right-wing commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek, who posted screenshots and a video of the alleged warning message on X.

According to Vlaardingerbroek, Apple informed her that it had detected a targeted mercenary spyware attack against her iPhone. The message she says she received said: “This attack is likely targeting you specifically because of who you are and what you do. Although it’s never possible to achieve absolute certainty when detecting such attacks, Apple has high confidence in this warning — please take it seriously.”

Posting the iMessage with the threat notification I got from @Apple here (4 out of 5 screenshots) pic.twitter.com/sbYWkfMr0A

— Eva Vlaardingerbroek (@EvaVlaar) April 30, 2025

The warning does not say where the alleged spyware attack originated, but Vlaardingerbroek claims that Apple used the Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group’s Pegasus software as an example. She goes on to say that the attack, if genuine, is likely an attempt to intimidate and silence her.

Apple’s official guidelines about threat notifications match the screenshots on Vlaardingerbroek’s video, where it also explains that “mercenary spyware attacks cost millions of dollars and often have a short shelf life, making them much harder to detect and prevent. The vast majority of users will never be targeted by such attacks.” The same guidelines state that targeted users will be notified with an alert at the top of the page when signing into their Apple account, as well as by email and iMessage using the email addresses and phone numbers associated with that account.

Last year, Apple device users in as many as 92 countries were sent spyware attack warnings of a similar nature, and since 2021, individuals in over 150 countries have been contacted. But Apple hasn’t given more details on how many people are targeted in such attacks, only the number of countries where it contacted affected users.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/apple-sends-spyware-warnings-to-iphone-users-in-100-countries-142547474.html?src=rss

Anyone rocking a recent-gen high-end GPU like an RTX 4090 or 5090 knows that these behemoths of rendering power are heavy enough to knock out a would-be PC thief. As GPUs get larger and heavier, sagging has become a growing concern for PC builders and GPU manufacturers, and ASUS briefly let on just how aware of this issue the company is.

ASUS quietly added a function called “Equipment Installation Check” to its GPU Tweak III monitoring software back in January. Included in this toolset was a measurement named “VGA Horizontal Status” that precisely measured the angle at which the installed GPU was tilting down. Users could set a custom warning if the GPU tilted down beyond a degree threshold set by the user.

In mid-April, Taiwanese publication UNIKO’s Hardware published a teardown of the latest ROG Astral 50-series cards, which highlights what they suspect to be a Bosch Sensortec chip. Bosch describes it as “a general purpose, low-power IMU that combines precise acceleration and angular rate (gyroscopic) measurement with intelligent on-chip motion-triggered interrupt features.” The technicians at UNIKO’s Hardware believe this chip is what powers the tilting detection tool.

Curiously, the most recent mentions of this feature on ASUS forums point out that as of the latest release of the Tweak III software, dated April 11, the Equipment Installation Check button is no longer there. Users had begun reporting what they believed to be false positives, confident that their GPUs were level despite the software saying they were sagging. Engadget reached out to ASUS to understand if this feature is being deprecated or if it wasn’t reporting accurate readings but did not receive a response.

Whether the feature is gone for good or angling for a comeback, the risk of sagging GPUs is all too real for many PC gamers today. PCIe slots were not exactly designed with today’s six-plus GPUs in mind, which has led to gamers finding creative solutions to hold up their enormous graphics cards and prevent potential damage.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/asus-adds-then-removes-the-ability-to-detect-sagging-in-its-latest-rog-astral-gpus-134508930.html?src=rss

Microsoft is dramatically increasing the price of the Xbox Series X and Series S, as well as new games and accessories. As of today, the Series S will start at $380, up from $300, while the Series X will begin at $550, a $100 increase from its previous price. As for the 1TB Series S, it now costs $430, up from $350. Meanwhile, if you want the Series X with disc drive, it will now set you back $600. Lastly, the 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition now costs an eye-watering $730. 

Additionally, Microsoft says beginning this holiday season "some" new first-party games will release at $80. As a small consolation, if you purchase one of those games through the Xbox Store, it will support Microsoft's Play Anywhere feature, allowing you to play it on PC at no additional cost. 

At the same time, the company is increasing the price of nearly all of its first-party and peripherals. Most notably, a core controller will now set you back $65. Microsoft is also increasing pricing in Europe, UK, Australia and many other countries. 

"We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development," the company said. "Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players."

Historically, the price of consoles has gone down, not up, mid-generation. In 2002, for instance, Sony cut the price of the PlayStation 2 from $299 to $199. Alongside the system's extensive game library, Sony's aggressive pricing strategy was widely credited for the PS2's runaway success. Similarly, Sony revived the PlayStation 3's fortunes in 2009 with the console's 'Slim' redesign and price cut to $299. The fact Microsoft is now increasing the price of the Xbox Series X/S nearly five years after release is likely to kill whatever little momentum the two consoles had.  

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsoft-is-raising-prices-on-the-xbox-series-s-and-series-x-132004594.html?src=rss

Tools for Humanity, a startup co-founded by Sam Altman, has launched its its World eyeball-scanning identity verification system in the US. During an event in San Francisco, Altman reportedly said that World's technology provides "a way to make sure humans remained central and special in a world where the internet had a lot of AI-driven content." Altman is also one of the founders and is currently the CEO of OpenAI, which is perhaps the most prominent artificial intelligence company today. 

World was used to be known as Worldcoin until Tools of Humanity decided to focus on the digital ID aspect of the project rather than the cryptocurrency part, because the Biden administration didn't have a friendly stance towards crypto. The project uses basketball-sized spherical objects called the Orb to scan a user's irises, which it then turns into a unique IrisCode for them. It will then use that information to create a World ID for the user that they can use to log into integrated platforms, including Minecraft and Reddit. Users who get verified will get some of the project's cryptocurrency for free. 

Tools for Humanity said World keeps some access to user's data to ensure they aren't double-scanning their biometrics. But it also said that most of the personal data it collects remains decentralized, anonymized and supposedly impossible to reverse-engineer to identify someone. World is opening six locations in Austin, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nashville, Miami and San Francisco where people can get their irises scanned. 

During the event, the project also revealed that it's working on a smaller, smartphone-shaped device called the Orb mini that can verify a person's identify. It eventually intends to turn it into a mobile point-of-sale device. The project has introduced new partnerships, as well: It will soon launch the World Visa card for people who've had their identities verified, and it will pilot its identity and age verification tools with Tinder in Japan. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/sam-altmans-eyeball-scanning-id-technology-debuts-in-the-us-130032856.html?src=rss

Earlier this week, 2K announced that it will release Borderlands 4 on September 12 — 11 days earlier than planned. Now, we're getting another look at the latest in Gearbox's series, including new features and a full-length gameplay trailer.  

One of the most interesting tidbits announced is that Borderlands 4 will offer individual difficulty settings in co-op multiplayer. So, one person could play on easy and another on hard while still maintaining fluid gameplay. It's a cool option if you want to play with great gamers but not face the same intense challenges. 

Along with the new trailer, you can also watch a 20-minute deep dive into the game, if you so please. The State of Play presentation from creative director Graeme Timmins and senior project producer Anthony Nicholson shows "the nitty-gritty details of how you'll wreak havoc across Kairos and take down the Timekeeper." 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/borderlands-4-will-have-individual-difficulty-settings-for-co-op-players-121626097.html?src=rss

Smart grills are expensive. Unless you find one on clearance, they’re far from an impulse buy, and companies definitely make you pay a premium for the conveniences a dash of Wi-Fi can afford. As such, you’ll need to do some research before making your selection, taking into account what kind of cooking you plan to do and how often you’ll be doing it. There are also things to consider like added features, especially cooking modes and ease of clean up.

The real benefit of a smart grill is being able to keep tabs on your food without having to stand next to it the whole time. Most models allow you to monitor temperatures and offer some degree of cooking guidance. There’s convenience for beginners and experienced cooks alike, especially for things that take several hours to complete. However, if you’re happy with a Weber Kettle or Big Green Egg, there are ways to get smart grill features without making a pricey purchase.

Smart grill alternatives ThermoWorks

You can get the basic function of a smart grill for $100 or less. All you really need to keep tabs on temperatures from a short distance away is an RF thermometer that has meat probes. For its accuracy and ease of use, I prefer the ThermoWorks Smoke line. The most affordable option is $99 and it comes with one food probe and one ambient temperature probe. For $169, you can upgrade to the longer-range two-probe Smoke X2 and the four-probe Smoke X4 is $199. All of these allow you to monitor things from inside and they offer the ability to set both high and low temperature alarms for audible alerts. ThermoWorks also sells an additional accessory that can add Wi-Fi to the base-level Smoke model, allowing you to send stats to your phone.

Of course, those devices only monitor temperature. They don’t do anything to help you adjust heat levels. For that, ThermoWorks built Billows. It’s a temperature control fan that eliminates the need for you to manually open/close vents on a smoker or grill that’s burning charcoal or wood. You’ll need a ThermoWorks controller to use it, like the $239 four-probe Signals unit. Signals is more expensive than the Smoke models, but it has Wi-Fi built in, so it works with your phone right out of the box.

If both Wi-Fi and step-by-step guidance are your thing, the Weber Connect Smart Grilling Hub is a great option. This adds nearly every smart function to any grill. Weber’s app not only offers tips for how to prep food, but it also walks you through the entire process — from flipping to wrapping and resting. Timers let you know when the next step is coming and the hardware/software combo can even estimate when the cook will be complete. That last bit comes in handy when smoking things like brisket that can take 8-12 hours. The Hub can accommodate up to four probes, so you can keep tabs on multiple foods and grill temp via the simple on-board interface.

If having cables criss-crossing the inside of your grill sounds like a hassle (and it very well can be), there are wireless options available for keeping tabs on temperature. My preferred product is the Thermoworks RFX, which is available as an all-inclusive starter kit. This pack comes with a wireless probe, transmitter and wired grill temperature probe. By separating the ambient temperature sensor from the main probe, Thermoworks says it avoids inaccurate temperature readings that can be caused by the evaporative cooling of meats. The RFX sends data to an app over Wi-Fi and offline Bluetooth connectivity is in the works. Plus, this probe is supremely durable with an IP69K rating, good enough for both high-heat searing and deep frying. And when you’re done, you can just toss it in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Pellet grills Traeger

When it comes to smart grills, the backyard cookers that burn wood pellets are some of the most popular models. Basically, a heating element in the bottom of the grill ignites compressed wood that’s fed to the fire pot via an auger. A fan that’s run by a controller on the grill regulates the size of the flame and overall temperature. Of course, all of this is done automatically once you set the temperature. What’s more, Wi-Fi-enabled pellet grills allow you to monitor and adjust temperatures from your phone, so you can stay inside and entertain your guests.

A key advantage of pellet grills is their versatility. Most of them can handle low-and-slow cooking at as little as 180 degrees Fahrenheit, as well as searing high-heat temps of 600 degrees or higher. This gives you the ability to cook everything from brisket, ribs and pork butts to burgers, pizza and steaks. Some even have a slider that allows you to sear over the flame of the fire box. These grills allow you to “set it and forget it” for long cooks, and even for short ones, they don’t require much attention other than flipping or saucing foods.

There are more affordable smart pellet grills on the market, but for the mix of hardware and software performance, Traeger and Weber are the best picks. Traeger has a variety of models, almost all of which are Wi-Fi-equipped, starting at $800. The company’s completely redesigned Timberline series is basically an outdoor kitchen. It can accommodate a variety of accessories to expand its abilities and there’s a built-in induction burner on the side for making sauces, cooking sides, and searing. The cook chamber has double-wall insulation and the grill comes with a set of Meater wireless thermometers that connect to its touchscreen controller. However, all of the updates to the Timberline will cost you a whopping $3,300. And that’s for the smallest size.

Trager also redesigned the Ironwood series, giving it a lot of the updates that the new Timberline offers. There’s no induction burner, wood shelving, storage or dual-wall construction, but the touchscreen controls, new accessories (including a modular rail system) and, most importantly, the company’s redesigned grease and ash management system are all here. The Ironwood does have an open shelf on the bottom and a large side shelf in place of the Timberline’s burner. And while it doesn’t ship with Meater probes, this grill does support them if you buy them separately. The lack of high-end features makes the Ironwood far more affordable, starting at $1,800.

With the Traeger app, you get access to a massive library of recipes, all of which can be sent to the grill so you don’t have to dial in the settings. You also get step-by-step instructions, timers, food probe temps and the ability to activate special modes. All of that is in addition to remote control and monitoring for grill temperature. The software is compatible with all of the company’s Wi-Fi-enabled models, including older ones, so you don’t need the newest Timberline or Ironwood to take advantage of what the app has to offer.

If you prefer grills of the Weber variety, the company’s Searwood grill is your best option currently. Gone are the early days of Weber’s pellet grills that still had some issues to work out. The Searwood is more reliable and more capable thanks to an open-lid manual mode for searing, griddling and more. Plus, smaller changes like a more readable display make the overall experience a lot better. Starting at $899, it’s also more affordable than those Traeger options.

Gas grills Weber

Smart options aren’t limited to pellet grills, though. If you don’t have a need for the lower-temperature cooking, a propane or natural gas model might be a better option. In 2021, Weber brought its Connect smart grilling platform to its gas grills, offering three- and four-burner configurations, some of which also have a side burner for extra cooking space. Just like on the Searwood, Weber Connect not only allows you to monitor both food and grill temperatures from a comfy chair, it can guide you through the process and give you time updates. You still have to manually adjust the burners, but Weber’s app can alert you when you’re running low on fuel (propane models).

Other types of smart grills Masterbuilt

Both pellet and gas grills have their merits, but some folks prefer the tried-and-true flavor of charcoal when cooking outdoors. While the purchase of one of the previously mentioned accessories will probably achieve what you're after for a kettle or kamado-style grill you already have, there are some charcoal smart grills that offer a degree of connectivity for your cooks.

For fans of the kamado-style ceramic grills, Kamado Joe has the Konnected Joe and Big Joe Konnected Joe. Silly spellings aside, these units address two key issues with these types of grills: lighting the charcoal and regulating temperature. To help with the former, the company installed an ignition system in the bottom of the cooking chamber that lights the fuel at the press of a button.

The Konnected Joe models are also equipped with built-in smart grilling features that help you keep the temps consistent while being able to monitor food and grill temps remotely via an app. Before now, if you wanted smart features on a Kamado Joe grill, you had to invest in the iKammand add-on. Starting at $1,699, these grills are another significant investment, though that figure is on par with the company’s other models that lack the added features connectivity brings.

If you prefer charcoal but still want a versatile smart grill, Masterbuilt’s Gravity Series does everything from low-and-slow smoking to high-heat searing. The gravity-fed charcoal hopper allows you to cook with a fuel source that’s more familiar to most people while the unit’s digital fan maintains temperature. You can monitor the grill from your phone and adjust the heat levels as needed. The company’s latest version, the Gravity Series XT, has an updated controller with a color display and a number of other design improvements.

A word about griddles Weber

Flat-top griddles are having a moment. These grills are insanely popular for their ability to accommodate smash burgers, fajitas, fried rice, breakfast and anything else that would otherwise fall through a normal grill’s grates. There are endless options here, most of which offer the same basic premise: multiple burners underneath a steel, aluminum or cast-iron flat top. Except for Recteq’s SmokeStone that burns pellets, the rest of the griddles I’ve seen run on propane or natural gas.

Since the basics are pretty much the same across the board, you’ll want to look at finer details in the design of a griddle while you’re shopping. How much space will you need? What’s the cooktop made out of? Does it have an attached lid? Are the side shelves big enough to hold everything you’ll need to cook? These are the types of questions you should be asking to make sure you buy something you’ll be happy with long term, since you’ll be spending several hundred or maybe even a thousand dollars on a griddle.

One option that I think goes beyond the normal menu of features is the Weber Slate. This is the second griddle for Weber, a company with a decades-long history of charcoal and gas grills. The Slate’s cooktop is made of rust-resistant carbon steel, which requires less maintenance and is more forgiving when you forget to clean it immediately after cooking. There’s also a front-mounted temperature display that shows the average reading across the cooking surface. Lastly, Weber offers a line of accessories designed for the Slate, including a caddy, condiment holder, cutting board and storage bins. These tools allow you to reconfigure the griddle so it’s a prep station/cooking area combo, which means fewer trips to and from the kitchen.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-smart-grills-and-how-to-choose-one-153006286.html?src=rss

Making electric cars from scratch is hard. Out of all the homegrown EV startups, Tesla is the only company that has broken through to the mainstream. Nikola was a scam. Canoo recently filed for bankruptcy. And depending on how you're counting, Fisker failed not once but twice. Then there are companies like Aptera that feel like they have been nearing production for more than a decade.

Among the ocean of EV companies hoping to outpace legacy automakers, Rivian and its second-gen models are making the transition to the electric era with both style and brawn. With its R1S SUV (starting at $75,900, or around $105,000 as tested), the company has created an adventurous car that impresses now, while also providing a blueprint for future success.

Design

The R1S is unapologetically boxy in a way that truck and SUV aficionados often prefer. That said, Rivian drives a neat balance between modern minimalism and retro ruggedness that allows it to blend in almost anywhere. Its oval (technically stadium-shaped) headlights might be some of the most striking in the industry, while Rivian includes rumble-ready touches like honest-to-goodness recovery hooks, beefy fenders and big 22-inch wheels with chunky tires. In a lot of ways, the R1S is what I imagine a Bronco EV might look like, except it's more luxurious, way bigger at 200 inches long and packs three rows of seats.

Interior Sam Rutherford for Engadget

On the inside, I'd argue the R1S looks even better, especially when clad in Rivian's Black Mountain and Brown Ash Wood trim. It's like a cozy cabin that's been properly renovated and brought up to contemporary standards. There's a huge 15.6-inch high-res screen that sits on the dash without looking too ungainly or out of place, while a 12.3-inch display serves as a digital instrument cluster. It's clear Rivian is trying to embrace a tech-forward approach but it does so without completely abandoning traditional design traits like the car's stalk-mounted gear shift and wipers. While some folks may not appreciate how the buttons for climate and music are entirely touch-based, nothing really felt buried or out of reach thanks to a static row of icons along the bottom.

Overall build quality is solid too, with practically no rattles or massive panel gaps to speak of. The seats, while a touch on the stiff side, offer both heating and ventilation for front passengers, the latter of which I must admit is a real treat as we enter spring and summer. The cabin feels light and airy thanks in large part to its big panoramic roof. I love being able to switch the electrochromic glass (which is part of the optional Sound + Vision package) from transparent to opaque with a single touch. I also appreciate that there's a dedicated screen in the second row for climate and music (which thankfully can be child-locked if need be) and proper air vents for all three rows, so there isn't a single stuffy seat in the car.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Speaking of the third row, Rivian has really maximised the R1S' boxy dimensions. Even as a six-foot-tall guy, getting all the way in the back wasn't much of a struggle, though it's still a bit tight for someone my size. I need to slide the second row forward a touch in order to have adequate room for my feet. But make no mistake, there's plenty of space for kids or smaller adults back there, and if you need an EV that can properly transport seven people at a time, this thing has you covered. Alternatively, when cargo space is the primary concern, the third row folds flat to provide 46.7 cubic feet of space. You’ll get a whopping 104.6 cubic feet with both rows stashed.

Infotainment and tech

While the R1S doesn't support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay, Rivian's infotainment is a great example of why you don't need third-party add-ons when you have a solid homegrown interface. Almost everything you want or need is accounted for. Hitting the drivetrain icon gives you quick access to controls for ride settings (including height and regenerative braking adjustments). This option also displays super helpful stats enthusiasts will appreciate like elevation, motor temperature, steering angle and more. The other controls for climate, music, charging and navigation are self-explanatory, so even if you haven't driven a Rivian before, as long as you've used a smartphone or laptop (which covers pretty much everyone), there's not much of a learning curve.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Rivian also does a fantastic job with support features like Gear Guard, which uses the R1S' built-in cameras to monitor for accidents, bumps or people vandalising your car. I truly do not understand why every automaker doesn't utilize its vehicles' onboard sensors like this. And even though I didn't need it, it's one of those things you'll be incredibly grateful for when you do. Same goes for its onboard 120V AC outlets and plentiful USB-C ports, which are just plain useful.

As for monitoring the car and day-to-day stuff like starting it and unlocking the doors, there's Rivian's mobile app (available on both iOS and Android). It's dead simple to use, and unlike the phone-as-a-key feature on my Ford Mach-E, it was bulletproof during my testing. Once I had it set up, the car never failed to automatically pop out the door handles upon approach or lock itself when I walked away.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

I also want to give Rivian props for making its cars chirp when you lock them instead of beeping the horn like so many other vehicles. Not only is it less distracting, it just feels more respectful when you're out amongst the trees. Granted, this is a minor feature, but little details like this can have a big impact and it's another thing I'd like to see on more cars. Just imagine if you could identify specific makes and models by the species of bird song it tweets out instead of being bombarded by a cacophony of harsh beeps, honks and klaxons. Wouldn't that be sweet?

The one big wrinkle to all this is that currently there's no way to mirror texts or notifications from your phone onto the car's main display. In a time when people are growing more concerned about distracted driving (and rightfully so), this is a major omission. Rivian says implementing this feature turned out to be trickier than it initially thought, though there's hope that an update to add the tool will be available later this year. In some respects, I found that completely ignoring my handset while driving was actually kind of refreshing, but if this is a dealbreaker for you, I get it.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Unfortunately, if you want a physical fob with buttons for unlocking doors or popping the frunk, you'll have to shell out an extra $250. The R1S comes with smartphone controls via the app and a simple NFC key card instead of something that resembles a traditional key or remote.

Driving

Putting your foot down in an R1S is an instant reminder of why EVs are so fun to drive. When equipped with three motors like my test vehicle, a three-row SUV that weighs 7,000 pounds has no business being this fast. Acceleration from a dead stop is brutal (the tri-motor version has a 0 to 6 time of just 2.9 seconds). Until you get above 80 mph when wind resistance starts to become a major factor, it feels like the R1S has an endless pit of power. Furthermore, for a car this size, its turning radius is surprisingly tight.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Earlier this year, Rivian released its hands-free Enhanced Highway Assist feature that lets you sit back and have the car take the wheel. It works on more than 135,000 miles of freeways across the US and Canada, and while it isn't quite as polished as Tesla's Full Self Driving or Ford's Blue Cruise tech, the R1S still felt smooth and predictable when piloting by itself. It stayed neatly centered without bouncing back and forth between the lines, allowing you to change lanes with a flick of the stalk. For times when I wanted to take a little extra stress out of driving, Rivian's hands-free tech gave me the confidence to do that.

Some of R1S' other tech that improves its driving experience includes cameras built into its mirrors, which automatically pop up on the driver's display when you signal. Not only does this help eliminate blind spots, it's just a nice bit of redundancy. But my favorite feature might be Rivian's adaptive headlights. Due to quirks in US regulations, car companies can't really port over the matrix lighting used on vehicles in the EU and Asia. So in order to comply, Rivian engineered its headlights from the ground up to automatically adjust to driving conditions like angling its beams around corners, reducing bright spots for oncoming drivers and more. And after using them, it's hard to go back to basic lights that can only do high and low.

The one small issue I found was that no matter how I tried to adjust it, the R1S’ suspension felt far from supple. The lack of cushioning sometimes made larger bumps and potholes feel particularly jarring. Rivian updated the ride comfort (particularly at low speeds) after I returned my loaner vehicle and I've heard the difference is night and day. Regardless, driving feel is subjective, so if you're in the market for a new car and not conducting your own test drive, what are you even doing?

As a city-dweller, I'm not much of an off-roader, so I can't really speak to the R1S' trail-running prowess. But between things like its adjustable ride height (with up to 15 inches of ground clearance), torque vectoring and other related features, Rivian's vehicles appear very well equipped. And that's before you consider handy add-ons like the built-in air pump, which might save your bacon if you pop a flat in the backcountry.

Range, charging and configurations

The R1S is available in four main configurations: Dual Standard, Dual, Tri and Quad motor variants (the Quad option is coming later this year). The difference between the first two is battery size, with the former getting the base pack while the latter has the option of either large or max packs. The Tri and Quad motor models come standard with Rivian's biggest battery.

Range varies from 270 to 371 miles, depending on the specific configuration, and in my experience I found that Rivian's guess-o-meter was highly reliable. If the map said I was going to have a certain amount of battery left when I arrived at my destination, it was rarely off by more than a percent or two.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

On the tri-motor model, you can also disconnect the rear motors by putting the car in casual driving mode, which greatly improves the R1S' overall efficiency. When all three motors were running, I only averaged around 2.6 mi/kWh hour. But when only sending power to the front wheels, I was able to push that figure above 3 mi/kWh.

As for charging, peak rates top out at 300 kW, though you'll only see anything near that when the car's battery is under 20 percent. When I tried a more typical charging scenario by taking its power level from 20 to 80 percent using a 350 kW station, the R1S completed the session in 35 minutes with a peak rate of 168 kW. So while it's far from the fastest in the industry, the combination of big energy cells and efficiency means range anxiety isn't really a thing with the R1S. I just wish the latest models came with a native NACS port instead of an older CCS connector.

Wrap-up Sam Rutherford for Engadget

While things are certainly better than they were just a few years ago, it’s still slim pickings when it comes to three-row EVs. If you can afford it, the Rivian R1S has put all the most important stuff together in a great-looking package — and then some.

Its size may be imposing, but it certainly delivers on the look and feel of a car that's just as happy on asphalt as it is on unpaved trails. And it does so while providing plenty of range and room for the whole family. Rivan's craftsmanship is highlighted by the R1S' exquisite interior, while a variety of battery sizes, motor configurations and other options make it easy to kit out to fit your adventures.

The only thing that might give me pause is that for people who aren't interested in off-roading, alternatives like the Kia EV9 offer similar passenger capacity for a much lower starting price. And other models like the Volvo EX90 and Lucid Gravity offer a bit more in the way of luxury. But for those with an adventurous lifestyle who love exploring the great outdoors, the second-gen R1S really feels like the total package.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/rivian-r1s-gen-2-review-the-rugged-foundation-of-rivians-electric-empire-120021072.html?src=rss

The BBC announced a new addition to its Maestro series of masterclasses, featuring its first posthumous teacher, Agatha Christie, presenting her writing tips in 4K video. The best-selling author of literature in human history teaches an 11-lesson course on writing mysteries, and the BBC seems very aware of the issues circling AI, which provokes a mix of intrigue and, honestly, wariness.

Christie, who died in 1976, has had her likeness composited through a blend of licensed images, limited footage and past audio recordings. That data has been blended with actor Vivien Keene, who ‘performs’ the words of Christie on video. This is a more cautious approach. During a Q&A event at the course’s launch in London, Keene stated outright that this was a performance. It seems a particularly risky choice, too: a lot of writers, editors, and authors are facing AI tools that reduce job opportunities or absorb their writing (and IP) without permission to train AI models.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

The BBC says all the writing advice comes directly from her writings, author’s notes and archival interviews, curated by leading Christie experts and scholars, including Dr Mark Aldridge, Michelle Kazmer, Gray Robert Brown and Jamie Bernthal-Hooker. One of the stipulations from the Christie estate was that all the writing tips and guidance come directly from her. The makers claim that AI hasn't filled in the gaps or made guesses about her writing style, or what advice she might give.

The BBC’s Maestro series is part of the company’s business arm, offering over 40 courses in the style of Masterclass but with, obviously a lot more Brits, priced at $10 per month. (Don’t let the fact that the Diary of a CEO guy is there put you off – the Billy Connolly course is excellent.) 

However, for this course, the team ballooned to over 100 people, factoring AI rendering experts, sound engineers and more, to deliver a convincing portrayal of the author of Murder on the Orient Express, Mousetrap and, well, all the others.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

During the Q&A (at the glamorous Claridges hotel, of course), Dr. Mark Aldridge explained that in A Murder’s Announced, Christie had a different murderer in mind when she first began writing that book – something vital if you're trying to convey her writing process. This could then be folded into the course guidance and content.

At the launch event – with almost enough champagne to fill the Nile – I got to delve into the lessons. I’m not ready to pen a 50,000-word page-turner, it’s a convincing facsimile. There’s still a glint of uncanny valley, of course, (I think it’s something to do with the eyes?), but even BBC Maestro CEO Michael Levine noted that since the project’s inception a few years ago, the technology had evolved so quickly that the team was able to do even more than what it first thought was possible.

Levine joked that the only books that rivaled sales of Christie’s body of work by sheer volume are the works of Shakespeare and The Bible. There are no plans yet to add further ‘resurrected’ experts to the Maestro lineup.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/agatha-christie-ai-bbc-maestro-masterclass-writing-course-hands-on-120010944.html?src=rss

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers has ruled that Apple violated her own ruling back in 2021 on the lawsuit Epic Games filed against Apple a year before. Now, it's ordering (PDF) Apple to stop collecting commissions on purchases that weren't paid through the App Store effective immediately. In 2021, Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple did not hold an App Store monopoly. However, she also said that the company must allow developers to direct users to other payment systems that would let them bypass the 30 percent commission fee it collects from App Store purchases. 

In a legal filing by Epic Games last year, it accused Apple of non-compliance, since it still took a 27 percent cut for purchases made outside the App Store and even showed users pop-up screens warning them that paying outside its own store may not be secure. For members of the iOS Small Business Program, it took a smaller 12 percent commission. But the judge explained in her new ruling that Apple wasn't supposed to collect any fee at all. "Apple sought to maintain a revenue stream worth billions in direct defiance of this court’s injunction," she said. 

In addition to prohibiting Apple from collecting fees for external purchases, she also barred the company from showing users "scare screens" discouraging them from using third-party payment systems. She prohibited Apple from creating rules that would prevent developers from presenting customers with buttons and links for external payments, as well. Apple said it will pursue an appeal, but that it will comply with the court's orders. "We strongly disagree with the decision. We will comply with the court's order and we will appeal," an Apple spokesperson told The New York Times. 

In her ruling, Rogers said that the documents Apple submitted last year showed that App Store lead Phil Schiller advocated for the company to stop collecting fees on web links during a 2023 meeting. But Apple's former Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri convinced Tim Cook otherwise. Cook also asked his people to revise the scare screen for web links "to reference the fact that Apple’s privacy and security standards do not apply to purchases made on the web.” Apple knew exactly what it was doing and "at every turn chose the most anticompetitive option," Gonzalez Rogers wrote. Further the company's Vice-President of Finance, Alex Roman, allegedly lied under oath to hide the truth. Thus, the judge has asked the US attorney for the Northern District of California to investigate Apple and Roman for criminal contempt.

In a tweet, Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney announced that it will bring back Fortnite for iOS in the US next week. He also promised to return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide — and to drop any lawsuit covering the issue — if Apple applies a commission-free tax-free payment framework everywhere.

We will return Fortnite to the US iOS App Store next week.

Epic puts forth a peace proposal: If Apple extends the court's friction-free, Apple-tax-free framework worldwide, we'll return Fortnite to the App Store worldwide and drop current and future litigation on the topic. https://t.co/bIRTePm0Tv

— Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) April 30, 2025

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/court-orders-apple-to-stop-collecting-fees-for-purchases-made-outside-the-app-store-110036376.html?src=rss

If you’ve just picked up Apple’s latest flagship, protecting it should be a top priority — and the best iPhone 16 case can do more than just shield your phone from scratches and drops. Whether you prefer a slim and stylish look, a rugged design with extra grip or added features like MagSafe compatibility and built-in stands, there’s a case to match your needs. From the sleek iPhone 16 to the feature-packed iPhone 16 Pro, we've rounded up the best options to keep your device safe without compromising on style or functionality.

Best iPhone cases for 2025

iPhone 16 case FAQs What is the most protective brand of phone cases?

There is no one "most protective" brand of phone cases, but rather there are many that tout extra security for your handset. Some of the most protective phone cases we've tried come from Otterbox; most of the brand's cases have a bit more protection than your standard phone case, even the ones that are designed to be on the slim side. Otterbox also makes a wide variety of phone cases, so there's a good chance you'll find one that suits your style and provides the level of protection you're looking for. Otterbox's Defender series is one of the best you can get if you care first and foremost about making sure your phone survives all kinds of accidents (save for a dunk in a pool).

Silicone vs hard case: Which one is better?

Neither silicone nor hard cases are better than the other. Silicone cases tend to be thinner and feel soft to the touch, and they're often easier to put on and take off of phones. Hard cases can be on the thicker side, but they provide a bit more drop protection than silicone cases. Which type of case is best for you depends on the type of experience you want from your phone. It's also worth nothing that both silicone cases and hard cases come in a variety of colors, designs and styles, so you have plenty of choose from to match your personality on both sides.

Does an iPhone 16 need a screen protector?

The iPhone 16 features Apple’s tough Ceramic Shield front, which is definitely more durable than standard glass — but it’s not invincible. If you want to avoid scratches from keys, drops onto pavement or just the wear and tear of daily use, a screen protector is still a smart move. It adds an extra layer of defense without getting in the way of touch sensitivity or Face ID. So, while it’s not absolutely essential, using one is a good idea if you want to keep your screen looking flawless for the long haul.

Is the iPhone 16 drop-proof?

The iPhone 16 is built to be tough, with Ceramic Shield on the front and a sturdy aluminum or titanium frame (depending on the model), but it’s not completely drop-proof. It can handle the occasional bump or short fall, especially if it lands on a flat surface — but drops on concrete or at awkward angles can still cause cracks or damage. If you’re prone to butterfingers, pairing your iPhone 16 with a durable case and maybe even a screen protector is the best way to play it safe.

Georgie Peru contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-iphone-cases-153035988.html?src=rss

One day after Meta rolled out its standalone AI app, Mark Zuckerberg has shared more about how the company plans to eventually monetize its generative AI assistant. During the company’s first quarter earnings call, Zuckerberg said Meta AI could one day show ads and product recommendations. He also hinted at plans for a subscription component for those who want a more “premium” version of the assistant.

"I think that there will be a large opportunity to show product recommendations or ads, as well as a premium service for people who want to unlock more compute for additional functionality or intelligence,” Zuckerberg said.

He added that for now the company is more focused on growing Meta AI’s usage. (He announced yesterday that Meta Ai had reached “almost” 1 billion monthly users.) “I expect that we're going to be largely focused on scaling and deepening engagement for at least the next year before we'll really be ready to start building out the business here,” he said.

Zuckerberg’s comments — just one day after Meta introduced its standalone AI app — underscores how important the assistant is to the company. The Facebook founder has repeatedly said he wants Meta AI to be the most used AI assistant in the world, and he said on Wednesday’s call that a standalone app would be particularly important for attracting US users.

Meta’s strategy for monetizing the assistant in many ways mirrors its approach to Threads, which only just began expanding its early experiments with ads this month long after it reached hundreds of millions of users. Speaking of Threads, Zuckerberg also shared some new milestones for Threads, saying that text-based app now has 350 million monthly active users and that time spent on the platform has increased 35 percent over the last six months thanks to improvements to the company’s recommendations systems.

Later in the call, Meta’s CFO Susan Li shared that the company has also been testing its Llama model to power Threads’ recommendations and that the addition of the large language model has led to a 4 percent increase in time spent. “It remains early here, but a big focus this year will be on exploring how we can deploy this for other content types, including photos and videos,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-a-mulling-ads-and-a-premium-version-of-its-ai-assistant-mark-zuckerberg-says-225202560.html?src=rss

Google has announced that it's helping to financially support the electrical training ALLIANCe (etA), an organization formed by the National Electrical Contractors Association and the International Brotherhood of Electricians. The goal is to train "100,000 electrical workers and 30,000 new apprentices in the United States" to meet the growing power demands of AI.

Using AI will unlock unspecified, but positive economic opportunities, Google's new white paper, "Powering a New Era of American Innovation," claims. In order to take advantage of them, though, the US power grid needs to become more capable and efficient. That's largely because the data centers used to run and train AI models require vast amounts of energy. The white paper claims that new data centers could demand an additional "15-90 GW" of energy by 2030, something that more efficient chips and model training can't account for. For a sense of the scale, the US Department of Energy says 1 Gigawatt is the equivalent to 103 offshore wind turbines. 

Google's paper calls for investments in alternative energy sources like nuclear power, but also notes that expanding the electrical workforce is necessary. "McKinsey estimates that 130,000 additional electricians will be needed by 2030 to build out data centers and manufacturing facilities," the company writes. Currently, though, retiring electricians outnumber newly trained ones. "Nearly 10,000 American electricians either retire or change careers each year, while only about 7,000 new entrants join the field."

Investing in electrical training is Google's attempt to help change that. It would be nice if it was paired with a clearer explanation around what that AI will be doing with all that extra power — Google notes that there's a "causal relationship between energy consumption and economic growth" — but skilled job training isn't a bad thing.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-is-funding-electrician-training-to-help-meet-the-power-demands-of-ai-221320678.html?src=rss

Mark Zuckerberg says he believes most of the Meta's code will be written by AI agents sometime within the next year-and-a-half. Zuckerberg made the prediction during an hour-long interview with podcaster Dwarkesh Patel. 

"I would guess sometime in the next 12 to 18 months, we'll reach the point where most of the code that's going towards these efforts is written by AI," said Zuckerberg, referring to the company's efforts to build internal AI agents. "And I don't mean like autocomplete... I'm talking more like you give it a goal, it can run tests, it can improve things, it can find issues, it writes higher quality code than the average very good person on the team already." 

Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg:

"within 12-18 months, most of the code is written by AI"

It won’t just be autocomplete.

AI agents will set goals, run tests, find problems, and write better code than top engineers. pic.twitter.com/2del08UA45

— Haider. (@slow_developer) April 29, 2025

This is not the first time Zuckerberg has made this type of prediction. During his awkward appearance on The Joe Rogan Experience earlier this year, he said, "Probably in 2025, we at Meta, as well as the other companies that are basically working on this, are going to have an AI that can effectively be a sort of mid-level engineer that you have at your company that can write code." 

Notice how the goal posts have moved. Less than five months ago, Zuckerberg said coding agents that could effectively replace most human programmers were within reach. Now, those same systems will not arrive by mid-2026 at the earliest.

The changing timelines underscore exactly why we should be critical of the AI industry and its many promises. AI agents may very well one day replace mid-level programmers, but right now predictions like the one made by Zuckerberg and many others are, at best, advertisements for technologies that don't yet exist and may never perform at the level their advocates say they will. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/mark-zuckerberg-predicts-ai-will-write-most-of-metas-code-within-12-to-18-months-213851646.html?src=rss

YouTube is testing a new feature that will blur the thumbnails of videos that appear in search results that "frequently include sexual themes," the platform announced in the Community section of the YouTube Help Center. The experimental feature is currently being tested on a small percentage of users, Youtube says.

The hope is that by blurring thumbnails, YouTube can provide search results that include videos that technically abide by its Community Guidelines, but protect users from seeing content that's possibly "sensitive in nature." YouTube's post doesn't get into specifics of what will trigger a blurred thumbnail, but does note that "the video title, channel name, and description will remain visible" even if a thumbnail is obscured. Users who have the feature will also be able to disable thumbnail blurring if they want.

YouTube offers a Restricted Mode for screening out mature content, but a more apt comparison for this experimental feature might be the SafeSearch settings in Google Search. SafeSearch lets you completely filter out "explicit images, text, and links," show all relevant results or blur explicit images, while allowing explicit text and links through. Considering YouTube's position 20 years in as both a backbone of the internet and a de facto television replacement, this seems like a common sense feature to have.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/youtube-will-blur-the-thumbnails-of-mature-videos-as-part-of-a-new-test-202546425.html?src=rss

There are some cool games coming to PlayStation Plus in May, including one modern classic. This month’s titles include the universally-beloved Balatro, Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun and Ark: Survival Ascended. All three games will be available to PS Plus members beginning on May 6.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve likely heard of Balatro. It’s sort of a sequel to poker and sort of a roguelike. It’s also utterly hypnotic and addictive. I’ve yet to find a human who didn’t become entranced by its simple and captivating gameplay. We have given this game lots of love, and with good reason. To play Balatro is to love Balatro and, over time, to start dreaming about insane combos. This is an absolute must-play for subscribers. It’ll be available for both PS4 and PS5.

Ark: Survival Ascended is a remake of 2015’s Ark: Survival Evolved that has been "reimagined from the ground-up with Unreal Engine 5." There’s new graphics, a new physics system and tons of quality-of-life upgrades. This version includes access to all DLC, like Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Ark Genesis Part 1 and Ark Genesis Part 2. It also allows for public online multiplayer for up to 70 players and local split-screen for two players. This one’s only for PS5.

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun is a FPS set in the popular Warhammer universe. It boasts visuals inspired by classic shooters from the 1990s, with an eclectic arsenal of weapons to match. The levels are huge, the enemies are fun to mow down and the gameplay is speedy. What’s not to like? It’ll be playable on PS4 and PS5.

Now for some bad news. As new stuff comes to PS Plus, old games get shuttled to that farm upstate. Subscribers only have until May 5 to download titles like RoboCop: Rogue City and Digimon Story: Cyber Sleuth – Hacker’s Memory to their game libraries.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-plus-monthly-games-for-may-include-balatro-and-ark-survival-ascended-172617683.html?src=rss

After nearly disappearing as a category, compact cameras are making a comeback. Fujifilm’s X100 VI became a star on the photography side, thanks to its good looks and trendy film emulations. And DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 captivated content creators with its motorized subject tracking and a gimbal that smooths harsh camera moves.

Now, Canon has jumped back into compacts with the PowerShot V1, a vlogging-centric model that follows the six-year-old G7X Mark III. It’s designed to outshine rivals with a large 1.4-inch 22-megapixel sensor, and boasts other impressive features like optical stabilization and 4K supersampled video. At the same time, this camera is surprisingly solid when it comes to photography.

The V1’s 16-50mm lens is nice and wide but it’s slow compared to its main rival, Sony’s ZV-1 II. And where Fujifilm’s X100 VI is svelte and pretty, the PowerShot V1 is plain and a bit chonky. Still, none of that detracts from the fact that this is a powerful compact camera capable of capturing incredible video and images, especially in low light, and should suit many creators.

Design and handling

Instead of going retro like Fujifilm, Canon chose a more functional approach to the PowerShot V1’s design. It’s relatively thick at 2.1 inches, a bit bigger than the X100 VI if you don’t include the lens, but it’s slightly lighter at 15.03 oz with a battery. By comparison, Sony’s ZV-1 II is just 10.3 ounces and 1.84 inches thick.

The PowerShot V1 bears some resemblance to Canon's G7X III that has become massively popular of late, but is thicker due to the built-in fan and power zoom lever. Unlike the G7X III, the V1 lacks a popup flash unfortunately, but does have a hotshoe for external flashes. Canon also moved the record button from the back to a more practical position on top.

The grip is small, but the rubberized surface makes it easy to hold, especially when vlogging. Controls are sufficient for a compact, but I’d prefer at least one dial on the top to change settings. It would also be nice if the camera was a bit more pocketable like Sony’s ZV-1 II. The buttons and dials are responsive, but they do feel a bit cheap next to Canon’s mirrorless models. In short, the PowerShot V1 offers solid handling but isn’t a looker like Fuji’s offerings.

Steve Dent for Engadget

Another nice change is a new fully articulating screen, replacing the previous model’s pop-up display. That makes vlogging and photography easier, as you can see the screen when holding the camera high, low or toward you. My only complaint is that it’s a bit too dim when used in bright sunlight. And you can’t just look through the electronic viewfinder to get a clearer view, because there isn’t one on the PowerShot V1.

This camera has decent battery life for a compact at 400 shots or about 75 minutes of 4K 30p shooting on a charge. Other notable features include mic and headphone inputs along with a microHDMI and USB-C (charging and data transfer) ports, plus a single SD UHS-II card slot.

Vlogging and content creation

The ‘V’ in PowerShot V1 stands for vlogging, so let’s talk about that next. To best serve in that capacity, it uses a wide 16-50mm equivalent lens so you can always fit your face into the frame, even in cropped mode. However, that zoom range can also be limiting for capturing closeups or B-roll.

Video specs are top-notch for a compact, with sharp, supersampled 4K 30p video that uses the full sensor width or 4K 60p video with a 1.4x crop. On top of that, you can capture 10-bit video when using Canon’s C-Log 3 or HDR formats.That’s better than Sony’s ZV-1 II, which only offers 4K 30p and S-Log video with no 10-bit option. However, DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 surpasses both models with uncropped 4K at up to 120 fps, while also offering 10-bit D-LogM or HDR video.

With its large sensor, the PowerShot V1 offers sharp video and accurate, natural color rendering with Canon’s usual excellence in skin tones. Shooting in C-Log3 10-bit boosts dynamic range considerably in sunny or contrasty scenes, while giving you more latitude to adjust video in post. And when you need to shoot indoors or at night, the camera outperforms compact rivals, displaying lower noise at high ISO settings.

Steve Dent for Engadget

The disadvantage of a larger sensor is that rolling shutter that can warp video is more pronounced than on Sony’s 1-inch ZV-1 II at the 4K 30p setting. If that’s a concern, the cropped 4K 60p setting reduces the problem since it samples a smaller portion of the sensor.

Overheating isn’t an issue with this camera either, thanks to the built-in fan. I never saw any sign of a heat-related shutdown when using the PowerShot V1 with the temperature threshold setting at “high.”

Autofocus is a crucial feature for vlogging and the PowerShot V1 competes well against Sony’s ZV-1 II, thanks to its upgraded processor. It stays locked even on fast-moving subjects and the eye- and face-detection, along with subject detection for animals and vehicles, all work well.

Where the ZV-1 II only offers electronic video stabilization, the PowerShot V1 marries 5-stop optical stabilization with electronic stabilization. That means you can shoot smooth handheld video without any impact on image quality, or enable e-stabilization for walking or other challenging scenarios. However, neither camera holds a candle in that regard to DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3, which has a built-in 3-axis gimbal.

Audio is also a plus on the PowerShot V1, as it offers both mic and headphone jacks, while the ZV-1 II lacks a headphone port. Canon’s model also has a decent built-in stereo mic and comes with a hotshoe-attached wind muff.

Photography Steve Dent for Engadget

Despite the vlogging emphasis, the PowerShot V1 is highly capable for photos as well. In fact, it excels in both image quality and speed thanks to the unique 22.4MP, 1.4-inch sensor and Canon’s latest Digic X image processor to power autofocus and AI functions.

You can fire off bursts at up to 30 fps in electronic mode, and a very rapid 15 fps with the mechanical shutter (and yes, it has a mechanical shutter which is rare for a compact). That makes it one of the fastest compacts available. By comparison, the X100 VI can hit 25 fps speeds while the ZV-1 II is limited to 15 fps speeds. The Osmo Pocket 3, meanwhile, can take photos but is really designed almost exclusively for video.

The PowerShot V1’s high speeds are backed up by Canon’s Dual Pixel II focus system that delivers sharp photos the majority of the time, powered by the company’s latest AI tech for face- and eye-detection. As with other recent models, the camera also offers AI subject detection for animals, vehicles, airplanes and more.

The PowerShot V1 trumps Sony’s ZV-1 II with its built-in 5-stop optical stabilization to reduce blur. That enabled me to take shots down to an eighth, and sometimes even a quarter of a second, to blur backgrounds while keeping the foreground sharp.

The trouble with most compact cameras is that they can take nice photos in well-lit conditions but start to fall down in low light. That’s not the case with the PowerShot V1. The larger 1.4-inch sensor is very close in size to Micro Four Thirds, so it delivers clean images up to ISO 6400, with manageable noise even as high as ISO 12800.

The beauty of Canon cameras is that you get great-looking images straight out of the camera with no fuss, particularly with skin tones — a great boon for beginners. JPEG images have a good balance of sharpening and noise reduction, while RAW photos boost dynamic range in tricky shooting conditions and give you more room to play around when editing in Lightroom.

Wrap-up Steve Dent for Engadget

I can see what Canon was going for with the $900 PowerShot V1. It effectively beats out its main compact vlogging rival, Sony’s ZV-1 II, by offering a larger sensor, optical stabilization and more video options for around the same price. And it appeals to hybrid shooters more than DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 as it can better handle photography chores while also capturing higher-quality video.

The problem is that it’s still primarily a vlogging camera and a lot of content creators have abandoned this type of compact model in favor of the Osmo Pocket 3. That’s because the Pocket 3 offers unique features like motorized camera tracking and a superior three-axis gimbal. It also pairs with DJI’s popular Mic 2 and Mic mini wireless microphones, which is another big advantage. At the same time, the PowerShot V1 has a pretty basic design, so it may not appeal to buyers looking for something prettier like the X100 VI.

At the end of the day, the PowerShot V1 is bound to be a hit because it delivers when it comes to video and photo quality — especially given the current popularity of the now-ancient G7X III. In fact, I’d recommend it over Sony’s ZV-1 II, particularly if you’re looking for a hybrid camera that pulls double duty.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/canon-powershot-v1-review-a-powerful-compact-camera-capable-of-capturing-incredible-video-163009584.html?src=rss

We don’t speak for all moms, but a brief and unscientific survey has confirmed one gift most moms will love across the board: Time. Unspoken for, unstructured, zero-obligation time. While we couldn’t find extra hours on sale anywhere online, we did find some gadgets and gizmos that help save time and others that make precious down time more enjoyable. Our recommendations include some of the gifts we’ve given to the moms in our own lives as well as what the moms on staff would want for themselves. Most have a tech bent, because we are who we are, but all should appeal to any mom who wants to make the most of their time.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-moms-130044386.html?src=rss