Technology

Since arriving in 2020, the Backbone One has helped popularize dedicated mobile game controllers, the kind you might use for streaming services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now, remote play apps, emulators or any smartphone game you’d rather play with buttons and joysticks instead of your fingers. While you can always clip your phone to a PlayStation or Xbox controller paired over Bluetooth, telescopic gamepads like the One tend to be more ergonomic, creating a Nintendo Switch-style shape by clamping around your device at both ends. Backbone is far from the only company making these things now, but the One is still among the most frequently recommended options on the market — Engadget’s own Mat Smith gave it a favorable review back in 2022.

After releasing several iterations of the One, Backbone is now unveiling its first real follow-up: the Backbone Pro. It comes with many of the design upgrades you might expect, from comfier grips and smoother joysticks to larger triggers and quieter face buttons. But it also supports Bluetooth, which means it can unhook from your phone entirely and work with PCs, iPads, smart TVs and the like. Backbone has built a few new features for its companion app as well, including one called “FlowState” that lets you quickly connect to previously paired devices from one menu. The new controller is available to order today at Backbone.com and Best Buy and will begin shipping on May 20.

“[The Pro] is meant to be a premium device for anyone who wants to play games on any screen,” Backbone CEO Maneet Khaira said during a briefing in New York City last month. “Our idea was really, we want to make one device for all of gaming.”

After using the Backbone Pro for the past few days, I can squint and see the future Khaira has in mind, and the controller itself clearly feels more premium than its $100 predecessor (which will remain available). But at $170, the device will be prohibitively expensive for some. That’s approaching Xbox Elite territory for a controller still mainly aimed at smartphones. Plus, as with the One, a few of the app's perks are locked behind a Backbone+ subscription, which tacks on another $40 per year.

A better Backbone Jeff Dunn for Engadget

You really need to buy the Backbone Pro as a multi-device controller for it to make the most sense as a purchase. Used strictly with a phone, however, it’s a definitive upgrade over the Backbone One. This is most obvious in the grips, which are considerably thicker and more grooved than before. They fill out and hug your palms much more naturally as a result, which keeps the design comfier to hold over time. They’re also coated in a soft, lightly textured matte plastic that seems better at fending off sweat.

The concave joysticks are significantly taller and have a grippier “ring” around the top. They don’t use magnetic Hall effect sensors to resist drift long-term, which is annoying at this price, but they’re tight and tangibly smoother. Khaira says the Pro uses the same joystick component as Microsoft’s Xbox Elite controller and Sony’s DualSense Edge; indeed, the sticks don’t feel all that different than the ones on a full-size gamepad. Like other “pro” controllers, you can also remap buttons and fine-tune the joysticks’ and triggers’ dead zones in the Backbone app, then assign those tweaks to different profiles.

Backbone

The face buttons still aren't super quiet but feel distinctly less clicky and stiff, with a smoother finish and deeper sense of travel. Along those lines, the triggers are wider and fuller — my large-ish fingers can rest on them without hanging off, which wasn’t the case with the One. The shoulder buttons are longer as well, while the menu buttons are less flush and easier to reach. The D-pad is similarly firm and precise but now has a glossier coating. There’s also a pair of customizable back buttons, which rest right against your ring fingers but haven’t caused any accidental presses in my testing.

The fatter grips make the design taller than the One, but not much wider, and it’s still about 80 grams lighter than a typical Xbox or PlayStation pad at 199g. As before, the Pro comes with adapters that hold different-sized phones steady in place, with or without a case. I’ve experienced no wobbling using an iPhone 15 Plus with Apple’s Clear Case on. There’s still a built-in headphone jack and pass-through charging port, though the actual connector is USB-C only, so the controller won’t work with older Lightning-based iPhones. Since the Pro needs its own battery to play wirelessly, it sips a small amount of power to recharge whenever you top up a connected phone. Overall, Backbone says the Pro can last up to 40 hours; I haven't been able to perform a full rundown test, but the battery hasn't given me reason to doubt that estimate in the few days I've spent with the device. 

Looking past the phone You can quickly connect the Backbone Pro to new devices from this menu in Backbone's app. Jeff Dunn for Engadget / Backbone

Pairing the Backbone Pro with other devices wirelessly is largely straightforward. There's a dedicated button at the bottom of the controller that puts it into pairing mode, and the app prompts you to connect to all your other screens upon setup. Once you connect to a new device for the first time, the Pro remembers it, and that information is relayed in the app. When you want to play on one of those devices again, you simply tap a menu in the app, select the device and hit "connect." As long as that device has Bluetooth active, it'll immediately reconnect. You need to have your phone hooked into the Pro's USB-C port to swap devices via the app, but I've had few hiccups bouncing from screen to screen otherwise.   

You can see how the Pro lines up with the multi-screen vision brands like Xbox are pushing. I can launch a Game Pass stream of Clair Obscur on my phone while my wife has the TV, then move it to the Fire TV Stick when she’s all set. I can start a Balatro session on my PC and carry it to my iPad through Steam Link. I don’t have to change my controller at any point. I don’t have to fiddle with any buttons to pair with the next thing I want to use — I just pop in my phone, select the device and go. I can even pick up right where I left off in a cloud stream, provided I swap devices within a few minutes. The Pro isn’t the only controller that lets you game like this, of course, but its phone-friendly design and fast pairing tech make it especially inviting to this sort of “play anywhere” approach.

Top to bottom: an Xbox Series X/S controller, the Backbone Pro and the Backbone One. Jeff Dunn for Engadget

There are a few issues once you look closer, though. One is simply that the Pro lacks the proprietary tech needed to pair with an Xbox, PS5 or Switch. That’s not necessarily Backbone’s fault, but when it pitches the Pro as a controller for “all of gaming,” it has to ignore the main way tons of people actually play games.

Second, for as much as I like the Pro compared to other mobile gamepads, it still can’t help but feel cramped next to more traditional alternatives. The right joystick constantly brushes up against the bottom of my thumb, for instance, because it has to sit right below the face buttons. The triggers may be deeper, but they don’t have the same travel as a standard console pad. The Pro is still comfy, still capital-N Nice, and it’s great if you use your phone for gaming often. But an Xbox or PlayStation controller just has more room to work with.

Third, all of this can get expensive in a hurry. The Pro’s price tag is already steep. To take full advantage of cloud services like Xbox Cloud Gaming or GeForce Now, you have to pay a subscription fee. Same goes for Apple Arcade. You can’t remote play without owning a console or gaming PC. Backbone restricts some app features to its own membership program, most notably the ability to launch cloud-based games directly from the app. So there are questions of what the market for a device like this actually is: Just how much do hardcore gamers, the people who’d buy a $170 controller, play on their phone? How much do they need a multi-device controller when they likely own an Xbox or PS5 pad already? Who really wants a subscription with their video game controller?

You can organize and start up games from the Backbone app, but the ability to launch games from cloud services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now directly in the app (annoyingly) requires a subscription fee. Jeff Dunn for Engadget / Backbone

That aside, the app still looks clean, and it still lets you organize your games or streaming apps in one central hub. The search function works well, allowing you to filter games by different platforms. When you select a game, it helpfully shows you which platforms you can play it through. 

Backbone is also adding a new built-in emulator with its next update. It can run NES, SNES, Game Boy, Game Boy Advance and Nintendo 64 games today, though the company says it’s testing PlayStation 1 and PlayStation Portable cores as well. Opening a ROM in the app is simple enough, and once you do, it’ll appear in your hub alongside the rest of your library. That said, you need a Backbone+ subscription to use the emulator, and it’s fairly barebones compared to an app like RetroArch, with no way to rewind, adjust resolution or manage multiple save states. I also experienced a few bugs with certain games, with one title not loading entirely. This is still a neat idea, and it's nice that Backbone continues to add new features to the app in general. But given that other more featured emulators are available for free, I can’t say this one is worth paying for today.

In an ideal world, the Backbone Pro would be a next-gen version of One rather than a step-up model priced $70 higher. The hardware is better in meaningful ways, and being able to use it across devices is genuinely convenient. But it’s certainly not cheap. There’s a decent chance the price was influenced by the looming effects of President Trump’s tariff policy, but that still leaves the device well above other capable mobile gamepads today. If you’ve got the cash and spend hours gaming across your phone and other screens, the Pro is still well worth a look. It’s one of the best in its niche. It’s just hard to call it a great value.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/backbone-pro-hands-on-a-pricey-controller-for-more-than-just-your-phone-130034399.html?src=rss

Last year was a major one for Microsoft's Surface lineup, thanks to the launch of Copilot+ AI PC initiative, as well as surprisingly capable Arm-powered Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models. But aside from the addition of OLED and Qualcomm's new Snapdragon chips, the overall design for those Surface machines didn't really evolve much. That changes this year, as Microsoft has announced smaller versions of its Surface family: A 12-inch Surface Pro hybrid tablet and a 13-inch Surface Laptop. To be clear, they won't be replacing the existing Surface devices, instead they're more like compact siblings.

While they may sound only a bit smaller than the existing 13-inch Surface Pro and 13.8-inch Surface Laptop, Microsoft managed to cut off plenty of excess weight. The new 12-inch Surface Pro is a half-pound lighter than the 13-inch model, clocking in at 1.5 pounds, and the revised Surface Laptop is 0.3 pounds lighter (2.7 pounds). Notably, the Surface Pro is coming in 0.2 pounds lighter than the Surface Pro X, a device we praised for having "gorgeous" hardware that was betrayed by Windows' terrible Arm support in 2019.

Microsoft

Both new Surface devices are powered by an eight-core version of the Snapdragon X Plus chip, which includes a 45 TOPS NPU and Adreno GPU, as well as 16GB RAM. As for storage, you can choose from either 256GB of 512GB UFS (Universal Flash Storage) options. Unlike the SSDs in other Surface devices, you won't be able to upgrade the UFS storage down the line.

That's not the only downgrade, either: The smaller screens of both devices are a significant step down from their larger siblings. The Surface Pro's 12-inch LCD sports a 2,196 by 1,464 resolution, which is only slightly better than 1080p, and maxes out at a 90Hz refresh rate. The 13-inch Surface Pro, meanwhile, offers more pixels per inch with a 2,880 by 1,920 resolution, up to 120Hz refresh rate, and an optional OLED upgrade. As for the smaller Surface Laptop, it sports a simple 1080p 60Hz LCD. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop has a sharper 2,304 by 1,536 LCD that can hit up to 120Hz.

Microsoft

Microsoft has also given up on using the Surface Connect port with these devices, opting instead to rely on USB-C charging alone. The Surface Pro and Surface Laptop both have two USB-C/USB 3.2 ports, which support 45W and 60W fast charging, respectively. There's no USB power adapter bundled with the Surface Pro, unfortunately, but the Surface Laptop still comes with a 45W charger of its own. Similarly, the Laptop is the only new machine with a USB Type-A connection and a headphone jack.

The 12-inch Surface Pro starts at $800, which is technically $200 less than the retail price of the 13-inch model, but oddly enough that version is currently on sale for $800 as well. As usual, you'll have to buy the Surface Keyboard separately, which tacks on another $149 to your Surface Pro purchase. Microsoft says it's reimagined the Surface Keyboard for the 12-inch tablet, so its typing experience may be different this time around.

The 13-inch Surface Laptop starts at $900, but in another curious twist the larger model is also currently on sale for $800 (down from $1,000). Perhaps Microsoft is betting some people will opt for the new hardware simply because it's more compact. We'll have to test both machines to see if their spec downgrades are worth the lighter weight.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/microsoft-unveils-smaller-surfaces-a-12-inch-surface-pro-tablet-and-a-13-inch-surface-laptop-130030983.html?src=rss

DoorDash has agreed to purchase British food and grocery delivery service Deliveroo for $3.9 billion, the companies have revealed in a filing with the London Stock Exchange. The acquisition will "strengthen DoorDash's position as a leading global platform," the filing said. Deliveroo operates in nine regions, namely Belgium, France, Italy, Ireland, Kuwait, Qatar, Singapore, United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. All those regions are new for DoorDash and will give the combined companies access to a total population that exceeds 1 billion people. 

It doesn't sound like DoorDash is erasing Deliveroo's brand after it takes over. Instead, they'll both be part of an "Enlarged Group" operating in multiple regions around the world, giving DoorDash an expanded presence in Europe and giving it an entry into the Middle Eastern market. "Both companies are highly complementary, whether in their geographic footprints or their missions, and I am confident that being part of the Enlarged Group will accelerate the realisation of Deliveroo's full potential," Deliveroo chair Claudia Arney said in a statement. 

The acquisition is still subject to regulatory and antitrust approvals. As CNBC noted, though, this marks the end of Deliveroo's problems as a public company. It has faced a lot of competition and legal challenges after a period of abundance for food delivery services during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and its share prices have plummeted since it went public in 2021. Before the company went public, Amazon took on the UK's Competition and Markets Authority to become a major investor in Deliveroo. The e-commerce company was the leading investor in a funding round worth $575 million and owned a 16 percent stake in the food delivery service.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/doordash-is-buying-british-rival-deliveroo-for-39-billion-123005055.html?src=rss

Whether your grad plans to schlep it to the office every day or needs to build their own workspace at home, chances are they could use some help prepping their desk for the professional world. If you know a recent graduate and want to make their first days on the job a little more convenient, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite office essentials — gadgets and accessories that should prove useful in anyone’s day-to-day life. Have a look below if you need help jogging your brain for a gift idea.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-work-from-home-office-gifts-for-graduates-123015003.html?src=rss

Apple may see further fallout over its failure to comply with a court order that led to last week’s contempt ruling. A class action suit filed on behalf of developers claims that Apple's actions cost Pure Sweat Basketball (and other developers) revenue during the period it was found to have violated the original court order. "Had Apple complied with the injunction, as required, Pure Sweat would have been able to sell subscriptions to its app directly to its customers," the law firm, Hagens Berman, alleges. 

The original 2021 court ruling forced Apple to allow App Store developers to direct user to other payments systems so that they could bypass the 30 percent of of in-app payments taken by Apple. The App Store was supposed to stop preventing developers from including buttons or links in their apps and metadata that would allow allow users to make purchases outside the App Store environment.

However, developer Epic Games accused Apple of "malicious compliance" with the ruling because it still charged a commission of up to 27 percent on any sales made through links to external payment systems. It also said Apple came up with onerous restrictions on external buttons, among other violations.

In her ruling last week, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said Apple "chose the most anticompetitive option" at every turn. She even alleged that Apple lied under oath to hide the truth about its actions and referred the case to a US attorney for a criminal contempt investigation. 

"The court ultimately held that Apple willfully violated the injunction to protect its revenues, and then ‘reverse engineered’ justifications to proffer to the court, often with ‘lies on the witness stand," the class action lawsuit states. "The evidence showed that while one senior Apple executive [Phil Schiller] ‘advocated that Apple comply with the injunction,’ Mr. Cook ignored this advice and allowed others in his finance team to convince him otherwise. Cook chose poorly."

The class action seeks to recover lost revenue for up to 100,000 or more developers forced to pay Apple commissions that shouldn't have existed. Hagens Berman obtained a $100 million settlement for iOS developers in a previous App Store class action suit. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-hit-with-class-action-suit-from-developers-after-app-store-ruling-120058208.html?src=rss

It’s been eight years since Nintendo released its revolutionary hybrid console, and while many have spent the last couple of those itching for sequel hardware, it’s a good time to recall how Nintendo smashed expectations and continued to forge its own path in gaming, graphical fidelity be damned.

Whether it was its core conceit — a handheld and a TV-connected console — or Nintendo’s continued production line of hit games, which included arguably the best game of the decade, we have a lot to say. And let’s not forget the Switch came before the Steam Deck and the tidal wave of handheld gaming PCs that have appeared in recent years. Nintendo proved people would play triple-A games without being tethered to their TV.

We've pulled together some of the Engadget team’s reflections. I love to say "reflections".

— Mat Smith

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All the biggest stories you might have missed

• Half-Life 3 is reportedly playable in its entirety and could be announced this year

• Ask Engadget: Is it a good time to move to Macs from Windows?

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Spotify finally shrugs off Apple’s Apple Store fees A judge’s ruling this week may have finally ended Apple’s anti-competitive app commissions.

Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Apple was using loopholes to circumvent her own ruling against the company from 2021. Companies are wasting no time streamlining payments outside of Apple’s walled garden, and Spotify is the latest to make these changes.

With the latest update available in the App Store, the Spotify app has added external links, so it can advertise lower prices and different tiers without giving nearly a third of its revenue generated back to Apple.

This could be a major change for the App Store ecosystem and Apple’s business if it comes into effect. Developers would no longer have to fork over 30 percent of iOS app revenue to Apple, which could cost the company billions. Spotify and Netflix are among the major companies that don’t allow users to sign up for a subscription through their iOS apps, due to the cut Apple takes.

Continue reading.

Netflix teases Squid Game’s final season The third season of Squid Game arrives June 27. Netflix

Netflix has released a teaser trailer for the final season of Squid Game. It suggests that the games restart after a failed uprising led by the show’s protagonist, Seong Gi-hun, or Player 456.

In the teaser, Player 456 is brought back into a room full of players — inside a coffin. When he wakes up, the games resume, players are segregated into groups, mother and son are separated and, curiously, there’s a baby crying by the end of the teaser.

Continue reading.

How to watch Google I/O 2025 and The Android Show For the first time, Google is breaking out some Android updates into a separate event.

Google’s annual I/O developer conference is coming on May 20, but for the first time, there are two events. The classic I/O 2025 kicks off on May 20, and a week earlier, on May 13, there’s also The Android Show: I/O Edition, a dedicated showcase for, you guessed it, Android.

Google’s I/O keynote will be available to watch on Google’s YouTube channel and right here once the livestream is up on May 20 at 1PM ET. The Android Show: I/O Edition will also go up on Google’s Android YouTube channel on May 13 at 1PM ET — we’ve already embedded it above. Oh, and here’s what we’re expecting to see.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-111534044.html?src=rss

Netflix has released its first teaser trailer for the final season of Squid Game. Based on the scenes the streaming service included in the video, the games will be restarted after a failed uprising led by the show's protagonist Seong Gi-hun, or Player 456. While Season 2 ended on a cliffhanger, it hinted strongly that the rebellion will fail to end the games right then and there. 

In the teaser, Player 456 could be seen being brought back into a room full of players inside a coffin. And after he wakes up, the games resume, players are segregated into groups, mother and son are separated and, curiously, a baby could be heard crying by the end of the teaser. We also get glimpses of Jun-ho as he searches for the island where the games are being held and his brother In-ho, who resumes his role as the games' Front Man after pretending to be a player in the previous season. 

Squid Game is a Korean survival thriller with themes revolving around class struggle and social inequality. In the story, ordinary people, often buried in debts and desperate to earn money, are locked in a facility where they're forced to play games. Only one person wins the pot of money players collectively earn by winning games. Everybody else? Well, they die. Seong Gi-hun, the first season's winner, chose to come back for another round in order to dismantle the organization running the games, and the third season will show the culmination of his efforts. Squid Game season 3 arrives on Netflix on June 27. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-teases-squid-games-final-season-035721654.html?src=rss

Yet another high-profile Xbox franchise is making the leap to PlayStation. While Halo isn't yet making the transition, Gears of War is about to join the likes of Forza Horizon 5 in crossing the divide. Gears of War: Reloaded, a remaster of the first game in the series from 2006, is coming to PS5, PC (on the Xbox PC app and Steam) and, naturally, Xbox Series X/S on August 26. However, it's not making its way to Nintendo Switch 2, at least for the time being.

The game costs $40, though it will also be on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on day one. Those who bought the digital version of Gears of War: Ultimate Edition before the remaster announcement will get a free upgrade. Game Pass Ultimate subscribers will also be able to play the third-person shooter on Xbox Cloud Gaming.

The Coalition, an Xbox studio that focuses on Gears of War, worked on the remaster with Sumo Interactive and Disbelief. The game includes all of the Gears of War DLC at no extra cost, including a bonus act for the campaign and all multiplayer features. There will be some characters and cosmetic items that you unlock through progression.

As ever, you can play through the campaign with a friend either online or in classic split-screen co-op. There's cross-play for all platforms with support for up to eight players in the versus multiplayer mode. If you sign in with a Microsoft account (which isn't required), you can enable cross-progression. So if you pick up Gears of War: Reloaded on PS5 and play the campaign or multiplayer there, you can continue where you left off on a phone or tablet via Xbox Cloud Gaming, for instance.

Along with "platform-specific features," Gears of War: Reloaded includes support for 4K HDR visuals, framerates of 60 fps in the campaign and 120 fps in multiplayer modes, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and other visual, audio and performance enhancements. Microsoft is also promising that the campaign will have zero loading screens.

The Coalition has another Gears of War project in the pipeline. During last June's Xbox Games Showcase, Gears of War: E-Day was revealed. Outriders studio People Can Fly is co-developing the game, which does not yet have a release window.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/gears-of-war-is-coming-to-playstation-for-the-first-time-on-august-26-000159326.html?src=rss

The Apple TV is one of the best streaming devices you can get right now to add Netflix, Disney+, Max and other streaming apps to your boring old TV. It costs more than the competition, but it offers a more polished experience (the screensavers are worth the price of admission) as well as more privacy protections. 

One perk of Apple TV you may not know about is its support for several native VPN apps. You can use a VPN to unlock shows, movies, and sporting events that are usually restricted to other territories. If you use a VPN to change your IP address to a different virtual location, you can fool streaming sites into changing what content they make available. Here’s how to use a VPN on your Apple TV and why you might want to install one.

How to use a VPN on Apple TV

As of the September 2023 release of the tvOS 17 software update, the Apple TV platform supports third-party VPN apps. Setting them up is easy; just follow these steps (these may vary slightly between VPNs):

1. In the Apple TV App Store, search for the VPN you want to download or search for the keyword "VPN" to see your options.

2. Download and install your chosen VPN.

3. Sign up or log in.

4. Choose a server location in a different country. 

5. Once the VPN is up and running, return to the home screen and run the streaming app of your choice. In some cases, it will give you access to a new set of programming options based on your new virtual location. 

We have a comprehensive guide on how to stream video to your TV using a VPN, which covers Apple TV installation and provides alternative methods for connecting a VPN to your Apple TV.

Why you should use a VPN on Apple TV

As previously mentioned, using a VPN on your Apple TV allows you to change your IP address to make it seem like you’re browsing from a different country. This is because the VPN server does business with the internet on your behalf, while encryption makes it impossible to see who's behind the mask. So if you’re in the US and connect to a UK VPN server, you’ll be able to access the UK Netflix content library and watch shows on UK-only services like BBC iPlayer.

VPNs are also essential security tools, although their features apply best on a smartphone or PC where you do most of your internet browsing. If you purchase a VPN subscription with your Apple TV in mind, we recommend using it on your smartphone and laptop, too. A VPN can help keep you anonymous online and protect your data from malicious parties and advertising networks. If you care about digital privacy and anonymity, it’s good practice to use a VPN across all devices with internet connectivity.

Choosing the right VPN

Apple TVs only work with a limited number of VPNs. Although that seems like a hindrance, Apple vets the VPNs it allows on its App Store, so you can feel reassured knowing they’re trustworthy options. Every one of the top picks on our best VPNs list is on the Apple TV app store.

We encourage you to do your own research when choosing a service. Although each VPN has the same basic functionalities, their price and extra features vary. Before deciding which one is right for your needs and the devices you have, take some time to look at what each one offers and see what other users have to say.

VPN options for other streaming platforms

Don't have an Apple TV? Good news: Robust VPN options (or alternatives) exist for the other major streaming platforms, too.

• How to stream using a VPN on your Google TV or Chromecast

• How to use a VPN on your Roku

• How to use a VPN to stream with Fire TV

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/how-to-use-a-vpn-on-apple-tv-113345245.html?src=rss

Ecco the Dolphin, the Sega-published game series starring a time-traveling bottlenose dolphin, is making a comeback, according to a new interview in Xbox Wire. The series' creator Ed Annunziata says that both Ecco the Dolphin and Ecco: The Tides of Time are being remastered, and a third game is in the works.

"Me and the entire original team are going to remaster the original Ecco the Dolphin and Tides of Time games," Annunziata says. "Then we will make a new, third game with contemporary play and GPU sensibilities." Ecco the Dolphin was featured alongside games like Tchia and Coral Island for Xbox's celebration of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and games that draw "inspiration from API cultures." For its part, Ecco the Dolphin is about a porpoise, but Annunziata says his goal was always to "create a game that sparked curiosity and respect for the ocean."

Annunziata tried to get a spiritual successor to Ecco funded on Kickstarter in 2013, but failed to raise enough money to get the project off the ground. He sued Sega for the rights to the original franchise that same year, and ultimately settled with the publisher in 2016, GamesBeat reports. The settlement might be why remasters and a new game can happen in the first place.

While it's considered a classic for its difficult gameplay and iconic soundtrack, Ecco the Dolphin hasn't been particularly easy to play legally if you don't already own it. The game was one of several Sega titles that were delisted from digital storefronts in December 2024.

Annunziata didn't share further details about either project in the interview, but did point readers to an Ecco the Dolphin website, which currently has a countdown timer that's set to end on April 25, 2026.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-new-ecco-the-dolphin-game-and-remasters-are-on-the-way-205338160.html?src=rss

A hacker has exploited a vulnerability in TeleMessage to breach the service and steal data, according to reporting by 404 Media. TeleMessage is an Israeli company that provides modded versions of encrypted messaging apps like Signal and Telegram.

It was revealed last week that former US National Security Adviser Mike Waltz used TeleMessage’s modified version of Signal to archive messages. Today's report indicated the presence of other high-ranking government officials in archived chats on the app, including Marco Rubio, Tulsi Gabbard and Vice President JD Vance.

The unnamed hacker was able to access archived chats, but it doesn’t look like they got into any of Waltz's conversations. The hack does, however, prove that the app’s message archiving service is not end-to-end encrypted. 

The hacker also accessed contact information of government officials, login credentials for TeleMessage and data pertaining to the US Customs and Border Protection agency. Some businesses who use the service, like Coinbase and Scotiabank, were also hacked. 404 Media spoke to the anonymous hacker, who said the whole thing only "took about 15-20 minutes" and that it "wasn’t much effort at all." TeleMessage's parent company Smarsh has yet to comment on the matter.

All of this happened after Waltz accidentally revealed he used TeleMessage during a cabinet meeting last week. This led people to question what kind of information was being shared on the app and how it was being secured. Now we know it wasn’t secured all that well.

TeleMessage gave a statement to Reuters saying that it was "investigating a potential security incident" and suspending its services "out of an abundance of caution." 

Of course, it’s only been a few weeks since Signalgate, in which it was revealed that top US officials were using the messaging app Signal to discuss active combat operations. Prior to the Trump administration, government officials typically avoided consumer-grade messaging apps to hash out military plans. Instead, they used Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs) and in-house encrypted communication channels.

Update, May 5, 2025, 3:38PM ET: Added a statement from TeleMessage to confirm they are investigating a security incident. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/telemessage-a-signal-clone-the-trump-administration-uses-has-been-hacked-183606147.html?src=rss

Google plans to start producing its own films and television shows via a "production initiative" called 100 Zeros, Business Insider reports. The company is working with Range Media Partners, a talent management and production company, to identify projects that appeal to younger audiences and could "promote a positive view of [Google's] products."

Besides the obvious opportunity for product placement, the larger goal of the initiative is to fund projects that have a positive view of technology, and to get the creative industry interested in using Google's products. Immersive View, Google's 3D aerial scans featured in Google Maps, could be a tool it pushes, Business Insider writes. Veo 2, Google's AI video model, seems like a natural candidate, too. Whichever way the company goes, 100 Zeros already has a movie under its belt: The initiative reportedly helped pay for the marketing for the indie horror movie Cuckoo.

When Engadget reached out to Google for comment, the company shared the X post below, confirming that 100 Zeros isn't a studio, but was created to help filmmakers incorporate XR and AI into their productions:

This is not a new studio, it’s an initiative driven by our Platforms & Devices team which includes Android. We’re working with Range to assist the creative community in integrating cutting-edge technologies and platforms, like XR and AI, into their filmmaking.

— News from Google (@NewsFromGoogle) May 5, 2025

Google has some experience in the entertainment industry through its defunct YouTube Red Originals program. When YouTube first launched YouTube Red, the subscription service now called YouTube Premium, it did so alongside a slate of original content featuring notable YouTube talent. The program produced a number of shows and films, including popular series that found homes on other streaming services, like Cobra Kai, but never became a true competitor to Netflix. 

100 Zeros doesn't sound like another YouTube Red, and instead, a more traditional play to make original content and sell it to other distributors — just with a potentially Google-y flavor.

Update, May 5, 3:30PM ET: This article was updated with a social post from Google confirming the existence of its new production initiative.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/google-is-reportedly-getting-back-into-film-and-tv-with-a-tech-friendly-production-initiative-185138762.html?src=rss

The Switch 2 is nearly here, which means the original Switch is entering its twilight years. It’s been eight years since Nintendo released its revolutionary hybrid console, and while many fans have spent the last couple of those itching for the device to be replaced, now seems like an opportune time to look back at what its legacy may wind up being (while acknowledging that it still has some life ahead of it).

Instead of bleating on myself, though, I turned to the rest of the Engadget staff to see what comes to mind when they think of the Switch, as just about everyone on the team has played with the console. We’ve collected our reflections below — some take a bigger-picture view, some are more personal, some contradict others’ experiences entirely. There’s plenty more that went unsaid. But I think that’s part of the Switch’s beauty; it’s a device that’s resonated with so many, in so many different ways, in its near-decade on the market.

The Switch embodied Nintendo’s lateral thinking with withered technology

Broadly speaking, you can group Nintendo consoles into two types. On one side you have devices that may be distinctive in certain ways but mostly iterate on a previous success or focus on technical upgrades first — think the SNES, GameCube, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, 3DS and, by the looks of it, the Switch 2. (The N64 and original NES could go either way, but I’d put them here too.) On the other you have machines that are more out there, ones that most obviously represent “lateral thinking with withered technology,” the company’s longtime product philosophy championed by legendary designer Gunpei Yokoi.

These eschew cutting-edge technology for mature, cheaper hardware redeployed in novel ways. The worst of these have been existential disasters for Nintendo (Wii U, Virtual Boy). The best have created new forms of play, experiences you could hardly imagine before but make perfect sense in hindsight (Game Boy, DS, Wii). Not coincidentally, these are the consoles that’ve sold best in Nintendo’s history.

The Switch fell firmly in the latter camp. It didn’t really matter that the chip was from an old Android TV player. It didn’t really matter that the Joy-Cons kind of sucked, with beady buttons and thumbsticks that broke too often. It didn’t matter that there was a paltry 32GB of storage, that the (non-OLED) display was barely usable outdoors, that the triggers weren’t pressure-sensitive or that the kickstand always felt like it’d snap off. In a world that, for better or worse, increasingly demands comfort above all else, it won on sheer force of convenience. No other gaming device had ever gone so far to meet players where they live. And it won on the games, as Nintendo systems often do. Like the Game Boy and Wii, the Switch’s concept was so undeniable that its hardware only needed to be good enough for its time in the sun. So that’s all it ever was. It embodied Nintendo’s lateral thinking, blending unremarkable parts into something playful and brilliant. — Jeff Dunn, senior reporter

The Switch saw Nintendo (finally) embrace indies

The Switch was an absolute delight for fans of indie game studios. This was really the first time the company truly embraced smaller developers in a comprehensive way, and it paid off big. The console became the de facto way to experience many of the standout titles of the past generation, including stuff like Celeste, Dead Cells, Hades, Golf Story, Undertale, Stardew Valley and, of course, Hollow Knight.

The hybrid nature of the console led many gamers, myself included, to wait for a Switch release of an indie title. This was before the Steam Deck and its ilk, so there really wasn’t any other way to play most of these games on a portable machine. The company’s sudden support for indies was great for gamers, as we got to play cool stuff, but it was also great for Nintendo. Many of these titles sold really well and gave the company some breathing room between first-party releases. Remember, the Switch was woefully underpowered when compared to other consoles so it couldn’t really run many AAA third-party games. Nowadays, Nintendo loves indies so much that they get their own Direct livestreams. My, how times have changed. — Lawrence Bonk, contributing reporter

The Switch was a haven for the golden age of Metroidvanias

It’s fitting that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will be the Switch’s swan song. Starting with the release of Hollow Knight a year after the system’s debut, the Switch has been the best place to experience the golden age of Metroidvanias. Between Animal Well, Blasphemous 2, Hollow Knight, Nine Sols and Nintendo’s own contributions to the genre, nearly every great Metroidvania since 2017 has made it to the Switch; in fact, Microsoft even released the Ori series on the console.

The Switch was my favorite place to play many of those games. With their often simpler graphics, most Metroidvanias were a perfect fit for the system. For example, Hollow Knight and Metroid Dread run at a flawless 60 frames per second and look great on the system, especially on the OLED model with its ability to produce inky blacks. The Switch’s portability is also a huge boon for these types of games. They’re great for short pick up and play sessions, and even better for longer ones when you can get lost in their worlds. — Igor Bonifacic, senior reporter

In praise of the Switch Lite, the handheld console for everyone

When I think of the Switch, the first object that comes to mind is my coral Switch Lite. No fancy OLED screen, no detachable controllers, no TV input mechanism and a maximum resolution of 720p, all wrapped up in an adorable, handheld, candy-colored package. For me, this is a highlight of the ninth console generation. The Switch Lite is effective because it’s simple: It comfortably fits in most people’s hands (ahem, Steam Deck), it offers a large selection of indie and mainstream games, its screen is just big enough, it travels well and it’s cute as hell. The audience for the Switch Lite spans children to adults, commuters to work-from-homers, and its popularity demonstrates some deep truths about what we actually love in video games. Turns out, photorealistic graphics and uncapped framerates are less important than solid game design and innovative mechanics.

I’ve owned a full-fat Switch and a Lite for years, and while I enjoy playing Mario Kart 8 with friends on the couch, nothing beats the intimacy of curling up with my little Lite. Perhaps it’s not surprising that Nintendo, the creator of the Game Boy and its numerous iterations, knows how to make a fantastic handheld console, but it’s still supremely satisfying. I’m excited about the Switch 2, sure, but the debut console — 8-inch display, detachable gamepads and all — is only responsible for half of that feeling. The other half is on pause and smothered in pastels, patiently waiting on the announcement of a Switch 2 Lite. — Jessica Conditt, senior editor

The Switch is a lesson to all developers, everywhere

Ever since I’ve been able to see how much memory a single Chrome tab uses, I’ve been obsessed with elegance. Not in the ballgowns-and-tuxedos sense, but to pursue efficiency as a form of art, to use self-imposed limitations to surpass anyone’s expectations. It may have been a brightly-colored games console, but the Nintendo Switch was a masterpiece of elegance.

It’s not that modern-day Nintendo has ever really gotten into the bigger-number-is-better wars but then, as now, people were sniffy about the Switch’s power. After all, it was using a modified and, crucially, downclocked version of NVIDIA’s Tegra X1 system on chip. It wasn’t long before everyone started (kinda) joking their smartphones could beat the console in the power metrics.

Compared to the competition? Pfft. The Xbox and PS4 were smog-billowing big rigs next to the Switch’s carbon-fiber bicycle with only one crossbar. And yet, of the three, it’s the console I’ve spent the most time playing during this whole generation. Because for all it lacked in graphical clout, it never seemed to miss out where it counted.

That’s testament to Nintendo squeezing so much damn power out of the Switch, and its willingness to put the work in. Yes, you can get Call of Murder Simulator with ultra-realistic blood spatter on the other two consoles, but it’s not as if there weren’t plenty of demanding titles on this platform too. I can call to mind games like Doom Eternal and The Witcher 3, not to mention top-tier games from the last generation, like Bioshock and Portal.

And that’s before you got to masterpieces like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom which are, shockingly good given the hardware they’re running on. Yes, there was the odd frame drop in the latter title, but when you think about what that game was doing, a frame drop was more than forgivable. Fundamentally, the Switch is a lesson to all developers everywhere that they should be disciplined to do a lot more with a lot less. — Daniel Cooper, senior editor

The Switch had me dreaming of a higher-fidelity Hyrule

Apologies in advance if this comes off as another gamer saying Nintendo should make more powerful consoles. That’s not what I’m saying, I swear. Nintendo hasn’t chased the PlayStation or Xbox in graphics power for multiple console generations; it clearly has different priorities. And the art style and attention to detail in its first-party games is nearly unmatched. Rarely have I played any of Nintendo’s games and thought “this could use more pixels” or more “realistic” graphics.

However, in late 2017 I was engrossed in two games: Horizon Zero Dawn on the PS4 and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild for the then recently released Switch. As fate would have it, both games came out in March, and while Horizon got plenty of positive reviews, it was a bit buried by the hype around Breath of the Wild and its radical reinvention of how a Zelda game plays. And while the two have their fair share of differences, the commonality of exploring a gorgeous and vast open world where you could go to almost anywhere you can see made me think how much I’d love it if Nintendo went all-in on a console and Zelda title that could provide fidelity like in Horizon Zero Dawn.

I’m not saying I need human-realistic characters in a Zelda game — the art direction in Breath of the Wild is great. But the forests, mountains, deserts, caves and rivers in Horizon are perhaps the most beautiful rendering of the natural world that I’ve ever seen in a game. Combining the endless exploration of Hyrule in Breath of the Wild with a Hyrule that looks as good as the world in Horizon does would be an incredible combo, even though it’s not something I’m holding my breath for. That said, the Switch 2 seems like a much more capable console, and you have to imagine the next Zelda game will look a bit different than the last two. Surprise me, Nintendo! — Nathan Ingraham, deputy editor

The Switch changed me from Nintendo skeptic to Nintendo superfan

Before the Switch came out, I knew there were people who proudly wore their Nintendo fandom, but I could not understand their fascination. I think that was because I'd never had my own Nintendo hardware. Every experience I'd had of the company's games before the Switch was on a console that belonged to a friend, roommate or significant other. That meant as a player, my experience was almost entirely based on casual hangout games like Mario Kart and Mario Party. Later on, as I began writing about games, my professional opinion was that Nintendo made money by manufacturing scarcity with limited releases and a dubious attitude about preservation.

Given all the mid-to-bad feelings I had about the company, I don't remember why I decided to buy a Switch for myself. It was about a year after the hardware debuted, so maybe I'd seen enough positive buzz that I was ready to see what all the fuss was about. Whatever the reason, I'm so happy I wandered into the store to finally acquire my first Nintendo console that fateful day.

Since then, I've spent hours in Super Mario Odyssey, gleefully searching every corner of each world for sneaky hidden moons. I logged even more time in Breath of the Wild, exploring Hyrule as an escape from the doom of COVID in the real world. I've logged multiple hundreds of hours uncovering the intrigues of Garreg Mach Monastery and leading my students into battle with Fire Emblem: Three Houses. And you don't even want to know how many hundreds of hours I've spent clearing out pills in Dr. Mario. A bunch of titles that I'd now consider my favorites came from my time playing on the Switch.

I'm sure that if the SNES or the N64 had been my true introduction to the world of Nintendo, I'd have similar warm fuzzies about those generations of games. But the way my timeline has gone, the Switch is the one that introduced me to this joyful and delightful gaming ecosystem. So I see you, Nintendo fans. And now I am one of you. — Anna Washenko, contributing reporter

The Switch was the console I always wanted – until it wasn’t

I was desperately hoping for a console like the Switch before it was announced by Nintendo. That time, I was mainly gaming on the Nintendo 3DS and the PS Vita, until I discovered the Vita TV and realized that I prefer being able to play my handheld games on a bigger screen sometimes. I remember playing Fire Emblem Awakening on the 3DS and thinking of how it would be so much better if I could get a bigger view of the battlefield.

When Nintendo released the Switch years later, it was everything I wanted. You can take your game with you anywhere and then play it on the TV when you're home? Perfect. The Vita TV wasn't as seamless, since I had to move memory cards to and from the handheld Vita to play the same game.

Now, years later, my life and my eyesight have gone through some big changes. I no longer play games if I can't play them on the TV. That means for games that have both a Nintendo and a PlayStation version, I almost always get the one for PlayStation, since it has better graphics and overall quality.

But what about Nintendo-exclusive games? These days, I find myself wishing for a Switch without a screen. Just a simple console like the Vita TV with, perhaps, better specs for crisper graphics and less stuttering. Or, if that's truly not possible, just one that's cheaper than the full console. (I’m not the only person who’s called for this!) Alas, there's no version of the Switch 2 coming out without a display. It's a wish I may have to carry with me for years like my wish for the Switch's current form factor — I'll just have to wait and see if it also comes to life. For now, I'll just keep on playing on my (docked) Switch. — Mariella Moon, contributing reporter

The Switch helped make handhelds feel special again

I got my Nintendo Switch on launch day way back in March 2017 and it's the only one I've ever owned. And even though its Joy-Con started to drift over the years and its Nvidia Tegra X1 chip was already kind of dated from the get-go, I will always appreciate how that thing held it down for the better part of a decade. Plus, thanks to Nintendo's magic, it never felt like the console was held back by its less powerful hardware.

However, as we begin the transition to its successor, I really want to praise the Switch for reinvigorating people's interests in handhelds. When it came out, the Nintendo 3DS was already on its last legs while Sony had all but abandoned the Vita. But thanks to the Switch's ability to double as both a home console and a portable gaming device, it directly paved the way for so many of the handheld PCs on sale today like the ASUS ROG Ally, Steam Deck and more. This reminds me of how awesome it felt as a kid to bring games with me to help pass the time on long road trips or when the dentist would distract me with a Game Boy during cleanings. It's something that still feels special today even with the proliferation of laptops and tablets, which can't quite match that level of engagement and portability, and I will forever appreciate the risk Nintendo took when it designed that flexibility into the Switch's core identity. — Sam Rutherford, senior reporter

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/reflections-on-the-nintendo-switch-the-hybrid-console-that-changed-gaming-192049755.html?src=rss

Last week a federal judge issued a scathing ruling over Apple’s handling of fees for in-app transactions. As promised, Apple has appealed the latest decision in the protracted lawsuit brought by Epic Games over the company’s anti-competitive App Store policies. The initial 2021 ruling attempting to loosen Apple’s grip on in-app sales was all but ignored, as the company went to great lengths in attempting to circumvent the decision.

While the company complied with the judges ruling, it has now filed its promised appeal after it made clear last week that it strongly disagreed with the court's decision. It remains to be seen if there is any chance for Apple to win the appeal, as Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers sternly reprimanded Apple in her latest ruling.

Her ruling in part read “Apple willfully chose not to comply with this Court’s Injunction. It did so with the express intent to create new anticompetitive barriers which would, by design and in effect, maintain a valued revenue stream; a revenue stream previously found to be anticompetitive. That it thought this Court would tolerate such insubordination was a gross miscalculation.”

It's not clear what Apple’s legal arguments will be or on what grounds the company is asserting its appeal. While the issue continues to be fought out in court, companies with a large presence on iOS like Epic Games and Spotify have moved quickly to establish external payment methods for their apps. There is every chance that this legal battle could continue for years as Apple continues to defend one of its prime revenue streams and insist on its authority to take a commission from any transactions originating in apps from the App Store.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-appeals-recent-ruling-against-anticompetitive-app-store-practices-191536385.html?src=rss

The recently-released seventh-gen Apple iPad mini is on sale for 20 percent off via Amazon, which represents a record low price. You can scoop up a 128GB model for just $399, though every storage variation is on sale. The 256GB model is available for $499 and the 512GB version costs $699. All colorways are on sale, but the deals don’t apply to the 5G cellular models. If Amazon isn’t your bag, these prices are also live at Best Buy and Target.

This particular model made our list of the best iPads, and for one obvious reason. It’s the only compact tablet that Apple makes. It’s small, but powerful enough for everyday computing tasks. The design recalls the iPad Air, with squared-off edges and thin bezels. There’s a Touch ID sensor in the power button, decent stereo speakers, a useful camera system and a USB-C port. It’s a regular iPad, just smaller.

We appreciated this release in our official review, saying it was everything we wanted in a small tablet. It offers support for the Apple Pencil Pro and includes the powerful A17 Pro chip. This chip allows for Apple Intelligence integration, though your mileage may vary on that one.

The Liquid Retina display is crisp, but it maxes out at 60Hz. Apple typically reserves its most advanced screen technologies for the iPad Pro. We also found in our testing that the tablet didn’t quite stack up to Apple’s advertised battery life of 10 hours. We typically got around eight hours before the iPad required a charge.

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/the-newest-ipad-mini-is-20-percent-off-and-back-down-to-its-best-price-to-date-153842065.html?src=rss

A wide-ranging sale on Beats headphones has brought some of the brand's products down to record-low prices. Take, for instance, the Beats Solo 4. That model is currently half off at $100 at Amazon. Although we've seen those headphones hit this price before, it's matching an all-time low. The same offer is also available at Walmart, Target and Best Buy.

We gave the Beats Solo 4 a score of 79 in our review just over a year ago. The lack of multipoint connectivity was a disappointment and there's no automatic pausing when you remove them from your ears. Some folks may find the fit quite tight as well. However, we feel that the Beats Solo 4 offer improved sound quality over previous models, while the 50-plus hours of battery life is very welcome. If you're looking for a portable set of on-ear headphones, the Solo 4 might be worth considering.

In addition, the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 are available for a discount, just a few months after they debuted. You can save 50 bucks if you buy a pair of the earbuds now, as they're down to $200.

The Powerbeats Pro 2 are Apple's first earbuds that include a heart-rate tracking feature. We gave the fitness-focused model a score of 79 in our review back in February.

The improved design helps make the earbuds more comfortable to wear compared with the previous iteration and we felt that they delivered powerful audio performance on the low end. The Powerbeats Pro 2 also have a lot of the same smarts as AirPods, largely thanks to the inclusion of an H2 chip. That said, the hook design won't be to everyone's taste, and we felt the active noise cancellation performance was so-so.

Elsewhere in the sale, there are some solid discounts that aren't quite all-time lows but still worth checking out. You can snap up a pair of over-ear Beats Studio Pro headphones for $170, down from $350. We gave those a score of 81 in our review. As for the in-ear Beats Studio Buds +, those are $70 off at $100. Those earned a score of 84 in our review.

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/a-beats-headphone-sale-includes-all-time-lows-on-the-solo-4-and-powerbeats-pro-2-144550967.html?src=rss

Graduating college is a major milestone — then comes the not-so-fun part: learning to be an adult. If you know a recent grad and want to celebrate, there are countless gadgets and services you can give them to make the next step in their life a little less daunting. We spend our days testing exactly these kinds of products and figuring out which ones are actually good; if you need a hand coming up with something, we’ve rounded up a few of our favorite college graduation gift ideas below.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-graduation-gifts-111518948.html?src=rss

In a development that can only be seen as positive, non-consensual deepfake porn site Mr. Deepfakes has shut down for good, reports 404 Media. This news comes due to the site losing one of its service providers. 

"A critical service provider has terminated service permanently. Data loss has made it impossible to continue operation," a notice on the site reads. "We will not be relaunching. Any website claiming this is fake. This domain will eventually expire and we are not responsible for future use. This message will be removed around one week." 

As sites continued to crack down on non-consenual deepfake porn, Mr. Deepfakes became an open space for it. Users could upload videos and connect with creators to commission videos. People also used it as a way to collaborate on new techniques, share their methods and provide datasets. All of it was with the goal of creating this non-consensual media, sometimes with a strong likeness to real people. 

The creator of Mr. Deepfakes is still technically anonymous. However, German newspaper Der Spiegel reportedly tracked down one of the individuals behind it, a 36-year-old in Toronto. 

Governments across the world have been taking steps to make sexually explicit deepfakes illegal. Last week, the US Congress passed a bill criminalizing the "publication of non-consensual, sexually exploitative images," including deepfakes. The UK has made multiple attempts in recent years to make it illegal to create sexually explicit deepfakes. Currently, it's illegal to share this content, but not to produce it. In early 2024, the European Commission proposed new rules to criminalize sharing non-consensual intimate images, including deepfakes. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/leading-deepfake-porn-site-is-shut-down-for-good-120018413.html?src=rss

Foldable phones have gone from futuristic novelties to genuinely useful devices that blend portability with big-screen versatility. Whether you're into multitasking, mobile gaming or just love having a phone that turns heads, the best foldable phones you can buy offer powerful performance, durable designs and impressive displays that unfold to reveal more room for apps, videos and productivity.

From book-style designs to flip-style clamshells, the best foldable phone for you depends on how you like to use your device. Some models focus on flagship-level power and multitasking features, while others aim to keep things compact and stylish. Either way, these folding handsets are pushing the boundaries of what smartphones can do.

Note: For this guide, we’re focusing on devices that are widely available in North America and Europe. That’s because while there are even more options for people who live in Asia (especially China), they are often difficult to buy from abroad and may not support your local carriers.

Table of contents

• Best foldable phones for 2025

• How we test foldable phones

• Are foldable phones worth it? A note on durability

• Foldable phone FAQs

Best foldable phones for 2025

How we test foldable phones

When evaluating new foldable phones, we consider the same general criteria as we do when we’re judging the best smartphones. Devices need to have good battery life (at least a full day’s use), bright inner displays (peaks of at least 1,000 nits), sharp cameras and responsive performance. That said, foldable phones come in different shapes (and sizes); there are varying designs that may appeal to different types of people.

For those who prefer more compact and stylish devices, flip phone-style foldables resemble old-school namesakes but with flexible interior displays (typically six to seven inches diagonally) and smaller outer screens, often referred to as the cover display. Alternatively, for power users and people who want to maximize mobile productivity, there are larger book-style foldables (with seven to eight-inch main displays) that can transform from a candy bar-style phone to essentially a small tablet when opened.

Are foldable phones worth it? A note on durability

Aside from their displays, the biggest difference between foldable phones and more traditional handsets is durability. That’s because while some models like the Pixel 9 Pro Fold and Samsung’s foldables offer IPX8 water resistance (which is good for submersions of up to five feet for 30 minutes), their flexible screens – which are largely made from plastic – present some unique challenges.

Most foldables come with factory-installed screen protectors. However, unlike regular phones, users are instructed not to remove them without assistance from approved service centers. Thankfully, Samsung phones do offer one free screen protector replacement for its foldables, while Google charges between $29 and $129 depending on the warranty status of your device. That said, while we can’t do long-term testing for every new foldable phone on the market, after personally using the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 each for a year, I’ve found that Samsung’s pre-installed screen protector tends to start bubbling nine to 12 months after purchase. So you’ll probably want to factor in that your foldable may need some sort of servicing after about a year unless you plan on removing the screen protector entirely (which is possible, but goes against most manufacturers' instructions).

Furthermore, foldable phone owners need to be mindful about keeping sharp objects away from their flexible displays, as rocks, keys or even pressing down very hard with a fingernail can leave permanent marks. In the event that you need to get a flexible screen serviced, you’re potentially facing a much higher repair bill when compared to a typical phone (up to $500 or more depending on the model and the severity of the damage). In short, while the ruggedness of foldable phones has improved a lot, they're still more delicate than traditional handsets, which is something you need to account for.

However, foldables continue to evolve, with better AI features, improved specs and a more refined form factors that makes them even more practical. Whether you’re after a flip phone for nostalgia or a big screen device for multitasking, today’s foldable phones offer exciting possibilities — you just have to decide if they’re the right fit for you.

Foldable phone FAQs What is the difference between a foldable phone and a flip phone?

Foldable and flip phones both use flexible displays, but the way they fold — and what that means for usability — is different. A foldable phone typically opens like a book, giving you a larger tablet-like screen inside, which is great for multitasking or media. A flip phone, on the other hand, folds vertically to become more compact, kind of like the classic clamshell phones of the early 2000s. Flip phones are more pocket-friendly, while foldables offer more screen real estate when open.

What is the disadvantage of a foldable phone?

The biggest trade-offs with foldable phones are price and durability. They're often more expensive than traditional smartphones, thanks to the complex hinge mechanisms and flexible displays. Battery life can sometimes take a hit too, especially with larger screens. And while the tech has come a long way, foldables can still be a bit bulkier and not quite as seamless as regular slab phones when it comes to everyday use.

Are foldable phones less durable than other phones?

Generally, yes — at least for now. Foldable phones use flexible displays and intricate hinges, which can be more prone to wear and tear over time compared to standard phones with solid glass screens. That said, newer models have gotten tougher with improved hinge designs, water resistance and stronger ultra-thin glass. They're definitely more durable than they used to be, but they still require a bit more care than your average smartphone.

Georgie Peru contributed to this report.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/best-foldable-phones-160030013.html?src=rss

Nintendo is going after the company that showed off unauthorized mockups of the not-yet-announced Switch 2 at CES 2025. In a lawsuit filed on Friday, Nintendo accuses accessory maker Genki of trademark infringement, unfair competition and false advertising, arguing that Genki “embarked upon a strategic campaign intended to capitalize on the public interest surrounding Nintendo’s next-generation console.” According to Nintendo, Genki promoted accessories it claimed are compatible with the Switch 2 despite not having official access to the console, and used the Switch logo to do so.

Following the initial reports in January that Genki brought Switch 2 mockups to CES and published a video said to show a 3D render of the console, Nintendo released a statement to say that neither the hardware nor imagery were official, per IGN. While Genki reportedly claimed it had access to a Switch 2 at first, the company later wrote on X that it does “not own or possess a black market console,” and told Game*Spark (translated by Automaton) that its mockups were based solely on leaked information. In the lawsuit, Nintendo says Genki’s “statements were contradictory and inconsistent,” yet the company “maintained its representation to consumers that its accessories will be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2 upon the console’s release.”

Nintendo officially announced the Switch 2 on January 16, a little over a week after the mockups made their CES appearance. Even in the months since, Nintendo alleges, Genki “continues to exploit the attention of the media and fan base and usurp and threaten sales of Nintendo’s own accessories,” through means including piggybacking on Nintendo Direct with its own “Genki Direct” event immediately after. In a statement shared on X following the filing, Genki said it is “taking [the lawsuit] seriously and working with legal counsel to respond thoughtfully.”

“What we can say is this: Genki has always been an independent company focused on building innovative gaming accessories for the community we love,” Genki’s post continued. “We’re proud of the work we’ve done, and we stand by the quality and originality of our products. While we can’t comment in detail, we’re continuing preparations to fulfill orders and showcase our newest products at PAX East this week.”

The Nintendo Switch 2 arrives after years of rumors and speculation. In the lawsuit, Nintendo notes that it began planning the next-gen console shortly after the release of the first. Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch 2 opened in April, and the console will be available on June 5.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-is-suing-the-accessory-brand-that-flaunted-switch-2-mockups-ahead-of-its-reveal-210341646.html?src=rss