Meet Moxie, a companion robot made specifically for children to play with every day. As Devindra Hardawar notes, the idea of an R2-D2 of your own is interesting, until it gets dystopian. So which side of the line does this bot fall? According to company co-founder Paolo Pirjanian, two months after launch, customers are averaging 25 minutes of engagement every day — although that the company knows that isn't exactly encouraging.
Devindra's kid is (wisely) robot-averse, so he tried it himself for a few weeks and was surprised by how well the conversations flowed. He found that Moxie mixes things up from day to day and could easily find its place as a support to help ward off anxiety. The jury is out on whether or not Moxie is a good enough fit for kids to justify its $1,500 plus month service charge price, but maybe it has a future in hanging out with tech-obsessed millennials?
Vaccinated outdoor gatherings still need a playlist.
On Monday, Sony revealed four new portable speakers, ranging from ultra compact and easily packable to larger karaoke-ready party machines. Depending on your needs, the company should have something to keep the music going at your outdoor — or perhaps indoor — gatherings this summer.
The SRS-XB13 is around three and half inches tall — shorter than a 12-ounce drink can — and about three inches wide. It still has enough space for a battery that lasts up to 16 hours, is IP67 rated and has a Sound Diffusion Processor to blast big sound out of a tiny shell. At $60, it's just cheap enough for you to buy two and pair them for stereo output on the beach or by the pool.
At the other end of things, the SRS-XG500 is a $450 boombox-style speaker with IP66 dust and water proofing, plus a water-repellent mesh that helps liquid bead off. Its battery can last up to 30 hours, and plugging it in for just ten minutes will charge the speaker enough to use for three hours. Continue reading.
The first laptops with these chips should arrive this summer.
The Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 features a Kyro CPU that can achieve clock speeds of up to 2.55GHz. The company claims it delivers 10 percent faster performance than "most competing platforms" (read: Intel's Gemini Lake platform). The company also claims the 7c Gen 2 can deliver up to two times the battery life of its competitors. Meanwhile, with Windows 10X shelved, Qualcomm is working with Microsoft to address app compatibility issues using a new Snapdragon Developer Kit for Windows 10. Continue reading.
Looking for something that can charge a MacBook Pro and still fit in your pocket?
The GaN Nano II lineup is more efficient, smaller and better at regulating temperatures than the first wave of devices, according to Anker. The company says it did this by upgrading the chips and internal layout of its new 30W, 45W and 65W chargers.
The 65W model offers full-speed charging for the 13-inch MacBook Pro and fast charging for other laptops, with a foldable plug that makes it 58 percent smaller than Anker's previous 61W charger. The GaN Nano II chargers are now available to pre-order via Amazon and Anker. The 30W model is $30, the 45W one costs $36 and the 65W version will set you back $40. Continue reading.
Coincidentally, it doesn't apply to companies that operate theme parks in the state — like Disney.
The law bars companies from banning Florida politicians and gives the state's Election Commission the power to fine them up to $250,000 per day for takedowns involving public office candidates. It allows all residents of the state to sue tech companies if they feel they've been treated "unfairly." Additionally, those companies will need to detail how they decide on bans. If you're wondering how this is compatible with Section 230 or, perhaps, the Constitution, then you are not alone — we'll likely see that argument decided once someone files a lawsuit. Continue reading.
Ford has unveiled the F-150 Lightning Pro, a more utilitarian version of the F-150 Lightning electric pickup aimed at commercial customers. Offered in regular and extended-range versions, the Pro models come with more basic, easier-to-clean vinyl seats and without some of the fancier interior options.
The $39,974 base model (before incentives) is available to both retail and fleet operators and offers 426 horsepower and 755 pound feet of torque, with 230 miles of estimated EPA range. For up to 300 miles of estimated EPA range, the extended range version with dual-charging starts at $49,974. Continue reading.
Apple Card account holders also get access to Family Sharing.
Now, Apple users will see some podcasts offer perks like ad-free episodes when they agree to support them financially. iOS 14.6 also allows you to take advantage of Apple's Family Sharing feature with your Apple Card. Up to five other people can use your card, and you also get access to features like family expense tracking and optional limits.
The latest update also improves AirTags: You can add an email address as a contact instead of your phone number. On the Mac side, a simultaneous update adds support for more AMD RDNA2 video cards like the 6800, 6800XT and 6900XT. Continue reading.
Before Jeff Bezos launched Blue Origin, and just two years after Elon Musk founded SpaceX, Richard Branson opened Virgin Galactic with an eye to making space a tourist destination. Since then, between delays and the 2014 VSS Enterprise crash, things haven't quite gone to plan.
However, this weekend the company did successfully complete a rocket-powered test flight, which was also its first trip to space in over two years. It was the first time people launched from Virgin Galactic's Spaceport USA location in New Mexico and makes it seem 2022 might actually be the year it delivers on some of those orbital journeys.
Now, an Apple support document confirms the HomePod and HomePod mini will get support for lossless streaming via WiFi in a future update. As for its $550 headphones, Apple said the AirPods Max can technically listen to a lossless track via the Lightning to 3.5mm audio cable, but some detail will be lost in the transition from analog back to digital. Continue reading.
Monitors with built-in connected features that don't rely on your PC.
On top of the 27- and 32-inch models launched late last year, Samsung is now offering the 43-inch 4K M7 and 24-inch 1080p M5, filling in the top and bottom of the range. They have built-in speakers and smart TV functionality powered by Samsung's Tizen OS, letting you run streaming apps like Netflix without the need to power on your computer. At the same time, you can connect your Galaxy smartphone via DeX, letting you use it as a desktop "computer."
The company hasn't released any pricing, but the current 27-inch M5 and 32-inch M7 models are $230 and $400 respectively. Continue reading.
The discovery suggests the Milky Way is loaded with particle accelerators.
ScienceNewsreports that a team using the China-based Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) has detected the most energetic light to date coming from a group of a dozen gamma ray "hotspots," with the most energy coming from a ray with about 1.4 quadrillion electron volts. The previous record-setting ray managed 'just' under a quadrillion electron volts. Continue reading.
The video set a record for premieres when it debuted to 3.9 million simultaneous viewers.
BTS is apparently determined to hold its YouTube records. Variety reports that the K-pop group broke its own record for the most YouTube views in the space of 24 hours, racking up 113 million plays for its music video "Butter." That's about 12 million more than the 101.1 million from the superstars' last record-smasher, "Dynamite," which premiered in August last year. Continue reading.
Friday was the last day of testimony in the trial between Epic and Apple, and it featured the most anticipated person to take the stand — Apple CEO Tim Cook. Karissa Bell covered all the important details, including some very pointed questions from US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers, focusing on the often-rocky relationship Apple has with third-party developers.
If you were hoping to find out secrets about its business, then there's not a lot to work with, but it is worth hearing what Apple's leader has to say under oath about free apps, China and Google. For a more surprising revelation, try this Xbox OG Easter Egg that stayed hidden for 20 years.
Here are all the best deals from the week that you can still snag today, and remember to follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for more updates. Continue reading.
Tesla racked up 250k Cybertruck pre-orders in five days in 2019.
On Wednesday night Ford revealed its first electric truck, and CEO Jim Farley says over 45,000 people pre-ordered one within the first 48 hours of availability. The F-150 Lightning boasts up to 563 horsepower and 775 lb.-ft. of torque, as well as fast charging. Ford is aiming for an EPA-estimated range of 230 miles as standard and 300 miles with the extended model. Continue reading.
Now that Apple has plugged its M1 processor into an all-in-one desktop computer, the new iMac is thinner and lighter than ever before. Devindra Hardawar found it makes for an ideal family PC, with quick switching enabled by Touch ID, fast performance, an impressive 24-inch display and a design that flashes personality.
Of course, there are some compromises, with a limited number of ports available and specs that fall short of what professionals are looking for. It also doesn't come cheap, and bumping up the RAM or storage gets expensive quickly, but without many strong PC competitors, this iMac stands alone. Continue reading.