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Will Shanklin has been writing about gadgets, tech and their impact on humanity since 2011. Before joining Engadget, he spent five years creating and leading the mobile technology section for New Atlas. His work has also appeared on SlashGear, TechRadar, Digital Trends, AppleInsider, Android Central, HuffPost and others. In his free time, Will enjoys meditation / mindfulness, great music and eclectic New Mexico shenanigans.
EngadgetWatch the Game Devs of Color Expo Direct livestream here at 4PM ET
The Game Devs of Color Expo 2024 kicks off on Wednesday. Now in its ninth year, the event celebrates and highlights the game industry’s creators of color. You can watch here at 4PM ET on Wednesday.
- Engadget
Bose’s latest soundbar can use the Ultra Open Earbuds as rear speakers
Bose has a new soundbar for the fall shopping season. The company’s Smart Soundbar is a “small, sleek” model with AI Dialogue Mode and a Personal Surround feature for owners of the Ultra Open Earbuds.
- Engadget
Geralt broods by the campfire in the first clip from Netflix’s The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep
Netflix’s first clip from The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep leans on the familiar dulcet growls of Doug Cockle, who voiced Geralt of Rivia in the games.
- Engadget
More electronic devices reportedly exploded in Lebanon a day after coordinated pager attack
An attack in Lebanon on Tuesday reportedly killed eight people and injured over 2,700 — with hundreds of pagers belonging to Hezbollah members detonating simultaneously.
- Engadget
California passes landmark law requiring actors' permission for AI likenesses
California has passed a landmark AI regulation bill to protect performers' digital likenesses. Assembly Bill 2602 requires studios and other employers to get consent before using “digital replicas” of performers.
- Engadget
Former MoviePass CEO reportedly pleads guilty to securities fraud
Mitch Lowe, one of two MoviePass execs indicted by the Justice Department in 2022, has pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges. The former MoviePass CEO admitted to conspiring to deceive the public and investors about the service’s sustainability.
- Engadget
watchOS 11 is out now, with new Sleep Apnea feature
Over three months after Apple introduced it at WWDC 2024, watchOS 11 is officially here. The 2024 Apple Watch update, which adds the new Vital apps, widget improvements and sleep apnea detection, is now available to install on your smartwatch.
- Engadget
NASA confirms it’s developing the Moon’s new time zone
NASA confirmed on Friday that it will create a new lunar time system for the Moon. The White House published a policy memo in April, directing NASA to create the new standard by 2026.
- Engadget
The LCD Steam Deck is up to 25 percent off right now
Valve has big savings on the entry-level (LCD) Steam Deck. You can take 25 percent off the 512GB model or 15 percent off the 64GB one, dropping their prices to $336.75 and $296.65, respectively.
- Engadget
The FDA greenlights Apple’s Hearing Aid feature for AirPods Pro
The Food and Drug Administration has approved Apple’s over-the-counter Hearing Aid feature. Designed for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, it transforms the second-gen AirPods Pro into OTC hearing aids.
- Engadget
Disney+ Basic is only $6 for three months in this limited-time deal
You can save big on a Disney+ subscription if you can live with some ads. New and returning customers can get a Disney+ Basic (with ads) subscription for $2 monthly for three months.
- Engadget
Nevada will use Google AI to process a backlog of unemployment cases
Nevada has a new helper in its quest to plow through a backlog of unemployment claims: Google AI. Gizmodo reports that the initiative will task a cloud-based AI model with analyzing appeals hearing transcripts and suggesting whether they should be approved.
- Engadget
Adobe previews AI video tools that arrive later this year
On Wednesday, Adobe premiered Firefly AI video generation tools that will arrive in beta later this year. Like many things related to AI, the examples are equal parts mesmerizing and terrifying as the company slowly integrates tools built to automate much of the creative work its prized user base is paid for today.
- Engadget
In its first Threads case, Meta’s Oversight Board asked for clarity on death threats
Meta’s Oversight Board has weighed in on its first Threads case and reversed the company’s initial decision and first appeal. Regarding a post using a phrase that translates to “drop dead / die” in English, the board determined the phrase was used figuratively.
- Engadget
Apple’s new MagSafe charger will juice up the iPhone 16 faster than the old accessory can
Following its big iPhone 16 event, which also included a new Apple Watch and AirPods, the company snuck in a new MagSafe charging cable. The new magnetic accessory will boost charging speeds for iPhone 16 owners.
- Engadget
Apple Watch Series 10 features a much larger screen and a thinner design
The new Apple Watch is here. A decade after the company revealed its first model, the Apple Watch Series 10 has a bigger screen and thinner design than all its predecessors.
- Engadget
YouTube terminates five right-wing channels linked to the DOJ’s Russia indictments
YouTube confirmed its termination of five right-wing political channels connected to the Department of Justice’s Russia-linked US media indictments this week. The platform pulled the channel of Tenet Media, widely believed to be the unnamed company named in the indictment.
- Engadget
The new Philips Hue Sync Box can keep up with your game console’s framerates
Signify launched a more future-proofed Philips Hue Sync Box, the company’s gizmo that plugs into your TV and creates a light show synced with your onscreen content. Unlike the original model from 2019, the upgraded box supports HDMI 2.1.
- Engadget
You can now officially create and use Baldur’s Gate 3 mods on PC
Baldur’s Gate 3 modding has arrived for PC players. After a closed alpha in June and an open beta in July, the long-awaited Patch 7 is now available. It lets you play around with user-created weapons, armor, classes and subclasses, spells, dice skins and just about anything else you can imagine.
- Engadget
YouTube is making tools to detect face and voice deepfakes
YouTube is developing new tools to protect artists and creators from unauthorized use of their likenesses. The company said on Thursday that new tech to detect AI-generated content using a person’s face or singing voice is in the pipeline, with pilot programs starting early next year.