As President Donald Trump signed a slew of executive orders Tuesday aimed at keeping coal power alive in the United States, he repeatedly blamed his predecessor, Democrats, and environmental regulations for the industry’s dramatic contraction over the past two decades.

But across the country, state and local officials and electric grid operators have been confronting a factor in coal’s demise that is not easily addressed with the stroke of a pen: its cost.

For example, Maryland’s only remaining coal generating station, Talen Energy’s 1.3-gigawatt Brandon Shores plant, will be staying open beyond its previously planned June 1 shutdown, under a deal that regional grid operator PJM brokered earlier this year with the company, state officials, and the Sierra Club.

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Samsung Electronics and Google Cloud are jointly entering the consumer robotics market with Ballie, a yellow, soccer-ball-shaped robot equipped with a video projector and powered by Google’s Gemini AI models. First previewed in 2020, the long-delayed device will finally launch this summer in the US and South Korea. The mobile companion uses small wheels to navigate homes autonomously and integrates with Samsung’s SmartThings platform to control smart home devices.

Running on Samsung’s Tizen operating system, Ballie can manage calendars, answer questions, handle phone calls, and project video content from services including YouTube and Netflix. Samsung EVP Jay Kim described it as a “completely new Ballie” compared to the 2020 version, with Google Cloud integration being the most significant change. The robot leverages Gemini for understanding commands, searching the web, and processing visual data for navigation, while using Samsung’s AI models for accessing personal information.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Today Sony is adding a bunch of new features to the PlayStation Portal’s Cloud Streaming option. The beta platform is getting updates such as the ability to sort games by recently added, name in standard or reverse alphabetical order or release date. 

Then there’s the pause feature, which will stop the game if you open the PS Portal quick menu. Gameplay will also pause if you click the power button. Be warned, you will get disconnected from the cloud streaming session if more than 15 seconds go by without you unpausing it (clicking the power button again). Plus, you’ll be paused if there’s a system error message on your screen. However, these features don’t work, as of yet, in multiplayer mode. 

You’re also going to have a clearer idea of when it’s your turn to play. You will get an estimated wait time if the streamer server is full and then be put right into the game when you’re up. Then there’s the new create button, which takes a screenshot (when held down) or records a video of the game (when clicked twice). This media will stay in the PlayStation App library under captures for 14 days.

There’s two more, minor, updates to Cloud Streaming. You’ll now receive an inactivity notification after 10 minutes of no action, just letting you know that the session is about to end. Plus, there’s a user feedback screen that will pop up at the end in case there’s anything you want PlayStation to know.

Sony first announced the Cloud Streaming trial late last year and its available to all PlayStation Plus Premium members in beta. The experimental system lets you stream select games from PlayStation’s servers, regardless of if you own a PS5. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/ps-portals-cloud-streaming-beta-gets-automatic-pauses-and-screen-captures-141945431.html?src=rss

Because what good will future robots be if we can’t ride them into battle against other robots, Kawasaki has released a video of its conceptual hydrogen-electric CORLEO. CORLEO is a large quadruped robot that could be ridden by one or two people like a giant dire wolf. It looks like a great way to get your legs crushed in its legs, especially if you’re off-roading at high speed. A cool concept for sure, but if everything I saw in a video was made real I’d be getting towed behind a speeder bike on my hoverboard right now.

The Start menu is the gateway to everything on a Windows PC, from files to apps to settings, and it looks as though Microsoft is planning a substantial refresh for the menu’s interface. Changes have been spotted in the early testing versions of the operating system by tipster @phantomofearth, and should eventually appear for everyone.

As it stands today, the Start menu shows a search bar up at the top, then you’ve got two other sections: Your pinned apps, and your recommended links (usually to files you’ve recently opened or apps you’ve recently used). Both those sections can be expanded with a click to show more programs and files.

How the Start menu looks today.
Credit: Lifehacker

The version of the Start menu now in testing expands what you can see and access straight away. You get your pinned apps, your recommendations, and then a list of every app that’s installed—this full app list no longer needs an extra click. This full list of programs can appear as a standard alphabetical list, as a grid grouped by app name, or as a grid grouped by category (a bit like the App Library on iOS).

Further customization options available in the updated Start menu let you increase the size of the pinned app section, and remove the recommended section entirely—neither of those options were available before. It means a more flexible approach for users, and easier access to apps, at the expense of some extra screen space.

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The reaction to the upcoming changes seems to be mostly positive, especially when it comes to getting to the full Start menu list more quickly. You’ve still got the search box up at the top of the menu panel, so you can jump to specific apps if you know what you’re looking for, but the revamped approach is more convenient.

There’s no word yet on when everyone is going to get these changes, but given how significant they are, Microsoft may well wait a while to refine the new interface approach. The version that ends up rolling out to everyone might not look like the screengrab I captured, which you can see at the top of this article.

Testing out the new Start menu

Most people will be content to sit tight and wait for the new Start menu to roll out officially, but if you’re keen to test it out now, it’s not too difficult to do. Bear in mind though that this does involve beta software and some additional hacking, so do this at your own risk—I wouldn’t recommend doing this on a computer you rely on every day.

First you need to join the WIndows Insider Program, which is free to do: You can do that on the web here by logging into the Microsoft account that’s linked to your laptop or desktop. Follow the instructions on screen, and when you’re redirected to the Windows Update section of Settings in Windows itself, choose the beta channel.

The new Start menu can be set to just show apps.
Credit: Lifehacker

You should then shortly see new updates available to install, which will put the beta version of Windows 11 on your computer after a restart or two. This new Start menu isn’t yet enabled in the beta channel though, even though it’s been spotted inside the operating system code, so you need to apply some extra tweaks to get it working.

Those tweaks can be applied with a third-party utility called ViVeTool, which you can download from here. When it’s up and running on your system, click Advanced Options or press F12, and then enable the following features (as per instructions from @phantomofearth): 49221331, 47205210, and 49402389. If that doesn’t work, try enabling 48433719 before the other three.

There are additional settings attached to the new Start menu.
Credit: Lifehacker

After another restart, you should get your new Start menu, as well as the additional options—which you can find by opening Settings and choosing Personalization > Start. It’s possible to turn off all the recommended and pinned items and just have your full list of installed apps if you want, which is reminiscent of the old Windows 8 approach.

Having spent a few hours testing out the new Start menu, it certainly feels more comprehensive to me, with every app available straight away in an interface that doesn’t feel too busy or cluttered. More customization options have to be welcomed as well: I can’t see myself using the Category view much, for example, but it’s easy enough to change.

Samsung’s Ballie will go on sale in the US and South Korea this summer, the company announced today. What’s more, through a partnership with Google Cloud, the diminutive robot will ship with a Gemini AI model. 

Samsung didn’t state the specific system that powers Ballie, but in combination with the company’s own proprietary language models, it says the robot has multimodal capabilities, meaning Ballie can process voice, audio and visual data from its sensors. According to Samsung, Ballie can also manage your smart home devices and even offer health and styling recommendations, if you’re inclined to seek that type of advice from a robot.    

Samsung has yet to announce pricing for Ballie, though with the uncertainty around the Trump administration’s recently announced tariffs, you can’t blame Samsung, can you? The company first demoed Ballie in 2020. The robot has gone through a few iterations since the then, with the version you see above first demoed at CES 2024. Samsung said then Ballie would arrive sometime in 2024, but last year came and went without the robot hitting store shelves.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/samsungs-cute-ballie-robot-arrives-this-summer-with-google-gemini-in-tow-133658886.html?src=rss

It’s almost time for The Triple-i Initiative, a gaming showcase for indie publishers and developers. You can watch the stream on The Triple-i Initiative’s YouTube channel at 9AM PT / 12PM PT on April 10. It’s also available on Twitch, Bilibili and Steam. This presentation is the second annual edition and, based on the teaser video, it looks like we will see an interesting range of games. 

The 45-minute or so showcase should include looks at Enshrouded, V Rising and Deep Rock Galactic. Poncle, the studio behind Vampire Survivors is also set to reveal something, alongside other developers like Sloclap. All in all, the stream should include everything from demo drops to release dates for over 30 games. 

The team at Engadget is very excited that Balatro publisher Playstack is also planning something for the event. “We had been saving our big announcement for a special showcase,” said Marta Matyjewicz, marketing manager at Playstack, in a statement. “We were amazed by the quality of last year’s Triple-i, so when the opportunity came to be a part of it, we knew we had to take it.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/how-to-watch-the-triple-i-initiative-indie-showcase-on-april-10-133037464.html?src=rss

Microsoft has released its April 2025 Patch Tuesday update, which fixes 134 malicious bugs across its systems—including one zero-day exploit. Windows and Microsoft users should ensure their devices are up to date with the latest patches.

Patch Tuesday updates for April 2025

One of the vulnerabilities fixed this month was a zero-day, which is a flaw that is exploited or publicly disclosed before an official patch is released by developers.

The active exploit—labeled CVE-2025-29824—is an elevation of privilege vulnerability in the Windows Common Log File System (CLFS) Driver. The flaw, which was identified by the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center, allowed attackers to gain SYSTEM privileges locally. According to reporting from Bleeping Computer, this zero-day was exploited by the RansomEXX ransomware gang.

Microsoft has released a patch for Windows Server and Windows 11 and expects to notify users when security updates for Windows 10 for x64-based Systems and Windows 10 for 32-bit Systems.

April’s update fixes 49 elevation of privilege flaws, nine security feature bypass flaws, 31 remote code execution flaws, 17 information disclosure flaws, 14 denial of service flaws, and three spoofing flaws.

Eleven of the remote code execution vulnerabilities were categorized as “critical” and were found across Microsoft Office, Microsoft Office Excel, Remote Desktop Gateway Service, Windows Hyper-V, Windows LDAP, and Windows TCP/IP. Microsoft also released patches to vulnerabilities in Mariner and 13 Microsoft Edge bugs this month.

What Microsoft users need to do

Security updates for Windows and Microsoft are usually downloaded and installed automatically, but you can check your PC’s status by going to Start > Settings > Windows Update and selecting Check for Windows updates. Patch Tuesday fixes are released on the second Tuesday of every month at 10 a.m. PT, so now is a good time to ensure your system is up to date.

The warm weather is here, which means saying goodbye to gym memberships and hello to exercising in the fresh air. Without machines measuring your progress, a fitness tracker can ensure you’re staying on top of your workout. Now is a great time to pick on up, with the Fitbit Charge 6 down to $120 from $160. 

This 25 percent discount brings our favorite fitness tracker down to its lowest price of 2025. We’ve given the Charge 6 this accolade thanks to features like a more accurate heart rate monitor and it’s use of Bluetooth to pair with exercise machines (if you do miss the indoors). It also offers 20 different workout modes for tracking your exercises. Plus, Google, which owns Fitbit, allows for anyone with a YouTube Music premium subscription to skip and control music playback. 

Other perks of the Fitbit Charge 6 include using Fitbit Pay or Google Wallet for contactless payments and a great built-in GPS. The Fitbit 6 also offers seven days of battery life, much longer than the day or two you get with an Apple Watch (a much more complex device, but still).  

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-fitbit-charge-6-is-25-percent-off-right-now-131620961.html?src=rss

The 2025 BAFTA game awards took place yesterday in London and were dominated by one of our favorite games this year, Astro Bot. The PlayStation 5 platformer took home prizes in five categories including Best Game, along with Animation, Audio Achievement, Family and Game Design. That’s no surprise, considering the game’s critical accolades and popularity with fans. 

Astro Bot is the first fully-fledged and fully-priced version in the Astro universe. “With precise and responsive controls, adorable characters and an exciting variety of mechanics and environments, Astro Bot is easily one of the best games that Sony has every produced,” wrote Engadget’s Jessica Conditt. It beat out some strong competition in the Best Game category, including Balatro, Black Myth: Wukong, Helldivers 2, The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom and Thank Goodness You’re Here. 

Still Wakes the Deep came in second with three BAFTAs: New Intellectual Property, and Performers in Supporting and Lead Roles. One of those winners, Scottish actor Karen Dunbar (playing Finlay), humorously declared in her acceptance speech that “I’m not even an actor, I’m a gynecologist!”

Other key winners of the evening included Balatro for Debut Game category, Thank Goodness You’re Here for Best British Game, Helldivers 2 in the multiplayer and music categories, Neva for Artistic Achievement and Metaphor: ReFantazio for Narrative. For a complete list of winners check here and you can watch the entire ceremony below. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/bafta-game-awards-adorably-dominated-by-astro-bot-130012074.html?src=rss

Google has started rolling out the loss of pulse detection feature for Pixel Watch 3 devices in the US. The feature does exactly what it describes: It checks for your pulse when the watch is on your wrist and will call emergency services if it determines that your pulse has stopped. It debuted in several European countries last year when the watch launched, but it didn’t get approval from the US Food and Drug Administration until February this year. 

The feature uses concurrent passive algorithms to check for the presence of a pulse at the rate of once a second. If it detects the absence of a pulse, active sensors kick in to check for signals that could indicate false detections, such as if you’re no longer wearing the watch. It’s only then that the device will enter the Stage 1 alert phase, wherein it will send you a haptic notification asking you to tap a promp that says “I’m OK.” If you’re unresponsive, it will ramp up the alerts and add sounds, counting down to give you time to respond before it calls emergency services. 

Google says the feature could save you in instances wherein every second matters, such as when you’re having a cardiac or respiratory arrest, or when you’ve gotten poisoned. In cases like those, you can only get immediate help if someone is around to see them happen. That’s not always possible: As Google explains, half of all loss of pulse events related to cardiac arrest are unwitnessed. With this feature, you could be attended to much more quickly if you do need help and prevent more permanent damage to your body.

Google

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/google-is-rolling-out-pixel-watch-3s-loss-of-pulse-detection-feature-in-the-us-120038008.html?src=rss

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If you’ve been looking for a wireless outdoor camera that doesn’t need constant babysitting, the Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera (2nd Gen) bundled with a solar panel is now at its lowest-ever price (according to price trackers)—$69.99, down from $99.99.

Arlo Essential Wireless Security Camera

$69.99
at Amazon

$99.99
Save $30.00

$69.99
at Amazon

$99.99
Save $30.00

Designed for DIY setup, it’s fully wireless, with a built-in rechargeable battery and a USB-C port in case you want to charge it manually. The camera connects over 2.4GHz wifi and records sharp 2K video with a 130-degree field of view and 12x digital zoom. It captures color video at night when the spotlight is turned on. Otherwise, it switches to black-and-white via infrared. There’s also a motion sensor, mic, speaker, and a built-in siren, which you can activate from the app or let it trigger automatically. It plays nice with Alexa and Google Assistant, and you can set up routines with IFTTT. Just note—it doesn’t support Apple HomeKit, so if you’re deep in the Apple ecosystem, this might not be for you.

That said, you’ll need an Arlo Secure subscription to access cloud recordings and smart alerts. Without it, the camera won’t store any footage, meaning you can’t view recordings—only live footage. For $7.99/month, you get 60 days of video history for one camera and smart alerts for people, packages, pets, and more. The $24.99/month Premium plan adds a 24/7 emergency response option. The mobile app is where you’ll do everything—view live feeds, set motion zones, trigger the siren, or speak through the two-way mic. It’s not the most affordable option long-term with that monthly cost, but for $70 upfront—plus a solar panel—it might be worth it if you want simple, high-quality monitoring without dealing with wires.

Drones have become an important tool in a creator’s bag of tricks, allowing them to capture aerial footage that elevates their videos. And nowadays, they’ve become more accessible as video quality and features have dramatically improved while prices have dropped.

Recent budget-friendly models include DJI’s Neo and Flip drones, along with the HoverAir X1 Pro lineup, all under $500. If you’ve got more to spend, the options are similarly plentiful with drones like the DJI Mini 4 Pro and HoverAir X1 Pro Max. And for the price of a good mirrorless camera, you can get DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro that offers awesome image quality, range and other features.

Price is obviously key, but you also need to consider features like video quality, obstacle avoidance and tracking. To help you decide which one is best for you and your budget, we’ve assembled this guide to the best drones you can buy right now, complete with models aimed at novices, professionals and filmmakers.

The best drones for 2025

What to look for in a drone

Camera features

For this guide, we’re looking only at drones that are basically flying cameras, so you want the best video and photo features possible. Bigger devices like DJI’s Mavic 3 Pro or Air 3S carry relatively large sensors, offering superior picture quality for nighttime cityscapes or other low-light scenes. Smaller models like the Mini 4 Pro and HoverAir X1 Max use smaller camera sensors, so they aren’t as good in dim light.

Field of view and minimum aperture are also important, with most drones typically having a wide-angle focal length, though a few others like the HoverAir X1 Max carry an ultrawide lens. Some models have multiple cameras including a wide and a zoom. As for aperture, lower numbers are better and allow for shooting in dim light. Most DJI models are solid in this regard, while the HoverAir models don’t perform as well.

Video resolution and slow-mo are also essential camera capabilities. Most drones these days can shoot at 4K with a frame rate of at least 30 fps, though some offer 6K or even 8K at up to 30 fps. Higher-end models can shoot 4K at up to 120 fps, allowing you to slow down the action dramatically to create a cinematic look.

Other noteworthy features include log or HDR video that supports higher dynamic range, particularly in bright and sunny conditions. Finally, the camera’s gimbal and stabilization are important factors to keep your footage looking as smooth as possible. Some drones have gimbals that can rotate the camera 90 degrees to give social media creators the maximum resolution for vertical formats.

Drone features: Speed, range, safety, battery life and obstacle detection

By and large, there are two types of camera drones to consider. The first are standard drones (usually with open propellers but not always) designed to fly outside and take scenic shots. Often there’s nothing to stop the props from striking skin or objects, so they can’t really be used indoors or around people. Some models like the DJI Neo and Flip have prop guards that better protect bystanders and property, as well as the drone itself.

Then there’s first-person-view (FPV) camera drones, which often have propeller guards and are meant to be used both indoors or outside to capture exciting footage. Standard models don’t need to go particularly fast as they’re mainly used to shoot fun videos for social media, but FPV drones need to move at high speeds to create excitement. Because of that speed, they’re also better in breezy conditions as they can fight gusts and return home more quickly. Acrobatic abilities (often promoted by the manufacturer in ads or packaging) are also important for FPV drones, as it allows the user to perform tricks and zip around obstacles.

Battery life is another important factor. The best drones boast a battery endurance of up to 45 minutes, while FPV drones like the Avata 2 can only fly for about half that time as they tend to be heavier and carry smaller batteries to reduce weight. As a general rule, a single battery isn’t enough for any serious shooting so you’d do well to buy your drone in a kit with a few batteries and a charger.

As for range, DJI tends to dominate in this area, with its latest models able to maintain a video signal at a distance up to 20km (12.4 miles). HoverAir’s models are weaker with the top-end X1 Max model limited to just 1km (0.6 miles) when using the optional beacon system. DJI also offers multiple ways to control its drones including headsets, joystick-type controllers, motion detection controllers and smartphones.

The best drones have sensors to detect obstacles in all directions. Others are limited to only avoiding obstructions coming at them from the front and some only rely on the main camera to prevent crashes. Finally, if you want to have your drone follow you around automatically, you’ll need it to be able to track you around when you’re vlogging, riding a bike or skiing, while also avoiding obstacles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/best-drone-120046775.html?src=rss

A group of organizations, including nonprofits like LatinoProsperity and labor groups like the California Teamsters, are petitioning California Attorney General Rob Bonta to stop OpenAI from becoming a for-profit entity, The Los Angeles Times reports. OpenAI announced plans to transition to a public-benefit corporation in 2024, and reportedly has two years to pull it off or risk a large portion of the money its raised become debt.

The group’s primary concerns are that OpenAI “failed to protect its charitable assets” and is actively “subverting its charitable mission to advance safe artificial intelligence.” OpenAI started as a nonprofit research organization studying AI, but transitioned to a for-profit company that’s overseen and run by a nonprofit in 2019. 

That structure is legally allowed in the state of California, but the group’s petition claims that OpenAI’s decision to pursue a new structure is driven by a desire not to further its mission, but to provide “AI’s benefits — the potential for untold profits and control over what may become powerful world-altering technologies — to a handful of corporate investors and high-level employees.”

Engadget has reached AG Bonta for comment on the petition and will update this article if we hear back.

“Our Board has been very clear⁠ that we intend to strengthen the non-profit so that it can deliver on its mission for the long term. We’re not selling it, we’re doubling down on its work,” OpenAI told Engadget. “We look forward to the input and advice from leaders who have experience in community-based organizations on how we can help them achieve their missions, as recently announced by the creation of our advisory Commission.”

OpenAI’s primary justification for going for-profit is to raise more money. Currently, there’s nothing stopping OpenAI from convincing more people to invest, but as Engadget reported in February, it is limited in the returns it can offer investors. It wouldn’t have those limitations as a for-profit company, nor would it have to heed the demands of a nonprofit board focused on the risks of the company’s breakthroughs, rather than their utility as consumer products.

OpenAI’s board has attempted to reign in the for-profit side over the years, like pushing out Sam Altman in 2023, before he was rehired and the board was filled with new members more friendly to OpenAI’s for-profit goals. The organizations behind the petition believe that moves like that are enough justification for the AG to step in to protect the public’s interest.

The petition joins other attempts to stop OpenAI’s conversion, like Meta’s letter to Bonta claiming that OpenAI’s transition to a for-profit would “flout the law,” and Elon Musk’s attempt to buy the company.

Update 8:24PM ET: Added comment from OpenAI. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/labor-and-nonprofit-coalition-calls-on-california-ag-to-stop-openai-from-going-for-profit-212548103.html?src=rss

BrianFagioli writes: In a move that is sure to make longtime PC users do a double take, the Library of Congress has added two very unexpected sounds to its National Recording Registry. No, it’s not another classic rock album or jazz staple. Believe it or not, it’s actually the “Reboot Chime” from Windows 95 (that played when the operating system started) and the soundtrack from Minecraft!

Read more of this story at Slashdot.