Instacart has announced it will be ending price testing on its platform. This comes after a study published earlier this month revealed pricing experiments that led to some customers seeing higher prices than others and the FTC saying last week it would be investigating the grocery delivery app.

“Effective immediately, Instacart is ending all item price tests on our platform. Retailers will no longer be able to use Eversight technology to run item price tests on Instacart,” an Instacart spokesperson shared with Engadget. The blog post called out “misconceptions and misinformation,” maintaining that these price experiments were never the result of dynamic pricing and were never based on any personal or behavioral information about shoppers.

In an earlier blog post responding to the study’s allegations, Instacart said pricing changes were a “form of short-term, randomized A/B testing.” The post referred to this process as “common in the grocery industry” and continued to paint the practice as a way to “invest in lower prices.” It also highlighted that Instacart does not set the prices on its platform, which are set by retailers listed on the app.

The company made clear that its retail partners will continue to set their own prices on the platform, which may vary by location just as they do in brick-and-mortar stores, but that Instacart will no longer support any item price testing services.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/instacart-is-ending-its-controversial-price-tests-134552152.html?src=rss

It might be hard to believe, but foldable phones have already been around for the better part of a decade. Granted, the first one I saw back in 2019 — which actually predates Samsung’s Galaxy Fold — was a cobbled-together mess. But since then, phone makers have been steadily iterating and tweaking their designs, and this year,  manufacturers have finally addressed all the major issues about foldable phones except one: price.

Let’s go back to the OG Fold. Even though it was chunky and heavy, had a tiny exterior display and suffered from a hinge that let too much detritus inside (which is probably how The Verge’s review unit got wrecked), it still showed so much promise. It was a true multitasker — a phone that could turn into a small tablet at a moment’s notice. What’s not to like?

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

From there, Samsung upgraded its foldables with water resistance and S Pen support on the Z Fold 3, followed by eliminating the gap between the two halves of a closed Z Fold 5. And as competition grew from OnePlus and Google (not to mention all the Chinese rivals like Oppo, Xiaomi and others), we saw design and software improvement across the category . 

In 2025, two phones in particular brought major upgrades to foldables as a whole. Even though its shape didn’t change much from its predecessor, Google managed to get the Pixel 10 Pro Fold an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance — finally putting protection for both dirt and liquid in the same foldable for the first time. Now, for all the folks out there with regular phones, that might not sound like a big deal. But on devices with complicated hinges where you really don’t want random garbage getting inside, that’s a massive relief and a big improvement to the handset’s general usability. 

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Meanwhile, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung achieved what may be an even bigger accomplishment by creating a foldable phone that was essentially the same size and weight as a traditional glass brick handset — with a massive 8-inch interior display no less. In fact, if you compared the Z Fold 7 to Samsung’s other flagship — the S25 Ultra — the fold is actually a touch lighter (7.58 ounces vs 7.69 ounces) and practically just as thin (8.9mm vs 8.2mm). That’s huge because one of the biggest issues with previous generations of foldables was excess bulk and heft, to the point where often I had to wear a belt just so my pants wouldn’t sag when carrying one around. 

Unfortunately, there isn’t a phone maker that has put both of these advancements into a single gadget just yet. But this is still a big deal, and based on how things are trending, I’m sure that won’t be the case for long.

What about the crease, you say? Yes, even the latest and greatest foldables still have a small depression that runs down the screen where the phone bends in half. Let me be clear: that’s not really an issue. Sure, it would be nice if it weren’t there, but getting mad about the crease is kind of like being annoyed at a convertible car that has some extra panel gaps because it has a retractable roof. Not only is the crease basically invisible when you are looking at it head-on (which is the vast majority of the time), in reality, people don’t touch the dead center of their phone’s display all that often — especially on a screen the size of a small tablet.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Really, the one thing the makers of big foldables haven’t figured out is how to make them affordable. OnePlus sort of came close in 2023 with the Open, which cost $1,500 after rebates that included trading in literally any phone (even broken ones). In fact, things are actually kind of going backwards. The launch price of the Z Fold 7 ($2,000) is $200 more than what the Z Fold 5 debuted at just a couple of years ago. Even with high prices, I’ve started seeing more and more foldable phones in the wild than ever before and the data backs up my sentiment. Sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are up 50 percent compared to the previous generation while global foldable phone sales reached a new high in Q3 of this year, and I’m willing to bet that there are millions of others out there who would be interested in them — if only they didn’t cost so much. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/foldable-phone-makers-have-solved-every-issue-except-one-130000891.html?src=rss

The Nintendo Switch 2 supports a wide range of controllers, from Nintendo’s own Pro Controller to many Bluetooth gamepads you might already have. Whether you’re setting up your new console for the first time or adding extra controllers for multiplayer games, pairing them is simple as long as you know where to look. Here’s how to connect the Switch 2 Pro Controller, how to sync additional Bluetooth controllers and what to do if something doesn’t pair correctly.

Before you start: What you’ll need

To pair any controller with the Switch 2 you’ll need the console powered on and updated to the latest system software. Navigate to System Settings, System then System Update to check. It also helps to have the controller charged, since some models need enough battery to begin pairing.

On the Switch 2, all controller settings reside in the Controllers & Sensors section of System Settings. You can pair up to four controllers depending on the game and the controller type.

How to pair the Switch 2 Pro Controller

Nintendo’s Switch 2 Pro Controller is the simplest device to connect, and it can be paired in two different ways: wired and wireless. If you’re setting it up for the first time, the wired method is the fastest and most reliable.

To pair the Switch 2 Pro Controller using a USB cable:

• Connect the Pro Controller to the Switch 2 using a USB-C cable.

• Wake the console and open the Controllers menu from the Home screen.

• The console will automatically detect the controller and pair it.

Once the controller is paired, you can unplug the cable and continue using it wirelessly. This method ensures an instant connection and is useful if the controller has low battery.

To pair wirelessly:

• Turn on the Switch 2 and navigate to System Settings, Controllers & Sensors then Change Grip/Order.

• Press and hold the small Sync button on top of the Pro Controller until the indicator lights begin flashing.

• The Switch 2 will detect the controller and confirm the pairing.

How to pair other Bluetooth controllers to Switch 2

The Switch 2 supports a wide range of Bluetooth controllers, including many gamepads designed for PC, Android and iOS devices. Pairing these controllers uses a similar process, but you’ll start by putting the controller into Bluetooth pairing mode.

Each controller handles this differently. On most models, you’ll hold a dedicated sync button or press a combination of buttons until lights begin flashing. If you’re not sure which buttons to press, check the controller’s manual.

On the Switch 2, navigate to the Home Menu and select Controllers then Change Grip/Order. This page is always used for wireless pairing. The console will search for available Bluetooth devices as soon as it opens.

Once your controller appears on the screen, select it to finish the pairing process. The lights on the controller should stop blinking and settle into an assigned player slot. Some controllers may prompt you to confirm the button layout or adjust settings after pairing.

The Switch 2 can use up to four wireless controllers at once. For local multiplayer games, each controller will automatically be assigned a player number once connected.

Troubleshooting pairing issues

If your controller doesn’t appear in the pairing menu, make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the Switch 2 by navigating to System Settings then Controllers & Sensors. It’s also worth restarting the controller and checking that it has enough battery to stay in pairing mode. Moving closer to the console can help reduce interference as well. If you’re trying to connect a controller that supports multiple device profiles, verify that it’s set to Nintendo Switch mode or a standard Bluetooth gamepad mode.

With Pro Controllers, a wired connection usually solves pairing problems. Plug the controller into the Switch 2 using a USB-C cable and allow it to sync before trying wireless mode again.

Reconnecting paired controllers

Once you’ve paired a controller, reconnecting it is as simple as pressing any button. The Switch 2 will wake and recognize it automatically as long as the controller is still linked to the console. If you pair the controller with another device later, you may need to repeat the pairing process.

Pairing controllers with the Switch 2 is quick once you know where the settings live. The Pro Controller offers the most seamless experience, especially if you start with a wired connection, but the console’s Bluetooth support gives you plenty of flexibility for multiplayer games or different play styles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-pair-controllers-with-the-nintendo-switch-2-130000126.html?src=rss

A “slew of layoffs, price hikes and studio closures” for Microsoft’s Xbox “have led many to declare — not for the first time — that the Xbox is dead,” reports CNBC.

Or is it just changing its business model?

The company’s overall gaming revenue decreased 2% year-over-year, with a 29% dip in Xbox hardware sales, according to Microsoft’s first-quarter earnings for fiscal 2026. The broader console industry has been in a major slump, with hardware spending down 27% year-over-year in November, which is typically a busy shopping month, according to a recent report from research firm Circana. It was the worst November in two decades, IGN reported, citing Circana data. Combined Switch and Switch 2 unit sales were down more than 10% during the month and PS5 sales were down more than 40%, IGN said. But the Xbox Series hardware took the biggest beating, with a dramatic 70% drop in sales…Microsoft’s Xbox Series S and Series X, at 1.7 million units, couldn’t outsell the original Nintendo Switch, which launched in 2017 and has sold 3.4 million units so far this year, data from game sales tracking site VGChartz estimated…

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a recent interview with the TBPN podcast that the company’s gaming business model will look to be “everywhere in every platform,” from consoles to TV to mobile. His comments also hinted that the next Xbox may function more like a PC. “It’s kind of funny people think about the console and PC as two different things,” Nadella said. “We built a console because we wanted to build a better PC, which could then perform for gaming. So I kind of want to revisit some of that conventional wisdom….” A source familiar with Xbox strategy told CNBC that the company is looking at creating an open system that enables players to jump between console, PC and cloud gaming — and any form of entertainment beyond gaming. [Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter told CNBC] that while Microsoft is not completely abandoning hardware, the company is splitting its audience into existing buyers interested in specialized consoles and everyone else.

Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which gives subscribers access to games from a variety of publishers, is a clear example of this strategy… The growth in cloud gaming has been blistering. Xbox reported a record 34 million Game Pass subscribers in 2024 and a total Game Pass revenue of almost $5 billion over the last fiscal year. Xbox said in a November blog post that the number of cloud gaming hours from Game Pass subscribers was up 45% compared to the same time last year. The Microsoft subsidiary also said console players are “spending 45% more time cloud streaming on console and 24% more on other devices…”

Despite gaming’s scaling limitations, Microsoft seems committed to doing what it has done with the rest of its products — moving it to the cloud… [Xbox President Sarah] Bond recently said in an interview with Mashable that the idea of exclusive games is “antiquated” as the company has leaned into cross-platform gaming… Xbox is betting that cloud and cross-platform gaming are the future. For a decade, claims have been made about the death of the Xbox, and what comes next could fully spell the end, or bring a metamorphosis.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Waymo has resumed its robo-taxi service in San Francisco after a power outage stranded vehicles around the city, CNBC reported. The blackout, caused by a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) substation fire, caused traffic light disruptions that affected Waymo’s automated driving systems. 

“Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions,” a Waymo spokesperson told CNBC in a statement. “While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events.”

Following the outage, which began at around 1:09 PM Saturday and peaked around two hours later, Waymo responded by suspending its ride-hailing services in the city. However, images and videos on social media showed the autonomous taxis stopped at intersections with hazard lights on.

The company blamed its disruption on the size of the outage. “While the Waymo Driver [automated system] is designed to treat non-functional signals as four-way stops, the sheer scale of the outage led to instances where vehicles remained stationary longer than usual to confirm the state of the affected intersections. This contributed to traffic friction during the height of the congestion,” the spokesperson explained, adding that Waymo’s actions were “closely coordinated with San Francisco city officials.” 

Still, the service disruption is a black mark for Waymo, as the sudden halt in service exacerbated traffic problems caused by the blackout. Elon Musk bragged on X that Tesla, Waymo’s latest robo-taxi rival in the city, was “unaffected” by the power outage. However, Tesla’s ride-hailing service is not yet fully autonomous and requires a human driver behind the wheel at all times. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-vehicles-are-operating-again-in-san-francisco-following-a-power-outage-112924838.html?src=rss

“It’s all fixed,” says that Apple developer who was locked out of his Apple Account after redeeming a compromised Apple Gift Card.

“A lovely man from Singapore, working for Apple Executive Relations, who has been calling me every so often for a couple of days, has let me know it’s all fixed. It looks like the gift card I tried to redeem, which did not work for me, and did not credit my account, was already redeemed in some way (sounds like classic gift card tampering), and my account was caught by that.

“Obviously it’s unacceptable that this can happen, and I’m still trying to get more information out of him, but at least things are now mostly working.

“Strangely, he did tell me to only ever buy gift cards from Apple themselves; I asked if that means Apple’s supply chain of Blackhawk Network, InComm, and other gift card vendors is insecure, and he was unwilling to comment.”

Updates to his original blog post now include a frequently-asked questions list:

Yes, I have the receipt for the card, including the activation receipt.
Yes, the card was legitimately purchased, it’s not from eBay.
Yes, I have contacted the retailer.
Yes, I do have backups… No, I don’t know why parts of the account still kinda work, and parts don’t.
No, I didn’t write this article with AI…
Yes, Apple really did use emojis in their Live Chat…

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

They call it “the business-impersonator scam”. And it’s fooled 396,227 Americans in just the first nine months of 2025 — 18% more than the 335,785 in the same nine months of 2024. That’s according to a Bloomberg reporter (who also fell for it in late November), citing the official statistics from America’s Federal Trade Commission:

Some pose as airline staff on social media and respond to consumer complaints. Others use texts or e-mails claiming to be an airline reporting a delayed or cancelled flight to phish for travellers’ data. But the objective is always the same: to hit a stressed out, overwhelmed traveller at their most vulnerable.
In my case, the scammer exploited weaknesses in Google’s automated ad-screening system, so that fraudulent sponsored results rose to the top [They’d typed “United airlines agent on demand” into Google, and the top search result on their phone said United.com, had a 1-888 number next to it and said it had had 1M+ visits in past month. “It looked legit. I tapped the number…” ]

After I reported the fake “United Airlines” ad to Google, via an online form for consumers, it was taken down. But a few days later, I entered the same search terms and the identical ad featuring the same 1-888 number was back at the top of my results. I reported it again, and it was quickly removed again… A [Google] spokesperson there said the company is constantly evolving its tactics “to stay ahead of bad actors.” Of the 5.1 billion ads blocked by the company last year, she said, 415 million were taken down for “scam-related violations.” Google updated its ads misrepresentation policy in 2024 to include “impersonating or falsely implying affiliation with a public figure, brand or organization to entice users to provide money or information.” Still, many impostor ads slip through the cracks.

“Reported losses from business-impostor scams in the United States rose 30 per cent, to US$835 million, in the first three quarters of 2025,” the article points out (citing more figures from the America’s Federal Trade Commision). An updated version of the article also includes a response from United Airlines. “We encourage customers to only use customer-service contact information that is listed on our website and app.”

And what happened to the scammed reporter? “I called American Express and contested the charge before cancelling my credit card. I then contacted Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, to put a fraud alert on my file. Next, I filed a complaint with the FTC and reported the fake ad to Google.

“American Express wound up resolving the dispute in my favour, but the memories of this chaotic Thanksgiving will stay with us forever. “

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Tuesday the White House faces a deadline to decide “whether Chinese drone maker DJI Technologies poses a national security threat,” reports Bloomberg. But their article notes it’s “a decision with the potential to ground thousands of machines deployed by police and fire departments across the US.”

One person making the case against the drones is Mike Nathe, a North Dakota Republican state representative described by the Post as “at the forefront of a nationwide campaign sounding alarms about the Made-in-China aircraft.” Nathe tells them that “People do not realize the security issue with these drones, the amount of information that’s being funneled back to China on a daily basis.”

The president already signed anexecutive orderin June targeting “foreign control or exploitation” of America’s drone supply chain. That came after Congress mandated a review to determine whether DJI deserves inclusion in a federal register of companies believed to endanger national security. If DJI doesn’t get a clean bill of health for Christmas, it could join Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. and ZTE Corp.on that Federal Communications Commission list. The designation would give the Trump administration authority to prevent new domestic sales or even impose a flight ban, affecting public agencies from New York to North Dakota to Nevada…

The fleet used by public safety agencies nationwide exceeds about 25,000 aircraft, said Chris Fink, founder of Unmanned Vehicle Technologies LLC, a Fayetteville, Arkansas-based firm that advises law-enforcement clients. The overwhelming majority of those drones — called uncrewed aerial vehicles, or UAVs, in industry parlance — comes from China, said Jon Beal, president of theLaw Enforcement Drone Association, a training and advocacy group that counts DJI and some US competitors as corporate sponsors…

Currently, at least half a dozen states havetargeted DJIand other Chinese-manufactured drones, including restrictions in Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. A Nevada law prohibiting public agencies from using Chinese drones took effect in January… Legislators also took up the cause in Connecticut, which passed a law this year preventing public offices from using Chinese drones. Supporters said they’re worried about these eyes in the skies being used for spying. “We’re kind of sitting ducks,” said Bob Duff, the Democratic majority leader in the state senate who promoted the legislation. “They are designed to infiltrate systems even when the users don’t think that they will.”

One North Dakota sheriff’s department complains U.S.-made drones are “at least double and triple the price out of the gate,” according to the article, which adds that public safety officials “say it’s difficult to find domestic alternatives that match DJI in price and performance.”

And DJI “wants an extension on the security review,” according to the article, “saying Tuesday is too soon to make a conclusion.”

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

“In the lead up to its Switch 2 console release, Nintendo updated its user agreement,” writes the Free Software Foundation, warning that Nintendo now claims “broad authority to make consoles owned by its customers permanently unusable.”

“Under Nintendo’s most aggressive digital restrictions management (DRM) update to date, game console owners are now required to give Nintendo the unilateral right to revoke access to games, security updates, and the Internet, at its sole discretion.”

The new agreement states: “You acknowledge that if you fail to comply with [Nintendo’s restrictions], Nintendo may render the Nintendo Account Services and/or the applicable Nintendo device permanently unusable in whole or in part….”

There are probably other reasons that Nintendo has and will justify bricking game consoles, but here are some that we have seen reported:
— “Tampering” with hardware or software in pretty much any way;
— Attempting to play a back-up game;
— Playing a “used” game; or
— Use of a third-party game or accessory…

Nintendo’s promise to block a user from using their game console isn’t just an empty threat: it has already been wielded against many users. For example, within a month of the Switch 2’s release, one user unknowingly purchased an open-box return that had been bricked, and despite functional hardware, it was unusable for many games. In another case, a user installing updates for game cartridges purchased via a digital marketplace had their console disabled. Though it’s unclear exactly why they were banned, it’s possible that the cartridge’s previous owner made a copy and an online DRM check determined that the current and previous owner’s use were both “fraudulent.” The user only had their console released through appealing to Nintendo directly and providing evidence of their purchase, a laborious process.

Nintendo’s new console banning spree is just one instance of the threat that nonfree software and DRM pose to users. DRM is but one injustice posed by nonfree software, and the target of the FSF’s Defective by Design campaign. Like with all software, users ought to be able to freely copy, study, and modify the programs running on their devices. Proprietary software developers actively oppose and antagonize their users. In the case of Nintendo, this means punishing legitimate users and burdening them with proving that their use is “acceptable.” Console users shouldn’t have to tread so carefully with a console that they own, and should they misstep, beg Nintendo to allow them to use their consoles again.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.