The Trump administration is pressuring Taiwan to rapidly move 50 percent of its chip production into the US if it wants ensured protection against a threatened Chinese invasion, US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told NewsNation this weekend.
In the interview, Lutnick noted that Taiwan currently makes about 95 percent of chips used in smartphones and cars, as well as in critical military defense technology. It’s bad for the US, Lutnick said, that “95 percent of our chips are made 9,000 miles away,” while China is not being “shy” about threats to “take” Taiwan.
Were the US to lose access to Taiwan’s supply chain, the US could be defenseless as its economy takes a hit, Lutnick alleged, asking, “How are you going to get the chips here to make your drones, to make your equipment?”
Speaking in an interview, Rockstar Games co-founder and former creative director/head writer Dan Houser confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI will be the first game in the series since the original written without his direct involvement.
While this is shocking to hear in isolation, particularly considering his highly-praised writing for Grand
Surly has updated its Straggler gravel bike. It’s still made of double-butted 4130 chromoly steel tubing and retains its on/off-road and light-bikepacking mandate.
However, after 10 years without an update, there was a lot of catching up to do on the standards front, with today’s gravel bikes very different from those of a decade ago.
According to Surly “the new Straggler is for the rider who sees challenges, not obstacles”, aimed at those looking for a do-it-all gravel bike that’s equally comfortable on- and off-road.
The updated geometry sees space for 50mm tyres and the option to fit a suspension fork in place of the standard steel.
While the previous-generation Straggler, which we reviewed in 2023, had a classic double-diamond frameset with a horizontal top tube, the new bike leans into gravel design with a sloping top tube.
Surly says this offers better standover and more travel for riders who choose to fit a dropper post, which wasn’t an option with the previous frameset.
The sloping top tube and shorter seat tube are part of a geometry update that sees Surly also raise the stack for a more upright ride position. It says this should be more comfortable and improve visibility.
Surly has switched from quick releases to thru-axles and from brake post mounts to flat mounts.
With riders fitting ever-wider gravel tyres, Surly has also increased the bottom bracket drop, with the aim of improving stability.
Tyre clearance is upped from 42mm to 50mm. Surly has done the inevitable and converted from 100mm front/135mm rear quick-release dropouts to 100mm/142mm 12mm-diameter thru-axles.
It’s also changed from brake post mounts to flat mounts, and the rear caliper sits inside the rear triangle rather than on the back of the seatstay, again in line with modern gravel bike standards.
The Straggler still comes with a steel fork as standard, but the 44mm non-tapered head tube opens the option to fit a carbon fork or a gravel suspension fork.
The steel fork has an array of bosses, and there are also three sets of bottle bosses on the frame, along with rack and mudguard mounts.
There are no top tube mounts, though, and the frame is designed for external gear/brake cabling with full outers rather than bare cables, as was the case with the previous Straggler. You can route a dropper cable through the frame, though.
Surly Straggler size and pricing details
The Straggler frameset is available in two colours and eight sizes.
While the previous bike was available in 11 sizes, Surly has pared down the sizing options to eight. There’s still a good size range, though, with frames from 46 to 64cm.
The price for the Straggler frameset is £899.99 in the UK and $899 in the US.
US riders can also choose from two full builds: Shimano Cues 1×11-speed and Alexrims on Novatec hubs, priced at $1,999 or Shimano GRX RX820 2×12-speed and Teravail Washburn wheels, priced at $2,499.
Full builds of the size 46, 49 and 52 frames are fitted with 650b wheels in place of 700c.
The world’s highest bridge opened in China on Sunday, taking the crown from another bridge in the same province. From a report: The Huajiang Grand Canyon Bridge soars about 2,050 feet above a river and gorge in the southern Chinese province of Guizhou. It is more than twice as high as the Royal Gorge Bridge, which is suspended 956 feet above the Arkansas River in Colorado and is the highest in the United States.
According to Chinese state media, the new Guizhou bridge also sets a record as the world’s longest bridge in a mountainous region, spanning 4,600 feet across. Hailed as China’s latest “infrastructure miracle,” the bridge is designed to spur tourism and economic growth in one of the country’s least developed regions.
Anker has a bunch of new Prime charging devices available and some of them are already getting solid discounts. The lineup includes a laptop-compatible Prime Power Bank (26,250mAh, 300W). The device’s Amazon page currently features a clippable coupon that will take $46 off the price, reducing it by 20 percent. That means you’ll be able to snap this powerbank up for $184.
This portable charger delivers a whopping 300W of total output between its two USB-C ports and single USB-A port. Anker says that, thanks to its 140W output (and if you’re using a 5A cable), you can top up the battery of an M4 Pro MacBook Pro to 50 percent in 27 minutes and an iPhone 17 Pro Max to 50 percent in 22 minutes. You can keep tabs on what’s happening on each port using the display.
This is also the first Anker powerbank that supports up to 250W of input recharging by using both USB-C ports simultaneously. This faster charging can top up the powerbank’s own battery to 50 percent in just 13 minutes, according to Anker.
This model has a capacity of 26,250mAh (99.75Wh), which is very close to the FAA’s limit of 100W. It’s TSA-approved, so you’ll be able to take it on flights. It’s capable of taking an M4 MacBook Pro from fully dead to an 80 percent charge. The power bank weighs 1.3 lbs — the same as about three iPhones, Anker says.
Other Anker Prime devices are on sale too. A new 3-in-1 MagSafe charger — which can top up the batteries of your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods with wireless charging case simultaneously — also gets a 20 percent discount to $184 when you use a clippable coupon. While there are certainly less expensive 3-in-1 MagSafe options out there, this one includes Qi2 25W support for faster charging, as well as TEC active cooling. Anker suggests this can help speed up charging times and help guard against iPhone battery degradation over time.
A three-port GaN Prime Charger that plugs into an outlet is 20 percent off too, at $120 with a clippable coupon. Anker says it’s as compact as an AirPods Pro 3 case and can provide a total output of 160W, with up to 140W via a single USB-C cable. The charger is said to offer smart power distribution, and you can monitor what’s happening and adjust modes via an onboard display and controls.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/ankers-latest-prime-charging-devices-are-already-on-sale-152040769.html?src=rss
Woot is having a major sale on a variety of keyboard styles from several manufacturers, and a lot of the discounts we’re seeing are half off the MSRP. There are even some that blow past the 50% off mark. Sure, Amazon is getting ready to host its next Prime Big Deal Days event next month, but with the kinds of discounts Woot is offering, a
It’s an exciting time to be an iPhone user. There’s iOS 26, of course, which brings a number of major changes to the platform. For the daring, there’s the iOS 26.1 beta, which continues to build upon the foundation of Apple’s latest OS. If that weren’t enough, however, it seems Apple is also working on yet another iPhone update—this time intended mostly to fix problems with the last one.
The update, iOS 26.0.1, could drop any time in the coming days. These types of updates aren’t necessarily unusual: Apple released iOS 18.0.1 three weeks after iOS 18 last year. The intention here is not to introduce new features or add changes; rather, you should notice bugs fixed and less instability.
Per MacRumors, we may see four key bugs squashed with iOS 26.0.1. Those could include the following:
A patch for a bug affected the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone Air’s cameras
A patch for a bug that causes wifi to disconnect and reconnect on the iPhone 17 series. Reportedly, this bug can also disconnect CarPlay in some cars.
A patch for a bug that affects search in the Calendar app.
A patch for a bug that stops some users from downloading Apple Intelligence models on the iPhone 17 series.
This is not an exhaustive list by any means. We won’t know exactly what Apple has planned for 26.0.1 until the update comes out. It’s possible there will be other bugs patched here, as well as security updates not included in this list.
You usually can tell how monumental an Apple update is by the numbers in its name: An update like iOS 26, a round number, indicates a major, one a year update; an update like iOS 26.1, with one decimal, denotes a minor update that still introduces new features; and an update like iOS 26.0.1, with two decimals, indicates a stability or security update.
When Apple does release iOS 26.0.1, you can install it from Settings > General > Software Update.
What’s the proper punishment for an illegal U-turn? If you’re a human being in California, it’s a fine of up to $234. If you’re a robot, apparently, it’s nothing at all. The San Francisco Standard: This injustice became apparent to many Facebook users Saturday night after a viral post from the San Bruno Police Department showed footage of officers pulling over a Waymo for the scofflaw maneuver only to discover that no one was behind the wheel.
The car stopped automatically when it saw the police lights during a Friday evening DUI checkpoint, but instead of a person IRL, officers say they were connected with a Waymo rep over the phone. After a brief exchange, the Waymo was sent on its way. Under current law, officials explained, they couldn’t issue a ticket. “Our citation books don’t have a box for ‘robot,'” they joked on Facebook. “Hopefully the reprogramming will keep it from making any more illegal moves.”
The 259th installment of the 9to5Linux Weekly Roundup is here for the week ending on September 28th, 2025, keeping you updated with the most important things happening in the Linux world.
Your AirPods may soon become your most important pieces of fitness gear. One of the AirPods Pro 3’s new features is heart rate tracking for both workouts and periodic pulse checks. Apple’s latest earbuds are equipped with photoplethysmography (PPG) sensors that shine infrared light hundreds of times per second to measure how light is absorbed in blood flow. What’s more, the AirPods Pro 3 work in tandem with the iPhone’s accelerometers, gyroscope, GPS and on-device AI for more comprehensive cardio insights and to estimate calories burned during exercise. Here’s how to use heart-rate monitoring with the AirPods Pro 3, along with some maintenance tips to keep the tech in prime working condition.
How the AirPods Pro 3 measure your heart rate
An important aspect of getting accurate data from your AirPods is understanding how the earbuds track your heart rate. If you’re using Apple’s Fitness app, the AirPods Pro 3 will continuously monitor your pulse during a workout. In addition to the heart rate sensor and accelerometer in the earbuds, details like location, barometric pressure and health information are also pulled from your iPhone, and they’re all used to estimate the calories you burn each session. Lastly, if you’re wearing both an Apple Watch and the AirPods Pro 3 during a workout, the device with the most accurate data over the last five minutes will be used to track your heart rate.
If you prefer to keep one ear completely unobstructed for whatever reason, you might be happy to know you only need to wear one of your AirPods Pro 3 during a workout to track your heart rate. Both earbuds are equipped with heart rate sensors; you can wear either one so you won’t have to forego your favorite ear.
Required devices for heart rate tracking on the AirPods Pro 3
It probably goes without saying, but you need a set of the AirPods Pro 3 to use the heart rate feature. None of the older AirPods models have onboard heart rate sensors. The only other option in Apple’s stable that does is the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2.
You’ll also need an iPhone that’s capable of running iOS 26. This is every model from the iPhone 11 and newer, including the second-generation iPhone SE.
How to turn the AirPods Pro 3 heart rate sensing on/off
Turning heart rate sensing on and off on the AirPods Pro 3 is simple. The feature is enabled by default, but you can turn it off in the AirPods settings menu on your iPhone.
Put your AirPods Pro 3 in your ears and make sure they’re connected to your iPhone.
Go to the Settings app on your phone.
On the main menu, tap the name of your AirPods, which will appear near the top of the screen.
Scroll down to Heart Rate and turn it off.
Repeat the same steps to turn Heart Rate back on.
How to view your heart rate
Heart rate stats are available as Live Activities on the Lock Screen.
Billy Steele for Engadget
In addition to workout apps, you can also view your heart rate in the Health app on your iPhone or iPad. Here, you’ll be able to see live data from the AirPods Pro 3’s heart rate sensors.
In the Health app
Put your AirPods Pro 3 in your ears and make sure they’re connected to your iPhone or iPad.
Open the Health app on an iPhone or iPad.
Tap the magnifying glass icon at the bottom right, then tap Heart, then tap Heart Rate.
Your live heart rate from AirPods Pro 3 will be displayed in a graph.
During a workout
As I mentioned before, your heart rate will appear in the Fitness app during workouts. The AirPods Pro 3 can also send that data to compatible third-party apps. For those, you’ll need to give the app permission to access your heart rate data, as well as the ability to read and record workouts. You’ll only have to do this once: when you use a third-party workout app with Apple Health for the first time.
Put your AirPods Pro 3 in your ears and make sure they’re connected to your iPhone.
Go to the Fitness app or a third-party workout app on your iPhone. (Apple hasn’t published a list of supported apps, but iOS fitness apps that offer heart-rate tracking should work with the AirPods Pro 3 if the developer decides to do so. Examples of those include Nike Run Club, Peloton, Runna and Ladder.)
Start a workout in the app you choose.
Your heart rate will appear in the app during your workout. If you see dashes or the number is dimmed, that means the AirPods Pro 3 aren’t getting a good reading. This is similar to what happens if your Apple Watch is not maintaining contact with your wrist and is typically a result of a loose wristband. Check the fit of your earbuds and make sure they’re connected to your iPhone.
To stop heart rate tracking in any of the apps, end your workout.
You will then get a summary of the heart rate stats for your workout in a third-party app or Apple’s Fitness or Health apps.
Just ask Siri any time
In addition to looking at heart rate data in the Health app or other workout apps, you can just ask Siri to tell you a current reading without ever touching your phone.
Put your AirPods Pro 3 in your ears and make sure they’re connected to your iPhone.
Ask Siri “What’s my heart rate?” or something similar.
Remember: You don’t need to touch the buttons on the AirPods Pro 3 in order to activate Siri. If Talk to Siri is set to “Siri or Hey Siri” or “Hey Siri” under Apple Intelligence & Siri in the Settings app on your iPhone, you only need to use the wake word and then ask your question. If not, you can activate Siri with a press and hold the Force Touch button on either side until you hear a chime.
Best practices to keep heart rate measurements accurate
The AirPods Pro 3 are an even more powerful workout companion.
Apple
Like any activity-monitoring device, there are some habits that will help ensure the data that you’re getting from the AirPods Pro 3 is as accurate as possible. Not only do the AirPods Pro 3 track heart rate, but the motion sensor data it sends to your iPhone is essential to calculate things like calories burned, steps and distance for your daily activity. For this reason, it’s crucial that your earbuds and iPhone or iPad are working together properly.
Make sure your AirPods Pro 3 fit well. If there isn’t good contact between the heart rate sensors on the AirPods Pro 3 and the skin inside your ear, you could get poor heart rate readings. Apple warns users that the best ear tip size for acoustic seal and the best one for heart rate tracking may be different.
Maintain up-to-date information in the Health app. The details that you enter into the Health app — such as height, weight, gender and age — are used with heart rate and motion sensor data to calculate metrics like calories burned.
Keep warm: cold ears may impact the performance of the AirPods Pro 3. If you’re exercising in cold locations, you may have trouble getting accurate readings from the AirPods Pro 3. Low temperatures can reduce the blood flow to your ears, which makes it more difficult for the earbuds to track your heart rate accurately.
Check your ears regularly. Earwax buildup, moisture or skin conditions can affect contact between the AirPods Pro 3 and your skin.
Check your jewelry or piercings. Apple says metal jewelry from piercings can also interfere with heart rate readings. If you encounter any performance issues during workouts, the company recommends removing any piercings near the location where the AirPods Pro 3 sit in your ears.
Know that everyone’s ears are different. The amount of blood flow detectable through the skin varies from person to person. Like I said earlier, this can also be affected by the environment (cold weather, for example) or activity levels. If blood flow in your ears changes based on either of these factors, it can impact the performance of heart-rate tracking on the AirPods Pro 3.
Clean your AirPods Pro 3. To keep the AirPods Pro 3 in peak working condition, clean them regularly. Tips for the best ways to do that are available in our AirPods cleaning guide.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/how-to-use-the-airpods-pro-3s-heart-rate-tracking-feature-141510469.html?src=rss
Friday’s reports that Electronic Arts planned to go private were publicly confirmed Monday morning. Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners will join together to pay an estimated $55 billion for the video game mega-publisher in a deal being described as the “largest all-cash sponsor take-private investment in history.”
EA stockholders will receive $210 per share in the deal, a 25 percent premium on the $168.32 price for a share at the close of business last Thursday (and well above the stock’s $179 all-time-high share price). Share in EA closed at $193.35 on Friday after reports of the private sale first broke and are selling for roughly $203.50 per share in pre-market trading as of this writing.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson, who is expected to stay on after the deal is finalized in early 2027, said in a public note to employees that “this moment is a recognition of your creativity, your innovation, and your passion. You have built some of the world’s most iconic IP, created stories that have inspired global communities, and helped shape culture through interactive experiences. Everything we have achieved – and everything that lies ahead – is because of you.”
BrianFagioli writes: Electronic Arts has agreed to a $55 billion buyout by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), private equity firm Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners, marking the largest all-cash sponsor take-private deal ever. Shareholders will receive $210 per share, a 25 percent premium over EA’s unaffected price, and once the transaction closes the company will be delisted from public markets. EA CEO Andrew Wilson will remain in charge, with the group arguing that private ownership will allow the publisher to innovate faster and expand its global footprint.
The deal, however, is already sparking controversy. PIF, a sovereign wealth fund controlled by the Saudi government, will effectively gain control of one of the most influential names in gaming. While investors stand to profit, many gamers and industry watchers are concerned about how Saudi ownership could shape EA’s creative direction, monetization strategies, and role in esports. With regulatory approvals still pending, the takeover raises difficult questions about the intersection of gaming, politics, and global soft power.
The world’s top artificial intelligence groups are stepping up their focus on so-called world models that can better understand human environments, in the search for new ways to achieve machine “superintelligence.”
Google DeepMind, Meta, and Nvidia are among the companies attempting to gain ground in the AI race by developing systems that aim to navigate the physical world by learning from videos and robotic data rather than just language.
This push comes as questions rise about whether large language models—the technology that powers popular chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT—are reaching a ceiling in their progress.
The leaps in performance between LLMs released by companies across the sector, such as OpenAI, Google, and Elon Musk’s xAI, have been slowing, despite the vast sums invested in their development.
If the latest rumor is accurate, then Apple is getting ready to green light the mass production of its next round of upgraded MacBook models infused with its next-generation M5 silicon. This includes both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro as well as the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models. Barring a setback, we could see at least one
We’re only one week away from Amazon Prime Day and the sales have already started. The deals include Amazon’s devices, from Kindle tablets to Echo speakers.
Take the Amazon Kindle Scribe, which has dropped to $300 from $400. The 25 percent discount brings the second-generation device back down to its all-time low price. This deal is available on the 16GB model in Tungsten (dark grey) and doesn’t include Kindle Unlimited. If you want more storage, the 32GB and 64GB versions are also 25 and 24 percent off, respectively.
The Kindle Scribe is our pick for best e-reader E Ink tablet. It scored an 86 in our review, thanks to the smooth reading and writing experience it provides. We were also fans of its sleek and slender design. It has a 10.2-inch screen and offers front lights that auto-adjust to your needs. Our biggest gripe was the cost which, thanks to this deal, is less of an issue.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-kindle-scribe-drops-to-a-record-low-price-for-prime-day-134701307.html?src=rss
Leaked retailer listings, trademark filings and recently published patents suggest Shimano is preparing to launch a new road bike pedal system called SPD-SLR – potentially including long-rumoured power meter pedals.
Shimano’s clipless pedal technology has remained relatively stable for decades. Riders broadly have two options: SPD, the two-bolt recessed system generally used for off-road riding, and SPD-SL, the three-bolt road-specific standard.
Now, there are signs Shimano could be preparing to introduce a third system: SPD-SLR.
It’s unclear what physical form SPD-SLR would take, and Shimano declined to comment on the matter when approached by BikeRadar, but here’s what we can glean from the leaked information
The listings show Ultegra and Dura-Ace pedals. Neo Zigma
I first spotted the pedals via a listing on Neo Zigma – the official Shimano distributor for the Philippines. It shows multiple new pedal models bearing the SPD-SLR name.
The listings include:
Shimano product name
Shimano product code
Dura-Ace SPD-SLR Pedals – +4mm axle, w/ cleats
PD-R9300
Dura-Ace SPD-SLR Pedals – standard axle, w/ cleats
Clicking through to the products reveals no specifications or images, and none are available to purchase at the time of writing.
On its own, an erroneous listing is not proof that a new product line is imminent.
However, the product codes and SKUs align closely with Shimano’s existing conventions, suggesting these are not mistaken entries.
It is also common for retailers to be supplied with a list of product codes prior to products going on sale, and for those to be published accidentally. I have found pre-release products in this manner before and expect the same to have happened here. That the listings are on an official distributor’s site is also notable.
The trademark explicitly references power meter pedals. USTPO
Supporting evidence that Shimano is developing a new pedal system under the SPD-SLR name comes from a recently filed trademark.
Shimano registered SPD-SLR as a trademark with the USPTO on 25 March 2025. The trademark covers a broad spectrum of categories, but it all but confirms that SPD-SLR relates to pedal technology.
Most interesting is the inclusion of power meter pedals in the description of goods covered by the trademark: “Bicycles, including electric bicycles; parts, fittings and accessories for bicycles, including electric bicycles, namely, pedals, pedal which contains bicycle power meter inside, bicycle pedal cleats, toe clips.”
The likes of Favero and Garmin have popularised power meter pedals. Simon von Bromley / Our Media
It is entirely possible that Shimano is merely covering its bases with the filing by referencing power meter pedals, leaving the door open for future developments.
However, it is hard to envisage where the existing SPD-SL system can be taken from a development perspective, or to understand if Shimano would even have the desire to fundamentally change a well-liked system, without integrating new technology such as a power meter.
Shimano Dura-Ace power meters do not enjoy the best reputation. Liam Cahill / Our Media
Shimano has resisted pedal-based power meters even as Garmin, Favero and Wahoo have made them mainstream products.
Given their widespread adoption and Shimano’s well-publicised difficulties in developing reliable crank-based power meters, entering the power meter pedal market could be a savvy move.
This leads me to believe a power meter pedal system is the most likely direction of travel for the SPD-SLR system.
A patent filed in 2014 showed a Shimano power meter pedal – abeit a wired one. Shimano
Technology has moved on a great deal since then, but a patent filed in 2014 and granted in 2018 shows the brand has seriously investigated the possibility of producing power meter pedals in the past.
That the SPD-SLR range appears to be limited to Ultegra and Dura-Ace-level components also appears to back this up.
Although third-party manufacturers, such as Stages and 4iiii, offer power meters down to 105 level, Shimano’s range of crank-based power meters extends only to its two premium road bike groupsets.
If Shimano follows through with its typical naming conventions, the ‘R’ in SPD-SLR is likely to stand for Race. Power meters have historically been reserved for Shimano’s race-level groupsets, hinting further that this is a new power meter system.
What might Shimano SPD-SLR pedals and cleats look like?
The existence of new cleats suggests a different trajectory for SPD-SL. Neo Zigma
However, the potential existence of new cleats gives me pause for thought.
As with its new CL-MT001 MTB cleats, ensuring a new power meter pedal system had backwards compatibility with its existing pedals would be in keeping with Shimano’s overall philosophy.
With that in mind, to see standalone cleats marketed as SPD-SLR for sale suggests the new system may take a different trajectory from power meters. But what form might new cleats take?
Shimano’s CL-MT001 cleats improve clipping and unclipping. Shimano
At the basic end of the scale, Shimano may make similar moves to its CL-MT001 cleats, making it easier to clip and unclip within the existing form factor of the SPD-SL cleat.
SPD-SL is among the easiest systems to use on the market, and the ability to walk is decent. However, the same could have been said of its existing two-bolt SPD cleats, but Shimano MT001 is claimed to bring small tangible improvements. Could we see the same for SPD-SLR?
Systems such as Ekoi’s PW8 show there’s still more to be squeezed out of reducing pedal stack height. Warren Rossiter / OurMedia
Into more speculative territory, while its pedals have among the lowest stack heights on the market, Shimano may also look to slim down its cleat system.
It’s worth noting that Shimano has quoted SPD-SL pedal stack heights, including the cleat (unlike most competitors), which makes them appear taller on paper than they are.
For example, a Dura-Ace PD-R9100 pedal is listed at 14.6mm, but that figure includes around 5mm for the SPD-SL cleat, putting the true pedal-only stack height closer to 9.3mm.
Even still, if this is a racing-focused product, Shimano could look to squeeze out a little more ground clearance and a closer shoe-pedal interface – although I have no evidence to support this assumption.
Recent patents have shown potential new cleat designs. Shimano
Looking more outlandish, Shimano has released a flurry of patents in recent years relating to pedal and cleat technology.
A recent Shimano filing shows a pedal and cleat system that operates differently from Shimano’s existing SPD and SPD-SL designs. Instead of a spring-loaded jaw that clamps the cleat when you stamp down, the new design uses a sliding, track-style interface.
Could SPD-SLR take Shimano’s road bike pedals in a new direction? Shimano
The cleat is shaped to fit into a channel on the pedal, locking into place in a docking motion rather than a forceful stomp. A small locking mechanism or flexible element secures the cleat.
Shimano has also filed patents describing electronic, automatically adjusting cleat systems, which would adapt as you ride.
As always with patents, there is no guarantee any design will ever reach the market – Shimano, in particular, regularly patents concepts, from the mundane to the outlandish, that never see production.
What’s next?
The first SPD-SL pedal was released in 2003 and hasn’t changed since then. Warren Rossiter / Immediate Media
For its part, Shimano declined to comment on the leak, issuing its boilerplate statement: “We are constantly in development of new products, and Shimano does not comment on rumours or speculation about products, whether they are in development or not.”
However, taken together, the evidence points towards Shimano significantly updating its road pedal ecosystem – potentially as part of a wider refresh of its road bike groupset line-up.
The potential integration of power meters would mark a major milestone for Shimano, bringing it in line with rivals who already offer dual-sided, pedal-based systems.
Recently filed patents could hint at a new design direction for its road bike pedals, although there’s no strong evidence to suggest what trajectory this may take.
If and when SPD-SLR does arrive, it could represent the first major shift in Shimano’s road pedal ecosystem in decades – and perhaps the long-awaited moment when Shimano finally embraces pedal-based power meters.
Beleaguered video game giant Electronic Arts has agreed to a $55 billion acquisition that will take the company private. Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund (PIF), Silver Lake and Affinity Partners have reached a deal to buy EA, the company said in a statement.
Some details about the proposed arrangement surfaced over the weekend. The deal, the largest-ever leveraged buyout, according to Bloomberg, marks the end of EA’s 35-year run as a publicly traded company. “Our creative and passionate teams at EA have delivered extraordinary experiences for hundreds of millions of fans, built some of the world’s most iconic IP, and created significant value for our business,” EA CEO Andrew Wilson said in a statement. “This moment is a powerful recognition of their remarkable work.”
EA hasn’t been immune from the forces that have upended the games industry. Last year, the company laid off more than 650 employees, which it labeled an attempt at “streamlining” its business. This year, the company has canceled an upcoming Black Panther game and closed the studio behind it, and has reportedly “shelved” its Need For Speed Franchise.
The company said it expects the deal to close sometime in the first quarter of 2027, noting that it will need regulatory approvals. EA said that Wilson will continue as CEO and that its Redwood City, California headquarters will not change. In a statement Silver Lake Co-CEO Egon Durban said that the group plans to “invest heavily” in the video game company and help it “expand its reach worldwide.” Silver Lake is also part of the forthcoming deal to spin off the US version of TikTok into a new, American-owned company.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ea-confirms-it-will-go-private-in-55-billion-acquisition-133841614.html?src=rss
It’s a new work week, so let’s go ahead and kicks things off with a fresh GeForce RTX 50 Super series rumor, shall we? There are actually two leaks to report. One is that Seasonic has gone and listed a couple of not-yet-released GeForce RTX 50 series models in its online power supply calculator, and the second is a new rumored time frame for
As climate change leads to more destructive hurricanes, some experts have proposed adding a “Category 6” to the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, but not everyone thinks it’s a good idea.
Indoor cycling app Rouvy has announced a raft of updates as cyclists in the northern hemisphere batten down for a winter of riding on their turbos.
First up is Rouvy’s answer to Strava segments, offering a range of pre-defined timed segments in the app, complete with leaderboards.
The Rouvy segments aren’t only climbs; they offer sprints and rolling roads to ride, and you can challenge your fellow riders in real time to see who’s fastest, as with Strava Live segments in the great outdoors.
With Rouvy’s segments, as with Strava’s, you can race against the segment leader, your friends’ and your own best times, but rather than a dot on a map, each is represented by an avatar.
While Rouvy has chosen to create its own segment network, Zwift has Strava segments in its app. Initially, anyone could create Strava segments in Zwift, but as in the real world, these became a mish-mash of the useful and the confusing, so Zwift has now cut back to offer only its own segments.
Rouvy’s Winter Training Camp Spotlight includes routes around Girona. Christopher Lanaway
Rouvy is scattering its segments over its existing roads, as well as a suite of new roads. Its Winter Training Camp Spotlight arrives on 8 December and continues into 2026, with pro-team inspired routes in destinations including Girona, Calpe and (we guess not in the winter) Andorra.
If you’ve been there, done that and don’t fancy repeating it on the turbo, there are also new routes arriving between the tail end of October and mid-January 2026. They’re in further-flung destinations including Sri Lanka, Bolivia and even Tajikistan, even if, unlike the real thing, the latter two don’t add altitude acclimatisation to the mix.
There’s also a five-week climbing spotlight, running from 10 November to 23 December. It features five passes in the Dolomites: Passo Pordoi, Passo Sella, Passo Giau, Passo Fedaia and Passo Gardena. Rouvy’s rides star Andrew Feather, who’s a Rouvy ambassador and should know his climbs because he’s a former British hill climb champion.
New app features
There are new options to customise your avatar, including Giant bikes and kit.
Rouvy has added functionality to enable you to toggle ERG mode on and off as you ride, so you can choose your own resistance level if the app-controlled power level becomes too much. It’s also handy to add more precision for structured workouts, Rouvy says.
There are also refinements to route searches, including selection by gradient, and to Rouvy’s virtual garage, enabling you to choose your avatar’s appearance and equipment.
