Google DeepMind has launched Gemini 2.5, a new family of AI models designed to “think” before responding to queries. The initial release, Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental, tops the LMArena leaderboard by what Google claims is a “significant margin” and demonstrates enhanced reasoning capabilities across technical tasks. The model achieved 18.8% on Humanity’s Last Exam without tools, outperforming most competing flagship models. In mathematics, it scored 86.7% on AIME 2025 and 92.0% on AIME 2024 in single attempts, while reaching 84.0% on GPQA’s diamond benchmark for scientific reasoning.

For developers, Gemini 2.5 Pro demonstrates improved coding abilities with 63.8% on SWE-Bench Verified using a custom agent setup, though this falls short of Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet score of 70.3%. On Aider Polyglot for code editing, it scores 68.6%, which Google claims surpasses competing models. The reasoning approach builds on Google’s previous experiments with reinforcement learning and chain-of-thought prompting. These techniques allow the model to analyze information, incorporate context, and draw conclusions before delivering responses. Gemini 2.5 Pro ships with a 1 million token context window (approximately 750,000 words). The model is available immediately in Google AI Studio and for Gemini Advanced subscribers, with Vertex AI integration planned in the coming weeks.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

A software engineer discovered that his newly purchased Bosch 500 series dishwasher locks basic functionality behind cloud connectivity, reigniting concerns about internet-dependent home appliances. Jeff Geerling found that features like rinse cycle, delayed start and eco mode on his $1,000 dishwasher require connecting to WiFi and creating an account with “Home Connect,” Bosch’s cloud service.

Geerling criticized the approach as potentially part of planned obsolescence, noting that without a current subscription fee, the company will likely either shutter the service or introduce payments for previously standard features.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

If you live in a rural area of the UK, you may soon be able to use your phone for satellite calls, messages and other standard data use. On Tuesday, the nation’s telecom regulator, Ofcom, proposed using direct-to-device satellite tech to connect people in the UK’s “most rural and hard-to-reach places,” like mountains and remote villages.

Ofcom sees the tech complementing traditional networks, aiming to provide 100 percent mobile coverage in the UK. The regulator said the tech could also provide backup coverage during outages, offer service to ships and passengers in coastal waters without a connection and provide emergency 999 services (the UK’s version of 911) in remote areas.

In January, British telecom Vodafone made the world’s first satellite video call using a standard mobile phone on a remote mountain in west Wales.

Regarding the regulatory details, Ofcom suggests amending existing mobile spectrum licenses for frequencies already used by cellular providers (below 3 GHz). However, the regulator also offered alternative approaches, including introducing a new license for satellite services or allowing license-exempt use if certain conditions are met. Regardless of its specific policy approach, Ofcom said strict conditions would be attached to avoid interference with existing spectrum users in the UK and overseas.

Ofcom is opening a consultation period with stakeholders from now to May 20. Depending on the feedback it receives, it could begin authorizing direct-to-device calls later this year.

The iPhone 14 series was the first standard handset to offer direct-to-satellite emergency messaging. In iOS 18, Apple expanded the functionality beyond crises to any situation where you’re off the grid. The Samsung Galaxy S25 series and Google Pixel 9 recently added similar functionality.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-uk-could-greenlight-direct-to-phone-satellite-services-this-year-183504094.html?src=rss

Sunderfolk, a game that borrows elements from tabletop games like Dungeons & Dragons and couch party games like Jackbox, has a launch date. The fantasy RPG from Dreamhaven (the stomping ground of Blizzard co-founder and former CEO Mike Morhaime) arrives on April 23. You can play a demo today through April 7.

While virtual tabletops like Wizards of the Coast’s Sigil act as video game-like extensions of a traditional tabletop experience, Sunderfolk‘s premise is in using modern technology to simulate something like D&D — but with more accessibility to casual players. Here, your phone becomes the deck of cards (and controller), while your TV or monitor is the game board. Although it supports remote play, this one sounds tailor-made for couch co-op.

The game’s story retreads familiar fantasy tropes, like a town of peaceful inhabitants invaded by dark and creepy monsters. Here, the heroes are a clan of anthropomorphic animals who each fit a familiar class like arcanist, bard, berserker, pyromancer, ranger or rogue. You can customize each with weapons, armor, items and skills as they level up. (When in doubt, play the classics!)

Dreamhaven

“We were, with Sunderfolk, really trying to create something that would inspire people to get together in person,” Game Director Erin Marek said in a preview trailer. “We wanted it to feel similar to a game night, getting together to play a board game or getting together to play D&D with a group of friends or family or loved ones that you really care about. And to share that experience together side-by-side.”

You can gather your cohorts to try the game for free on GeForce Now from now to April 7. The preview gives you access to all playable characters and an early part of the game. Fortunately, you don’t need a paid GeForce membership; a free account will do.

Sunderfolk will cost $50 and be playable Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X and Switch. But only the party member running the big-screen device needs to own the game; the phone app (iOS and Android) for your pals will be a free download when the game launches on April 23.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/dreamhavens-tabletop-rpg-party-game-sunderfolk-arrives-on-april-23-183006473.html?src=rss

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

As an Airbnb host, a good smart lock is an extremely important purchase. I’ve gone through my fair share of smart locks, but none have been more reliable, affordable, and easy to install than the SwitchBot WiFi Smart Lock Pro, which I raved about in a recent review. Right now, you can get the bundle that has everything you need (it comes with the smart lock, keypad, and hub to control it remotely) for just $84 (originally $199.99) during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale—that’s the cheapest it has ever been, according to price tracking tools.

SwitchBot WiFi Smart Lock Pro

Special Feature: Passcode Unlock, Alarm, IP65 Weather Resistant, Auto-Lock, One-Touch Lock

$84.00
at Amazon

$199.99
Save $115.99

$84.00
at Amazon

$199.99
Save $115.99

The main reason I love this smart lock is its reliability. A smart lock’s most important job is to open and close reliably, whether that’s physically with a key, with your finger, code, or remotely through the app. That seems like a pretty basic requirement, but you’d be surprised how few smart locks nail it—the SwitchBot has been the only smart lock to not fail me in the year I’ve been using it so far.

The installation was also the easiest of any smart lock I’ve installed. You only need to remove the lock faceplate from inside and use an L-shaped hex wrench that comes in the box to mount the smart lock. It took me seven minutes to finish. There’s also an option to glue the hardware for a complete tool-free option.

The smart lock also retrofits most locks, and since the installation is so easy, that makes it perfect for renters, too. Some nice features are the auto-lock (I love not having to close the door behind me), a status detector that notifies or alerts you of activity, and being able to send permanent or temporary codes to family or guests. It also works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. The battery lasts up to nine months, according to SwitchBot, but it’ll depend on use (it was accurate for mine).

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• The Best Over-Ear Headphones

• The Best Wireless Earbuds

• The Best Adjustable Dumbbell Sets

• The Best Projectors

Google has the pedal to the metal on its AI development. Just a few months after the debut of Gemini 2.0, the tech giant has unveiled another upgrade in Gemini 2.5. As with any new AI launch, Google is touting a strong performance on LMArena for Gemini 2.5, particularly its capabilities in coding, mathematics and science.

The first model in this series is Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental. Google said this is a thinking model that’s intended to provide responses grounded in more reasoning, analysis and context than the answers offered by classification- and prediction-driven models. It’s a different approach than Google took with the Gemini 2.0 series, which started off with the more efficient and less expensive Flash version.

“With Gemini 2.5, we’ve achieved a new level of performance by combining a significantly enhanced base model with improved post-training,” the company said in a blog post attributed to Koray Kavukcuoglu, CTO of Google DeepMind. “Going forward, we’re building these thinking capabilities directly into all of our models, so they can handle more complex problems and support even more capable, context-aware agents.”

Google had only just started rolling out Gemini 2.0 to its services, using it to power the newly added AI Mode in search and Deep Research for handling more complex queries. With today’s launch, expect to hear more updates from the company about getting this latest version. Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental is available now in Google AI Studio, and Gemini Advanced members can use it directly in the Gemini app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-releases-gemini-25-ai-model-for-complex-thinking-182352224.html?src=rss

Boeing is seeking to withdraw an earlier agreement to plead guilty in a long-running criminal case that blamed the company for deceiving regulators before two deadly crashes of 737 MAX jets, WSJ is reporting, citing people familiar with the matter. From the report: The aerospace giant is seeking more lenient treatment from the Justice Department, which under the Trump administration is reviewing numerous pending criminal cases that haven’t yet gone to trial or been approved by courts. Boeing nearly sealed its fate last year, agreeing in July to plead guilty to defrauding the Federal Aviation Administration. But a federal judge in Texas rejected the proposed deal in December, pushing the resolution beyond the Biden administration.

Now Boeing stands to benefit from fresh eyes at Trump’s Justice Department, which is inclined to at least modify parts of the agreement, some of the people said. Allowing Boeing to rescind its plea agreement, or lightening the company’s punishment, would mark one of the most prominent examples of the Trump administration’s lighter-touch approach to some white-collar enforcement. There were 346 people killed in the two 737 MAX crashes, in 2018 and 2019. The two sides are still negotiating how to propose changes to the deal, expected by April 11, to U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, who oversees the case. One possible change under discussion: whether Boeing can forgo hiring an outside monitor to ensure its compliance with the law, the people said.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

OpenAI just announced that all users will soon be able to generate images directly inside of ChatGPT. It’s rolling out to ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Team and, most importantly, Free users. This will be the default image generation tool in 4o, so there will be no need to open Dall-E whenever you want to whip up a picture of a cat in space eating lasagna or whatever. The feature’s also coming to Sora.

The company says that the platform will “generate high-quality images based on your prompt, conversation and uploaded files.” To the latter point, it’ll be able to transform pre-existing images based on prompts. OpenAI is also boasting about significant improvements in text rendering and contextual understanding.

These new tools are intended for both personal and professional use. As such, OpenAI gives a number of examples as to where this type of image generation could come in handy. These include the creation of infographics, social media promotional graphics and images with plenty of text, as seen below. 

OpenAI

This being a modern generation tool, it can also handle high-end visuals. The company says it offers a “strong capability for photorealism, including light, shadow, and texture accuracy.” The ability to understand context could also be useful, as OpenAI says this could be used to create a “poster of birds found in Central Park” or a “visualization of an art history era discussed previously in the conversation.”

It’s built on GPT-4o, an AI model that was first released last year. The “o” stands for “omni”, which is a reference to the model’s multimodal capabilities. This is what allows many of the aforementioned features, like being able to iterate on uploaded files. Today’s news looks like another step on the long road toward the “one AI to rule them all” functionality that Sam Altman teased a few weeks back.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/now-you-can-generate-images-directly-from-chatgpt-and-sora-180047905.html?src=rss

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The original Peloton bike is currently on sale during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, dropping from its original price of $1,445 to an appealing $1,195, saving you $250. This is one of the most competitive prices I’ve seen for the original Peloton bike.

Of course, you’ll need to consider the true cost of a Peloton after bundling all the necessary accessories. For instance, Peloton sells its bike shoes separately—normally for $125, but you can get them for $100 during this spring sale. Another cost includes a monthly subscription to the app, which grants access to thousands of classes beyond just cycling, including strength training, yoga, and meditation. Although, as Lifehacker’s senior health editor Beth Skwarecki details, Peloton kind of sucks as a running app.

The Original Peloton Bike

$1,195.00
at Amazon

$1,445.00
Save $250.00

$1,195.00
at Amazon

$1,445.00
Save $250.00

If you’re considering buying a used Peloton instead, here is what you can expect; keep in mind there’s a $95 fee (plus some other costs you might want to consider) that you’ll need to pay Peloton in order for the machine to trade hands. You’ll also need that aforementioned $44 per-month “All Access” membership to use all of the Bike’s features.

Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including:

• The Best Over-Ear Headphones

• The Best Wireless Earbuds

• The Best Adjustable Dumbbell Sets

• The Best Projectors

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Whether you just finished your big spring cleanup or you’re waiting until the last minute, a robot vacuum can help you toward your mission of keeping a cleaner home. It can either keep the place tidy after you finish all the hard work, or help you whip your home into shape while you focus on other things. But for maximum results, you’re going to need a good one.

You can get a cheap robot vacuum that will do a decent job, or spend big bucks on a technological behemoth that can also mop your floors and even automatically clean. Today, during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, one of the best brands, Roborock, has solid sales on a whole range of models, so you can get a reliable robot vac for less.

Roborock vacuums discounted during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

What’s the deal with Roborock, you ask? The brand consistently puts out solid machines. For instance, the S8 Max V Ultra really wowed Lifehacker’s Amanda Blum with its easy setup, substantial suction power, and elevated mopping performance, while the S8 Pro Ultra impressed her with its autonomy, Lidar laser-enabled self-direction, and maneuverability.

Here are the models on sale right now.

roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop, 10000Pa Suction, FlexiArm Design Side Brush & Mop, Auto Mop Washing & Drying, Self-Emptying & Refilling, Dock Self-Cleaning, Dual Brush, Obstacle Avoidance

$799.99
at Amazon

$1,599.99
Save $800.00

$799.99
at Amazon

$1,599.99
Save $800.00

roborock S8+ Robot Vacuum and Mop With Self-Empty Dock (Black)

$549.98
at Amazon

$999.99
Save $450.01

$549.98
at Amazon

$999.99
Save $450.01

Roborock Q8 Max 5,500Pa Robot Vacuum and Mop (Black)

$339.99
at Amazon

$339.99
at Amazon

Roborock S8 Robot Vacuum and Mop Cleaner

$399.99
at Amazon

$749.99
Save $350.00

$399.99
at Amazon

$749.99
Save $350.00

Roborock Q8 Max+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop (White)

$399.99
at Amazon

$819.99
Save $420.00

$399.99
at Amazon

$819.99
Save $420.00

Roborock Q5 Pro+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum and Mop (Black)

$299.99
at Amazon

$699.99
Save $400.00

$299.99
at Amazon

$699.99
Save $400.00

roborock Q7 Max+ Robot Vacuum and Mop with Auto-Empty Dock Pure, Hands-Free Cleaning for up to 7 Weeks, APP-Controlled Mopping, 4200Pa Suction, No-Mop&No-Go Zones, 180mins Runtime, Works with Alexa

$359.99
at Amazon

$869.99
Save $510.00

$359.99
at Amazon

$869.99
Save $510.00

The Roborock Qrevo Master is great for pet owners

Typically $1,599.99 but marked down to $799.99 for the shopping holiday, the Qrevo Master is a vacuum-and-mop combo with a bunch of interesting features. It comes with “Intelligent Dirt Detection” that enables it to detect and revisit heavily soiled areas, a dock that self-cleans and won’t need to be emptied for seven weeks, a FlexiArm Side Brush that gets into edges and corners, 10,000Pa suction, and, interestingly, “real-time video calls and two-way voice interaction with your pets.” The Qrevo Master automatically recognizes pets and you can even use its cameras to check on your animals (or whatever you want, really) while you’re away.

The S8+ is a cheaper option with solid specs

If you don’t need 10,000Pa suction. Good for you! You get to save even more money. The S8+ has 6,000Pa suction and its self-cleaning dock needs to be refreshed every 60 days or so, but it’s $499.99 instead of $999.99 right now. Per the company, it is, “smart enough to stay out of troubles,” as it uses 3D mapping technology to map out your home as it cleans.

The Q8 Max is a cheaper options that packs a big punch

Try the Q8 Max or S8 if you only want to spend $259.99 (instead of the usual $599.99) or $349.99 (down from $749.99). Both map your house like the more expensive options and feature a DuoRoller brush that’s perfect for picking up hair, but they lack a a self-cleaning dock, so you will have to empty it out after it vacuums or mops.

The Q8 Max+ and Q5 Pro+ self-clean for less

If you liked the price points on the Q8Max or S8 but really want that self-cleaning dock, consider the Q8 Max+, which is $399.99 right now (down from $819.99), or the Q5 Pro+, down to $299.99 (from $$699.99). For a few extra dollars, you get the DuoRoller brush, home-mapping, and object avoidance, plus that self-cleaning dock you don’t need to touch for seven weeks. The power is lower—5,500Pa suction on both—but that’s the biggest tradeoff compared to the more expensive models.

The Q7 Max+ is right in the middle

Finally, the Q7 Max+ is in the sweet spot in terms of price and function: Normally $869.99, it’s $549.99 right now. Though you only get 4,200Pa suction, you don’t have to empty the self-cleaning dock for seven weeks, it comes with a 30-level adjustable water flow for mopping, it uses Lidar navigation, and you can set no-mop and no-go zones to make sure it’s staying out of those “trouble” spots.

Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including:

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• The Best Adjustable Dumbbell Sets

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

The price of Amazon’s Kindle Colorsoft was one of the biggest barriers to recommending when I reviewed the device earlier this year and compared it to cheaper options like the Kobo Libra Colour, but thanks to Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, it’s now a significantly more attractive option. Normally selling for $280, it’s now down to $225, actually making it cheaper than the Kobo and similar color e-readers from Boox or Bigme.

Amazon Kindle Colorsoft

$224.99
at Amazon

$279.99
Save $55.00

$224.99
at Amazon

$279.99
Save $55.00

That’s a pretty significant savings, especially because the Kindle Colorsoft has some key improvements over other color e-readers when it comes to the screen. It uses the same E Ink Kaleido 3 display as most other color e-readers, sure, but it also boasts some technical additions that give it higher contrast and better lighting. It’s not going to be as vivid as a more traditional tablet, sure, but it’s the best I’ve ever seen with color e-ink.

There’s also no denying the convenience of Amazon’s Kindle store. If you have a pre-existing library of content, getting a new Kindle device is the easiest way to upgrade without losing access to it.

That said, you’ll still be making some sacrifices here. Comics are easily the best use case for color e-readers I’ve found yet, and without access to apps from the likes of Marvel or DC, actually finding content to read on your new Colorsoft can be a bit harder than elsewhere. Amazon also recently made it much harder to read Kindle content on non-Kindle devices, so you should know that you’re potentially locking yourself into a future of Amazon e-readers if you start buying books using its store.

Still, if you’re willing to deal with all that, the Kindle Colorsoft is one of the more technically proficient color e-readers available right now, and at this price, doesn’t cost you any extra to buy over many competitors.

Shopping for tech? Lifehacker can help you make the right decision. Browse our tech reviews and head-to-head comparisons for everything from laptops and smartwatches to e-bikes and home gyms. Subscribe to our deals newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox, or browse our best-of lists directly on Amazon, including:

• The Best Over-Ear Headphones

• The Best Wireless Earbuds

• The Best Adjustable Dumbbell Sets

• The Best Projectors

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

This refurbished iPad 9th Gen (2021) in Space Gray, bundled with Beats Flex Wireless Headphones, is currently on sale for $224.99 (with free shipping!) on StackSocial, and for that price, it’s a great value. The iPad itself is listed with a Grade “A” rating, meaning it’s in near-mint condition with little to no visible wear—basically as good as new without the retail price tag. That said, its minimum battery health is 80%; and it’s also wifi only, so no LTE connectivity, but that’s expected.

Performance-wise, the A13 Bionic chip keeps things running smoothly for everyday tasks like browsing, streaming, and taking notes. The 10.2-inch Retina display may not be Apple’s most advanced, but it’s crisp, bright, and great for binge-watching or sketching. It comes with 64GB of storage, which should be fine for everyday use, but it’s non-expandable, so heavier apps or a lot of downloads might fill it up quickly. The front camera is 12MP with Center Stage, which keeps you in the frame during video calls, while the back camera is 8MP, good enough for scanning documents or casual photos. Plus, it supports the Apple Pencil (1st Gen)—but keep in mind that that’s not included, so if you plan on doodling or taking handwritten notes, you’ll need to budget for that separately. Battery life holds up well, with about nine hours per charge.

The Beats Flex Wireless Headphones in the bundle add a little extra value, though they’re more of a nice throw-in than a major selling point. They connect via Bluetooth, have up to 12 hours of battery life, and feature Apple’s W1 chip for seamless pairing with iOS devices. Sound-wise, they’re decent for casual listening, but they won’t blow you away with deep bass or high-end clarity. Still, they’re comfortable and lightweight, and if you’re already deep into the Apple ecosystem, these could make a solid backup pair of wireless buds. One potential downside is that these are neckband-style earbuds, which some might find outdated compared to true wireless options. On the other hand, if you’re prone to losing small earbuds, this design can be a plus.

Along with the iPad and Beats Flex, you also get a case, a screen protector, a stylus, and charging accessories—which means you won’t have to shell out extra for the basics (rare for a refurbished buy). At this price, it’s a practical pick if you need an iPad for everyday tasks and are okay with a refurbished model. It won’t replace a high-end laptop or an iPad Pro, but it gets the job done for streaming, light work, and general use.

The president of Signal defended the messaging app’s security on Wednesday after top Trump administration officials mistakenly included a journalist in an encrypted chatroom they used to discuss looming U.S. military action against Yemen’s Houthis. For a report: Signal’s Meredith Whittaker did not directly address the blunder, which Democratic lawmakers have said was a breach of U.S. national security. But she described the app as the “gold standard in private comms” in a post on X, which outlined Signal’s security advantages over Meta’s WhatsApp messaging app. “We’re open source, nonprofit, and we develop and apply (end-to-end encryption) and privacy-preserving tech across our system to protect metadata and message contents,” she said.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Apple announced that its Worldwide Developers Conference will be on June 9-13. The company is usually consistent with its event timing, so Tim Cook will probably take the stage to start the keynote on June 9 at 10AM PT/1PM ET.

We’ve already heard that iOS 19 and macOS 16 will be sporting new looks, so expect a focus on the latest software changes. And there’s no way we won’t be getting more Apple Intelligence updates. It was a core part of the iOS 18.3 update that rolled out at the start of the year and Apple has had struggles with some of the AI-powered features, particularly its notification summaries. One thing we don’t anticipate seeing is the long-awaited update to Siri that will offer more personalization, also courtesy of Apple Intelligence. That project hit a delay in March and, no matter how hard we might hope otherwise, it seems unlikely the issues will all be resolved by June.

Although the keynote is happening in-person at Apple Park, the rest of WWDC will take place online and is free for developers to attend.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-schedules-wwdc-2025-for-june-9-13-171840700.html?src=rss

Apple has suffered a blow in its efforts to salvage its lucrative search placement deal with Google. A new ruling from the DC Circuit Court of Appeals affirms that Apple cannot participate in Google’s upcoming antitrust hearing, which could leave a multibillion-dollar hole in Apple’s balance sheet. The judges in the case say Apple simply waited too long to get involved.

Just a few years ago, a high-stakes court case involving Apple and Google would have found the companies on opposing sides, but not today. Apple’s and Google’s interests are strongly aligned here, to the tune of $20 billion. Google forks over that cash every year, and it’s happy to do so to secure placement as the default search provider in the Safari desktop and mobile browser.

The antitrust penalties pending against Google would make that deal impermissible. Throughout the case, the government made the value of defaults clear—most people never change them. That effectively delivers Google a captive audience on Apple devices.

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Apple is finally giving some love to the often ignored AirPods Max. Well, the $549 AirPods Max with USB-C anyway—sorry if you’ve got the older model with the Lightning connector. With the iOS 18.4 update that’s coming in April, Apple is enabling lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio for the AirPods Max. In the words of Lifehacker Senior Tech Editor Jake Peterson, this upgrade finally makes the new AirPods Max worth buying.

Oh, but you’re probably going to need a new dongle too.

Why another dongle in 2025?

Lossless audio only works when connected to an Apple device using a USB-C cable. With the update, AirPods Max users will be able to enjoy more than 100 million songs on Apple Music that are processed in 24-bit, 48 kHz lossless audio—provided the device they are listening on has a USB-C port.

Here’s where that dongle comes in: Apple is now selling a $39.99 USB-C to 3.5mm audio cable that goes both ways (bidirectional). This itself isn’t new; Apple also sold an equally expensive Lighting to 3.5 mm audio cable that’s no longer available. But that cable did not enable lossless or low latency mode in the older AirPods Max, and the new one does.

The new dongle is designed to work with Beats Studio Pro too, and it enables ultra low-latency audio for any device that’s connected. This means that finally, the AirPods Max can work with any media player that has a traditional audio-out, like a hip cassette player, turntable, or even in-flight entertainment systems.

Other uses for the dongle

The bidirectional part is also interesting: Using this cable, you can also use any old speaker as an iPhone or iPad speaker. Let’s say you wanted to use your home theater’s system as an iPhone output, like the good old days, well, that is now possible. If you’ve never been a fan of Bluetooth, or you just don’t like the latency of wireless audio, Apple has just given you an official way to turn back time, and for just $40.

Speaking of latency, the AirPods Max with the USB-C cable, or the 3.5mm dongle, enable the ultra-low latency audio by default. Apple is positioning this as a win for creators, live streamers, and gamers, as low latency audio can help professionals working in Logic Pro and other professional apps. And AirPods Max can also be helpful in creating and mixing audio in Personalized Spacial Audio with head tracking.

An anonymous reader shares a report: Sometime earlier this month, Apple updated a section of its website that discloses how it collects and uses imagery for Apple Maps’ Look Around feature, which is similar to Google Maps’ Street View, as spotted by 9to5Mac. A newly added paragraph reveals that, beginning in March 2025, Apple will be using imagery and data collected during Look Around surveys to “train models powering Apple products and services, including models related to image recognition, creation, and enhancement.”

Apple collects images and 3D data to enhance and improve Apple Maps using vehicles and backpacks (for pedestrian-only areas) equipped with cameras, sensors, and other equipment including iPhones and iPads. The company says that as part of its commitment to privacy, any images it captures that are published in the Look Around feature have faces and license plates blurred. Apple also says it will only use imagery with those details blurred out for training models. It does accept requests for those wanting their houses to also be blurred, but by default they are not.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.