It’s been less than a year since Apple update the iPad Air, but the company is taking another opportunity to speed things up by adding the M3 chip to the mix. The new iPad Air still comes in 11- and 13-inch sizes and starts at the same price as the prior model — $599 for the 11-inch and $799 for the 13-inch. It also works with a redesigned Magic Keyboard, similar to the one Apple introduced last May with the iPad Pro. 

It’s definitely a strange update, given that Apple doesn’t typically upgrade its iPads on an annual basis at this point. And an M3 versus the M2 that it had before likely won’t make a big difference to most users — the iPad Air already worked with Apple Intelligence, and the M-series chip also enables it to use the more advanced Stage Manager multitasking mode. I guess moving to the M3 means Apple can get one step closer to winding down M2 production.

Most other specs appear identical to last year’s model. The 11- and 13-inch displays are the same resolution and are still stuck at a 60Hz refresh rate, though they are fully laminated to the glass and have an antireflective coating, unlike the screen on the base iPad (which was also just updated). It still uses Touch ID on the power button rather than Face ID, and storage (which starts at 128GB) remains unchanged. As usual, you can get 5G wireless capabilities for an extra $150. 

Surprisingly enough, Apple cut the price of the updated Magic Keyboard — it now starts at $269 for the 11-inch and $319 for the 13-inch, $30 less than before in both cases. It’s a lighter and thinner keyboard than the one it replaces, and adds an extremely handy function key row to the top. There are a few differences to the keyboard compared to the iPad Pro model, though. It isn’t backlit, and the trackpad doesn’t have haptic feedback. Still, it’s a definite step up over the older model Apple offered, at a better price as well. That said, it’s identical in size to the M2 model, so an older Magic Keyboard should work without issue.

Pre-orders start today, and the new iPad Air will ship on March 12. In case you were curious, it looks like it comes in the same four colors as the last model: space grey, starlight silver, purple and blue. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apple-updates-the-ipad-air-with-an-m3-chip-and-a-new-magic-keyboard-140525345.html?src=rss

Peak Design may have recently begun dabbling in tripods and dedicated smartphone accessories, but it started as a bag maker. It’s continuing that tradition by announcing its first-ever roller luggage, the Roller Pro Carry-On. This bag is appropriate to stow away overhead during flights, thus the name, but also comes with some tech-friendly features.

First of all, there’s a hidden compartment specifically for an AirTag tracker. That would come in mighty handy in the case of a mistaken identity/swapped luggage type of deal like in the movies. It also boasts external gear loops for hooking stuff like tripods. There’s a protected pocket for chargers, headphones, tablets and laptops.

The Roller Pro has been designed to accommodate the company’s newly-announced XL-sized Camera Cube. This container fills the entire volume of the Roller Pro and holds a 400mm prime lens, along with other camera accessories. The company says it turns the bag into a “mobile creative workstation for photographers on location or in the studio.” It also eliminates the need for a dedicated camera roller.

Tech aside, this is a piece of luggage. To that end, the carbon fiber handle has been designed for “maximal strength in a minimal volume.” Peak Design says it’s “significantly stiffer” than rival handles, but takes up “just a third of the volume.” This allows for more packing space, which is always good. The 60mm wheels also nestle into the corners, further maximizing space. The capacity is expandable from 34L to 39L, which is great for piling on last minute gifts while traveling.

Peak Design

It’s covered in a lightweight polycarbonate shell and Peak Design’s proprietary VersaShell fabric. The Roller Pro is available in a few colors and preorders start today via Kickstarter. This is a Peak Design product, however, so get ready to empty that bank account. The price ranges from $140 to $600, depending on add-ons.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/peak-design-made-a-roller-suitcase-thats-perfect-for-techies-and-content-creators-140035490.html?src=rss

I’ll cut right to the chase: If you’re an RTX 4070 owner looking to upgrade to NVIDIA’s latest video cards, the $549 RTX 5070 won’t be much different than what you’re used to. Aside from DLSS 4’s ability to generate multiple extra frames, the 5070 is practically the same as the 4070 Ti in our testing (and in some cases it’s worse). So if you’re already committed to spending more than $500 for a new GPU, you’re likely better off saving up a bit more for the $749 5070 Ti, which has more VRAM (16GB instead of the 5070’s 12GB) and more capable hardware for gaming in 4K.

Given the current state of the video card market, though, those prices are basically just theoretical. NVIDIA’s previous RTX 50-series cards are already selling well above their retail prices at most stores, if you can find them in stock at all. So I wouldn’t be surprised to see the RTX 5070 suffering the same fate. For now, though, Best Buy has NVIDIA’s Founder’s Edition card and an ASUS model listed for $549.

The RTX 5070 comes in $50 cheaper than the RTX 4070’s original launch price, so at least we’re edging closer to the days of the $500 RTX 3070 (again, if you were lucky enough to snag it for that MSRP). The 5070’s price alone made it the new NVIDIA GPU I was most looking forward to test. But after spending some time with it, I can see why NVIDIA was able to keep it relatively affordable: It’s simply not a huge jump from the 4070.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Hardware

As the runt of the litter (so far), the RTX 5070 is clearly behind its siblings on paper. It sports 6,144 CUDA cores, compared to the 5070 Ti’s 8,960, and the aforementioned 12GB of GDDR7 memory. Notably, the RTX 4070 also shipped with 12GB of memory, though that was slightly slower GDDR6X RAM. The new card has a 33 percent memory bandwidth advantage — 672 GB/s vs 504 GB/s — but it would have been nice to see more RAM, especially since AMD managed to deliver 16GB in the upcoming $549 Radeon 9070.

The NVIDIA Founder’s Edition RTX 5070 we reviewed looks similar to the 5090, with a gorgeous metal case and dual fans to cool down the PCB sandwiched in the middle. A dongle with two 8-pin PSU connections is included in the box, and the 5070 requires a 650W power supply at a minimum. (Though I’d recommend going for at least an 800W PSU if you want to future-proof a bit.) Around the back, the 5070 features three DisplayPort 2.1 connections and an HDMI 2.1 port.

In use: Solid 1440p and 4K, especially with multi-frame generation

I was a bit worried that testing the RTX 5070 would meaning scaling down my Avowed settings from maxed out 4K to 1440p. First-world problems, I know. But the 5070 managed to stay above 60 fps in 4K with ray tracing and graphics settings cranked up — so long as I was using DLSS upscaling. I typically saw between 65 fps and 75 fps in a variety of areas, which played smoothly on my 32-inch Alienware QD-OLED monitor.

I saw a smoother 120 fps while playing Avowed in 1440p, but I preferred sticking with 4K since it’s not a very fast-paced game. Instead, it’s a title where you’re often moving slowly through the world and absorbing breathtaking vistas and gorgeously constructed environments. Without DLSS, the 5070 crawled along at just 15 fps in 4K. In comparison, the 5070 Ti reached 90 fps in 4K with DLSS, and 32 fps in 4K without any upscaling.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Clearly, the RTX 5070 is best-suited to 1440p gaming, just like the 4070. But it’s more capable if you don’t mind the interpolated frames from DLSS 4’s multi-frame generation. It can generate up to three frames from every one that’s natively rendered. That led to me seeing 168 fps in Dragon Age: The Veilguard while playing in 4K with graphics settings cranked up. The 5070 Ti, meanwhile, hit over 200 fps while playing Veilguard in 4K, while the 5090 reached 250 fps.

Your experience with the RTX 5070 will mostly come down to the amount of games you play with DLSS 3 and 4 support. Halo Infinite, which doesn’t work with any upscaling technology yet, hit an acceptable 97 fps in 4K. Still, I think most players would prefer the smoother 138 fps performance in 1440p, or even the 178 fps I saw in 1080p. Cyberpunk 2077, meanwhile, flew in 4K with multi-frame gen in ray tracing overdrive mode, reaching 115 fps.

Benchmarks paint a far starker picture for the RTX 5070. It was practically identical to the RTX 4070 Ti in 3DMark’s TimeSpy Extreme and Speedway tests. And it lagged behind that card in the Port Royal and DirectX ray tracing tests, as well as in Blender’s benchmark, where it was a full 1,200 points behind the 4070 Ti! NVIDIA clearly leaned more on tensor core performance for DLSS for the 5070, rather than raw rasterized or ray tracing speeds.

Unsurprisingly, NVIDIA’s Founder’s Edition cooling setup shined on the RTX 5070, where it kept temperatures between 35C and 40C while idling, and under 75C while I was gaming and running benchmarks. The fans were audible but not annoying when I was really stressing the card, thoughI didn’t notice much since I also had audio blasting on my speakers.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Should you buy the RTX 5070?

As I mentioned up top, I don’t think the RTX 5070 is a compelling upgrade if you’re already satisfied with an RTX 4070. But if you’re coming from an older GPU, and you’re not ready to shell out $750 (or likely more) for the 4070 Ti, it’s currently the best value NVIDIA is offering. The 5070 will handle 1440p gaming well, and it’ll be acceptable for basic 4K gaming for non-DLSS titles. Throw multi-frame generation in the mix, and things look even better.

Still, for the price, I really wish the 5070 was more of a step up from the 4070. If the 5070 Ti ever comes back down to its $750 retail price, it’s likely a better longterm purchase since it has 16GB of RAM. That’ll make it better equipped for handling massive 4K textures, and it’s also more powerful in general to deal with more demanding gaming engines and ray tracing. The 5070 is a GPU that might satisfy you for a few years, whereas I think the 5070 Ti could handle most of what you throw at it for the next four years.

For now, though, my advice is the same as it was in my 5070 Ti review: Don’t rush out to buy a new video card right away. NVIDIA’s pricing and stock availability is incredibly volatile, and it’s not worth paying over $900 for something like the 5070 Ti. In a few months, prices may fall back down to Earth, especially with AMD’s more reasonable $549 and $599 Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT in the mix. In fact, it’s worth waiting a bit just to see how well those two cards compare to the 5070.

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

Wrap-up

While NVIDIA mostly succeeded with delivering a semi-affordable midrange GPU with the RTX 5070, it’s competing against itself when compared to the excellent RTX 4070. It’s limited by having only 12GB of VRAM, and without the magic of DLSS AI upscaling, its performance isn’t that much different than the 4070 Ti. In the end, the 5070 feels a bit like a missed opportunity to deliver a truly performant card for close to $500. Instead, it’s more of the same, with a healthy dose of AI.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/nvidia-geforce-rtx-5070-review-basically-a-4070-ti-thats-better-at-4k-140016718.html?src=rss

Alienware unveiled a widescreen 34-inch QD-OLED monitor a few years ago and it was hit from the get-go thanks to the HDR brightness, OLED color accuracy and smooth 175Hz refresh rate. Now, the company has launched an updated version that boosts the refresh rate to 240Hz — making it a tempting option for gamers who prize visuals and speed. Dell’s gaming brand also revealed several inexpensive LCD gaming models, including a 25-inch, 320Hz model for just $250. 

On top of the boosted refresh rate, the new Alienware 34 Ultra-Wide QD-OLED Monitor (AW3425DW) offers improved connectivity with HDMI 2.1 FRL, while adding G-SYNC, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and VESA AdaptiveSync certification. As before, it comes with WQHD 3,440 x 1,440 resolution and 1800R curve, providing a 21:9 gaming experience that while not as sharp as 4K, is still a huge leap ahead of 1080p. It goes on sale today for $800. 

Along with that model, Alienware’s 27-inch 280Hz QD-OLED Monitor (AW2725D) is also available at a reasonable $550 price point (arriving summer 2025). It combines QHD resolution with a high-speed 280Hz refresh rate, allowing sharp high-quality visuals along with a smooth gaming experience. Rounding out the QD-OLED models is the 27-inch 4K QD-OLED Monitor (AW2725Q) previously announced at CES, with a 240Hz refresh rate and highest pixel density of any OLED or QD-OLED monitor, the company claims. It’s available starting today for $900.

Finally, Alienware unveiled four new LCD monitors, including 34- and 32-inch curved VA monitors with 180Hz refresh rates priced at $400 and $320, with both available starting March 6th. The most interesting, however, is a 25-inch 320Hz monitor available for just $250 (coming summer 2025), giving pro gamers on a budget a very high-speed option, if they don’t mind a smallish screen. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/alienware-boosts-its-34-inch-qd-oled-gaming-monitor-to-240hz-140015276.html?src=rss

Lenovo hasn’t even released its futuristic laptop with a rollable screen, but it’s rejigged all those parts into a whole new thing for MWC in Barcelona. Officially called the ThinkBook codename Flip AI PC Proof of concept (no typos), the laptop uses the same flexible OLED in its rollable, revealed earlier. However, instead of disappearing inside its chassis, the display folds outwards. This allows what is normally a 13-inch panel to double to 18.1 inches. Notably, because the Flip’s screen bends instead of sliding in and out of the bottom half of the system, Lenovo can use the panel’s full area.

And, just to drill home that it’s a concept, Lenovo also added a Smart ForcePad, with a three-layer illuminated dashboard with customizable controls and icons.

Engadget

Then there’s the Lenovo ThinkBook 16P, which ostensibly is a lot like other 16-inch ThinkBooks. But, if you use the company’s Magic Bay docking system, you can really amp up the screen space. The Magic Bay 2nd Display Concept is a small 8-inch screen that attaches magnetically to the ThinkBook 16P, while the Magic Bay Dual Display Concept adds two 13.3-inch panels that flank the notebook’s primary screen, giving you that true I’m-a-00s-hacker aesthetic in your local coffee shop.

Sadly, the ThinkBook 16P Gen 6 is not slated to be available in North America, so it may have to be a Parisian cafe. Or a cafetería in Barcelona?

— Mat Smith

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FAA reportedly ordered staff to find millions of dollars to fund Starlink deal

Reports suggest FAA may be considering canceling its deal with Verizon.

Employees with the Federal Aviation Administration were reportedly told on Friday to “begin finding tens of millions of dollars for a Starlink deal,” after The Washington Post reported the FAA may cancel its $2.4 billion contract with Verizon to overhaul the US’s airspace management systems and go with Elon Musk’s company instead.

This was a few days after Musk claimed on X that the situation around air traffic control communications is “extremely dire,” saying the existing system (which he wrongly attributed to Verizon before, later adding a correction) is “breaking down very rapidly.”

Hundreds of FAA employees were fired in February by Musk’s DOGE.

Continue reading.

Samsung’s midrange Galaxy A56 delivers a spec bump and a physical one

It’s midranger season.

Engadget

The Galaxy A56 has broken cover and will be available later this year, starting at $499 (or £499 in the UK), which is slightly cheaper than the Pixel 8a at launch. Samsung also announced the Galaxy A36 and A26 today, starting at $399 and $299, respectively. (But, Mat whispers, don’t bother with those.) The A56 is thinner than its predecessor, down to 7.4mm. The phone has a brushed metal frame and a minor design twist: a slightly protruding bump on the side where the volume and power buttons sit.

The front of the A56 now has a lower-res 12-megapixel selfie camera, while on the back sits an upgraded 12MP ultrawide, 50MP main sensor with an f/1.8 lens and optical image stabilization. There’s still a 5MP macro lens for someone out there. Those new cameras feature many of the latest upgrades on the S25 family, including improved image signal processing for better low-light performance, as well as a raft of AI features.

I’d argue not to hit the pre-order button just yet: It’s peak midrange phone season. The Galaxy A56 goes up against the iPhone 16e, while rumors suggest Google’s Pixel 9a could break cover very soon. Oh, and there’s challenger Nothing, with its 3a series set to be revealed later today.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121633661.html?src=rss

Waymo and Uber’s robotaxi service is launching today in Austin, exclusively in the Uber app. The companies announced their plan to expand to Austin and Atlanta in September 2024, and Waymo raised a cool $5.6 billion in October to help pay for it.

Unlike the Waymo One service offered to riders in San Francisco and Los Angeles, interested Austin riders will get a chance to ride in a Waymo just by ordering an UberX, Uber Green, Uber Comfort or Uber Comfort Electric ride, similar to how things are handled in Phoenix. You’re not guaranteed to receive a Waymo when you do order one of those rides, but Uber says you can increase your chances of receiving one by changing your “Ride Preferences” in the app. Upfront prices remain the same whether you get a Waymo or not, though if you do end up in a robotaxi, you won’t be prompted to tip. You’ll use the Uber app to unlock the Waymo, open its trunk and start your ride, too.

Uber / Engadget

Uber says Waymo One will cover 37 square miles in Austin, and in a first for the company, Waymo vehicles themselves will be stored, cleaned and maintained by a third-party partner, Avomo, theoretically making the experience even more taxi-like than before.

Waymo won’t be the only major self-driving shop offering rides in Austin. Tesla’s robotaxi service is supposed to launch in the Texas capital in June. They’re not evenly matched so far, though. In May 2024, Waymo said it makes 50,000 paid trips every week. It remains to be seen how quickly Tesla will reach the same scale. For its part, Uber has expressed interest in offering Tesla rides through its app, too, though so far the EV company is operating on its own.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-and-ubers-austin-robotaxi-expansion-begins-today-120035908.html?src=rss

Nothing doesn’t have a Phone 3 yet, instead choosing to make a lateral move to not one, but two new mid-range devices, the Nothing Phone 3a and, intriguingly, the 3a Pro. Reassuringly, Nothing continues to design phones unlike anything else out there. Its retro-future design aesthetic for the exposed-but-not hardware on the rear of the phones, as well as the dot-matrix fonts, animations and software, are all back.

Hardware design remains Nothing’s biggest strength. I get asked about the Nothing phone more than I do when I’m using the latest iPhone, Samsung’s foldables or anything else. It’s just different. The Phone 3a series now has a glass backing (upgraded from polycarbonate) and you can still see screw fittings, electronics and a return of Nothing’s Glyph lighting system. The Phone 3a is rated IP64, adding better protection this year against rogue water sprays and liquid incidents.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

Nothing has once again rejigged the exposed hardware, and the Glyph lighting details are all at the top of the phone, circling the camera unit. On the Phone 3a Pro, courtesy of a new periscope sensor capable of 3X optical zoom, a substantial circular camera unit protrudes from the back.

If you think the 3a Pro’s camera module looks chunky, it also adds roughly 10 grams to its weight compared to the base Nothing Phone 3a. But for camera obsessives, only one of these phones will hold your attention. (Although the blue iteration of the Nothing Phone 3a is gorgeous.)

The Nothing Phone 3a Pro’s 50-megapixel telephoto sensor can stretch to 3x optical zoom, but it also includes a rather useable, in my early testing, lossless cropped 6x zoom. There’s also a 50MP primary sensor with f/1.88 lens, and dual-pixel phase detection auto-focus (PDAF). Nothing has crammed in an ultrawide 8MP sensor with a 120-degree field of view.

The 3a Pro also has a telemacro mode and can combine focus as close as 15cm (5.9 inches) away with the zoom of the telephoto. It’s a feature that makes macro photography far more useful – and still rare on phones outside of China.

The base model Phone 3a’s main 50MP camera has single-pixel PDAF, but otherwise keeps the same primary camera specs. Its telephoto stretches to 2x optical zoom, and a third ultrawide 8MP camera.

While we’ll explore the camera more deeply in our review, my early impressions are positive. Images are crisp and Nothing has a knack for curated filters that look good. I especially like the frosted glass effect, which Nothing also offers for wallpaper customization.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

Nothing says its TrueLens Engine 3.0 combines AI-powered tone mapping with Ultra XDR, which it co-developed with Google, to tune photos. It involves a burst of 8 RAW images, which are all processed together to adjust the brightness of each pixel up to five times. Nothing’s image processing seems to lean towards punchy, high-contrast photos and video.

The Phone 3a and Phone 3a Pro are otherwise identical in specs. Compared to the Nothing Phone 2a, both new devices have a bigger 6.77-inch AMOLED LTPS display, now using Panda Glass rather than Corning’s Gorilla Glass. As you might expect from most (but not all) phones, the 3a has an always-on display, can reach 120Hz refresh rates and it now hits 1,300 nits, making it brighter than the company’s last phone, too.

Once again, the phones both have a big 5,000mAh battery and fast charging at up to 50W. According to Nothing, this means it should take less than an hour to charge the device entirely, while you should be able to get halfway there in 19 minutes. One of the only parts of the Nothing Phone 3a series that hints that they aren’t quite at a flagship level is their processor: a Snapdragon 7s Gen 3. We’ll put that chip through its paces in our review, but it is supposed to help with Nothing’s own custom software pecadillos, like the TrueLens Engine. The company says that chip makes the 3a series 92 percent better at AI processing than its predecessor.

In a nod to both its OnePlus history and the recent trend for adding buttons, Nothing added its Essential Key to the Phone 3a, on the right edge below the power button. Oddly, it has a different finish to the rest of the machined buttons on the 3a and feels a bit cheaper. It works like an AI assistant launcher on other smartphones, like Samsung’s Gemini AI launcher, although the AI hooks come later. One press will capture and send content a screenshot to Nothing’s Essential Space app, while a longer press will start recording a voice note. You can also double-press to launch straight into the Essential Space app, which is a storage space for all those collections.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

Nothing uses the same AI tricks we’ve seen elsewhere; it just simplifies them. The Phone 3a will transcribe your voice notes, automate reminders, and even describe your photos and screenshots if needed. As I juggle work commitments, other writing projects, life and everything else, this is an intriguing soup of AI tools, storage and automation, all in a single place.

This also seems to be Nothing’s equivalent of Android’s Labs setting. The company is teasing further functionality, such as focused search, flip-to-record, Camera Capture (using the Essential key while in the camera app), Smart Collections of all your notes and more. It seems to be the Notes equivalent of how Google Photos gives you quick and easy access to the images and videos you’re looking for.

With the Phone 3a Pro’s software more broadly, Nothing OS is fun. Despite a learning curve in places, it’s playful. The icons, fonts, and animations across Nothing’s take on Android 15 add a refreshing touch of personality in a sea of smartphone sameness.

Perhaps there are a few too many creative cooks, as Nothing’s decorative touches jostle with what I assume are Google’s baked-in fonts and menus. Some of the icons are hard to discern, too. After powering up the Phone 3a for the first time, a pixelated smiley face appeared on the home screen. I’d tap it and realize it does nothing. It turns out this is Nothing’s attempt at showing your screen time – but it doesn’t need to be a 2×2 widget.

Image by Mat Smith for Engadget

Other nice touches include a monochrome theme (on these monochrome phones), app label removal and a smart app drawer that corrals similar apps together for more straightforward navigation.

Availability in the US will come through a Beta Program, like in previous years. The Phone 3a ($379) is available to preorder now in grey, black and blue, with devices landing March 11, while the Phone 3a Pro ($459) in black and grey, goes on preorder March 11 and launches March 25. In the UK, the company’s Nothing Store in London will be one of the first places to offer the phone directly, from 11AM GMT on March 8.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/nothings-phone-3a-pro-is-a-stylish-almost-flagship-experience-for-459-103058974.html?src=rss

Let’s be honest, your home Wi-Fi probably sucks, with regular drop-outs, buffering or even the dreaded data dead zone. It’s because traditional Wi-Fi routers are a single unit, pumping out data only as far as the laws of physics will allow. So if you’ve got thick walls, plumbing or any other quirky internal design, your overall connectivity is going to suffer. It’s these issues mesh Wi-Fi systems are designed to solve, using multiple nodes (or satellites) scattered around your home to create a broader, more reliable and consistent connection.

Meshes work as a team to create a seamless Wi-Fi network around your home, keeping you and your gear connected as you move. If you’ve got plenty of smart home gear, then you’ll also get the benefit of being able to connect more devices to the same network. They also often look a lot nicer than whatever your internet provider shipped to you when you signed up, too.

These systems also have plenty of useful features, like automatic firmware updates to keep you safe and secure, fast speeds and ethernet ports for wired connections. It doesn’t matter if you’re streaming, gaming, working or simply need reliable connectivity for your smart gadgets: A mesh system can be the solution for keeping every corner of your home online and happy.

Table of contents

• Best mesh Wi-Fi systems for 2025

• What to look for in a mesh Wi-Fi system

• How we test Wi-Fi routers

• Other mesh Wi-Fi router systems we tested

Best mesh Wi-Fi systems for 2025

What to look for in a mesh Wi-Fi system

Linksys’ CEO Jonathan Bettino told Engadget why mesh systems are an “advancement in Wi-Fi technology” over buying a single point router. With one transmitter, the signal can degrade the further away from the router you go, or the local environment isn’t ideal. “You can have a small [home], but there’s thick walls […] or things in the way that just interfere with your wireless signal,” he said.

Historically, the solution to a home’s Wi-Fi dead zone was to buy a Wi-Fi range extender but Bettino said the hardware has both a “terrible user experience” and one of the highest return rates of any consumer electronics product. Mesh Wi-Fi, by comparison, offers “multiple nodes that can be placed anywhere in your home,” says Bettino, resulting in “ubiquitous Wi-Fi” that feels as if you have a “router in every room.”

Rather than having one main router in your home, having a “router in every room” is the biggest selling point for mesh Wi-Fi given how reliant we all are on the internet. Each node is in constant contact with each other, broadcasting a single, seamless network to all of your connected devices. There’s no separate network for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, just a single name that you connect to.

It’s a good time to buy a mesh Wi-Fi system since the latest standard, Wi-Fi 6E, represents a big leap in the technology. Matt MacPherson, Cisco’s Chief Technology Officer for Wireless, said Wi-Fi 6E is a big “inflection point,” using much more of the wireless spectrum than its predecessors. “If you’re using that spectrum with a Wi-Fi 6 [device],” he said, “you’re going to get significant gains [in speed.]”

MacPherson added Wi-Fi 6E will likely “carry you for a long time” thanks to the fact its “top throughputs now typically exceed what people can actually connect their home to.” In short, with a top theoretical per-stream speed of 1.2 Gbps, Wi-Fi 6E is fast enough to outrun all but the fastest internet connection.

What do all these Wi-Fi numbers and letters mean?

I’m sorry folks, we need to get boringly technical for one paragraph, but I promise you it’s worth it.

Wi-Fi is governed by International Standard IEEE 802.11, and every few years a letter gets added onto that name when the technology evolves and improves. Until 2019, routers were sold under their IEEE name, leaving users to pick through the word soup of a product labeled 802.11 b/g/a/n/ac and so on.

Mercifully, wiser heads opted to rebrand the letters as numbers, so rather than 802.11 b/g/a/n/ac, we have Wi-Fi 1, 2, 3 4 and 5. Right now, we’re in the middle of one of those Wi-Fi generations, with most of the gear on sale right now supporting either Wi-Fi 6 or Wi-Fi 6E.

What’s the difference between Wi-Fi 6 and Wi-Fi 6E?

Wi-Fi uses chunks of the radio frequency spectrum, with Wi-Fi 6 using the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands to pump data around. In fact, back in the old days, it was likely your home router would offer you the choice of the 2.4GHz or the 5GHz network, as separate bands to access. These days, all of the spectrums are tied together as one thing, and Wi-Fi 6E has the added ability to use the 6GHz band as well. That’s a big chunk of extra wireless real estate that isn’t as cluttered up as the 2.4 and 5GHz bands.

You’re going to talk about wireless frequencies now, aren’t you.

Each Wi-Fi band had tradeoffs, because the slower radio frequencies have greater range but less speed. 2.4GHz signals will travel a long way in your home but aren’t quick, while 6GHz is blisteringly fast but can be defeated by a sturdy brick wall. A lot of Wi-Fi-enabled gear you own, like smart home products, only use the 2.4GHz band because the range is better and it’s a lot cheaper. But it means that the band is also overcrowded and slow, making it great for your doorbell and robovac, but lackluster for Twitch streaming.

So, what am I looking for?

Right now, the market is full of mature Wi-Fi 6 and 6E devices, and most new systems available to buy are capable of taking advantage of the faster speeds they offer. This guide focuses on Wi-Fi 6E gear since it’s what we think it’s more than enough to satisfy almost everyone’s at-home Wi-Fi needs.

What about Wi-Fi 7?

We’re now seeing the first generation of Wi-Fi 7 devices available to buy, but we don’t recommend you do so immediately. The Wi-Fi 7 standard is still so new that there’s little to no reason for you to rush out and buy one for your home. The hardware is tremendously expensive and while Wi-Fi 7 will, eventually, offer some great benefits over 6E, it’s not as transformative an upgrade as 6E. Not to mention, Wi-Fi 7 is so new that almost none of your home’s devices will be able to take advantage of its big-ticket features. I’d estimate you won’t need to worry about upgrading to Wi-Fi 7 for at least five years, if not longer.

Range and speed

All Wi-Fi routers boast a theoretical broadcast range and a theoretical top speed, but these figures don’t mean much. After all, manufacturers can’t control your ISP’s real speed, the materials and layout of your home or where you put your Wi-Fi gear. Raw speed isn’t everything, either, and you likely need a lot less internet than you’re actually paying for right now. After all, Netflix needs just 15 Mbps to push a single 4K video stream to your home. As cool as it is to say you’ve got all these hundreds of Mbps, factors like latency and reliability are far more crucial to a happy internet life. And unless you have Gigabit internet that can reach speeds of up to 1 Gbps, you won’t need a mesh router that offers that spec.

Backhaul

Mesh Wi-Fi systems work by connecting every hardware node to a single wireless network, letting them all communicate with each other. Imagine four people in a busy, noisy restaurant all trying to order their dinner from a weary staff member, all at once. Now imagine, while this is going on, that four more people at that same table are also trying to tell a funny anecdote. It’s no surprise that it might take a long time for the right information to reach its intended destination.

To combat this, higher-end mesh routers offer dedicated wireless backhaul; a slice of the spectrum for node-to-node communication. So rather than everyone talking at once in the same space, the conversations are essentially separated, reducing the invisible clutter in the air. Because there’s less confusing cross-chatter, everything moves faster, offering a significant performance boost to those systems.

Connectivity

These days, even your washing machine can have a wireless connection, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the joys of wired internet. No matter how fast Wi-Fi is, a hard line will always be faster, and some gear, like Philips’ Hue bridge, still needs an ethernet connection. Plenty of routers can also use these hard connections as backhaul, eliminating further wireless clutter.

It’s convenient for spread-out systems and power users, but it will mean running more wires through your home. The most common standard is Cat 5e, or gigabit ethernet which, unsurprisingly, has a top speed of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps). Since Ethernet cables are backward compatible, you should be able to easily find one that works with your system. However, to get the most out of your mesh routers, it’s worth investing in an Ethernet cable that meets the standard your router uses — if it’s Cat 5e, use a Cat 5e cable. You can check your router’s specs via the manufacturer’s website to be sure.

Flexibility and scalability

Mesh routers enable you to add (or subtract) modules from your home network to suit your needs. D-Link’s Alan Jones said users should “check how scalable the prospective product is” before you buy. This sense of scale doesn’t just apply to the number of nodes on the network, but how many simultaneous connections it can handle.

It’s also worth looking at ASUS’ AiMesh products, which can combine mesh Wi-Fi gear and its standard “spider” Wi-Fi routers. If you’ve got a tricky part of your home, you can bolt on an ultra-power standalone Wi-Fi router to a compatible mesh.

Placement

Mesh networks replace one big piece of hardware with a series of identical nodes that you scatter around your home. You connect one to your modem (usually over ethernet), and then scatter the rest around the place for the best coverage. A good rule of thumb is to place each node no more than two rooms away from the last one, rather than sticking them at the far ends of your home.

Bear in mind, every physical obstacle between a Wi-Fi node, its siblings and your devices will hurt your overall performance. You should aim to place them, at the very least, at waist height on furniture in open air, without too many obstructions. The reason many mesh Wi-Fi products are designed to look like an inoffensive white doodad is so you don’t feel compelled to hide them behind your TV.

How we test Wi-Fi routers

My home covers around 2,200 square feet across three stories with the office on the third floor. It’s relatively long and thin, with the living room at the front of the house, the kitchen at the back and the three bedrooms on the first floor. Its age means there are a lot of solid brick walls, old-school lathe and plaster as well as aluminum foil-backed insulation boards to help with energy efficiency. There are two major Wi-Fi dead zones in the house: The bathroom and the third bedroom behind it, since there’s lots of old and new pipework in the walls and floors.

For mesh routers with two nodes, I place the first in my living room, connected via ethernet to my cable modem with the second on the first floor landing in the (ostensible) center of the house. For three-node sets, the third goes in my kitchen, which I’ve found is the optimal layout to get the bulk of my house covered in Wi-Fi. Fundamentally, my home poses enough challenges that if it succeeds here, it stands a very good chance of succeeding in your place.

Each mesh is judged on ease of setup, Wi-Fi coverage, reliability, speed and any additional features that it advertises. I look at how user-friendly each companion app is from the perspective of a novice rather than an expert given you shouldn’t need to be a network engineer to do this sort of thing. Tests I do include checking for dead zones, moving from room to room to measure consistency of connectivity and streaming multiple videos at once to replicate common usage patterns.

Other mesh Wi-Fi router systems we tested

Amazon Eero 6E

Eero Pro 6E is an “easy” device, the sort a total novice can set up on their own and thrive with for years on end. There’s little brainwork required to get things set up, and the app has a clean UI with plenty of hand-holding. But, and it’s a big but, the fact that so many basic management tools are paywalled irks me, especially since you can get plenty of them for free with Google’s rival offering.

Netgear Orbi 960

The Orbi 96T0 (RBKE963) is Netgear’s flagship mesh Wi-Fi product, which the company calls the “world’s most powerful Wi-Fi 6E system.” It’s also one of the most expensive consumer-level kits on the market, setting you back $1,499.99 for a three pack. It’s a fantastic piece of gear, but it’s worth saying that the subset of people who could, would or should buy it remains far smaller than you might expect. Ultimately, I feel that if you’re paying luxury prices, you should expect a luxury product. There were plenty of times during testing that I went looking for a feature that was either only available via the web client, or behind a paywall. While, yes, much of your cash is going to the superlative hardware, but for this sort of money, the fact you have to pay extra for some table-stakes features is insulting. If you’re looking for a new Wi-Fi system and aren’t prepared to spend almost $1,500, it’s worth considering our other top picks for the best Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-mesh-wifi-system-130028701.html?src=rss

Meta and the Internet Society have established the Connectivity Co-Funding Initiative, which aims to expand affordable internet connection around the world. They announced the new project at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. The partners are committing a $30 million investment through 2030 that will go to funding infrastructure development in various communities, specifically those overlooked or intentionally ignored by commercial providers. In addition, the initiative’s money will go towards training programs that improve the technical know-how of marginalized grounds, to community-centered solutions for underserved areas, as well as to locally owned networks that create jobs. 

This an expansion of the non-profit organization’s partnership with Meta, which started years ago when they worked together to improve internet connectivity in Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America by developing Internet exchange points. These points, or IXPs, are physical locations where internet providers can exchange traffic. 

Meta is only the Internet Society’s first partner for the Co-Funding Initiative, and the non-profit org is putting out a call for more partners who can help grow that fund. “This new Connectivity Co-Funding initiative, supported by Meta, is a prime example of collective action that will help provide meaningful access to more than 2 billion people across the world with insufficient or no Internet,” said Sally Wentworth, President and CEO of the Internet Society. “It is our hope that this fund plays a pivotal role in reducing this gap and creating a more equitable digital society.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-and-internet-society-team-up-to-expand-internet-access-around-the-world-080034114.html?src=rss

Before a new car comes to market, it’s subjected to many months, sometimes years, of rigorous testing around the world. Sweden often hosts a big part of that journey, its cold northern expanses offering the perfect mix of frigid temperatures and frozen surfaces.

It’s there that I myself got to do a little testing of an upcoming new EV from Mercedes-Benz. It’s the GLC with EQ Technology, an all-electric version of one of the company’s most popular SUVs. With new batteries, new motors and a higher-voltage charging system, it marks a significant departure from, and upgrade over, the company’s current EV offerings like the EQE SUV.

But could it be better to drive? That’s the question that brought me to Sweden. I’m generally quite comfortable driving on the ice and snow. I’ve certainly been doing it long enough, living in the northeast my entire life and ice racing for the last 20 years. But, put me behind the wheel of a priceless, hand-built prototype and I’ll usually take a few extra minutes before I start to really push things.

Not so when I got behind the steering wheel of the electric GLC SUV. Within 30 seconds, I had my foot flat to the floor, and I, along with a wide-eyed development engineer, were flying down an ice-covered trail bisecting a birch tree stand.

Andre Tillmann on behalf of Mercedes-Benz AG

That’s how good the new GLC’s traction and stability control systems are. Where most cars will simply cut all the power in a slippery situation like that, especially practical-minded ones like a typical crossover SUV, the GLC was far more giving. When the grip was low over sections of dark, glassy ice, the system reduced the power application and kept me from making a big, expensive dent in a snowbank.

When the grip was there, though, the GLC quickly ramped back up to maximum acceleration, relying on the power of its dual electric motors and all-wheel drive to keep us tracking smoothly and cleanly between the trees. Those motors and the smarts that control them are all part of Mercedes-Benz’s new platform, MB.EA. These are permanent magnet type motors, with the front one featuring a physical disconnect to reduce its drag when it’s not needed.

The car also features a new heat pump that’s able to absorb thermal energy from the ambient air as well as the car’s various internal systems. Mercedes engineers said it will warm the cabin twice as fast using half the energy as their current EVs. Indeed, the interior in the GLC was quite cozy despite temperatures well below freezing.

Unfortunately, I can’t comment on the vehicle’s range in those conditions. This is just a pre-production prototype, after all. Still, I’m expecting a substantial improvement over the 307 miles the EQE SUV can manage on a charge. The batteries in the GLC rely on a revised chemistry, said to reduce the reliance on troublesome cobalt while also increasing energy density. That means more miles per pound of battery.

Andre Tillmann on behalf of Mercedes-Benz AG

Another thing helping to extend range is a revised regenerative braking system. The GLC will feature multiple different rates of regen, including a one-pedal mode that will bring the SUV to a complete stop. When you do go for the brake pedal, though, you might notice it feels a little weird.

That’s because stepping on the pedal doesn’t really do anything. Similar to a sim-racing pedal set, the resistance here is simulated. You’re not feeling a hydraulic system squeezing pistons, just springs compressing.

It’s a different sensation, but not a bad one. The idea is that the car will give you a steady, consistent feel regardless of what you’re doing or how you’re driving. The car itself will determine how much of your desired deceleration can come from the regenerative power of the electric motors. When it needs more than they can provide, it seamlessly calls in the physical brakes for reinforcement.

In practice, it works brilliantly. The car stops smoothly and cleanly, and there’s none of the occasional uneven braking that you get when stomping hard on the stop pedal in an EV. The lack of pedal feedback when ABS engages is a bit disappointing, but then I’ve heard that pulse causes some people to lift off the brake pedal, so perhaps it’s for the best.

Andre Tillmann on behalf of Mercedes-Benz AG

When stomping on the other pedal, again, the GLC accelerates strongly. It’s quick enough to keep performance-minded drivers entertained. Still, given the low-grip nature of the roads and trails I covered, I can’t say just how competent a handler it will be.

I can say that the optional air suspension did a sublime job over truly terrible road conditions. Ruts, washboards, frost heaves, you name it, the car happily soaked it up, even raising the suspension by an inch when some deeper snow and ice necessitated a little more ground clearance. On smoother roads, the GLC was every bit the quiet limousine that you want a luxury EV to be. There was a bit of road noise from the aggressively treaded snow tires, but this thing should be a delightful cruiser on normal tires.

The only problem? We’ll have to be patient. The GLC is set to make its formal debut in Germany in September, which means it likely won’t enter production until well into 2026. Mercedes-Benz hasn’t set a price for the electric GLC yet either. Given the state of the world right now, it’s anyone’s guess what the incentive/tariff situation will look like for foreign EVs, even those built in the US like Mercedes-Benz’s current EQS SUV.

If it’s priced right, though, and if it doesn’t look too awful once those camouflage stickers and taped-on protrusions are removed, it should be a winner. I already can’t wait for another go behind the wheel and another chance to get even more comfortable.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/mercedes-benz-glc-with-eq-technology-prototype-drive-better-when-chilled-230157718.html?src=rss

Apple’s offered Major League Baseball games through the Apple TV app since 2022, and that’s continuing in 2025, with new programming at no additional cost. The company announced that “Friday Night Baseball” is coming back on March 28, and that its releasing a three-part docuseries on the 2024 World Series and a new Yankees-focused Immersive Video for the Vision Pro.

The opening weekend double-header on March 28 features a match between the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays at 6:30 PM ET and the New York Mets and Houston Astros at 7:30 PM ET. Apple says its season coverage will also include a rematch between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers after their World Series face-off in 2024, a game between the Texas Rangers and Astros, and match-ups between the Dodgers and the Philadelphia Phillies and the Dodgers and the Mets. You can view the complete schedule for the first half of the season in Apple’s press release.

Apple TV+ subscribers will also be able to watch coverage throughout the week on MLB shows like MLB Big Inning or Countdown to First Pitch, along with game recaps and replays of classic games. What’s more interesting is the narrative documentary work Apple plans to release this season. The docuseries Fight For Glory: 2024 World Series covers the Dodgers and Yankees journey to last year’s World Series and how each team handled their post-season. Meanwhile, the small Venn diagram of Yankees devotees who also happen to be Vision Pro owners will be able to watch VIP: Yankee Stadium, a short film shot in Apple’s Immersive Video format that “gives viewers an all-access pass to one of the world’s most iconic sports venues.”

While Apple has reportedly toyed with buying the rights to NFL Prime Ticket in the past, so far the company’s sports programming only covers Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball. “Friday Night Baseball” launched for free in the Apple TV app in 2022, and was moved behind the Apple TV+ paywall in 2023. That subscription required continues in 2025, though Apple is clearly trying to sweeten the deal with some additional baseball content this season.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apples-friday-night-baseball-is-back-on-march-28-with-a-world-series-documentary-in-tow-222335747.html?src=rss

What started as an Apple Intelligence feature exclusive to the Camera Control-endowed iPhone 16 line is coming to older iPhones, and soon. We already knew that the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max would get Visual Intelligence at some point in the future, and thanks to 9to5Mac, we now know it’s one of several options you can assign to the Action Button in the second iOS 18.4 beta. That likely means the feature could end up in the final release of the update.

Visual Intelligence lets you draw on AI models from Google and OpenAI to find information (and websites) about anything you point your iPhone’s camera at. You can also use the feature to add information from a flyer to your calendar and oddly, identify dog breeds. Until recently, the feature had to be summoned with a long-press of Camera Control on an iPhone 16, but as of the release of the iPhone 16e, Apple made it possible to use an Action Button to pull it up, too. Considering the iPhone 15 Pro’s A17 Pro chip offers enough RAM to enable other Apple Intelligence features, it makes sense that its ACtion Button shouldn’t be left out of the fun.

iOS 18.4 is currently in beta and is expected to launch in early April. Alongside expanding the number of phones that can run Visual Intelligence, Apple is also using the update to launch a new recipe section in Apple News called Apple News+ Food. Previously, Bloomberg reported that iOS 18.4 was supposed to also mark the launch of Apple’s upgraded Siri, which is supposed to have the ability to see and take action inside of apps, but that feature is now coming later.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-iphone-15-pro-will-get-visual-intelligence-with-ios-184-204658321.html?src=rss

Mobile World Congress is taking place in Barcelona this week, offering manufacturers an opportunity to show off new gear without needing to hold their own splashy event. So far, we’ve learned about some new laptops and phones, as well as upcoming AI updates to Android.

Here’s a look at everything announced at Mobile World Congress that caught our eye. We’ll update this story throughout the week.

Lenovo

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Among the bigger-name manufacturers, Lenovo has arguably had the busiest MWC so far. The company has revealed a whole bunch of laptops, including upgraded ThinkPads and several intriguing concept models.

The ThinkPad T14s 2-in-1 has a design that’s more aligned with the convertible format of the Yoga lineup than a typical ThinkPad. The 14-inch machine can be equipped with a 400-nit WUXGA touch display. Other ThinkPads are getting spec upgrades, while Lenovo claims the new ThinkPad X13 Gen 6 has “one of the lightest ThinkPad designs ever.” The company has a fresh slate of laptops with generative AI capabilities as well.

Some of Lenovo’s concepts have certainly caught our attention. It’s a bummer that the company doesn’t currently plan to turn the Yoga Solar PC Concept into a commercial device. Thanks to the solar cells on the casing, the laptop can soak up enough energy from the sun in 20 minutes to play an hour of videos. As little as 0.3 watts of light is enough to juice up the battery. While solar-powered laptops aren’t exactly new, the Yoga Solar PC feels polished. Here’s hoping Lenovo does more with the notion in the future.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

In addition, Lenovo showed off some conceptual display accessories for a ThinkBook laptop. There’s an eight-inch screen that attaches to the side magnetically to help you, for instance, keep up with notifications and widgets. The Magic Bay Dual Display Concept adds a 13.3-inch panel to either side of the main display. There’s also a slim second display that’s designed to sit above your laptop screen and provide quick access to things like the time, weather, notifications, a focus mode timer, an AI assistant and notifications.

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

On top of all of that, Lenovo offered a look at a new prototype laptop with a flexible display. Building on the tech the company used in the ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable, the ThinkBook codename Flip AI PC Proof of concept (to give its full name) has a fold-out screen. This allows Lenovo to double the panel’s size from 13 inches to 18.1 inches. The ThinkBook Rollable’s display, on the other hand, can extend to 16.7 inches. Again, Lenovo doesn’t currently plan to release a commercial version of this fold-out laptop, but it’s an interesting idea.

Samsung

Photo by Mat Smith for Engadget.

The main MWC news from Samsung this year is the company’s latest midrange and budget phones. The Galaxy A56 has a larger screen than its predecessor at 6.7 inches, but it’s thinner too at 7.44mm vs. 8.2mm. There’s now a small bump where the volume and power buttons are — a tweak that we feel makes the A56 easier to handle.

Samsung has switched up the camera array in the A56. On the front, there’s a lower-res 12MP lens. On the other side, you’ll find an upgraded 12MP ultrawide, 50MP main sensor and a 5MP macro lens. The A56 has a bunch of AI-powered camera and image editing features, such as enhanced subject detection in portrait mode and an object eraser.

Pre-orders are open in the UK for the Galaxy A56, which costs $499/£499. It will hit the UK on March 19, but folks in the US will have to wait until “later this year” for it.

Samsung also revealed the Galaxy A36 5G and Galaxy A26 5G. Both devices have a 120Hz, 6.7-inch display with brightness of up to 1,200 nits. They also share an IP67 rating and 5,000mAh battery with the A56. 

However, the base models of each only have 6GB of RAM (compared with the A56’s 12GB). In addition, the A36 has the Snapdragon 6 Gen 3 processor instead of the Exynos 1580 that the A56 boasts, while the A26 has a Exynos 1380 chipset.

Xiaomi

Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Unfortunately, Xiaomi doesn’t have plans to bring a handset it showed off at MWC to the US. That’s a real pity, because no other companies are selling phones quite like the Xiaomi 15 Ultra in the country these days.

Xiaomi teamed up with Leica to make a smartphone that leans heavily into photography. The camera array includes a 1-inch 50-megapixel Sony main sensor, an f/2.2 50MP ultrawide cam, a 50MP midrange lens with a 70mm focal length and a 200MP periscope array with a 100mm focal length — that equates to a 4.7x optical zoom. Some preset Leica filters help to tie the two brands’ knowhow together.

That’s not all that might be interesting to mobile snappers. Xiaomi’s separate Photography kit includes an add-on camera grip with a physical shutter button, an adjustable dial and dedicated video button. You’ll have the option to attach a standard 67mm filter adapter to a case as well — in other words, some of the equipment you might use on a dedicated camera is compatible with the Ultra 15 as part of this setup.

Moreover, the Ultra 15 has a 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 120Hz refresh rate and up to 3,200 nits of brightness to help you get a good look at your captures. Plus, unlike some other Chinese phones (like Huawei’s), Xiaomi supports Google services in HyperOS 2, which is an Android skin. The Ultra 15 starts at about €1,499 (around $1,572).

Android

Speaking of Android, Google announced two new AI-powered features for the operating system at MWC. The Live Video function, which Google first previewed at I/O 2024, allows you to share what your phone’s camera sees with Gemini so you can ask the chatbot questions about the footage. 

The new screensharing function works in a similar way. You can ask Gemini questions about whatever’s on your phone or tablet’s display. 

If they work as well as advertised, these features could be a boon for accessibility. Google will first offer them to Gemini Advanced subscribers starting later this month. Those with a $20 per month Google One AI Premium membership, which is included with some Verizon plans, have access to Gemini Advanced.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/mwc-2025-everything-announced-in-barcelona-so-far-185656341.html?src=rss

We already suspected that Apple was planning to announce a new MacBook Air in March, and now we have it from the horse’s mouth. Company CEO Tim Cook took to social media to post a tease-heavy video, along with the caption “this week.”

The video itself plays music as the text “there’s something in the air” crawls along the screen. Finally, a tell-tale ultra-thin swoosh interrupts the text. It’s incredibly likely that the swoosh is being used to represent the forthcoming M4 MacBook Air. We don’t know when this week the announcement will take place, so hold tight.

The M4 MacBook Air is expected to come in two sizes, 13-inch and 15-inch, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Apple introduced the M3 MacBook Air last March, so a yearly refresh is certainly in order. The M4 chip, on the other hand, just came to Mac computers a few months ago. It first showed up in the iPad Pro before coming to the iMac, Mac mini and MacBook Pro in October.

Could the “there’s something in the air” refer to a refresh of the iPad Air? Maybe, but probably not. A new design came out back in May. The base iPad, however, is due for an update. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/tim-cook-teases-m4-macbook-air-reveal-for-this-week-180949211.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy S25 smartphones are on sale for record-low prices, making this a great time to upgrade. The standard S25 is down to $700, which is a discount of $100. The slightly-beefier S25+ now costs $800 instead of $1,000. Finally, the S25 Ultra has been discounted to $1,100 from $1,300. All of these deals are available via Amazon.

This is Samsung’s latest and greatest smartphone line, having just released back in January. We appreciated the base S25 in our official review, calling out the solid build quality and incredible battery life. The processor is also noticeably more powerful than last year’s model. This makes the whole Gemini AI experience smoother, if that’s something you’re into.

The camera system is fantastic, though virtually unchanged from the S24. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as Samsung phones offer a top-tier experience for shutterbugs. The S25 and its cousins are tangibly thinner, which is nice, and the 2X AMOLED screen is plenty bright, at 2,600 nits.

The S25 Ultra is pricier, but did make our list of the best Android phones. The 6.9-inch screen is glorious, with an anti-reflective Gorilla Armor 2 panel, and the new 50MP ultra-wide camera sensor is useful. It does have some extra horsepower, but it seems to be used primarily to boost the AI experience. If you want the speediest AI around, go for the Ultra. If you just want a great smartphone, consider the S25 or the S25+.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsung-galaxy-s25-series-phones-are-on-sale-for-record-low-prices-170952808.html?src=rss

It’s your lucky day if you’ve been looking for a good deal on a power bank or charging station. A sale on many Anker products is taking place at Amazon. One power bank, the Anker 621, is 35 percent off. That discount brings it down to $26, which is almost a record low. The device typically costs $40.

This model is MagSafe-compatible, meaning it’ll attach magnetically to an iPhone 12 and above (but, annoyingly, not the new iPhone 16e unless you resort to a workaround) and charge your phone wirelessly. However, if you plug a cable into the Anker 621’s USB-C port, you can top up your phone’s battery a little faster — at a rate of 12W vs. 7.5W for wireless charging. The power bank has a capacity of 5,000mAh, which Anker says is enough to charge an iPhone 15 to 85 percent of its capacity from zero and an iPhone 14 to 80 percent.

Anker makes some of the best power banks and best portable chargers around, in our opinion. There are lots of options to consider as part of this sale.

A new power bank that Anker introduced at CES has a large enough capacity to top up an M3-powered MacBook Air’s battery approximately 1.3 times, per the brand. This model has dropped by 18 percent from $110 to $90. This particular power bank can charge four devices simultaneously — it has two built-in USB-C cables, another USB-C port and a USB-A port. It supports fast charging at up to 100W as well.

Elsewhere, a 3-in-1 charging cube is down to $104, which marks a 31 percent discount given that it usually costs $150. This compact device can charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time.

There are a few other deals that caught our eye. An Anker Zolo power bank with a built-in USB-C cable is just $13, which is half off. It has a capacity of 10,000mAh, which Anker says is enough to fully charge an iPhone 15 Pro twice over. Meanwhile, Prime members can pick up a travel-friendly 3-in-1 charging station (that can top up your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods batteries simultaneously) for $88, which is a $21 discount.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/anker-power-banks-and-charging-stations-are-up-to-35-percent-off-right-now-155626053.html?src=rss

The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has announced it’s investigating how TikTok, Reddit and Imgur protect children on their platforms. 

The probe into TikTok is looking at how the platform uses it young users’ (13 to 17 year olds) personal data for recommendations and suggested content, while the investigation into Reddit and Imgur focuses on both how the platforms are using children’s personal information and how they’re using measures that estimate or confirm a child’s age.

“If social media and video sharing platforms want to benefit from operating in the UK they must comply with data protection law,” UK Information Commissioner John Edwards stated. “The responsibility to keep children safe online lies firmly at the door of the companies offering these services and my office is steadfast in its commitment to hold them to account.” The UK doesn’t yet know if these companies have infringed on personal data protections. 

In 2023, the ICO handed down a £12.7 million ($16.1 million) fine to TikTok. The platform had allowed up to 1.4 million children under 13 on it in 2020, and used their data without parental consent. The ByteDance-owned company has also faced backlash in the US around young users, with mixed results. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/uk-watchdog-investigates-chidrens-safety-on-tiktok-and-reddit-153052793.html?src=rss

Mobile World Congress 2025 has officially kicked off in Barcelona. Google is on the ground previewing two AI features that will begin rolling out to Android devices starting later this month. 

The first is Live Video, which Google first showed at I/O 2024 last May. The tool takes advantage of Gemini’s multi-modal capabilities to allow users to show the chatbot what their phone’s camera sees. As you can see from the demo Google shared, Gemini is able to answer a question about mid-century modern decor and offer a suggestion when it comes how to apply that knowledge to pottery.

The other new feature, screensharing, works exactly as you would imagine. You can share your screen with Gemini to ask questions about what you see in front of you on a website or app. Google isn’t exactly pushing the envelope with either feature. ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode has offered both live video and screensharing since the end of last year, but the nice thing here is you won’t need to jump into a separate app to take advantage of Gemini’s new capabilities.

As mentioned, Google will begin rolling out live video and screensharing to Gemini Advanced subscribers starting later this month. Gemini Advanced is included in the company’s $20 per month Google One AI Premium plan. If you’re a Verizon customer, the carrier recently added the subscription as a perk for some plans.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-live-video-and-screensharing-arrive-on-android-devices-later-this-month-151743457.html?src=rss

Apple’s iPad mini 7 (A17 Pro) from 2024 is currently on sale for $399, a record low for this compact iPad. It’s perfect for those who find a full-sized iPad too large for their needs, but make no mistake this tablet can punch above its weight.

The iPad mini 7 runs on the same Apple A17 Pro chip found in iPhone 15 Pro series devices. It’s not the most powerful chipset available, but it’s enough for daily tasks, light gaming, reading and streaming content. Apple claims that the iPad mini 7’s battery can last 10 hours, but our tests revealed that the number was usually closer to eight, depending on the apps you’re running.

If you have an Apple Pencil Pro (sold separately), this iPad mini supports it. You can quickly start writing notes with the tap of a button, which calls up a blank document. It’s the perfect tool for artists or those who prefer a tablet stylus.

Despite the absence of features like Face ID or refresh rates above 60Hz, the iPad mini 7 is a convenient yet powerful device you can bring anywhere. That’s why it’s on our best iPads list.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-ipad-mini-7-is-back-on-sale-for-100-off-143830970.html?src=rss

I’ve been wondering why everyone seems so hyped on Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. It’s the debut game from Sandfall Interactive, an independent French studio with fewer than 30 employees, and it’s attracted massive partnerships in video games and film over the past five years. Expedition 33 has a high-profile cast of voice actors, including Andy Serkis, Charlie Cox, Shala Nyx and Jennifer English. It received an Epic MegaGrant in 2022, it was picked up by Pacific Drive publisher Kepler Interactive in 2023, and it was a tentpole of Xbox’s first showcase of 2025. Even though the game isn’t out until April, Story Kitchen has already signed on to turn it into a live-action film.  

At the very least, it’s seemed like an easy game to fall in love with.

After playing just over three hours of Expedition 33, I understand all of it — the hype, the quick love and the quiet excitement generated by the game’s writing, acting, world and mechanics. Expedition 33 is innovative and absolutely stunning.

Expedition 33 feels like a prestige drama set in a surreal, slightly gothic 3D landscape. Tonally it’s drenched in melodrama, and visually it’s reminiscent of Game of Thrones, but with Belle Époque stylings and mountains of diabolical magic. The realm of Lumière has been consumed by a powerful being called the Paintress — she paints a new number on the tower each year and all people of that age instantly die. She’s been counting down for more than half a century, killing the oldest citizens first, and she’s just painted the number 33. The people of Lumière send out annual expeditions to stop the Paintress, but so far, they’ve all been met with death. The heroes of expedition 33 have one year to live.

When we meet Gustave in the preview, things aren’t going well for expedition 33. His party has been ambushed by a mysterious white-haired man — someone so old that he shouldn’t be able to exist in this world — and Gustave is alone. Gustave has a magical robot arm and a very French moustache, and he sets off through lush forests and dark, wet caves to track down other survivors. He does find some, but only after he nearly kills himself in despair. Lune, a strong-willed and scholarly mage, appears just in time to save Gustave from himself, and together they meet up with Maelle, Gustave’s introverted but powerful foster sister.

Sandfall Interactive

Your party supports six playable characters in the full game, but the preview focuses on these three. The prestige-drama vibes stem from their interactions, and particularly their personality clashes. In one cutscene, Lune and Gustave find themselves sitting around a campfire on a starry night, screaming at each other about the ethics of utilitarianism. Between tirades, Gustave screams, “Fuck the mission!”

Eventually their intensity subsides and the conversation returns to a tentatively amicable space. At the end of the scene, the shot pans to Lune, who smirks and says, “Fuck the mission? Really?”

Gustave sheepishly responds, “Sorry.” And suddenly, I’m deeply invested in the relationship between Lune and Gustave, but also Maelle and all of the friends they’ve come to save. It doesn’t hurt that these cutscenes are truly gorgeous, with realistic skin textures and dirt smudges in close-up shots, and beautiful performances by all actors. 

From cutscenes to combat, Expedition 33 is radiant.

Sandfall Interactive

Environments in the preview grow more surreal as Gustave, Lune and Maelle travel closer to the Paintress, who’s hidden herself across deep seas and expansive land masses. They travel through raw areas shattered by magic, boulders hovering in mid-air and ornate buildings haphazardly embedded in odd places, broken and inhospitable. Anthropomorphized rock enemies roam the lands and there are bits of chroma — currency, essentially — to find, and some upgrades hidden off the linear path. We’re not talking Avowed levels of shinies, but a minimal sense of curiosity is definitely rewarded.

When exploring, you can swap among party members without breaking stride, and Lune emerged as my clear favorite. Instead of running, Lune speed-hovers a few inches above the ground, and embodying her is like soaring through a dream. Running (or hovering really fast) feels great in the game, and so does the grapple system that flings you across gaps and up buildings. There are also climbable handholds and ropes of light that act as elevators, and all of it works a treat.

The game’s dreamlike feeling only crystallizes in Flying Waters, a region that looks and behaves as if it’s at the bottom of the ocean — bubbles, shipwrecks, whales and all — but without a drop of water to be found. You breathe, walk, run and jump as normal here, but there are schools of fish swimming through the air and the waterline is visible high above you. It’s wonderfully trippy.

I could spend the rest of this preview just gushing about Expedition 33’s fabulous environments, characters and enemies, or its top-notch writing, music and graphics — but let’s talk combat.

Sandfall Interactive

Expedition 33 is a turn-based game with clear JRPG influences, but it adds a twist to the traditional battle system: quick-time prompts. Your party members have the ability to use an item, deploy a specific skill, or plain-old attack, plus they have a Free Aim move that can snipe enemy weak points before a full strike. There are elemental weapons to equip and upgrade, and each character runs on a distinct battle mechanic. Gustave has an overcharge system that powers up his robot arm for a special move, Lune uses elemental stains to stack specific damage, and Maelle switches among three fencing stances. Balancing healing, buffs, defensive moves and attacks is a delicate dance in Expedition 33, and the preview really started to sing once I had all three members nicely leveled up, kitted out and slinging various types of elemental damage.

Unlike traditional turn-based play, there are real-time prompts embedded in your skill attacks, and executing these delivers bonus damage and effects. The Final Fantasy series has toyed with this idea to mixed success, but in Expedition 33 it’s a critical, finely tuned system, and I love the tension it creates. Quick-time elements infuse the familiar turn-based loop with a twitchy kind of clarity, adding a few extra dopamine hits to the classic press-and-wait rhythm. Each QTE prompt is tricky without being punishing, and it’s not just offensive moves that get the real-time treatment. Dodging, parrying and jumping are essential skills in Expedition 33, and these mechanics demand your attention with every enemy turn.

In short, no, you won’t be able to set the controller down during combat in Expedition 33. And, yes, I’m totally here for it.

Sandfall Interactive

Maybe it’s because each character strikes a dramatic pose whenever it’s their turn, but combat has a distinct Persona flair (and this is a great thing in my book). Meanwhile, the game’s soundtrack has echoes of Nier: Automata and Tetris: Effect, and altogether, even boss battles can be a bit of an emotional experience.

In the interest of keeping this preview under 3,000 words, I’m not going to get into the specifics of upgrade trees and resource types, but I will say that I found these systems to be purposeful and responsive. I was pleased with how often my party leveled up, there were ample traits to tweak for each character, and the effects of my stat manipulation were immediately apparent in combat. Rest assured, Expedition 33 is an RPG.

Though this is just based on a preview, Expedition 33 seems incredibly polished. Not only does it play seamlessly on a macro level, but it also gets the smallest details right, including voice-acted memories, haptic feedback that kicks in when a grapple point is in range, an opaque text box that’s both readable and seamlessly integrated into every scene, and the ability to put a rose in Gustave’s hair, even in cutscenes. The entire preview is impressive.

Sandfall Interactive

That said, I wonder whether Expedition 33 is too impressive, technically speaking. I played the preview at a stable 1080p/60 on a gaming PC with an RTX 4070 Super, and I didn’t encounter any issues, but locking to 60 fps at 1440p was beyond my setup. This feels like a game that’s going to break a lot of hearts and PC parts. And it’s not just PC — I’m curious to see how Expedition 33 will run on any console that isn’t a PlayStation 5 Pro.

But, that’s a consideration for review time. The final preview for Expedition 33 illuminates why Sandfall Interactive has received so much pre-launch attention and support. Expedition 33 is composed of beautiful contradictions: It’s a JRPG but it comes from a Western studio. It’s a fantasy RPG built outside the restrictions of Dungeons & Dragons rulesets. It’s an indie game that looks, sounds and feels AAA. Most of all, Expedition 33 is refreshing.

Expedition 33 is due to hit PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S on April 24.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/clair-obscur-expedition-33-preview-stunning-visuals-innovative-combat-prime-melodrama-140052194.html?src=rss