The PlayStation VR2 Sense Controllers will be sold by Apple from November 11, priced at $250, and the charging stand is included.
Apple added support for Sony’s tracked controllers to Vision Pro headsets with visionOS 26, which released last month, but Sony currently doesn’t sell them separately from the $400 headset.
The PS VR2 Sense controller support of visionOS includes 6DoF positional tracking, capacitive finger touch detection, and basic vibration support. The precision haptics of the controllers are not supported, however, and nor are their unique resistive triggers.
Apple claims that PS VR2 controller support will bring “a new class of games” to Vision Pro.
One of the first Vision Pro games to support the PS VR2 Sense controllers is the indie title Ping Pong Club, which we tested when visionOS 26 launched.
Meanwhile, Resolution Games is working on a visionOS game leveraging the controllers called Pickle Pro. The studio describes Pickle Pro as “the ultimate pickleball training and competition app”, with “hyper-real physics”.
The $250 price includes Sony’s official charging stand.
The PlayStation VR2 Sense Controllers will be available on the online Apple Store in the US from November 11, priced at $250, with Sony’s official charging stand included.
There’s no word yet on availability outside the US.
Apple will increase investment in China, the company’s CEO Tim Cook said during a meeting with the country’s industry minister in Beijing on Wednesday, according to an official summary of their exchange. From a report: Many U.S. companies have become cautious about relations with China as the world’s two biggest economies have clashed over trade tariffs and as U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to promote manufacture in the United States rather than elsewhere.
But Cook told China’s industry minister Li Lecheng the iPhone maker will keep investing in China, the Chinese ministry said, although the summary gave no details of the size of the projected investment.
On Tuesday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company will allow verified adult users to have erotic conversations with ChatGPT starting in December. The change represents a shift in how OpenAI approaches content restrictions, which the company had loosened in February but then dramatically tightened after an August lawsuit from parents of a teen who died by suicide after allegedly receiving encouragement from ChatGPT.
“In December, as we roll out age-gating more fully and as part of our ‘treat adult users like adults’ principle, we will allow even more, like erotica for verified adults,” Altman wrote in his post on X (formerly Twitter). The announcement follows OpenAI’s recent hint that it would allow developers to create “mature” ChatGPT applications once the company implements appropriate age verification and controls.
Altman explained that OpenAI had made ChatGPT “pretty restrictive to make sure we were being careful with mental health issues” but acknowledged this approach made the chatbot “less useful/enjoyable to many users who had no mental health problems.” The CEO said the company now has new tools to better detect when users are experiencing mental distress, allowing OpenAI to relax restrictions in most cases.
The Ring Battery Doorbell is on sale via Amazon for just $50. This is half off and matches the Prime Day price, only now the deal is available for everyone. The sale applies to both colorways.
This is the company’s entry-level video doorbell but it’s still got some nifty features. First of all, it’s powered via a rechargeable battery, so users don’t have to do any wiring to get started. It charges via an included USB-C cable.
The Ring Video Doorbell is a relatively new design, having been first released in the middle of last year. It offers improved video when compared to the previous generation, in addition to a 23 percent increase in battery life. It can also handle head-to-toe video, which is handy when trying to suss out who is at the door.
The doorbell sends out real-time alerts and there’s a live view available via the smartphone app. This app also allows for conversations. It can hold onto recordings via the cloud, but only for those subscribed to Ring Home. A subscription includes access to 180 days of video history, but does cost $5 to $20 per month.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-battery-powered-ring-doorbell-is-on-sale-for-50-right-now-150926669.html?src=rss
Trombone Champ: Unflattened, the VR reimagining of the hit music game, is getting a free update and paid Halloween mini DLC tomorrow.
Available on most major platforms, Trombone Champ: Unflattened made its debut last year through Flat2VR Studios, enabling you to take hold of your own digital trombones and haphazardly blurt out tunes in virtual reality. Now the viral wonder is expanding its repertoire with two Halloween Packs – one free and one paid – launching tomorrow, on October 16.
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The free update features trombone cosmetics, George and TromBONE, as well as a new stage dubbed ‘Halloween Outdoor,’ which dresses up a moonlit backyard with festive props. Two new tracks are also included in the pack, including a string-heavy tune called Danse Macabre and a jazzy number named Skeleton Rag.
As for the paid mini DLC pack, that costs $2.99 and contains a Trombone Champ remix of the classic seasonal tune ‘Dem Bones,’ alongside two new trombone skins in the Día de los Muertos-inspired ‘Trombo-nada’ and the reptilian ‘Sssslide.’
Trombone Champ: Unflattened isn’t the first VR game to release Halloween content this year, with ghost-hunting simulator Phasmophobia kicking off its annual festive event last week. We’ll bring you a full Halloween round-up soon, covering all the new updates we’ve spotted and seasonally appropriate horror games.
The Halloween Packs for Trombone Champ: Unflattened will arrive on October 16 for Steam, Quest, and PlayStation VR2.
It took two years for Threads to get messaging, but you thankfully don’t have to wait that long to be able to start group DMs. Meta has started rolling out group chats for the app, which lets you add up to 50 of your followers to a single conversation. Just start a new message and add anybody who follows you on Threads. The company says that you’ll also be able to share a link that your followers can click to join a group conversation “soon,” so you don’t have to add them one by one. Like in messaging apps, you’ll be able to customize the group chat’s name to better reflect its topic.
In addition to launching group DMs, Meta is also releasing the messaging feature in the European Union over the coming days. If you’re in the EU, you’ll get access not just to individual DMs, but also to group DMs, messaging controls, privacy settings, the hidden folder where spam goes to and support for media files when the feature becomes available in your country.
Emily Dalton Smith, Meta’s Head of Product for Threads, told us in a test group chat that it’s “on track to become Meta’s next major app” with 400 million monthly active users.” Messaging has been the top requested feature since Threads launched, but it took some time to release it because it “wasn’t a priority in the early days.” Since making DMs available on Threads in July, Meta has added support for photos, videos and GIFs, a messaging requests folder to reduce unwanted messages, the hidden spam folder and a privacy setting that completely switches off message requests from people you don’t follow.
Threads / Meta
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-now-supports-group-dm-150002493.html?src=rss
Marshall speakers are known for their iconic retro looks and powerful audio, so if you’re in the market for a desktop speaker that isn’t an eyesore and still delivers solid sound, the Marshall Emberton IIportable Bluetooth speaker is currently around $95, 47% off the usual price.
Mimicking the classic Marshall amp aesthetic, this vintage-inspired speaker provides rich bass and bright highs, according tothis PCMag review, which notes that while the speaker can get impressively loud, it comes at the expense of bass depth and a warped sound signature. The Push mode can help balance out those EQ changes, but you still won’t get truly deep low-end. It’s ideal for indoor use, but it may not be loud enough to provide immersive sound in a backyard or on adventures. The speaker also lacks strong digital signal processing at high volumes, and doesn’t include a built-in mic or speakerphone functionality.
Compared to its predecessor, the Emberton II is longer lasting and more durable. It has a dust-tight build and an IP67 rating, which means it can be submerged in up to a meter of water for 30 minutes. It can go for 30 hours without recharging, but that number will vary based on how loud you play it. Charging the speaker for 20 minutes provides four hours of playtime, but a full charge requires three hours. The companion Marshall Bluetooth app is only so-so; there are just three preset modes to adjust EQ.
If you can deal with occasionally aggressive digital signal processing and iffy low-end, the Marshall Emberton IIis a stylish, well-built speaker that provides a decent audio experience for most songs. At $95, it’s a more affordable (and more aesthetic) alternative to similar speakers from the likes of JBL.
Uh-oh, Google’s barely-month old Pixel 10 Pro Fold has faced a catastrophic failure on the JerryRigEverything show. In an unusual battery (excuse the pun) of non-scientific, but nonetheless telling durability tests, the device not only snapped under pressure but also became the first phone in a decade of testing to have its battery explode
Apple previously announced the Logitech Muse stylus for Vision Pro and added PSVR 2 controller support to VisionOS 26. Now we have an official release date for the stylus and a package of PSVR 2 controllers which will be sold seperate from the PSVR 2 headset for the first time.
Apple today announced the Logitech Muse stylus for Vision Pro is available for pre-order for $130 and will be released on October 22nd. While Vision Pro is primarily driven by ‘look and pinch’ input, alongside controller-less hand-tracking, Apple is positioning the Muse stylus as a more precise input tool for enterprise and creative apps.
The stylus’ full features will only be supported by select applications. Apple says that Crayon, doppl by Interaptix, Sketch Pro, and Spatial Analogue, will add support for the stylus “in the coming weeks.”
Apple also revealed today that the PSVR 2 controllers for Vision Pro will be sold in a standalone package (that also includes the controller charging station) for $250. The controllers will be available in Apple stores starting on November 11th.
Apple already added support for PSVR 2 controllers in VisionOS 26, but you could only get a pair of the controllers by purchasing the full PSVR 2 headset package. Being able to buy them separately is not only an improvement for Vision Pro owners, but also for PSVR 2 owners who might need a replacement. It’s not yet clear if Sony will also sell the controllers in a standalone package, but hopefully they will do so, including a controller package without the charging dock.
Apple notes that Vision Pro titles Elu Legend, Pickle Pro, Ping Pong Club, and Spatial Rifts are among the first games to add support for the PSVR 2 controllers.
A couple of weeks ago, a YouTuber unboxed what appeared to be a refreshed iPad Pro in full retail packaging, suggesting it would be launching imminently. Today, Apple formally announced the new tablets, and it looks like pretty much everything uncovered by that YouTuber turned out to be accurate.
The new iPad Pros, powered by Apple’s also-new M5 chip, use the same basic designs as the M4 iPad Pros from last year and are compatible with the same cases and accessories. The new iPad Pro starts at $999 for the 11-inch model and $1,299 for the 13-inch model, is available for pre-order today, and ships on October 22.
Apple’s M5 is similar in composition to the M4—the fully enabled version uses four high-performance CPU cores, six high-efficiency CPU cores, 10 GPU cores, and a 16-core Neural Engine. But a memory bandwidth increase, from 120GB/s for the M4 to 153GB/s for the M5, enables a disproportionately large 45 percent increase to graphics performance, according to Apple’s estimates. Apple’s press release also highlighted improvements to storage performance, with “up to 2x faster storage read and write speeds.”
If you’re looking for a slim smartphone and have no interest in joining the iOS contingent with the iPhone Air, then Samsung’s Galaxy S25 Edge is an option in the Android space that deserves to be on your radar. It’s not a perfect phone, but it is on sale at its lowest price points yet, and it’s expected to be a few months before Samsung introduces
Last week Amazon/AWS announced the new EC2 M8a instances as their latest-generation, general-purpose compute instances now powered by AMD EPYC 9005 “Turin” processors. Amazon announced the M8a as having up to 30% higher performance and up to 19% better price performance over M7a. With my testing of both at 32 vCPUs, the new AMD EPYC Turin instance provided 1.59x the performance over the prior-generation EPYC Genoa instance!
As part of the ongoing debate over alleged forced labour in the Taiwanese bicycle industry, Giant has announced today that it will reimburse current migrant workers hired before 1 January, 2025, for their previous recruitment expenses.
The announcement follows the Trump administration’s barring of Giant bicycles, components and accessories made in Taiwan. The ban followed US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) saying it had identified ‘forced labour indicators’ during an investigation of the cycling brand.
One of the indicators of forced labour that the CBP identified was debt bondage, where a person is forced to work to pay off a debt.
Last year, investigative journalist Peter Bengtsen found migrant employees at Giant had paid high recruitment fees.
“For decades, workers hired from abroad have paid exorbitant fees to home-country recruiters and Taiwanese labour brokers for jobs and services. As a result, workers borrow significantly from banks and money lenders, often at excessive interest rates, and thereby risk debt bondage while working in Taiwan to pay off loans,” Bengtsen told BikeRadar.
Following the import ban, Giant was seeking to revoke the CBP’s decision. Since the start of 2025, it has implemented a zero recruitment fee policy.
Now, it says it has hired an international third-party advisor “to identify, assess, and develop a comprehensive compensation plan to reimburse current migrant workers hired before January 1, 2025, for their previous recruitment expenses”.
“Giant Group has already initiated the first phase of fee reimbursement payment this week to demonstrate its commitment. Giant has made the provision in the book with sufficient funding ability to support the payment so Giant can ensure all migrant workers receive what they are eligible for. This is a further concrete action to fulfill the company’s commitment to human rights and fair employment practices,” a statement from Giant read.
Giant also said it has completed the relocation of all migrant worker dormitories, with 400 workers moving into newly built facilities.
“The new dormitories were designed and upgraded in line with international labor and human rights standards, providing a safe, healthy, and respectful living environment that meets fire protection, construction, and public safety requirements,” Giant said.
A Giant dormitory. Giant
The CBP’s decision to bar Giant imports sent shockwaves through the Taiwanese bicycle industry.
Following the blockade, Merida announced a zero-fee recruitment policy for migrant workers, effective from 1 October, as well as a reimbursement scheme. Merida said that while it complies with Taiwanese labour laws, it is committed to “internationally recognised labour standards”.
Last week, the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA) announced an initiative for industry suppliers to observe human rights, following the CBP’s announcement that it would detain Giant shipments.
“To meet growing global expectations for Human Rights Due Diligence (HRDD) and sustainable supply chain governance, the Taiwan Bicycle Association (TBA) has announced an industry initiative encouraging suppliers across the value chain to undertake supply chain due diligence, with a particular focus on human rights and forced labor,” the TBA said.
The TBA said it would also provide suppliers with a self-assessment checklist to help suppliers conduct internal reviews to ensure compliance with Taiwanese law and align with international standards.
Germany’s northernmost state bins Outlook – and tens of thousands of Redmond licensesSchleswig-Holstein, the northernmost state of Germany, has finally concluded one element of a long-running project to eject Microsoft from its infrastructure by giving Exchange Server the boot.…
Waymo is bringing its autonomous taxis to the UK in 2026, marking the company’s first major expansion outside of the US. Waymo has selected the mobility company, Moove, as its fleet operations partner, and is currently working with local and national authorities in the UK to gain the necessary permissions to launch a robotaxi service in London first next year.
Right now, you won’t find any fully driverless cars in London or anywhere in the UK, but that’s set to change next year when the Automated Vehicles Act 2024 begins to take effect. This legislation is intended to regulate the eventual arrival of self-driving vehicles in the UK, but before that can happen, the government will help to facilitate robotaxi pilots from Spring 2026.
Given its complex road network and narrow winding streets built long before cars were a concern, London will be a challenging city for Waymo’s robotaxis to navigate, but the company said in a statement that its technology significantly reduces the risk of injury-causing collisions with other vehicles and pedestrians compared to human-driven cars. The imminent arrival of Waymo in the UK was also welcomed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), with self-driving taxis seen as an important first step in ushering in autonomous travel on a larger scale.
Waymo already has close links to the UK, with its first international engineering hubs located in London and Oxford. It also has a partnership with UK-based Jaguar Land Rover, which sees it equip all-electric Jaguar I-Pace taxis with its Waymo Driver self–driving tech in the US.
However, Waymo won’t be without competition when its service arrives in London next year. Uber and Wayve are planning for their own pilot to launch around the same time, after the latter’s CEO and co-founder, Alex Kendall, called the arrival of the Automated Vehicles Act “a defining moment for UK autonomy.”
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymo-plans-to-launch-fully-autonomous-taxi-service-in-london-next-year-142453250.html?src=rss
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