Apple has been putting more onus on its services for the past several years — the company makes tens of billions of dollars in revenue from that side of the business, which it claimed had a record year in 2025. Apple is nudging a little more in that direction with a new subscription bundle called Apple Creator Studio.

This allows creators to pay a single fee ($13 per month or $129 per year) to use Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage. Subscribers will get access to “premium content” in Pages, Keynote and Numbers (as well as in Freeform later this year). Of course, there are AI features too. Apple Creator Studio will be available starting on January 28 and you can try it out at no cost through a one-month free trial.

College students and educators can subscribe to Apple Creator Studio for $3 per month or $30 per year. Up to six people can access all of the plan’s features if one person in a Family Sharing group subscribes.

Apple noted that Final Cut Pro, Pixelmator Pro, Logic Pro, Motion, Compressor and MainStage will still be available as one-time purchases for Mac through the Mac App Store. Given that those can be pretty pricy (going up to $300 for Final Cut Pro), the subscription could be enticing to many burgeoning creators.

This seems like Apple’s attempt to muscle in on Adobe’s territory, especially now that it’s bringing AI features to many of these apps. Adding new features to productivity apps like Numbers and Keynote means Apple’s taking a shot at the likes of Microsoft 365 Copilot (yeeeeah, that’s what Office is called now) and Google Workspace as well.

On Mac and iPad, Final Cut Pro has a new feature called Beat Detection. Apple suggests this makes “editing video to the rhythm of music fast and fun.” It uses an AI model from Logic Pro to analyze music tracks and display a Beat Grid. The idea here is to visualize song parts, beats and bars to help editors align their cuts with the music.

Apple

An AI-powered Montage Maker tool can stitch together “a dynamic video based on the best visual moments within the footage.” You’ll be able to tweak these montages and use an Auto Crop tool to reframe the clip into a vertical format to make it a better fit for social media. Final Cut Pro has transcript and visual search functions too.

Logic Pro, MainStage, Pixelmator Pro (which is coming to iPad with Apple Pencil support) and Motion will all have AI-powered features as well. As you might expect, you’ll need an Apple Intelligence-capable device to use some of these.

Apple is also introducing something called the Content Hub. This media library includes “curated, high-quality photos, graphics and illustrations.”

As for Keynote, Pages, and Numbers, you’ll be able to access premium templates and themes in those otherwise-free apps with a Apple Creator Studio plan. Subscribers will be able to try beta versions of new features, such as a way to generate a draft of a Keynote presentation text based on an outline, and a Magic Fill tool to generate formulas and fill in tables in Numbers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-bundles-creative-apps-such-as-final-cut-pro-and-logic-pro-into-a-single-subscription-145210038.html?src=rss

Meta has begun laying off more than 1,000 employees from its Reality Labs division as the company redirects resources away from virtual reality and metaverse products toward AI wearables and smartphone features. The cuts amount to roughly 10% of Reality Labs’ 15,000-person workforce, according to an internal post from CTO Andrew Bosworth reviewed by Bloomberg.

Reality Labs has lost more than $70 billion since the start of 2021, and top executives discussed budget cuts as deep as 30% for the metaverse group in December. Meta plans to continue developing its Horizon metaverse platform, but the focus will shift almost exclusively to mobile phones rather than the fully immersive VR headsets the company originally envisioned.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Anker is going up against Tesla in the home battery backup segment with Solix E10 that promises “whole-home backup” at an affordable price. The system delivers enough power to handle heavy-duty air conditioners and other high-power appliances in the event of a blackout. It also claims that the E10 supports DIY-friendly installation thanks to the stackable, plug-and-play design. 

Each Anker Solix E10 unit can deliver up to 37.2kW of surge power and stacking two boosts that to 66kW. It also comes with a “turbo output” mode that can output 10kW per unit for 90 minutes maximum. That level of power, along with the minimal 20ms auto-switch time (from grid to battery), means you may not even notice if the power grid goes down. 

Anker

For large installations, you can stack up to three E10 units to boost power to 90kWh, enough to provide whole home backup for up to 15 days (average US consumption is 30kWh per day so that might be stretching it). If that’s not enough, you can add Anker’s tri-fuel Solix Smart Generator 5500 that runs on gasoline, propane or natural gas and charges the E10 batteries via DC for maximum efficiency. The E10 can also handle up to 9kW of input from solar panels, or 27kW with three units. 

Anker’s Solix E10 can be purchased with several optional components. The Power Dock allows auto switching from grid power in the even of an outage in 20 milliseconds, while the Smart Inlet Box provides a manual switchover option. The latter lets you charge the E10 batteries from the grid with existing solar systems to save money. 

In the event of a wild storm, units are weatherproof thanks to the all-metal enclosures and can be operated in temperatures ranging from -4 to 131 degrees Fahrenheit.

As for pricing, the Solix E10 costs $4,299 by itself, $4,599 with the Smart Inlet Box, $5,799 with the Solix Power Dock and $7,399 with the Solix Power Dock and Smart Generator. Adding an extra E10 unit would boost the latter price to around $10,000. However, Anker claims lower installation costs for the Solix E10 than Tesla and other manufacturers due to its modular nature and says it’s so intuitive that some buyers could do a DIY installation. The Solix E10 is now available for pre-order.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/ankers-solix-e10-battery-backup-can-power-your-entire-house-in-a-blackout-143040115.html?src=rss

Google Maps is the only navigation service I use, and I’ve learned many of its tricks over the years. The default settings do a good enough job for most people, but it’s worth reviewing all of its features to ensure that you’re getting exactly what you need. For instance, avoiding tolls may be great where you live, but if you’re driving in a different state or country, that same feature could land you in some serious trouble. These tips will help you make the most of Google Maps’ many features, and reduce the chances of losing your way while using the app.

Double-check route settings before leaving

Even if you ignore everything else in this article, don’t ignore this. I’ve observed that, sometimes, Google Maps automatically enables route options I did not select, which can lead to some sticky situations. Whenever I’m on a long road trip to unknown destinations, I like to double-check route settings before I head out. To do this, tap the profile icon in the top-right corner in the Google Maps app, and go to Settings > Navigation > Route options. This has four options: Avoid tolls, Avoid highways, Avoid ferries, and Prefer fuel-efficient routes. I like to disable all of these to ensure that I reach my destination safely and quickly.

If you’re in an area you know fairly well, you can enable some of these options to find a cheaper route, or one with less traffic. But in unfamiliar territory, I prefer to play it safe.

Use offline maps to your advantage

I often travel to places with poor or no cellular signal, and Google Maps’ offline mode has been a lifesaver in these locations. It lets you download Google Maps data for specific locations, and I’ve set up the app to automatically download and update this data when new information becomes available. This makes it a lot easier to navigate when the internet disappears.

You can easily do this by searching for a destination on Google Maps and swiping left on the controls that appear below its name. Tap More > Download offline map > Download to save it for offline use. To automatically update offline maps, go to your Google maps settings and select Offline. Now hit the gear icon in the top-right corner and select Auto-update offline maps.

Select the correct vehicle type

Google Maps shows you better search results and improves recommendations for fuel-efficient routes if you choose the correct type of vehicle. Go to your Google Maps settings and navigate to Your vehicles. Select the correct engine type for your vehicle to ensure better recommendations. If you’re using an EV, you can also use this page to set the type of charger it uses. This helps Google Maps send you to compatible EV charging stations when you’re out and about.

Connect your music streaming account to Google Maps

Credit: Pranay Parab

If you often stream music while driving, you should consider connecting your streaming accounts with Google Maps, which supports both Apple Music and Spotify. Once you’ve connected the navigation app with either of these services, you’ll be able to control music playback and choose playlists from your library, all without leaving the Google Maps app. I don’t recommend looking at your phone when you’re driving, but you can use this feature to control playback or quickly change songs while your car’s stopped. It’s a lot faster than switching to a different app to change music.

Some of you will prefer to use voice assistants to do this, but on an iPhone in particular, I haven’t had much luck with using Siri to change music. That’s why I’ve connected my streaming accounts to Google Maps instead.

Get accessibility information on Google Maps

Google Maps can highlight accessibility information for you. This can be extremely helpful if you’re traveling with people who have mobility challenges or are living with disabilities. I never thought much about these options until I started traveling with my senior citizen parents, who can no longer climb lots of stairs or stand for long hours. That’s why I went to the Google Maps settings, navigated to App & display, and enabled Emphasize accessibility info. This feature prominently shows if a destination has accessible entrances, seating, reserved parking spots, and if restrooms are available (and accessible), etc.

Note that this information isn’t always accurate, so if accessibility is your top priority, I still recommend calling ahead to confirm if your destination’s accessible features are available and in working order. Similarly, when you’re using walking directions to get somewhere, try tapping the options button, which is next to the share icon. This will reveal the Trip options page, where you can select Wheelchair accessible to avoid routes with stairs and choose ones that have elevators instead.

Improve directions while walking

I use Google Maps a lot while I’m walking around, and I have a few tips to make it easier to find where you’re going. The first is to use Google Maps when you’re wearing an Apple Watch or an Android smartwatch, if you have one. Google Maps buzzes your watch when you have a direction coming up, and you can quickly look at the watch to see which way to go. With this, I don’t have to keep looking at my phone for directions. This approach worked really well on a recent trip to Singapore in rainy weather, where it wasn’t always possible to keep looking at my phone while also holding my water bottle and umbrella.

You can also use Live View to get even more detailed walking directions. It uses your phone’s camera to identify shops, signs, and other landmarks near you. Then, it gives you directions in a camera view, which is like a live video walkthrough taking you to your destination. This makes it great for navigating indoors, like in airports or malls.

Hide your Google Maps profile

When you review listings on Google Maps, or make other contributions, others may be able to view your profile and all your ratings, reviews, photos, and other contributions. If you don’t want this information to be visible, you can make your profile private on Google Maps. To do this, go to Google Maps settings > Location & privacy > Profile and enable Restricted profile.

Delete your Google Maps history and timeline data

Google Maps also keeps track of all the places you’ve visited, and not everyone is comfortable storing that data on Google’s servers. Now, I should say that this information is legitimately useful sometimes. Once, a friend’s car was wrongly sent a speeding ticket from a different state. He was able to use his Google Maps timeline data to prove to law enforcement that he was, in fact, not in that state at the time.

Having said that, you’ll be able to better preserve your privacy by not storing this information in the first place. To do that, go to Google Maps settings > Location & privacy. Review all the options in the Timeline section to see what fits your preferences. I’ve switched off Timeline entirely, and I also chose Delete all Timeline data, but your needs may be different, so you may choose to delete a specific range of timeline data or automatically delete it after a certain period of time instead.

To delete your search history from Google Maps, scroll down on this page and select Maps history.

Use incognito mode in Google Maps

Credit: Pranay Parab

If deleting your Google Maps data permanently isn’t the ideal solution for you, then you may want to try incognito mode instead. This works exactly like it does in web browsers, meaning that it won’t save your Google Maps data as long as you’re in that mode. You can enable it by tapping the profile icon in Google Maps and selecting Turn on incognito mode. You can check if it’s enabled by looking at the profile icon, where your picture will be replaced by the incognito icon.

Save your favorite places in lists

If you have trouble remembering all of the trips you want to take, you can quickly save your favorites in Google Maps, and add them to various lists. For instance, if you’re planning a trip to Florida and you want to save all of the destinations you’ve heard about in one spot, you can look for each one individually on Google Maps and hit the Save button on their listings. This lets you save the destination to a new list, where you can keep a tab on all the places you want to go to. You can also share these lists with others, and everyone can add the places they’re interested in to your list, too. I used this feature during my London trip last year, where I bookmarked restaurants that served authentic fare from around the world. It allowed me to taste food that I’d never tried before, and helped me better organize my daily plan to fit a couple of museums or other attractions around my meals.

Microsoft announced Tuesday what it calls a “community first” initiative for its AI data centers, pledging to pay full electricity costs and reject local property tax breaks following months of growing opposition from residents facing higher power bills. The announcement in Washington, D.C. marks a clear departure from past practices; Microsoft has previously accepted tax abatements for data centers in Ohio and Iowa.

Brad Smith, Microsoft’s president, said the company has been developing the initiative since September. Residential power prices in data center hubs like Virginia, Illinois, and Ohio jumped 12-16% over the past year, faster than the U.S. average. Three Democratic senators launched an investigation last month into whether tech giants are raising residential bills. Microsoft also pledged a 40% improvement in water efficiency by 2030 and committed to replenishing more water than it uses in each district where it operates.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Tesla’s 2026 Model Y is now available on the company’s site and it comes with a new (and old) option: a seven-seat version via a third row. The extra seating costs $2,500 and is only available if you order the Premium All-Wheel-Drive Long Range model. Tesla first teased the option last year via an email to prospective buyers with the promise of “seating for up to seven and enough room for everyone’s gear,” Electrek reported at the time. 

The new seats appear to be designed mainly for children as they don’t offer much legroom, according to images on Tesla’s configurator. Tesla notes that the seven-seat interior “features fold-flat second-row and third-row seats,” though it’s not clear if those seats fold down electrically like the second row. 

Tesla

Tesla is facing increased competition, especially in the crossover/SUV category, and saw another sales decline last quarter. The company previously sold a seven-seat version of the Model Y in the US for a short time before it was refreshed early last year. Since then, though, it has only been available with five seats. Tesla launched a six-seat “Model YL” version in China in August 2025 with a six-inch wheelbase extension that the US model lacks. Elon Musk said that model would come to the US market in late 2026 or maybe “never.” 

Otherwise, changes to the Model Y lineup are minor and confined to the Premium version. Those include a 20-inch dark-grey “Helix” “wheel option, a new black headliner, a bigger, higher-resolution 16-inch display and darker rear badging. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-launches-a-seven-seat-version-of-the-2026-model-y-130039385.html?src=rss

I love movies, and especially when I can watch them for free: And while streaming the latest Hollywood blockbusters might come at a price (at least for those wanting to stay on the right side of the law), there’s an ever-growing collection of older films that you can get at online without paying a dime.

The site WikiFlix (as spotted by the fine folks at Gizmodo) lists movies available to stream that are now in the public domain. The way that copyright works in the U.S. basically means that copyright expires on films after a period of 95 years—so with every year that passes, a batch of new flicks become available to view by anyone, free of charge.

If you’re looking for something classic for your next movie night, it’s well worth a look.

There are plenty of categories to choose from.
Credit: Lifehacker

WikiFlix is straightforward to use, right from the homepage. It tracks films added to sites such as Wikimedia Commons, YouTube, and the Internet Archive, and whenever you click through on a movie, you can also see where it has come from. When you’ve made your pick, it streams right in your browser window.

The home page is split up into categories that you can browse through—including female directions, animations, and biographical films, the last time I checked—and there’s also a search button up in the top right corner if you know what you’re looking for. Next to the search button is an account button, which enables you to sign up for a MediaWiki account if you want to be able to contribute to the site too.

Hover over the main WikiFlix heading at the top of the page and a quick link to Movies by year pops up. This is a useful way of finding the most recent flicks added to WikiFlix, and digging back into the archive—not all of the movies here are in the public domain because their copyright has expired, and you will find more recent titles too.

Click through on any thumbnail to get more information about each movie. You can typically get information on the director, cast, and running time, and a plot summary is included too. Some of the entries come with trailers (although you can also search for these separately on sites like YouTube).

Each movie comes with a cast list.
Credit: Lifehacker

Start streaming a movie, and the usual playback controls appear, though the interface does depend to some extent on the site that’s hosting the movie. For films hosted on YouTube, for example, you can typically adjust the playback quality and speed. Some movies come with subtitles too.

Obviously a site like this is going to skew towards older, classic movies, but there’s plenty to explore here: Metropolis, It’s a Wonderful Life, All Quiet on the Western Front, Nosferatu, Charlie Chaplin comedy The Gold Rush, and lots more.

Free movie repositories aren’t quite as rare online as you might think. We’ve written before about the best free and legal streaming services for movies and TV, featuring ad-supported streaming platforms such as Tubi and PlutoTV. Again, the emphasis is on older films, but there’s a huge amount on offer at no charge.

We aren’t even two weeks into the new year and Ubisoft is already looking to carry out its second round of layoffs in 2026. The company has informed workers at Massive Entertainment and Ubisoft Stockholm of a “proposed organizational restructure” that could affect around 55 roles across its two Swedish studios. Workers at Massive (the developer of The Division series, Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora) were offered voluntary buyouts late last year as part of Ubisoft’s ongoing cost-cutting efforts.

“This restructure follows the completion of the Voluntary Leave Program launched during the fall of 2025, a finalized long-term roadmap and a completed staffing and appointment process, which together have provided clearer visibility into the structure and capacity required to support the two studios’ work and sustainably over time,” Ubisoft told IGN in a statement. “These proposed changes are forward-looking and structural, they are not related to individual performance, recent deliveries or the quality of the work produced by the teams.”

Ubisoft claims that the “long-term direction for the studios remains unchanged.” Massive will continue working on projects that include The Division 3. Ubisoft Stockholm, meanwhile, is beavering away on a new franchise that’s still under wraps for now. That project is harnessing the studio’s Ubisoft Scalar cloud computing tech, according to Game Developer.

Earlier in January, the company said it was shutting down Ubisoft Halifax, resulting in the loss of 71 jobs. Workers at that studio unionized just 16 days earlier. Ubisoft said its decision was part of “company-wide actions to streamline operations.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/star-wars-outlaws-developer-massive-entertainment-and-ubisoft-stockholm-face-layoffs-134234968.html?src=rss

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

A comfortable, good-looking pair of headphones with bass-forward sound and deep Apple integration doesn’t usually dip below the $100 mark, but this one just did. The Beats Studio Pro headphones in factory-reconditioned condition are down to $94.99 on Woot.

Beats Studio Pro headphones

$94.99
at Woot

$349.99
Save $255.00

$94.99
at Woot

$349.99
Save $255.00

For comparison, the same model listed as “refurbished: excellent” costs $135 on Amazon, while a brand-new pair is currently $199.99 (marked down from $349.99). This deal runs for two days or until it sells out, and Prime members get free standard shipping (while everyone else pays a $6 shipping fee). Note that shipping isn’t available to Alaska, Hawaii, PO boxes, or APO addresses.

The Beats Studio Pro are a premium-feeling set of noise-canceling headphones that lean heavily into comfort and polish. The build feels sturdy, the padding is generous, and they’re easy to wear for long stretches without pressure fatigue. Sound quality sticks to the familiar Beats formula: pronounced bass with crisp, slightly elevated highs. It’s not the most neutral tuning—listeners who prefer a flatter, studio-style sound may find it colored—but it works well for pop, hip-hop, and electronic playlists. Plugging in via USB-C unlocks hi-res audio and three preset EQ modes, which noticeably improve clarity. The downside is that those EQ presets aren’t available over Bluetooth, and there’s no manual EQ option at all.

Codec support is another limitation. Wireless audio tops out at SBC and AAC, meaning Android users miss out on higher-quality options like AptX or LDAC. As for its ANC, it is competent but unremarkable. It does a decent job with low-frequency noise but struggles more in crowded or high-pitched environments, and you can hear a faint hiss when ANC is enabled, notes this PCMag review. Battery life, however, holds up well: Expect around 24 hours with ANC on, or up to 40 hours without it. The Studio Pro won’t dethrone Sony or Bose if noise cancellation or deep audio customization is your top priority. But for casual listeners who value comfort, long battery life, and smooth Apple device integration, this price makes the trade-offs much easier to accept.

Resident Evil Requiem, the first new mainline entry in the series since 2021’s Resident Evil Village, is just over a month away and Capcom is ready to share more details. The publisher will air a Resident Evil Showcase on January 15 at 5PM ET. You’ll be able to watch it on Twitch and YouTube (in English and Japanese).

The stream will run for around 12 minutes. It will feature “all the latest info on Resident Evil Requiem,” which will almost certainly include some gameplay ahead of it hitting PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2 and Steam on February 27. Capcom might have more in store, though. An announcement for the showcase on the Resident Evil website states that, “Some of the games included in the show aren’t suitable for children.”

That suggests the company will share details about other RE titles. It may just be a case of Capcom offering a reminder that it’s also bringing ports of Resident Evil 7 and Village to Switch 2 on February 27. Still, there’s a chance we’ll hear news of more ports. There’s also the possibility that we get a glimpse of the next Resident Evil movie, a reboot of the series from Barbarian and Weapons filmmaker Zack Cregger that’s set to hit theaters in September. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/a-resident-evil-showcase-is-taking-place-on-january-15-133000548.html?src=rss