The Federal Trade Commission has delayed the start of a rule that aims to make the process of canceling subscriptions less of a nightmare. Last year, the FTC voted to ratify amendments to a regulation known as the Negative Option Rule, adding a new "click-to-cancel" rule that requires companies to be upfront about the terms of subscription signups and prohibits them "from making it any more difficult for consumers to cancel than it was to sign up." Surprising no one, telecom companies were not ..

As first reported by 9to5Mac , PS5 users now have a direct way to buy games in the PlayStation store with Apple Pay. When you purchase a game on your PS5 with Apple Pay, you'll be shown a QR code that you can scan with your iPhone or iPad to complete the transaction from there. Previously, PS5 users had to go through the console's browser or the PlayStation App on iOS to buy games with Apple Pay. The latest update is a simple quality of life upgrade for PS5 owners since most already have a ..

Spoilers for The Story and the Engine. Doctor Who lives and dies by the quality of its writing and acting far more than almost anything else on TV. Audiences may demand big explosions and trippy visuals but its best work is often done in small rooms. The Disney era began with an episode that, for all its glossy excess, rested its big moment on Catherine Tates acting . Now, as the Disney era potentially draws to its end, its once again highlighting what a smart script and great actors can do. ..

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a new device called the Teal Wand , which its creator describes as an "at-home vaginal sample self- collection device for cervical cancer screening." It could be especially useful for women who find pap smears uncomfortable, painful and even traumatic, as well as for those who may not have time to go to a doctor or have disabilities preventing them from traveling to consult one. Users who get the Teal Wand will have to swab their vagina with the ..

Nintendos latest legal move to combat piracy may be super effective. According to a new change in the Nintendo User Agreement, the console maker can brick your Switch , or render it useless, if its found with pirated games or mods. While some people may have glazed over the changes since Nintendo didnt make this a major announcement, Game File s Stephen Totilo dug through the changes and spotted the major updates. In Nintendos own words, you shouldnt "bypass, modify, decrypt, defeat, tamper ..

Activision Blizzards Overwatch team has formed a wall-to-wall union under the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The union, which has been recognized by parent company Microsoft, includes nearly 200 developers "across all disciplines," from design and production to quality assurance, the CWA said in its announcement. Its the latest development in a broader organizing effort by video game workers, who aim to secure better job protections and improve their working conditions. Last summer, ..

The Mexican government has filed a lawsuit against Google for renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America in Maps within the United States. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum said during a press conference that the lawsuit has already been filed, but as The Guardian notes, she didn't say when and where it was submitted. Sheinbaum argued that the Trump administration's order for a name change only applies to the US portion of the oceanic basin and that the US government doesn't have the ..

I can't blame you if you've been spending more time outside lately instead of reading gadget reviews. Spring has sprung, at least for us at Engadget HQ in the US, and there's a lot of touching grass going on amongst our staff. Still, if you've missed any of our reviews over the last two weeks, this condensed list has everything you need to catch up quickly. Surface Pro (12-inch) For basic computing in a highly portable device, the 12-inch Surface Pro does just fine. Senior reviews reporter ..

Welcome to our first weekly roundup of indie game releases, news and trailers. It's impossible to cover the indie scene completely comprehensively dozens of games hit Steam alone every single day. There are so many indies we'd love to highlight, but we don't have the time to cover each individually. Our goal is to shine a spotlight on the games that grab our attention each week, one way or another. (Feel free to email me about your projects too!) This time around, we've got a spreadsheet-based ..

Google has agreed to pay the state of Texas $1.375 billion to settle two lawsuits accusing the company of violating its residents' data privacy rights. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton sued Google in 2022 , alleging that it collected users' biometrics without their express consent and continued to track their location even after they've disabled the feature. In the Attorney General's website , his office said that it's the biggest amount Google has agreed to pay to resolve similar lawsuits for ..

In the latest blow to what was generally a functional government, President Donald Trump wants to eliminate the independent agency in charge of issuing recalls and protecting US citizens from harmful products. The Office of Management and Budget has suggested the responsibilities of the Consumer Product Safety Commission should be folded into "a nonexistent division within the Department of Health and Human Services," according to a joint letter from lawmakers. And to seemingly start the ..

While the company might be pulling back some of its investments in the infrastructure that makes it run, Microsoft remains, at least publicly, intensely focused on AI and Copilot. The company's annual Microsoft Build developer conference runs from May 19 to 22 and typically touches on all of the company's various platforms, but it seems like AI will once again be the star. Microsoft Build is typically a pretty dry affair Azure comes up a lot but in the last few years the company has also used ..

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) wants eyes on everyone leaving the country by vehicle. Wired reported this week that the agency plans to photograph every person in cars going to Mexico or Canada by land, including backseat passengers. The program would use facial recognition to match the pictures with travel documents like passports and visas. A CBP spokesperson told Wired that it wasn't immediately apparent that the surveillance system would track self-deportations, but she wouldn't ..

Epic has officially submitted Fortnite to the US Apple App Store. If the game returns, itll be the first time in nearly five years that the battle royale shooter will be available on iOS devices. This is happening after a judge ruled that Apple must stop collecting fees for purchases made outside of the App Store. Epic celebrated the ruling by announcing Fortnites imminent return , along with changes to its sales platform aimed at developers and publishers. The company will not charge a ..

Arlo is expanding the AI features offered in its subscription security service as part of its new Arlo Secure 6 update. The updated system will offer improved video search, give cameras and doorbells a greater ability to identify possible emergency events and automatically create captions for anything your security system records when it starts rolling out later in May. As part of Arlo Secure 6, cameras will not only be able to use object- detection to identify things like packages, but also ..

Now that Apple has to stop collecting fees on non-App Store purchases, Epic is pouncing with a new incentive. Starting today, you'll get 20 percent back in Epic Rewards when using the company's payment system for in-app purchases in Fortnite , Rocket League and Fall Guys . The offer isn't limited to the App Store, so you'll get the same 20 percent reward on PC, Android and the web. The reward balance will arrive 14 days after your purchase. You can redeem Epic Rewards inside the company's games ..

Google has agreed to pay $50 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the tech giant of systemic racial bias against Black employees, as reported by Reuters . The preliminary settlement was filed earlier this week, but still requires a judges approval. The class action suit covers more than 4,000 employees. Plaintiffs involved in the suit said that Google operates a "racially biased corporate culture" that steers Black employees to lower-level jobs. The suit also accuses the company of paying ..

The 12-inch Surface Pro is the most iPad-like hybrid tablet Microsoft has made yet, but to get there the company had to make plenty of compromises. Clocking in at 1.5 pounds, it weighs almost the same as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and its 7.8mm thickness also makes it the thinnest Surface ever. But it's also running a slower processor than last year's 13-inch Surface Pro, and is stuck with a far worse screen. Its keyboard, which is once again sold separately for $149, also doesn't angle up for ..

Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders are officially live at Nintendo's online store but only if you've received an invite. As advertised, the My Nintendo Store began sending out Switch 2 pre-order invites on Thursday to those who previously registered their interest and meet the company's " priority criteria ." If you've been chosen, congratulations! You have 72 hours from the time your email was sent to complete your purchase. If you previously signed up but haven't received a notice, well, we'll have ..

Mother's Day is nearly here and the window to get a gift shipped on time is closing. The good news is, as of this writing, a majority of the gifts we recommend here should arrive by Sunday, if you happen to be an Amazon Prime member. Same-day and delivery by Sunday options are showing up in our searches. Of course, that'll all depend on the stock levels of your nearby warehouses. We at Engadget worked together to come up with this list of Mother's Day gadgets and subscriptions, highlighting ..

If you've ever taken a wrong turn at the Sea of Tranquility and ended up lost in the Ocean of Storms, then you're in luck, because the Moon is getting GPS, sort of. GMV, a Spanish capital business group with extensive experience in the space sector, has announced a navigation system for the Moon akin to GPS. The ambitious project, dubbed LUPIN, aims to help astronauts, industrialists and even future settlers navigate more easily across the lunar surface. In a press release for LUPIN, GMV ..

Fitness tech company Whoop has announced a pair of new wearables, four years since its last product launch. The devices in question are the Whoop 5.0 and the Whoop MG, both of which require you to take up a subscription when you purchase. For those not aware, Whoop bands arent available as standalone devices. A membership unlocks their features. Both new products are screenless, no-nonsense wearables with an estimated 14-day battery life and 10 times the power efficiency of their predecessor, ..

If you sent something you regret in a Google Messages RCS group chat, it looks like you'll soon be able to delete it for everyone, not just yourself. On Thursday, a Reddit user posted ( via 9to5Google ) a screenshot of the option in a public beta for Android's messaging app. The image from u/seeareeff shows a pop-up menu asking if they want to "Delete for everyone" or "Delete for me." Until now, the latter has been the app's only deletion option. The delete for everyone feature aligns with the ..

The AI-generated deepfake of a deceased road rage victim gave his own impact statement in court at the sentencing hearing of the defendent, as reported by NBC News . This is likely the first time the technology has been used in this way. The idea of using an AI version of the victim, Christopher Pelkey, came from his family, according to a Maricopa County Attorney's Office spokesperson. Pelkeys sister said she had been writing the impact statement for two years but found that what she had to ..

The pink and yellow models of Apple's latest entry-level iPad with the A16 chip have just hit a new low of $278 at Amazon, down from the retail price of $349. Walmart is currently matching that discount for the tablet in pink. The other colors are still on sale, but for a lesser discount at $299. That's still $50 off and is available from Amazon , Best Buy , Target and Walmart . All discounts apply to the base configuration, which includes 128GB of storage and 6GB of RAM. Apple released the ..

Panasonic is cutting 10,000 jobs globally in an effort to boost efficiency. Citing slowdown in EV growth and deteriorating profits in the air-conditioning sector as two of the challenges it is currently facing, the Japanese company will make the staff cuts in the current financial year, which ends in March 2026. In a statement released today, it was revealed that the structural reform will target 5,000 employees in Panasonics native country and 5,000 overseas. The company says it expects to ..

Like untold millions of smartphone users, I have a bit of a problem. Ive been trying, with middling success, to be more mindful about how I use my phone. Ill often uninstall various social media apps (but reinstall them later), and Ive disconnected all my work tools unless Im traveling specifically for the job. I dont play games without intention or doomscroll very much. But I still find myself mindlessly reaching for it when theres a moment to fill, and I dont love that habit. I dont think Im ..

During the 25th anniversary celebration of the Gates Foundation , Bill Gates has announced that he was planning to give away "virtually all" of his wealth within the next 20 years. In all, he expects to distribute approximately $200 billion until the foundation shuts down on December 31, 2045, which as The New York Times notes is decades before originally intended. The Gates Foundation has funded several causes since it was founded in the year 2005 by Bill and his then-wife Melinda French ..

Doom: The Dark Ages is a very different game than Doom Eternal , the most recent mainline entry in id Softwares demon-splattering series. While the Slayer in Eternal was a high-jumping, rail-swinging parkour machine, the Slayer in Doom: The Dark Ages moves like a bull on ice skates, heavy and meaty but incredibly agile. It feels good, and maybe more importantly, it feels right. The developers have made it clear that their goal with The Dark Ages is to emulate the original Doom more than its ..

Years after the Federal Trade Commission sued Meta in a bid to halt acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp, the trial that will shape its future is finally underway. The trial kicked off last month when CEO Mark Zuckerberg took the stand, and its expected to last several weeks. Facebooks 2 acquisition of Instagram is a central part of the FTCs case against Meta . The government says Zuckerberg bought Instagram to neutralize it as a competitor. When Instagrams cofounder and former CEO Kevin ..

Apple is developing a chip for smart glasses, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, and it's based on the chip used for the Apple Watch. The company's silicon group has reportedly removed some components from the chip used for the Watch to improve its power efficiency. In addition, the group has been working to give it the ability to control multiple cameras that the glasses would need to be able to function. Gurman previously reported that the company has set aside plans for Mac-tethered ..

Travel is one of the best ways to learn something new about yourself and as a parent, you probably want to ensure your child has a great time exploring the world. Visiting a new place can be intimidating, but a few gadgets can help make the experience easier enjoyable for your new grad. These are some of the best travel accessories that always earn a spot in our bag whenever we head out on an adventure. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...

The late, great $30 Chromecast is no more. After hanging on as an option at Google's online store for months after the introduction of the pricier Google TV streaming box , it's gone to the great Google graveyard . But that doesn't mean there aren't countless Chromecast dongles still serving up the best streaming services , even as the the new box and a growing number of good budget-priced smart TVs now have Google TV as their default operating system. But no matter which generation of Google ..

This week we're diving into the new 12-inch Surface Pro , which, alongside the 13-inch Surface Laptop, is a foray into smaller Surface hardware. You can thank Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus chips for that. In this episode, Devindra and Engadget's Igor Bonifacic explore the compromises Microsoft had to make for these devices, and they dive into the rumors around Half Life 3 and the leaked photos of Microsoft and ASUS's potential Xbox handheld. Also, Devindra chats with the head of Google's X ..

The World Video Game Hall of Fame welcomed its 2025 inductees today. The Strong National Museum of Play announced that the newest entries are GoldenEye 007 from Rare, Quake by id Software, Defender from Williams Electronics and Tamagotchi by Bandai. The four games chosen "have significantly influenced popular culture and the video game industry," the museum said in its press release. The other impactful games nominated for inclusion this year are Age of Empires , Angry Birds , Call of Duty: ..

The Roku smart TV platform is an accessible way to watch your favorite streaming content in a centralized location. You can either get a Roku TV with the platform built in, or add a miniature box or dongle to an older-model TV. One big advantage of the Roku platform is that it's always getting free software updates to keep it current, like the cool new feature that turns your TV into a virtual art museum by displaying famous paintings as a screensaver . There's one feature missing right out of ..

Microsoft hasn't secretly raised Surface prices, as earlier reports claimed. Instead, it has removed the base models of the Surface Pro 13-inch and Surface Laptop 13.8-inch from Microsoft.com, according to a statement by Nancie Gaskill, GM of the Surface group. "Customers can purchase base models of Pro and Laptop at the starting price of $999 at other key retailers," she added. Currently, you can still find those models at Amazon and Best Buy , where they're discounted to $800. That's the same ..

ChatGPT is bringing its Deep Research service directly into GitHub's developer ecosystem. This integration is beginning a beta test this week, with ChatGPT Plus, Pro and Team users the first to receive access over the coming days. Members of the Enterprise and Edu plans will get a chance to try it out "soon." Users can grant the AI assistant access to select code repositories and ask questions about their contents that ChatGPT will answer with cited reports. Programmers have been a notable ..

If you purchased an Apple device in the last 10 years, you might be able to receive some of the money from the company's recently settled spying lawsuit . The original lawsuit claimed Apple was capturing sensitive information with its Siri voice assistant without users' consent, and sending it to third-party contractors . The company agreed to settle the case for $95 million in January 2025, and thanks to the new landing page for the settlement , there's now a way to file a claim on your own. ..

CEO and founder of Celsius Network Alex Mashinsky has been sentenced to 12 years in prison by a US District Court. Celsius Network held about $25 billion in assets at its height, but was one of the many cryptocurrency operations to fail during 2022. Prosecutors were seeking two decades for Mashinsky, claiming he defrauded and misled customers about the status of his company's CEL token. "His crimes were not the product of negligence, naivete, or bad luck," the attorneys said. "They were the ..