From Engadget · 40 stories
NHTSA Directs Autonomous Vehicle Makers to Address Interference with Emergency Responders
The NHTSA has directed autonomous vehicle (AV) makers to resolve issues of their vehicles interfering with emergency responders. This directive follows reports of AVs obstructing law enforcement and emergency services, highlighting deficiencies in their safety protocols. AV developers have until the end of the month to present their solutions.
X to Direct Message Users about Community Note Corrections on Engaged Posts
X announced a feature that will send direct messages to users when posts they engaged with receive Community Notes corrections. This aims to improve the effectiveness of addressing misinformation by ensuring users are notified of corrections. Elon Musk disclosed this planned update, though its release date remains unspecified.
PC Shipments Decline Amid Memory Shortages and Price Hikes
U.S. PC shipments dropped by 7% in Q1 2026 to 15.8 million units, while worldwide shipments fell by nearly 5% to 68.2 million units. These declines, driven by component shortages and price hikes, notably the ongoing AI-driven memory shortage, have affected consumer purchasing. Despite the reduced shipments, PC manufacturer revenues continue to rise due to increased prices.
Apple's Antitrust Appeal Over EU 'Gatekeeper' Status Rejected
Apple's legal challenge against its designation as a 'gatekeeper' under the EU's Digital Markets Act has been rejected. The ruling demands Apple allows interoperability with rival services and may affect its business model in Europe by enforcing fairer competition.
iRobot Introduces Roomba Electro Plus, Its First Manual Floor Cleaner
iRobot unveiled the Roomba Electro Plus, its first non-robotic floor cleaner, retailing at $399. The manual device cleans and disinfects hard floors using electrolyzed tap water, eliminating the need for chemical cleaners. Additionally, iRobot announced five new robot vacuum models with enhanced features set to replace current models by 2025. This reflects iRobot's expansion beyond robotic cleaners, emphasizing safer and efficient cleaning technology.
DeepSeek Enters AI Chip Market to Counter US Export Controls
DeepSeek, a Chinese AI company, is reportedly developing its own chips for data center inference to reduce dependency on vendors like NVIDIA and Huawei. This move follows US export controls limiting access to foreign chips, compelling Chinese firms to explore custom silicon designs. The development could potentially shift dynamics in the Chinese AI market.
Marshall Launches Acton IV and Stanmore IV Speakers with Improved Sound and Repairability
Marshall has released the Acton IV and Stanmore IV Bluetooth speakers, enhancing sound quality and repairability. Priced at $299.99 and $399.99 respectively, these models feature upgraded components for better sound dispersion and customizable controls. User-replaceable parts aim to improve product longevity.
Bentley Unveils 'Torcal', Its First Electric Vehicle, Launch Set for September 23
Bentley has announced that its first electric vehicle, named the Torcal, will be unveiled on September 23 in London. The vehicle, inspired by the Spanish landmark El Torcal de Antequera, marks Bentley's strategic move into the electric market. Previously seen testing in extreme conditions, the Torcal represents a shift towards electrification in luxury vehicles.
Midjourney Challenges Hollywood Studios to Disclose AI Usage in Copyright Lawsuit
Midjourney has requested that Warner Bros., Disney, and Universal provide information on their AI usage as part of ongoing copyright infringement lawsuits. This follows a judge's ruling which allows the studios to withhold certain documentation. The move aims to demonstrate that the studios also rely on copyrighted data for their AI models, potentially undermining their claims against Midjourney.
Donald Trump's Tech Stock Purchases Coincide with AI Action Plan Announcement and Market Movements
Donald Trump purchased tech stocks worth up to $5 million, including shares in Apple, Amazon, and NVIDIA, coinciding with his AI Action Plan launch. These moves came amid tariff policy announcements affecting market trends, highlighting his significant financial engagements during his presidency.
Sony to Transform PlayStation Disc Factory to Microlens Production by 2028
Sony's Thalgau factory in Austria will shift from manufacturing 600,000 discs daily to producing optical microlenses by 2028, cutting disc production by 90%. This strategic move aligns with Sony's pivot to digital PlayStation content, with a €30 million ($34 million) investment to retrain 300 employees.
Pixel Watch 5 Leak Shows No Chip Upgrade, But Increased RAM
A Google Play Console listing for the Pixel Watch 5, codenamed "godric," indicates it will retain the Qualcomm SW5100 chip, similar to previous models. However, the device is expected to feature 3 GB of RAM, an increase from 2 GB, which could support new Gemini Intelligence features.
Kia EV3 US Pricing Announced, Starting Under $31,000
Kia announced the US pricing for its EV3 electric vehicle, which will start at $29,450 plus a $1,495 destination charge, totaling $30,945. This makes the EV3 the most affordable electric car in Kia's lineup, arriving as other manufacturers retire EV models due to market conditions and policy changes.
Google Images Revamps Homepage with Personalized Gallery and AI Features
Google Images is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a redesigned homepage. The update introduces a dynamic, personalized image gallery and includes AI features like image generation via Nano Banana 2 Lite. These changes aim to enhance user engagement and improve the visual search experience.
Namecheap experiences outage due to data center cooling failure in Phoenix
Hosting provider Namecheap suffered an outage affecting multiple services after a cooling system failure at its Phoenix data center. The incident, caused by storm damage, impacted hosting plans, DNS, and email, with services expected to begin returning by 3:00-3:30 PM ET. This disruption highlights the vulnerability of cloud services to physical infrastructure failures and environmental events.
CBP Officers Accused of Misusing Surveillance Technology for Personal Reasons
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers reportedly misused electronic databases, including facial recognition and license plate readers, to spy on family members, seek dates, and provide intelligence to drug traffickers. This misuse highlights concerns about privacy violations given the Department of Homeland Security's extensive access to private citizen data.
Pixel 11 Series Introduces Instant Night Sight, Magic Capture, and Larger Camera Sensors
Google has updated the Pixel 11 series with new camera features including Instant Night Sight, which reduces night capture time, and Magic Capture for improved group photos. The new phones also incorporate larger camera sensors and enhanced computational photography capabilities, aiming to improve image quality and user experience.
Google launches Pixel 11 with Tensor G6, 30-hour battery, and slimmer camera bar
Google has released its Pixel 11 smartphone, featuring the new Tensor G6 processor, which contributes to over 30 hours of battery life and improved AI task handling. The device also includes a redesigned, slimmer camera bar with an upgraded 48-megapixel main lens and a 10.8-megapixel telephoto lens, marking significant hardware updates for the Pixel line.
Instagram Updates Wordmark for the First Time in a Decade
Instagram has introduced a new wordmark, marking the first change to its text-only logo in ten years. Instagram head Adam Mosseri stated the update aims for a "cleaner and more modern" look, though some users have noted legibility issues, perceiving it as "Instagzam."
US Government Lifts Ban on TikTok for Federal Devices
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued a memo officially lifting the ban on TikTok for US government-issued devices. This decision follows a Justice Department opinion stating that the 2022 law banning the app no longer applies due to TikTok's current American ownership and revised recommendation algorithm, allowing federal workers to use the app again.
NYC Mayor Mamdani Supports Delivery Protection Act to Regulate Last-Mile Delivery
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced his support for the Delivery Protection Act, proposed legislation that would require last-mile delivery companies to use employees instead of contractors and establish new licensing rules. This measure aims to hold large delivery companies accountable for working conditions and incidents, potentially increasing costs and slowing deliveries for consumers.
NASA proposes sending a repurposed Mars rover test model to the Moon as PROMISE
NASA announced a proposal to send PROMISE, a rover built from engineering test models of the Perseverance and Curiosity Mars rovers, to the lunar south pole. This initiative aims to utilize existing hardware and explore the Moon's surface and subsurface, particularly for water ice, without reliance on solar power.
NASA's PUNCH Mission Improves Solar Storm Prediction Accuracy to Within 30 Minutes
NASA's PUNCH mission has demonstrated the ability to predict solar storm arrival times with an accuracy of within 30 minutes, a significant improvement over previous methods with a five-hour error margin. This enhanced forecasting capability, achieved by continuously tracking coronal mass ejections, can help mitigate the effects of solar storms on Earth's infrastructure.
Perplexity overturns Amazon's injunction on its AI shopping bot in appeals court
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned an injunction that prevented Perplexity's Comet browser from accessing Amazon, ruling that Amazon's claim under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) was unlikely to succeed. This decision allows Perplexity's AI shopping tool to operate on Amazon while the broader lawsuit continues.
Honda Partners with QuantumScape for Solid-State Battery Development
Honda has partnered with American battery development firm QuantumScape to research and develop solid-state batteries and manufacturing techniques. This collaboration signals a shift in Honda's electric vehicle strategy, prioritizing solid-state technology for greater range, faster charging, lower costs, and enhanced safety.
Apple Watch Water Lock Feature Disables Screen and Ejects Water
The Apple Watch's water lock feature disables the screen to prevent accidental taps and ejects water from the device. This feature significantly aids in protecting the watch during water activities, enhancing its usability for swimmers and divers.
EU Right to Repair Directive Takes Effect, Mandating Manufacturer Repairs and Manuals
The EU's Right to Repair directive officially begins today, requiring manufacturers to offer repairs for faulty products within a reasonable timeframe and price, and to publish free repair manuals. This initiative aims to promote a more sustainable economy by making it easier for consumers to maintain their hardware, including smartphones, tablets, and major household appliances.
Xbox App Rolls Out to Hisense and Other VIDAA OS TVs for Cloud Gaming
The Xbox app is now available on Hisense and other VIDAA OS-powered TVs, allowing users to play Xbox games via Game Pass without a console. This expansion continues Microsoft's strategy to bring Xbox gaming to more devices, making it accessible to a wider audience.
ChatGPT and Roblox to be designated as 'very large online platforms' in EU
The European Union is reportedly designating ChatGPT and Roblox as "very large online platforms" (VLOPs) under the Digital Services Act (DSA) in August. This designation subjects them to stricter regulations, including requirements for transparency, risk assessment, and content moderation, due to their large user bases.
Global Oil Crisis Drives Record Electrified Vehicle Sales in Q2 2026
Electrified vehicle sales reached new highs globally in Q2 2026, with 50 countries reporting quarterly records, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). This surge, driven by fuel price spikes from the US and Iran conflict, occurred despite a 5% drop in overall global car sales during the first half of 2026.
Netflix surpasses BBC as preferred default viewing choice in UK, Ofcom survey finds
Ofcom's latest annual report indicates that 26% of UK viewers now default to Netflix, compared to 25% for the BBC, marking the first time Netflix has exceeded the BBC in this metric. This shift highlights changing media consumption habits, particularly among younger demographics, and coincides with BBC budget cuts leading to show cancellations.
Google DeepMind reassigns AlphaFold team members to Gemini projects, some leave company
Google DeepMind has reassigned key members of its AlphaFold team to focus on Gemini-related projects, with some original team members also departing the company. This shift indicates Google's strategic decision to prioritize resources towards its Gemini AI development.
Fired Tesla Manager Sues Company Over Full Self-Driving Safety Concerns
A former Tesla manager is suing the company for unlawful retaliation, alleging he was fired after raising concerns about understaffing and safety issues within the Full Self-Driving (FSD) testing operations. The lawsuit claims that inadequate resources led to FSD robotaxis becoming "rolling hazards" and contributed to an accident. This legal action highlights potential safety oversight deficiencies in Tesla's autonomous vehicle development.
God of War Laufey to Release on PS5 on February 16
The next installment in the God of War franchise, titled God of War Laufey, will launch on PlayStation 5 on February 16. This game will feature Kratos' wife, Laufey, as the playable character, exploring the afterlife of gods.
Oppo Watch X3 offers strong battery life and versatility in smartwatch design
Oppo launched the Watch X3, featuring a battery nearly twice the size of Samsung's Galaxy Watch 8. The smartwatch offers a combination of durability and functionality under Wear OS 6, positioning it as a competitive alternative in the market.
Bethesda Union Files Complaint Alleging Canadian Labor Law Violations in Montreal Layoffs
OneBSG, the union representing Bethesda workers, has filed a legal complaint against Bethesda, alleging violations of Canadian labor laws during recent layoffs in Montreal. The union claims employees were initially promised employment until September for severance negotiations, but then received termination letters offering only the legal minimum severance. This action follows broader layoffs by Xbox and previous accusations of bad-faith bargaining against Microsoft.
EU Approves Antitrust for Saudi-led $55 Billion Takeover of Electronic Arts
The European Union's executive branch has granted antitrust approval for the proposed $55 billion acquisition of Electronic Arts, led by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. This approval marks a significant step towards the deal's completion, though further regulatory reviews, including foreign subsidy rules and approvals from other international bodies, are still pending.
FCC Delays Software Update Ban for Foreign-Made Routers Amid Supply Chain Concerns
The FCC has extended the deadline for banning software updates to foreign-made home internet routers until at least January 1, 2029, after initially setting a 2027 cutoff. This delay addresses concerns from the National Consumer Technology Association about potential disruptions to broadband services due to supply chain shortages for critical components.
Uber lays off 10% of customer service team, citing AI adoption and policy changes
Uber laid off 10% of its Community Operations customer service team, citing AI adoption as the reason for the job cuts. The company also walked back its remote work policy for the affected division, requiring relocation to hub offices. This action aligns with a growing trend of companies reducing workforces and adjusting operational policies in response to advancements in AI capabilities.
Sony FX5 Cinema Camera Introduces Open Gate and RAW 5K Recording
Sony has released the FX5 cinema camera, which includes new features like open gate recording and 5K RAW video capture using its X-OCN codec. This camera also features a new 16.6MP stacked sensor and three base ISO settings, positioning it between the FX3 and FX6 in Sony's Cinema Line.