Category: Technology

Apple released its latest iPhone lineup last week. While many folks were excited to get their hands on a new device, their elation may have been tempered by some problems with the camera system. It seems that several prominent third-party apps have compatibility issues with the iPhone 14 Pro’s rear camera unit. Users have reported problems including shaking, rattling and mechanical noises emanating from the device when using apps like Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat, as 9to5 Mac reports. It seems there are problems with autofocus and focus too.

Along with sharing reports of the problems on the likes of Reddit and Twitter, some have been sharing videos that show the issues. One appears to depict a grinding sound coming from an iPhone 14 Pro when Snapchat is open. Another shows a similar issue while TikTok accesses the rear cameras.

Given that these issues only appear to be present when third-party apps are in use, rather than Apple’s own Camera app, a software issue may be to blame, as 9to5 Mac points out. In particular, the apps may not be playing nicely with the iPhone 14 Pro’s optical image stabilization, which seems to be the cause of the rattling. It’s not yet clear whether the problems are on Apple’s end or with the third-party apps. Engadget has contacted Apple, TikTok, Snap and Meta for comment.

 

CD Projekt Red has managed to catch lightning in a bottle twice. With nearly 80,000 concurrent Steam players at the moment, Cyberpunk 2077 is enjoying a resurgence in popularity. While it’s a far cry from the more than one million people that played the game on PC following its troubled launch, it’s still more interest than the game has seen in more than a year.

You don’t have to look far to find a reason for the spike. On September 13th, the game’s anime spinoff, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, premiered on Netflix to critical acclaim, earning praise for its story, worldbuilding and animation. The series has one of the highest audience scores for a Netflix production. And after watching Edgerunners, many people are giving Cyberpunk 2077 a second chance or picking it up for the first time.

If all this sounds familiar, it’s because a similar situation played out after the debut of The Witcher. In 2019, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, thanks to the popularity of its Netflix counterpart, was briefly more popular than it was after its 2015 release. It will be interesting to see if Cyberpunk 2077 can maintain its current momentum. At least on PC and current-generation consoles, the RPG is a different game than it was in 2020. Cyberpunk 2077’s recent 1.5 and 1.6 updates addressed many of the lingering bugs and stability issues that plagued the game at launch. CD Projekt Red also recently released official modding tools and announced that Phantom Liberty, the game’s first major expansion, would arrive in 2023.

 

Apple acknowledged that the iPhone 14 was designed to be easier to repair, but it might have undersold that upgrade. iFixit has finished a teardown of this year’s base iPhone, and it’s clear that the device was reworked from the ground up with do-it-yourself fixes in mind. The back glass is easier and cheaper to fix, as promised, but used a metal midframe to keep the front just as accessible. The design is more repairable than the many Android phones that are only simple to open from the back, iFixit said.

The iPhone 14’s midframe maintains the same structural rigidity you saw in the 13 family. Apple had already moved the earpiece and front camera array to a more repairable location on the previous generation’s mainframe.

The iPhone 14 isn’t going to make Fairphone buyers regret their purchases. Apple still requires that customers and technicians activate parts after they’re installed, so you can’t just use an unofficial back instead of potentially pricier Self Service Repair components. Even so, iFixit claims this is the most repairable Apple handset since 2016’s iPhone 7.

The rework isn’t completely surprising. Apple is facing pressure to improve repairability from both the federal government and state legislatures. If it didn’t address at-home repairs with its designs, it risked battles with regulators that could force changes and dish out penalties. Whatever the reasoning, you probably won’t mind if you’ve been waiting for an iPhone that’s truly fix-friendly.

 

Instacart may have thrived on deliveries at the height of the pandemic, but it’s adapting to an era when many people are once again comfortable with in-person grocery shopping. The company is introducing a Connected Store “experience” that uses new and existing technology to theoretically blend the advantages of delivery apps and retail.

To start, the platform will let you pay for items by scanning them with your phone. It’s not as convenient as Amazon’s automated Just Walk Out tech, but it could save you the hassle of using a self-checkout terminal. Instacart is also rolling out a new model of its smart Caper shopping cart (pictured) with a 65 percent larger capacity and a slimmer, lighter design. You can even sync your Instacart-compatible shopping list to help find items and mark them as purchased the moment you put them in the cart. Carrot Tags light up electronic shelf labels to help you find items, while links between departments let you pick up orders from the bakery and deli without having to wait in line.

Behind the scenes, the Connected Store system will alert staff the moment an item is running low or goes out of stock. You could see fewer empty shelves, or at least fewer inventory checks.

Instacart has already been testing the related technologies with some stores, but is now making them available to retailers in the US and Canada. Outlets like Joseph’s Classic Market, Schnuck’s and Wakefern Food Corp. will use parts of the Connected Store system going forward, while Instacart is working with Bristol Farms to build a store in Irvine, California that will use the full package in the “coming months.”

The company isn’t shy about its goals. Instacart is clearly hoping to entice grocery stores that can’t (or just don’t want to) use Amazon’s platform. Retailers won’t need to install costly camera arrays or otherwise revamp whole locations, Instacart notes. This might not lure you back to the store if you prefer home deliveries, but it could deliver a meaningful upgrade to retail shopping — particularly for anyone who doesn’t shop at Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods.

 

This might be your best chance yet to buy Apple’s flagship tablet. Amazon is selling the 12.9-inch iPad Pro M1 with 128GB of storage at a new all-time low price of $900 after an instant savings at checkout, or $200 below the official sticker. You can buy the 256GB and 512GB versions with similar $200 discounts. While you won’t get cellular data or other extras, this is still a significant bargain if you crave a large-screen slate.

Buy iPad Pro (128GB) at Amazon – $900Buy iPad Pro (256GB) at Amazon – $1,000Buy iPad Pro (512GB) at Amazon – $1,199

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro remains one of the most powerful mobile tablets you can buy. The M1 chip is speedy enough for multitasking and other serious work, while the mini-LED screen is a treat whether you’re editing video or kicking back with a TV marathon. Add Thunderbolt support (for peripherals like monitors and external SSDs) and a robust accessory ecosystem and this might replace a laptop in the right conditions, particularly once iPadOS 16 arrives with features like Stage Manager.

This is still a mobile OS-based machine, so you may want a laptop or Windows tablet if you’re juggling multiple apps or need desktop-level software. However, the main reason for pause might simply be timing. Rumors persist of Apple introducing an M2-powered iPad Pro this October with MagSafe charging and other possible upgrades. You might want to wait if you insist on the most powerful iPad you can buy. If you’re mainly interested in value for money, though, the M1 model is difficult to beat.

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Just like a relationship, going on a trip with a gadget is one of the best ways of finding out how well you and your partner work together. So to really test ASUS’ first go at making a laptop with a flexible display, I took the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED on a journey across four countries in nine days. And while there are a few issues that need to be addressed, my experience was surprisingly positive and renewed my excitement for the category as a whole (especially after Lenovo’s ambitious but flawed first try back in 2020). Now that doesn’t mean you should run out and get one, because starting at $3,500, the Zenbook 17 Fold is far from affordable. But for all the foldable haters out there, ASUS’ latest effort has proven it’s way too early to write off the next wave of new-fangled flexy laptops.

Design

For the Zenbook 17 Fold it’s almost as if ASUS took the blueprint for the ThinkPad X1 Fold, put it in a photocopier and then hit the enlarge button. Sure, the Zenbook is a little prettier thanks to some leather panels and a bit of lovely frosted glass around back, but it’s clear ASUS didn’t try to deviate too much from Lenovo’s formula. We have a big flexible OLED display (with no obvious crease, I should add) that’s augmented by a built-in kickstand and a detachable magnetic keyboard that neatly fits inside the gap that forms when the system is folded in half. While it’s a bit bulky, measuring 1.25 inches thick in clamshell mode and weighing just over four pounds including its keyboard (4.04 to be exact), the Zenbook 17 Fold is still lighter than a lot of similarly-sized traditional laptops like Dell’s XPS 17.

That said, I’m not trying to neg ASUS’ lack of originality, because by going with a bigger 17.3-inch display (up from 13.3 inches on the ThinkPad X1 Fold), it created a hybrid that finally works as both a laptop and a portable all-in-one desktop of sorts. In laptop mode, the ZenBook 17 Fold converts to a system that’s similar in size to a 12.5-inch notebook. This is great when you’re trying to get work done on an airplane tray table or anywhere else space is a premium. And because the detachable keyboard sits on top of the bottom half of the screen, you still get a very familiar mousing and typing experience.

But when you get to a hotel or cafe with a bit more room, that’s when the real magic happens. By fully deploying that 17.3-inch screen, suddenly you have a ton of extra space for productivity, gaming (well light gaming) or anything else. Does it take some extra effort? Yeah. But at the same time, it’s actually kind of practical (and it doesn’t hurt that it reminds me of playing with Transformers as a kid). You can prop up the Zenbook using ASUS’ built-in kickstand while positioning the Bluetooth keyboard wherever you like. And because there are two Thunderbolt 4 ports on different sides of the machine, it’s easy to plug in peripherals or a power cable when you need to recharge.

Aside from laptop and desktop modes, you can also use the Zenbook 17 Fold as a big tablet, which allowed my wife and I to watch She-Hulk while waiting at the gate for our flight. Despite some sizable letterboxing, it was really nice having a bigger display to look at as opposed to huddling around a six-inch phone. There’s even something ASUS calls book mode that feels kinda like you’re holding a giant magazine (remember those?). Though similar to tablet mode, the sheer size of the screen makes both tablet and book modes feel a bit too unwieldy to use with any sort of regularity.

Unfortunately, ASUS didn’t copy the same sort of mil-spec 810G durability Lenovo provides with the X1 Fold. But even so, after more than a week of being tossed in a bag that got thrown under seats or into multiple overheard cargo bins, the Zenbook made it out unscathed. So not quite army-grade, but as far as my battle testing goes, it gets a pass.

Display and cameras

As for the screen itself, ASUS touts a peak brightness of 500 nits for HDR content, though in more typical conditions, I found that the Zenbook outputs closer to 350 nits, which is plenty bright for general use. Around the outside of the display, there are half-inch bezels that do look kind of chunky compared to other modern laptops. But given the amount of bending, flipping and moving of the screen you do with the Zenbook, I don’t think I’d want them any smaller, at least not until ASUS can shave some weight off this thing.

The real highlight of the 2560 x 1920 OLED panel is all the bright colors and deep blacks. I know OLED screens are becoming more popular on premium systems, but the vibrancy you get from them is even more impressive on a flexible display. The screen’s one small weakness is its shiny coating, which likes to pick up fingerprints while also being a bit more reflective than your typical glossy panel. I also want to mention that despite its display dominating the Zenbook’s design, its quad Dolby Atmos speakers sound quite good for its size.

To handle video calls, the Zenbook features a nifty set of cameras which include a 5MP main shooter and some IR sensors, which can be used for facial login or to detect your presence. This allows the laptop to automatically lock itself when you walk away for some added security or to turn on a screen saver to reduce battery drain and prevent potential burn-in. The one quirk is that because the Zenbook was designed to be primarily used in desktop mode, you’ll get vertical pics and videos in laptop mode, which isn’t exactly ideal for meetings. Meanwhile, because the webcam sits on the side of the display in desktop mode, properly positioning your face in the center can be a little tricky too.

Performance

The ZenBook 17 Fold is pretty well-rounded with an Intel Core i7-1250U CPU, 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. Performance was generally smooth and I only encountered a few hitches once the battery dipped below five percent. But, the choice of a U-series chip means the Zenbook isn’t quite as powerful as many traditional clamshells, with systems like the Dell XPS 13 Plus and Lenovo Yoga 9i posting higher scores across a number of tests including Geekbench 5 and PCMark 10. In short, it can handle typical productivity and even a bit of very casual gaming, just don’t expect much more than that.

Keyboard and software

Alright, so far everything has been pretty positive, but without getting overly doom and gloom, it’s time to talk about the Zenbook’s flaws. In theory, its magnetic keyboard is the perfect companion for a flexible hybrid. It connects wirelessly over Bluetooth and its tailored dimensions mean you can tuck it away neatly inside the display while traveling. You even get 1.4mm of key travel, which is pretty great on a peripheral this thin.

Unfortunately, actually using it feels like trying to give medicine to an upset baby, because no matter how nicely you ask, it just won’t listen to you. At first, the keyboard struggled to stay connected, which meant I had to unpair and repair it every time the Zenbook went to sleep. Then I noticed that its touchpad was jumpy and erratic, sometimes bouncing around without me moving my finger or being slow to respond to commands.

To make matters worse, while the system is supposed to automatically recognize when you lay the keyboard on top of the bottom half of the screen in laptop mode, for some reason the Zenbook simply ignored that procedure when launching certain apps. This causes everything to jump back into full-screen mode until you lift the keyboard and drop it down again, which is downright frustrating especially when you’re trying to play a game. It’s not just me either, practically everyotherperson who has reviewed the Zenbook 17 Fold has encountered similar issues, which is a real shame because it puts a real damper on the device’s potential.

Furthermore, while the keyboard has a USB-C port for charging and excellent battery life (upwards of 12 hours), you still have to charge it separately (there’s no backlighting either). This feels like a weird oversight compared to something like a Surface Pro and Microsoft’s Type Covers, where you never need to worry about connectivity issues or keeping the keyboard topped up because they’re an integral part of the system. But with the Zenbook, while it looks like a core component, the keyboard feels more like an afterthought.

Also, I have to mention that on a device this expensive, some of ASUS’ software and pre-loaded bloat is rather irritating. In addition to McAfee LiveSafe constantly bombarding you with unnecessary notifications, trying to find important settings in the MyASUS app is a real chore. But the thing that really pisses me off is that ASUS’ GlideX app — which lets you turn a spare tablet or phone into a secondary display — is limited to 720p and has embedded ads unless you pay extra to unlock the Plus, Pro or Ultra tiers. I mean come on, this is a very expensive (and sort of experimental) premium device, those perks really ought to be free. And no, limited-time promos don’t count.

Battery life

When it comes to longevity, one of the big fears with a flexible convertible like this is that all the extra support required to hold everything together takes up valuable room where a battery might go. But to my pleasant surprise, the Zenbook 17 Fold fared better than I expected. On our local video rundown test, it lasted 14 hours and 9 minutes in desktop mode, and an even better 15:26 in laptop mode. That’s a good mark for any portable PC, and as long as you’re not overloading the processor, the Zenbook’s battery holds up during everyday use as well.

Wrap-up

After using this thing for the better part of two weeks and lugging it across half of Europe, I’ve got some thoughts. At first, I was constantly worried about breaking it during my travels. But once those concerns faded, I started to really appreciate its flexibility. Simply thinking about this as a standard 2-in-1 isn’t quite right, because it’s a lot more adaptable than that.

Depending on the situation, the Zenbook 17 Fold changed from being a big tablet for watching shows and movies to an ultraportable that let me work in tight spaces to a portable desktop I could use as my command station away from home. I’m usually one who longs for the comfort of a second monitor when I’m not at my desk, but those yearnings didn’t hit nearly as hard on this trip. And to my delight, it performed well in all of those roles. On top of that, between Windows 11 and ASUS’ ScreenXpert tool, it’s much easier to choose the right app layout for whatever mode you’re in. (If you’ll remember, the original ThinkPad X1 Fold was designed to run on Windows 10X, which ended up getting canceled last year.) And the decision to include a bigger 17.3-inch screen gives you more room for work or play, while also making content look great.

However, where the Zenbook falters is in its software, wonky Bluetooth keyboard, and of course, that $3,500 price tag. But what’s really stopping me from loving it is the short time I’ve spent with Lenovo’s 2022 ThinkPad X1 Fold. That’s because for Lenovo’s second-gen flexible laptop, the company came up with a brand new chassis featuring a more compact hinge, a revamped keyboard and a redesigned stand. Lenovo also retained its mil-spec durability and stylus support, neither of which you get on the Zenbook. So while the Zenbook 17 Fold is an admirable first attempt and improves on the category as a whole, it still has a few regressions that leave it feeling more like a polished take on a slightly dated design than a true rival to Lenovo’s next-gen foldable.

 

The next generation of iPhones only just went on sale, but enough about them; what about the iPhone 15? According to display analyst Ross Young, the new Dynamic Island, found on iPhone 14 Pro models, will be standard on all 2023 iPhones, mimicking the rollout of Apple’s display notch which first appeared on the 2018 iPhone X.

Making the Dynamic Island standard on every new iPhone would cajole developers into utilizing the new display layout. Once iOS 16.1 arrives later this year, Dynamic Island will also work with Apple’s Live Activities API, adding interactive notifications. ProMotion 120Hz displays will likely stay exclusive to Pro variants, ensuring the cheaper iPhones remain more affordable.

– Mat Smith

 

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Add a tiny pixel pet to your iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island

Just use Reddit app Apollo.

Apple’s new Dynamic Island interface is also being used in… different ways. Take Reddit client Apollo, which has added “Pixel Pals.” The feature adds a Tamagotchi-like critter that does cute things on top of your phone’s Dynamic Island while you have Apollo open. You can even choose between a few animals, including a cat, dog, hedgehog, fox or axolotl. Game-changing? No. Cute? Very.

Continue reading.

PS VR games will not be compatible with PS VR2

Demos were live at the Tokyo Game Show.

Sony’s PlayStation VR2 headset will arrive early next year, and some folks have tested it out at the Tokyo Game Show. It’s been well-received so far, but enthusiasm was tempered by news that existing PS VR games will not work on the next-gen hardware. The company’s senior vice-president of platform experience Hideaki Nishino said: “PS VR2 has much more advanced features, like [an] all-new controller with haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, inside-out tracking, eye tracking, 3D audio is coming together and 4K HDR.” He added: “This means developing games for PS VR2 requires a whole different approach than the original PS VR.”

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Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro are on sale ahead of launch day

They’re currently $10 less than MSRP.

If you were thinking of grabbing Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro, you should consider buying them from Amazon – because they’re already discounted. Ahead of their September 23rd release date, the retailer has priced the earbuds at $240, or $10 less than MSRP. We haven’t reviewed the 2022 AirPods Pro yet, but expect improved active noise cancellation thanks to Apple’s new H2 chip and the addition of volume touch controls, something the first-gen AirPods Pro lacked.

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A ‘Genshin Impact’ anime is on the way

Meanwhile, version 3.1 of the game will land on September 28th.

Genshin Impact is one of the biggest gaming success stories of the last few years. Finally, fans will have another way to enjoy the world of Teyvat at some point, as developer miHoYo has teamed up with animation studio Ufotable to create an anime based on the free-to-play action RPG. There’s already a concept trailer to watch, but given the lush anime aesthetics of the game, it’s a little surprising this spin-off took this long.

Continue reading.

 

Google’s next WiFi 6E router may have been revealed prematurely via a B&H Photo Video listing, 9to5Mac has reported. The “Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E” is shown available for pre-order at $199.99 in multiple colors, or $299.99 and $399.99 in 2- and 3-packs. No images or other details are shown, including whether it will ship with the “Point” network extenders. 

Google’s Made By Google event takes place on October 6th, with the company set to unveil the Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel Watch and “additions to the Nest smart home portfolio.” That now seems likely to include the Nest WiFi Pro, which already leaked in an FCC listing that detailed Bluetooth LE and mesh networking. The update to WiFi 6E means that the routers will be less subject to interference than current WiFi 6 models, thanks to an additional 6-7Ghz bandwidth range. 

If accurate, it seems that Google is following the “Pro” naming scheme used on its Pixel 7 Pro and Pixel Buds Pro. It’s therefore likely to sell it alongside the current WiFi lineup which is currently seeing steep discounts — a sure sign of an upcoming product. For instance, the Nest WiFi router is normally $349 for a three-pack but is currently marked down by $150, and the the $100 Google WiFi router is also on sale.

 

Boom recently lost its jet engine partner for the Overture supersonic jet, and other major engine manufacturers aren’t interested in the project either, Insider has reported. After Boom signed an “engagement agreement” with Rolls-Royce for supersonic jet engines back in 2020, the latter announced last week that it had left the project. Now, other major jet engine manufacturers including Pratt & Whitney, GE Aviation, Honeywell and Safran Aircraft Engines have told FlightGlobal they’re not currently interested in supersonic aircraft.

Boom said that the project is still on track, though, and that it will soon announce an engine partner. “We can reconfirm our intention to announce Boom’s selected engine partner and transformational approach for reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable supersonic flight, later this year.” Boom told Insider. The company has 20 airplanes on order from American Airlines and 15 from United. It plans to build build a factory in California and start flying passengers by 2029.

For its part, Rolls-Royce said that “after careful consideration… [we] have determined that the commercial aviation supersonic market is not currently a priority for us and, therefore, will not pursue further work on the program at this time.”

After careful consideration, Rolls-Royce has determined that the commercial aviation supersonic market is not currently a priority for us and, therefore, will not pursue further work on the program at this time.

There are a limited number of other manufacturers capable of developing a supersonic jet engine, and all of the biggest ones said that it’s not in their plans. Honeywell, Safron and GE shut down the idea, while Pratt & Whitney stated that supersonic travel is “tangential” to its business.

Pratt & Whitney cited efficiency as an issue for supersonic jets, and other manufacturers said they’re focused on reducing fuel-burn. That’s the primary direction for the industry right now, given criticism of air travel’s contribution to global warming. In addition, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) recently bashed supersonic travel, noting in a report that it would use 7-9 times more fuel per passenger, per kilometer, than subsonic jets. 

Boom has said that it would offset its carbon output through the use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). However, the ICAO report said that would be a poor use of scarce SAF fuels, given the high fuel burn compared to a regular jet. It also noted that “the high cruise altitude of supersonics increases the residence time of emissions significantly.”

 

If you’re seeking a wireless charger or other smartphone accessories, now is a good time to stock up. For today only, you can pick up various Anker products at Amazon with discounts as high as 39 percent, including its 622 Magnetic Battery, USB-C to Lightning cables and 533 USB-C Hub with 100W power delivery.

Buy Anker charging products at Amazon

The Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (MagGo) snaps right on to your iPhone 12/13, boosting range by a significant 5,000mAh. It’s relatively thin at 12.8mm, attaches using a super-strong magnet and charges either wirelessly or via the USB-C port and included cable. It also doubles as a kickstand, letting you prop up your phone for video chats, movie watching and more. It’s normally priced at $60, but you can now grab one for $45 for a savings of $15 (25 percent).

If you’re tired of losing iPhone charging cables and just want to get a bunch of them, Anker’s USB-C to Lightning cable is available in a five-pack for $37, or 38 percent off the regular $60 price. For that, you get two 3-foot cables, two 6-foot cables and one 10-footer, each compatible with USB-C chargers up to 87 watts. They also allow you to connect your iPhone to a Mac for seamless sync and charging.

And if it’s a hub you’re after, Anker’s 533 8-in1 USB-C Hub is a solid option. It offers 100W power delivery, 4K 60Hz HDMI, USB-C 3.2 10 Gbps, two USB-A 3.2 10 Gbps and SD/microSD UHS-1 ports. That makes it ideal for connecting all types of accessories to MacBooks or certain iPad Pro models, while not taking up a lot of desk space. It’s on sale for $56, which is a full $24 (30 percent) off the normal price. If you’re interested in any of these, act soon, because it’s strictly a one-day sale.

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