Category: Technology

Buying a computer, especially one from Apple, is typically going to cost you a pretty penny. So sales are critical for getting all the devices we want. Right now, we’re looking at the Apple 2024 Mac mini M4, which is down to $499 from $599. The 17 percent discount gets you a model with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD. 

We gave the Mac mini M4 a 90 in our review thanks to features like its small design but very fast performance. Seriously, it’s less than half the size of its predecessor. It also offers a standard of 16GB of RAM, USB-C and headphone ports, which the Mac minis have been lacking. 

Think you might need a bit more storage? The best deal is actually on the Mac Mini M4 with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD. It’s down to $689 from $799 — saving you $110. Then there’s the version with 24GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD, which has dropped to $902 from $999.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-mac-mini-m4-is-back-on-sale-for-499-131518476.html?src=rss 

Google has agreed to pay a fine of $55 million AUD ($36 million USD) for anticompetitive practices, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) announced. It stems from deals Google undertook with Australian telecommunications companies Telstra and Optus to only pre-install Google Search. 

The key there is that these companies couldn’t install any other search engine. Telstra and Optus then got a share of Google’s ad revenue from customers using Google search on their respective Androids. Google admitted these agreements were “likely to have had the effect of substantially lessening competition.” These deals were in place from December 2019 to March 2021. 

“Conduct that restricts competition is illegal in Australia because it usually means less choice, higher costs or worse service for consumers,” ACCC Chair Gina-Cass Gottlieb said before turning the emphasis to AI. “Importantly, these changes come at a time when AI search tools are revolutionising how we search for information, creating new competition. With AI search tools becoming increasingly available, consumers can experiment with search services on their mobiles.”

Unlike some past instances in which Google has defended itself against an investigation or fine, the company is cooperating. It has admitted liability and proposed the fine alongside the ACCC. A court will determine whether its an apt punishment. Google has offered a range of search provider options to EU Android users since 2020 — after facing another antitrust ruling and a €4.3 billion ($5 billion) fine. 

Last year, Telstra and Optus came to agreements with the ACCC that they wouldn’t make similar arrangements with Google moving forward. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-will-pay-australia-36-million-over-anticompetitive-search-deal-with-mobile-carriers-110956889.html?src=rss 

The first-ever World Humanoid Robot Games have come to a close with some new world records, but don’t expect them to beat humans in a 100-meter dash any time soon. The three-day robotics event in Beijing, China that saw humanoid robots compete in everything from boxing to cleaning concluded this weekend. According to the World Humanoid Robot Games, more than 280 teams from 16 countries, including the US, Germany, Brazil and the host country, entered their robots into the event.

A majority of the teams came from universities, but several teams came from established robotics companies like Unitree and Fournier Intelligence. Hundreds of robots competed in traditional sporting events like running, soccer and table tennis, along with events for more practical tasks, like cleaning or sorting medicine. Unitree snagged gold medals in four categories, including the 1,500-meter, 400-meter, 100-meter, and 4×100-meter dash events. According to Unitree, the fastest speed achieved by one of its robots during the event was 4.78 m/s, which is roughly 10 mph.

In the 100-meter sprint, Unitree boasted a 33.71-second time, but that’s nowhere near the world record holder Usain Bolt’s time of 9.58 seconds, which was achieved in 2009. Instead, most teams took this event as an opportunity to showcase the abilities of their designs, while also stress-testing their robots in a competitive environment. We’re still a long way from widespread adoption of these humanoid bots though, especially if they can’t avoid running into each other.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chinas-inaugural-robot-olmypics-delivers-impressive-feats-and-disastrous-falls-221450258.html?src=rss 

Following a wave of lawsuits alleging that Roblox doesn’t provide a safe environment for its underage users, the gaming platform made a series of sweeping updates to its policies. To address recent concerns, Roblox published a post on its website detailing these major changes, including restricting all unrated experiences, which is what Roblox calls its user-generated games, to the developer or those actively working with them. Roblox said this change will roll out in the coming months, representing a big shift from its previous policy that allowed users 13 or older to access unrated experiences.

To further prevent any inappropriate behavior, any “social hangout” experiences that depict private spaces, like bedrooms or bathrooms, will be limited to ID-verified users who are 17 or older. Roblox will also restrict social hangout games that mostly take place in those previously-mentioned private spaces or adult-only places, like bars or clubs, to users who are at least 17 and have been ID-verified. To assist with the new rules, Roblox will roll out a new tool that automatically detects “violative scenes,” or more simply, user activity that goes against the rules. According to Roblox’s new policies, a server that hits enough violations will automatically get taken down and will have to work with the Roblox team to adjust the experience and get it back online.

These policy changes come after several lawsuits were filed against Roblox that claim the game doesn’t protect its younger users. In response to the lawsuit filed by Louisiana’s attorney general, Roblox wrote in a separate post that it works to block any efforts at exploitative behavior and constantly enhances its moderation approaches.

“Any assertion that Roblox would intentionally put our users at risk of exploitation is simply untrue,” the company statement read. “No system is perfect and bad actors adapt to evade detection, including efforts to take users to other platforms, where safety standards and moderation practices may differ.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/roblox-cracks-down-on-its-user-created-content-following-multiple-child-safety-lawsuits-193452150.html?src=rss 

The court has blocked the Federal Trade Commission’s investigation into Media Matters, the media nonprofit that previously published research showing that ads appeared on X alongside neo-Nazi and other antisemitic content. In 2023, Elon Musk’s X filed a lawsuit against the media watchdog following an advertiser exodus. It accused Media Matters of “knowingly and maliciously manufactur[ing] side-by-side images depicting advertisers’ posts on X Corp.’s social media platform beside Neo-Nazi and white national fringe content.” Just this May, the FTC started looking into whether the nonprofit violated antitrust laws by allegedly colluding with advertising and advocacy groups to boycott X. 

In June, Media Matters sued the FTC, accusing it of unfairly targeting the group in retaliation for past criticisms of X. “The Federal Trade Commission seeks to punish Media Matters for its journalism and speech in exposing matters of substantial public concern — including how X.com has enabled and profited from extremist content that proliferated after Elon Musk took over the platform formerly known as Twitter,” the group said at the time. Now, Judge Sparkle L. Sooknanan has granted a preliminary injunction in the nonprofit’s favor. 

Sooknanan has agreed with the group that the FTC’s investigation is “a retaliatory act” and has noted that it is “likely to succeed on its First Amendment retaliation claim.” She wrote in her decision that such probes would deter other reporters from speaking again. “Indeed, the FTC’s [investigation] has had its intended effect.” Apparently, because of the probe, Media Matters has “decided against pursuing certain stories about the FTC, Chairman Ferguson, and Mr. Musk.”

“The court’s ruling demonstrates the importance of fighting over folding, which far too many are doing when confronted with intimidation from the Trump administration,” Angelo Carusone, the president of Media Matters, told The New York Times. “We will continue to stand up and fight for the First Amendment rights that protect every American.” As the publication notes, courts had also blocked investigations into the group by the attorneys general in Texas and Missouri. Musk’s lawsuits against the nonprofit, however, are still ongoing.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/court-blocks-ftc-investigation-into-media-matters-alleged-scheme-against-x-160021473.html?src=rss 

With a barrage of new Apple and Google devices around the corner, our reviews team is clearing their desks of new products before the pre-fall deluge begins. There’s a well-rounded mix of in-depth testing this time around, including a detailed preview of watchOS 26 and more VPN trials. Kick off the weekend by catching up on all of the reviews you might’ve missed over the last few weeks from Engadget.

Dell 14 Premium

While we’re still trying to wrap our heads around Dell’s naming scheme decision, the company continues to churn out new devices. The latest to cross senior reviews writer Sam Rutherford’s desk was the Dell 14 Premium. You might remember this model as the XPS 14, and according to Sam, Dell retained “the DNA” that made previous versions some of the best notebook PCs you could buy. “Even with a new and rather uninspired name, it probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Dell 14 Premium remains one of the best Windows laptops on the market,” he said. “It has the same sleek design from back when it was still called the XPS 14 but with some refreshed specs and components for 2025.”

Framework Desktop (2025)

Framework is known for its modular, repairable laptops, but the company has now tried its hand at bringing the same formula to a desktop. Unfortunately, the first attempt isn’t nearly as modular or repairable as a regular PC, according to senior editor Daniel Cooper. “Framework was open about the fact this was something akin to a side project, outside its regular remit to build modular laptops, based on a particularly exciting chip,” he explained. “So while I think the all-in-one approach is a backward step compared to regular PCs, I get the rationale for doing so here.”

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6

This year’s crop of soundbars finally arrived over the summer, so I’ve been spending lots of time with home theater speakers recently. The latest was the Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6, a soundbar/subwoofer combo that sits in the middle of the company’s current lineup. Despite great sound and dialogue performance, the caveats here are real dealbreakers. “The lack of Wi-Fi on a $650 soundbar is absurd, mostly because it strips users of the convenience of AirPlay, Chromecast and other wireless connection options,” I wrote. “I also can’t get over the need to use a thumb drive for updates when OTA downloads for new firmware have been the norm on soundbars for years.”

Lenovo ThinkPad X9-14 Aura Edition

Lenovo’s ThinkPads are popular office laptops, and the X9-14 is the latest in a long line of business machines. Contributing writer Rami Tabari explains that this model offers a lot of the qualities that make ThinkPads great, but the price, low-power CPU and subpar keyboard leave something to be desired. “I can’t justify the average consumer paying $1,283 for the ThinkPad X9-14 with specs you’d find in laptops that cost hundreds of dollars less (minus the RAM, of course),” he noted. “For small business owners, I recommend waiting for a sale or consider a business laptop marketed more toward you (again, the ASUS ExpertBook P5 (P5405) is a great choice).”

watchOS 26 preview and Norton VPN review

We’re quickly approaching the arrival of a new set of Apple Watches, so senior buying advice reporter Amy Skorheim spent two weeks with the upcoming version of watchOS. Her favorite new features are the AI workout partner and added gesture, but she explained that it’s the little things that make this annual overhaul worthwhile. 

Meanwhile, senior writer Sam Chapman returned to the land of VPNs to test Norton’s version as a standalone app. While this service isn’t necessarily bad, it also doesn’t offer enough to rise above the heap that includes ExpressVPN, Surfshark and others. “After a week of working with Norton VPN, I have to conclude that the only way it distinguishes itself is the Norton name,” he said. “For everything else it does, a competitor does it better.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-dell-14-premium-framework-desktop-sony-theater-bar-6-and-more-130008670.html?src=rss