Category: Technology

Because of sanctions that will prevent Huawei’s latest foldable from going on sale in the US, many folks who are interested in the handset will never lay eyes on it in person. Still, you might want to get a load of this oddity.

The Pura X should maybe have a “wide load” warning that pops up on the back once it’s opened up. Per CNBC, the 6.3-inch display has a 16:10 aspect ratio. That means it’s wider and more tablet-like than most other phones. It’s not quite as unusual as Huawei’s (admittedly cool-looking) tri-fold Mate XT, but it’s still funky. Close the hinge and the Pura X folds into a square that has a 3.5-inch display and brings the rear camera array to the front.

The handset, which starts at 7,499 Chinese yuan (about $1,037), stands out for other reasons. The Pura X is the first Huawei phone that doesn’t have a lick of Android. It runs on a version of HarmonyOS that the brand revealed back in November. It also features Xiaoyi, an in-house AI assistant that uses DeepSeek’s tech to bolster Huawei’s own Pangu model.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/huawei-reveals-a-wide-ass-1610-foldable-with-a-deepseek-powered-ai-assistant-171548907.html?src=rss 

Tesla is recalling more than 46,000 Cybertrucks due to a potential safety issue. According to a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the armored vehicle’s cant rail (a cosmetic exterior trim panel) could detach from the truck, potentially leading to injury or a collision.

The recall covers all 46,096 Cybertrucks manufactured between November 13, 2023, and February 27, 2025. Given that the vehicle launched in late 2023, that should be, well, just about all of them. The NHTSA filing states that owners of the vehicles can visit a Tesla service department for a free cant rail replacement.

The recall is the latest in a recent downward slide for Tesla. Last month, its US sales reportedly fell two percent year over year even as the country’s EV market grew by 16 percent. The automaker’s picture is even gloomier in other regions: Its China sales plummeted by 49 percent (compared to 85 percent EV growth in the country) and sales dropped by 76 percent in Germany (vs. 31 percent EV growth there).

That has resulted in Tesla’s stock falling by over 40 percent since January. Elon Musk’s DOGE shenanigans are leading to snowballing consequences not only for the US government but also for his EV company.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-recalls-over-46000-cybertrucks-over-a-faulty-exterior-panel-153844072.html?src=rss 

TikTok is bringing Amber Alerts to the For You feed, the platform just announced via blog post. It has teamed up with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) to bring these alerts to users and to “leverage the power of the US TikTok community” to help reunite kids with their families.

The social media platform started experimenting with this functionality last year, with a pilot program in Texas. The rollout was successful, with TikTok saying Amber Alerts in Texas were viewed more than 20 million times and contributed to 2.5 million visits to NCMEC’s website.

When an AMBER Alert is issued, users who live near the missing child will see it show up in the For You feed. The posts will feature two hyperlinks. One will lead to the relevant NCMEC data and the other will contact 911, just in case there’s information to impart. The platform is also donating advertising credits from these posts to “amplify NCMEC’s messaging via their official TikTok account.”

This is just the latest social media platform to integrate Amber Alerts in some way. Instagram began pushing these alerts to users back in 2022. Facebook did the same in 2015. Here’s hoping that TikTok’s adoption of this idea leads to more kids returning safely to their loved ones.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-is-adding-amber-alerts-to-the-for-you-feed-162909699.html?src=rss 

Many Shark robot vacuums and related products have been deeply discounted as part of the Amazon Spring Sale. This includes the well-regarded Shark AI Ultra robovac, which is now $300 instead of $438. That’s a pretty serious deal.

The Shark AI Ultra not only made our list of the best robot vacuums, but it was our very favorite. This is a fantastic machine. The suction is strong, particularly for a robot vacuum, and the mobile app is easy to use. The vacuum ships with an extra-large self-emptying base that can go 60 days without manual intervention.

It’s great for pet hair and all-around cleaning tasks. The only major downside is that this isn’t a hybrid unit, so it doesn’t mop. For that, consider the Shark Matrix Plus. This 2-in-1 robovac vacuums and mops, and it’s currently on sale for $400. That’s a massive discount of 47 percent, as the typical price is an eyebrow-raising $750.

This one also includes a self-emptying base that can accommodate 60 days of dirt and debris. It boasts a true HEPA filter and excels at mopping away deep stains. This is thanks to powerful scrubbers that operate at 100 times per minute. We couldn’t truly recommend this model at its original price, as that’s a whole lot of cheddar, but it’s a steal right now for $400.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/shark-robot-vacuums-are-up-to-47-percent-off-as-part-of-the-amazon-spring-sale-151615172.html?src=rss 

It’s no secret that Dyson devices are pricey, but you can find good sales on them if you’re patient and know where to look. Case in point, the Amazon Spring Sale: not only are a few Dyson cordless vacuums included amongst the discounts, but this Dyson Hot+Cool Jet Focus heater and fan is as well. You can snag it for $300, or $170 off its usual price.

As its name suggests, the Dyson Hot+Cool AM09 Jet Focus can heat your room in the winter and cool it off in the summer. Its fan mode includes Air Multiplier tech, which creates a smooth and uninterrupted airstream thanks to its lack of traditional fan blades. When you need some warmth, its ceramic plates heat up quickly.

The appliance has two modes: focused and diffused. Focused mode warms or cools one person, while diffused mode heats your entire room or provides a gentle breeze during the summer. It oscillates at a 70-degree angle. Dyson’s fan has a sleep timer with a shutoff range between 15 minutes and nine hours, and you can store its curved and magnetized remote control inside the appliance to help prevent it from being lost.

The lowest we’ve ever seen this product’s price drop is $280, so being able to snag it for $300 in the middle of March, when we’re nowhere near Black Friday or Prime Day, is about as good a deal as you can hope for.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-spring-sale-includes-this-dyson-heater-and-fan-for-36-percent-off-173031811.html?src=rss 

In case you need further evidence that companies involved in AI chip manufacturing are looking to give themselves whatever edge they can, SoftBank is adding to its institutional expertise by buying former Intel president Renee James’ Ampere Computing. The conglomerate is paying $6.5 billion in cash for the chip design business.

Ampere, which James founded in 2018, focused on cloud-native computing at first. No prizes for guessing which area the company has moved into since then: “sustainable AI compute,” according to a press release.

SoftBank is betting that Ampere will bolster Arm’s research and development. It was reported last month that Arm, which SoftBank also owns, is working on an in-house chip.

“As SoftBank Group broadens its AI infrastructure investments in ventures such as Cristal intelligence and Stargate, the acquisition will help enhance SoftBank Group’s capabilities in key areas and accelerate its growth initiatives,” the company said in a statement. Ampere is set to keep its name and run as a wholly owned subsidiary after the deal closes, which is expected to happen later this year pending regulatory approval and other closing conditions.

“With a shared vision for advancing AI, we are excited to join SoftBank Group and partner with its portfolio of leading technology companies,” James, who is CEO of Ampere, said in a statement. “This is a fantastic outcome for our team, and we are excited to drive forward our AmpereOne roadmap for high performance Arm processors and AI.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/softbank-is-buying-ex-intel-president-renee-james-chip-design-company-for-65-billion-141112408.html?src=rss 

With the Amazon Spring Sale getting underway in a few days, a great deal on Audible is already available. You can snag three months of Audible Premium Plus for only $3, or just $1 per month. That’s one of the best deals we’ve seen on the audiobook streaming service.

We last saw this discount in January, but Amazon’s now bringing it back in the lead up to its latest major shopping event, though you’ll have until April 30 to take up the deal. You can cancel the subscription at any time. That’s worth bearing in mind, as after the three months are up, the price will rise to the usual Premium Plus cost of $15 per month.

The Premium Plus plan grants you one credit per month. You can use a credit to claim any audiobook you like and you’ll retain access to it even after your subscription expires. In other words, you can permanently add three audiobooks to your collection for $3.

The Premium Plus plan also includes access to thousands of other audiobooks. You’ll also be able to listen to Audible Originals as well as podcasts through the service. All of that for a dollar a month is not a bad deal at all.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-spring-sale-deals-include-three-months-of-audible-for-only-3-145456901.html?src=rss 

Discord is officially launching Quest ads on mobile and will start showing users videos in exchange for rewards starting in June 2025. The messaging service has been testing its advertising experience called “Quests” on mobile for a while now after they were officially launched on desktop a year ago. But next month, video Quests will become widely available on its mobile application. Discord frames the experience as as “a way for players to discover games and new content while earning rewards for playing, streaming, or watching videos.” 

For advertisers, though, it’s a way to get people to watch their trailers for new games, as well as video announcements for things like DLC drops. Some Quests even ask users to stream games to unlock rewards, potentially gaining advertisers new players for their titles. Discord says companies have used the format for advertising campaigns for some of the most recognizable video game franchises out there, including Diablo, Street Fighter, World of Warcraft and Genshin Impact. Other non-video game companies have also used the format, so you can expect movie trailers and other kinds of video announcements, as well. Max, for instance, made users watch a trailer of Dune: Prophecy before it premiered. Like on desktop, users will get a notification when a Quest is available, and they can choose to accept it to perform the task that it requires. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/the-discord-app-is-getting-video-ads-in-june-130054000.html?src=rss 

If you’re looking to boost the Wi-Fi coverage in your home without spending too much, the Amazon Spring Sale has you covered. The TP-Link Deco mesh Wi-Fi system is $120 off as part of the Big Spring Sale. While not a record-low, it’s close to it and a great deal considering how expensive mesh Wi-Fi systems can be.

The Deco XE75 Pro comes with three nodes (or satellites) offering coverage up to 7,200 square feet, which is especially beneficial for large family homes or home office setups. Each node has one 2.5 Gbps and two Gigabit ports which offer a stable and reliable wired connection for devices such as your PC, laptop and game consoles. Thanks to AI-driven mesh technology, your mesh Wi-Fi system uses the same user name and password, meaning you can move from room to room switching nodes in the background and on the fly for an uninterrupted wireless connection.

If you’ve never used a mesh Wi-Fi system (or have limited experience with them), setup is fairly simple using the Deco app. You’ll have access to three wireless network bands as well: 6 GHz (2402 Mbps), 5 GHz (2402 Mbps) and 2.4 GHz (574 Mbps). We ranked the Deco XE75 Pro “best mesh Wi-Fi system for most” in our best mesh Wi-Fi system buying guide because of its excellent performance, comprehensive coverage and user-friendliness. This three-pack gives you everything you need (and arguably more than you need) to enjoy fast and reliable whole-home coverage.

You can set up a separate guest Wi-Fi network, meaning your friends and family can easily join your Wi-Fi without having to grant them access to your devices or data. Although the app could do with a bit of polish in places, it does support voice commands via Alexa, so you can conveniently turn your guest Wi-Fi on or off with voice commands.

TP-Link’s HomeShield is built into the Deco XE75 Pro, which gives you access to a suite of customizable security features. You can set parental controls to block specific websites, strengthen your network security, or program “no internet” bedtimes for your kids. With this deal, you get a lot of bang for your buck, future-proofing your home Wi-Fi at a fraction of the usual cost.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-120-off-our-favorite-mesh-wi-fi-system-with-this-amazon-spring-sale-deal-133030064.html?src=rss