Category: Technology

Google Assistant’s days are numbered. Google announced Friday that all Android devices are switching to Gemini as their default assistant and “the classic Google Assistant will no longer be accessible on most mobile devices.”

The company says it’s working to convert more mobile devices from Google Assistant to Gemini in 2025, and plans on “upgrading tablets, cars and devices that connect to your phone, such as headphones and watches” to the new AI assistant. That presumably includes other platforms like iOS, as well. While smart home devices don’t seem to be a focus at Google as of late, the company also reaffirmed plans to use Gemini to power a new experience on speakers, displays, and streaming boxes.

The only way to really avoid Google Assistant’s retirement is to have a device that doesn’t meet Gemini’s minimum system requirements: Running at least Android 10 and having at least 2GB of RAM. If you’ve got both, say goodbye to your old assistant.

For those willing to look, the writing has been on the wall for Google Assistant for a while now. Google launched its Pixel 9 line with Gemini as the default instead of Google Assistant, a pretty bad sign considering Pixels function as one big Google lifestyle ad. The company has also deliberately tried to give Gemini basic capabilities of Assistant over time, presumably to make this transition possible. 

It’s not clear when the switch will happen, but it would make sense for any Android 16 device to use Gemini rather than last years model.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-is-removing-assistant-from-most-phones-this-year-182700104.html?src=rss 

Fujifilm appears to be working on a camera that could combine the best of its medium-format shooters, like the GFX 100S II, with the massively popular X100 series, based on a new teaser video spotted by Digital Camera World.

The video, titled “X Summit in Prague is going to be special, Fujifilm fam🇨🇿” shows a pair of hands producing a XV100 VI and GFX 100S II out of thin air and bringing the cameras together, before cutting to the silhouette of the new camera the company presumably plans to announce. The suggestion being that Fujifilm wants to create something that has traits of its more compact, fixed-lens X100 series while reaping the benefits of a medium-format sensor.

It’s hard to really gauge what the new camera will look like based on the brief clip in the video, but it definitely looks larger (and more square) than the X100 VI, with a smaller lens than you’d normally see on a camera in Fujifilm’s GFX 100S II. That certainly bodes well for anyone looking to up their photography game after getting hooked on one of the X100 cameras.

Fujifilm first struck gold with the X100 V, which became popular on social platforms because of its size, design and ability to digitally mimic multiple types of analog film. The X100 VI was released in 2024 to capitalize on the sudden popularity, gaining things like in-body stabilization and a lower native ISO. For all intents and purposes, it’s a fantastic camera.

We’ll have to wait until Fujifilm’s X Summit on March 20 to see if this new camera has the potential to have the same crossover appeal, but history is definitely on the company’s side.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilm-teases-a-medium-format-version-of-its-viral-x100-vi-compact-camera-174117388.html?src=rss 

Apple’s AirPods 4 earbuds are on sale via Amazon for just $100. This is a new record low price, representing a discount of $29. The deal is for the standard model and not the one with ANC. However, that model is also on sale for $149, which is a discount of 17 percent.

These earbuds are generally considered some of the best AirPods on the market. The sound quality is improved over the previous generation, as is the overall design. This leads to a legitimately comfortable fit, which is something of a rarity in the earbud space. We noted in our official review that they don’t fall out when moving around.

This model features the H2 chip, which was introduced for the AirPods Pro. The H2 chip opens up plenty of high-tech features, like Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. These earbuds also offer 48kHz audio for FaceTime calls and Adaptive EQ. Speaking of calls, Apple’s newly introduced Voice Isolation feature helps remove unwanted ambient noise when speaking on the phone.

There are some features missing from these earbuds when compared to the company’s higher-end models. These AirPods don’t have onboard volume controls and there’s no wireless charging. Also, there’s no ANC on the entry-level buds. Again, the ANC-equipped version is also on sale today.

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-airpods-4-drop-to-a-record-low-of-100-152213060.html?src=rss 

Warning: spoilers for season three of Ted Lasso are ahead.

It turns out that all Ted Lasso fans had to do was believe. After many months of rumors and uncertainty, the hit show is coming back to Apple TV+ for a fourth season.

Star, co-creator and executive producer Jason Sudeikis is returning as the eponymous college football coach who was hired to take charge of a soccer team in England. He told the Kelce brothers on their New Heights podcast that the writing team is working on the next season and that, this time around, Ted will be coaching a women’s team. That seems like a nice way to hit the reset button after the so-so third season (don’t @ me).

Apple hasn’t revealed more details about the new season of the Emmy juggernaut yet. No other cast members have been announced, but it was reported some months back that production company Warner Bros. Television has picked up contract options for co-stars Hannah Waddingham (Rebecca Welton), Brett Goldstein (Roy Kent) and Jeremy Swift (Leslie Higgins). Apple did confirm that Goldstein is returning as a writer and executive producer. Brendan Hunt (Coach Beard) is back as an executive producer too.

Ted left his team, AFC Richmond, at the end of season three, to return home to the US for family reasons. But given that a women’s team was proposed in the season finale and Sudeikis saying Ted will coach such a squad, it certainly seems like he’s returning to work alongside his old cohorts.

“As we all continue to live in a world where so many factors have conditioned us to ‘look before we leap,’ in season four, the folks at AFC Richmond learn to leap before they look, discovering that wherever they land, it’s exactly where they’re meant to be,” Sudeikis said.

It’s not clear as yet when Ted Lasso will return. However, given that the show’s writers are currently putting together the fourth season, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to watch new episodes until at least the tail end of this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/ted-lasso-is-returning-to-apple-tv-for-a-fourth-season-153152897.html?src=rss 

Several people have been arrested as part of a corruption investigation linked to the European Parliament and Huawei. The company is suspected of bribing European Union officials, according to the Associated Press.

A spokesperson for the federal prosecutors’ office in Belgium, where the European Parliament is located, said authorities are conducting “an ongoing investigation on preliminary charges of active corruption, forgery of documents, money laundering at the European Parliament.” Prosecutors stated that “the offences were allegedly committed by a criminal organization” and were carried out to promote “purely private commercial interests in the context of political decisions.”

“Corruption was allegedly practiced regularly and very discreetly from 2021 to the present day, under the guise of commercial lobbying and taking various forms, such as compensation for political positions or excessive gifts such as food and travel expenses, or regular invitations to [soccer] matches,” the office said in a statement. It later added that the “alleged bribery is said to have benefited Huawei.”

Police raided several addresses in Belgium and Portugal, according to reports. Two European Parliament offices linked to two assistants who are allegedly involved in the case have been sealed.

Those arrested were being questioned over their alleged involvement “in active corruption within the European Parliament,” prosecutors said. A spokesperson for the office told the BBC that no members of the parliament (MEPs) were directly targeted in these raids. However, reports suggest that around 15 current and former MEPs are “on the radar” of investigators.

Huawei said it would “urgently communicate with the investigation” to better understand the issue at hand, while the company is taking the allegations “seriously.” A spokesperson told The Guardian that “Huawei has a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption or other wrongdoing, and we are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations at all times.”

A European Parliament spokesperson said the legislative body had “received a request for cooperation from the Belgian authorities to assist the investigation which the Parliament will swiftly honor.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/huawei-allegedly-benefited-from-european-parliament-bribery-scheme-142423000.html?src=rss 

One of the best things you can do for your online security is to make sure you have a robust, unique password on every single one of your accounts. But not many of us have the ability to memorize the login details for so many different services if the credentials are as strong as they ought to be. Using a password manager can make all of that much easier. Our favorite, 1Password, is on sale for up to 50 percent off. The 1Password for Families plan is half off at $2.49 per month for one year. That’s about $30 for 12 months of access.

The solo plan, 1Password for Individuals, has dropped from $3 per month to $2.24 for a year — meaning you’d get 12 months of service for $27. So if you want an account for more than one person, the family plan is clearly the way to go.

In part due to its industry standard encryption, other security measures and how straightforward it is to use, 1Password is our pick for the best password manager overall. (Disclosure: 1Password provides journalists free access to its individual plan, an offer I’ve taken up.)

With the individual plan, you can store unlimited passwords and items, as well as 1GB of documents. A family plan includes access for up to 5 people and the same document storage capacity per person.

1Password’s tutorial makes it easy to import your credentials from other password managers. The app rates the strength of each of your passwords so you can quickly see which ones you should update. 

There’s an “open and fill” option that opens a website and plugs in your credentials to sign you in. What’s more, 1Password offers support for passkeys, login credentials that are stored on your devices and protected by a PIN or biometric authentication method such as facial recognition or a fingerprint.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/1password-subscriptions-are-up-to-50-percent-off-right-now-130020224.html?src=rss 

When RCS messaging became available on the iPhone with the rollout of iOS 18, the technical director of the GSM Association teased that the next major milestone for the messaging standard is the addition of interoperable end-to-end encryption. Now, six months later, GSMA has released an updated set of specifications for RCS messaging, which includes end-to-end encryption (E2EE) based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. The new RCS profile will ensure that messages and files remain safe and confidential when sent between iOS and Android devices. 

“…RCS will be the first large-scale messaging service to support interoperable E2EE between client implementations from different providers. Together with other unique security features such as SIM-based authentication, E2EE will provide RCS users with the highest level of privacy and security for stronger protection from scams, fraud and other security and privacy threats,” said Tom Van Pelt, the Technical Director of GSMA. RCS, or Rich Communication Services, gives people a way to send images, videos and audio clips to each other through text across different platforms. Google’s implementation of RCS has had default end-to-end encryption for both one-on-one and group chats since early 2024, but only if all participants are using Google Messages with RCS chats turned on. Meanwhile, iMessages are already protected by E2EE.

In a statement sent to 9to5Mac, Apple said that it was “pleased to have helped lead a cross industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile published by the GSMA.” It also vowed to add support to end-to-end encryption to iOS, iPadOS, macOS and watchOS “in future software updates.” Without a definite timeframe, it’s hard to say when Apple is rolling out an update to support the security feature, but when it does, it will prevent third parties from intercepting and accessing potentially sensitive and private messages. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/rcs-messaging-adds-end-to-end-encryption-between-android-and-ios-120020005.html?src=rss 

It’s been a while since Konami teased Silent Hill f, a mainline game in the franchise that’s set in 1960s rural Japan instead of the titular town. Now, the publisher has released a full trailer for the much-awaited game at an online event livestreamed on YouTube. Konami’s Motoi Okamoto, who’s in charge of the Silent Hill franchise, said the theme of the game is finding “beauty in terror,” which is common in Japanese horror. He explained that when something is too beautiful and perfect, it becomes deeply unsettling. Okamoto said the developers wanted to examine how the elements of beauty and terror can co-exist in a psychological horror story.

Indeed, the world of Silent Hill f is beautiful, even during moments that are supposed to be terrifying. It’s set in the fictional town of Ebisugaoka based on the town of Kanayama, Gero in Gifu, which is mostly made up of mountains and forest. In the game, you play as high school student Shimizu Hinako who has to solve puzzles and confront monsters to survive after her hometown was consumed by a fog that transformed it into a grotesque copy of the real world. The game’s setting was mostly imagined by Ryukishi07 known for the When They Cry visual novel horror and murder mystery series. 

Silent Hill f doesn’t have a release date yet, but it will be available on the Playstation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam and Epic Games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/silent-hill-f-trailer-shows-the-games-beautiful-backdrop-and-unsettling-mood-123024347.html?src=rss