Technology - Kalakshar US

The Morning After: Apple makes its iOS Find My features much more useful

One of the most useful new features in the public beta of iOS 18.2 is the capability to share the location of a lost item connected to Apple’s Find My network. Sure, you could already share an item’s location with people in your contacts list, but Apple says this could help when you have to rely on the help of a stranger.

When you choose Share Item Location in the Find My app on iPhone, iPad or Mac, you get the option to share a link that shows the location of your missing item. The link’s recipient will be able to open it on any device, and they’ll also be able to see your Apple account email and/or phone number so they can get in touch with you. You can even share the information with selected airlines. Apple has apparently worked with several carriers to integrate this feature into their systems.

Better still, air transport tech company SITA is also incorporating Share Item Location into WorldTracer, its baggage-tracing system. Apple says more than 500 airlines and ground handlers at 2,800-plus airports use it. Perfect for when I head to Portugal in just five days’ time. Yes, brag.

For now, it’s part of the public beta, so if you want the feature, you’ll have to install iOS 18.2.

— Mat Smith

The biggest tech stories you missed

Amazon reportedly wants drivers to wear AR glasses for improved efficiency

This Shin Megami Tensei board game features 72 intricate demon figurines

A white Steam Deck OLED can be yours for $679

Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

Sonos Arc Ultra soundbar review

New tech powers a big audio upgrade.

Engadget

It’s not been a great year for Sonos, but still, here comes its latest upgraded soundbar. While the design is mostly unchanged from the Arc that debuted in 2020, there are several key changes inside the Arc Ultra that make this a better all-in-one solution. Sonos is promising better bass performance, thanks to new speaker tech debuting in the Arc Ultra, but just how good can it be? $999 worth of good?

Continue reading.

Google’s Pixel 8a is only $399, and it’s not even Black Friday

Just. Buy. This. Phone!

If you want an excellent midrange smartphone or an upgrade from that crunchy Android of yours from 2014, just get yourself the Pixel 8a, down $100 to $399. With Google’s Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a supports many of the same AI features as the flagship Pixel devices. The cameras are excellent, and it has a gorgeous (and smooth) 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED display. The only caveat is… we’ve seen it drop to $380 briefly. Still, it’s a deal. We gave it a score of 90 in our review.

Continue reading.

An Overwatch: Classic event takes fans back to the beginning

A 6v6 limited-time Overwatch 2 mode starts November 12.

For the first time in over two years, Overwatch 2 players will be able to group up in teams of six for a three-week event starting today. But there’s a twist: You won’t be able to select Kiriko or Sombra or battle it out with an additional player on each side on Push maps just yet. Yes, you’ll be limited to the first 21 heroes, kitted out with their old movesets and ultimates. Did someone call for Symmetra, teleport savior? No, but they will.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121525242.html?src=rss

A white Steam Deck OLED can be yours for $679

After briefly offering a transparent Steam Deck OLED last year, Valve has announced its next limited edition variant featuring a bold new color: “white.” It’ll cost you $679 when it’s available on November 18, and it features the exact same hardware as the 1TB Steam Deck OLED. (Most importantly, it sports that gorgeous 7.4-inch display with HDR and a 90Hz refresh rate). There’s also a white carrying case, naturally. While the perils of white console hardware are hard to ignore (especially for a hefty portable that’ll surely trap plenty of hand grease), this new variant may convince early Steam Deck owners to make the jump.

As we covered in our review, the Steam Deck OLED’s display looks significantly bolder than the original LCD models, especially with the addition of HDR support. This time around, Valve says it’s also shipping the limited edition white model worldwide where Steam Decks are already available (including Australia).

“We’re curious to see what the response is, and will use what we learn to inform future decisions about any potential new color variants down the line,” Valve said in an e-mail. “We’ve always said our intent is to continually work on improving Steam Deck, and that’s true from both a software perspective (continuing to ship improvements) and a hardware one (Steam Deck OLED, as well as ongoing work toward the future of Steam Deck and other hardware plans).”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/a-white-steam-deck-oled-can-be-yours-for-679-230625689.html?src=rss

A TV show about EA Sports’ Madden games hits Prime Video on November 26

Madden NFL has been around for almost 40 years (really) so it’s high time the gaming franchise got the documentary treatment. Prime Video has got you covered. The platform just announced that It’s in the Game: Madden NFL will stream on November 26, which is just ahead of Thanksgiving.

The four-part docuseries will explore “one of the biggest video games of all time” that “became a worldwide phenomenon, spanning generations.” The show will explore Madden’s “archaic 8-bit origins to its success as an annual must have.” Prime Video says EA Sports has given it access to the vaults, so there should be plenty of new footage for diehard fans.

As the story goes, EA founder Trip Hawkins approached commentator John Madden back in 1984 for his endorsement and expertise, but the game took four long years of development before coming out in 1988. This extended development time was allegedly due to Madden himself, who demanded a realistic football experience. I’m sure the documentary will get into all of that.

Formerly known as John Madden Football, the franchise became an annual event in 1990 and changed its name to Madden NFL in 1993. These games have sold over 130 million copies worldwide since 1988. The latest iteration, Madden NFL 25, released back in August to fairly middling reviews.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a-tv-show-about-ea-sports-madden-games-hits-prime-video-on-november-26-194833398.html?src=rss

A four-pack of Apple AirTags drops to a record low of $70 in this Black Friday deal

Black Friday is right around the corner and the deals are already coming in hot. You can pick up a four-pack of Apple AirTags for just $70, as an early Black Friday promotion. This is a discount of 30 percent and represents a record low price.

Apple AirTags easily made our list of the best Bluetooth trackers, particularly for regular iPhone users. We love the vast finding network, which really helps when you misplace a tag. Just think of all of those AirTags, iPhones and other Apple devices out there helping to create this network.

Apple AirTags also offer the ability to tap into the ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless protocol. This creates a sort of game out of finding lost items, as long as the object is within 25 feet of the phone. The screen will display directional arrows and a distance meter so you can zero in on the lost item without having to ring the AirTag.

There are some caveats. These trackers only really work with iPhones, so Android users should buy something else. Also, the ringer only goes for seven seconds at a time, which isn’t always enough time to track something down. Finally, there’s no attachment point for connecting to a keychain or a related item. However, there are plenty of good AirTag accessories to solve that problem.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/a-four-pack-of-apple-airtags-drops-to-a-record-low-of-70-in-this-black-friday-deal-191040686.html?src=rss

Amazon reportedly wants drivers to wear AR glasses for improved efficiency until robots can take over

Amazon is reportedly developing smart glasses for its delivery drivers, according to sources who spoke to Reuters. These glasses are intended to cut “seconds” from each delivery because, well, productivity or whatever. Sources say that they are an extension of the pre-existing Echo Frames smart glasses and are known by the internal code Amelia.

These seconds will be shaved off in a couple of ways. First of all, the glasses reportedly include an embedded display to guide delivery drivers around and within buildings. They will allegedly also provide drivers with “turn-by-turn navigation” instructions while driving. Finally, wearing AR glasses means that drivers won’t have to carry a handheld GPS device. You know what that means. They’ll be able to carry more packages at once. It’s a real mitzvah.

I’m being snarky, and for good reason, but there could be some actual benefit here. I’ve been a delivery driver before and often the biggest time-sink is wandering around labyrinthine building complexes like a lost puppy. I wouldn’t have minded a device that told me where the elevator was. However, I would not have liked being forced to wear cumbersome AR glasses to make that happen.

To that end, the sources tell Reuters that this project is not an absolute certainty. The glasses could be shelved if they don’t live up to the initial promise or if they’re too expensive to manufacture. Even if things go smoothly, it’ll likely be years before Amazon drivers are mandated to wear the glasses. The company is reportedly having trouble integrating a battery that can last a full eight-hour shift and settling on a design that doesn’t cause fatigue during use. There’s also the matter of collecting all of that building and neighborhood data, which is no small feat.

Amazon told Reuters that it is “continuously innovating to create an even safer and better delivery experience for drivers” but refused to comment on the existence of these AR glasses. “We otherwise don’t comment on our product roadmap,” a spokesperson said.

The Echo Frames have turned out to be a pretty big misfire for Amazon. The same report indicates that the company has sold only 10,000 units since the third-gen glasses came out last year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-reportedly-wants-drivers-to-wear-ar-glasses-for-improved-efficiency-until-robots-can-take-over-174910167.html?src=rss

The Google Pixel 8a drops to $399 ahead of Black Friday

If you’re looking for an excellent midrange smartphone for yourself or a loved one among all the early Black Friday deals, your search may be over. Google’s Pixel 8a is on sale. It has dropped by $100 to $399.

That’s not quite the lowest price we’ve seen for the handset. It fell to $380 at one point. But this is still a good deal if you’re looking for a great phone that won’t break the bank. This price is for a configuration with 128GB of storage, but 256GB models are also $100 off at $459.

The Pixel 8a is our pick for the best midrange smartphone overall. We gave it a score of 90 in our review.

Thanks to Google’s inclusion of the Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a supports many of the same AI features that you’ll find on flagship Pixel devices. We feel that the cameras are excellent, while that 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED display sure looks pretty.

The Pixel 8a has great battery life too. It lasted for 20 hours and 29 minutes in our video rundown test, actually beating out the Pixel 8 by 13 minutes. On the downside, wireless charging is pretty slow as it maxes out at 7.5W.

The bezels are a little thicker than you might like too, but otherwise the design is fairly slick. Another plus point is that the Pixel 8a is IP67-rated for dust and water resistance, so it should be somewhat durable.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-google-pixel-8a-drops-to-399-ahead-of-black-friday-180827185.html?src=rss

An Overwatch: Classic event will take fans all the way back to the beginning

For the first time in over two years, Overwatch 2 players will be able to group up in teams of six. A three-week event featuring that format starts tomorrow, November 12. But there’s a twist: you won’t be able to select Kiriko or Sombra, or battle it out with an additional player on each side on Push maps just yet. That’s because in Overwatch 2’s first real taste of 6v6, Blizzard is taking us all the way back to the beginning with a limited-time mode called Overwatch: Classic.

You will be able to experience Overwatch almost exactly as it was upon its May 2016 debut. That means you can choose from the first 21 heroes, who all have their original kits and abilities. That means Hanzo loses his Lunge jump but regains his dreaded Scatter Arrow, Bastion and Torbjorn are vastly different than they are now and Cassidy’s Flashbang once again stun locks enemies for a moment.

Symmetra reverts to being a support who can teleport allies almost anywhere on the map from the spawn room, while Mercy can will once again bring five dead teammates back to life. Ultimate abilities will charge up faster too.

In addition, just like in Overwatch for a brief period at the very beginning, there are initially no limits on hero selection. So if you and your teammates want to run with a composition of four Winstons and two Lucios, have at it. However, this will only apply for the first few days, after which Blizzard will apply the single hero limit rule for the rest of the event. Games will take place under the Quick Play ruleset, rather than the Competitive format.

The original 12 maps will be available too — including the assault maps that Blizzard retired from the main modes during the transition to Overwatch 2. While assault maps are still available in the Arcade and custom games, you’ll once again be dealing with the notorious choke points of the otherwise gorgeous Hanamura, Temple of Anubis and Volskaya Industries.

Blizzard Entertainment

Things won’t be exactly as they were in May 2016, however. Original maps that have seen major reworks over the years — Dorado, Numbani, Route 66 and Watchpoint: Gibraltar — will appear as they are in the current game. You’ll only be able to use the original default Overwatch skins and no, there are no loot boxes. The user interface remains the same too, which hopefully means the ping system will still be in place.

Blizzard doesn’t plan for this to be a one-and-done deal. There will be other Overwatch: Classic events in the future, focusing on various moments in the game’s history, like the infamous triple-tank, triple-support GOATS meta. This limited-time mode is also separate from the other 6v6 tests Blizzard plans to run in the coming months as it looks to measure players’ interest in that format and garner feedback.

There’s a good chance that this limited-time mode will bring some lapsed players back into the mix, even just for a sip of nostalgia. I first played Overwatch several months after its debut, so it’ll be fun to see roughly how the game felt at the very beginning. I will be instalocking Mei every match so I can remember what it’s like to freeze an opponent before giving them a cheeky wave and firing an icicle into their skull. Ah, memories…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/an-overwatch-classic-event-will-take-fans-all-the-way-back-to-the-beginning-171538261.html?src=rss

This Shin Megami Tensei board game features 72 intricate demon figurines

The popular Shin Megami Tensei video game series is getting a physical board game. A Japanese company called Icrea is behind the effort and is launching a Kickstarter on November 12 to raise funds for the project.

SHIN MEGAMI TENSEI THE BOARD GAME (the company asked us to use all caps) is a “full-scale board game project” complete with 72 “high quality and detailed demon figures.” Collecting demons and adding them to your party is a major part of the game, so these figurines should help with immersion. It’ll also help with getting random demon figurines lost in the couch.

Icrea/Atlus

There’s a board with various locations from the franchise and plenty of series-specific cards to rifle through. The company says a game should take anywhere from three to four hours. The title has already generated a fair amount of excitement at both Gen Con and the most recent Tokyo Game Show.

We don’t know exactly when this will be available for purchase. You know how Kickstarter timelines work. There are going to be a bunch of stretch goals, however, should the company reach the initial financial threshold. It’s a Shin Megami Tensei board game with dozens of cool-looking demon figurines. It shouldn’t have any trouble finding financial backers.

For the uninitiated, Shin Megami Tensei first came out in 1992 for the Super Famicom in Japan. There have been plenty of sequels throughout the years. Shin Megami Tensei V came out back in 2021, but has since received a full-featured refresh called Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance.

The Persona series is also a spinoff of the franchise. This leads to a very serious question. Persona board game when? I want to wander around a fake high school and eat ramen with a motley crew of characters.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/this-shin-megami-tensei-board-game-features-72-intricate-demon-figurines-163242838.html?src=rss

xAI’s Grok-2 might be available for free on X soon

Elon Musk’s xAI launched its AI chatbot, Grok, at the end of 2023 and it has remained exclusively available to X (formerly Twitter) premium users since. Now, one year later, Grok is seemingly coming to free X users in select areas, TechCrunch reports.

The news comes from multiple reports on X by researchers and users who spotted updates to Grok. According to X user Swak, there are stipulations to who can access Grok for free and how much they can use it. For starters, accounts need to be at least seven days old and have a phone number attached to them. Free users are also reportedly limited by how many things they can do in two hours. They can ask the Grok-2 model 10 questions and the Grok-2 mini model 20 questions within that time frame. Furthermore, free users only get three image analyses each day.

The Grok-2 and the Grok-2 mini models are relatively new, releasing late summer of this year. Grok-2 is xAI’s most advanced AI chatbot to date and pulls real-time information right from X, while the company claims the mini version “offers a balance between speed and answer quality.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/xais-grok-2-might-be-available-for-free-on-x-soon-150004395.html?src=rss

The Beatles are nominated for two Grammys thanks to AI

While reading through the list of Grammy nominees earlier I came across quite a surprise. There, competing for record of the year alongside the likes of Beyoncé’s Texas Hold ‘Em and Chappell Roan’s Good Luck Babe, was Now and Then by The Beatles. No, to my dismay, this isn’t a time travel situation, but the result of AI.

So, here’s the story of how The Beatles got nominated for two Grammys — they also snagged a best rock performance nod — 50 years after formally breaking up. It starts with a demo John Lennon recorded in the 1970s that was given to Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison for inclusion on the The Beatles Anthology, released in 1995. While other tracks like Free as a Bird and Real Love made it on, technology wasn’t advanced enough to separate Lennon’s vocals and piano without reducing the recording’s quality.

But, last year McCartney and Starr used modern machine learning technology to pull Lennon’s vocals for a new track. Now and Then, released in November 2023, includes McCartney on bass, Starr on the drums, Lennon’s vocals and a guitar in Harrison’s style (a 1995 recording of him makes up some of the background rhythm guitar. You can watch a documentary about making the track here.

Unsurprisingly, the song is said to be the last from the Beatles. We’ll have to wait until the awards show in February to see whether or not AI will help them win another Grammy.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-beatles-are-nominated-for-two-grammys-thanks-to-ai-150004467.html?src=rss