The Dyson PencilVac is the most stick-like stick vacuum ever

It’s been almost ten years since Dyson first unveiled its Supersonic hair dryer, which put its signature bladeless fan technology into a styling product. For a company that was known primarily for its vacuums at the time, this was a surprising move. Since then, Dyson has released several beauty tools like its Airwrap curling iron that have spawned countless imitations. The company also expanded into other categories like audio with its OnTrac headphones and the controversial Zone headphones-with-built-in-purifying-mask while continuing to make some of our favorite cordless vacuums. 

Today, Dyson is going full circle by announcing the PencilVac, which it says is the “world’s slimmest vacuum cleaner.” The twist? It achieves that thinness by using a motor that’s basically the same as the one in the Supersonic hair dryer.

What makes the PencilVac different from existing vacuum cleaners is the fact that it’s basically all shaft, with some attachment options for the head. That means there is no bulge unless you use the included conical brush bar cleaner head. All the parts that would normally take up space on a conventional vacuum (like a bin, filter and motor) all fit inside the long cylinder. At the very bottom, you can attach a variety of heads designed specifically for the PencilVac, including the main one that Dyson is calling a “Fluffycones” cleaner head. 

The company said it has four cones in two brush bars that rotate in opposite directions, and they were designed to “strip and eject even long hair, preventing hair tangling around the brush bar.” The laser-like lights at both ends of this head also help illuminate where dust particles might be so you can better see what spots you missed.

Dyson

Altogether, the PencilVac weighs about 3.96 pounds (1.8kg) and is meant to be easy to use in all kinds of hard-to-reach areas. Since it’s got the same roughly 1.5-inch (38mm) diameter throughout, you can grip it fairly easily along its body, wherever you choose to place your hands. This should make it easier to pick up for overhead cleaning.

To get the entire PencilVac to look like, well, a pencil, Dyson had to redesign quite a lot of components. This includes the new Hyperdymium 140k motor, which the company says is its “smallest (at 28mm) and fastest vacuum motor. ” There’s also a new dust compressing system to “maximize the bin capacity.” Speaking of, the bin fits inside the cylinder itself, and it has a transparent window that allows you to not only see how full it is but also watch as debris gets sucked up. In fact, at a recent demo, I watched with a mixture of satisfaction and sadness as bits of crushed up Lotus Biscoff cookies flew to the top of the bin. 

Despite its small size, the Hypderdymium 140k motor seemed plenty powerful in my brief time with it, as it sucked up Cheerios, cookies and other detritus with ease. I also found the entire device mostly easy to maneuver — it didn’t feel too heavy and coasted over the bumpy food waste with ease. I was slightly confused by the locking system as I had to make sure to hold it precisely straight up (and wait for a click) after I was done to make sure the stick didn’t just fall to the ground.

Dyson also designed a new filtration system that the company said “effectively separates dust and debris from the airflow without causing filters to clog or cleaning performance to decline.” It also made a new “two-stage linear dust separation system, which captures 99.99 percent of particles down to 0.3 microns so only cleaner air is expelled back into the home.” 

More interestingly, the PencilVac has an “air-compressing bin design” that allows the bin to contain “five times more dust and debris than its 0.08L capacity.” In the few rounds of cleaning that I witnessed, the PencilVac certainly appeared to be packing in the garbage quite tightly, though whether it can actually hold 0.4L of stuff is something I didn’t get to measure.

Dyson

When it comes time to empty the container, you can use what Dyson calls its “new hygienic syringe bin ejection system” to empty it. I didn’t try this out myself, but it basically involves removing the cleaner head, aiming the bottom of the PencilVac at your trash receptacle and sort of shucking the transparent housing up and down to get the debris out. I watched a Dyson engineer do this and the process seemed straightforward, though it did look like parts of the housing trapped some crumbs. The good news is, you can detach the shell and filters to more thoroughly clean them.

The PencilVac also has a swappable battery pack that can last up to 60 minutes of suction, and you can charge the machine on its magnetic charging dock. This is also Dyson’s first connected cordless vacuum, meaning it works with the MyDyson app so you can see battery levels, access more settings and get maintenance alerts (like when and how to clean the filter). There’s also an LCD screen at the top of the handle that shows the selected power mode as well as remaining run time (while you’re cleaning). You’ll largely interact with the controls via the two physical buttons here, too.

Dyson hasn’t shared pricing details on the PencilVac, but there’s plenty of time for the company to figure that out, since it’s only going to be available in the US next year. That’s 2026. Meanwhile, the device will retail in other regions. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/the-dyson-pencilvac-is-the-most-stick-like-stick-vacuum-ever-020109491.html?src=rss 

Signal will block Microsoft Recall from snooping on your texts

Encrypted messaging platform Signal is rolling out a feature called Screen Security to its Windows app. It’s broadly a way to prevent a computer from logging screenshots of your messages when the app is open, but in a blog post, the company directly called out the Recall feature in Windows 11 as the reason for this new capability. 

Signal explained that what it essentially did was to flag its application as protected by Digital Rights Management (DRM), because content under that umbrella will not be recorded in a screenshot on a Windows device. It’s the same reason that a movie streaming from Netflix will appear in screenshots as a black box. Screen Security will be on by default, but this setting can be easily disabled for cases where a user does need to be able to access the application, such as when using a screen reader.

“We hope that the AI teams building systems like Recall will think through these implications more carefully in the future,” the company said. “Apps like Signal shouldn’t have to implement ‘one weird trick’ in order to maintain the privacy and integrity of their services without proper developer tools.”

The Recall feature in Windows 11 has had a difficult and well-delayed development process. While the AI-powered tool to record everything on a PC’s screen has some potential benefits for user productivity, it’s also raised a lot of concerns about privacy and security. Although Microsoft has started rolling out Recall to Copilot+ PCs, not everyone is convinced that it’s ready for prime time.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/signal-will-block-microsoft-recall-from-snooping-on-your-texts-225853193.html?src=rss 

GeoGuessr community maps go dark in protest of EWC ties to human rights abuses

A group of GeoGuessr map creators have pulled their contributions from the game to protest its participation in the Esports World Cup 2025, calling the tournament “a sportswashing tool used by the government of Saudi Arabia to distract from and conceal its horrific human rights record.” The protestors say the blackout will hold until the game’s publisher, GeoGuessr AB, cancels its planned Last Chance Wildcard tournament at the EWC in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from July 21 to 27.

GeoGuessr is a browser game where players try to pinpoint locations using only Google Street View images, and it relies on community mapmakers to stay relevant. The blackout, which began on May 21, includes “dozens of creators and their maps, including a supermajority of the most popular competitively relevant world maps,” according to a statement the group shared on Reddit. The removed maps have been played tens of millions of times.

One of the largest GeoGuessr communities, Plonk It, has also removed its Map Directory and shared the mapping community’s open letter. That statement reads in full as follows:

We, the creators of a considerable share of GeoGuessr’s most popular maps, have decided to make our maps unplayable in protest of GeoGuessr AB’s decision to host a World Championship wildcard tourney at the Esports World Cup (EWC) in Riyadh.

The EWC is a sportswashing tool used by the government of Saudi Arabia to distract from and conceal its horrific human rights record.

Groups targeted by the government include women, LGBTQ people, apostates and atheists, political dissenters, migrant workers in the Kafala system, religious minorities, and many others. The subjugation of these groups is extensive and pervasive. Members of these groups are routinely subjected to discrimination, imprisonment, torture, and even public executions. These severe human rights violations are well-documented and indisputable.

By participating in the EWC, GeoGuessr is contributing to that sportswashing agenda, which is designed to take attention away from Saudi Arabia’s human rights violations.

The GeoGuessr community is diverse and includes many members of groups that would be harshly persecuted were they to live in Saudi Arabia. In solidarity with those currently residing in Saudi Arabia while being subject to oppression, as well as members of the community who would feel and be unsafe attending the tournament in Riyadh, we have decided to black out our maps by replacing all their previous locations with random garbage locations, rendering them unplayable.

This blackout includes dozens of creators and their maps, including a supermajority of the most popular competitively relevant world maps. It will continue until we see action from GeoGuessr; specifically, we demand that GeoGuessr cancels its wildcard event in Saudi Arabia and commits to not hosting any events there as long as it continues its oppressive regime.

You don’t play games with human rights.

Thank you for reading.

The GeoGuessr mapping community

We’ve hit up GeoGuessr AB for a comment on the blackout and will update this story as we hear back.

The EWC is a huge, multi-game event owned and operated by the Saudi government and held in the country’s capital city. It’s an evolution of the Gamers8 tournament and this year marks the second EWC-branded competition; it’s due to take place in July and August with a total prize pool of $38 million, split among 24 games. Franchises participating in the 2025 event include Rocket League, Apex Legends, Call of Duty, League of Legends, Counter-Strike, Overwatch, Dota 2, Valorant, Street Fighter 6, EA Sports FC and PUBG.

It’s difficult to compete in esports without running into Savvy Games Group, the video game arm of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund. Alongside hosting the EWC, Savvy has financial stakes in Nexon (10.2 percent ownership), Electronic Arts (9 percent), Embracer Group (8.3 percent), Nintendo (7.5 percent), Capcom (5 percent) and Take-Two Interactive (6.8 percent as of 2023). Savvy also runs ESL FACEIT Group, which contains the Electronic Sports League, a longstanding and significant esports event company. The New York Times reported last year that the Saudi government plans to invest $38 billion in the video game industry by 2030.

Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have long documented the abuses of the Saudi government. HRW describes Saudi Arabia’s human rights record as “abysmal,” and specifically calls out the PIF as a reputational whitewashing tool. Saudi authorities have been accused of sportswashing in traditional sports as well, specifically through the country’s ownership of LIV Golf and Newcastle United FC.

In February, Riot Games — the operator of League of Legends, Valorant and Teamfight Tactics, and arguably the largest name in esports — signed a three-year deal with the Esports World Cup Foundation for an undisclosed sum. Riot defended the partnership, arguing that the resulting financial boon for players and the esports industry outweighed other concerns.

“We know some of you may not feel great about our decision to partner with the EWC in this way, and we respect that,” Riot’s statement read.

Though corporate support for the EWC remains strong, the GeoGuessr mapping community isn’t alone in rejecting this year’s tournament. Street Fighter 6 player Christopher Hancock, who plays as ChrisCCH for FlyQuest, recently declined his spot at EWC 2025. In a social media statement, Hancock said, “I gave this decision a lot of thought and ultimately decided that, due to the nature in which the event is funded and managed, I do not feel comfortable participating in it.” He added that the partnership between the Capcom Pro Tour and the EWC effectively forced him to work with the Saudi-backed group.

“Choosing to not participate in any EWC qualifiers would effectively mean retirement from competing,” Hancock said. “I find it regrettable that this event has become so deeply embedded in the [fighting game community], but I have not yet made a decision on whether I will stop competing in events associated to it altogether.”

Alongside the GeoGuessr map blackout, the community protest added one new, short challenge to the game called How to Run A Dictatorship. It takes players through five locations around Riyadh, documenting the alleged government-sanctioned torture, kidnapping, imprisonment and oppression of women, LGBTQ people, religious minorities and political dissenters occurring in these places. The challenge takes just a few minutes, so feel free to experience it yourself.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/geoguessr-community-maps-go-dark-in-protest-of-ewc-ties-to-human-rights-abuses-221037118.html?src=rss 

News/Media Alliance calls Google’s AI Mode ‘theft’

The News/Media Alliance took aim at Google today after the tech company’s announcement at its I/O showcase that AI Mode will be rolling out to all US search users. This feature more closely integrates an AI chatbot into Google search. Ostensibly, AI Mode can help people get better answers to their queries, but it also serves to keep users on a Google property rather than clicking through to get information from other publications.

“Links were the last redeeming quality of search that gave publishers traffic and revenue. Now Google just takes content by force and uses it with no return, the definition of theft,” said News/Media Alliance President and CEO Danielle Coffey. “The DOJ remedies must address this to prevent continued domination of the internet by one company.”

This isn’t the first time the organization has fired shots at Google; it filed an amicus brief earlier this month looking for remedy in the antitrust case about Google’s monopoly control over search. The group argued that publishers should be able to opt out of letting search engines use their content for retrieval augmented generation.

Google has also taken an aggressive stance toward publishers as it develops more AI-driven services. The company’s recent attitude can be seen in Bloomberg‘s discovery of an internal document showing that the company decided not to give publishers a choice to opt out of AI training if they wanted their material to appear in search results.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/newsmedia-alliance-calls-googles-ai-mode-theft-223128521.html?src=rss 

Android 16 includes a desktop interface Google built from Samsung DeX

Devices running Android 16 will pick up a new trick when the software update rolls out later this year: The ability to run a desktop-style interface while connected to an external display. An early version of the idea was spotted for phones in betas of Android 16, but as 9to5Google noticed, Google made the feature official during its developer keynote.

According to the presentation, the new windowing and external display feature was created in collaboration with Samsung, “building on the foundation of Samsung DeX, to bring enhanced desktop windowing capabilities in Android 16.” Prior to this official support, Samsung DeX was a custom feature Samsung built into One UI that allowed certain Samsung phones and tablets to display a desktop-style interface while connected to a display.

Google’s implementation seems to be aiming for the same thing, with resizable windows and a dock for your most used apps. The company also appears open to the feature working on tablets and phones, too. In a blog post touting the advantages of developing adaptive apps, Google says that Android 16 offers “a true desktop-like experience on large screens and when devices are connected to external displays.” While Google’s language leaves things open-ended, support for this desktop experience could still hinge on phone makers enabling it and app developers making sure their apps play nice with resizable windows.

A developer beta of Android 16 is available to download on select phones and tablets right now. Assuming desktop windowing and support for external displays isn’t dropping in a later update, you’ll be able to try the new features for yourself when Android 16 launches in June.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/android-16-includes-a-desktop-interface-google-built-from-samsung-dex-213611668.html?src=rss 

Google still doesn’t have much to show for Android XR

When Google unveiled Android XR last year, it seemed like a clear response to Apple’s Vision Pro: It was a plan for a true mixed reality platform that could easily hop between AR, VR and smart glasses like Meta’s Ray-Bans. At Google I/O 2025 today, Google announced the second developer preview for Android XR, and it also showed off a bit more about how it could work in headsets and smart glasses. It’ll likely be a while before we see Android XR devices in action, though, as Google also revealed Samsung’s Project Moohan headset will arrive later this year. Additionally, Xreal is also building Project Aura, a pair of tethered smart glasses powered by the platform.

Update: Google demoed prototype Android XR smart glasses at I/O with live translation, which Engadget’s Karissa Bell called “lightweight, but with a limited field of view.” Google isn’t planning to sell those devices, but it is partnering with Warby Parker and Gentle Monster to provide frames for future smart glasses. 

Basically, there really isn’t much to get excited about just yet. It’s clear that Google is working hard to catch up with both Apple and Meta, which actually have XR products on the shelves already. Given that Google tends to kill its ambitious projects with a swiftness — just take a look at Google Glass, Cardboard and Daydream, which were all early stabs at AR and VR — it’s hard to put much faith in the future of Android XR. Is the availability of much better XR hardware enough to make the platform a success? At this point, it’s just too tough to tell.

For now, though, it looks like Google is aiming to deliver all of the features you’d expect with Android XR. Its second developer preview adds the ability to play 180-degree and 360-degree immersive videos, bring hand-tracking into apps and support dynamic refresh rates (which could seriously help battery life). As expected, Google is also making it easier to integrate its Gemini AI into Android XR apps, something the company promised when it first announced the platform last year.

Google

In a series of pre-rendered videos, Google showed off the ideal ways to use Gemini in smart glasses and headsets. If your glasses have a built-in display (something Meta’s Ray-Bans don’t offer yet), you could see a small Google Map to give you directions, message friends while you’re prepping dinner or take a picture while dancing with your partner at sunset (seriously). All I can say is: “Cool demo, bro.” Get back to us when this is all working in headsets and glasses we can actually wear.

Update 5/21, 2:45PM ET: This story has been updated with references to Google’s XR prototype glasses.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/google-still-doesnt-have-much-to-show-for-android-xr-174529434.html?src=rss 

Sonos portable speakers are 25 percent off for Memorial Day

Sonos’ speakers are known for their premium price tags, but if you’re looking for a more affordable entry-point to the ecosystem, you can get up to 25 percent off some of the company’s portable speakers and speaker bundles for Memorial Day. That includes $113 off the Sonos Move 2, which brings the speaker’s price down from $449 to $336.

The Sonos Move 2 was introduced in 2023 as the more expensive follow-up to the original Move, Sonos’ first “portable” speaker. You can argue over it’s portability — the Move 2 makes more sense as something your carry to your backyard than take on a hike — but the speaker packs a punch and lets you play music over both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. We liked the Sonos Move 2 when we originally reviewed it, but took issue with how expensive it was, so this sale helps make splurging on it more palatable.

If you’re looking for something even more portable and affordable, the Sonos Roam 2 is also on sale for $45 off. Like the Move 2, the speaker has the ability to connect to a smartphone over Bluetooth outside while still being able to hook into your larger Sonos sound system over Wi-Fi at home. The Sonos Roam 2 offers some key improvements to the original Roam’s design, too, like new colors and easier to understand buttons, while still providing the company’s signature sound profile and 10 hours of battery life.

On top of the two speakers, you could also buy a bundle of a speaker and an accessory, like the Sonos Roam 2 and an OtterBox case, or a bundle of multiple speakers. You can get two Roam 2’s for $268 or a Sonos Roam 2 and Sonos Move 2 for $479, for example.

Sonos has faced issues in the last year ironing out software problems — the bugs and missing features were so bad the company’s CEO stepped down — but the fundamentals of how the company’s speakers sound have remained great. With the ship mostly righted on the software side of things, a sale is a great time to see what all of the fuss is about.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-portable-speakers-are-25-percent-off-for-memorial-day-185627228.html?src=rss 

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