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Bowers & Wilkins has just announced the Pi6 and Pi8 true wireless earbuds. They’re available for $249 and $399, respectively. The cheaper model has preorders open and ships September 13, while the Pi8 can be purchased right now.

The Pi6 has Bluetooth 5.4 and supports 24-bit/96kHz aptX transmission. It also has the same 12mm bio-cellulose drivers as the Px7 S2e, The flagship Pi8 supports the same resolution, but can also playback audio in aptX Lossless. Its 12mm drivers are carbon cones instead of bio cellulose.

Both buds have an IP-54 rating and the company’s proprietary ANC algorithm. Bower & Wilkins claims that the new earbuds have superior noise cancellation compared to their predecessors. They support Made for iPhone (MFi) for easy iOS integration — Google Fast Pair compatibility is slated to be added shortly after launch.

At full charge, the flagship model can last 6.5 hours, while the case provides 13.5 hours more; the Pi6 earbuds are rated for eight hours, while the charging case has enough for 16 additional hours of use.

As with many true wireless earbuds, the Pi6 and Pi8 have an accompanying app, which adds a five-band EQ for the Pi8 or a simple treble-and-bass adjustment for the Pi6.

The Pi6 will be available in Cloud Grey, Storm Grey, Forest Green and Glacier Blue when it launches next month. The Pi8’s four colors are Anthracite Black, Dove White, Jade Green and Midnight Blue.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/bowers–wilkins-announces-its-latest-pi6-and-pi8-true-wireless-earbuds-161812832.html?src=rss 

Rotten Tomatoes just added a new “Verified Hot” badge that indicates an overall positive user score that will join the “Certified Fresh” badge for critic scores. To qualify for this designation, a movie or show needs to have a Verified Audience Score of 90 percent or higher.

There’s also a “Hot” badge for content with a Verified Audience Score of 60 percent to 90 percent. Finally, the dregs will be slapped with a “Stale” badge, which is for any show or movie that falls beneath 60 percent.

Rotten Tomatoes is trying to get around review bombing here by mandating that user reviews be from people who actually saw the movie in question. There are a couple of little problems with this. It verifies that a consumer saw the movie via the ticketing firm Fandango, and there are plenty of other ticketing firms out there, including, you know, the theater cashier.

Also, Comcast owns both Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango, so this seems more like synergistic advertising than an actual way to beat review bombers. Finally, this whole verification thing is only for movies. There’s no way to verify whether someone watched a TV show or not, so this wouldn’t have helped all of those trolls descending upon the recently-canceled Star Wars show The Acolyte.

From a cynic’s perspective, this move only works to further dilute the utility of the entire site. There will be more uncertainty and plenty of more badges floating around, making the whole thing, well, messy. Will an average user be able to instantly know the difference between Hot and Fresh?

The critic score average was already problematic, as reputable reviewers are weighted the exact same as purveyors of internet garbage. However, Rotten Tomatoes is addressing that by updating the minimum number of critic reviews required before a Tomatometer score will appear. For smaller films, the site mandates at least ten reviews for a score. Blockbusters will require 40 reviews.

The Hot badge has already been issued to current barn-burners Deadpool & Wolverine, Twisters, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Fly Me to the Moon and It Ends With Us. The company says it has also retroactively awarded over 200 films.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/rotten-tomatoes-further-dilutes-its-utility-with-verified-hot-badge-163415420.html?src=rss 

Tesla has recalled over two million vehicles in 2024 alone, so close to 10,000 more cars shouldn’t be very noteworthy at this point. But Tesla’s latest recall is a bit fussier in that technicians must review each car in person rather than just issuing an over-the-air update. Tesla’s latest recall will see 9,136 Model X SUVs tended to manually due to concerns of a trim on the roof separating which could increase the risk of a crash, Reuters reports.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration stated, “The front and center roof cosmetic trim pieces may be adhered to the vehicle without primer. As a result, one or both pieces of trim may separate from the vehicle.” Tesla will test the attachment of each vehicle’s roof trim and join the pieces back together if necessary.

This year has seen previous recalls on Model X vehicles, along with the Model Y, Model 3, Model S and its Cybertruck. The issues responsible have ranged from the backup camera not working in reverse to a potential for the hood to detach.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-issues-an-in-person-recall-for-its-model-x-suv-150039573.html?src=rss 

As part of a rethink of its EV strategy, Ford has canceled plans [PDF] to build an electric three-row SUV. It said earlier this year that it would delay the vehicle by two years until 2027 but now the automaker has scuttled that model entirely. It’s pivoting to using hybrid tech in its next three-row SUVs. Ford expects the decision to cost up to $1.9 billion in special charges and expenses.

In addition, Ford is delaying the rollout of a next-gen electric truck from 2026 until the second half of 2027. This model will build on what the company has learned from the F-150 Lightning and include “features and experiences never seen on any Ford truck.” Among those will be improved aerodynamics and an upgraded bi-directional charging capability. Ford says delaying the electric pickup will let it take advantage of lower-cost battery tech and other cost efficiencies. It will build this model, which was previously delayed from 2025, at a Tennessee plant.

Ford also plans to release a medium-sized electric pickup, the first production vehicle that’s based on a lower-cost platform designed by a skunkworks team, in 2027. According to The Wall Street Journal, Ford expects the EV platform to help it produce several profitable models. That could help it compete with Chinese electric vehicle makers, which Ford CEO Jim Farley claims benefit from a lower-cost supply chain. That said, the US has imposed a 100 percent tariff on imported EVs from China, which the White House says “will protect American manufacturers.”

Elsewhere, Ford plans to start producing a new electric commercial van in Ohio in 2026. A Tennessee factory will start making cells for the van and the next-gen electric pickup in late 2025.

The shift in strategy comes as Ford attempts to mitigate losses on its current electric models while ensuring EVs it makes in the future turn a profit. The EV division is on track to lose $5 billion this year (up from a $4.7 billion loss in 2023) amid lower-than-expected demand. Ford is also slashing capital spending on EVs from 40 percent of its budget to 30 percent.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/fords-electric-three-row-suv-is-dead-151528349.html?src=rss 

Samsung just officially announced a glasses-free 3D gaming monitor at Gamescom after first teasing it back at CES. The Odyssey 3D uses a light field display, a lenticular lens on the front panel and eye tracking technology.

The built-in stereo camera and proprietary View Mapping technology continuously adjust the image to enhance depth perception and create that all-important illusion of 3D. The technology here is similar to how Acer handled glasses-free 3D with its Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition laptop or the ASUS ProArt StudioBook 16, only with a much bigger form factor.

To that end, the Odyssey 3D will be available in sizes up to 37 inches. Samsung touts that users can instantly activate the 3D mechanism, or deactivate it for traditional gaming. This is good, because glasses-free 3D can be extremely finicky, going all the way back to the days of the Nintendo 3DS. The sweet spot tends to be tiny and the image typically falls on the blurry side. This is not a perfect technology.

As for traditional specs, the Odyssey 3D features a 4K QLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate. There’s a 1ms response time and support for AMD FreeSync. The monitors include a DisplayPort 1.4 and two HDMI 2.1 ports on the back. The height-adjustable stand also tilts to help users find the best position for 3D. Again, glasses-free 3D is finicky and the monitor will likely require some maneuvering to get everything perfect.

This isn’t vaporware. Samsung says the monitor will be available by the end of year. However, there is the matter of price. The company remains mum on the total cost and that’s likely because it’ll be extremely expensive. Historically, Samsung Odyssey gaming monitors are pricey, and that’s without glasses-free 3D.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/samsungs-glasses-free-3d-gaming-monitor-isnt-vaporware-apparently-153355242.html?src=rss