Google’s latest streaming dongle is so similar to the previous one that when I first opened it up, I experienced a little deja vu. The new Chromecast with Google TV still has a puckish oval design, it comes packaged with an identical remote and even the OS powering everything is (largely) unchanged. The only major … Read more

Like Instagram, Facebook and so many others, Signal is hopping aboard the Stories bandwagon. The privacy-focused messaging app started beta testing an ephemeral Stories feature this week. Users can share videos, images and text-based messages with their friends. Stories will vanish after 24 hours. As with the rest of the platform, Signal’s Stories have end-to-end … Read more

General Motors, through its GM Defense subsidiary, will build a battery pack prototype for the Department of Defense to test and analyze. The agency’s Defense Innovation Unit is seeking a scalable design that can be used in electrified versions of tactical military vehicles. The battery pack will be based on GM’s Ultium platform, which it’s … Read more

Microsoft is holding its customary fall Surface event on October 12th, and this year’s presentation may be more jam-packed than most. Rumors have swirled of not just new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models, but a long-overdue Surface Studio refresh and even a mini desktop. But how likely are those to pan out? We’ll give … Read more

Spotify may be tempering its podcast push. A TechCrunchsource claims the streaming service is cutting 11 original podcasts from its Gimlet and Parcast studios, including How to Save a Planet, Crimes of Passion and (in the second quarter of 2023) Horoscope Today. The cancellations will also involve layoffs of “less than” 5 percent of Spotify’s … Read more

In many ways the $2,059Pērkons seems like the drum machine sibling of Erica Synths’ SYNTRX. It’s not just that they share a chassis and knobs. But they’re both pricey, niche instruments that focus on having a unique character, rather than cramming in as many features as possible. But, while they’re both compelling yet impractical devices, … Read more

A great smartphone doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Years of commoditization have brought features once exclusive to high-end devices – including big batteries, multi-camera arrays and high refresh rate displays – down to their more affordable siblings. As one of Engadget’s resident mobile geeks, I’ve reviewed dozens of midrange devices. So I’m here to … Read more

As the need for cleaner, more sustainable transport becomes ever more urgent, I’ve noticed a familiar pattern in conversations on the topic. Someone will point out that bikes are a lot more efficient and environmentally friendly, reduce congestion and are often faster than cars in cities. Others respond saying that bikes can’t possibly replace cars … Read more

Acer has unveiled a new lightweight laptop that targets on-the-go professionals in a world where more and more people are choosing to work from home or away from the office. The Swift Edge is a 16-inch OLED laptop with a magnesium-aluminum chassis that’s only 0.51-inch thin and only weighs 2.58 pounds. That’s lighter than the … Read more

Cinewhoop drones are all the rage right now, as they can dive and twist and speed through unreachable places to produce spectacular footage. DJI has jumped on that trend with the Avata, an FPV drone that’s far removed from the company’s speedy DJI model actually called the FPV. Instead, the Avata is more about agility … Read more