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Samsung just launched the Galaxy S25 FE smartphone at IFA. It’s available right now, starting at $650. The handset is available in four colorways.

This is a midrange member of the Galaxy S25 family, after the company released the S25, S25 Plus and S25 Ultra back in January and the ultra-thin S25 Edge in May. The base-level S25 starts at $800, so this is a slightly cheaper way to get in on all of that Galaxy action.

This phone actually ships with the company’s One UI 8 operating system. The other S25 models shipped with One UI 7, but have since begun receiving software updates to bring them up to speed. This introduces a refreshed user interface with new icons and better animations, more AI integration and improved split-screen performance.

It features an Exynos 2400 CPU, which should get the job done but won’t be quite as snappy as the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite that ships with the rest of the lineup. There’s a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen with up to 1,900 nits of peak brightness. The camera system is decent, with a 50MP main camera, a 12MP ultra-wide lens and an 8MP telephoto lens. There’s also a 12MP front-facing camera.

Despite being a bit underpowered when compared to the rest of the lineup, the S25 FE still accommodates all of those fancy Galaxy AI bells and whistles. This includes the company’s Generative Edit photo software, an on-device assistant and more. So this is a relatively affordable entryway into that world.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-launches-the-galaxy-s25-fe-at-ifa-2025-093026581.html?src=rss 

Apple continues to seek a foothold in the artificial intelligence race, and its next effort could bring the company into web search. Mark Gurman at Bloomberg reports that Apple is building a search platform that it may incorporate into its AI-driven overhaul of Siri. Sources said the tool, internally called World Knowledge Answers, could also be added to the Safari web browser and the Spotlight smartphone search interface.

Apple’s efforts in AI have been under the microscope since the lackluster introduction of Apple Intelligence at WWDC 2024. Since then, the company appears to still be foundering, with its revitalized and AI-empowered Siri now not due to arrive until 2026. This proposed search tool would be part of that planned Siri re-launch next spring.

Some core aspects of Siri are still up in the air. The company has reportedly trialed using Google’s Gemini to power a version of the AI assistant, although it hasn’t committed to using that approach. Considering an outside partnership for this critical feature is one path Apple could take to bolstering its AI offerings. CEO Tim Cook has also said the company is open to acquisitions to pursue its current roadmap. There were even rumors that the company had its eyes on snapping up Perplexity.

Apple has historically avoided getting involved in search, but this development could reflect how more of its potential customers are turning to AI chatbots to access information online. And particularly if the company brings an AI option to Safari, Apple might be able to compete more directly to other tech majors that offer their own-branded chatbots, such as Google with Gemini or Microsoft with Copilot. It could also draw closer to parity with AI companies that are entering the browser game, such as Perplexity and OpenAI.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apples-latest-ai-project-may-be-a-web-search-tool-230618495.html?src=rss 

OpenAI has announced that it’s making its Projects feature available to free users of ChatGPT. Projects let you organize chats with the company’s AI assistant around a specific subject, and were previously one of several privileges only enjoyed by paid subscribers.

While on some level Projects are glorified folders for ChatGPT conversations, the ability to set custom instructions for how the AI responds or limit what information and files it can reference, makes the feature a useful option for power users. As part of this rollout, OpenAI is also increasing the number of files that can be added to a project for ChatGPT to reference. Free users can upload five, Plus subscribers can upload 25 and Pro subscribers can upload 40. Whether you pay for ChatGPT or not, you’ll also be able to customize the color and icon for your project, too.

OpenAI has made a habit of slowly trickling down paid features to its free users over the last few years. Things like Deep Research and ChatGPT Voice started off as exclusives for the company’s subscribers before becoming available to everyone. Offering a formerly premium feature with limits is itself a way to get free customers to become paid ones. OpenAI’s decision to make the recently released GPT-5 model available to everyone at launch, but with harsher limits on how many times free users can use it follows a similar logic.

Projects are available for free users on the web and in the ChatGPT app for Android. OpenAI says the iOS ChatGPT app will receive the feature “over the coming days.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-rolls-out-chatgpt-projects-to-free-users-215027802.html?src=rss 

Sometimes, rising prices for streaming services feels as inevitable as death and taxes. So when a serious discount is available, we tend to sit up and take notice. For a few weeks, you can get a whopping half off an annual subscription to Paramount+. A year of the Paramount+ Essential plan, which is ad-supported, will cost $30 compared to the usual $60. Paramount+ Premium, which is ad-free except for live tv programming, will cost $60 for a year instead of $120.

This is a substantial deal that both new and returning subscribers can take advantage of; it’s not uncommon for this type of serious discount to only be offered to a first-timer. Anyone who signs up for a year-long subscription to Paramount+ from now through September 18 will be able to get this pricing. The only real caveat with this deal is that you have to pay for the full year in advance; month-to-month subscriptions will still cost the usual rate.

Paramount+ has some great programming options, particularly if you’re a fan of anything involving RuPaul. It’s also the home of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Lower Decks, which are arguably the best modern additions to the sci-fi show’s canon, as well as the other past and present Star Trek series. The platform offers a solid lineup of sports as well. And if you opt to go for the Premium plan, you’ll also be granted access to Showtime titles such as Yellowjackets and the rebooted Dexter: Resurrection.

Check out our coverage of the best streaming 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/paramount-annual-subscriptions-are-on-sale-for-half-off-212655020.html?src=rss 

Roblox announced that it aims to roll out age estimation technology to all of its users by the end of 2025. Users on the gaming and social network will have to confirm their age in order to access communication features within the platform under the new policy. Roblox initially rolled out an age verification option to teen accounts in July as part of an effort to keep users younger than 13 from accessing select chat features.

In addition to confirming ages for individual accounts, Roblox also said it plans to adopt new systems that will limit communication between adults and minors unless they already know each other offline. Age verification can be completed by providing a selfie that Roblox and its partner will analyze or by submitting an accepted form of identification.

Roblox has drawn criticism for what many claim are failures to adequately protect younger users from bad actors, including facing lawsuits. The platform started rolling out more stringent policies aimed at child safety last year. These rules kept some interactive features away from the under 13 age group, while other additions were aimed at giving parents tools to curate their children’s experience.

Age verification is becoming a go-to method to try and protect minors from accessing inappropriate content online. Utah was the first state to adopt a requirement to prove users’ ages in order to access app stores, and other states like Mississippi are placing similar requirements on social media networks. There have been legal challenges, however. The tech sector has been arguing that their platforms should not be responsible for confirming ages, while digital privacy advocates have questioned whether sufficient protections have been enacted to keep users’ personal information safe with these new laws.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/roblox-will-require-age-verification-for-all-users-to-access-communication-features-203653330.html?src=rss 

A PlayStation State of Play showcase all about 007 First Light shed some light on how Hitman developer IO Interactive’s James Bond game works. The stream also disclosed what was, until now, a top-secret nugget of intel: the release date. 007 First Light is coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, Steam and Epic Games Store on March 27.

The State of Play included a partial playthrough of the first mission, which sees Bond stealthily tailing a suspicious bellhop through a fancy hotel. Some time later, Bond breaks into a car to chase down a target, which leads into an explosive shootout. In a neat touch, Bond is granted a license to kill when enemies are about to shoot at him. One of my favorite bits from the gameplay deep dive showed Bond pushing an enemy off a ledge and using the baddie to break his own fall. 

Bond uses all the tricks of the trade, including distractions, gadgets and sweet talking NPCs. As with the Hitman series, you’ll have plenty of options as to how to complete your objectives. Being a Bond project, of course there’s plenty of product placement too. You can read more details about what to expect from the game in our preview. 

In addition, IO Interactive revealed the game’s main cast during the State of Play. Patrick Gibson (The Tudors, Dexter: Original Sin) is playing 007. The cast also includes Priyanga Burford as M, Alastair Mackenzie as Q, Kiera Lester as Miss Moneypenny, Lennie James as John Greenway and Noemie Nakai as Miss Roth. What are the odds that at least one of those will turn out to be a double agent? 

Pre-orders are open now. If you do lock in a pre-order for the $70 base edition, you’ll get a free upgrade to 007 First Light – Deluxe Edition, which includes 24 hours of early access, as well as exclusive outfits and skins for weapons and gadgets.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/007-first-light-is-coming-to-ps5-xbox-series-xs-nintendo-switch-2-and-pc-on-march-27-191011686.html?src=rss