Kalakshar US

Perplexity, the NVIDIA- and Bezos-backed AI company, is partnering with PayPal to get its Comet browser in front of millions of the financial tech giant’s users. The deal will see PayPal and Venmo customers in the US and select international markets gain access to the AI-powered browser, as well as a free 12-month subscription to Perplexity Pro, which normally costs $200. There are, of course, some conditions.

The promotion is part of PayPal’s new subscription hub, where users can manage all their recurring PayPal payments. The company is also offering users a $50 credit when they link and pay for three subscriptions using the hub. PayPal users in the US can claim their free 12-month Perplexity Pro subscription from the PayPal app today. Likewise, Venmo users can access the offer from within the Venmo app. The deal is on offer through the end of this year, and the Perplexity Pro subscription will auto-renew after the free 12 months is up at the then current rate unless cancelled.

The Comet browser was in beta testing earlier this summer before launching in July as part of Perplexity’s $200-per-month Max subscription. Perplexity’s AI is integrated into Comet and serves as the browser’s default search engine. This incorporation allows users to pull up the AI in a sidebar to ask questions about what they see on screen, summarize text and even take actions on behalf of the user, like sending an email or looking up directions on Google Maps.

The browser is built on Chromium, the same open-source codebase beneath Chrome, Edge and Opera. Perplexity actually offered to buy Chrome in August for $34.5 billion when it appeared that the courts might force a divestment, but a judge ruled this week that Google can keep its browser.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/paypal-and-venmo-users-get-a-free-year-of-perplexity-pro-and-early-access-to-its-ai-browser-155844658.html?src=rss 

Europe’s second-highest court has dismissed a challenge against a data transfer pact between the European Union and the US. “On the date of adoption of the contested decision, the United States of America ensured an adequate level of protection for personal data transferred from the European Union to organisations in that country,” the EU’s General Court ruled (PDF).

The two sides brokered the Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework in 2023 to continue allowing US companies to store European users’ personal data on Stateside servers. The pact included a proviso that allows for Europeans to file complaints over what US companies do with their data.

French politician Philippe Latombe sued the European Commission (EC), the EU’s executive arm and the body that struck the deal with the US, claiming that “there were inadequate guarantees of respect for private and family life in the agreement because of the widespread and bulk collection of personal data,” according to Reuters. He also said that the Data Protection Review Court (DPRC), the body that was set up to handle complaints from Europeans, wasn’t an independent tribunal and didn’t necessarily offer the level of protection required under European law.

The General Court determined that the DPRC’s functioning and appointment of judges “are accompanied by several safeguards and conditions to ensure the independence of its members.” It stated that the judges can only be removed by the Attorney General and for cause, while the AG and intelligence agencies “may not hinder or improperly influence their work.”

The political landscape has shifted dramatically since the agreement was reached in 2023. The Trump administration has asserted control over independent government agencies and it’s been at loggerheads with the EU over issues such as regulating major US-based tech companies and international trade. Still, the General Court points out that the EC is required to keep an eye on the application of the legal framework. 

“If the legal framework in force in the United States at the time of the adoption of the contested decision changes, the Commission may decide, if necessary, to suspend, amend or repeal the contested decision or to limit its scope,” the court said. The judges also dismissed Latombe’s claims regarding the bulk collection of personal data.

Latombe can still take the case to the Court of Justice of the European Union. Europe’s top court previously scrapped two previous data transfer deals between the EU and US — the Safe Harbor agreement and the Privacy Shield — following challenges by pro-privacy activist Max Schrems, who raised concerns about American intelligence agencies accessing the private data of European citizens.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/european-court-rules-in-favor-of-the-latest-us-and-eu-data-transfer-framework-150049576.html?src=rss 

It’s shaping up to be a good week for people who like enormous party speakers. Hot on the heels of JBL’s PartyBox 720 comes Samsung’s latest Sound Tower. The two new models are the ST50F and the ST40F, both of which are designed to provide music for large gatherings, indoors or outdoors.

A redesigned acoustic structure houses dual dome tweeters equipped with Samsung’s Waveguide tech, which it says delivers a wider and more even soundstage. These are joined by a pair of woofers, the output of which you can adjust by choosing between Deep, Punchy and Gentle bass modes. You can even customize further by selecting one of four sound modes — Standard, Wide, Stadium and Outdoor — to get the best sonic balance for your environment. Presumably you opt for Stadium at your own risk.

The Sound Tower isn’t just about big sound. This is very much an audiovisual device, with the visual element provided by Samsung’s Party Lights+ system, which is exactly what it sounds like. It offers five mood presets and six “dynamic lighting patterns,” with the LEDs arranged in five different areas of the speaker’s exterior illuminating in sync with the rhythm of whatever music you’re playing. You can switch lighting modes using the updated Samsung Sound Tower app, and the speaker has built-in DJ Booth and Karaoke modes. You can even plug a guitar into it.

The Sound Tower ST50F has wheels and a telescopic handle for easy transportation, with a battery life of up to 18 hours. Its loudspeakers are slightly larger than those in the ST40F (6.5-inch vs 5.25-inch on the respective woofers), which has a handle but no wheels, and only lasts for 12 hours on a single charge. Both speakers are IPX4-rated for water resistance, which means they’ll be fine with a little splash, but don’t send them for a swim.

The new Samsung Tower is available to buy from this month, retailing at $700 for the ST50F and $500 for the ST40F.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/samsung-announces-a-pair-of-flashy-new-party-speakers-153027692.html?src=rss 

Rebecca Kelly Slaughter can resume her work as a commissioner for the FTC, a federal appeals court has ruled. Slaughter, who was one of the two Democratic commissioners for the FTC that President Trump fired back in March, filed a lawsuit for her reinstatement. “Your continued service on the FTC is inconsistent with my administration’s priorities,” a letter to the commissioners said. In July, US District Judge Loren AliKhan ruled that her removal from the agency was “unlawful and without legal effect,” and Slaughter was able to go back to work. A few days later, however, an appeals court paused the order for her reinstatement. 

Now, the appeals court judges voted 2-to-1 in favor of restoring AliKhan’s order. Obama appointees Patricia Millett and Cornelia Pillard voted to reinstate Slaughter, while Trump appointee Neomi Rao dissented. Millett and Pillard wrote in their decision that the government “has no likelihood of success on appeal given controlling and directly on point Supreme Court precedent.” They explained that a Supreme Court precedent known as Humphrey’s Executor prevents presidents from removing FTC commissioners at will and without cause. Based on federal law, commissioners can only be removed due to “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.”

Rao, however, has dissented. By “ordering the remaining FTC commissioners and the subordinates to treat Slaughter as though she is still in office, the district court expressly orders them to disregard the President’s directive,” she said in a statement. It “directly interferes with the President’s supervision of the Executive Branch and therefore goes beyond the power of the federal courts.” The FTC typically has five commissioners: Three from the same party as the president and two from the opposition. After Trump fired the FTC’s Democratic commissioners, only the three Republican commissioners remained. 

Slaughter is now listed again on FTC’s website as a commissioner. According to The New York Times, she’s planning to report back to work today, September 3. “Amid the efforts by the Trump administration to illegally abolish independent agencies, including the Federal Reserve, I’m heartened the court has recognized that he is not above the law,” Slaughter said in an interview. Her fellow Democratic commissioner who was fired back in March, Alvaro Bedoya, resigned from the agency completely and took on a private-sector job. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/appeals-court-reinstates-fired-democratic-ftc-commissioner-124549494.html?src=rss 

Autumn is Apple season, and the tech company will once again host its annual unveiling of the season’s new smartphone generation. The fall event has been dubbed “Awe dropping,” and so we’re hoping for some surprising announcements that will earn the name. “Awe dropping” all begins on September 9 at 1PM ET/ 10 AM PT.

If you want to tune in to hear what Tim Cook and crew have to say about the iPhone 17, you can stream the whole show on Apple’s website or on its YouTube channel. We’ve also got the livestream embedded below so you can follow along with our liveblog while you watch.

With just a week to go until the “Awe dropping” event, it seems like we’ve already gotten a lot of advanced insights about what the new iPhone 17 lineup has in store. Apple introduced the software side of the equation with the iOS 26 unveil at WWDC this summer, and since then we’ve gotten some pretty reliable insights on the hardware.

The big reveal is expected to be an ultralight smartphone, potentially called the iPhone 17 Air. This would be Apple’s first application of its Air nomenclature for mobile, and when we had Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman on the Engadget Podcast at the end of August, he suggested that the first iteration of the smartphone might come with some growing pains. We also anticipate seeing a base iPhone 17, an iPhone 17 Pro, and an iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Beyond the smartphones, “Awe dropping” will likely showcase some refreshes for the Apple Watch and possibly for some new smart home tech. Tune in on September 9 to hear all the new product launches.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-watch-apples-awe-dropping-event-on-september-9-130040484.html?src=rss 

Google is set to reveal more information about its “Gemini for Home” plans, including new Nest devices designed for the AI assistant, the company announced on X. “Gemini is coming to Google Home,” the teaser states, while showing what could be a new Nest camera. That follows the company’s Made By Google announcement last month revealing Gemini for Home and its capabilities.

Gemini for Home will replace Google Assistant and enable natural language commands plus easier-to use controls. For instance, you could ask it to come up with recipes based on ingredients in your fridge, provide information on general topics like buying a car and help you troubleshoot home appliance issues. It will be available both in free and subscription versions — much like Amazon is doing with Alexa and Alexa+. 

Back at CES, Google said that Nest Aware subscribers who pay $10 per month would get early access to Gemini in Google Home, but it hasn’t confirmed that recently. In any case, the teaser implies we will likely see a new Nest camera (the image strongly resembles the company’s wired Nest security camera) and hopefully the unknown Nest speaker that caught everyone’s eye during Google’s recent live stream. If you’re interested, you can sign up for updates. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/google-will-reveal-more-gemini-smart-home-plans-and-devices-on-october-1-133601777.html?src=rss