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JBL just announced a new portable Bluetooth speaker, called the Grip. This model includes a rope hook, which should make it easy to attach to backpacks, ski gear, or just about anything else.

It also features customizable ambient lighting that actually looks pretty useful. The company says this lighting scheme makes the speaker a “perfect bedside companion for late-night reading.” A speaker that doubles as a night light? I can see the use for that.

As for the audio, JBL promises “pro sound” at a “fuller volume” when compared to some rival Bluetooth speakers. It boasts multispeaker connectivity via Auracast, which makes it much easier to switch between sources. The battery life is also on point here, offering up to 14 hours of use per charge.

The speaker looks pretty durable, with an IP68 waterproof and dustproof rating. The company also notes that the unit is drop-proof, so “it can survive a hard fall onto concrete.” The JBL Grip costs $100 and is available in numerous colorways. Pre-orders are open right now, with shipments going out on September 28.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/jbls-grip-bluetooth-speaker-doubles-as-a-snazzy-reading-light-120033764.html?src=rss 

Dolby Vision has been one of the industry standards for HDR on TVs for over a decade. At IFA 2025, Dolby Laboratories is introducing Dolby Vision 2, what it calls “a groundbreaking evolution of its industry-leading picture quality innovation.” The second iteration has been updated to meet the capabilities of today’s TV technology and the ever-expanding set of artist tools. Dolby Vision 2 includes a more powerful image engine, better optimization for your TV and features that go “beyond HDR.” 

The base of Dolby Vision 2 is called Content Intelligence. Dolby says these tools provide a better “bridge” between the creative professionals and the living room by using AI to automatically adapt your TV to what your watching and where you’re watching it. Content Intelligence includes tools like Precision Black to help keep darker scenes visible and Light Sense that detects ambient light to create the best picture. There’s also Sports and Gaming Optimization that caters to the specific needs of live sports and gaming with upgrades to white point adjustments and motion control. 

Bi-directional tone mapping will allow premium TVs produce “deliver higher brightness, sharper contrast and deeply saturated colors” while maintaining artist intent, Dolby explains. That “beyond HDR” push includes features like Authentic Motion. This tool is what Dolby calls “the world’s first creative driven motion control tool to make scenes feel more authentically cinematic.”

When it’s ready for the living room, Dolby Vision 2 will be offered in two ways. First, Dolby Vision 2 Max will come on premium TVs to harness all of their processing power to provide unique premium features. Regular Dolby Vision 2 is what you’ll find on mainstream TVs with features that run on the new image engine and Content Intelligence. 

When new standards like this are introduced, sometimes it takes a while for them to actually make it into products you can buy. Dolby says Hisense will be the first to bring Dolby Vision 2 to market, offering support for the new standard on its “premium” TVs, including RGB-MiniLED models. What’s more, French streaming service Canal+ is also on board, aiming to leverage the new technology for movies, TV shows and live sports. 

You’ll want to tune into our CES coverage in January, because Dolby Vision 2 will certainly be a topic of discussion for the companies that typically debut new TVs in Las Vegas. Perhaps we’ll also get a demo of what this second-gen tech is capable of at the show as well. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/dolby-announces-dolby-vision-2-expanding-picture-quality-beyond-hdr-123019504.html?src=rss 

Google is officially debunking a series of reports that claimed Gmail has been hit with a “major” security issue in recent days. “We want to reassure our users that Gmail’s protections are strong and effective,” the company said in a somewhat unusual statement. “Several inaccurate claims surfaced recently that incorrectly stated that we issued a broad warning to all Gmail users about a major Gmail security issue. This is entirely false.”

Google doesn’t detail the erroneous claims in its post. But, as Forbes points out, it seems to be referring to several recent reports that stated the company issued an “emergency warning” to all of its 2.5 billion users in response to a phishing attack that targeted a Salesforce instance used by the company. That incident, however, was first reported by Google in early June, and the company said in an August 8 update that it had finished notifying everyone affected.

It’s not clear why that report resurfaced now or how it was misconstrued into a supposed warning impacting all Gmail users, but Google is now trying to set the record straight. “While it’s always the case that phishers are looking for ways to infiltrate inboxes, our protections continue to block more than 99.9% of phishing and malware attempts from reaching users,” the company said. “It’s crucial that conversation in this space is accurate and factual.”

Google also notes that it encourages all users to set up “a secure password alternative,” such as a passkey for maximum protection.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/google-says-reports-of-a-major-gmail-security-issue-are-entirely-false-224812292.html?src=rss 

Major social media platforms in China have started rolling out labels for AI-generated content to comply with a law that took effect on Monday. Users of the likes of WeChat, Douyin, Weibo and RedNote (aka Xiaohongshu) are now seeing such labels on posts. These denote the use of generative AI in text, images, audio, video and other types of material, according to the South China Morning Post. Identifiers such as watermarks have to be included in metadata too.

WeChat has told users they must proactively apply labels to their AI-generated content. They’re also prohibited from removing, tampering with or hiding any AI labels that WeChat applies itself, or to use “AI to produce or spread false information, infringing content or any illegal activities.” 

ByteDance’s Douyin — the Chinese version of TikTok — similarly urged users to apply a label to every post of theirs that includes AI-generated material while noting it’s able to use metadata to detect where a piece of content content came from. Weibo, meanwhile, has added the option for users to report “unlabelled AI content” option when they see something that should have such a label.

Four agencies drafted the law — which was issued earlier this year — including the main internet regulator, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC). The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security and the National Radio and Television Administration also helped put together the legislation, which is being enforced to help oversee the tidal wave of genAI content. In April, the CAC started a three-month campaign to regulate AI apps and services.

Mandatory labels for AI content could help folks better understand when they’re seeing AI slop and/or misinformation instead of something authentic. Some US companies that provide genAI tools offer similar labels and are starting to bake such identifiers into hardware. Google’s Pixel 10 devices are the first phones that implement C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) content credentials right inside the camera app.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chinese-social-media-platforms-roll-out-labels-for-ai-generated-material-194803979.html?src=rss 

The end of any sports season is usually the most exciting part, and MLS fans can watch the climax of the 2025 campaign for a discount. As it has done each year around this time since it locked up the rights to the top North American soccer league, Apple is offering the MLS Season Pass at a discount for the remainder of the season. Apple TV+ subscribers can get access for $25, while everyone else can snag the season pass for $29.

This is just the latest MLS Season Pass price cut of 2025, as Apple slashed it in half to $49 in July. However, it’s not quite as great a deal as latecomers got on the pass last year. Apple’s end-of-season discount for 2024 saw the season pass drop to just $10 in early September.

We’re now well over halfway through the 2025 season. Teams have between five and nine games of the regular season left to play. Inter Miami have the most games remaining due to the team’s participation in the Club World Cup, so Lionel Messi fans might get to see quite a bit more of him — especially if his squad makes the MLS Cup playoffs. You’ll also have the chance to check out a few new high-profile imports to MLS, including Son Heung-min at Los Angeles FC and Thomas Müller at Vancouver Whitecaps. The season will end with the MLS Cup final, which will take place on December 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apples-mls-season-pass-drops-to-as-low-as-25-for-the-rest-of-2025-170855008.html?src=rss 

Sony has lined up its next PlayStation State of Play showcase, and this one is all about a single game. It will focus on 007 First Light, the long-awaited James Bond adventure from Hitman studio IO Interactive. It starts at 2PM ET on September 3 and you can watch it on the PlayStation YouTube and Twitch channels (there’ll also be a version of the video with English subtitles on YouTube). You can also just hit the play button on the YouTube video above when the time is right.

The showcase will run for over 30 minutes and it will feature a deep dive into gameplay, including a full playthrough of a young Bond’s first mission. Over on the PlayStation Blog, IOI said to expect “everything from high-speed car chases to on-foot stealth sequences and shootouts.” Following that, IOI will offer up more details on 007 First Light gameplay. Perhaps we’ll also get a release date or narrower window for the action-adventure game, which is slated to hit Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2026.

In the meantime, you can get a taste of just why IOI was able to land this gig by checking out Hitman World of Assassination, a bundle of all three of the main Hitman games from the last decade. Hitman WOA just hit iOS last week, and you can play through the first location for free. It’s also available on PC and consoles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sony-is-hosting-a-state-of-play-showcase-for-007-first-light-on-september-3-151958435.html?src=rss 

In an age of constant communication, receiving phone calls or messages from unknown numbers has become increasingly common. Whether it’s a missed call from an unfamiliar number, a potential scam or a wrong number, performing a reverse phone number lookup can help you identify the caller. You could start your search with free tools like Google or Whitepages, but if you’re struggling to find the person behind the number, paid services such as Spokeo or BeenVerified might give you more detail. In this guide, I’ll show you how each option works, along with a few tricks to improve your chances of getting accurate results.

What is reverse phone number lookup?

Though it sounds like a word jumble, what is commonly referred to as “reverse phone number lookup” is really just a service that allows you to search for information about a phone number. By entering the number into a lookup tool, you can find out details like the name of the caller, their location and sometimes even social media profiles or associated email addresses. This can be particularly useful when dealing with unwanted calls, checking the legitimacy of a business or reconnecting with someone you’ve lost contact with.

Free options

For many people, a quick and free method is sufficient to uncover basic information about a phone number. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Use Google Search

The simplest (and often most effective) method is using Google. By typing the phone number into the search bar, you may uncover listings, social media profiles, business registrations or forum posts associated with that number. It’s a quick way to gather information without needing a dedicated service.

Tip: Put the phone number in quotation marks to search for the exact number.

Example search: “+44 123 456 7890” or “123-456-7890”

2. Check online directories

Several free online directories provide phone number lookup services. These usually gather data from publicly available sources such as government registries and social media platforms. Examples include:

Whitepages: Offers limited access to data for free and can show basic information like location or carrier.

TrueCaller: Known for its extensive community-based database, TrueCaller helps identify unknown numbers based on user reports.

To use these tools, you simply enter the phone number into the search bar. Some sites offer additional premium features, but the basic lookup is free.

3. Social media search

Social media platforms can also be an invaluable resource for tracking down information about a phone number. Searching the number on platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram might lead to a user profile associated with it. Many people include their contact details in their social media bios, which can help you identify your caller.

Subscription-based reverse phone number lookup services

While free services are helpful, they might not always provide comprehensive details, especially for mobile numbers or those associated with private listings. For more detailed information, subscription-based services are available, offering more extensive data and enhanced accuracy. The services below are priced at less than $25/month; however, depending on the service and the features it offers, you may expect to pay more or less. Here are a few popular options:

1. Spokeo

Spokeo offers reverse phone lookup services that can help you uncover detailed information about the caller. It searches social networks, public records and other online databases to provide name, address and even criminal background (if applicable).

How it works: Enter the phone number, and Spokeo will pull up available records. A subscription is required (from $14.95/month) for full access to reports.

2. Intelius

Intelius is another service that provides reverse phone lookup services, and it can identify landlines, mobile numbers and even VoIP numbers. You’ll get a detailed report with the person’s name, address and potentially even their email address.

Subscription cost: Pricing starts at around $1.99 per lookup, though packages for multiple searches are available.

3. BeenVerified

BeenVerified is a popular background-check service that provides phone number directories that you can search through, along with other public records searches. It can uncover information such as a person’s criminal background, social media profiles and more.

How it works: Enter the phone number, and BeenVerified will provide a detailed report. Subscription required (from $23.98/month) for full access.

How to use a reverse phone number lookup service

Using a reverse phone number lookup service is generally straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

Choose a service: Decide whether you want to use a free or paid service, depending on how detailed you want the information to be.

Enter the phone number: Type the phone number into the search bar, ensuring the correct country code is included (if needed).

Review the results: Depending on the service, you may see information like the name, location, phone carrier or social media profiles associated with the number.

Access additional information (optional): If you’re using a paid service, you might be able to access detailed reports, including criminal records, address history and more.

Things to keep in mind when using reverse phone number lookup

While reverse phone lookup services can be incredibly helpful, they also have some limitations:

Not all numbers are listed: Reverse phone lookup tools search public databases, which are collections of phone number records that are legally available for anyone to access. These usually include landline or mobile numbers that have been shared. Some numbers, especially those on private networks like a university campus, a large factory or a company’s internal phone system, are kept out of these databases. These private network numbers might only work inside that network and may not be reachable from the outside anyway, so a lookup will often come up empty.

Accuracy issues: The data provided by free services can sometimes be incomplete or inaccurate.

Privacy concerns: Some reverse phone lookup services ask for your own details, like your name, email address, or even payment information, before showing results. They might also log the fact that you searched for a specific number. So if you’re trying to see who called you, remember that you’re also sharing information about yourself. Always check the service’s privacy policy first and make sure you’re okay with how your data will be used.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/how-to-perform-a-reverse-phone-number-lookup-130004364.html?src=rss