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Just a month after his explosive fallout with Donald Trump, Elon Musk is floating the idea of forming his own political party. In a poll on X, 1.24 million of his followers voted, with 65.4 percent saying they would like to see such a thing happen. The America Party would offer “independence” from a political system Musk says is too focused on “waste & graft.” Like so many things Musk says, it’s not worth paying too much attention to unless he puts his money where his mouth is. But, also like so many things Musk says, it’s likely the idea of an “America Party” will wither away as quickly as it was conceived.

Naturally, where Musk’s putative America Party stands on the big issues will be a key focus for some voters. So far, the billionaire has outlined the party would [CITATION NEEDED], [TO BE DECIDED] and [RON SWANSON MEME]. It’s likely Musk would, as he did at the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE), swing the hammer at whatever remains of the government. To justify such destruction, Musk would likely say he is interested in reducing the US’ debt burden and curbing inflation. It has already drawn interest from a number of wealthy high profile figures who see some value in having a billionaire in control of a political party.

If all the talk about shrinking the government sounds familiar, it’s because it’s the position of both the Libertarian Party and the crap your 12 year-old nephew says after spending too much time on Reddit and YouTube. It will likely contain the same lapses in logic you find whenever you listen to anyone in that sphere for too long. For example, demanding the US reduce the effective tax rate to zero while still, somehow, funding lavish R&D projects to maintain the country’s technological lead.

As of now, this party’s goal presumably is not to get Musk into the White House. He was born in South Africa and is consequently ineligible to run for high office unless he can get two thirds of the House and Senate to amend the Constitution. Consequently, the America Party may have Musk as its figurehead, but people will actually be voting for his patsy electoral proxy. But, while I’m sure there are hundreds of credulous citizens willing to take on the role of Elon’s Puppet (I’m sure the DOGE staff list alone would do), it might be a harder sell to the voters en masse.

Not to mention the US has a structural disclination toward anything but the two-party system, where third party candidates are treated with disdain. At best, third parties act as spoilers for the Democratic and Republican nominees, like Ralph Nader’s run in 2000. You might argue that we’re living in a different world now, where a tech-friendly, and tech-savvy figure would do differently. That’s because you, like pretty much everyone else, have forgotten about Andrew Yang’s hang-on-let-me-Google-it Forward Party.

And that’s before we get to the biggest issue of them all, which is the near-mortal wounding of Musk’s own reputation. In the last decade, Musk’s mainstream brand has gone from well-respected innovator (regardless of if that was justified or not) to erratic manchild. He may own a vast bully pulpit in the form of Twitter / X, but that may only endear him to the sorts of people who would pay for Verification and buy Cybertrucks, but nobody else. Is that broad enough of a coalition to overcome the entrenched advantages the big two parties have in American society?

It’s a significant challenge since Musk has alienated a large portion of those well-heeled EV-buying progressive types in his customer base. They may have been volunteer evangelists for the technology and, by extension, his car company, but they aren’t too thrilled about the chaos DOGE has wrought, or anything else Musk has done. Meanwhile, his recent spat with Dear Leader, too, has likely rendered him persona non grata with many Republicans. Ironic, really, given that there’s actually plenty of energy in the US for a real alternative political party — in 2023 Gallup found 63 percent of Americans were in favor of one.

But while some pollsters believe Musk’s brand would carry a third party, his actual record in politics does not. Earlier this year, Musk got directly involved in the Wisconsin Supreme Court election, spending $25 million to support Republican-affiliated candidate Brad Schmiel. Musk also offered voters “gifts” of $1 million and wore a Cheesehead Hat at a campaign rally. But it was Schmiel’s opponent, the Democratic-backed Susan Crawford, who won with 55.02 percent of the vote.

It’s likely undecided voters might also wonder if Musk’s negotiating savvy is good enough for a seat at the top table. After all, Musk successfully backed Trump’s election, but may have done so with the hope of preserving many of Tesla’s carve-outs. Given the so-called Big Beautiful Bill will swiftly do away with all of the EV tax credits that helped make Teslas attractive, it’s not as if Musk succeeded. In fact, given the backlash against Musk has seen Tesla deliveries fall by nearly 60,000 cars compared to the same period last year, perhaps he’s the last person who voters would want representing them on the international stage.

So, a political party founded by someone with an erratic track record in business whose personal brand has fallen quite sharply in recent years and who is mired in controversies. Unfortunately, it turns out the American electorate loves an unstable weirdo who sucks at business! Voters can take heart, though, by remembering that Musk’s words so rarely turn into action.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/im-not-losing-sleep-over-elon-musks-political-ambitions-160116542.html?src=rss 

The newest Roku Ultra streaming device is on sale for $69 as part of the Amazon Prime Day festivities. That’s over 30 percent off and a record-low price, as it usually costs $100.

The Roku Ultra made our list of the best streaming devices. It can play content in 4K, which is always nice, and supports HDR10/10+ streaming. There’s a USB port for personal files and the device allows for voice control via Alexa, Google Home and Roku Smart Home.

It also ships with a newly-designed remote that we found to be extremely useful. It features an always-on microphone, which makes it easy to find when lost beneath a couch cushion. There’s also a backlight for controlling stuff in the dark. It recharges via USB-C, so there’s no need to hoard batteries.

During our time with this device, we were impressed with the image quality and the speed. It even automatically recommended that we change settings on the TV to take advantage of 4K content, which is not something every streaming player does.

The only downside is that the UI is better at organizing free content than paid streaming apps. This means it’s incredibly easy to search free content providers like Tubi and the brand’s own Roku Channel, but slightly clunkier to find stuff on, say, Disney+.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-latest-roku-ultra-drops-to-69-for-prime-day-152652572.html?src=rss 

Thanks to new reporting from WinFuture‘s Roland Quandt, we have a slew of presumptive details and specs for the next generation of Samsung’s foldable phones. Reportedly lifted from official Samsung promotional materials, Quandt is reporting that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 will be the thinnest iteration yet, measuring just 8.9mm when folded and 4.2mm unfolded. He also claims it will be the lightest Z Fold so far, weighing just 216g.

Details reported by Quandy on the battery size, storage options and camera for the Z Flip 7 and Flip 7 FE line up confirmed much of what we are expecting Samsung to announce. Among the more interesting morsels of information is Quandt’s claim that the Flip 7 will feature a 4.1-inch cover screen, which is a fairly substantial bump from the 3.4-inch cover screen on the Flip 6. The Flip 7 is also reported to be 70 percent thinner than its predecessor while carrying a larger battery.

Not included in the leaks was any information about the Galaxy Z Fold Ultra that Samsung teased back in June. In a press release alluding to the new device, Samsung waxed poetic about AI integration into Galaxy hardware. With just a couple of days to go, it seems we’ll have to wait until the event to learn more.

Engadget will be liveblogging the Galaxy Unpacked event, which starts at 10AM ET on July 9.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/galaxy-z-fold-7-will-reportedly-be-the-thinnest-one-yet-154330045.html?src=rss 

It’s Amazon Prime Day again, except this time it’s a four-day affair, the longest Prime Day ever. There are an overwhelming number of deals and discounts to sift through, but this steep sale on Apple AirPods Pro 2 is one of the best out there. For Prime Day, these wireless, noise-canceling headphones are selling for $160. This is only $6 higher than its record low price, and at a regular price of $249, you’re looking at 36 percent off.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 were our overall pick for best wireless earbuds for iPhone, as well as our pick for best overall AirPods. In our hands-on review, we were impressed with the Active Noise Cancelling, as well as the transparency mode for when you’re trying to hear the outside world. We found that the audio quality on the 2nd generation of AirPods Pro was an improvement over the first, thanks to a new amplifier, driver and transducer. We also liked that you could seamlessly switch between Apple devices while using them.

We do wish the battery life was a bit better, as they offer just six hours of listening per charge with an additional 30 hours provided by the case. In looking at the design of these AirPods, we wouldn’t be mad at a bit of an update. I guess if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it? After all, the design of an AirPod is almost instantly recognizable, so perhaps Apple wants to keep it that way.

Far and away our biggest gripe is the price of the Apple AirPods Pro. $249 is a hefty price to pay for a set of earbuds, so we’re grateful that sales like Amazon Prime Day provide a great opportunity to snag a pair for far less.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-drop-to-160-for-prime-day-135116386.html?src=rss 

Apple doesn’t want to fork over half a billion euros to the EU. The tech giant is officially appealing a €500 million ($587 million) fine brought by the European Commission in April, 9To5Mac reports. The Commission fined both Apple and Meta earlier this year for violating the Digital Markets Act through anti-competitive activities.

In Apple’s case, the Commission found that the company stopped developers from providing customers with information about sales and offers outside of the App Store. The large fine for anti-steering policies reflected the “gravity and duration” of Apple’s practices. In contrast, Meta received a €200 million ($235 million) fine. 

Shockingly, Apple doesn’t agree with its steep punishment. “Today we filed our appeal because we believe the European Commission’s decision — and their unprecedented fine — go far beyond what the law requires,” a statement from Apple to 9To5Mac reads. “As our appeal will show, the EC is mandating how we run our store and forcing business terms which are confusing for developers and bad for users. We implemented this to avoid punitive daily fines and will share the facts with the Court.” 

The European Commission started its investigations into Apple and Meta in March 2024. Their subsequent fines were the first levied under the DMA. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-appeals-the-eus-anti-steering-fine-120015154.html?src=rss 

Here’s a sweet Prime Day deal on one of our favorite streaming devices. You can get the Google TV Streamer for $84. (It typically retails for $100.) That’s nearly an all-time low for the wedge-shaped gizmo.

The Google TV Streamer is Engadget’s pick for the best all-in-one streaming device. It has a top-notch interface that makes it easy to organize your content. That holds even if your series and movies come from different sources.

Its upgraded processor and RAM make it quick and easy to switch between apps and load media. It supports 4K streaming. Its remote has an intuitive button placement and a programmable key. The device supports smart home controls via Matter and Thread.

In our review, Engadget’s Amy Skorheim was impressed. “The Google TV Streamer is responsive and quick, packing the best streaming interface out there with smart home features that are useful and properly integrated,” she wrote.

One of our only nitpicks was that it costs so much more than its Chromecast predecessor. Today’s deal helps to ease that concern. Google also didn’t bundle an HDMI cable with it. So, if you snag this deal, make sure you have an extra one on-hand.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-google-tv-streamer-4k-drops-to-84-for-prime-day-121026008.html?src=rss