There are a few undeniable truths in this world: the sky is blue, Mario Kart is always a good idea and Sony's 1000X line of headphones is amazing. The latter was proved true once again when Sony released the WH-1000XM6 edition of its wireless noise canceling headphones in May. The only downside is its price, coming in at $450 — $50 more than its predecessors launch price. 

Amazon is throwing all of us a bone, though, and having a sale of sorts. Right now, you can get the Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones and a $30 Amazon gift card for $448. Yes, that is $2 less than the headphones on their own. It's no secret that the "bundle" serves as a nice incentive to buy Sony's new headphones from Amazon, but, hey, a $30 gift card never hurt anyone. 

Sony released the WH-1000XM6 headphones three years after their predecessor, but the new model quickly proved to be worth the wait. We gave the M6s a 94 in our review thanks to features like improved sound and better active noise cancelation. One of the best things about this model compared to the M5s is the return to a folding design — I love my M5s but it's very annoying that they don't shrink at all. The M6s are also very comfy and have a wider headband for easy wear. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-includes-a-free-30-gift-card-when-you-buy-the-sony-wh-1000xm6-headphones-144511244.html?src=rss

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We live in a world filled with so much stuff. There's keys, phones, wallets — the list goes on of things that you need to hold on to every day. With this in mind, it's often a good idea to get a Bluetooth tracker for all the important things. 

Luckily, right now the Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 is down to a record-low price. Our pick as the best Bluetooth tracker for Samsung devices is down to $16 from $30 — a 48 percent discount. The only catch is that just the white model has such a steep markdown. If you want to pick up a bunch of trackers then check out the four-pack option, on sale for $78, down from $100. 

The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 is a solid purchase due to features like being IP67-rated water- and dust-resistant, a sizeable keychain hoop and over 16 months of battery life. It also emits a ring louder than competitors like the AirTag or Tile. The only snag is that you must have a Samsung device in order to use it. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/pick-up-a-samsung-smarttag-2-tracker-for-only-16-right-now-130753660.html?src=rss

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Robot vacuums can save you a ton of time by automating a regular chore you'd otherwise have to do manually. But you may sometimes want a handheld or cordless vacuum to quickly clean up small messes, or debris in hard-to-reach places. Buying each type of vacuum is one way to get the best of all world, but there's another option, too.

Eufy released the E20 3-in-1 robot vacuum earlier this year and it comes with a robot vacuum and a cordless option. Plus, right now, it's on sale for $380, down from $650 — a 42 percent discount. It's one of our favorite robot vacuums on the market, especially with such a steep price cut. 

We gave Eufy's E20 3-in-1 robot vacuum an 80 in our review largely thanks to its versatility. We also found that the robot vacuum performed well and that the self-emptying base held quite a lot for its petite size. The Eufy Clean app has also come a long way and offers great options like manual control. While having two vacuum options is great, we did find that most of the stick vacuums cleaning modes have weak suction. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/eufys-3-in-1-robot-vacuum-drops-to-a-record-low-price-141019479.html?src=rss

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Deciding what to get your dad for Father's Day is tricky. There are the standbys like tools for the grill or a new history book, but there are also plenty of unique options out there. That includes digital options like a Nintendo Switch Online membership or a subscription to MasterClass.

A MasterClass subscription is one of our favorite gifts for teachers, but it's also an especially good option right now as the site is running a Father's Day sale. Currently, you can gift dad a one-year membership for up to 50 percent off. Take the MasterClass Plus subscription, which is down to $96 from $180 annually. It offers unlimited classes and access on two devices.

Then there's the Premium tier, which allows unlimited access across six devices. The sale brings this option down to $120 from $240 for the year. The cheapest option is the Standard subscription, which is also discounted, and it offers one class every three months on one device.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-up-to-50-percent-off-masterclass-subscriptions-for-fathers-day-140300335.html?src=rss

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YouTube is following in the potentially dangerous steps of Meta and X (formerly Twitter) by relaxing its content moderation policies. New internal training materials viewed by The New York Times instruct moderators to leave videos live if up to half its content violates YouTube's policies, an increase from a quarter of it. The platform introduced the new policy in mid-December, a month after President Trump was re-elected. 

The new guidelines reflect what YouTube deems as "public interest." These areas include discussing or debating elections, movements, race, gender, immigration and more. "Recognizing that the definition of 'public interest' is always evolving, we update our guidance for these exceptions to reflect the new types of discussion we see on the platform today," Nicole Bell, a YouTube spokesperson, told The New York Times. "Our goal remains the same: to protect free expression on YouTube while mitigating egregious harm." 

The platform has reportedly removed 22 percent more videos due to hateful and abusive content than last year. It's not clear how many videos were reported or would have been removed under the previous guidelines. 

YouTube reportedly told moderators to now value keeping content up if it's a debate between freedom of expression and risk. For example, they were shown a video called "RFK Jr. Delivers SLEDGEHAMMER Blows to Gene-Altering JABS" which falsely stated that Covid vaccines can change people's genes. However, YouTube told the moderators that public interest "outweighs the harm risk" and the video should stay up. It has since been removed, though the reason why is unclear.

Other videos allowed to remain online included one with a slur aimed at a transgender person and one in which a commentator discussed a graphic demise for former South Korean president Yoon Suk Yeol. 

Engadget has reached out to YouTube for comment.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/youtube-now-allows-more-harmful-misinformation-on-its-platform-133002902.html?src=rss

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Google is officially letting you prioritize certain people in your life. The company has launched Pixel VIPs, an update that allows Google Pixel owners to "stay connected to the people who matter most and never miss a moment from them." It expands on Google's existing favorite contacts option, 9To5Google reports. 

Pixel VIPs includes features such as placing your "VIPs" at the top of your contact list and letting them bypass your device's do not disturb. If you click on a specific person then you can see their real-time location, weather and time. It also shows the last time you two connected. Plus, Google will suggest things for the two of you to do together based on your preferences. 

You also have the option of adding notes to their contact page. These tidbits might include their new dog's name, when they're traveling or a reminder of your plans together. 

The possibility that Google was working on this update first arose last summer under the name "besties," rather than "VIP." Reports from 9To5Google showed it replacing the favorite contacts option but didn't reveal much else. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/google-pixels-new-vip-contacts-lets-your-favorite-people-bypass-do-not-disturb-123053232.html?src=rss

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Good news to anyone living in the European Economic Area (EEA): Microsoft is toning down its "pick me" energy in order to further comply with the Digital Markets Act. The company has announced updates that notably include Microsoft Edge no longer begging to be your default browser. However, if you open the AI-powered browser, the guilt trip will return for the time being. This change should already be available, rolling in with an Edge update released on Thursday, May 29. 

On top of that, you should no longer get pestered by other apps to reinstall Microsoft Edge if you choose to remove it altogether. The only exception are progressive web apps (PWAs) that have Microsoft Edge tech. This update is still coming to some apps, and should roll out to Windows 10 and 11 this month.

You can also separate yourself even further from the tech giant and uninstall the Microsoft Store on your device. Any apps you already downloaded will continue to update. The new option should come "later this year" on Windows 10 and 11 devices. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/microsoft-edge-will-stop-begging-you-for-attention-in-europe-at-least-130038477.html?src=rss

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The FDA has launched the generative AI tool, Elsa, agency-wide to help its employees with everything from clinical reviews to investigations. Sure, we're living in a time of widespread disinformation and pushbacks against science, but why not rush things through with AI?

Elsa — yes, weirdly like the snow queen from Frozen — completed a "very successful pilot program with FDA’s scientific reviewers." According to the FDA, the AI tool can help with reading, writing and summarizing everything from adverse events to assessments. Elsa can also do label comparisons and generate code. It's already being used to speed up clinical protocol reviews and scientific evaluations, along with finding "high-priority inspection targets."

Elsa should be a secure platform, the FDA states. It's not clear how exactly the agency trained Elsa, but the FDA claims it's not through "data submitted by regulated industry." The information exists in Amazon Web Services' GovCloud that, again, should keep all information internal.

The FDA calls Elsa the first step in its AI journey. "Today marks the dawn of the AI era at the FDA with the release of Elsa, AI is no longer a distant promise but a dynamic force enhancing and optimizing the performance and potential of every employee," said FDA Chief AI Officer Jeremy Walsh. "As we learn how employees are using the tool, our development team will be able to add capabilities and grow with the needs of employees and the agency."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-fda-rolls-out-its-own-ai-to-speed-up-clinical-reviews-and-scientific-evaluations-120052323.html?src=rss

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A couple months have passed since Apple released the iPad Air (M3) and our position remains the same: It's the best iPad on the market for just about everyone. Now, it's also a much more accessible option. 

A new Amazon sale sees Apple's 11-inch iPad Air with an M3 chip drop to $499 from $599. The 17 percent discount is available on the 128GB model with Wi-Fi capabilities and no AppleCare+. We gave the new iPad Air (M3) an 89 in our review, thanks, in part, to that M3 chip. Its single- and multi-core scores came in 16 percent higher compared to its predecessor when tested with Geekbench.

The iPad Air M3 also has a much better screen and multitasking abilities this time around. Plus, it's compatible with a much improved Magic Keyboard. The add-on is akin to the one you'd get with Apple's iPad Pro M4 while also dropping by $30 from the previous model. But, it will still cost you $269 for the 11-inch model and $319 for the 13-inch one. 

Check out our coverage of the best Apple 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/apples-m3-ipad-air-drops-to-a-record-low-price-133932775.html?src=rss

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