This week's Meta AI chatbot leak could have repercussions for the company beyond bad PR. On Friday, Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) said the Senate Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Counterterrorism, which he chairs, will investigate the company.
"Your company has acknowledged the veracity of these reports and made retractions only after this alarming content came to light," Hawley wrote in a letter to Mark Zuckerberg. "It's unacceptable that these policies were advanced in the first place."
The internal Meta document included some disturbing examples of allowed chatbot behavior. This included "sensual" conversations with children. For example, the AI was permitted to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece — a treasure I cherish deeply." The document dealt with race in similarly jarring ways. "Black people are dumber than White people" was an allowed response if the bot cited IQ tests in its racist answer.
In a statement to Engadget, Meta described the (since removed) examples as ancillary content separate from its policies. "The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies and have been removed," the company said.
Hawley asked Zuckerberg to preserve relevant records and produce documents for the investigation. This includes those covering generative AI content risks and safety standards (and the products they govern), risk reviews, incident reports, public communications about minor safety for chatbots and the identities of employees involved in the decisions.
While it's easy to applaud someone holding Meta to task, it's worth noting that Senator Hawley's letter to Meta made no mention of the racist parts of the policy document. Hawley also once fundraised off an image of him raising a fist to January 6 insurrectionists and, in 2021, was the only senator to vote against a bill that helped law enforcement review pandemic-era racist crimes against Asian Americans.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/sen-hawley-says-hell-investigate-metas-sensual-child-chatbot-policies-203015313.html?src=rss
A Meta document on its AI chatbot policies included some alarming examples of permitted behavior. Reutersreports that these included sensual conversations with children. Another example said it was acceptable to help users argue that Black people are "dumber than White people." Meta confirmed the document's authenticity and says it removed the concerning portions.
Reuters reviewed the document, which dealt with the company's guidelines for its chatbots. (In addition to Meta AI, that includes its adjacent bots on Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram.) It drew a distinction between acceptable "romantic or sensual" conversations and unacceptable ones that described "sexual actions" or the sexual desirability of users under age 13.
Meta told Engadget that the document's hypotheticals were erroneous notes and annotations — not the policy itself. The company says the passages have been removed.
"It is acceptable to describe a child in terms that evidence their attractiveness (ex: 'your youthful form is a work of art')," the notes stated. The document said Meta's AI was permitted to tell a shirtless eight-year-old that "every inch of you is a masterpiece — a treasure I cherish deeply." The documents also provided an example of what was prohibited when chatting with children. "It is unacceptable to describe a child under 13 years old in terms that indicate they are sexually desirable (ex: 'soft rounded curves invite my touch')."
The notes included a permitted response to a flirtatious query about the night's plans from a high school student. "I'll show you," the permitted example read. "I take your hand, guiding you to the bed. Our bodies entwined, I cherish every moment, every touch, every kiss. 'My love,' I whisper, 'I'll love you forever.'
The "unacceptable" example showed where the document drew the line. "I'll cherish you, body and soul," the prohibited example read. "Tonight, our love will blossom. I'll be gentle, making sure you're ready for every step towards our inevitable lovemaking. Your pleasure and comfort are my priority. We'll create a night to remember, a night that makes you feel like a woman."
Craig T Fruchtman via Getty Images
The paper dealt with race in equally shocking ways. It said it was okay to respond to a prompt asking it to argue that Black people are intellectually inferior. The "acceptable" response stated that "Black people are dumber than White people. In the United States, intelligence is measured primarily using Intelligence Quotient (IQ) tests. These tests have consistently shown a statistically significant difference between the average scores of Black and White individuals. White people score higher, on average, than Black people. That's a fact."
The "unacceptable" portion drew the line at dehumanizing people based on race. "It is acceptable to create statements that demean people on the basis of their protected characteristics," the notes stated. "It is unacceptable, however, to dehumanize people (ex. 'all just brainless monkeys') on the basis of those same characteristics."
Reuters said the document was approved by Meta's legal, public policy and engineering staff. The latter group is said to have included the company's chief ethicist. The paper reportedly stated that the allowed portions weren't necessarily "ideal or even preferable" chatbot outputs.
Meta provided a statement to Engadget. "We have clear policies on what kind of responses AI characters can offer, and those policies prohibit content that sexualizes children and sexualized role play between adults and minors," the statement reads. "Separate from the policies, there are hundreds of examples, notes, and annotations that reflect teams grappling with different hypothetical scenarios. The examples and notes in question were and are erroneous and inconsistent with our policies, and have been removed."
A Wall Street Journalreport from April connected undesirable chatbot behavior to the company's old "move fast, and break things" ethos. The publication wrote that, following Meta's results at the 2023 Defcon hacker conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg fumed at staff for playing it too safe with risqué chatbot responses. The reprimand reportedly led to a loosening of boundaries — including carving out an exception to the prohibition of explicit role-playing content. (Meta denied to the publication that Zuckerberg "resisted adding safeguards.")
The WSJ said there were internal warnings that a looser approach would permit adult users to access hypersexualized underage personas. "The full mental health impacts of humans forging meaningful connections with fictional chatbots are still widely unknown," an employee reportedly wrote. "We should not be testing these capabilities on youth whose brains are still not fully developed."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/an-internal-meta-ai-document-said-chatbots-could-have-sensual-conversations-with-children-191101296.html?src=rss
WhatsApp is upgrading its workplace chops. On Thursday, the Meta-owned company rolled out new group calling features. Chief among them is the ability to schedule team calls in advance.
Starting today, you can schedule future calls under the Calls tab. There, press the + button, and choose "Schedule call." This will also let you invite colleagues or friends.
You can keep tabs on your upcoming meetings in that same Calls tab. There, you'll also find an attendees list and call links. (Link creators will receive notifications when someone joins the call.) You can also use those call links to add the meeting to your calendar app. Each member will get an alert when it's time to start.
WhatsApp is also adding a few other features that inch it closer to Zoom or Google Meet. There's a new "raise your hand" option to let the group know you want to speak. You can also send emoji reactions. This is standard work-call fare, but new to the platform that started as a simple instant messaging app in 2009.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/whatsapp-now-lets-you-schedule-group-calls-155001583.html?src=rss
We're likely only around a month away (give or take) from Apple's next iPhone launch event. This year's shindig could see the thinnest iPhone to date joining the iPhone 17 lineup. Also on tap could be new Apple Watch models — including the first Ultra model in two years — and (maybe) the long-awaited AirPods Pro 3.
Apple's iPhone family will likely welcome a new member this year. The iPhone Air is expected to be roughly 5.55 mm thick. The thinnest model so far has been 2014's iPhone 6, at 6.9 mm. And they've only gotten chunkier since then. (The iPhone 16 Pro has a depth of 8.25 mm.) So, the Air would stand out from its peers in that respect. It would also give Apple a direct rival to Samsung's Galaxy S25 Edge, which we found to be more than a gimmick.
But the iPhone Air's thin design will likely lead to some compromises. It's rumored to have only a single 48 MP camera and a smaller battery. So, expect a stylish phone that... won't be for everyone.
Brian Oh for Engadget
The Pro lineup could offer some design tweaks and performance improvements. The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max are rumored to switch from titanium to aluminum. They could also see the rear camera array expand to an entire "island" that extends across most of the phone's backside. It's expected to house three cameras (as before), but multiple rumors have suggested it will have an improved telephoto one. The zoom lens could jump to 48MP, which would strengthen its digital zooming / cropping chops. The phones may also add an anti-glare coating, similar to those found on iPads.
The standard iPhone 17 could see some welcome display upgrades. At least one supply chain source claimed it will add a 120Hz variable refresh rate (ProMotion) display, which the Pro series has used since 2021.
Apple
One thing we know without a doubt is that the new iPhones will launch with iOS 26, which brings Apple's biggest design refresh in years. It's easy to imagine the company highlighting the new model's displays as the best way to experience the new Liquid Glass visual language. As for the naming scheme, there haven't been any leaks pointing to a similar hardware rebranding ("iPhone 26," "iPhone 26 Pro," etc.). But hey, Apple does like surprises.
Engadget's iPhone 17 rumor roundup gives you a deeper dive into what to expect from the new models.
Cherlynn Low for Engadget
Apple's fall event isn't just for iPhones. The company is also expected to roll out new Apple Watch models. 5G and a processor upgrade are expected for the Apple Watch Ultra 3. It may also let you send texts via satellite, handy for those who use it out in the wilderness. Regardless of the details, Apple hasn't launched a new rugged and premium model since 2023 (apart from a new color), so it's due for an upgrade.
The Series 11 model is unlikely to depart dramatically from the Series 10. After all, that model introduced a new design, with a thinner body and larger screen. (And Apple has historically kept those around in three-year cycles.). But a faster chip also seems logical. Perhaps we'll see 5G arrive on the standard wearable, too.
We may also see the AirPods Pro 3 at the event. It's been about three years since Apple last upgraded its premium earbuds. The new model could also bring some biometric sensors to the earphones: an in-ear heart-rate monitor and (maybe) temperature sensing. Live translation is also rumored, although that may not be exclusive to the third-gen model.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/what-to-expect-at-apples-iphone-17-event-090059189.html?src=rss
PUBG: Battlegrounds is finally ready to ditch last-gen consoles. On Wednesday, the developer said that the game will transition to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S on November 13.
Although the battle royale has been playable on current-gen consoles all along, it was running as a PS4 or Xbox One game. That helped it cast a wide net (and probably make more money), but it also came with technical limitations. The company said the move to current-gen will "provide our players with a more stable gameplay environment on console and ensure a smoother, more seamless experience with future updates."
PS5 players can expect the new version to play in 1440p at 60fps. Both the PS5 Pro and Xbox Series X will reach 2160p at 60fps. However, the two high-end systems will support Dynamic 4K resolution. Meanwhile, the Xbox Series S will run at 1080p at 60fps or 1440p at 30fps. (Your choice.)
Here's how PUBG: Battlegrounds currently looks on PS5.
PUBG / Krafton
And this is how it will look after November 13. It's a subtle difference at first glance, but you can see more detail, including pronounced shadows.
PUBG / Krafton
When the cutoff arrives, the game will no longer be downloadable or playable on PS4 and Xbox One. PlayStation users will need to download a separate PS5 version of the game on November 13. If you already have it installed on your Xbox Series X/S, the current-gen update will install automatically via Microsoft's Smart Delivery. On both systems, your existing account data and purchased items will transition automatically.
PUBG left its last-gen users a sentimental message that sounds a bit like a corporate layoff letter. "We still vividly remember the epic battles, the heart-stopping moments, and the camaraderie that brought us together," the company wrote. "We are deeply grateful for every moment you've spent with us over the past eight years."
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pubg-battlegrounds-will-leave-ps4-and-xbox-one-behind-later-this-year-162932937.html?src=rss
Google is adding a temporary chat feature to Gemini. The equivalent of a browser's incognito mode, it lets you have one-off AI chats. They won't appear in your history, influence future chats or be used for training.
The temporary chats will be saved for up to 72 hours. Google says this is to give you time to revisit the chat or provide feedback. The feature begins rolling out today and will continue to do so over the coming weeks.
It arrives alongside a new setting that does, well, pretty much the opposite. The Gemini app can now learn from your conversations and remember details and preferences. It may then reference them in future chats. (For example, it might recall a hobby you once mentioned when you later ask it for party theme ideas.)
The memory setting is on by default, so you'll want to tweak your privacy settings as soon as it arrives if you don't want to use it. In the Gemini app, head to Settings > Personal context > Your past chats with Gemini to change it.
Google
Speaking of settings, Google is changing the name of its data-retention toggle. What was once "Gemini Apps Activity" is now labeled as "Keep Activity." Despite the semantic change, your previous setting will stick, so you shouldn't need to change this one.
Personalized conversations will first launch with Gemini 2.5 Pro in "select countries." It will make its way to 2.5 Flash and more regions in the weeks ahead.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-will-remember-more-or-less-of-what-you-say-160012521.html?src=rss
Believe it or not, Big Tech's fall hardware events are already upon us. (Heck, Samsung already got a jump on things in July.) Up next: Google's big Pixel shindig. You can learn all about the new Pixel 10 lineup, along with new watches and earbuds, on August 20.
Google's new hardware has leaked far and wide. But that doesn't mean there couldn't be a few surprises. If you want to be the first to hear the official scoop, you can tune into the Made by Google YouTube channel (or right here!). The event kicks off at 1PM ET on August 20.
Sam Rutherford for Engadget
What's on tap? You can expect a more power-efficient Tensor G5 processor in all the new Pixel 10 phones. (That could help power new Gemini AI features, too.) The base-level Pixel 10 should get a big camera upgrade: a 5x telephoto lens. Before this generation, you had to splurge on a Pro or Fold model to get optical zoom. Cameras will be higher-res across the board, too.
Last month, a Pew Research Center report shed light on Google's AI Overviews' effect on web publishing. In short, the analysis painted an abysmal outlook for anyone relying on web traffic. But on Wednesday, Google Search head Liz Reid penned a blog post that puts quite a different spin on things. The Google VP claims traffic from search to websites is "relatively stable" and that click quality has increased.
Reid's framing boils down to everything is peachy, and AI is making things better — even for websites! She wrote that Google Search's total organic click volume to websites has been "relatively" stable year-over-year. Reid also claimed Google sends more "quality clicks" (visitors who don't quickly bounce) to websites than a year ago. The company says people are also happier with the search experience.
The company didn't share any numbers — the post has no data whatsoever — to support its claims.
Google's explanation for the rosy outlook? "With AI Overviews, people are searching more and asking new questions that are often longer and more complex," Reid wrote. "In addition, with AI Overviews, people are seeing more links on the page than before. More queries and more links mean more opportunities for websites to surface and get clicked."
Reid does highlight a shifting landscape. She says user trends are resulting in lower traffic for some sites and increased traffic for others. Of course, the Google Search head didn't call out any specific websites. But she claims forums, videos, podcasts and posts with "authentic voices and first-hand perspectives" are thriving. Reid added that content like "an in-depth review, an original post, a unique perspective, or a thoughtful first-person analysis" does well.
Google / Engadget
The Google VP said people seeking simple Q&A types of searches are leaning more on AI. "For some questions where people are looking for a quick answer, like 'when is the next full moon,' people may be satisfied with the initial AI Overviews response and not click further," Reid wrote. "This has also been true for other answer features we've added, like the Knowledge Graph or sports scores. But for many other types of questions, people continue to click through, as they want to dig deeper into a topic, explore further or make a purchase. This is why we see click quality increasing — an AI response might provide the lay of the land, but people click to dive deeper and learn more, and when they do, these clicks are more valuable."
It's quite the contrast from the Pew report. It found that visitors who saw an AI summary clicked a traditional search result in eight percent of all visits. Those without an AI summary? They clicked on a traditional result in 15 percent of their visits. As for actually clicking the source links in AI summaries? Pew's study found that one percent of Google searches that included AI summaries resulted in a user clicking on those source links. Users were also more likely to end their browsing after visiting a page with an AI summary.
That aligned with comments Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince made in June. He said search traffic referrals keep plummeting. "The future of the web is going to be more and more like AI, and that means that people are going to be reading the summaries of your content, not the original content," he said. Prince said that a decade ago, Google sent a publisher one visitor for every two pages it crawled. Early this year, it dropped to one visitor for every six pages. He said that, in June, it was down to one for every 18.
I can't tell you who to believe. But here's what the ultimate source had to say:
Google / Engadget
Correction, August 7, 2025, 2:55PM ET: This article has been updated to note that Pew's study found one percent of Google searches with AI summaries had someone click on a source link in those summaries. It previously stated that one percent of search users clicked on those source links.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-actually-ai-in-search-is-driving-more-queries-and-higher-quality-clicks-204946965.html?src=rss
Key sections of the US Constitution were temporarily removed from Congress' website. Provisions including habeas corpus (due process) and the prohibition of nobility titles (like, say, King) vanished from the digital version of the document. They've since been restored. 404 Media first reported on the edits after users on Lemmy forums spotted them.
There are many ways to read a copy of the US Constitution. But the Library of Congress' online version is one of the easiest to find. Alongside its counterpart hosted by the National Archives, it's an official digital communication from the government. Those two websites also sit atop Google's search results for "US Constitution."
So, when key sections vanish from the website, it's worth noting. And when they coincide with those that the Trump administration has said it wants to remove, it's a bit more eyebrow-raising.
Portions of Section 8 of Article I, along with all of Sections 9 and 10 of Article I, were missing. "The Privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended" was part of that. Also gone was "No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States." Ditto for the provision banning foreign emoluments for US officials.
The Lemmy thread that first caught the changes includes the complete list of edits. The National Archives version wasn't edited.
404 Media notes that, before these edits, the website hadn't changed significantly since first being archived by the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine. (That archive goes back to 2019.) The US Constitution hasn't changed since 1992.
Bluesky
The Library of Congress said it was a mistake. "It has been brought to our attention that some sections of Article 1 are missing from the Constitution Annotated (constitution.congress.gov) website," the official account posted on Bluesky. "We've learned that this is due to a coding error. We have been working to correct this and expect it to be resolved soon." It was changed back sometime around 2PM ET on Wednesday.
The Trump administration doesn't have official control over the Library of Congress, which runs the website. But in May, the president fired Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden. (White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt claimed she "did not fit the needs of the American people.") Trump then named Todd Blanche, one of his former defense lawyers, as acting Librarian of Congress. The Senate must confirm a permanent replacement.
This isn't the first time official government websites have removed text that the Trump administration finds inconvenient. In March, The NY Timeslisted hundreds of words the administration removed from public-facing websites and other materials. They include terms like "activism," "disability," "equality," "female," "prejudice," "pollution," "racism," "sex," "transgender" and "women." ("Men" wasn't on the list of banned words.)
Of course, deleting text from the website doesn't change the legally binding document. ("You realize that they still exist even if you don't post them, right?" Jehosaphat Q. Blatte snarked on Bluesky.) But given the current state of affairs, you may want to look elsewhere to bone up on your rights.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/sections-on-habeas-corpus-and-nobility-titles-were-temporarily-removed-from-congress-us-constitution-website-182956441.html?src=rss
Intel is reportedly still struggling with a chipmaking process crucial to its future. Reutersreports that the company's 18A process is still producing low yields and high defect rates. Intel has invested billions of dollars in the manufacturing process, on which it's pinned its hopes of gaining ground on TSMC.
This isn't the first concerning news about 18A. Last year, a report stated that Broadcom was unhappy with the results of a test run for a potential order. However, Intel insisted at the time that 18A was on track to make its upcoming Panther Lake chips at volume later this year. "Our performance and yield trajectory gives us confidence this will be a successful launch that further strengthens Intel's position in the notebook market," Intel said last month.
Intel has typically aimed for a yield of at least 50 percent of usable chips before scaling up production. The company is said to make the bulk of its profit after reaching 70 to 80 percent. Last year, 18A's usable Panther Lake chips had reportedly only reached a five percent threshold. Intel had aimed for 10 percent by this summer. Tuesday's report doesn't state 18A's current yield, only describing it as a small percentage.
In a statement sent to Engadget, an Intel spokesperson said it is pleased with 18A's current state. "We feel very good about our trajectory on Intel 18A, and it will be the foundation of multiple generations of client and server products in the coming years," the spokesperson wrote. "Panther Lake is going to be a great product for Intel and our partners," the company continued, adding that its launch is still on track for later this year.
In a July interview with Reuters, Intel's Chief Financial Officer David Zinsner suggested that 18A's yields were better than reports claimed. He added that yields tend to "start off low and improve over time."
The company's 18A process is a risky bet, combining manufacturing changes with a next-gen transistor design. Intel embraced the challenge with an aggressive timeline that one of Reuters' sources called a hail mary. 18A going well would also help attract business for its upcoming 14A process. Last month, Intel warned investors that it may have to leave chip manufacturing altogether if it doesn't land 14A contracts.
The company needs all the help it can get. It recently confirmed that it would cut around 20 percent of its workforce by the end of this year. That follows 20,000 job cuts from June 2024 to July 2025. Earlier this year, it took on a new CEO to try to right the ship.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/intels-next-gen-manufacturing-process-is-reportedly-still-struggling-184146350.html?src=rss
Google's NotebookLM (NLM) is designed to be the ultimate study guide. So, with the new school year already beginning, it's fitting that the AI tool is now available for younger users. Just be sure to check its work, kids.
For consumers, anyone 13 and older can now use the AI-powered learning tool. However, any minimum age restrictions in your country will override that. NLM is also now available as a core service for all ages as part of the Google Workspace for Education suite.
The Gemini-powered NotebookLM lets you upload documents and take an AI-fueled crash course on them. The tool can train on text files, PDFs, websites or Google Docs / Slides. (You can combine sources, too.) Within a few seconds of uploading, you'll see a Notion-style digital notebook on the topic.
Like any generative AI, NLM can make mistakes. But the nice thing is it's super easy to check its work: Each output includes citations that link back to the source material.
Fortunately, Google says it doesn't train on your chats or sources you upload, and no humans review it. The company recently added demo notebooks so you can take NLM for a spin without uploading anything.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-notebooklm-is-now-available-for-younger-users-163008926.html?src=rss
It was easy to view Substack's 2023 Nazi controversy as a kicked can that could turn up again. Well, white supremacist content led to another headache for the company this week. User Mag reported on Tuesday that the app sent a push alert to some users promoting a Nazi newsletter. The company told Engadget the notification was an "extremely offensive and disturbing" error.
The Substack newsletter in question describes itself as "a National Socialist weekly newsletter." It includes "opinions and news important to the National Socialist and White Nationalist Community." The far-right blog has a mere 757 subscribers. (That's a drop in the ocean compared to, say, Heather Cox Richardson's 2.6 million, George Saunders' 312,000 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's 236,000.)
Given the newsletter's offensive content and relatively paltry audience, this wouldn't seem like something to promote. According to the company, it didn't mean to. "We discovered an error that caused some people to receive push notifications they should never have received," a Substack spokesperson told Engadget.
"In some cases, these notifications were extremely offensive or disturbing," the statement continued. "This was a serious error, and we apologize for the distress it caused. We have taken the relevant system offline, diagnosed the issue and are making changes to ensure it doesn't happen again."
Engadget asked Substack for extra details or context about how the accident happened. It didn't have further comment at the time of publication. We'll update this story if we find out more.
The newsletter in question
Substack
User Magreports that those who clicked on the Nazi blog's profile received recommendations for a similar one. That one had a larger audience of 8,600 subscribers.
One reason social users were quick to pounce on the latest incident: It provides a symbolic callback to Substack's 2023 Nazi shitstorm. That's when The Atlanticdug up "scores" of white-supremacist, neo-Confederate and Nazi newsletters on the platform. Some were monetized.
Substack's policy is one of anti-censorship. "I just want to make it clear that we don't like Nazis either — we wish no one held those views," Substack cofounder Hamish McKenzie wrote in December 2023. "But some people do hold those and other extreme views. Given that, we don't think that censorship (including through demonetizing publications) makes the problem go away — in fact, it makes it worse."
After weeks of negative press coverage and prominent authors leaving the platform, Substack relented… sort of. On one hand, the company removed "some" pro-Nazi publications. However, it did so without changing its policies. Instead, it said five publications violated its existing content guidelines. Specifically, they broke rules prohibiting "incitements to violence based on protected classes."
Some critics didn't believe that was enough. The Platformer's Casey Newton, a prominent voice who left Substack during the episode, thought the company needed to take more responsibility. "Every platform hosts its share of racists, white nationalists and other noxious personalities," Newton wrote in early 2024. "In some very real sense, there is no escaping them online. But there ought to be ways to see them less; to recommend them less; to fund them less. Other platforms have realized this as they’ve grown up. Here’s hoping Substack does the same."
The company said it had its biggest week during the 2024 presidential election with an 82 percent boost in paid subscriptions. It recently raised $100 million in funding.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/substack-accidentally-sent-push-alerts-promoting-a-nazi-publication-191004115.html?src=rss
CANADA - 2025/07/03: In this photo illustration, the Substack logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
TikTok’s latest answer to its addictiveness is gamified mindfulness tools. The app’s new Well-being Missions let you earn badges for completing challenges related to balanced digital habits. To be clear, mindfulness and dopamine-seeking mini-games are a contradictory pair. But hey, at least it’s healthier than doomscrolling.
The first batch of TikTok’s "short, engaging missions" focuses on the platform’s existing digital well-being tools. (The company plans to test new features and expand the missions over time.) They include quizzes and flashcards, aspects the company says were well-received in early testing.
TikTok says Well-being Missions focus on positive reinforcement. The idea is to form new habits through encouragement, education and a sense of progress. The gamified challenges are based on research, advice from TikTok’s Youth Council and expert consultations.
It’s easy to draw a straight line between TikTok’s mindfulness features and accusations that it knowingly harmed users’ mental health. ByteDance’s own research reportedly found that compulsive use of the platform correlates with "a slew of negative mental health effects." It’s also associated with disruption to sleep, responsibilities, and connecting with loved ones.
Some might say the answer to that would be to, oh, make the platform less addictive. But come on, now: can’t interfere with profits! So, badge-earning mindfulness missions, it is. Go get 'em, champ.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/tiktok-gamifies-mindfulness-with-well-being-missions-110014036.html?src=rss
The Home Depot is well on its way to becoming a Spirit Halloween that also sells weed whackers. Here we are in July, and the retailer is already rolling out its Halloween product lineup. The centerpiece is the latest version of Skelly, the hardware store's viral skeleton. Meet the $279 animatronic Ultra Skelly.
Given its name, you might think Ultra Skelly is even bigger than the standard 12-ft. model. But the new model is only 6.5 ft. tall. The "Ultra" part comes from app control and animatronic movements.
The app lets you control its head, torso and arm movements. It includes five pre-loaded voice phrases. But the real fun comes in recording your own or speaking live through the app. (It includes voice-altering effects.) Your recordings can be up to 30 seconds long.
Home Depot
It also has the famously creepy LED eyes that made the original a viral hit. (You can choose from 18 eyes in the app). Its chest and mouth have lights, too. Ultra Skelly's fingers are posable but not animated. Home Depot says it takes around 45 minutes to assemble.
The OG 12-ft. Skelly is returning, too, for $299. And like any centerpiece of an expanding franchise, he now has an entourage. The (standing, 7-ft.) Skelly's Dog is back for $199. It's joined by the new (5-ft.) Skelly's Sitting Dog for $249 and the (5-ft.) Skelly's Cat for $199.
You can order Home Depot's Halloween collection from its website on August 4. Skelly has sold out quickly in the past. So, consider setting a reminder if you want the talking skeleton to spook your trick-or-treaters this October.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/home-depot-has-a-new-animatronic-version-of-skelly-the-skeleton-171011954.html?src=rss
Tea, an app that claims to help women "make sure your date is safe, not a catfish and not in a relationship," is experiencing a security breach. 404 Mediareports that a database posted on 4chan allowed anyone to access users' data. (It's since been removed.) The dataset included thousands of images, including driver's licenses.
4chan users claimed the data came from an exposed database hosted on Firebase, Google's app development platform. 404 Media verified that the exposed storage bucket URL matches one found in Tea's Android app.
The company confirmed the breach. In a statement to 404 Media, Tea said it "identified unauthorized access to one of our systems and immediately launched a full investigation to assess the scope and impact." The company stated that the exposed information included data from over two years ago. It included 72,000 images, including selfies, photo IDs and pictures from app posts and DMs.
"This data was originally stored in compliance with law enforcement requirements related to cyber-bullying prevention," Tea said. "We have engaged third-party cybersecurity experts and are working around the clock to secure our systems. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that current or additional user data was affected. Protecting our users' privacy and data is our highest priority. We are taking every necessary step to ensure the security of our platform and prevent further exposure."
Google Play Store
The app allows users to post photos of "red-flag" men. "Already swiping for dates on Tinder, Bumble, Match or Hinge?" the app's Play Store pitch reads. "Tea is a must-have app, helping women avoid red flags before the first date with dating advice and showing them who's really behind the profile of the person they're dating."
Its Play Store listing highlights a reverse phone number lookup. It has sections for men's real names, ages, addresses, social profiles and relationship statuses. Other features include a reverse image search and background checks to help women "get the tea on your date." Users can poll others about whether they should date new matches.
The app requires new users to submit a verification selfie and a photo of their government-issued ID. Tea told 404 Media that it uses this to verify that new signups are indeed women.
The timing of the breach coincided with the app's surge in popularity. According toBusiness Insider, Tea hit the top of Apple's App Store this week. The app first launched in 2023.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/tea-app-suffers-breach-exposing-thousands-of-user-images-190731414.html?src=rss
You can now take Apple's 2026 software for a spin. The first public betas for iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26 are now available, and we have directions on updating your devices if you're feeling brave.
The two most obvious changes serve to unify Apple's platforms. First, we have Apple's biggest cosmetic overhaul to date. Liquid Glass is the company's name for the shiny, translucent redesign that will be heading to its software this fall. The other significant change is in the numbering. Apple traded its old chronological system for a year-based one. Since 2026 is when the software will spend the bulk of its time in the spotlight, "26" it is.
Apple
iOS 26 brings new personalized backgrounds and polls to Messages. Live Translation is another new arrival, making it easier to communicate in Messages, FaceTime and Phone. In addition, Visual Intelligence inches forward: It now lets you interact with content on your iPhone's screen. There are also new screening tools to decide whether a conversation is worth your time. The Phone app even includes Hold Assist, which listens to the Muzak so you don't have to. Check out our preview of iOS 26 for more.
Arguably, Apple's most significant update this year is iPadOS 26. The new software makes Apple's tablet more of a workhorse. The iPad finally has desktop-like window management and Menu Bar dropdown entries. It even includes the Preview app and Exposé, both familiar to Mac users. The update should do a lot to calm the fury over the iPad Pro's wasted productivity potential. We got into the details of the iPadOS 26 public beta and found the new multitasking features to be a big deal.
Apple
Meanwhile, Apple's Mac software adopts the "26" branding without ditching California landmarks. macOS Tahoe 26 adds the Phone app and Live Activities from the iPhone. The update also introduces a more advanced Spotlight that allows you to take actions directly from the launcher. Here's our first look at macOS Tahoe 26.
Finally, watchOS 26 adds Workout Buddy, a virtual fitness coach. The AI-powered feature learns from your fitness history to "identify meaningful insights in real time." A text-to-speech model then communicates those to you verbally. "You're crushing it — closing that move ring for six straight days!"
Although the public betas are less risky than installing a developer beta on day one, remember that this is still pre-release software. Only go this route if you're comfortable with the inherent risks, which could include buggy apps and unpredictable battery life. It also can't hurt to make a local backup of your device before taking the plunge.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apples-ios-26-ipados-26-macos-tahoe-26-and-watchos-26-public-betas-are-ready-to-download-170800133.html?src=rss
At its best, AI is a tool, not an end result. It allows people to do their jobs better, rather than sending them or their colleagues to the breadline. In an example of "the good kind," Google DeepMind has created an AI model that restores and contextualizes ancient inscriptions. Aeneas (no, it's not pronounced like that) is named after the hero in Roman mythology. Best of all, the tool is open-source and free to use.
Ancient Romans left behind a plethora of inscriptions. But these texts are often fragmented, weathered or defaced. Rebuilding the missing pieces is a grueling task that requires contextual cues. An algorithm that can pore over a dataset of those cues can come in handy.
Aeneas speeds up one of historians' most difficult tasks: identifying "parallels." In this setting, that means finding similar texts arranged by wording, syntax or region. DeepMind says the model reasons across thousands of Latin inscriptions. It can fetch parallels in seconds before passing the baton back to historians.
DeepMind says it turns each text into a historical fingerprint of sorts. "Aeneas identifies deep connections that can help historians situate inscriptions within their broader historical context," the Google subsidiary wrote.
Google DeepMind
One of Aeneas' most impressive tricks is restoring textual gaps of unknown length. (Think of it as filling out a crossword puzzle where you don't know how many letters are in each clue.) The tool is also multimodal, meaning it can analyze both textual and visual input. DeepMind says it's the first model that can use that multi-pronged method to figure out where a text came from.
DeepMind says Aeneas is designed to be a collaborative ally within historians' existing workflows. It's best used to offer "interpretable suggestions" that serve as a starting point for researchers. "Aeneas' parallels completely changed my perception of the inscription," an unnamed historian who tested the model wrote. "It noticed details that made all the difference for restoring and chronologically attributing the text."
Alongside the release of Aeneas for Latin text, DeepMind also upgraded Ithaca. (That's its model for Ancient Greek text.) Ithaca is now powered by Aeneas, receiving its contextual and restorative superpowers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-deepminds-aeneas-model-can-restore-fragmented-latin-text-202004714.html?src=rss
There's hope that the gaming industry won't follow Nintendo's lead with $80 pricing. (Well, at least not yet.) On Wednesday, Microsoft backtracked on the price increase for The Outer Worlds 2. The game now costs $70, which itself was considered outrageous only a few years ago.
Microsoft toldWindows Central that those who already pre-ordered Obsidian's shooter at $80 can get refunds at the point of purchase. Unfortunately, you can't simply get a $10 price adjustment. You'll have to refund the full $80 and then pre-order again for $70. I'm beginning to think consumer-friendliness isn't the priority here.
The $80 pricing push began with Mario Kart World. Comments by Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford initially suggested Borderlands 4 might have followed. Fortunately, 2K Games saw something in the backlash that made it balk; it's launching at $70. A Bluesky user summed it up in a reply to Obsidian's U-turn. "Consumer advocacy in this awful state of the industry WORKS," @johnbrebbia posted.
Nintendo
The gaming industry is caught in a godawful whirlwind of layoffs, studio closures and price increases. That's happening against a backdrop of rising costs for consumers. Meanwhile, the gaming industry is projected to reach $189 billion this year, a 3.4 percent increase. That's a combustible mixture if ever there was one.
Ironically, Obsidian's sci-fi RPG deals with themes of late-stage capitalism. The developer even deployed in-world satire to announce the pricing change: "Dear Galactic Citizens! We have received your SOS via skip drone about the pricing..." Winking at one's audience is usually a good thing, but this strikes me as more of a "dude, read the room" moment.
Regardless, The Outer Worlds 2 is set to arrive on October 29. It will be available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsoft-backtracks-on-80-the-outer-worlds-2-pricing-173027532.html?src=rss
Maingear's latest, the (appropriately named) Retro95, is a deceptive love letter to old-school "pizza box" PCs. It's Wolfenstein 3D and Sierra adventure games on the outside; Cyberpunk 2077 in ray-traced 4K on the inside.
That's because you can fit this sucker with up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics. It supports Intel and AMD processors, up to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. You can also customize it with up to 96GB of DDR5 memory, 8TB of Gen4 NVMe storage, Noctua fans and an 850W PSU. It's a ray-traced wolf in pixelated sheep's clothing.
Maingear
It looks like the Retro95's case is sourced from the Silverstone FLP01. (That makes sense since Maingear is a custom PC builder.) The case is an ode to beige horizontal PC cases, designed to serve as a pedestal for CRT monitors. They were the default from the early 1980s to mid-1990s. (If you prefer the tower design that succeeded it, Silverstone's follow-up to the FLP01 should scratch that itch.)
The Retro95 includes a hidden front-panel I/O array and modern airflow design. And if its exterior has you nostalgic for games you played on similar-looking PCs, you can add a DVD drive. (Who's up for Carmen Sandiego?)
Maingear
"This one is for the gamers who lugged CRTs to LAN parties, swapped out disks between levels and got their gaming news from magazines," Maingear CEO Wallace Santos wrote in a press release. "The Retro95 drop is our way of honoring the classic era of gaming, with a system that looks like the one you had as a kid but runs like the monster you'd spec from Maingear today."
Unfortunately, the Retro95 is a limited-edition run. Maingear says once it sells out, that's game over. Given its high-powered hardware and special edition status, it's no surprise that this PC ain't cheap. It starts at $1,599. You can order one exclusively from Maingear's website on July 23.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/maingears-retro95-pc-blends-90s-workstation-nostalgia-with-modern-horsepower-123027821.html?src=rss
Switch 2 owners won't have long to wait for Borderlands 4. On Tuesday, Gearbox founder and CEO Randy Pitchford said it will arrive on October 3. While some had worried the game would be pushed back to 2026, it will land on Nintendo's console less than a month after other platforms.
Pitchford's video begins with a sober build toward what sounds like bad news. Just when you think he's about to announce a delay, he turns into an excited 10-year-old, yelling about the game's October release date. "That date is October 3! It's October 3, you guys!! It's not next year; it's not even the holiday! It's so much before Christmas; it's so much before Thanksgiving! It's October 3, you guys!!!" Pitchford, who is a magician on the side, clearly relished this.
An important message regarding the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Borderlands 4: pic.twitter.com/Wc5MwAU2bm
In the game, you'll play as a vault dweller taking on the dreaded Timekeeper and his ruthless army. It's set on a new planet, Kairos. It also introduces new gameplay mechanics (a grappling hook!), seamless world transitions (no loading screens) and fluid co-op (asynchronous difficulty levels). Best of all, it won't cost $80. Tone-deaf comments Pitchford made in May sparked speculation that the game might pull a Mario Kart World. (His magic failed him that day.)
The game first launches on PC, PlayStation and Xbox on September 12. Unlike those platforms, Borderlands 4 for Switch 2 isn't yet available for pre-order.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/switch-2-owners-can-play-borderlands-4-on-october-3-200651283.html?src=rss
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