Posts Tagged: Everything

Apple may announce new iPads next month. Here’s everything we expect

All signs are pointing to Apple announcing new iPads this March. But what can you expect from those new iPads? Let us fill you in.
Digital Trends

Google just announced Android 15. Here’s everything that’s new

It’s that time once again. Google has just announced Android 15 and released the first developer preview for it. Here’s everything that’s new!
Digital Trends

The Galaxy S24 – Everything You Need To Know

Check out the latest Galaxy S24 leaks and rumors in the runup to the reported launch in early 2024. From leaked spec sheets to renders, the guide will be updated continuously.
TalkAndroid

Everything you need to know about Samsung’s One UI 6 Beta for the Galaxy S23

After a delay the One UI 6 Beta is ready to download for the Galaxy S23 series, bringing with it a range of new features and enhancements. Those with the relevant device in the US, South Korea, and Germany can now sign up for the Android 14-based One UI 6 Beta program. New Features and […]

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What is Amazon Music: everything you need to know

Don’t overlook Amazon Music; it boasts a 100 million-song library, hi-res music, spatial audio, and plans to suit a wide range of users.
Digital Trends

Are Apple AirPods waterproof? Everything you need to know

Apple has quite a few different AirPod models these days, and not all of them can stand getting wet. Here’s how waterproof all AirPods are and what that means.
Digital Trends

Excited for the Google Pixel 8 Pro? This leak just spoiled everything

A new leak regarding the Google Pixel 8 Pro has dropped, and it leaves very little to the imagination.
Digital Trends

Here’s everything we expect from Samsung’s next Unpacked event

Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked July 2023 event will be held on July 26. Here’s everything we’re expecting to see at the event.
Digital Trends

[Deal] Save a massive 40% off everything across Monster’s online store

What better way to prepare for July 4th than making an incredible 40% saving on everything in Monster’s online store? Whether its audio, smart home electronics, must-have gaming accessories, lighting, or cables, you can save a ton of money with Monster from the 2 – 8th of July. Starting from July 2nd, everything in Monster’s […]

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Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5: everything we know and what we want to see

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 will be here soon. Here’s a roundup of everything we know about the phone, plus a few things we’d really like to see.
Digital Trends

When is my phone getting Android 14? Here’s everything we know

Android 14 is in the beta phase, with a final release planned for later this year. When is your phone getting the update? Here’s everything we know!
Digital Trends

The first Android 14 beta just landed — here’s everything that’s new

The public beta of Android 14 is here. It makes the back gesture more visibly conspicuous, adds a screenshot detection tool, and eyes large screen devices.
Digital Trends

What the heck is the Temu app? Here’s everything you need to know

Temu is a new online marketplace, but many people are skeptical about its place in the online shopping ecosystem. Here’s what you need to know about it.
Digital Trends

Everything you need to know on how to unlock Bluetooth support on the Stadia Controller

With just a few hours to go until Google’s cloud gaming service is shut down for good, there’s no reason to throw away your Stadia Controller because you can now unlock Bluetooth support so it is compatible with other platforms. The unlocking tool is live, and we’ve got the details for you after the break. […]

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What is NFC? Everything you need to know about how it works

NFC has become more popular largely through mobile payment systems like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay. Our guide explains what NFC stands for and how it works.
Digital Trends

What is RAM? Here’s everything you need to know

RAM, or memory, is one of the most important components of your PC, but what is RAM? We explain what RAM does, how much you need, why it’s important, and more.
Digital Trends

Here’s everything Sam Bankman-Fried is accused of by the US government

On Monday evening, Bahamian authorities arrested FTX founder and former CEO Sam Bankman-Fried at the request of the US government. The following morning, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Department of Justice (DOJ) and Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) filed formal civil and criminal charges against Bankman-Fried in "parallel actions." It was a lot to take in all at once, so below Engadget has broken up current charges against SBF by agency, with some additional context provided.

Those indictments likely represent only the start of Bankman-Fried's troubles. In addition to the charges it announced on Tuesday, the SEC said it was investigating Bankman-Fried for other securities violations. The agency also announced that it’s actively examining the actions of other FTX executives and employees. As more charges are unsealed, Engadget will continue to update this article.

Securities and Exchange Commission

The Securities and Exchange Commission accused SBF of defrauding FTX investors and customers of more than $ 1.9 billion. Starting as early as May 2019 until as recently as this past November, "Bankman-Fried was orchestrating a massive, years-long fraud, diverting billions of dollars of the trading platform's customers funds for his own personal benefit and to help grow his crypto empire," the SEC said.

All the while, Bankman-Fried portrayed himself as a responsible business leader building a safe trading platform with "sophisticated, automated measures to protect customer assets." In reality, the SEC says, "Bankman-Fried orchestrated a fraud to conceal the diversion of customer funds to his privately-held crypto hedge fund, Alameda Research."

Bankman-Fried told investors and customers FTX's sister company was just another platform on the exchange with no special privileges to speak of. "These statements were false and misleading," according to the SEC. Alameda had access to a "virtually unlimited 'line of credit" unknowingly funded by FTX customers. In May 2022, when Alameda's lenders demanded the firm repay loans worth billions of dollars, Bankman-Fried allegedly directed FTX to divert even more money to the hedge fund.

The SEC seeks to bar Bankman-Friend from trading securities in the future. The agency also wants to seize his ill-gotten gains and bar him from acting as an officer or director at another company.

Current FTX CEO John Ray III testified before the House Financial Services Committee on Tuesday — SBF had said he would attend the hearing before his arrest. Ray spoke to some of the allegations detailed by the SEC. "This is really old-fashioned embezzlement," he told the panel. "We've lost $ 8 billion. I don't trust a single piece of paper in this organization."

Department of Justice

In addition to civil charges, Bankman-Fried faces a criminal indictment from the Justice Department. On Tuesday, prosecutors from the Southern District of New York filed eight charges against the former executive, including multiple counts of wire fraud. The Justice Department alleges SBF conspired with other individuals to defraud investors by sharing misleading information about FTX and Alameda's financial condition. Prosecutors further accused him of attempting to commit commodities and securities fraud. On top of that, Bankman-Fried allegedly broke federal election laws by donating more than is legally allowed and in the names of other people.

SBF spoke about his political donations in a recent interview with journalist Tiffany Fong. "I donated to both parties. I donated about the same amount to both parties," he said. "All my Republican donations were dark. The reason was not for regulatory reasons, it's because reporters freak the fuck out if you donate to Republicans."

It's worth emphasizing how serious the criminal charges against Bankman-Fried are. For context, a federal judge recently sentenced Theranos founder and former CEO Elizabeth Holmes to 11 years in prison for defrauding the company's investors and patients. Meanwhile, Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani, the startup's former chief operating officer, was sentenced to nearly 13 years in prison for his role in the scheme. Sam Bankman-Fried stands accused of defrauding investors of almost $ 2 billion, or about twice what investors lost to Theranos.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission

Rounding out the current charges against Bankman-Fried, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission accused the former executive of using Alameda Research to "surreptitiously" siphon customer funds. "At Bankman-Fried's direction, FTX executives created features in the underlying code for FTX that allowed Alameda to maintain an essentially unlimited line of credit on FTX," the regulator alleges. It adds that Alameda had other "unfair" advantages, including an exemption from the platform's auto-liquidation risk management process.

As early as May 2019, SBF and "at least one" other Alameda executive directed the firm to use FTX customer funds to trade on competing platforms and buy "high-risk" digital assets. Additionally, the CFTC alleges that Bankman-Fried and his cohorts "took hundreds of millions of dollars in poorly-documented 'loans' from Alameda," which they then used to purchase real estate and make political donations.

For his actions, the CFTC is seeking to ban Bankman-Fried from trading derivatives and impose civil penalties against him. It also wants to bar him from acting as a director or officer in the future.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

What is an eSIM? Here’s everything you need to know

The humble SIM card is finally on its way out in favor of a new, more advanced technology — the eSIM. But what is an eSIM? Here’s everything you need to know.
Digital Trends

Everything you need to know about Google killing off Stadia on January 18, 2023

Most of us have expected this headline ever since its dedicated game studio was closed, so it’s no real surprise that Google’s Stadia is shutting down on January 18, 2023. Stadia will then join the likes of Google+, Hangouts, and a myriad of other products killed by Google whether they deserved it or not. The […]

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Apple Watch Series 8 buying guide: everything you need to know

The Apple Watch Series 8 has landed. From its price, release date, specs, and more, here’s everything you need to know.
Wearables | Digital Trends

PSA: Everything you need to know about Samsung’s Security Breach in July 2022

The latest big brand to suffer a security breach is Samsung which determined on August 4th that an unauthorized third party accessed its systems in the US towards the end of July 2022. Naturally, Samsung has taken actions to secure the affected systems in an effort to rebuff any further attempts at customer information, as […]

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RTX 4090: everything we know about Nvidia’s next flagship GPU

From prices to performance to cooling rumoured release dates, we’ve got this chip covered.
Emerging Tech | Digital Trends

Razr 2022: everything we know about Motorola’s next foldable

The Razr 2022 is shaping up to be one of the most interesting foldable phones of the year. Here’s every detail we know ahead of its upcoming debut.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5: Everything we know about the 2022 smartwatch

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 series will reportedly ditch a hot-favorite design element in favor of a cool health upgrade. Here’s everything we know so far.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Apple Watch Pro: Everything we know about Apple’s rugged smartwatch

Alongside the Apple Watch Series 8 this year, Apple’s also rumored to launch the Apple Watch Pro. Here’s everything we know!
Wearables | Digital Trends

Samsung One UI 5: Everything we know about the software update

Looking forward to Samsung’s One UI 5 software for your Galaxy phone? Here’s what to expect from it!
Android | Digital Trends

Pixel 7: Everything we know about Google’s 2022 flagship

Google is preparing the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro for launch later this year. Here’s everything we know so far.
Android | Digital Trends

What is RCS messaging? Everything you need to know about the SMS successor

What is RCS? Rich Communication Services messaging is the next-generation SMS with group chats, video, audio, and images. Here’s what you need to know.
Android | Digital Trends

Android 13: Everything we know so far about the upcoming OS

Google has announced Android 13, its next major software release. Here’s what it’s expected to bring.
Android | Digital Trends

iPadOS 16: Everything we know about the iPad’s next update

Apple will likely announce iPadOS 16 during the keynote presentation at WWDC 2022 on June 6, and here’s what we know about the software so far.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Everything (and we mean everything) to know about 5G on the iPhone

Shopping for a new iPhone? Here’s how to make sure you get one that will give you the best 5G performance and features.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Here’s everything you need to know about Google Stadia (Updated)

If you are just starting out with Google Stadia, we’ve compiled a list of essential facts and factoids to help you make the most of your cloud gaming experience. Whether it’s which devices are compatible with Stadia, how fast your internet connection needs to be, which gaming controller to use, or even which games are […]

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Here’s everything that OnePlus launched today

OnePlus has just unveiled its new Nord 2T, Nord CE 2 Lite, and its very first Nord audio product which is appropriately called the Nord Buds. The Nord 2T succeeds the rather excellent Nord 2 5G so it has some big shoes to fill while the Nord CE 2 Lite is a trimmed-down version of […]

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Google Pixel Watch: Everything we know so far

After years of being in the rumor mill, there’s a pretty big chance Google’s Pixel Watch is finally on its way. Here’s everything we know so far.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Everything you need to know about Android 12 and how to make use of some Essential features

Google came out swinging at I/O 2021, and that’s especially apparent with Android 12. The latest version of the world’s most popular mobile operating system brings some pretty serious changes to your smartphone, and we’re here to keep you in the loop. Now that the Android 12 update is in full swing with OEMs such […]

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iOS 16: Everything we think we know so far

Apple is preparing to announce the next version of iOS at WWDC 2022 in June, here’s everything we know so far, and some things we’d like to see in the software.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Apple iPhone SE (2022): Everything we know so far

A new iPhone SE is expected to come soon. Here’s everything we know so far about Apple’s cheapest iPhone.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Nothing Ear 1 Review: Everything you could want, for just $99

The Nothing Ear 1 earbuds have a unique design, but does the sound meet expectations?
Mobile | Digital Trends

Google Pixel Notepad: Everything we know about the foldable

Google is likely launching its first foldable pretty soon. Here’s everything we know about the so-called Pixel Notepad (or Pixel Fold) before that happens.
Android | Digital Trends

Android 13: Everything we know so far about the upcoming OS

Google is working on Android 13, its next as-yet-unannounced major software release. Here’s what it’s expected to bring.
Android | Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy Tab S8: Everything we know so far

Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 is probably launching in a matter of weeks. Here’s everything we know so far about the company’s next premium tablets.
Android | Digital Trends

Samsung Galaxy S22: Everything we know so far about Samsung’s next big flagship

Samsung’s Galaxy S22 is coming soon. Here’s everything we know so far about the company’s 2022 flagship.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Google Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro buying guide: Everything you need to know

The Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro are finally official. Here’s everything we know about them so far when it comes to specs, features, and more.
Android | Digital Trends

Google Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL: Everything you need to know

Google’s Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL are finally reaching their end of life. Here’s everything you need to know about them.
Android | Digital Trends

Android 12L: Everything you need to know about the big screen update

Android 12L, the update optimized for big-screen devices, is set to revolutionize how we work on tablets and foldable.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Apple Watch Series 7: Everything you need to know about the latest smartwatch

The Apple Watch Series 7 was announced in September 2021. Here’s what you need to know about the new smartwatch.
Wearables | Digital Trends

Everything you need to know about ColorOS 12 and when the beta will roll out to your OPPO smartphone

Just like Samsung’s TouchWiz and Xiaomi’s MIUI software, OPPO’s ColorOS began life sporting some garish colors, bloatware, and every feature you could want, and many that you didn’t, crammed into it. Today has brought us the official announcement of its latest iteration, the Android 12-based ColorOS 12, which OPPO promises is lean and mean with […]

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ICYMI: Everything you need to know about Microsoft’s new Surface devices

It has been a busy couple of weeks at Engadget and we have many reviews to recap. Nathan Ingraham reviewed the newest base iPad as well as the Microsoft Surface Go 3, the latter of which he says lacks the processing power to be more than a secondary machine. Devindra Hardawar reviewed Windows 11, which he called both refined and frustrating, and the Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio, which he enjoyed but found it to be underpowered for the price. Also, Dana Wollman checked out the Surface Pro 8 two-in-one, which solved some problems but created others with its new, higher price tag.

Microsoft's Surface Pro 8 still lacks an included keyboard

Microsoft's Surface Pro 8, photographed from behind on a roof deck.
Dana Wollman/Engadget

Dana Wollman was pleased to see that the Surface Pro 8 addressed some of our complaints about the previous version. It has a redesigned, larger display with skinnier bezels, improved resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, along with 11th-gen Core i5 and i7 processors and a slightly higher-res rear camera. But the detachable keyboard is still sold separately for $ 180, and the two-in-one starts off more expensive at $ 1,100. It’s also 15 percent heavier at 1.96 pounds without the keyboard. Dana says that’s lighter than her MacBook Pro, but that doesn’t make it an ideal mobile device.

The built-in kickstand seems to indicate the machine is best used when docked, not held. Dana said the kickstand is premium, albeit a bit awkward to pull out due to the narrow divots. She was underwhelmed by the images from the 10-megapixel rear camera, though it can record in 4K, and she was more impressed by the webcam that proved to be capable even in mixed lighting. The 120Hz refresh rate is a major improvement and she says you won’t want to revert back to 60Hz even if it helps save a bit of battery life. She also appreciated the Slim Pen 2, which has a haptic motor that made it fun to use. However, she admits that the higher price point makes the Surface Pro 8 even more of a niche item.

The Surface Go 3 still isn’t powerful enough

Microsoft Surface Pro 8
Dana Wollman/Engadget

Nathan Ingraham likes many of the features of the Surface Go 3: it’s well-built, has a lovely and responsive touchscreen, a strong kickstand and is extremely light and portable. However, like the Surface Pro 8, it doesn’t come with a keyboard and you’ll definitely need one as Windows 11 still doesn’t offer up a stellar tablet experience. The bigger issue for him was the underpowered specs and average battery life. The model he reviewed came with a 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage.

That makes for a mostly capable machine for basic tasks, but Nathan experienced occasional music stutters and had to reload tabs during his workday. He noticed lag while working in Adobe Lightroom, and had issues during video calls while jumping into other programs. During his normal work routine, the battery lasted five hours, which detracts from the device’s portability. However, he liked the 10.5-inch, 1,920 x 1,280 touchscreen and the 3:2 aspect ratio as well as the infinitely adjustable kickstand. While Nathan says he can see the Surface Go 3 working as a secondary machine for travel, it’s hard to recommend as a daily driver because of its performance and battery life issues.

The Surface Laptop Studio could use more cores

Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

One of the first Windows 11 PCs, the Surface Laptop Studio has a 14.4-inch screen with a speedy 120Hz refresh rate and weighs around four pounds. Devindra Hardawar says while it’s clearly not trying to be an ultraportable, it is ultra-adjustable thanks to the display that tilts it into various angles. The display itself entranced him with its flexible hinge, fantastic Dolby Vision support and refresh rate, though it is surrounded by chunkier bezels. He said the speakers are surprisingly powerful thanks to the two subwoofers on the sides and the tweeters blasting through the keyboard.

While Devindra found the Laptop Studio to be a solid performer for everyday computing tasks — and fast enough to play Overwatch at 90 and 100fps — it has only a quad-core chip, and that makes it hard to recommend when so many similar machines feature more powerful six- or eight-core CPUs. He was also annoyed by the anemic port situation: two USB-C ports, which support ThunderBolt 4, and a proprietary Surface Connect slot, but there’s no longer an SD card slot, which would have been an opportunity to outdo the competition. At least Microsoft included the excellent keyboard from the Book 3 and the new Surface Slim Pen 2. While Devindra genuinely liked using the Surface Laptop Studio, he said he still wanted more power overall.

Windows 11 is polished and secure — but frustrating

Windows 11
Microsoft

Devindra Hardawar doesn’t think that Microsoft is trying to fix much with Windows 11. Although the new operating system is more of a coat of paint over Windows 10, he doesn’t feel that’s a problem. Devindra says the more he uses the OS, the easier it is to see how far the small design tweaks have taken the software. The taskbar now has centered icons, the Start menu has a redesigned look with pinned apps, windows have rounded corners and the icons, Explorer and Settings apps look sharp making for a more refined feel overall.

The system requirements are a bit more rigid: compatible Intel, AMD or Qualcomm processor, 4GB RAM, at least 64GB storage and you’ll have to enable Secure Boot and Trust Platform Module 2.0 which make it harder for spyware and malware to attack. This means there are some additional complications if you’ve got older hardware or if you’ve built your own PC. Windows 11 will also be the only way to use Microsoft’s DirectStorage technology, which Devindra says should dramatically speed up load times when it’s available. He says that the combination of a refreshed look, additional security and faster performance is a step forward — just not a momentous one.

The 2021 iPad is an incremental update

Apple iPad 2021
Nathan Ingraham/Engadget

The 2021 refreshed iPad isn’t for early adopters like Nathan Ingraham. The updated tablet now includes a 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage support, double the base amount of storage, the new A13 Bionic chip and iPad OS 15. However, the hardware is largely unchanged from the previous two versions. It has basically the same size and weight and still includes a 10.2-inch, 2,160 x 1,620 touchscreen, an 8-megapixel rear camera and a Lightning port for charging.

That means that this is an iPad meant for those who want a tablet that’s fast, lightweight, easy to carry around and (relatively) cheap. For most standard iPad users — those who use a tablet primarily for things like playing games or browsing the web — the new chipset will provide more than enough power. Nathan didn’t notice any slowdowns while multitasking with several open apps, though he did notice that some apps needed to refresh more frequently during those periods. Also, while the screen was serviceable for watching videos and playing games, it can’t compare to the screens on the other iPads in the lineup. But for $ 330, as Nathan says, who cares? If your iPad is more than a few years old, you'll find some significant improvements in this one.

The Fitbit Charge 5 has a slick full-color display

Fitbit Charge 5
Valentina Palladino/Engadget

Though the first thing you’ll notice about the new Fitbit Charge 5 is the 1.04-inch color AMOLED touchscreen. Valentina Palladino says that the changes made to the wearable — rounded edges and a 10-percent thinner body — made it more comfortable to wear as well. The fitness band also now has some more advanced features like ECG measurements and EDA monitoring for stress levels. The ECG measuring is coming soon and Valentina said that the EDA monitoring wasn’t intuitive and left her frustrated. She had better luck with the built-in GPS, which immediately picked up her location and accurately mapped her running route.

Valentina also liked the alarm and timer apps, which she found helpful throughout the day. However, she was disappointed that Fitbit removed some of the music-focused features, which meant she had to pull out her phone to skip a track or control playback. She was also a bit irked to see that some of the Charge 5’s more advanced metrics, like select sleep and exercise data, were part of Fitbit’s subscription service that costs $ 10 per month. But she did applaud the battery life and the inclusion of Fitbit Pay with NFC. She says if what you’re looking for is a low-profile wearable with a focus on fitness and a multi-day battery life, then the Charge 5 will fit the bill.

The updated Sonos Beam has immersive Dolby Atmos sound

Sonos Beam Gen 2
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Devindra Hardawar says there was plenty to like about the first-gen Sonos Beam. When it comes to the Beam Gen 2, he says the addition of Dolby Atmos means the device can deliver a wider, more immersive soundscape. With largely the same hardware — a center tweeter, four mid-woofers and three passive radiators — this soundbar relies on more processing power to simulate the Dolby Atmos experience. Devindra says it worked surprisingly well during his testing, but wasn’t a replacement for having actual speakers dedicated to blasting height channels.

He liked that the Beam Gen 2 was still surprisingly compact at 25.6 inches wide and weighing six pounds, and that it has the same Ethernet, HDMI and power ports on the rear. And he appreciated how easy the set up was via Sonos’s app. In testing, the new Beam excelled during action movies: while watching Baby Driver, Devindra said it was a richer experience and even the dialog sounded clearer, too. However, music playback wasn’t as dramatically different and Dolby Atmos support for Amazon Music will come later this year. Sonos also makes it easy to synchronize audio throughout your home and the Alexa integration works well. Devindra says it’s a solid sub-$ 500 soundbar to take your movie-watching up a notch.

The Uno Synth Pro can produce glorious sounds

Uno Synth Pro
Terrence O'Brien/Engadget

With three oscillators, two envelopes, two LFOs, two filters, an analog overdrive and twelve digital effects, the Uno Synth Pro offers plenty of options for sound design. Terrence O’Brien tested the smaller $ 400 Desktop model, which features a set of touch keys and an all-plastic body (the synth also comes in a standard $ 650 Pro model with a 37-key Fatar keybed and a partially metal chassis). He said that the overall construction feels solid enough, the buttons are decent, the knobs offer good resistance and the screen, while small, provides all the information you need.

However, the gray, black and red color scheme made it difficult to quickly spot the controls, especially in darker environments. He also didn’t like the four top knobs that change all the parameters. But Terrence said his biggest issue was with the touch keys and strips — they felt unresponsive and would occasionally fail to detect touches, which was worse in three-voice paraphone mode. The pitch and mod strips behaved similarly. But his frustrations were largely forgotten once the synth started making noise: Terrence said the oscillators have body and grit and the saw wave just rips. Overall, he was impressed enough with the wealth of sound design tools and the quality of the oscillators and filters to call himself a convert.

Owlet’s Smart Sock Plus can keep monitoring older kids

Owlet Smart Sock Plus
Owlet

After using both the second- and third-generation Smart Socks on my twins, I’d grown accustomed to being able to check in on their stats anytime from my phone. When they aged out of their socks, it was an uncomfortable transition — for me. Owlet says I’m not alone: 72 percent of the users they polled indicated they’d like to keep using the device to measure their children’s heart rate and pulse ox levels. In response the company updated its algorithm and made the Smart Sock Plus, which can accommodate children up to five years old or 55 pounds.

Aside from the larger sock and better algorithm, the Smart Sock Plus is much the same as the standard, third-gen device. In testing, the Plus seemed to fit better but I had to employ work-arounds to keep my kids from taking them off. I also noticed fewer alerts about a misaligned sock, which was a welcome update. At $ 359 the Smart Sock Plus is pretty pricey for new users, but the $ 69 expansion pack available for existing customers is likely to do well as it extends the life time of the sock considerably.

The Nintendo Switch OLED edition is nice, but not necessary

Nintendo Switch OLED
Kris Naudus/Engadget

Kris Naudus is plain: the new Nintendo Switch OLED, while lovely, isn’t a must-have. Though the refreshed handheld system features a brighter, 7-inch OLED screen, a new stand ideal for tabletop mode, an Ethernet port and a new coating which feels good in hand, not much has changed under the hood. The CPU and GPU remain the same, ensuring the future game titles will be compatible with existing Switch and Switch Light devices, and the infamous Joy-Cons haven’t been redesigned (though hopefully the drift issues have been solved).

Kris was impressed by the new stand, which is a Surface-style panel that stretches the length of the entire unit and can be left in any angle you prefer. However, because the USB-C port is still on the bottom which means it can’t be charged while set in tabletop mode. She also liked the slimmer bezels and coating on the frame and said the new buttons look sleeker and feel better. It’s the same height and width as the original Switch, too, so it will fit with all existing accessories. And though the battery is the same, it appears to be more power-efficient thanks to the new OLED screen. Despite that, Kris says unless you’ve given up your original or really need the OLED screen, you’ll be fine sticking with your current system.

The Carol smart exercise bike is for big pocketbooks

Image of the CAROL REHIIT Smart Bike.
Daniel Cooper

Daniel Cooper would tell you that he enjoyed his time with the pricey Carol smart exercise bike, a machine intended to be used in short workouts of eight minutes and 40 seconds. Using the methods employed by Reduced Exertion, High Intensity Interval Training (REHIIT), the bike features exercise videos that you can follow via the 10.1-inch color touchscreen if you subscribe to the company’s service. Because the screen is a Lenovo tablet, you can run third-party apps through it like Peloton’s so you could take classes from there, to. Daniel says the Carol app is clean and colorful: the UI flashes when you hit a high intensity phase and power output visualizations were particularly great.

The bike itself looks like any at-home exercise bike with a large, real-slung flywheel and a drive unit to house the system to electronically control the resistance. The short handles contain heart rate-monitoring electrodes and the height of the handlebars and seat height and distance are all adjustable. After spending time with it, Daniel admits he feels like his fitness and mood both improved, but the $ 2,400 price tag is especially hard to swallow.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Apple iPhone 13 buying guide: Release date, price, specs — everything we know

Apple just made the iPhone 13 series official. Here’s everything you need to know about the design, specs, features, and price.
Emerging Tech | Digital Trends

Realme 7 5G review: Everything you need at an affordable price

We’ve already reviewed the Realme X50 5G and found it to be a contender for 2020’s budget phone of the year thanks to its ability to do just about everything well and its affordable £299 price. As a relatively new brand that is fast becoming a household name in Europe, Realme isn’t resting on its […]

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