Will Shanklin
Will Shanklin has been writing about gadgets, tech and their impact on humanity since 2011. Before joining Engadget, he spent five years creating and leading the mobile technology section for New Atlas. His work has also appeared on SlashGear, TechRadar, Digital Trends, AppleInsider, Android Central, HuffPost and others. In his free time, Will enjoys meditation / mindfulness, great music and eclectic New Mexico shenanigans.
- Engadget
The Amazon Echo Buds are down to a record-low $35 right now
Amazon’s Echo Buds are on sale for their lowest price yet. You can get the retailer’s AirPods alternatives today for a mere $35. One of Engadget’s picks for best budget wireless earbuds, the Echo Buds have a clear, detailed and balanced sound profile, built-in Alexa support and five hours of battery life.
- Engadget
Microsoft is once again asking Chrome users to try Bing through unblockable pop-ups
Microsoft has been pushing Bing pop-up ads in Chrome on Windows 10 and 11. Windows Latest and The Verge reported on Friday about the ad, which says (in bold lettering) to users browsing the web in Chrome, “Chat with GPT-4 for free on Chrome! Get hundreds of daily chat turns with Bing Al.”
- Engadget
The FCC just quadrupled the download speed required to market internet as ‘broadband’
The FCC has raised the speeds required to describe internet service as “broadband” for the first time since 2015. The agency’s annual high-speed internet assessment concluded that 100 Mbps downloads and 20 Mbps uploads will be the new standard.
- Engadget
8BitDo’s NES-inspired mechanical keyboard is on sale for an all-time low price
8BitDo’s nostalgic Retro Mechanical Keyboard is on sale for an all-time low price today. Usually, it’s $100, but you can grab the Nintendo-inspired keyboard for $84.99 right now from Amazon.
- Engadget
Origami-inspired adventure game Paper Trail finally launches on May 21
Paper Trail, the Netflix-published game that lets you fold the world around you, finally has a release date after multiple delays. The top-down puzzler is now scheduled to launch on May 21.
- Engadget
PS Plus’ latest free games include Resident Evil 3, Midnight Suns and NBA 2K24
On Wednesday, Sony revealed the March catalog of free games for PlayStation Plus subscribers. Incoming titles include the Resident Evil 3 remake, Marvel’s Midnight Suns and NBA 2K24. You can claim the games starting on Tuesday, March 19.
- Engadget
PS5 system update that makes your controller sound better is rolling out today
Sony is rolling out a new PlayStation 5 system update that makes your controller sound better, your screen sharing more immersive and your power indicator adjustable. System Update 9.00 is available in the public update pushed to PS5 owners on Wednesday.
- Engadget
Google’s Gemini will steer clear of election talk in India
Gemini, Google's AI chatbot, won't answer questions about questions about India's upcoming national elections, the company wrote in a blog post today. The restrictions are similar to the ones Google announced in December ahead of global elections in the US and the EU.
- Engadget
What to expect at Microsoft’s March 21 event
Microsoft is holding a digital event on March 21. Among the expected announcements are Windows AI updates and new Surface devices, potentially the first to be branded as “AI PCs.”
- Engadget
Samsung’s midrange Galaxy A55 has a bigger screen and new security features
Samsung has launched its 2024 midrange phone lineup, which combines weaker specs and feature sets with more alluring prices than its flagship handsets. The Galaxy A55 and A35 have 6.6-inch Super AMOLED displays.
- Engadget
Rivian’s R2 pre-order numbers hint at pent-up demand for Musk-free EV innovation
Rivian’s R2 reservations are off to a promising start. CEO RJ Scaringe said the automaker had taken more than 68,000 reservations for the SUV in less than 24 hours, suggesting a latent interest in innovative EV companies not helmed by Elon Musk.
- Engadget
Microsoft’s Game Pass now supports Boosteroid, a third-party game streaming service
Microsoft is deepening its ties with cloud gaming company Boosteroid. Beginning today, Xbox Game Pass subscribers with a Boosteroid membership can stream Game Pass titles along with supported titles purchased through the Microsoft Store on Windows.
- Engadget
Spotify is mad at the French government and taking it out on users
Spotify said on Thursday it will raise its subscription prices in France in response to a new tax designed to support the nation’s music industry. CEO Daniel Ek wrote an open letter denouncing the tax, which France’s government passed in December.
- Engadget
‘Episode Aigis -The Answer-’ will wrap up Persona 3 Reload’s story in September
Microsoft and Atlus said today that Persona 3 Reload’s Expansion Pass will be available on March 12. It will include the story’s final chapter DLC, Episode Aigis -The Answer-, which arrives in September.
- Engadget
Twitch will overhaul its mobile app for the first time since 2019
Twitch is redesigning its mobile app for the first time since 2019. The company’s CEO, Dan Clancy, wrote in an open letter on Wednesday that the discovery feed will be the app’s new landing page.
- Engadget
Leaked Rivian R2 specs include a 330-mile range and $47,000 starting price
Specs for the Rivian R2 leaked this week ahead of Thursday’s unveiling. Source code on the automaker’s website suggests the R2 will have up to a 330-mile range and a $47,000 starting price when it arrives in 2026.
- Engadget
Microsoft is ending support for Android apps on Windows
Microsoft is pulling the plug on Android apps for Windows. The company is ending support for Windows Subsystem for Android, the underlying component behind the Amazon Appstore in Windows 11.
- Engadget
Google is changing its search results to weed out SEO spam
Amid complaints about its search results declining in quality, Google is tweaking its algorithms to do a better job of weeding out spammy or automated content. The company says the ranking updates, arriving in May, will “keep the lowest-quality content out of search.”
- Engadget
Waze will soon help you find parking garages and zip through roundabouts
Google’s Waze is adding some quality-of-life navigation features in the coming weeks and months. New options can help you find parking garages, alert you when the speed limit is about to decrease and guide you through roundabouts.
- Engadget
Shure’s first wireless lapel mic can connect to your phone without a receiver
On Tuesday, Shure unveiled its better-late-than-never entry into the creator-focused wireless consumer lapel mic space. The audio company’s MoveMic system joins an increasingly crowded space alongside three tiers of Rode’s Wireless Go system and two iterations of DJI’s Mic.