Starlink will lower the orbits of roughly 4,400 satellites this year as a safety measure, according to engineering VP, Michael Nicolls. In a post on X , Nicolls wrote that the company is "beginning a significant reconfiguration of its satellite constellation," in which all satellites orbiting at around 550 kilometers (342 miles) will be lowered to around 480 km (298 miles). The move is intended to reduce the risk of collisions, putting the satellites in a region that's less cluttered and will ..

Samsung has upgraded its Freestyle portable projector for 2026. The company announced a new model, the Freestyle+, ahead of CES, touting twice the brightness of its predecessor at 430 ISO lumens, and AI-powered screen optimization features. As with Freestyles past, the Freestyle+ offers 180-degree rotation and 360-degree audio. This one also supports Q-Symphony so it'll work with some Samsung soundbars. Samsung hasn't revealed much else in the way of specs or pricing, but it'll be showing off ..

Most Apple products are pretty expensive, but some of the most affordable (and useful) ones are AirTags . The Bluetooth trackers are priced pretty reasonably even when not on sale, but they can be a steal if you can get them on a discount like right now. A four pack of AirTags is on sale for $65 at Amazon, which is only a few dollars more than the record-low price we saw during Black Friday a couple of months ago. AirTags can be useful for people who travel frequently, helping you to keep track ..

For a tech writer, being very offline is sort of like being a marathon coach who doesnt run. So in 2025, I tried to reverse years of studied avoidance towards the most ubiquitous technological phenomenon on earth I got back on social media. The change was short-lived. My first exodus from the feeds took some work disabling notifications, removing apps from my homescreen and then deleting accounts entirely. This time, the phone put itself down. The whole thing has simply lost its luster. I ..

The start of a new year always feels like a reset button. Everyones talking about moving more, eating better, sleeping longer or finally taming their digital chaos. But resolutions rarely survive on willpower alone. The right tools or piece of tech can make those goals easier to keep by turning motivation into a habit. Whether youre trying to close your rings, track your progress or just build better routines, these smart picks make self- improvement feel a little more achievable, and a lot more ..

If you are trying to stay on top of your health this year, a smart scale can make the process feel more manageable. These devices log details like body fat, muscle mass and water levels, then sync everything to your phone so you can see patterns instead of guessing. It is an easy way to track changes and stay motivated between workouts or check-ins with your doctor. Some smart scales keep things simple and focus on just your data, while others tie into big fitness platforms or support multiple ..

It's no secret that AI-generated content took over our social media feeds in 2025. Now, Instagram's top exec Adam Mosseri has made it clear that he expects AI content to overtake non-AI imagery and the significant implications that shift has for its creators and photographers. Mosseri shared the thoughts in a lengthy post about the broader trends he expects to shape Instagram in 2026. And he offered a notably candid assessment on how AI is upending the platform. "Everything that made creators ..

Sony has revealed the first batch of PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for 2026. There are three titles to play this month, all of which drop on January 6. As always, youll retain access to these games as long as your subscription remains active. First up, there's Need For Speed Unbound . This is a racing game that came out at the tail-end of 2022 and was the first entry in the franchise for several years before that. It has a unique visual style, thanks to cel-shaded graphics, with all kinds of ..

The new year is upon us, and that means CES 2026 is imminent. The biggest tech trade show of the calendar comes with a bevy of new and notable announcements that set the tone for trends and expectations for the subsequent 12 months. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, but the fun kicks off with events on Sunday January 4, followed by a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking will be happening at the Las Vegas ..

Chances are that if a VPN is marketed to everyday users, it more or less runs itself. As long as you go with one of the best VPNs instead of setting up your own manual connection, the interface is likely built so you have to engage with it as little as possible. Generally, if you find yourself constantly thinking about your VPN while using it as happened to me with Norton VPN that's a bad thing and you should change providers. That said, it's still useful to get a high-level view of how to ..

The festive lights, time off and cute scarfs can only conceal the truth for so long: Winter can be pretty bleak. I don't mean to be a downer, but it's cold all of the time, dark most of the time and this lasts far beyond the most wonderful time of the year. Here at Engadget, we've tried so many tools and products to make winter more bearable from therapy lamps to heaters . We've invested in tea sets, wrapped ourselves in heated blankets and learned to grow herbs indoors really, anything that ..

Choosing a camera is not just about resolution or price. It is about finding something that matches how you like to shoot. Some photographers want a compact mirrorless camera that travels easily. Others want an action cam that can handle rough hikes, or a full-frame system that delivers the best possible image quality. With so many options today, there is a camera built for almost every creative style. We tested the top models across categories to help you decide which one fits your needs. ..

LG just revealed several new speakers in the xboom line ahead of CES 2026 . These speakers are part of an ongoing collaboration with will.i.am from Black Eyed Peas, who is on board as the "experimental architect" involved with "development, design and brand marketing." These speakers are fairly different from one another, but they all have AI in common. Each speaker includes an algorithm that automatically adjusts the EQ after analyzing the audio content and the listening space. Many also ..

OneXPlayer is quickly establishing itself as a company that isn't afraid to get weird as hell. (Take, for example, its transforming dual-screen gaming portable .) Its latest venture is another retro gaming handheld that, at first glance, looks like a standard dual-screen model. But the Android-powered OneXSugar Wallet uses a single foldable screen instead. The device was teased via a 54-second video on the Chinese video-sharing platform Bilibili. Retro Handhelds reports that the Wallet uses an ..

The demand building out AI infrastructure has placed on PC component makers has already led to the death of one consumer-facing RAM brand, but a new report from the International Data Corporation (IDC) suggests it could have an even worse impact on the PC industry at large. In its worst-case-scenario model, the IDC predicts PC shipments could shrink by up to 8.9 percent in 2026 because of the high cost of memory. "Instead of expanding conventional DRAM and NAND used in smartphones, PCs and ..

Tomorrow's the big day, and I don't just mean New Year's Eve. The series finale of Stranger Things airs tomorrow, and Netflix has released a trailer for the last episode . We're given only flashes of the final episode, along with a voiceover of an emotional Jim Hopper telling Eleven he needs her to fight one last time. It's just over 1 minute and 30 seconds long, with what appears to be only about 30 seconds of new footage. There isn't much to go on here, as most of the footage features ..

If cleaning up your digital life is on your New Year's resolution list, we've got good news: 1Password is offering half off its subscription plans (both the Individual and Families plans). That brings the price of the Individual plan down to $24 for a year and the Families plan down to $36 for a year. The plans are nearly identical, but the Families plan accommodates five additional people. These discounts are only available to new customers and the prices expire after the year, so set a ..

Meta has acquired an AI startup called Manus known for its custom research and website-building agents in a deal valued at more than $2 billion, according to The Wall Street Journal . It's reportedly one of the largest acquisitions yet involving a startup nurtured in China's AI ecosystem. Manus arrived in March 2025, shortly after another Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek appeared on the scene. The company (called Butterfly Effect at the time) originally described it as "the first general AI ..

Hot on the tail of Amazon's Kindle Scribe Colorosoft , TCL is introducing its own take on a distraction-free note-taking and reading device. Unlike the new Scribe, however, it doesn't use E Ink. The TCL Note A1 NXTPAPER is the company's latest device to use NXTPAPER , TCL's custom paper-like LCD screen, which offers some of the qualities of E Ink without the limitations. TCL says the 11.5-inch color "NXTPAPER Pure" display on the Note A1 has a 2,200 x 1,440 resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate, ..

CES 2026 is right around the corner , and the pre-show hype cycle/ early reveals suggest, yes, theres going to be an awful lot of AI-powered insert- product-category-here alongside, thankfully, some major announcements from the likes of Intel, Sony and NVIDIA. Intel is finally unveiling its Panther Lake (Core Ultra Series 3) chips. The first chips built on Intels 2nm process could offer a 50 percent performance boost, which is sorely needed amid intense competition. NVIDIAs Jensen Huang is ..

An iPad is a great all-purpose device, but it also needs protection if you want it to last. A good case can guard against drops, add a stand for videos or sketching sessions and even make your iPad feel more like a lightweight laptop. Whether you prefer something slim, rugged or packed with useful features, there is a case that fits the way you use your tablet. From keyboard folios to minimalist covers with room for your Apple Pencil, we rounded up the best iPad cases that keep your tablet safe ..

LG will unveil a canvas-style art TV, dubbed the LG Gallery TV, at CES 2026. The new model will be offered in 55-inch and 65-inch variants, and sports a flush-mount design along with customizable magnetic frames. The Gallery TV uses a Mini LED display and the company's Alpha 7 AI processor and offers 4K resolution. The new model will also leverage the LG Gallery+ service, a paid subscription with a library of over 4,500 works that users can display on the TV. Users will also be able to create ..

Apple keeps most of its product pricing on a tight leash, but we do see the company's AirTags go on sale pretty frequently. Another cost cut has come around for this item just in time for the new year. Amazon is currently selling a four-pack of AirTags for $65. At a third off the regular cost, that price is pretty close to the record low discount of $63 we've seen for these Bluetooth trackers. AirTags can be useful for people who travel frequently, helping you to keep track of essentials like ..

After a rudderless year and an exodus of around 4,000 employees due to Trump administration cuts, NASA got what may be its first piece of good news recently. On December 17, the Senate confirmed billionaire Jared Isaacman as the agency's new administrator. He now holds the power to rehabilitate a battered engine of scientific research, or steer it towards even more disruption. Considering the caliber of President Trump's other appointees, Isaacman is probably the best candidate for the job. ..

Micha Kiciski, co-founder of CD Projekt, has acquired total ownership of the DRM-free video game storefront GOG. The digital video game platform was started by CD Projekt in 2008 with a stated mission to preserve "Good Old Games" (hence the GOG acronym). CD Projekt is known for its game studio CD Projekt Red, the developers The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077 . GOG said Kiciski bought 100 percent of its shares for PLN 90.7 million ($25 million). The acquisition was fully financed through ..

If cleaning up your digital life is on your New Year's resolution list, we've got good news: 1Password is offering half off its subscription plans now through December 30. This includes the Individual and Families plans. That brings the price of the Individual plan down to $24 for a year and the Families plan down to $36 for a year. The plans are nearly identical, but the Families plan accommodates five additional people. These discounts are only available to new customers and the prices expire ..

CES is the January trade show where the tech industry kicks off the year with a bevy of new and notable announcements and its less than a week away. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, but the fun kicks off with events on Sunday January 4 and a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking will be happening at the Las Vegas Convention Center and other hotels all over the city. As usual, Engadget will be covering the ..

Ubisoft had to shut down Rainbow Six Siege 's servers and roll back transactions, a situation that came from a widespread breach that left various players with billions of in-game credits, ultra-rare skins of weapons, and banned accounts. As of Sunday, December 28, the status page on Rainbow Six Siege 's website still shows "unplanned outage" on all servers across PC, PlayStation and Xbox. Later that evening, though, the company confirmed that it was done testing on the update it pushed out and ..

Samsung has announced that it "aims to be the first" to natively integrate Google Photos into TVs. The aim is for Google Photos to work seamlessly with Vision AI Companion , Samsung's souped-up version of Bixby. This would help to make user photos part of the day-to-day TV experience, with photos appearing while navigating the TV's OS during "contextual and convenient moments." The company says users will be able to explore their Google Photos libraries in three new experiences. The first is ..

The right accessories can make your iPhone feel more capa

Imagine never having to fumble with a charging cable again. That's the magic of a wireless charger. Not only does going wireless clear up your space and make charging as simple as setting your phone down, but its also surprisingly versatile. Whether youre looking for a sleek charging pad for your nightstand, a stand that keeps your phone propped up on your desk or even a foldable charger for convenient travel, there's a wireless charger designed to fit your lifestyle. Some can even double as a ..

Apple isn't ready to pay a several billion-dollar fine to UK App Store users and is filing an appeal over a major antitrust lawsuit. As first reported by The Guardian , Apple has requested to appeal to the UK's Court of Appeal, which would escalate the case beyond the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT). The latest appeal attempt follows an October decision from the CAT, where the court found that Apple engaged in anticompetitive practices by exploiting its dominant market position with the App ..

Ubisoft has shut down Rainbow Six Siege 's servers and is in the process of rolling back the fallout of a widespread breach that left various players with billions of in-game credits, ultra-rare skins of weapons, and banned accounts. As of Sunday afternoon, the status page on Rainbow Six Siege 's website still shows "unplanned outage" on all servers across PC, PlayStation and Xbox. Update: Siege and the Marketplace have been intentionally shut down while the team focuses on resolving the issue. ..

After the high price tag of the Ayaneo Pocket DMG turned some retro handheld fans away, Ayaneo is working on another remake of the classic Game Boy with a slightly more affordable cost. Ayaneo revealed the pricing for the Pocket Vert , which starts at $269 for early bird orders. Compared to the Pocket DMG that retails for $449, Ayaneo skipped the OLED and configurations that go up to 16GB of memory and 1TB of storage for the Pocket Vert. Instead, the handheld maker went with a fully metal CNC ..

Stardew Valley is truly the gift that keeps on giving. Fans of the farm life simulator, specifically those who already own it for the Nintendo Switch 2, can download a free upgrade that introduces new features and multiplayer modes. If you have Stardew Valley on the Switch 2, you can download the Upgrade Pack that introduces mouse controls to make it easier to place furniture and organize your inventory. The upgrade also adds local split- screen co-op for up to four players and online ..

Samsung is adding two brand new speakers to its audio lineup, along with updated soundbars boosted with AI features. While not as inconspicuous as the Samsung Frame , the new WiFi speakers, called the Music Studio 5 and 7, were designed to blend into your living room's atmosphere with their minimalist design. However, if you're looking for a more convenient option, Samsung also updated its flagship HW-Q990H soundbar, while also introducing the more affordable choice of the HW-QS90H. Samsung ..

OpenAI is looking for a new Head of Preparedness who can help it anticipate the potential harms of its models and how they can be abused, in order to guide the company's safety strategy. It comes at the end of a year that's seen OpenAI hit with numerous accusations about ChatGPT's impacts on users' mental health, including a few wrongful death lawsuits . In a post on X about the position, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that the "potential impact of models on mental health was something we ..

The Retroid Pocket 6 may have gotten off to a rocky start, but the gaming handheld is officially completed and going to see its first shipments soon. The handheld maker revealed the final product shots of the Retroid Pocket 6 in black and orange on X . Along with in-person product pics, Retroid revealed gameplay videos of its handheld, running emulation of PlayStation 2 games. For those looking to relive some classic Nintendo or PlayStation titles, the Retroid Pocket 6 offers a great entry ..

The State of New York will now require social media platforms to display warning labels similar to those found on cigarettes. The bill was passed by the New York Legislature in June and signed into law by Gov. Kathy Hochul on Friday. It will apply to any platforms that feature infinite scrolling, auto- play, like counts or algorithmic feeds. The labels will caution those on the platform about potential harm to young users' mental health. Social media companies will be required to display these ..

If streaming services year-in-review campaigns have shown us anything, its that weve spent a staggering amount of time drowning out the hum of everyday life with music, podcasts and audio series. And with some incredible new releases this year, we were really eatin good. Here are some of the Engadget teams favorite things we listened to in 2025. Spiritbox - Tsunami Sea I became aware of Spiritbox in late 2024 shortly before the band dropped its latest album, Tsunami Sea. At the time, I was in a ..