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By: Katie Gomez Every third Monday in January, U.S. financial markets close to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day. For traders and investors, this isn’t just another day offit’s a strategic inflection point that demands careful planning and risk management. MLK Day became a federal holiday in 1986, but the NYSE and NASDAQ didn’t begin… Source
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has sent a cease and desist letter to xAI, days after his office launched an official investigation into the company over reports that Grok was generating nonconsensual If youll recall, xAI and Grok have been under fire for taking images of real individuals and putting them in revealing clothing like bikinis upon random users requests. Bontas office demands that xAI immediately cease and desist from creating digitized sexually explicit material when the depicted individual didnt consent to it or if the individual is a minor. It also demanded that xAI stop facilitating or aiding and abetting the creation or publication of digitized sexually explicit material of nonconsenting individuals and persons under 18 years of age. X changed its policies after the issue broke out and prevented the Grok account from being able to edit images of real people into revealing clothing. xAI also moved Groks image-generating features behind a paywall and geoblocked paying users ability to edit images of real people into bikinis, but only in regions where its illegal.In his announcement, Bonta said xAI developed a spicy mode for Grok to generate explicit content and used it as a marketing point. The California AG also said that Grok-generated sexual images are being used to harass both public figures and ordinary users. Most alarmingly, news reports have described the use of Grok to alter images of children to depict them in minimal clothing and sexual situations, Bontas announcement reads. The actions above violate California law, including California Civil Code section 1708.86, California Penal Code sections 311 et seq. and 647(j)(4), and California Business & Professions Code section 17200, it said. The states Department of Justice now expects to hear from xAI on the steps its taking to address these issues within the next five days. xAI has been producing deepfake nonconsensual intimate images used to harass women & girls across the internet.This is unacceptable. Were demanding immediate answers on their plan to stop the creation & spread of this content.Well use all tools at our disposal to keep pic.twitter.com/2elGTV0wRq Rob Bonta (@AGRobBonta) January 16, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/california-ag-sends-cease-and-desist-to-xai-over-groks-explicit-deepfakes-140000574.html?src=rss
AirPods work most smoothly with Apple hardware, but they also connect reliably to Android phones, Windows laptops and other Bluetooth devices. The pairing process depends on the platform in use although the basics remain the same. Once the AirPods are placed in pairing mode, most devices detect them quickly and handle the remaining steps in the background. The guide below explains how to pair AirPods with Apple products, how the process differs on newer iPhones that support H2 features and how to connect them to non-Apple devices.How to pair AirPods with Apple devicesApple builds AirPods to pair almost instantly with devices in its own ecosystem. Opening the charging case near an unlocked iPhone or iPad usually brings up an on-screen prompt. Tapping Connect links the earbuds to the device and to every other Apple product signed into the same iCloud account. After that, switching between devices is automatic. Audio output follows the active device as long as each product is using updated software and is signed in with the same Apple ID.If the pairing prompt does not appear, there are a few simple checks that help things move along. Opening the Control Center and selecting the audio output menu confirms whether the AirPods already appear as an available device. If they are listed there, choosing them establishes the connection. If they do not appear, opening the Settings app and checking Bluetooth usually reveals whether the AirPods are in range or already recognized. Opening the case while viewing the Bluetooth menu often triggers the pairing card once more.The process is similar across Apple Watch and Mac. When the AirPods are already linked to an iPhone, they tend to show up automatically on a paired Apple Watch. On Mac, opening System Settings and viewing the Bluetooth section reveals the same device list seen on an iPhone. Selecting the AirPods from that list completes the connection and also syncs the pairing status back to every other Apple device using the same account.Enhanced pairing with newer iPhonesSome newer iPhones support features enabled by the H2 chip used in newer AirPods models. With compatible AirPods, models such as iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 15 Pro Max and the iPhone 16 lineup tend to deliver a faster and more responsive setup experience. When an AirPods case is opened near one of these phones, the device quickly detects the earbuds and displays the pairing card with little delay. This also tends to speed up transitions between devices and improves reliability when switching audio sources.If the fast pairing prompt does not appear on a newer iPhone, reopening the case while the phone is unlocked is usually enough to reinitiate the process. It also helps to confirm that Bluetooth is turned on. Placing the AirPods back in the case for a few seconds and trying again will often reset the pairing state if the earbuds were connected elsewhere.AirPods Pro 3EngadgetHow to put AirPods into pairing modeEvery AirPods model supports a manual pairing mode. This is essential when linking the earbuds to devices outside the Apple ecosystem, or when the automatic prompt fails to appear on an iPhone or Mac. On older AirPods models, pairing mode is activated by opening the lid and pressing and holding the setup button on the back of the case until the LED light flashes white. Newer models, including AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 3, use a touch-based method instead. With the lid open, tapping the area near the LED light places the earbuds into pairing mode. Leaving the lid open keeps the AirPods discoverable for nearby devices. Closing the case ends the process and requires it to be repeated if the device fails to detect them.Pairing mode does not remove any previous connections. It simply makes the AirPods available to new devices, which is helpful when switching between ecosystems. However, connecting to a new device usually takes priority. If the AirPods are already linked to something else that is nearby, turning off Bluetooth on the previously connected device prevents interference and helps the new device detect them more easily.How to pair AirPods with Android devicesAlthough AirPods are designed for Apple hardware, they function like any other Bluetooth earbuds on Android. Opening the case and placing the AirPods in pairing mode allows Android phones to detect them through the standard Bluetooth menu. The earbuds appear in the list of available devices and selecting them initiates the connection. Once paired, AirPods work for calls and media playback. Some features, such as automatic ear detection and battery status indicators, may require a third-party app on Android and are not supported at a system level. Features such as spatial audio and device switching remain exclusive to Apples ecosystem but day-to-day performance is consistent on Android.If the AirPods fail to appear, refreshing the Bluetooth device list on the Android phone usually helps. Making sure the earbuds are still in pairing mode is essential since the white LED indicator stops flashing after a short period. Reopening the case and holding the button again, or tapping on the front for newer models, restores discoverability.How to pair AirPods with Windows laptopsWindows 11 handles AirPods as a regular audio device. Opening the Bluetooth and Devices menu in System Settings displays a list of nearby accessories. With the AirPods in pairing mode, the laptop should detect them and display them as an audio device. Selecting them completes the process and adds the earbuds to the devices known accessories. Windows generally reconnects to AirPods automatically on future sessions as long as Bluetooth remains enabled.If the earbuds do not appear in the list, toggling Bluetooth off and back on helps the system refresh the device scan. Checking whether the AirPods are already linked to a different device is another useful step. Windows sometimes struggles to take over a connection when the earbuds remain in range of a previously paired phone so disabling Bluetooth on the other device often resolves the issue.Troubleshooting common pairing issuesMost pairing problems come down to the AirPods not being in discoverable mode or being connected to another device nearby. Resetting the earbuds solves many problems. On AirPods models with a setup button, placing the AirPods in the case, leaving the lid open and holding the button until the LED turns amber then white restores the factory pairing state. On newer models without a physical button, place the AirPods in the case, close the lid for about 30 seconds, then open it and quickly tap the front of the case three times. The status light should then flash amber and then white, to indicate that the reset is complete. This clears previous connections and makes the AirPods behave as if they are new out of the box. Low battery levels can also interrupt pairing. Ensuring both the earbuds and the case have enough charge prevents unexpected disconnections during setup. Interference from other wireless accessories affects pairing on crowded networks. Moving to a quietr spot or turning off surrounding Bluetooth devices helps the AirPods stand out when scanning.AirPods are built to pair quickly with Apple devices but they also integrate smoothly with other platforms. Keeping the earbuds in pairing mode and confirming that Bluetooth is enabled on the device in use ensures a smooth setup every time. Once connected, the AirPods tend to remember the device and reconnect whenever they are nearby which keeps day-to-day use simple regardless of the platform.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/how-to-pair-airpods-with-any-device-140000234.html?src=rss
I came out of my CyberGhost review with a positive opinion, feeling it had earned its spot in my best VPN roundup. However, even an expert review is subjective, and there's a chance CyberGhost will not work for you. If thats the case, here's how to cancel your subscription.How to stop your CyberGhost subscription renewingCancelling your CyberGhost subscription won't end it right away, unless you delete your account or get the refund (I'll explain how to do both of those later). Instead, the way to cancel CyberGhost is to stop your subscription from renewing at the end of each billing period. Once you've done that, you can keep using CyberGhost until your current period ends.The following steps will cancel auto-renewal if you got CyberGhost through its website. If you bought it through an app store instead, see the next section.Open your browser and go to cyberghostvpn.com.At the top-right of the screen, click the box labeled My Account. Enter your username and password if you aren't logged in already.Look at the top-right corner of the new screen and click the CyberGhost logo next to your email address. From the drop-down menu, select Subscriptions.Find the subscription you want to cancel and select Cancel Subscription.When prompted, click Continue to Cancel.Click the logo at top-right, then click Subscriptions to manage auto-renewal.Sam Chapman for EngadgetThis will turn off automatic billing for your account. The next time you would have been billed, your subscription will expire. You can resubscribe by purchasing another term. If you're within the refund period 14 days for a monthly subscription and 45 days for all others you can now request your money back.How to cancel CyberGhost if you subscribed through an app storeWhen you subscribe to an app through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, the store handles the billing; the app provider doesn't process the money itself. If you bought CyberGhost through an app store and want to cancel, you'll have to ask the app store in question, not CyberGhost. Here's how to do it.If you subscribed through the Apple App Store, you'll need to cancel through your Apple ID. Here are the steps.Open the Settings app on your home screen.At the top of the Settings menu, you'll see your name. Tap it.In your Apple Account menu, tap Subscriptions.Scroll until you find your CyberGhost subscription, then tap on it.Tap the words Cancel Subscription, then follow the prompts.Here's what to do if you subscribed through the Google Play store. Similar to the Apple process, you'll go through the list of subscriptions on your profile.Open the Google Play Store app.Tap the circle in the top-right corner with the first letter of your name.Find the Payments & Subscriptions menu and tap on it. On the next menu that appears, tap Subscriptions.Scroll down until you find your CyberGhost subscription. Tap on it, then click Cancel Subscription.Follow the prompts to complete cancellation.How to delete your CyberGhost accountBefore you set out to delete your CyberGhost account altogether, make sure you've cancelled auto-renew first by following the steps in the previous section. If you don't, you might still be charged for the subscription you're not using, and it's a huge hassle to end that without an account.Once you've done that, log into your account on cyberghostvpn.com and click on your account profile at the top-right, just like when you canceled auto-renewal. Below the username/password window and the message about an activation key, you'll see the words Delete My Account in tiny letters.How to find the button that deletes your CyberGhost account.Sam Chapman for EngadgetClick on them. On the page that appears, select Delete My Account again. Follow any more prompts you're given to annihilate your username for good (note that you can't use it again afterwards).How to get a refund from CyberGhostTo get a refund on your CyberGhost subscription, you have to be inside the window for the plan you chose. With a monthly plan, the refund period is 14 days. For all other plans, it's 45 days. If this time has elapsed, there's unfortunately no way to get your money back.If you are within the refund period, you can get your money by sending a request through customer support. You can email support@cyberghost.ro, submit a ticket through this link or open a live chat conversation by clicking the Live Chat button at the bottom-right of any page on cyberghostvpn.com. No matter what method you choose, the conversation will go faster if you have your order number on-hand check your inbox if you don't know it.Start a live chat conversation by clicking the live chat button at the bottom-right of any screen on CyberGhost's website.Sam Chapman for EngadgetIf you went through an app store, you'll need to request your money back from that platform instead. Apple and Google Play handle their own monetary transactions, which means they also process refunds.Best CyberGhost alternativesAfter you've cancelled and/or deleted CyberGhost out of your life, you still need a VPN; the benefits of masking your IP address and changing your virtual location don't go anywhere. You can check out my best list (linked at the top) or best free VPN roundup for ideas, or check out the review for my favorite service, Proton VPN.Proton VPN is my top choice because of its focus on user freedoms and attention to quality in everything it does. If you're willing to pay a bit more for extreme simplicity and total reliability, ExpressVPN is ideal for beginners. If you're a speed demon and just want to keep your downloads fast, go with Surfshark.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/how-to-cancel-cyberghost-and-get-a-refund-130000311.html?src=rss