Apple is kicking off 2025 with a new wave of updates to Apple Fitness+. This time, the company is not only adding new content to the services yoga, strength training, and meditation programs, but also offering a new integration with another popular fitness app: Strava.
If theres any problem with Fitness+s offerings up until this point, its that they primarily cater to beginners. Yoga Peak Poses could be one way that changes. Apple is adding yoga retreat-inspired workshops focused on specific, challenging yoga poses like Dancer or Crow. For each pose, theres a 10-minute prep flow to warm users up, Apple says, followed by a corresponding 10-minute practice session. You can use the workshop to build on your skills and hopefully end up pulling off a tricky pose in the process.
If strength training is more your speed, Fitness+ is also getting a new three week-long progressive strength training program Apple has dubbed Three Perfect Weeks of Strength. The program is spread across a dozen 30-minute workouts, with the first week focused on "Progressive Overload," the second on "Time Under Tension," and the third on "Dynamic Power." Apple says its designed the program to be repeatable so you can run through it again with different weights as you grow stronger. Don't expect it to be as in-depth as Pelotons new strength training app, but its nice to have more options.
Apple
One of the more interesting new additions in this update is how Fitness+ will integrate with Strava. When you share a Fitness+ workout to Strava, the app will now display things like the Fitness+ workout you performed or trainer who led it, on top of your normal health metrics. Apple is offering Strava subscribers up to three months of Fitness+ at no additional costs in a savvy bit of cross-promotion, too.
Alongside these new additions is a grab bag of other new features, like an Intro to Breath Meditation class, a selection of workouts designed around training for pickleball, a new slate of Apple's celebrity-led Time to Walk audio stories, and workout playlists focused on Janet Jackson (on January 13), Coldplay (on January 20), Bruno Mars (on January 27) and Kendrick Lamar (on February 3).This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-fitness-gets-strava-integration-and-new-workouts-120013064.html?src=rss
When Samsung unveiled the worlds first 27-inch 4K gaming OLED monitor on Thursday, Engadgets Igor Bonifacic predicted that other vendors would soon follow suit. (After all, Samsung is also the biggest supplier of OLED gaming monitor panels.) Sure enough, MSI followed suit the same day at CES 2025 with two monitors with familiar specs: a 27-inch 4K QD-OLED display and a 27-inch QD-OLED one with a crazy-smooth 500Hz refresh rate.
First up: the 27-inch 4K QD-OLED one, marketed to perfection as the MPG 272URX QD-OLED. (Sure, why not!) MSI is differentiating its monitor as the first one to combine that panel with DisplayPort 2.1a, which can provide a better combination of resolution and frame rates. Like Samsungs equivalent (the G81SF), it has a 240Hz refresh rate and should look nice and crisp at 166 PPI.
MSI says this panel significantly reduces color fringing, which should help with the poor text clarity too often customary of QD-OLED screens. As my colleague Igor points out, this could be an ideal do-it-all monitor for gaming, work or anything else you can throw at it.
It supports NVIDIAs G-SYNC tech, so smooth gameplay wont likely be a concern. The MPG 272URX QD-OLED even took home a CES 2025 Innovation Award.
The 27-inch QHD QD-OLED model also has a catchy and memorable name: the MPG 272QR QD-OLED X50. (Yes!) MSI is marketing this monitor to all the mainstream gamers out there, likely due to its lower (2,560 x 1,440) resolution. It also uses DisplayPort 2.1a and (like Samsungs) can have a 0.03ms gray-to-gray pixel response time. It received VESA ClearMR 21000 certification, so motion blur shouldnt be an issue when enjoying its blistering 500Hz refresh rate.
MSI hasnt yet shared pricing or release date info for either model.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/msi-also-has-a-27-inch-4k-qd-oled-gaming-monitor-at-ces-2025-221902190.html?src=rss
Net neutrality may have hit its final roadblock. In a new decision filed today, the Sixth Circuit US Court of Appeals has ruled that the FCC does not have the "statutory authority" to implement net neutrality rules. The court first blocked the rules in August 2024 when the lawsuit at the center of today's ruling was filed.
Net neutrality broadly seeks to prevent internet service provides (ISPs) from giving preferential treatment to specific users or content. That prevents things like a service provider charging a streaming service for faster speeds, or the throttling of a specific website. Every app, website, and user is supposed to be treated equally under net neutrality, making the rules integral to a free, fair and open internet.
Since net neutrality rules were first put in place in 2015, the FCC's argument has been that its classification of ISPs as "telecommunication services" under Title II of the Communications Act of 1934 gives it broad authority to regulate them. The decision to redefine ISPs as "information services" during the first Trump Administration led to the repeal of net neutrality in 2017.
The current FCC voted to restore net neutrality on April 25 of this year, but the difference between 2015 and now is the Supreme Court's recent, radical reinterpretation of an important legal doctrine. In June 2024, the Supreme Court filed two rulings that overturned the Chevron doctrine, a framework that basically said that if Congress doesn't weigh in on an issue, courts are supposed to defer to the interpretation of government agencies. Now, interpretation falls to the individual judge, and the Sixth Court doesn't agree with the FCC's argument.
Net neutrality rules will remain in California and other states, but anything at the federal level will require either an act of Congress or for this case be appealed to (and succeed in front of) the Supreme Court. Engadget has reached out to the FCC to see if it plans on appealing and will update this article if we hear back.
"Consumers across the country have told us again and again that they want an internet that is fast, open, and fair," FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement following the ruling. "With this decision it is clear that Congress now needs to heed their call, take up the charge for net neutrality, and put open internet principles in federal law.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/us-court-of-appeals-rules-against-effort-to-restore-net-neutrality-205617210.html?src=rss
Nick Clegg, the former British deputy prime minister turned Meta executive, is leaving after a seven-year stint with the social media company. Clegg announced his departure in posts on X and Threads, saying that this is the right time for me to move on from my role as President, Global Affairs at Meta.
Clegg will be replaced by Joel Kaplan, a longtime policy executive and former White House aide to George W. Bush known for his deep ties to Republican circles in Washington. As Chief Global Affairs Officer, Kaplan as Semafor notes will be well-positioned to run interference for Meta as Donald Trump takes control of the White House.
Clegg joined Meta in 2018, a year after the British public deemed the former leader of the Liberal Democrats unelectable. The company then known as Facebook was looking to improve its political relationships after Cambridge Analytica and other scandals. In 2022, he was promoted to President of Global Affairs, a position that reported directly to Mark Zuckerberg (his previous role was overseen by Metas then-COO Sheryl Sandberg).
The former politician played a key role in some of Metas most significant and controversial decisions. He publicly defended the companys decision not to apply its fact checking policies to politicians and authored its public statements about the suspension and reinstatement of Donald Trumps Facebook account. More recently, Clegg has criticized the European Unions handling of tech regulation, arguing that the bloc is hampering advancements in AI.
My time at the company coincided with a significant resetting of the relationship between big tech and the societal pressures manifested in new laws, institutions and norms affecting the sector, Clegg wrote in a post on Threads. I hope I have played some role in seeking to bridge the very different worlds of tech and politics worlds that will continue to interact in unpredictable ways across the globe.
Clegg said in a Facebook post that he will spend the next few months working with Kaplan and representing the company at a number of international gatherings in Q1 of this year before he formally steps away from the company. He didnt indicate what he may do next.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/nick-clegg-is-leaving-meta-after-7-years-overseeing-its-policy-decisions-204207077.html?src=rss
Apple has moved to settle a five-year-old class action lawsuit over Siri privacy. Reuters reports that the proposed settlement was filed on Tuesday in Oakland, CA. The company agreed to pay $95 million to class members, estimated to be tens of millions of Siri-enabled device owners. US District Judge Jeffrey White needs to approve the settlement before it becomes official.
The lawsuit stemmed from a 2019 report that Apple quality control contractors could regularly hear sensitive info accidentally recorded by the voice assistants Hey Siri feature. The clips were said to include medical information, criminal activities and even sexual encounters. Reuters says Apple denied wrongdoing in agreeing to settle the case.
Engadget reached out to Apple for comment. Well update this story if we hear back.
Two plaintiffs claimed their inadvertently recorded mentions of Nike Air Jordans and Olive Garden restaurants led to receiving ads for those products. After talking about it with his doctor, another plaintiff said he got ads for a brand-name surgical treatment.
After the original story broke five-plus years ago, Apple highlighted its layers of privacy protections and stressed that the recordings werent tied to Apple accounts. It also said its quality control teams studied the clips in secure facilities and were bound by strict confidentiality agreements.
After an internal review, Apple suspended the program and admitted it wasnt fully living up to its ideals. The company returned to reviewing Siri recordings soon after but with some big changes. It reportedly fired hundreds of quality control contractors and changed its policy so that only Apple employees could review private Siri data. It also moved to delete inadvertently triggered audio clips and began requiring users to opt in to sharing Siri recordings or transcripts.
Reuters notes that the proposed $95 million in cash amounts to about nine hours of profit for the company. (Nice work if you can get it.) The settlements class period runs from September 17, 2014 when Apple launched Hey Siri in iOS 8 to December 31, 2024. If you owned a Siri-enabled mobile product during that period (and Judge White approves the settlement), you might get up to $20 per device. However, youll have to join the class, and it isnt yet clear how to do that.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-agrees-to-settle-a-2019-siri-privacy-lawsuit-for-95-million-195820723.html?src=rss
Samsung just announced pending US availability for a new smartphone and fitness tracker. The Galaxy A16 5G and Galaxy Fit3 are both modest devices that are just about perfect for the budget-conscious. These gadgets will be available for purchase in the US on January 9, after becoming available in other parts of the world a couple of months back.
The Galaxy A16 5G is a step up from its predecessor in nearly every way. This is a very good thing, as the Galaxy A15 5G easily found a spot in our list of the best budget Android phones. The A16 features a thinner design and slimmer bezels, all while including a slightly larger screen.
This 6.7 FHD Super AMOLED display boasts 800 nits of peak brightness and a 90Hz refresh rate. It comes equipped with an Exynos 1330 processor, a 5000mAh battery with 25W fast-charging and up to 8GB of RAM. Customers can also choose up to 256GB of internal storage, though it supports microSD cards.
As with many modern smartphones, the cameras are the real stars of the show here. Theres a 50MP rear camera, a 5MP ultra-wide, a 2MP macro lens and a 13MP front camera. Thats a pretty good setup for the price, which starts at just $200. The A16 5G will be available in black and light gray.
Samsung
The Galaxy Fit3 is a fairly bare-bones health tracker thats described as the perfect entryway for anyone seeking to begin their health journey. It offers some decent capabilities, like fall detection and sleep tracking. It even monitors blood oxygen levels, which is something not many trackers do at this price point.
The battery life is great, at 13 days, and the IP68 rating means that it should be able to handle being submerged in water, so long as its not taken too deep. The tracker pairs with the Samsung Health app, which allows access to 100 different workout types. The Fit3 costs $60 and comes in a few colors, including gray, silver and gold. These colors apply to both the band and the tracker itself.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsungs-galaxy-a16-5g-phone-and-fit3-tracker-are-coming-the-us-193710051.html?src=rss
The best thing about the start of a new year isn't the goal-setting or the aspirational self-improvement it's watching Awesome Games Done Quick. AGDQ is one of the premiere events for speedrunning, with an entire week of high-skill gameplay and loads of heart as gamers raise money for charity. The organization's winter beneficiary is the Prevent Cancer Foundation, which runs programs intended to stop cancer before it starts, emphasizing early detection and prevention.
The fun begins on January 6 and there is a lot to see. GDQ events highlight a great mix of modern and retro games across just about every genre. Expect plenty of platformers like Astro Bot, one of our favorite new game releases of 2024, which will be run on January 6 at 6:30 PM ET.
Games Done Quick / Richard Ngo
Wednesday is packed with good stuff, such as New Super Mario Bros. Wii with the unusual category of "Any% While Playing Piano," which you can catch at 4:43 PM ET. The beloved and hilarious awful block is also on January 8, kicking off with the truly terrible game Superman 64 at 11:24 PM ET. And the entire finale day is looking excellent, with another intriguing musical category of "Saxophone-Controlled Boss Showcase" happening for Elden Ring. Groovy!
Be sure to keep an eye on the schedule during the week. It displays your local time zone and will be updated with any shifts that happen from delays or extra zippy world records. All the action happens on the Games Done Quick Twitch channel, which is also embedded below. The pre-show begins on January 6 at 11:30 AM ET and the stream will be live 24/7 until the final run calls time.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/how-to-watch-awesome-games-done-quick-2025-191752532.html?src=rss
The 8Bitdo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox is on sale via Amazon for just $29. This is a record low price and represents a discount of 36 percent. Thats a pretty good deal, especially when considering that first-party Xbox controllers are around $60.
This isnt a cheap knockoff. 8Bitdo makes fantastic controllers that regularly find a place in our best of lists. Its licensed by Xbox and compatible with the Xbox Series X, Series S, Xbox One and Windows 10 and above. In other words, this can double as a PC and Xbox controller.
There are two extra buttons on the back that arent included with the official controller, which could be useful for mapping (particularly with PC games.) To that end, the controller offers custom button mapping and stick/trigger sensitivity for control over vibration.
The Hall effect joysticks and impulse triggers should increase both durability and sensitivity, while minimizing drift. Theres also a 3.5mm audio jack on the back to directly connect to headphones. Other features include a classic d-pad and an enhanced grip.
So whats the catch? Its right there in the name. This is a wired controller, which is both a blessing and a curse. Wired controllers offer reduced latency, making them the preferred choice for pro-level gamers, but keep folks tethered to a cable. It ships with a fairly long cable, at nearly ten feet, but the wireless range of a standard Bluetooth controller comes in at around 20 feet.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/8bitdos-ultimate-wired-controller-for-xbox-drops-to-a-record-low-of-29-173842848.html?src=rss
You can now play Jeopardy! on your Fire TV Stick. Volley, the developer of the Alexa version of the game show, launched a new edition for Amazons streaming device on Thursday. Unlike the voice assistant edition, this one lets you see the clues onscreen, which I have to imagine makes it much more enjoyable. Of course, you also get a familiar view of the 60-year-old shows iconic game board.
The game is only available through the developers new Volley Games app for Fire OS, which requires a $13 monthly subscription. Jeopardy! is exclusively voice-powered, apart from holding the voice button on the Alexa Voice Remote when you want to answer (in the form of a question, of course).
Volley
Although the photo above hints that the game might support local multiplayer, the developer says the feature wont be available at launch but will be coming soon. (However, its hard to imagine how that will work without buying extra remotes so everyone can buzz in.) For now, the only way to play with friends is to work as a team or take turns with the remote.
Jeopardy! only works on the Fire TV Stick, Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max. So, youre out of luck if you have a Fire TV Cube or television with Fire TV baked in. However, Volley says it has plans to expand compatibility.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/this-is-jeopardy-on-your-fire-tv-stick-170008005.html?src=rss
Tesla has reported its first-ever decline in annual deliveries. The total number of deliveries for 2024 hovers at around 1.78 million, but the company delivered 1.81 million vehicles in 2023. Company shares fell by as much as seven percent at the news, but has since rallied a couple of points. This follows similar news from Q1 of 2024, but that was just for a single quarter.
Q4 showed a slight uptick in deliveries, with 495,000 this year and 484,000 in 2023. However, analysts had predicted a more robust final quarter, according to reporting by CNBC. These analysts expected Q4 deliveries to be somewhere in the range of 506,000. Tesla doesnt publish actual sales numbers in the US, so these delivery metrics are the closest we get.
Numbers are also down in Europe, with a 14 percent decline in 2024 when compared to last year. This is according to registration data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association.
We dont have a concrete reason as to why Tesla deliveries have started to falter, but there are a myriad of options. The company still hasnt made a budget-friendly EV, instead focusing its energies on the oft-maligned Cybertruck and dreams of robotic taxis. Patrick George, editor in chief of InsideEVs, told CNBC that Cybertrucks have begun piling up on used car lots.
Sales of Teslas radical got off to a great start, but they seem to have slowed down.https://t.co/4BWTa21Mrd InsideEVs (@InsideEVs) December 20, 2024
The company is also no longer the only EV game in town. It faces steep competition from rival upstarts like Rivian, but also legacy manufacturers. Entities like BMW, GM, Hyundai and Volkswagen have all begun cranking out electric vehicles in large numbers. Finally, theres the Elon Musk of it all.
Teslas stock still finished strong for the year, with a 60 percent increase from 2023. Shares actually hit a new high in December, dwarfing the previous all-time high from 2021.
In other news, I do not understand stocks. Ford, which sold 1.72 million vehicles in the US by Q3, is worth under $10 per share. Tesla is currently trading at $380 per share, all while selling significantly fewer vehicles than Ford and, well, just about every other major automobile manufacturer. Maybe rival stocks would shoot up if the big US auto companies started putting more effort into humanoid robots that dont actually do anything. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-reports-its-first-ever-annual-drop-in-deliveries-163154201.html?src=rss
