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It used to go by at least two different names Oculus Connect and then Facebook Connect but whatever the moniker, Metas fall event is still a big showcase for the companys latest and greatest achievements in the virtual reality and mixed reality space. Much like last year, we can likely predict the biggest news coming out of Meta Connect 2024 with just two acronyms: AI and AR. Like every other big tech firm this year, Meta will be desperate to demonstrate how it plans to stay relevant in a future powered by AI. And now that we're seven months beyond the launch of Apple's Vision Pro, which arrived alongside a short-lived spike in interest in augmented reality (AR), Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is likely eager to show off his own plans to make AR a reality. While Zuckerberg isn't as hot on the metaverse as he was when he renamed his company, the union of AI and AR is one way he can still make the dream of persistent virtual worlds come true. It might look less like Ready Player One, but if AR glasses actually take off, they could still let Meta control another piece of our digital world. And to help get them there, delivering an updated inexpensive VR headset couldnt hurt. With all of that in mind, here are a few things we expect to see at Meta Connect 2024, which kicks off virtually on September 25 and runs for two days. Orion AR glasses After reportedly killing a pricey next-generation mixed reality headset, which was meant to compete with the Apple Vision Pro, Meta is instead focusing on a pair of augmented reality glasses, codenamed Orion, as its next innovation. As seen in the background of one Mark Zuckerberg photo (above) , and later somewhat confirmed by him, Orion resembles a pair of chunky hipster frames. Unlike the Quest 3, which fully consumes your vision and uses cameras to show you a low-quality view of the world, Orion could let you see the real world like a normal pair of glasses. But, like Magic Leap and Microsoft's HoloLens before it, Metas glasses could layer holographic imagery on top of your reality. The key difference, of course, is that it appears to be far less cumbersome than those devices. The glasses are, I think, going to be a big deal, Zuckerberg said in an interview on the Blueprint Podcast (via RoadtoVR). Were almost ready to start showing the prototype version of the full holographic glasses. Were not going to be selling it broadly; were focused on building the full consumer version rather than selling the prototype. Back at Meta Connect 2022, Zuckerberg showed off how the company was thinking of AR glasses, together with an intriguing wrist-based controller: "Its probably our most exciting prototype that weve had to date," Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth told The Verge last year. "I might get myself in trouble for saying this: I think it might be the most advanced piece of technology on the planet in its domain. In the domain of consumer electronics, it might be the most advanced thing that weve ever produced as a species." According to a leaked Meta roadmap, the company plans to release a new pair of Ray-Ban smart glasses next year which would add a small built-in screen alongside its existing camera, speaker and microphone. That would be followed by Metas first pair of consumer AR glasses in 2027. It makes sense that we'll see some sort of concept device this year. Much like Apples Vision Pro was effectively that companys version of an AR/VR concept car to introduce developers to its notion of "spatial computing," Meta will need to give developers a way to use its platform so they can build their own AR experiences. Meta via Gary_the_mememachine/Reddit A cheaper Quest 3 variant Instead of an upgraded headset, all signs point to Meta releasing a stripped-down version of the Quest 3 called the Quest 3S, reports Bloombergs Mark Gurman. Recent leaked images from Metas own Quest Link application has confirmed the headsets existence. According to Gurman, the company is aiming to make it much cheaper than the current version, reportedly considering price points of $300 or $400, while still delivering an experience close to the Quest 3. It could potentially replace the Quest 2, which remains in the product line priced at $299 long after its 2020 release. So why would Meta do this? Theres a huge performance gap between the Quest 3 and Quest 2, which makes life difficult for developers. With a cheaper device thats similar to the Quest 3, potentially using the same processor, it would be easier to build games that can scale across two price points. According to Bloombergs Gurman, Meta has also considered releasing some models of the new headset without any bundled controllers, which would push the price down even further. More AI, of course Expect Meta to show off even more ways its taking advantage of AI across its Quest headsets and the Ray-Ban smart glasses. The company rolled out multi-modal AI search capabilities on those glasses in January, which allowed you to ask the Meta AI about objects or landmarks you were looking at, or for a quick trnslation. Based on our testing, though, those features were surprisingly half-baked. Meta will likely discuss ways its improving those existing features by implementing its Llama 3.1 large language model (LLM), which its positioning as an open source competitor to Google and OpenAIs LLMs. In particular, the company notes that Llama 3.1 offers dramatically improved translation, math and general knowledge capabilities. Theres certainly room for Meta to introduce new AI capabilities powered by Llama 3.1 in the Ray-Ban smart glasses, but given their limited processing power and battery life, well probably have to wait for an updated model before we see anything truly groundbreaking. Karissa Bell contributed to this report.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/everything-to-expect-at-meta-connect-2024-ar-ai-and-the-cheaper-quest-3s-130011959.html?src=rss
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Apple has revealed it will allow iPad users in the EU to install third-party app stores on their tablets (without having to sideload them) starting on September 16. You'll need to install iPadOS 18, which will be available broadly on Monday, to do so. Back in April, the European Commission designated iPadOS as a "core platform service," meaning that like iOS, the App Store and Safari, the operating system is subject to stricter rules under the bloc's Digital Markets Act. As TechCrunch notes, Apple had six months to update iPadOS so that it complied with the DMA, which included opening up the platform to third-party app marketplaces. Epic Games has already pledged to bring its app marketplace to iPadOS, meaning that folks in the EU should be able to play Fortnite and Fall Guys natively on compatible iPads in the near future. Several other third-party app stores have arrived on iOS in the EU since Apple added official support in March. While the likes of AltStore PAL and the Epic Games Store aren't subject to Apple's usual app review policies, the company notarizes them for security purposes. The developers of third-party app marketplaces also need to pay a Core Technology Fee to Apple once they meet certain thresholds (the EU opened an investigation into this fee in March). One other key change coming to iPads with the rollout of iPadOS 18 is under the surface, but one that may ultimately change how EU users browse the web on their iPads. Apple will allow third-party browsers to use their own engines on iPadOS instead of having to employ its own WebKit. This means that the likes of Mozilla and Google will be able to offer iPad versions of Firefox and Chrome that run on their own tech.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipads-will-support-third-party-app-stores-in-europe-starting-september-16-180414833.html?src=rss
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End-of-summer and back-to-school sales have mostly expired and, while we know Amazon will have another Prime Day sale in October, we don't know when just yet. That makes this just another week of our team hunting and searching for deals all across the world wide web. We actually found quite a few worth considering, with discounts on products pulled from our extensive and growing list of buyer's guides and reviews. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 (in its original color) is $110 off and the LCD Steam Deck is seeing a rare discount. One of our favorite power banks from Baseus is on sale with a 40 percent coupon. And an Amazon Fire Tablet that makes a great communal device for casual use is just over half off. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still get today. Discounts on Apple gear Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget The iPhone 16 launch event revealed four new iPhones, one new Apple Watch and a new pair of AirPods. iPhones don't tend to get standalone discounts, but Apple is offering healthy trade-in deals, including up to $650 credit towards a new handset (if you happen to be done with your iPhone 15 Pro Max). A new Apple Watch Ultra 3 was not announced, but a new black color for the Ultra 2 was. If you're happy with the original titanium, you can grab a $100 discount on that model. The new AirPods 4 aren't discounted yet, but the AirPods Pro 2 are currently $60 off. That's about $20 more than their all-time low, but could still be worthwhile considering the useful upgrades a software update will enable in a month or so. Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $689 ($110 off): The high-end performance smartwatch is down to $689 at Amazon, which is less than it went for during Amazon Prime Day in July. That's a savings of $110, which is one of the best discounts we've seen yet. Apple M3 MacBook Pro for $1,300 ($200 off): The laptop we named the best MacBook for creatives is on sale at Amazon also for less than it went for last Prime Day. The 14-inch base model comes with 512GB of storage and 8GB of RAM and usually goes for $1,500. Apple black Magic Mouse for $85 ($15 off): The white version of Apple's popular accessory is still cheaper at $68, but the black colorway rarely goes on sale. Both mice pair quickly and are relatively light with responsive touch gestures. Apple iPad (10th gen) for $299 ($50 off): The base model iPad didn't get a refresh in Apple's latest iPad release but it did get a permanent price drop from $449 to $349. It's selling for a further $50 below that at Amazon right now. That's a price it has hit often recently, but is still the cheapest we've seen on our favorite budget iPad. Apple Pencil (1st gen) for $69 ($30 off): The 10th generation iPad is the only tablet in Apple's current lineup thats compatible with the first-generation stylus. Many of the older slabs still work with it too. We've seen this discount for a couple of weeks now, but it's still $10 below the average sale price. It's also discounted at Walmart. Streaming subscription deals I have at least three subscriptions that I need to cancel right now yet I'm somehow tempted by the half off Paramount+ deal. Go figure. If you too are in the market for another monthly service plan, here are a few discounts to peruse. Disney+ Basic plan (with ads) for $2 per month: New and returning customers can take advantage of the sale price for three months. That tier is usually $8 per month and includes all Disney+ content, but with commercial breaks. The plan will automatically renew and the regular price increases to $10 per month starting on October 17. Paramount+ annual subscriptions for 50 percent : The Essential plan (with ads) is only $30 for your first year, while the upgraded plan with access to Showtime, your local CBS station, and fewer ads costs just $60 for the year. The plans will automatically renew at the full price. Fubo Pro live TV subscription for $50 ($30 off) for one month: The service we named the best live TV streaming service for sports content is offering $30 off all three plans of the service for the first month. The Elite with Sports Plus plan is down from $100 to $70 for the first month and the top-level Deluxe package is $80 as opposed to the usual $110. Gaming gear discounts Engadget The big news in gaming hardware this week was Sony's announcement of the PS5 Pro coming in November with pre-orders starting on September 26. There's not likely to be any sort of discount on the hefty $700 price tag for a while. But here are three bits of recommended gaming gear that is on sale including a rare discount on a Steam Deck. Valve Steam Deck (LCD, 512GB) for $337 ($82 off): Our recommendation for the best handheld PC gaming system is seeing a rare sale on Steam. The entry level model with the older LCD screen and 64GB of storage is 15 percent off. You can take 25 percent off the 512GB model. The sale runs through September 26 while supplies last. ASTRO Gaming A40 TR wired gaming headset for $100 ($30 off): Our pick for the best gaming headset is $30 off (though overall we recommend going with headphones and an external mic). This a price it's hit a number of times over the past year and isn't an all-time low. We found these to be comfortable with better sound than many headsets, but the mic performance is only OK. 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard for $60 ($100 off): The Fami Edition retro keyboard, inspired by the Famicom console Nintendo released in Japan during the '80s is on sale at Woot. We recommend it in our retro gaming gift guide both for the unique aesthetics and the utility of the accessory itself. Discounts on tablets Valentina Palladino / Engadget If you don't want an iPad, you have options. And two of them are on sale right now. Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $170 ($50 off): Our favorite budget Android tablet with 64GB of storage and 4GB of RAM is 23 percent off on both Samsung's store front and from Amazon. Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet for $60 ($70 off): In our review, we pegged Amazon's 8-inch tablet as a n affordable option that makes a great communal device. And right now it's more than half off, along with a few other Amazon slabs. Headphone and earbud deals Jeff Dunn / Engadget Three of the personal audio devices we recommend are seeing some good discounts this week. Could be a good time to make sure you have a good burner pair for the gym (the Jlab Go), a pair you won't stress too much about leaving on the bus (the Anker buds) or a quality set of buds that'll encourage you through your next run (the Beats). Anker Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds for $48 ($32 off): Our pick for the best budget wireless earbuds are now 40 percent off, which beats the record-low price by a dollar. Beats Fit Pro Earbuds for $160 ($40 off): Our overall favorite pair of earbuds for running are on sale at Best Buy for $40 off. They've hit this price point often over the past few months, but it's a decent discount on buds we found to be comfortable with a secure fit and great audio quality. JLab Go Air Sport for $20 ($10 off): Engadgets favorite pair of budget running headphones are 33 percent off at Best Buy and direct from JLab, that's the same price it went for at Amazon during Prime Day. These buds surprised us with a combination of affordability, good sound quality and long battery life. Tech accessory deals Logitech All the small things that boost the big ticket devices are the unsung heroes of the tech world. This week we found savings on some extra storage, a better webcam, and a charging station that can power up your phone, buds and watch at once. Logitech Brio 500 Full HD Webcam for $93 ($37 off): The model that came out on top in our testing for the best webcams you can buy is seeing a 29 percent discount at Amazon. That's not an all-time low, but is the best price we've seen over the past few months. It has a wide field of view, auto-light correction and shoots 1080p video. Anker Docking Station 575 for $140 ($30 off): This budget option got an honorable mention in our guide to the best docking stations and could make a good pick for use with Windows laptops. It didn't perform well when using a MacBook Pro. It's also fairly lightweight so might not stand up straight with heavy or a lot of cables attached. Lexar Play microSD card (1TB) for $66.49 ($63.50 off): This high-capacity microSD card is nearly half off right now. It's compatible with the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck and other systems, making it a great option for additional storage. Samsung Pro Plus microSD card for $100 ($20 off): Samsung just released this 1TB variant a few months ago and now it's going for its lowest price yet. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards. You can get the discount at Samsung.com, B&H and Amazon. Anker 3-in-1 MagSafe foldable charging station for $88 ($22 off): This is a record low price and matches the price we saw on Amazon's Prime Day. It's one of our recommendations in our guide to the best Apple Watch accessories and can not only charge your wearable, but your iPhone and AirPods too. Anker 100W USB-C (GaN II) fast charger for $40 ($35 off): If you need a wall charger that can keep up with your fast-charging devices, you might appreciate the 100 watts of power this Anker brick can deliver (just make sure you're pairing it with an cable that's up to the task). Power bank deals Amy Skorheim for Engadget You're far less likely to end up with a dead phone if you buy (and remember to bring) a power bank. Here are two from our guide that are on sale this week. Anker 6,600 mAh folding Qi2-certified power bank for $30 ($40 off): This folding bank from Anker is more than half price with a discount and a clickable $10 coupon. It should give most smartphones a full charge, plus a little extra. The design lets you use/watch your Mag-Safe iPhone in landscape orientation as it wirelessly charges. Baseus 30W/10000mAh MagSafe power bank for $28 ($18 off): Clip the coupon for a record low price on a power bank that earned a place in our guide to the best power banks you can buy. It quickly refills MagSafe-compatible phones and has a handy built-in cable. Smart home deals Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget We checked yet again this week there's still no all-in-one housekeeper/butler robot that can manage your home for you. While we wait on this to happen, there are devices that can help you manage your lights, boost your Wi-Fi and keep your floors clean. iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ Robot Vacuum for $780 ($620 off): The high-end hybrid vacuum/mop is on sale at Wellbots if you use the code ENGAD620 at checkout. We called this the "ideal robot vacuum and mop" in our official review. Kasa Smart Plug EP25 (4-pack) for $34 ($16 off): These are the best smart plugs you can buy, according to our guide on the subject. They work with all four smart home ecosystems, are easy to set up and stay reliably connected. This price is close to an all-time low and the cheapest we've seen this year. TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender for $23 ($27 off): The best budget Wi-Fi extender from our guide is more than half off at Amazon. It's basically sold for that price over the past few months, but it's nevertheless an all-time low and a good deal on a simple way to help eliminate dead zones in your home's wireless coverage. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 ($20 off): As it has been for most of the past year, Amazon's most powerful streaming stick is back down to $40. We like it as a retro gaming emulator and it even lets you play current games through XBox Game Pass cloud gaming. You could also use it for its original intentin and stream shows. 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/one-of-our-top-magsafe-compatible-power-banks-is-40-percent-off-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-173038865.html?src=rss
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