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Instacart has announced it will be ending price testing on its platform. This comes after a study published earlier this month revealed pricing experiments that led to some customers seeing higher prices than others and the FTC saying last week it would be investigating the grocery delivery app. "Effective immediately, Instacart is ending all item price tests on our platform. Retailers will no longer be able to use Eversight technology to run item price tests on Instacart," an Instacart spokesperson shared with Engadget. The blog post called out "misconceptions and misinformation," maintaining that these price experiments were never the result of dynamic pricing and were never based on any personal or behavioral information about shoppers. In an earlier blog post responding to the study's allegations, Instacart said pricing changes were a "form of short-term, randomized A/B testing." The post referred to this process as "common in the grocery industry" and continued to paint the practice as a way to "invest in lower prices." It also highlighted that Instacart does not set the prices on its platform, which are set by retailers listed on the app. The company made clear that its retail partners will continue to set their own prices on the platform, which may vary by location just as they do in brick-and-mortar stores, but that Instacart will no longer support any item price testing services.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/instacart-is-ending-its-controversial-price-tests-134552152.html?src=rss
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The Nintendo Switch 2 supports a wide range of controllers, from Nintendos own Pro Controller to many Bluetooth gamepads you might already have. Whether youre setting up your new console for the first time or adding extra controllers for multiplayer games, pairing them is simple as long as you know where to look. Heres how to connect the Switch 2 Pro Controller, how to sync additional Bluetooth controllers and what to do if something doesnt pair correctly.Before you start: What youll needTo pair any controller with the Switch 2 youll need the console powered on and updated to the latest system software. Navigate to System Settings, System then System Update to check. It also helps to have the controller charged, since some models need enough battery to begin pairing.On the Switch 2, all controller settings reside in the Controllers & Sensors section of System Settings. You can pair up to four controllers depending on the game and the controller type.How to pair the Switch 2 Pro ControllerNintendos Switch 2 Pro Controller is the simplest device to connect, and it can be paired in two different ways: wired and wireless. If youre setting it up for the first time, the wired method is the fastest and most reliable.To pair the Switch 2 Pro Controller using a USB cable:Connect the Pro Controller to the Switch 2 using a USB-C cable.Wake the console and open the Controllers menu from the Home screen.The console will automatically detect the controller and pair it.Once the controller is paired, you can unplug the cable and continue using it wirelessly. This method ensures an instant connection and is useful if the controller has low battery.To pair wirelessly:Turn on the Switch 2 and navigate to System Settings, Controllers & Sensors then Change Grip/Order.Press and hold the small Sync button on top of the Pro Controller until the indicator lights begin flashing.The Switch 2 will detect the controller and confirm the pairing.How to pair other Bluetooth controllers to Switch 2The Switch 2 supports a wide range of Bluetooth controllers, including many gamepads designed for PC, Android and iOS devices. Pairing these controllers uses a similar process, but youll start by putting the controller into Bluetooth pairing mode.Each controller handles this differently. On most models, youll hold a dedicated sync button or press a combination of buttons until lights begin flashing. If youre not sure which buttons to press, check the controllers manual.On the Switch 2, navigate to the Home Menu and select Controllers then Change Grip/Order. This page is always used for wireless pairing. The console will search for available Bluetooth devices as soon as it opens.Once your controller appears on the screen, select it to finish the pairing process. The lights on the controller should stop blinking and settle into an assigned player slot. Some controllers may prompt you to confirm the button layout or adjust settings after pairing.The Switch 2 can use up to four wireless controllers at once. For local multiplayer games, each controller will automatically be assigned a player number once connected.Troubleshooting pairing issuesIf your controller doesnt appear in the pairing menu, make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the Switch 2 by navigating to System Settings then Controllers & Sensors. Its also worth restarting the controller and checking that it has enough battery to stay in pairing mode. Moving closer to the console can help reduce interference as well. If youre trying to connect a controller that supports multiple device profiles, verify that its set to Nintendo Switch mode or a standard Bluetooth gamepad mode.With Pro Controllers, a wired connection usually solves pairing problems. Plug the controller into the Switch 2 using a USB-C cable and allow it to sync before trying wireless mode again.Reconnecting paired controllersOnce youve paired a controller, reconnecting it is as simple as pressing any button. The Switch 2 will wake and recognize it automatically as long as the controller is still linked to the console. If you pair the controller with another device later, you may need to repeat the pairing process.Pairing controllers with the Switch 2 is quick once you know where the settings live. The Pro Controller offers the most seamless experience, especially if you start with a wired connection, but the consoles Bluetooth support gives you plenty of flexibility for multiplayer games or different play styles.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-pair-controllers-with-the-nintendo-switch-2-130000126.html?src=rss
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It might be hard to believe, but foldable phones have already been around for the better part of a decade. Granted, the first one I saw back in 2019 which actually predates Samsung's Galaxy Fold was a cobbled-together mess. But since then, phone makers have been steadily iterating and tweaking their designs, and this year, manufacturers have finally addressed all the major issues about foldable phones except one: price.Lets go back to the OG Fold. Even though it was chunky and heavy, had a tiny exterior display and suffered from a hinge that let too much detritus inside (which is probably how The Verges review unit got wrecked), it still showed so much promise. It was a true multitasker a phone that could turn into a small tablet at a moment's notice. What's not to like?This scene would have sent shivers down my spine in previous years, but thanks to an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold isn't bothered. Sam Rutherford for EngadgetFrom there, Samsung upgraded its foldables with water resistance and S Pen support on the Z Fold 3, followed by eliminating the gap between the two halves of a closed Z Fold 5. And as competition grew from OnePlus and Google (not to mention all the Chinese rivals like Oppo, Xiaomi and others), we saw design and software improvement across the category . In 2025, two phones in particular brought major upgrades to foldables as a whole. Even though its shape didn't change much from its predecessor, Google managed to get the Pixel 10 Pro Fold an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance finally putting protection for both dirt and liquid in the same foldable for the first time. Now, for all the folks out there with regular phones, that might not sound like a big deal. But on devices with complicated hinges where you really don't want random garbage getting inside, that's a massive relief and a big improvement to the handset's general usability. If you only look at their dimensions, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (right) and an S25 Ultra (left).Sam Rutherford for EngadgetMeanwhile, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung achieved what may be an even bigger accomplishment by creating a foldable phone that was essentially the same size and weight as a traditional glass brick handset with a massive 8-inch interior display no less. In fact, if you compared the Z Fold 7 to Samsung's other flagship the S25 Ultra the fold is actually a touch lighter (7.58 ounces vs 7.69 ounces) and practically just as thin (8.9mm vs 8.2mm). That's huge because one of the biggest issues with previous generations of foldables was excess bulk and heft, to the point where often I had to wear a belt just so my pants wouldn't sag when carrying one around. Unfortunately, there isn't a phone maker that has put both of these advancements into a single gadget just yet. But this is still a big deal, and based on how things are trending, I'm sure that won't be the case for long.What about the crease, you say? Yes, even the latest and greatest foldables still have a small depression that runs down the screen where the phone bends in half. Let me be clear: that's not really an issue. Sure, it would be nice if it weren't there, but getting mad about the crease is kind of like being annoyed at a convertible car that has some extra panel gaps because it has a retractable roof. Not only is the crease basically invisible when you are looking at it head-on (which is the vast majority of the time), in reality, people don't touch the dead center of their phone's display all that often especially on a screen the size of a small tablet.The Z Fold 7 has made bulky foldables a thing of the past while the Pixel 10 Pro Fold shows how these phones don't need to be afraid of dirt anymore. Sam Rutherford for EngadgetReally, the one thing the makers of big foldables haven't figured out is how to make them affordable. OnePlus sort of came close in 2023 with the Open, which cost $1,500 after rebates that included trading in literally any phone (even broken ones). In fact, things are actually kind of going backwards. The launch price of the Z Fold 7 ($2,000) is $200 more than what the Z Fold 5 debuted at just a couple of years ago. Even with high prices, I've started seeing more and more foldable phones in the wild than ever before and the data backs up my sentiment. Sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are up 50 percent compared to the previous generation while global foldable phone sales reached a new high in Q3 of this year, and I'm willing to bet that there are millions of others out there who would be interested in them if only they didn't cost so much. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/foldable-phone-makers-have-solved-every-issue-except-one-130000891.html?src=rss
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