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The company behind Roomba robovacs told investors earlier this week that revenue was substantially down and its struggling to pay its debts. Amazon was briefly tapped to acquire the robot company iRobot, but the threat of a European Commission investigation led to the retailer terminating the deal apparently happy enough to pay off the $94 million termination fee. That, however, isnt enough to tackle the $200 million loan iRobot took out to survive long enough for Amazon to come to the rescue. Its extra rough when the company announced, just the week before, a bunch of new models, including a new Roomba that can compact debris and dust, so it only needs to be emptied every few weeks. At the same time, rival robot vacuum cleaners are getting more versatile, more complicated and more intriguing. This years CES had a standout barrage of new robovacs that can multitask and even pack robot arms inside, like something from a cartoon. But many of these devices havent yet launched in earnest, while iRobot has delivered solid floor cleaners for years. Hopefully, it can continue that run. Mat Smith Get this delivered directly to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The biggest tech stories you missed Watch Black Mirrors season 7 trailer Revisiting the Apple Watch SE in 2025 Googles Gemini Deep Research is now available to everyone Disco Elysium is coming to Android mobile this summer Apple Mac Studio M4 Max review A creative powerhouse. Engadget The Mac Studio is Apples ultimate performance computer, and thats true with either an M4 Max or an M3 Ultra processor. It might seem like a step backward, but the M3 Ultra is indeed Apples best-performing processor. But it comes at a cost. The M3 Ultra starts at $4,000 and goes up from there if you want to boost other specs to match it. We tested the M4 Max model the one most people will want as the base configuration is half the price. Read on for our review, but its a solid proposition for creators. Continue reading. Microsoft might finally be getting into handhelds With a PC maker partner. A report from Windows Central says Microsoft is partnering with a PC maker to create a portable device, codenamed Keenan. It would feature Xbox design elements, likely run Windows 11 and could be revealed this year. The plan may be to simplify Windows for handheld use, potentially with a launcher or console-like interface one of the major pain points on handheld gaming PCs, and something SteamOS and Steam Decks largely avoid. Jason Ronald, VP of Next Generation at Microsoft, hinted at these projects at CES earlier this year. He said Microsoft wants to bring the best of Xbox and Windows together and hinted there would be more to share later this year. Continue reading. PlayStation experiments with AI-powered characters you can talk to They may even offer contextual hints to improve your chances. Sony An internal video from Sonys PlayStation group was leaked to The Verge, demonstrating an AI-powered version of Aloy, the Horizon game series protagonist. Aloy was able to both narrate and converse with the presenter as you play the game. The character could also respond in real-time to questions, with a synthesized voice that matched facial animations. The face-to-face chat between the presenter and the on-screen character wasnt super remarkable, but Aloys running commentary was a little more intriguing. She could explain enemies typically found in the surrounding area and flag her own health levels and that shes under attack. Unfortunately, the video was pulled offline, but with GDC around the corner, hopefully, Sony will have more to share soon. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121544992.html?src=rss
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When RCS messaging became available on the iPhone with the rollout of iOS 18, the technical director of the GSM Association teased that the next major milestone for the messaging standard is the addition of interoperable end-to-end encryption. Now, six months later, GSMA has released an updated set of specifications for RCS messaging, which includes end-to-end encryption (E2EE) based on the Messaging Layer Security (MLS) protocol. The new RCS profile will ensure that messages and files remain safe and confidential when sent between iOS and Android devices. "...RCS will be the first large-scale messaging service to support interoperable E2EE between client implementations from different providers. Together with other unique security features such as SIM-based authentication, E2EE will provide RCS users with the highest level of privacy and security for stronger protection from scams, fraud and other security and privacy threats," said Tom Van Pelt, the Technical Director of GSMA. RCS, or Rich Communication Services, gives people a way to send images, videos and audio clips to each other through text across different platforms. Googles implementation of RCS has had default end-to-end encryption for both one-on-one and group chats since early 2024, but only if all participants are using Google Messages with RCS chats turned on. Meanwhile, iMessages are already protected by E2EE. In a statement sent to 9to5Mac, Apple said that it was "pleased to have helped lead a cross industry effort to bring end-to-end encryption to the RCS Universal Profile published by the GSMA." It also vowed to add support to end-to-end encryption to iOS, iPadOS, macOS and watchOS "in future software updates." Without a definite timeframe, it's hard to say when Apple is rolling out an update to support the security feature, but when it does, it will prevent third parties from intercepting and accessing potentially sensitive and private messages. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/rcs-messaging-adds-end-to-end-encryption-between-android-and-ios-120020005.html?src=rss
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It's both a great and bad week for Apple. In this episode, we dive into Devindra's review of the excellent M4-equipped MacBook Air (and briefly chat about the new Mac Studio). We also discuss Apple's surprise announcement that it's delaying its smarter, AI-infused Siri, which may not arrive until next year. Did Apple over-promise last year, or is it wise to hold off on advanced AI features until they're ready? After all, Apple doesn't want a fiasco like Microsoft's Recall announcement. Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News! Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics The MacBook Air M4 refresh maintains Apples seat on the ultraportable throne 1:40 but the delay on a Siri upgrade could spell trouble long-term 15:32 Xboxs first handheld might not be made by Microsoft 34:29 The White House turns into a Tesla dealership 41:30 Meta attempts to block unflattering expose book already on sale 45:52 Around Engadget: Ninja Swirl and Eero Pro 7 router reviews 46:38 Working on 49:21 Pop culture picks 50:26 Credits Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Cherlynn LowProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/engadget-podcast-macbook-air-m4-review-apple-delays-smarter-siri-113018766.html?src=rss
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