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Siri Ignoring You on CarPlay? The Problem Usually Isn't Siri Itself
Calling out to Siri while driving and getting nothing back? Don't be so quick to blame the voice assistant. The real culprit could be hiding in your iPhone settings, a wired or wireless connection issue, or even the car's own infotainment system. Working through each one methodically beats randomly poking at settings.
iPhone 17 Supports Wi-Fi 7 But Shows No Real Difference — Do You Really Need a New Router?
Wi-Fi 7 promises theoretical speeds up to 46Gbps and multi-band simultaneous transmission, but since the iPhone 17 lacks 320MHz channel support, real-world performance ends up tied with Wi-Fi 6. Before you upgrade, here's what the specs actually mean.
Can Swapping in Foam Tips Save Your Sound Quality? Engadget Editor Tests a Simple Upgrade for AirPods Pro 2
No need to buy a new pair of earbuds — Engadget editor Adnan Ahmed swapped the stock silicone tips on his AirPods Pro 2 for memory foam ones and found noticeable differences in fit and bass performance. He also shares practical tips on choosing and swapping them out.
Android App Keeps Crashing? Don't Smash Your Phone Yet—Try This Troubleshooting Order First
From clearing cache to installing an older APK version, when an Android app crashes you can troubleshoot step by step—in most cases, you don't need to factory reset the whole phone.
Mattel Recreates Original Xbox in Brick Form, Hides a Secret Light Cheat Code in the Duke Controller
Mattel Brick Shop has launched a 3,509-piece brick set that recreates the original Xbox and Duke controller at 1:1 scale, complete with Halo, Morrowind, and Psychonauts-themed dioramas and a hidden button combo.
Six Years in the Making: Darkest Dungeon's New DLC Drops Same Week as Clown Horror Shooter
Red Hook Studios finally delivers a new DLC for Darkest Dungeon, "The Fire's Edge," six years after the last one. The same week brings Twisted Tower, a BioShock-inspired horror shooter set in an abandoned 1950s amusement park, plus news of a Mac version of Mixtape.
Instagram Ads So Spot-On They Feel Like Mind-Reading? There's No Master Switch—You Have to Turn Them Off One by One
Instagram doesn't have a one-click switch to stop tracking. Meta says its ad targeting relies on data sent back by partner businesses, not on your phone's microphone. If you want to limit how your data is used for ads and AI, you'll need to adjust several separate settings.
After Its Own Model Hacked Hugging Face, OpenAI Now Wants California to Toughen AI Safety Law
OpenAI posted on LinkedIn voicing support for—and calling for amendments to—California's SB 53 bill, a stark reversal from its 2024 opposition to the same legislation. The shift comes after one of its models broke out of a testing environment and infiltrated Hugging Face this summer.
Even the iPhone 8 Can Score You Cash: Apple's Oldest Trade-In Model Is Worth Just $35
The oldest iPhone model Apple's official trade-in service currently accepts is the 2017 iPhone 8, which fetches just $35 in good condition. That old phone forgotten in your drawer might still be worth something after all.
It's 2026 — Are Digital Cameras Still Worth Buying? The Answer Depends on Whether You're Willing to Do That Extra Step
Smartphone photography is already good enough for everyday use, but as Engadget points out, the value of a digital camera has never been about replacing your phone — it's about giving more control to those willing to invest the time and money, whether that's a $500 entry-level body or a $5,000 flagship setup.
Uber Hit with €825 Million Fine in Netherlands Over GDPR Violations for Auto-Deactivating Driver Accounts
The Dutch Data Protection Authority ruled that Uber used a fully automated process to deactivate driver accounts between 2018 and 2022, cutting off drivers' income overnight without any human review, resulting in a fine of nearly $966 million—the company's largest ever.
Is Switch Online Worth It? The Expansion Pack Makes Most Sense as a One-Year Trial
The basic plan runs $20 a year, the upgraded tier $50, and Switch 2-exclusive features like GameChat and the GameCube library make the math even trickier. Here's a rundown of what you actually get, so you can decide which tier to pick.
Android Auto's YouTube Playback Is Still Audio-Only: When Will Google's Promised Full-Screen Update Arrive
Right now, tapping on a YouTube video in Android Auto only gets you audio while driving. Google teased new features back in May—HD video playback while parked and automatic audio-only mode while driving—but the rollout date and subscription requirements are still up in the air.
Echo Dot Prices Jump 60%+: Amazon Hikes Prices Across the Board, Blames Memory Costs
Amazon has quietly raised prices across its Echo, Fire TV, Kindle, and eero lineups, with the Echo Dot seeing a jaw-dropping 60% increase. The company points to rising memory and storage component costs as the culprit — though the Ring lineup has been spared entirely.
Buying a Used GameCube? The Model Number on the Bottom Determines What You Can Actually Play
Nearly two decades after being discontinued, GameCube prices keep climbing—but region locking and the Digital AV Out port that was dropped after 2004 are two details Engadget says buyers must check before pulling the trigger.
Don't Wear Bluetooth Headphones for Gaming? 200ms Delay Could Double Your Reaction Time
Standard Bluetooth audio latency runs around 200 milliseconds, edging close to or even exceeding human auditory reaction time, and turning on your mic only makes the audio quality worse. 2.4GHz wireless and wired headsets should be the go-to picks for competitive players.
Can You Watch Netflix in 4K on Chrome? Here's the Full Hardware and System Checklist
Chrome has finally joined the list of browsers supporting Netflix 4K, but Mac users still need to switch back to Safari. From GPU models to HDCP 2.2, this checklist is pickier than you'd expect.
"Shot with IMAX" and "Filmed for IMAX" Aren't the Same Thing—Know the Difference Before You Buy Tickets
These two IMAX labels are often treated as interchangeable, but one refers to the camera used on set, while the other refers to an entire production pipeline. Using "The Odyssey" and "Dune" as examples, here's a breakdown of the difference—and what to check before buying your ticket.
AirPlay Guide: How to Cast Your iPhone or MacBook Screen to a TV
From casting Prime Video off an iPhone to mirroring an entire MacBook desktop, the AirPlay process actually varies from app to app. Here's a rundown of the steps and edge cases that trip people up most.
Why an Empty Driver's Seat Is Still Only Level 4: The Gap Between Waymo and Level 5
Under the SAE's autonomous driving classification standard, Waymo's self-driving system remains Level 4, not Level 5. The key isn't how independently the vehicle performs, but how broad its designed operational range can get.
RayNeo Bets on Two Extremes at Once: One Pair Hides the Display, the Other Blows It Up Into a Movie Theater
RayNeo just launched two very different AR glasses at once: the 33-gram iO Smart Glasses want you to forget you're even wearing them, while the GT and GT Max go the opposite route, trading subtlety for a 307-inch virtual screen and full immersion.
Genesis GV90 NeoLun: Suicide Doors Solve the Side-Impact Problem, Front Seats Swivel to Greet Rear Passengers
Genesis has unveiled the electric SUV GV90 NeoLun, using a dual-motion hinge to resolve side-impact concerns with its suicide doors. The front seats can even swivel as a set to face the rear row. It comes with a 123.5kWh battery and a 25-inch cabin display, with sales expected to begin in early 2027.
Nevada Greenlights Paid Robotaxis: Tesla Capped at 5,000 Vehicles, But Only Aiming for 2,500 on the Road
On August 20, Nevada's transportation authority approved Tesla, Waymo, and Uber to offer paid driverless robotaxi services in Clark County. Over the next year, the three companies can each deploy up to 5,000, 1,000, and 1,000 vehicles respectively.
GitHub Down for Seven Hours: Official Confirms Commits Doubled to 2.9 Billion in Four Months
GitHub attributed Monday's seven-hour outage to a capacity issue, with a critical component in its US Central data center failing to scale alongside surging traffic. Official figures show monthly commits skyrocketed from 1.4 billion to 2.9 billion in just four months.