Netgear already offers one of the few mesh WiFi router systems that can fully support multi-gigabit internet access, but the minimum $1,500 outlay rules it out for most homes. Thankfully, there’s now a much more affordable option. The brand has introduced Orbi 860 series mesh routers that offer the 10Gbps Ethernet of the 960 line, but with tri-band WiFi 6 instead of the higher-end model’s quad-band WiFi 6E. You can also buy a stand-alone router if you don’t need extensive coverage.
The design is familiar if you’ve seen the Orbi 850, but a new antenna system promises more range and real-world speed than the earlier model. You could see higher performance on the edge of your network. Both the router and its satellites have four Ethernet connections in total, although wired links are limited to 1Gbps on satellite units. Netgear claims up to 8,000 square feet of coverage with a full mesh.
The core router, the RBR860S, is available now in the US for $430, with a similar price for individual satellites. A bundle with the router and two satellites costs $1,100. This is still pricey when an alternative like the Eero Pro 6E costs ‘just’ $699 for a three-pack. However, Netgear is clearly aiming the Orbi 860 at a different audience — this is for people who want to be ready for next-generation internet service and are willing to pay a (reasonable) premium.
It’s not just Tesla that can offer games to play while you’re waiting in your car. BMW is teaming up with AirConsole to deliver casual games in its cars starting in 2023. The technology downloads games to your infotainment system, and uses your phone as the controller. This is clearly meant to keep you distracted while you charge your EV, but the automaker sees this as helpful for any time you’re waiting in the car — say, to pick someone up at the airport.
BMW didn’t say which vehicles were first in line for the gaming upgrade. However, it pitched AirConsole’s tech as a ‘perfect’ fit for the Curved Display already in use in vehicles like the iX.
This isn’t quite as flexible as Tesla’s approach to games, which lets you play using dedicated controllers and even the car’s steering wheel. However, it could still prove valuable if you want to do more while waiting than fiddle with your phone. It’s also an acknowledgment that the role of a car’s infotainment is shifting in the EV era, when you can spend half an hour at a charging station. They now serve as media hubs that are just as useful when your car is idle.
Amazon’s Prime Early Access sale may represent an ideal opportunity to snag a high-performance portable. The company is selling Razer’s late 2021 Blade 14 gaming laptop for $2,000, or a whopping $800 off. That gets you an eight-core Ryzen 9 5900HX processor, a smooth 165Hz 1440p display, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and, crucially, GeForce RTX 3080 graphics. This is an easy-to-carry machine that can readily handle the latest games.
This Blade 14 configuration isn’t using one of the latest Ryzen chips, but it’s still a beast that competes well against other gaming laptops, including larger 15- and 16-inch systems. You’ll have plenty of ports, and the display is a treat whether or not you’re engrossed in the latest action title. Combine this with a 3.9-pound weight and Razer’s system might be ideal if you want a do-anything computer that can follow you most anywhere.
There are a few sacrifices. As you might guess, a Ryzen 9 and an RTX 3080 generate a lot of heat in this form factor. The keyboard is a bit cramped, and you’ll be stuck with the included RAM. You’ll want to look elsewhere if you either game directly on your lap or see yourself requiring 32GB of memory in the future. With this kind of discount, though, you’re getting a lot for the money.
Flying taxi startup Joby Aviation just landed a deal that could make your ride to the airport much more enjoyable. Delta is investing a total of up to $200 million in Joby in exchange for a home-to-airport flight service. Instead of hailing a car or paying for parking, you can have an eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft take you to the terminal without the usual traffic hassles.
The service will initially be available to Delta passengers travelling through New York City and Los Angeles, and will operate for at least five years after launch. It will exist alongside Joby’s regular airport service in “priority” areas.
This represents a significant boost for Joby. It was the first eVTOL company to get key FAA certifications for airworthiness and carrier service, and now it’s signing a “first-of-its-kind” (according to the companies) agreement with a US airline. The move could give Joby an edge over rivals like Archer and Wisk Aero that are waiting for FAA certifications or major commercial partnerships.
Joby has also been growing quickly compared to many competitors. It received $394 million from Toyota in early 2020, and bought Uber’s air taxi business late that same year. NASA began flight testing the firm’s eVTOLs in summer 2021. Simply put, it’s in a good position to make flying taxis a practical reality.
Prime Day might offer just what you need if you’re looking for a pair of Android-friendly wireless earbuds. Amazon is selling Google’s Pixel Buds Pro at a new all-time low of $160, well below the usual $200 asking price. That’s better than the previous best of $175, and conveniently comes as Amazon is offering a free gift card with Pixel 7 orders.
The Pixel Buds Pro are, simply speaking, Google’s best earbuds to date. The active noise cancellation is the highlight, with good performance that helps you focus on tunes rather than construction or loud conversations. However, there’s also much-improved bass — these may be a good fit if you regularly listen to dance music and rap. Add the seven-hour battery life and they should work well for workday listening, not to mention longer flights.
They aren’t flawless. Call quality is merely acceptable, and the transparency mode doesn’t offer the natural sound or volume sensitivity of the second-gen AirPods Pro. Features like volume EQ require Android, too, so this isn’t necessarily the best pick if you’re an iPhone user. At this price, though, the Pixel Buds Pro are a relative bargain if you want better-than-average sound but still have a tight budget.
You’ll want to act quickly if you’ve been looking for a frill-free tablet. Amazon is selling Apple’s latest 10.2-inch iPad (that is, the 2021 model) at an all-time low price of $269 as part of the company’s October Prime Day sale. This is an exceptional deal that beats some of the bargains we’ve seen for past models.
The 10.2-inch iPad remains alluring thanks to its sheer value for money. It’s fast for the price, offers a solid screen and lasts a long time on battery. On this newest model, the wide-angle camera with Center Stage is particularly useful — it’s easier to fit more of your household into the frame during a video call, even if they’re in the background. Toss in the upgraded base storage, a robust app ecosystem and iPadOS 15’s better multitasking and you might not need more than this.
The same issues still apply, of course. This iPad design now feels old compared to newer models like the iPad Air and iPad mini. You won’t get those tablets’ thinner bezels, faster processors and improved cameras. There’s no support for the Magic Keyboard or second-generation Pencil, for that matter. However, there’s a real chance you don’t need those extras — the 10.2-inch iPad is still a very capable device for gaming, reading, video viewing and many other everyday tasks.
Toyota is finally back on track with production of the bZ4x, its first EV. Reutersreports the company has restarted manufacturing of the electric crossover after fixing a defect that could see wheels come loose during hard braking or sharp turns. The company also said it fixed a previously unannounced flaw with poorly installed airbags that could fail or cause injuries.
The automaker said it tackled the wheel issue by replacing the hub bolts and ensuring the new parts were tightened properly. There was no mention of when sales would resume in the US, although Japanese customers can once again lease the bZ4x (their only option for driving the car) starting October 26th. Subaru also hasn’t said how it will address American sales of its equivalent model, the Solterra, although it hadn’t reached US buyers before the defect emerged.
The short-term financial damage of the fix was relatively limited. Toyota recalled just 2,700 vehicles worldwide, most of them in Europe. Even the buybacks and credits would be modest for a company that sold nearly 28,000 Camrys in the US alone last month. Only 232 bZ4x examples have sold in the US this year.
The bigger concern is the effect on Toyota’s reputation. The company has long been accused of being slow to embrace EVs, and only expects them to represent a third of yearly sales by 2030 where many rivals anticipate more. The recall only worsened the situation by taking the recently-launched machine off the market for more than three months. Toyota still has to prove that it can make a successful EV, and the wheel flaw certainly hasn’t helped.
Months after reaching a deal, the White House has taken official steps to protect data transfers between the US and European Union. President Biden has signed an executive order directing the government’s efforts to implement the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. The approach mainly requires that intelligence agencies “take into consideration” privacy and civil liberties before seeking data, and only conduct surveillance when there’s a clearly defined need to address national security concerns.
Intelligence gatherers will also need to update their policies on elements like data handling, with reviews keeping them in line. There will also be a “multi-layer” review process for EU residents’ privacy violation complaints. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) will investigate possible lawbreaking through its civil liberties officer, while the Attorney General will use a new Data Protection Review Court to review the results of those investigations and make binding rulings.
The Data Privacy Framework is a response to the EU Court of Justice striking down the Privacy Shield agreement in 2020. The court found that the pact gave the US too much leeway to surveil EU data, and wasn’t consistent with privacy requirements effectively equal to European law. The US balked at this rejection, arguing that it cast doubt on companies’ ability to legally transfer data.
The European Commission will still need to examine the framework to determine if it offers enough protection. Between this and law enforcement-oriented agreements with countries like Australia and the UK, though, the US is quickly firming up its approach to international data sharing — albeit with concerns that spies might still have too much power.
Microsoft is holding its customary fall Surface event on October 12th, and this year’s presentation may be more jam-packed than most. Rumors have swirled of not just new Surface Pro and Surface Laptop models, but a long-overdue Surface Studio refresh and even a mini desktop. But how likely are those to pan out? We’ll give you an idea of what to expect.
Surface Pro 9
Dana Wollman/Engadget
It almost wouldn’t be a Microsoft hardware event without a new tablet, and the Surface Pro 9 could be one of the more important updates to the lineup in recent memory. Windows Centralsources claim the new model will merge the ARM-based Surface Pro X into the regular Pro family. If so, you’ll have your choice of processor architectures without having to switch form factors — a first for the Pro series.
You might get a significant speed boost, whichever chip sits inside. Those same sources believe Intel-based Surface Pro 9 models will use 12th-generation Core i5 and i7 U-series processors (considerably faster than the Pro 8’s 11th-gen parts), while ARM versions will reportedly come with the SQ3, a custom variant of the Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3. Microsoft may stick with the maximum 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage from before, although cellular models will apparently support 5G.
Just don’t expect much to change on the outside. Sources say the Surface Pro 9 will largely resemble its predecessor, complete with a 13-inch 120Hz display, two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a front 5-megapixel camera, a rear 10MP cam and support for the Slim Pen 2. This may be an iterative design, but we liked the Pro 8 last year. It’s just a question of whether or not the pricing is reasonable. WinFutureclaims Europeans may pay the equivalent of $1,300 for a Core i5 version with 256GB of storage, but that might not reflect American pricing.
Surface Laptop 5
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Microsoft hasn’t touched the Surface Laptop since spring 2021, so it’s due for a refresh. Thankfully, one appears to be in the pipeline. Both Windows Central and WinFuture insiders claim a Surface Laptop 5 is in the works with some modest but meaningful improvements.
The 13.5- and 15-inch portables would ship with 12th-gen Core i5 and i7 processors that would represent tangible upgrades over earlier chips. However, the most notable change may be what you don’t get — WinFuture says there won’t be any AMD Ryzen-powered variants of the Surface Laptop 5. The machine may offer Thunderbolt 4 support for the first time, though.
Like its tablet counterpart, the Surface Laptop 5’s design might be virtually unchanged. Leakers don’t anticipate cosmetic updates apart from a possible sage green color option borrowed from the Laptop Go 2. That won’t be a problem if you like Microsoft’s minimalist aesthetics, but it may be disappointing if you wanted an eye-catching notebook like the XPS 13 Plus or MacBook Air M2 — especially considering the rumored $1,200 asking price in Europe.
Surface Studio 3
Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
To say Microsoft has neglected the Surface Studio would be an understatement. The most recent version of the all-in-one desktop was released in 2018, and its specifications are woefully behind the times. Windows Central recently offered some hope, though, as it hears a Surface Studio 3 is finally on the way.
The new PC will supposedly use the familiar (but still clever) chassis from the first two Studios, including its signature tilting, stylus-friendly 28-inch display. Microsoft will instead focus on the internals, upgrading to an 11th-gen Core i7 CPU (sorry, no 12th-gen here) with Thunderbolt 4 ports. There may be an improved webcam, too, along with Dolby Vision HDR visuals and Dolby Atmos audio.
You might have to deal with some conspicuous omissions. The Surface Studio 3 may ditch the SD card slot, and there could be just one configuration with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. As with its ancestors, the revised computer could be aimed squarely at creative pros who want a pen-friendly display and are willing to pay for the privilege. There’s no leaked pricing as of this writing, but with specs like those it’s certain to be expensive.
Wildcards: A mini PC and Surface accessories
Microsoft
These events sometimes include leftfield introductions (who would have predicted the Surface Laptop Studio?), but you may need to tone down your expectations this year. The biggest treat may be the release of the previously-teased Project Volterra, a compact desktop aimed at developers building ARM-native Windows apps with AI features. So, it won’t be the Surface equivalent to the Mac mini, then.
Accessories may be the only other highlights. Windows Central’s Zac Bowden recently shared images of what he says are updated Surface Keyboard and Surface Pen models that could come with the Surface Studio 3 in addition to selling separately. A Surface Mouse revision may be available, too. Bowden further suggested that you could see a “premium” speaker as well as a Teams-oriented remote, but there’s little else known about them.
We wouldn’t count on other Surface computers or mobile devices. There haven’t been murmurs of a Surface Duo 3 phone, and Microsoft put the Surface Neo on ice in 2020. It’s also hard to imagine a Surface Go revision, for that matter. Barring surprises, this event appears focused on core Surface devices and not much else.
Spotify may be tempering its podcast push. A TechCrunchsource claims the streaming service is cutting 11 original podcasts from its Gimlet and Parcast studios, including How to Save a Planet, Crimes of Passion and (in the second quarter of 2023) Horoscope Today. The cancellations will also involve layoffs of “less than” 5 percent of Spotify’s podcast team, with some workers moving to other podcasts.
The company said it doesn’t comment on employee changes. The shakeup has also seen Spotify assign new managing directors for both Gimlet and Parcast, the source said. Spotify Studios and The Ringer remain untouched.
This is the first time Spotify has axed multiple podcasts at the same time. While the reported insider didn’t know the exact reasoning behind the move, it’s thought that the service is dropping underperforming shows to help it concentrate on full-fledged exclusives, ranging from existing hits like Batman Unburied through to upcoming projects.
A pruning effort like this isn’t surprising, if true. Spotify has over 500 original and exclusive podcasts, and they’re not all guaranteed to build strong audiences. The strategy could not only help Spotify improve its focus, but cut costs at a time when many tech companies are either slowing new hires or laying off staff in droves.
