N e w s C e n t r a l

Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ hands-on: Slimmer, but a little too similar

In just a few years, <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=ce988b9b-1358-4658-964d-57da73a21db5&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy9zbWFydHBob25lcy90aGUtbmV4dC1nYWxheHkvcmVzZXJ2ZS8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImNlOTg4YjliLTEzNTgtNDY1OC05NjRkLTU3ZGE3M2EyMWRiNSIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Ftc3VuZy5jb20vdXMvc21hcnRwaG9uZXMvdGhlLW5leHQtZ2FsYXh5L3Jlc2VydmUvIn0&signature=AQAAAZkX5angvg7rwP2d66vnfxsQhX1Jtb9sgg8Fsihpz2DM&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Fsmartphones%2Fthe-next-galaxy%2Freserve%2F">Samsung</a> has built up a substantial collection of <a href="https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-galaxy-s24-lineup-puts-generative-ai-front-and-center-180034530.html">artificial intelligence tricks, features and apps</a>. While some of them have been impressive, like live translation and annotation, others (often involving generative AI) aren’t actually helpful — or notable — enough to warrant regular use. The latest trio of Galaxy S flagship phones means another barrage of AI. Samsung has saved the best hardware for its S25 Ultra, of course, but the company also has smaller (and cheaper) flagships, with the Galaxy S25 ($800) and larger S25+ ($1,000) both launching at the same time. And those AI features could be more crucial for the base S25 and larger S25+. Aside from the addition of a potent new chip, the Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy, there’s not a lot here to differentiate from last year’s Galaxy S24. In fact, you really have to look for changes. <figure><img alt="Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ hands-on" src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-01/8545a580-d81d-11ef-bfef-17434ebbf688" style="height: 2000px; width: 3000px;" /><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Mat Smith for Engadget</div></figure> The Galaxy S25 and S25+ are as premium and solidly built as any of their predecessors. Once again, the company has gone for aluminum frames, while the S25 Ultra gets the favorable titanium treatment. There’s also Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 across both the screen and the back of the devices, with a trio of cameras (the same again) standing out as the only detail on the otherwise smooth backs. All of the devices’ edges are flat just like their predecessors — even the S25 Ultra’s design has caught up here too. Is this more comfortable than the curvier sides? I don’t think anyone knows. We’ve seen Samsung, Apple and many others flit from rounded to flattened edges. I don’t know anymore. But, boy, are they skinny. Does the Galaxy S25 “slim” exist? I’m not sure it needs to: This year’s S-series models are the slimmest we’ve seen in nearly a decade – barring Samsung’s foldables (… unfolded). Both the S25 and S25+ are 0.4mm thinner than their predecessors. That makes the S25 the thinnest Galaxy phone since the 6.8mm <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2015-04-02-samsung-galaxy-s6-and-s6-edge-review.html">Galaxy S6</a>. They’re both more pocketable because of this change, but I have an oversized affection for the base S25. It’s bigger, but it reminds me of the Apple iPhone mini (RIP). As you’d expect from Samsung, the AMOLED displays on these new phones are vivid, bright and gorgeous, with refresh rates up to 120Hz. The smaller 6.2-inch S25 has an FHD+ resolution, which is fine for a screen this size. Fortunately, the bigger S25+ has a higher-res qHD+ 6.7-inch display. So what’s the biggest upgrade this year? It’s a bit dry, but it’s the chip. The Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy is the biggest hardware upgrade since last year. Samsung claims the S25’s CPU is 37 percent faster than its predecessor, with 40 percent improvements on the NPU, and a 30 percent more powerful GPU. Those are substantial jumps. <figure><img alt="Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ hands-on" src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-01/84a6f480-d81d-11ef-ace7-323db8173f89" style="height: 2000px; width: 3000px;" /><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Mat Smith for Engadget</div></figure> Given the hardware has barely changed, AI improvements and upgrades are the core focus for the Galaxy S25 series. Some features were unavailable during my briefing or will require a closer look and deeper testing. Some are intriguing, though, like a new spatial-temporal filter on the camera app. It’s a Samsung exclusive since it relies on the custom Snapdragon 8 Elite chip and adds more power to noise analysis, as well as the ability to apparently maintain crispness of photo and video subjects while taming blurring backgrounds and low-light noise.  Samsung says its new AI image processing with ProScaler offers 40 percent improvements to its AI images only on the S25+ and S25 Ultra. If you’re looking for video upgrades, the S25 series all records 10-bit color profile video by default, while Audio Eraser offers some AI-augmented noise removal, although the benefits were difficult to discern during my brief time with the devices. A new large language model is also part of the S25’s camera processing, which the company says will improve Portrait mode results and generative AI editing like object removal. Sadly, there is no sign of the Pixel’s “<a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=0931b986-736e-47bb-80b9-5f6f8f4ef5ae&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=ce988b9b-1358-4658-964d-57da73a21db5&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Google&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3N0b3JlLmdvb2dsZS5jb20vaW50bC9lbi9pZGVhcy9hcnRpY2xlcy9waXhlbC1hZGQtbWUvIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjZTk4OGI5Yi0xMzU4LTQ2NTgtOTY0ZC01N2RhNzNhMjFkYjUiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vc3RvcmUuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS9pbnRsL2VuL2lkZWFzL2FydGljbGVzL3BpeGVsLWFkZC1tZS8ifQ&signature=AQAAAWvQlxRaZqEPA5deFtEFPEoInAjMOaY-ifZ393G-GFz_&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fstore.google.com%2Fintl%2Fen%2Fideas%2Farticles%2Fpixel-add-me%2F">Add Me</a>” — arguably the best application of AI and photography on a phone. However, Samsung has also used its AI improvements (and the more powerful chip) to substantially improve the generative AI selfies inside the S25’s Portrait Studio. Just look at what it did with my face at our briefing. This is a pretty decent line drawing — and yes I was wearing a neckerchief.  <figure><img alt="Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ hands-on" src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-01/84ceeee0-d81d-11ef-b37f-72cd457af54a" style="height: 2000px; width: 3000px;" /><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Mat Smith for Engadget</div></figure> Like we’ve mentioned elsewhere, Samsung has refined its existing AI features. A new AI select button will appear when you tap on the side panel, suggesting what you might want to do, based on the context of what the S25 can “see” on screen; Circle to Search can now figure out what to search based on sound too, using Google’s <a href="https://www.engadget.com/google-search-hum-to-search-song-ai-200947045.html">existing Shazam-like hum-to-search feature</a>. Cross-app smarts that integrate Google’s Gemini mean the voice assistant can dip in and out of multiple apps to add appointments, figure out routes and set reminders. From my brief testing, this appears to involve only core Samsung and Google apps, which could constrain exactly how useful this is. I’m at least intrigued and want to test this out in real life. Another feature that demands real-world testing is Samsung’s new “Now Bar” and “Now Brief,” which is meant to collate your smartphone life and schedules into, hopefully, a single place. It’ll offer up a morning and evening briefing, even pulling in sleep and wearable data for some wellness and health insights. One feature Samsung mentioned but did not hugely elaborate on was the S25’s Personal Data Engine, which will analyze user context, patterns and preferences to deliver a personalized way of using your new Samsung device. I’d imagine that taps into "Now Brief," which seems similar to iOS’s daily summaries, offering up a curated selection of your schedule, weather updates, travel plans and even fitness and health insights from all those Galaxy wearables. Whether this offers some truly personalized experiences within One UI 7 will only be clear once we’re using these phones, but it’s hard to imagine it’ll be all that game-changing. Let’s see if the S25 can change my mind, Samsung. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s25-and-s25-hands-on-180017460.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

The Galaxy S25 and S25+ have more RAM and context-sensitive AI

As expected, <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=fcb42f1e-627c-4e1a-8912-97b882198d87&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImZjYjQyZjFlLTYyN2MtNGUxYS04OTEyLTk3Yjg4MjE5OGQ4NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Ftc3VuZy5jb20vdXMvIn0&signature=AQAAAUQ6DtPlrFnLwXpcDd3i89TXrUzCoZktagT9jpzqi4rk&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2F">Samsung</a> used its first <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-galaxy-s25-unpacked-2025-event-what-to-expect-on-wednesday-202024600.html">Unpacked</a> shindig of the year to officially unveil the Galaxy S25 series. Although the Galaxy S25 and S25+ bring welcome hardware upgrades like more RAM (12GB) and a Samsung-centric flavor of <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/qualcomms-snapdragon-8-elite-is-its-next-premium-mobile-chip-173525493.html">Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite chip</a>, most updates revolve around new Galaxy AI features — many of which are on-device and context-aware. Fortunately, you won’t have to pay more: The phones cost the same as their <a href="https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-and-s24-review-a-taste-of-generative-ai-in-everyday-use-160041639.html">S24 predecessors</a>. It’s no surprise that Samsung put most of its eggs in the AI basket with this year’s flagships. The phones run <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/samsungs-one-ui-7-is-out-in-beta-and-its-chock-full-of-security-features-163820698.html">One UI 7</a> on top of <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/android-15-is-now-here-a-month-later-than-expected-180045026.html">Android 15</a> — a combination the company describes as “a new AI-integrated OS.” Samsung is trying to nudge its collection of features in the direction of a more personalized AI that “understands the context of your needs and preferences,” acting accordingly. Like the Galaxy S24 series, the new phones’ Galaxy AI features will be “free through 2025.” That sounds like a pretty big catch: Unless Samsung decides to extend the free period, you’ll have to pay for at least some of the phones’ marketed AI features starting next year. <figure> <img alt="Closeup of the Galaxy S25 with AI features on its screen." src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-01/93b759d0-d843-11ef-bef7-c05c9b6b3a7a" style="height: 1200px; width: 2000px;" /> <figcaption></figcaption> <div class="photo-credit"> Sam Rutherford for Engadget </div> </figure> The long list of AI features includes what the company describes as “a breakthrough in natural language understanding.” For example, Samsung says you can ask the phone to find a specific photo in your gallery or adjust your display’s font size — saving you the time-consuming legwork of sifting through old pictures or drilling through settings. One UI 7 includes the Now Bar, which hangs out at the bottom of the lock screen (and below the digital clock when unlocked), behaving similarly to the iPhone’s <a href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-iphone-14-pro-dynamic-island-181347737.html">Dynamic Island</a>. The Now Bar’s standout AI feature is the context-sensitive Now Brief, which proactively makes suggestions about your day (like forecasts, playlists or flight times for upcoming trips). Fortunately, this all stays on-device in <a href="https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-s21-review-camera-samples-screen-specs-160033680-160056054.html">Samsung’s Knox Vault</a>, a chipset-level security feature (introduced with the Galaxy S21) that separates sensitive data from the OS. Pressing and holding the side button activates <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-20-is-googles-most-capable-ai-model-yet-and-available-to-preview-today-170329180.html">Google’s Gemini</a> — now the default assistant instead of Bixby. It can handle multi-step queries and can work across apps. For example, you can ask it to find your favorite team’s schedule and add their games to the Samsung Calendar app with a single command. There’s also a new AI-powered call transcript and summarizing feature (something Apple recently launched in iOS 18) and an upgraded version of Google’s Circle to Search. Meanwhile, AI Select is an outgrowth of Samsung’s legacy Smart Select. The AI version is a multimodal series of tools that can recommend context-sensitive actions — like creating a GIF from a YouTube video you’re watching. The idea is to merge multiple steps (from multiple apps) into one quick action. <figure> <img alt="The Galaxy S25 series (Plus, Ultra, standard) sitting upright." src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-01/5703a5c0-d843-11ef-bdaf-514906a32a72" style="height: 1200px; width: 2000px;" /> <figcaption></figcaption> <div class="photo-credit"> Sam Rutherford for Engadget </div> </figure> The phones’ display specs are unchanged from the S24 lineup: The Galaxy S25 has a 6.2-inch FHD+ screen, and the S25+ uses a 6.7-inch QHD+ panel. (Both are still Dynamic AMOLED 2X panels with a 120Hz max refresh rate.) Samsung says a new real-time AI upscaling feature called ProScaler can boost the screen’s image quality by 40 percent on the fly. But there’s some fine print: The feature is only available on the Galaxy S25+ and S25 Ultra (not the standard model), and it only works when the screen’s resolution is set to the more power-efficient QHD+, not the phone’s native WQHD+. But if the feature works as advertised, it could offer a nice balance of image quality and battery life. The Galaxy S25 and S25+ are better equipped to handle all that AI with 12GB of RAM, up from the 8GB in last year’s models. Storage options stand pat: 128GB or 256GB in the standard model and 256GB or 512GB in the Plus variant. The 3nm <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/qualcomms-snapdragon-8-elite-is-its-next-premium-mobile-chip-173525493.html">Snapdragon 8 Elite</a> for Galaxy powers all Galaxy S25 and S25+ versions. The company says it worked with Qualcomm for its custom flavor of the processor. Compared to the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/galaxy-s24-ultra-review-samsungs-ai-reinforcements-have-arrived-specs-price-191508062.html">S24 Ultra</a>, the chip boosts performance by 40 percent in the NPU (for all those on-device AI tasks), 37 percent in the CPU and 30 percent in the GPU. <figure> <img alt="The backs of four Galaxy S25 series phones on a table." src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-01/494112d0-d841-11ef-afd1-ce45399c90cf" style="height: 2616px; width: 4651px;" /> <figcaption></figcaption> <div class="photo-credit"> Sam Rutherford for Engadget </div> </figure> The phones’ camera specs are the same as last year’s models: a 50MP wide sensor, a 12MP ultrawide one and a 10MP zoom lens. But 10-bit HDR, which can better capture details in high-contrast scenes, is enabled by default on the new phones. Samsung says the Qualcomm chip makes the phones better at reducing noise in dimly lit videos. Meanwhile, Audio Eraser sounds similar to <a href="https://www.engadget.com/google-pixel-8-gets-more-nifty-ai-powered-editing-tools-for-photo-and-video-153528797.html">Google’s Audio Magic Eraser</a> in the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/pixel-8-and-pixel-8-pro-review-googles-most-compelling-phones-in-years-specs-price-170022742.html">Pixel 8</a>. The AI feature can isolate sounds in videos (like voices, music, wind, nature, crowd and general background noise) to make it easier to remove or reduce the volume of those you don’t want. The Galaxy S25 and S25+ are <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=fcb42f1e-627c-4e1a-8912-97b882198d87&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImZjYjQyZjFlLTYyN2MtNGUxYS04OTEyLTk3Yjg4MjE5OGQ4NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Ftc3VuZy5jb20vdXMvIn0&signature=AQAAAUQ6DtPlrFnLwXpcDd3i89TXrUzCoZktagT9jpzqi4rk&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2F">available now for pre-order</a> ahead of their February 7 ship date. The standard S25 starts at $800 for 128GB of storage, and the S25+ begins at $1,000 for 256GB. Colors include Navy, Icyblue, Mint, and Silver Shadow. If you order from <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=fcb42f1e-627c-4e1a-8912-97b882198d87&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImZjYjQyZjFlLTYyN2MtNGUxYS04OTEyLTk3Yjg4MjE5OGQ4NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Ftc3VuZy5jb20vdXMvIn0&signature=AQAAAUQ6DtPlrFnLwXpcDd3i89TXrUzCoZktagT9jpzqi4rk&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2F">Samsung’s website</a>, you get a few extra options: Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-galaxy-s25-and-s25-have-more-ram-and-context-sensitive-ai-180013432.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

The Samsung Galaxy S25 doesn't fully support Qi2 on its own

Last year, none of Samsung's phones offered support for <a href="https://www.engadget.com/qi-2-charging-borrowed-from-apple-is-coming-to-android-phones-in-2023-114738401.html">Qi2 magnetic wireless charging</a>. However, there was hope that would change after <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-will-finally-support-qi2-wireless-charging-in-2025-190430230.html">Samsung said it would launch compatible devices in 2025.</a> Unfortunately, it seems the world's largest phone maker still isn't fully committed as the new Galaxy S25 line is said to be "Qi2 ready" instead of fully Qi2 compliant. So what does that actually mean? Similar to previous models, the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra can charge wirelessly at up to 15 watts. That falls neatly within the <a href="https://www.wirelesspowerconsortium.com/">Wireless Power Consortium's</a> (the governing body in charge of the protocol) specifications for Qi2. But what the Galaxy S25 lacks in order to offer true compatibility are magnets inside the phone itself designed to help attach and align related peripherals. This is why Samsung says the S25 is merely "Qi2 ready" instead of 100 percent compliant.   That means if you want to use Qi2 accessories with the S25, you'll need to pair the phone with a supported case that provides a built-in magnetic mounting system (like the one pictured above), with Samsung saying there will be a range of first and third-party options available at launch. For people who always put their phone in a case, this might not be a big deal. You'll just want to make sure you buy one with magnets inside designed to work with other Qi2 peripherals. However, for people who prefer their phones to be caseless or simply want something a bit less bulky, there may fewer alternatives. Some manufacturers have created skins that come with included magnets to help out older phones that also lack full Qi2 support, so it's likely we'll see some variation of that for the S25.  Sadly, despite claiming that the company would release devices with Qi2 support in 2025, Samsung hasn't fully delivered on that promise with the new S25 family, which makes things a bit more complicated than they ought to be.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-samsung-galaxy-s25-doesnt-fully-support-qi2-on-its-own-180011574.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Circle to Search now offers one-tap actions for phone numbers, emails and URLs

Today may seem like it’s all about the Galaxy S25, but if you use an older Android phone, there’s something new for you too. Starting today, Google is rolling out an enhanced version of Circle to Search to all Android devices.  As a reminder, Circle to Search is an AI-powered feature Google released at the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/galaxy-s24-and-pixel-8-owners-can-soon-search-for-anything-by-drawing-a-circle-around-it-180029757.html">start of last year</a>. You can access it by long-pressing your phone’s home button and then circling something with your finger. At its most basic, the feature is a way to use Google Search from anywhere on your phone, with no need to switch between apps. It’s particularly useful if you want to conduct an image search since you don’t need to take a screenshot or describe what you’re looking at to Google. As for those enhancements I mentioned, Google is adding one-tap actions for phone numbers, email addresses and URLs, meaning if Circle to Search detects those, it will allow you to call, email or visit a website with a single tap. Again, there’s no need to switch between apps to interact with those elements. In less exciting news, Google is bringing <a href="https://www.engadget.com/google-search-will-now-show-ai-generated-answers-to-millions-by-default-174512845.html">AI Overviews</a> to Circle to Search. As long as your device is set to English, the company’s AI-generated Search summaries will appear when relevant. Google said it was preparing to greatly expand the availability of AI Overviews when it debuted <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-20-is-googles-most-capable-ai-model-yet-and-available-to-preview-today-170329180.html">Gemini 2.0</a> at the end of last year, so the fact they’re now integrated with Circle to Search should not come as a surprise. As with any Google release, it may take a few days before you see today’s update arrive on your device.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/circle-to-search-now-offers-one-tap-actions-for-phone-numbers-emails-and-urls-180005330.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Korg joins the turntable craze with portable options for archiving, DJing and more

<a href="https://www.engadget.com/korg-nutekt-diy-line-gets-a-new-mini-synth-and-a-kaoss-pad-133559507.html">Korg</a> is a name that typically brings to mind <a href="https://www.engadget.com/the-microkorg-2-hands-on-a-stylish-update-to-an-iconic-digital-synthesizer-173034308.html">synths</a>, keyboards and <a href="https://www.engadget.com/korg-sq-64-poly-sequencer-synthesizer-midi-control-voltage-modular-050102543.html">production tools</a>, but ahead of <a href="https://www.engadget.com/tag/namm-2025/">NAMM 2025</a>, the company announced new turntables. These aren't just your typical shelf-bound, plugged-into-speakers vinyl spinners though. Under the Handytraxx brand, Korg will soon offer portable turntables for listening, archiving and DJing, and some are equipped with the company's <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019-05-09-korg-volca-nubass-vacuum-tube-synthesizer.html">Nutube vacuum tubes</a>.  The series of turntables gets its name from the original Handy Trax from Vestax. Korg says former Vestax president and co-developer of that OG model, Toshihide Nakama, was working with the company on "an all-new kind of record player." Nakama passed away in 2023 during the development of the Handytraxx Play, but Korg continued to merge its digital processing and audio tech with "the spirit" of the Handy Trax.  The <a href="https://www.korg.com/us/products/dj/handytraxx_play/">Handytraxx Play</a> ($400) is the DJ-focused member of the group and appears to be ready for the masses after <a href="https://www.musicradar.com/news/korg-portable-record-player-vestax-handy-trax">a cameo</a> at NAMM last year. Designed for scratching, the turntable is equipped with a Nakama-designed fader as well as three types of filters, delay, playback control and a built-in audio looper. The tonearm was made to minimize needle skipping and the belt-driven motor has digital rotation correction to keep things in check. The Play supports both ceramic and MM cartridges (some soldering required to swap them) and Korg allows you to flip the control panel for right- or left-handed configurations.  <figure> <img alt="Korg's Handytraxx Play is a portable DJ turntable inspired by the Vestax Handy Trax." src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-01/1d9f4050-d8de-11ef-bdef-a8bcac512b6a" style="height: 914px; width: 1200px;" /> <figcaption> Korg Handytraxx Play </figcaption> <div class="photo-credit"> Korg </div> </figure> If your vinyl habit is more listening than scratching, the <a href="https://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/handytraxx_tube/">Handytraxx Tube</a> ($800) "bridges the gap between modern convenience and analogue fascination," according to Korg. This model gets its name from the tiny Nutube vacuum tube that lends its power to the phono amplifier and its warmth to the overall sound. A die-cast aluminum platter, balanced tone arm and MM cartridge serve as the main components. Bass and treble controls are right on the deck and there's a dedicated knob for fine-tuning the Nutube's output. And if you want to convert your records to digital files, the Tube connects to a computer via USB for that purpose.  There's also a special edition of the Handytraxx Tube that Korg calls the <a href="https://www.korg.com/us/products/audio/handytraxx_tube_j/">Handytraxx Tube J</a> ($1,200). This model looks very similar to the Tube, but it's equipped with a JICO Clipper MM Cartridge. "The cartridge’s unique design balances the center of gravity between the left and right channels, while its Tapered-S Cantilever ensures accurate vibration reproduction, creating a truly immersive Hi-Fi soundstage," Korg explains. In other words, this is an option for audiophiles in of the group.  Lastly, the Handytraxx 1bit ($1,00) is what Korg calls the flagship model in the new series. The company explains that this unit blends high-quality playback with 5.6 MHz/1-bit recording for archivists. The 1bit works with Korg's AudioGate 4 high-res audio conversion software after you connect the turntable to your computer via USB. That complete setup supports both recording and playback in 5.6 MHz and 2.8 MHz DSD in addition to PCM formats up to 192 kHz/24-bit. The Handytraxx 1bit has a JICO J44A 7 MM cartridge and, like the Handytraxx Tube, there's a built-in Nutube. As is the case on that more affordable model, there are bass, treble and tube controls right up top on the 1bit version.  <figure> <img alt="Korg's Handytraxx 1bit can be used for listening, but it's main purpose is high-quality archiving. " src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-01/adb6dff0-d8dd-11ef-9f6d-bf3c697a7c5e" style="height: 756px; width: 1540px;" /> <figcaption> Korg Handytraxx 1bit </figcaption> <div class="photo-credit"> Korg </div> </figure> Like I mentioned, the entire Handytraxx series is portable thanks to built-in 2.5-watt speakers. You can power them with included AC adapters or employ six AA batteries for a true on-the-go kit. There are appropriate inputs and outputs on each model if you want a stationary setup, including an on/off switch for the speakers.  The Handytraxx Play, Tube and 1bit are scheduled to arrive in May with the Tube J following in June. All four are currently available for preorder <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=8789bc3c-1c5f-4ef9-8d8a-a00b52e3acaf&featureId=text-link&merchantName=B%26H+Photo&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2Mvc2VhcmNoP3E9aGFuZHl0cmF4eCZzdHM9bWEiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijg3ODliYzNjLTFjNWYtNGVmOS04ZDhhLWEwMGI1MmUzYWNhZiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmhwaG90b3ZpZGVvLmNvbS9jL3NlYXJjaD9xPWhhbmR5dHJheHgmc3RzPW1hIn0&signature=AQAAAbONxUn8ZI63X3LLlLRfhc0uFruhebNsLlj3HVaVbIeF&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dhandytraxx%26sts%3Dma">from B&H Photo</a>. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/korg-joins-the-turntable-craze-with-portable-options-for-archiving-djing-and-more-172443992.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Here's a look at Mike Mignola’s new book set in a macabre, folklore-inspired universe

Mike Mignola, the creator of Hellboy, has been cooking up a whole new fantasy universe, and the first book set in it is out now. Bowling with Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown, is an anthology that reads like a collection of myths and folklore. The stories are macabre with a touch of whimsy (as in, occasional animal narrators), ranging from a boy’s bizarre adventure after he becomes the unexpected wielder of a powerful dead hand, to the creation of the world and gods in the eponymous Lands Unknown. Mignola said when the project was announced last year that “it all started with an Italian folktale about a boy who goes bowling with corpses,” which he wanted to adapt, but also to “play fast and loose” in doing so. “So I created a whole new world,” he said. Bowling with Corpses hits comic stores today, and you can read a snippet from “Una and the Devil” (one of my favorite stories in the book) below. Unsurprisingly, Mignola’s style lends itself well to the concept of creepy folk tales, and there are some really stunning visuals that bring it all to life: a woman rising from a blood-filled casket; a man following a floating dagger through a forest bathed in red; a newly transformed creature of the night spreading her wings for the first time. The book contains eight stories across its 112 pages (and a promise for more to come!), so there’s plenty of good stuff to sink your teeth into.  Mignola collaborated once again with Ben Stenbeck (Our Bones Dust) to create the Lands Unknown universe, and the book is the first to be published under Mignola’s new imprint, Curious Objects, from Dark Horse Comics. Bowling with Corpses and Other Strange Tales From Lands Unknown was written and illustrated by Mignola, colored by Dave Stewart and lettered by Clem Robins. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/heres-a-look-at-mike-mignolas-new-book-set-in-a-macabre-folklore-inspired-universe-170009280.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Bang & Olufsen's new earbuds with ‘replaceable batteries’ don’t seem to be very repairable

<div id="dac4b6eaf9c94ddfada3cbe842553784"></div> Bang & Olufsen announced its <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/bang--olufsen-reveals-its-latest-premium-earbuds-the-499-beoplay-eleven-154913102.html">new $499 premium earbuds, the Beoplay Eleven</a>, back in November, touting among other things their replaceable batteries “for sustainability” and alignment with the EU’s impending device repairability requirements. But an <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.ifixit.com/News/107756/did-bang-olufsen-finally-make-repairable-earbuds-not-even-close">iFixit</a> teardown tells a more complicated story about actually replacing those batteries, describing the process of just getting the case open as “a very onerous and labor intensive task… even for a trained technician.” And inside, the battery is affixed to other components in ways that require heat to remove it, which in itself wouldn't comply with the EU's upcoming rules. Given all the work involved, the earbuds scored an abysmal 1/10 on iFixit’s repairability scorecard. Bang & Olufsen said the earbuds’ design “allows for battery replacement by service,” which, as iFixit notes, suggests that this isn’t meant to be a repair you can do yourself at home. It did ultimately turn out to be possible to take one of the earbuds apart without damaging any of the electronics inside, but the laborious teardown calls into question how feasible — and sustainable — battery replacement would be even when carried out at a B&O service center. After opening up the case and finding “a plastic weld mark barring access to the battery,” iFixit’s Shahram Mokhtari notes in the <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkk2rmSqpWE&t=10s">video</a> that, “at a minimum, any battery replacement service would need to dispose of the plastic housing completely.” “I’d love to see B&O’s process for changing these batteries out,” Mokhtari wrote in the blog post. “I’m willing to bet it’s neither cheap nor waste-free but I would love to be proven wrong.” The teardown also revealed the Beoplay Eleven to be a “carbon copy” of the 2022 Beoplay EX internally. “Even the peel-away film on the rear of each earbud says ‘Beoplay EX’ — not ‘Beoplay Eleven,’” Mokhtari wrote. Yikes. In a statement provided to Engadget, Bang & Olufsen said, “When a customer buys a set of Beoplay Eleven earphones, we offer serviceability from our certified B&O service center to promote circular product choices over disposable alternatives. The process we have established ensures that the service-life of the earphones can be extended and offers our customers an alternative to replacing the product at the point where battery performance is no longer sufficient due to limitations in battery technology. By offering a service solution for our earphones, we want to give our customers access to join the path towards a circular future.” The company pointed to its modular Beoplay H100 headphones and Beosound Level speaker as “great examples of this,” along with “legacy products such as the Beogram 4000 turntable and the Beosound 9000 CD-player which are still in use and being repaired on a daily basis by our service center in Struer.” Update, January 22 2025, 11:48AM ET: This story has been updated to add a statement from Bang & Olufsen. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/bang-and-olufsens-new-earbuds-with-replaceable-batteries-dont-seem-to-be-very-repairable-174949894.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Keychron mechanical keyboards are up to 63 percent off right now

The clickety-clacking sounds of mechanical keyboards are satisfying for a lot of people, even if the prices of many such devices may not be. So it’s nice to see some discounts of up to 63 percent on <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=f405979a-9306-4ff4-b9c2-15177670ca70&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Woot&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NvbXB1dGVycy53b290LmNvbS9wbHVzL2tleWNocm9uLW1lY2hhbmljYWwta2V5Ym9hcmRzLTgiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImY0MDU5NzlhLTkzMDYtNGZmNC1iOWMyLTE1MTc3NjcwY2E3MCIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9jb21wdXRlcnMud29vdC5jb20vcGx1cy9rZXljaHJvbi1tZWNoYW5pY2FsLWtleWJvYXJkcy04In0&signature=AQAAAUz7jzcnTsVevksVHNR4nJh72EIRqjLZ3eCEhtd642LX&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fcomputers.woot.com%2Fplus%2Fkeychron-mechanical-keyboards-8"><ins>select Keychron models at Woot</ins></a>. For example, the <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=f405979a-9306-4ff4-b9c2-15177670ca70&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Woot&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NvbXB1dGVycy53b290LmNvbS9vZmZlcnMva2V5Y2hyb24tcTItd2lyZWQtY3VzdG9tLW1lY2hhbmljYWwta2V5Ym9hcmQtMTQ_cmVmPXdfY250X3dwXzBfOSIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjQwNTk3OWEtOTMwNi00ZmY0LWI5YzItMTUxNzc2NzBjYTcwIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NvbXB1dGVycy53b290LmNvbS9vZmZlcnMva2V5Y2hyb24tcTItd2lyZWQtY3VzdG9tLW1lY2hhbmljYWwta2V5Ym9hcmQtMTQ_cmVmPXdfY250X3dwXzBfOSJ9&signature=AQAAAZoTrel2l3hGmxQVV2914e9bUQIHMAkfDY48gp7OxNQX&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fcomputers.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fkeychron-q2-wired-custom-mechanical-keyboard-14%3Fref%3Dw_cnt_wp_0_9"><ins>Q2 Wired keyboard</ins></a><ins> </ins>has dropped by 63 percent from $200 to $75.  But why stop there? New Woot customers can get an extra ten bucks off through the end of this month by using the code KEYCHRONTEN at checkout. If you prefer a split keyboard format, you can scoop up the <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=f405979a-9306-4ff4-b9c2-15177670ca70&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Woot&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2NvbXB1dGVycy53b290LmNvbS9vZmZlcnMva2V5Y2hyb24tcTgtYWxpY2UtbGF5b3V0LW1lY2hhbmljYWwta2V5Ym9hcmQtNT9yZWY9d19jbnRfd3BfMF85IiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJmNDA1OTc5YS05MzA2LTRmZjQtYjljMi0xNTE3NzY3MGNhNzAiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vY29tcHV0ZXJzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy9rZXljaHJvbi1xOC1hbGljZS1sYXlvdXQtbWVjaGFuaWNhbC1rZXlib2FyZC01P3JlZj13X2NudF93cF8wXzkifQ&signature=AQAAAVZGC8aLX305BYJdKI1LJFZXZPKjwGKF3508qxRRo0u3&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fcomputers.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fkeychron-q8-alice-layout-mechanical-keyboard-5%3Fref%3Dw_cnt_wp_0_9">Q8 Alice layout model for $95</a>, which is $125 (or 57 percent) off the usual price. Again, the $10 offer applies for Woot newbies. Keychron makes some of our favorite mechanical keyboards. In fact, the brand accounts for three of the five spots on our list of the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/best-mechanical-keyboard-120050723.html"><ins>best mechanical keyboards</ins></a>. None of the specific models we highlight in our guide are included in Woot's sale, unfortunately, but Keychron models are popular for good reason. There is one major downside worth bearing in mind when it comes to Keychron mechanical keyboards. They only come with a <a href="https://www.keychron.com/pages/warranty"><ins>12-month manufacturer's warranty</ins></a>, which isn't ideal for products that have lots of moving parts. That said, the sale runs until 1AM ET on February 1, so you might have a little time to decide whether to pick one up while they're less pricey than usual. However, some models have already sold out. Follow <a href="https://twitter.com/EngadgetDeals">@EngadgetDeals</a> 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/keychron-mechanical-keyboards-are-up-to-63-percent-off-right-now-164647272.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Former Amazon Executive to run UK's antitrust agency

The UK's Competition and Markets Authority (MCA), a watchdog agency which has repeatedly probed Amazon's business dealings, will now be <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/former-amazon-boss-named-interim-chair-of-cma">run by former Amazon executive</a> Doug Gurr. — that makes sense, right? Gurr will serve as interim chair "in a bid to boost growth and support the economy. "The decision comes alongside reports that the UK government ousted former chair, Marcus Bokkerink, whose resignation was simultaneously announced. Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Jonathan Reynolds, explained the appointment in a statement. "This Government has a clear Plan for Change — to boost growth for businesses and communities across the UK. As we’ve set out, we want to see regulators including the CMA supercharging the economy with pro-business decisions that will drive prosperity and growth, putting more money in people’s pockets." The CMA is responsible for investigating any potential breaches of antitrust regulations, vetting mergers and protecting consumers from any unfair trading practices. It has taken action against Amazon multiple times, including the period Gurr worked there. Recently, the CMA has probed Amazon for not <a href="https://www.engadget.com/uk-competition-regulator-amazon-google-fake-reviews-095052267.html">protecting customers from fake reviews</a> and whether Amazon gives its own brands preference over third-party products in its marketplace — the latter resolved with <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-secures-improvements-in-ways-amazon-and-meta-treat-competitors-benefitting-customers">agreed upon changes</a> from the tech giant. Last year, the CMA looked at Amazon's <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/uk-opens-antitrust-investigation-into-amazon-over-its-ties-to-ai-startup-anthropic-153026609.html">$4 billion investment into Anthropic</a>, ruling it didn't qualify as a merger. The <a href="https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/uk-opens-antitrust-investigation-into-googles-search-practices-140002739.html">CMA is currently investigating Google</a> for antitrust practices in regards to its search services.  <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/people/doug-gurr--2">Gurr joined Amazon in 2011</a>, serving as the President of Amazon China from 2014 to 2016 and finally as Country Manager of Amazon UK until he left the company in 2020. Most recently, he served as director of the Natural History Museum in London. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/former-amazon-executive-to-run-uks-antitrust-agency-163433153.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Netflix raises subscription praises again, with its Standard plan now costing $18 per month

Netflix’s earnings report for the fourth quarter of 2024 recently dropped. While results like an operating income of more than $10 billion and a 16 percent revenue increase seem to be good news for the company's shareholders, Netflix users won’t be so fortunate. Subscription prices are going up yet again, starting today. The Standard plan with ads is <a href="https://help.netflix.com/en/node/24926">inching up</a> from $7 to $8 a month, while the ad-free version of Standard will rise from $15 to $18 a month. The monthly rates for Premium, which offers 4K Ultra HD and HDR, will increase from $23 to $25. Adding an extra member from outside your household to a streaming plan is also getting more expensive, changing from $8 a month to $9 a month. "As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will occasionally ask our members to pay a little more so that we can re-invest to further improve Netflix," the company said in its shareholder <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/959853165/files/doc_financials/2024/q4/FINAL-Q4-24-Shareholder-Letter.pdf">letter</a>. "To that end, we are adjusting prices today across most plans in the US, Canada, Portugal and Argentina." In 2023, Netflix eliminated its Basic plan in <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/netflix-axes-its-10-basic-plan-in-the-us-and-uk-123350885.html">major</a> <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/netflix-is-removing-its-basic-plan-in-canada-092535002.html">markets</a>. That change preceded the most recent <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/netflix-jacks-price-of-its-premium-plan-up-to-23-a-month-201116571.html">increase</a> in subscription costs, less than two years ago.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-raises-subscription-praises-again-with-its-standard-plan-now-costing-18-per-month-234344714.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

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