N e w s C e n t r a l

The first meteor shower of spring peaks soon, and another is close on its heels

There are several meteor showers we can count on seeing every year as Earth passes through the debris trails of known comets and asteroids orbiting the sun, and two of them are about to be in full swing. The <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/lyrids/#:~:text=The%20Lyrids%20are%20best%20viewed,%2C%20blanket%2C%20or%20lawn%20chair."><ins>Lyrids</ins></a>, which come from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, will be visible from April 17 to 26, most prominently in the skies over the Northern Hemisphere. And just a couple days later, the bright streaks of the Eta Aquarids — stemming from the famous Halley’s Comet — will make their first appearance around April 20 before peaking in early May. In both cases, you won’t need any equipment to enjoy the show. <h2 id="jump-link-how-to-see-the-lyrids">How to see the Lyrids</h2> While the Lyrid meteor shower isn’t the most fruitful astronomical event of the year, we can still expect to see an average of 15 meteors per hour during its peak on the night of April 21 going into April 22, if the conditions are right. In the days before and after that, they’ll come at a rate of about five per hour. The Lyrids’ radiant, or the point from which they appear to emerge, will be in the northeast near the constellation Lyra and well above the horizon by around midnight. You’ll want to set up in a spot with a wide view of the sky and as little light pollution as possible, and look up toward the east. “The best time to watch is late evening on April 21 until the moon <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.sunrisesunset.com/predefined.asp"><ins>rises</ins></a> a few hours before dawn on April 22,” <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-lyrid-meteor-shower/"><ins>EarthSky</ins></a> recommends. “Then, after the moon rises, place yourself in the moon’s shadow.” You’ll have the best shot at seeing the Lyrids if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere (and if the weather is clear), but viewers south of the equator may be able to catch some too. Every so often, the Lyrid meteor shower produces an unusual abundance of meteors in events known as outbursts, but when they’ll occur is unpredictable. In 1982, viewers in Florida spotted as many as 75 meteors per hour, according to <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/watch-the-skies/2023/04/21/heads-up-lyrid-meteor-shower-peaks-april-22-23/"><ins>NASA</ins></a>. While that’s by no means the norm, it’s not out of the question that you might catch an outburst one of these days. More likely than that, though, is the chance of seeing a fireball, or an exceptionally bright meteor that NASA says is occasionally a feature of the Lyrids. The relatively short meteor shower will come and go in a little over a week, but the Eta Aquarids right after will offer a whole month of potential “shooting star” sightings.  <h2 id="jump-link-how-to-see-the-eta-aquarids">How to see the Eta Aquarids</h2> The Eta Aquarid meteor shower (also spelled Aquariid) is one of two annual meteor showers originating from comet 1P/Halley, or Halley’s Comet. “This comet is in a retrograde orbit around the sun,” <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-eta-aquarid-meteor-shower/"><ins>EarthSky</ins></a> explains. “That means it runs around the sun in the opposite direction from Earth and all the other planets. As a result, we pass near its path twice,” giving us the Eta Aquarids on the outbound leg of the trip and the Orionids in late October during the inbound. The Eta Aquarids are more plentiful than the Lyrids, and you can start looking out for them around April 20, according to <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/meteors-meteorites/eta-aquarids/"><ins>NASA</ins></a>. The shower will be active until May 21, but the best time to spot meteors will be overnight from May 5 into May 6, when it peaks, in the pre-dawn hours. During that time, as many as 50 meteors per hour could be visible, versus about 10 per hour in the non-peak windows. The Eta Aquarids’ radiant is in the constellation Aquarius. These meteors are best seen from the Southern Hemisphere, where they’ll pop up at a higher rate, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to see any if you’re in the north. Observers in the Northern Hemisphere may just see fewer, and they’re more likely to see those dubbed ‘Earthgrazers,’ or “long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon,” NASA notes. The Eta Aquarids in general move fast, at about 40.7 miles per second, according to the space agency, and they’ll often leave incandescent “trains” lingering in the sky after they’ve zipped by. While the debris from Halley’s Comet graces our skies twice a year, the comet itself (which I can’t think about without also remembering that episode of <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://heyarnold.fandom.com/wiki/Sally%27s_Comet"><ins>Hey Arnold!</ins></a>) only swings past Earth about every 76 years, which last happened in 1986. It’ll make its next appearance in 2061. After the Eta Aquarids wrap up, we’ll still have a few more meteor showers to look forward to through the summer, so there will be plenty of chances to view some shooting stars if you missed out this time around or just want to catch as many as possible. That includes the Arietids in early June, the Delta Aquarids starting in mid-July and perhaps the best known meteor shower, the Perseids, in mid-August.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/the-first-meteor-shower-of-spring-peaks-soon-and-another-is-close-on-its-heels-174458501.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Apple Intelligence is busted on Meta's iOS apps

You might now be out of luck if you've been relying on Apple's AI tools to help you craft a Facebook post or generate a custom emoji to slap on an Instagram Story. As first reported by <a href="https://sorcererhat.tech/articles/meta-impede-o-uso-da-apple-intelligence-em-seus-apps">Sorcererhat Tech</a> (by way of <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2025/04/16/meta-blocks-apple-intelligence-on-facebook-and-its-other-ios-apps/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=threads">9to5Mac</a>), Apple Intelligence <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apple-intelligence-whats-new-in-ios-182-223004890.html">features</a> are not currently functional on Meta's iOS apps, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Threads. Engadget has confirmed that Apple Intelligence isn't working in the apps at the time of writing. As things stand, along with writing tools (which include the likes of text generation and proofreading), Apple Intelligence features such as <a href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/how-to-use-genmoji-to-make-your-own-custom-emojis-225907928.html">Genmoji</a> aren't working in Meta's apps. While people were previously able to include keyboard stickers and Memoji in Instagram Stories, that's no longer the case. Developers can opt out of using Apple Intelligence in their iOS apps and Meta may have done just that. Perhaps it's looking to nudge folks to use its own <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-ai-is-coming-to-europe-this-week-113019014.html">Meta AI</a> tools in Facebook et al. Engadget has contacted Meta and Apple for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-is-busted-on-metas-ios-apps-165620772.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Google is a monopoly in online ad tech, federal judge rules

A federal judge has ruled that Google is a monopolist in online advertising. The New York Times <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/17/technology/google-ad-tech-antitrust-ruling.html">reported</a> on Thursday that Judge Leonie Brinkema of the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia said the company broke the law to maintain its ad tech dominance. “In addition to depriving rivals of the ability to compete, this exclusionary conduct substantially harmed Google’s publisher customers, the competitive process, and, ultimately, consumers of information on the open web,” the judge said. The case stemmed from <a href="https://www.engadget.com/justice-department-sues-google-to-break-up-the-companys-digital-ad-business-190131636.html">a January 2023 lawsuit</a> from the US Justice Department and eight states. They accused Google of illegally monopolizing the ad market and using that power to charge more and take a higher portion of sales. "Competition in the ad tech space is broken, for reasons that were neither accidental nor inevitable," the government said in its <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.vaed.533508/gov.uscourts.vaed.533508.1.0_2.pdf">complaint</a>. "One industry behemoth, Google, has corrupted legitimate competition in the ad tech industry by engaging in a systematic campaign to seize control of the wide swath of high-tech tools used by publishers, advertisers, and brokers, to facilitate digital advertising." The government says Google holds an 87 percent market share in ad-selling tech. The judge also dismissed a portion of the government's case. “We won half of this case, and we will appeal the other half," Lee-Anne Mulholland, Google Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://x.com/NewsFromGoogle/status/1912892999047971152">wrote</a> in a statement. "The Court found that our advertiser tools and our acquisitions, such as DoubleClick, don’t harm competition. We disagree with the Court’s decision regarding our publisher tools. Publishers have many options and they choose Google because our ad tech tools are simple, affordable and effective.” The government claimed Google’s monopoly powers enabled it to force publishers to use its ad software, leaving online media organizations and other websites without much recourse. This reduced the revenue for news sites, especially those without paywalled subscriptions. The media industry is, by and large, in dire financial straits, with closures and layoffs <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.fastcompany.com/91035879/news-media-layoffs-2024-list-growing-worst-year-financial-crisis">multiplying</a> in recent years. This also has a trickle-down effect, leading to <a class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.athensjournals.gr/media/2023-5729-AJMMC-Rahman-07.pdf">snowballing</a> clickbait headlines and other reader-hostile gimmicks as news orgs try to figure out how to recoup lost revenue and stay afloat. Judge Brinkema's decision follows another in August, when a federal judge <a href="https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-is-a-monopolist-in-search-us-judge-rules-in-antitrust-case-193358356.html">ruled that Google monopolizes online search</a>. Judge Amit Mehta of the US District Court for the District of Columbia said in 2024 that the company "is a monopolist, and it has acted as one to maintain its monopoly." Judge Mehta is considering a DOJ request to break up the company based on that ruling. Now, Judge Brinkema will face a similar decision about the nearly $1.9 trillion company's dominance in advertising. The DOJ's lawsuit already asked the court to make Google sell portions of its ad tech business. Much of the company's future will rest on what those two judges decide in the coming months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-is-a-monopoly-in-online-ad-tech-federal-judge-rules-151531919.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Mario Kart World for Switch 2 borrows Forza's rewind feature

<div id="0b127fce8a4d48919141cb4f7191d019"><div style="width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"></div></div> More details about <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-hands-on-the-perfect-launch-game-for-the-switch-2-130003924.html"><ins>Mario Kart World</ins></a>, the big first-party Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, were shown during <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/heres-how-to-watch-the-mario-kart-focused-nintendo-direct-184825796.html"><ins>a dedicated Direct on Thursday</ins></a>. The 17-minute presentation showcased some of the game's courses, such as the canal-based Salty Salty Speedway and spooky Boo Cinema, and revealed that some classic, reimagined courses will be dotted around the game's open world. Beyond regular races and the new Knockout Tour elimination mode, there are a bunch of other ways to play Mario Kart World. Team-based races will see you compete in squads of between six and 12, and you can test yourself in time trials. The classic Balloon Battle mode is here, and in Coin Runners, you'll compete to collect the most coins. <figure><img alt="Balloon Battles in Mario Kart World." src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-04/295b2130-1ba4-11f0-bfdc-eef33ad0e61c" style="height: 2160px; width: 3840px;" /><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Nintendo</div></figure> New tricks include a charge jump and a wall-riding option that was highlighted in the reveal trailer. A nifty Rewind feature in particular caught my eye. If you miss a jump or want another crack at making it to an elevated shortcut, you can hit a button that will send your kart backward a bit. You'll probably want to use this sparingly, as the Rewind function only affects your own kart. Your opponents can easily overtake you in the process, so there's a risk-reward balance to consider here. The Forza Horizon series <a href="https://www.engadget.com/forza-horizon-5-gaming-irl-racing-154527277.html"><ins>has a similar rewind feature</ins></a>, so it's interesting to see Nintendo adopt that. Some of the fresh items look pretty nifty. You'll be able to embrace your inner Hammer Bro by peppering the track with an arc of hammers to either hit an opponent or block their progress. With the Ice Flower, you can freeze enemies, while deploying the Coin Shell, oddly enough, leaves a trail of coins that you can collect. It's nice to see the feather, which debuted all the way back in the original Super Mario Kart, make a return. The open-world aspect of the game looks pretty interesting. You can explore it with your friends (you're all going to be using <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/gamechat-is-decades-late-and-looks-pretty-janky-202309823.html"><ins>GameChat</ins></a>, right?) and find some secrets. Hitting one of the hundreds of P Switches that are dotted across the world starts a minigame, such as collecting a number of blue coins in a certain period of time. In Free Roam, you'll also be able to make use of the photo mode. <figure><img alt="Mario looks at a Question Block in Mario Kart World" src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-04/30ba0810-1ba4-11f0-af7f-04c27048e384" style="height: 2160px; width: 3840px;" /><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Nintendo</div></figure> Elsewhere in the first completely new mainline Mario Kart game since 2014, there are several assist options. The Smart Steering feature can help you avoid accidentally veering off a track, and there's a tilt control function for steering. On top of all of that, you can pick up food from drive-thrus. While I suspected that we might be taking a trip to <a href="https://jetlag.fandom.com/wiki/The_Snack_Zone"><ins>The Snack Zone</ins></a>, the Dash Food that you pick up unlocks outfits that are inspired by your meal. Munch on some sushi, for instance, and you'll find yourself wearing a Japanese-influenced getup. Mario Kart World is <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-headed-to-switch-2-with-24-player-races-and-an-80-price-tag-134117599.html"><ins>slated to arrive on June 5</ins></a>, the same day as the <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-switch-2-pre-orders-updates-prices-delays-release-date-and-everything-else-you-need-to-know-140931563.html"><ins>Nintendo Switch 2</ins></a>. There's still no official update on when Switch 2 pre-orders will go live in the US and Canada after Nintendo <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-delays-switch-2-us-pre-orders-following-trump-tariffs-150747208.html">delayed them</a>. However, rumors suggest that you may be able to lock in a pre-order in either country in the coming days.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-for-switch-2-borrows-forzas-rewind-feature-160818661.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

The best portable monitors in 2025

Portable monitors have been around for years, but their importance skyrocketed during the pandemic. And with the continuation of remote and hybrid work positions, they’re going to be staples for the foreseeable future. But picking one isn’t as simple as it seems. At this point, almost every major PC maker has its own take on travel-friendly displays, with prices ranging from as little as $100 to nearly $1,000. So to help sort through the confusion, I tested out a bunch of options to put together a short list of the best portable monitors on sale today. <h2 id="jump-link-table-of-contents">Table of contents</h2> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.engadget.com/rss.xml#jump-link-best-portable-monitors-for-2025">Best portable monitors for 2025</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.engadget.com/rss.xml#jump-link-things-to-consider-before-buying-a-portable-monitor">Things to consider before buying a portable monitor</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.engadget.com/rss.xml#jump-link-what-to-look-for-in-a-portable-monitor">What to look for in a portable monitor</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-best-portable-monitors-for-2025">Best portable monitors for 2025</h2> <h2 id="jump-link-things-to-consider-before-buying-a-portable-monitor">Things to consider before buying a portable monitor</h2> Before you start looking at specific products, it’s super important to think about how and where you plan on using a second monitor as a portable display. Larger panels are great for home use where you may only need to move it or put it away when you have company over. Meanwhile, smaller screens are great for travel and whipping out at a coffee shop or shared workspace. But if you go too small, you may be adding extra weight to your bag without providing a ton of extra utility, especially if it lacks a good USB-C cable or mini HDMI for connectivity. Screen size and compatibility with your existing devices should be top considerations. It’s also important to consider your typical workload, as artists may get extra value out of monitors with higher maximum brightness, HDR, wider color accuracy and a higher contrast ratio. Those who spend all day looking at spreadsheets won’t get as much value from more vibrant displays or FHD displays with high refresh rates, but they may still benefit from having a basic plug-and-play second monitor for multitasking. <h2 id="jump-link-what-to-look-for-in-a-portable-monitor">What to look for in a portable monitor</h2> Aside from price and screen size, some of the most important specs in a portable monitor include panel type, pixels per inch, brightness, refresh rate and connectivity. Most portable monitors use IPS LCD displays, which generally offer good viewing angles, strong brightness and good power efficiency. However, some higher resolution models now feature OLED screens that support wider color gamuts, better color accuracy and contrast ratio, which can be a major benefit for artists and content creators. Some budget models may use TN panels, as that can help cut costs and reduce energy consumption. That said, we generally try to stay away from those as they often have worse image quality compared to IPS screens. For brightness, 300 nits is the lowest we recommend — anything less can make the monitor hard to use even in some indoor environments. Ideally, we look for screens that are closer to 350 or 400 nits and above for better accuracy and visibility. Connectivity is also important because if you can’t easily hook your phone, gaming console, or laptop to a monitor, it becomes an oversized paperweight. Most travel displays include an HDMI port or USB-C port(or both), which cover the large majority of devices. It’s rare to find a portable monitor these days with only USB-A, since the majority of devices have moved over to USB-C. However, we also like models that support passthrough power over USB-C connections, which reduces the complexity of your setup and decreases the number of cords and adapters you have to carry around. Finally, most portable monitors feature 60Hz refresh rates, which is fine for most use cases. However, if you’re looking for a gaming monitor, there are models with 120Hz or even 240Hz refresh rates. These are excellent choices for gamers looking to maintain smooth fps while playing on the go.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-portable-monitor-120050851.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Instagram now lets you combine your Reels recommendations with friends

Instagram is adding yet another way to liven up your Reels recommendations. The app is rolling out “Blend,” a feature that allows you to create a custom feed within a DM that combines your recommendations with a friend’s. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Blend has been in the works for some time. It was <a href="https://www.engadget.com/instagram-is-working-on-new-reels-feed-that-combines-two-users-interests-192018928.html"><ins>first spotted</ins></a> in the app more than a year ago, but was only an internal prototype at the time. Now, Meta is finally making it official, describing it as an “invite-only Reels feed for you and your friend(s).” Anyone can invite a friend or a group of friends to join a Blend from within a direct message or group chat on Instagram. Once someone accepts the invitation, Instagram generates a custom feed of Reels made up of video recommendations tailored to each person. As you scroll, you can view who each suggested clip is for, giving a window into what types of Reels Instagram’s algorithm serves your friends. The feature is the latest way Meta has been allowing instagram users to gain more insight into their friends’ Reels-watching habits. The company also recently introduced a <a href="https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-swoops-in-with-3-minute-reels-and-rectangular-profile-grids-as-the-tiktok-ban-gets-real-201316339.html"><ins>dedicated tab</ins></a> that shows videos liked by your Instagram friends. Whether that sounds like an intriguing way to find new niches of content, or potentially massively embarrassing is another matter. (It’s also <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019-10-07-instagram-removing-following-activity-tab.html"><ins>yet another reminder</ins></a> that your Instagram likes were never actually private.) But, if you’re Reels suggestions have been feeling a little stale, or you’re just curious about how some of your friends experience the app, it could be an entertaining way to spice up your recommendations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-now-lets-you-combine-your-reels-recommendations-with-friends-160023003.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

EA used LiDAR to model the tracks in F1 25

Codemasters' <a href="https://www.engadget.com/f1-2022-uses-real-formula-one-race-day-audio-102534651.html">Formula 1 franchise</a> is back for another lap. Publisher EA says the tracks in F1 2025 have a more realistic look and feel, thanks to LiDAR scanning. The new installment arrives on May 30. Although EA initially didn't offer much detail about LiDAR's use, it confirmed on Thursday that it involved high-resolution 3D scans of real-world tracks to make them as close to a 1:1 representation as possible. (After all, it's the same tech <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2019-07-12-luminar-affordable-lidar.html">autonomous vehicles use for real-time 3D mapping</a> and object detection.) EA scanned five tracks on F1 race weekends: Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka and Imola. It then used millions of data points from those batches to recreate the courses for F1 2025. "These tracks now reflect every bump and detail, including safety barriers and fan areas," the company said, adding that LiDAR allowed for "unprecedented accuracy" in this year's installment. <figure><img alt="In-cockpit view from the video game F1 25." src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2025-03/c51d59f0-0a72-11f0-af6d-3a7594690090" style="height: 1080px; width: 1920px;" /><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">EA / Codemasters</div></figure> In other areas, F1 25 overhauls My Team, with players now able to serve as the squad's owner and driver. And in the Braking Point story mode, Konnersport has moved up in the world and is now a highly competitive team battling for championships. But wait, "a dramatic event throws the team into chaos," so rest assured the writing team still understands the importance of using obstacles in storytelling. EA is also adding a new race mode with a fun wrinkle: You can race several tracks backward. To be clear, that doesn't mean you'll screech around the circuit with your car in reverse. (Although that may have a twisted fun to it.) Instead, everyone's forward-facing vehicles will drive the tracks opposite their usual direction. If nothing else, it should add more variety to the game. Reverse tracks will be available for Silverstone, Zandvoort and the Red Bull Ring. You can kick it in "R" in Grand Prix, Time Trial, Multiplayer modes or add them to Career modes beginning with the game's second season. F1 25 launches on <a href="https://store.playstation.com/en-us/product/UP0006-PPSA24662_00-F12025PS5GAME000/">PS5</a>, <a class="rapid-with-clickid" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&siteId=us-engadget&pageId=1p-autolink&contentUuid=40056fc5-2ac7-4af1-8f8b-05ed586e1b4c&featureId=text-link&merchantName=Microsoft&custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi11cy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS9mMS0yNS1zdGFuZGFyZC1lZGl0aW9uLzlONzdOVFo2VDZNSyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiNDAwNTZmYzUtMmFjNy00YWYxLThmOGItMDVlZDU4NmUxYjRjIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi11cy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS9mMS0yNS1zdGFuZGFyZC1lZGl0aW9uLzlONzdOVFo2VDZNSyJ9&signature=AQAAARspmRO5gtWsFN8t9CvMwf_LFKE4_PA6LiTlj5pw910Y&gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-us%2Fgames%2Fstore%2Ff1-25-standard-edition%2F9N77NTZ6T6MK">Xbox Series X/S</a> and <a href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/3059520/F1_25/">PC</a> on May 30. If you own F1 23 or F1 24, you can save 15 percent off your pre-order of the game's Iconic Edition, which typically costs $80 on PC and $90 on consoles. That variant will add post-launch Braking Point chapters that tie into <a href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/see-brad-pitt-behind-the-wheel-in-the-trailer-for-f1-224420723.html">Apple's upcoming film F1</a>, starring Brad Pitt. Meanwhile, the base game costs $60 on PC and $70 on PlayStation and Xbox. You can check out the trailer below, featuring cover star Lewis Hamilton. <div id="42041c0361c7453d908b421fb78cf7de"></div> Update, April 17, 2025, 11AM ET: This story has been updated with extra info about LiDAR scanning and reverse tracks.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ea-used-lidar-to-model-the-tracks-in-f1-25-192206031.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Wikipedia offers AI developers a training dataset to maybe get scraper bots off its back

Wikipedia has been <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/wikipedia-is-struggling-with-voracious-ai-bot-crawlers-121546854.html?_fsig=Wr5Dq_GeIVF_s2qPwjs2Ig--%7EA"><ins>struggling</ins></a> with the impact that <a href="https://www.engadget.com/websites-accuse-ai-startup-anthropic-of-bypassing-their-anti-scraping-rules-and-protocol-133022756.html"><ins>AI crawlers</ins></a> — bots that are scraping text and multimedia from the encyclopedia to train generative artificial intelligence models — have been having on its servers, leading to increased costs and slower load times for human users in some cases. Perhaps in an effort to stop the bots from pummeling the public Wikipedia website and soaking up too much bandwidth, the Wikimedia Foundation (which manages Wikipedia's data) is offering AI developers a dataset they can freely use. The organization has teamed up with Kaggle, a data science platform, to offer up a beta release of a structured dataset in both English and French. <a href="https://blog.google/technology/developers/kaggle-wikimedia/"><ins>According to Google</ins></a> — which owns Kaggle — the dataset is formatted for machine learning to make it more useful for training, development and data science. Wikimedia Enterprise <a href="https://enterprise.wikimedia.com/blog/kaggle-dataset/"><ins>notes</ins></a> that the dataset includes "abstracts, short descriptions, infobox-style key-value data, image links and clearly segmented article sections." There are no references or other "non-prose elements," such as video clips. The lack of references could make the issue of attribution for information in the dataset somewhat foggy. However, Wikimedia Enterprise (a part of the Wikimedia Foundation that seeks to make Wikipedia data available through APIs) says that the content in the dataset is freely licensed under Creative Commons, the public domain and so on since it's all from Wikipedia.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/wikipedia-offers-ai-developers-a-training-dataset-to-maybe-get-scraper-bots-off-its-back-143255593.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

China cracks down on 'autonomous' car claims after fatal accident

Chinese authorities have banned automakers from using terms such as "smart driving" and "autonomous driving" for ads in the country, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/china-bans-smart-autonomous-driving-terms-vehicle-ads-2025-04-17/">Reuters</a>. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has tightened its rules for advertising driving assistance features following a fatal crash involving a Xiaomi SUV7 (pictured above), which raised concerns about the technology's safety. Based on Xiaomi's report, the vehicle's driving assistance mode was switched on when the vehicle was approaching a construction zone, but the driver took control right before the SUV collided with a concrete barrier. The electric vehicle went up in flames, with the accident <a href="https://carnewschina.com/2025/04/01/first-fatal-accident-involving-xiaomi-su7-claims-three-lives-on-chinese-highway/">claiming three lives</a>.  Back in 2022, the California DMV <a href="https://www.engadget.com/california-dmv-accuses-tesla-false-advertising-130350292.html">accused Tesla</a> of falsely portraying its vehicles as fully autonomous based on the language it used on its website, though that didn't lead to a ban on advertising terms. Chinese authorities announced the new rule at a meeting attended by 60 representatives from the automobile industry. In addition to the new advertising rules, they also announced that they're prohibiting automakers from testing and improving their driver assistance systems via remote software upgrades if they're already in the hands of customers. If the companies want to roll out updates over the air, they'll have to secure an approval for them after conducting a battery of tests.  As Reuters noted, there's a growing competition in the Chinese automotive industry with companies launching vehicles promising "smart driving" capabilities. BYD, the <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/26/cars/china-byd-profile-tesla-rival-intl-hnk/index.html">top Chinese EV manufacturer</a> based in Shenzhen, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/chinas-byd-sell-21-models-with-its-gods-eye-smart-driving-tech-2025-02-10/">rolled out a whopping 21 models</a> of electric vehicles in February, with the company's free "smart driving" features being one of their main selling points. These automakers may now have to alter their advertising materials in order to comply with the new regulations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/china-cracks-down-on-autonomous-car-claims-after-fatal-accident-143026741.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

Gemini live video and screen sharing is now free for Android users

<a href="https://x.com/GeminiApp/status/1912591827087315323?s=19">Google is now offering Gemini live video and screen sharing</a> to just about every Android user who wants them — totally free. The announcement comes just a couple weeks after Google first rolled out the features. They have been available to all <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-live-video-and-screensharing-starts-rolling-out-to-pixel-9-and-galaxy-s25-phones-151032356.html?_fsig=EBQkxhWqCKg8SSPBH245hA--%7EA">Pixel 9 and Samsung Galaxy S25 owners</a> and through a <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/googles-gemini-deep-research-tool-is-here-to-answer-your-most-complicated-questions-154354424.html?_fsig=bbrDHKVtvQsXAUO55LyqiA--%7EA">Google One AI Premium plan</a> for other Android users with the Gemini app. Now, Google says that "great feedback" has motivated the company "to bring it to more people."  <a href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-live-video-and-screensharing-arrive-on-android-devices-later-this-month-151743457.html?_fsig=bbrDHKVtvQsXAUO55LyqiA--%7EA">Gemini live video and screen share</a> allows you to ask Gemini about anything on your screen or directly in front of you. For example, you can take a picture of an item of clothing and get info about its materials. You can also ask it about something you've found on the internet, like a word in a story that you've never heard before.  <div id="a30ca9d0a792437bb9b0d1820d9b6849"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We’ve been hearing great feedback on Gemini Live with camera and screen share, so we decided to bring it to more people ✨ Starting today and over the coming weeks, we're rolling it out to *all* <a href="https://twitter.com/Android?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Android</a> users with the Gemini app. Enjoy! PS If you don’t have the app yet,… <a href="https://t.co/dTsxLZLxNI">https://t.co/dTsxLZLxNI</a>— Google Gemini App (@GeminiApp) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeminiApp/status/1912591827087315323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote> </div> Google will be rolling the tools out over the coming weeks to all Androids that are compatible with the Gemini app. According to a Google spokesperson, this is all "Android devices with 2GB of RAM or more, running Android 10 and up." This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/gemini-live-video-and-screen-sharing-is-now-free-for-android-users-140051993.html?src=rss

Source: www.engadget.com

Reception: Positive

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