I know what you're thinking, didn't OnePlus release a new phone just last month? It did. A little over five weeks after the announcement of the OP15, the company is back with the OnePlus 15R, a more affordable version of its new flagship that starts at $700 (or $200 less than its sibling). Off the top, this will be a shorter review because most of what I said about the OnePlus 15 also applies to the OP15R. It's a great phone that asks you to make one pretty significant compromise.
Design and display
The OnePlus 15R's screen is slightly cooler than that of the OnePlus 15.
Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
Like the OnePlus 15, the 15R looks like the OnePlus 13s and 13T, a pair of smaller, 6.32-inch phones the company released in India and China this past spring. I said the design of the OP15 was boring and derivative of the iPhone 16 Pro. The 15R has done nothing to change that opinion. With one fewer camera, the OP15R doesn't look much different from the iPhone 12 I've been hanging on to since 2020.
That said, I'm more fond of the 15R's mint breeze color (the phone is also available in charcoal black) than the sand storm shade of my OP15. We're big fans of minty phones here at Engadget, and OnePlus has gone with a particularly pleasing hue of the color with its new phone. With the redesign, OnePlus has also improved the phone's waterproofing, bringing it in line with the OP15. The new handset is IP69K-certified against moisture and dust, meaning it can withstand heated water shot at it at pressure. Like the OP15, the 15R trades OnePlus' old Alert Slider for a new Plus Key. It functions like the iPhone's Action button, allowing you to add a shortcut for a favorite feature. For example, you can configure it to open the camera app or act as a do not disturb toggle, among a few other options.
One departure from the OP15 is that the 15R has a larger 6.83-inch display, making it slightly taller than its sibling. OnePlus is marketing this as one reason buyers might pick the 15R over the OP15, but holding the phones side by side, there's not much difference between the two. They're both big, and you'll either like that or won't.
On top of being big, the 15R's screen can refresh at a fast 165Hz in games. The two displays are also comparable in terms of resolution and brightness; both can push 1,800 nits of brightness. One difference I noticed is the OnePlus 15 has a warmer panel, even when the two phones are set to the same colorspace. I've reached out to OnePlus to find what might be causing the disparity, but for now it may be due to a quality control issue or oversight in the company's software.
One last thing, OnePlus has upgraded the 15R to add an ultrasonic fingerprint sensor beneath the screen. This is placed in a nice spot toward the bottom third of the display, and it's fast and accurate.
Performance and battery
The OnePlus 15R is also slightly thinner than the OnePlus 15.
Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
The OnePlus 15R is the first phone in North America to arrive with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 chipset. Not to be confused with the Snapdragon Gen 5 Elite in the OP15, this new chipset is similar to Qualcomm's flagship system-on-a-chip but has a weaker CPU and GPU. This is reflected in benchmarks like Geekbench 6 where the OP15 handily outperforms the OP15R. It's not even close, either, with the OP15 delivering standout single- and multi-core scores of 3,773 and 11,293, while the 15R put up more modest results of 2,857 and 9,512.
From that perspective, you're losing a fair amount of performance, but real-world use tells a different story. Outside of the handful of games such as Call of Duty: Mobile and PUBG that support the OP15 and 15R's 165Hz displays, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 offers more than enough muscle for the majority of applications. Even for most games (like the ones I like to play, including Diablo Immortal and League of Legends: Wild Rift), the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is a great match.
OnePlus also hasn't skimped on the 15R's other internal components. You're still getting 12GB of LPDDR5X Ultra RAM and 256GB of UFS 4.1 storage. That's the same configuration as the base model of the OP15. This translates to a phone that doesn't miss a beat when switching between apps and loading files like images and videos.
The 15R has a slightly bigger battery, coming in at 7,400mAh, up from 7,300mAh on the OP15. In practice, the two phones offer the same amount of battery life. Putting them through both Engadget's video rundown test, they both ran for 38 hours before their batteries died (which makes sense given the OP15R has a bigger screen). Like the OP15, the 15R comes with the OnePlus 55W SUPERVOOC charger in the box. The adapter can get the 15R from dead to 100 percent in less than an hour. If you hate charging your phone, the 15R makes that process as painless as possible, with a battery that both lasts long and won't be at the outlet for hours.
Cameras
A closeup of the OnePlus 15R's camera module.
Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
By this point you're probably wondering what OnePlus cut from the OP15 to make the 15R more affordable. The answer quite literally is an entire camera. The new phone is missing a telephoto camera, something you could find on its predecessor, the OnePlus 13R. And as far as I can tell, the two remaining cameras use the same 50-megapixel and 8MP sensors OnePlus shipped on last year's model. The company also hasn't upgraded the glass on either camera. That leaves th selfie camera as the only area to see some change in the form of a sharper 32MP sensor and the addition of autofocus.
Unfortunately, none of the 15R's cameras stand out. As a whole, they suffer from the same set of problems that plague the OnePlus 15's cameras. They're fine out on a sunny day, but as soon as the light becomes a bit challenging, the 15R struggles with shadow details, resulting in muddy pictures. The more I've used both the OP15 and 15R, the more I've come to the conclusion that OnePlus needs to go back to the drawing board with its new Detail Max Engine. It feels like it's holding back what should, at least on paper, be solid hardware.
Software
Despite it's large size, the OnePlus 15R isn't too heavy.
Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
There's not much to say here other than the 15R ships with OxygenOS 16, just like the OP15. OnePlus has also promised to support the 15R for the same amount of time as the OP15: four years with software updates and six years with security patches. That's a shorter window than Google and Samsung, both of which promise seven years on all their latest phones. It's hopefully something that OnePlus decides to change starting with the OnePlus 16. The reason I bring that up is that the companys version of Android is one I like a lot. OxygenOS is slick, with animations that highlight the speed of the 15R's processor and display. The fact the phone comes with the latest version of OxygenOS means you also get access to all of the company's newest AI features, including its Mind Space hub where you can save screenshots and notes for an on-device model to transcribe and summarize.
Wrap-up
The OnePlus 15R comes in a lovely mint color.
Igor Bonifacic for Engadget
In short, the OnePlus 15R is the phone for people who don't care about photos and videos. That's the same conclusion I came to with the OP15. If you're a OnePlus fan, the 15R excels in all the areas you would expect the company's devices to make a good showing: performance, battery life and display responsiveness. Given I wasn't too impressed with the OP15's camera, I would actually recommend the 15R over that model. For $200 off the starting price of the OP15, you're getting a device that has almost all of the same strengths of its more expensive sibling.
Compared to other phones in its price range, such as the Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25 FE, the 15R is not as well-rounded, and can't compete with those devices in camera quality, but you're getting much better performance, battery life and a display they can't match.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/oneplus-15r-review-a-165hz-display-and-big-battery-for-700-150000340.html?src=rss
The best VPNs can make your online life more private with software that's convenient and cheap sometimes even free. While keeping your IP address invisible, you can use your VPN to explore streaming content from all over the world or (virtually) sneak into a sports event that's not available in your area.However, while VPNs are widely available, there's a strange dearth of information on what they actually do behind the scenes. You may know that a VPN masks your device with a proxy server to make it look like you're somewhere else, and maybe even that encryption is involved. But finding any more details can mean running a gauntlet of misinformation.That's a shame, because the inner workings of a VPN aren't all that difficult to understand. You may not be able to build one yourself without a degree in computer science, but with a little work, you can understand exactly what it's doing on your computer. That's information you can use to select the right VPN for you, and make the most of it once you've got it.What is a VPN?To make sure nobody gets left behind, I'll start from the beginning. A VPN (virtual private network) is a method of securely accessing a network, either a closed network (like you might have at the office) or the internet as a whole. Initially, organizations set up VPNs so remote workers can work with secure files. While this still happens, the last 15 years have seen VPNs increasingly marketed to individuals, with Proton VPN, ExpressVPN and others seeing massive user growth.Broadly, a VPN consists of two parts: the server, which forwards requests to your chosen destination, and the client, a piece of software that lets you interact with the server. You can find a longer explanation here, but I'll use the two sections below to tell you what you need to know right now.One more note before that there are multiple kinds of VPNs, including the remote-access VPNs and site-to-site VPNs commonly used by workplaces. However, for this article, I'll be talking mainly about the commercial VPN services sold to individuals for general security needs. Instead of a specific network, these VPNs are designed to handle all of a user's traffic to any point on the internet.What happens when you use a VPN?First, you use the client to connect to a server either the fastest one available or a particular location you need. Once you've connected, every request you send to the internet goes through the VPN server first. This communication between your device and the web is encrypted so it can't be traced back to you.The VPN server decrypts your requests and sends them on. The destination then communicates with the VPN server, which relays the information back to you after re-encrypting it so nobody follows it home.Since the VPN does everything on your behalf, it's your "mask" online. Your internet service provider (ISP) and third parties can see what's being done, but so long as youre not otherwise logged in or identifying yourself nobody knows that it's you doing it. It's like having a friend order pizza for you so the pizzeria doesn't hear you calling for the third time this week (not that I speak from experience).What's the point of using a VPN?Why add an extra step to the already complex process of getting online? The two biggest reasons are maintaining anonymity and changing your virtual location. I've already explained how a VPN keeps you anonymous. Among other things, this prevents your ISP from selling your browsing history to advertisers and protects activists who face government repercussions for what they do online.Changing your virtual location is part of masking, but it can also be used to see the internet as it's visible in other countries. Streaming services are frequently limited to certain places, and almost all of them change the available content based on their licenses in each nation. You can also use a VPN in a country with a nationwide firewall, like China, to see forbidden outside information sources.How does a VPN work? The full technical explanationMost online explanations stop after defining a VPN as an anonymous agent between you and the internet but I wrote this article to go a little bit deeper. To understand what a VPN is doing on a technical level, we'll need to cover how the internet works, how the VPN knows where to send encrypted information and just what "encryption" actually is.How the internet transmits dataWhen you're not using a VPN, internet traffic goes directly from your modem to your ISP, then on to your chosen destination. The key technologies here are IP, which stands for Internet Protocol, and TCP, which stands for Transmission Control Protocol. They're usually combined as TCP/IP.You may have heard that every online device has an IP address that identifies it to every other device. TCP/IP governs not just those names but how data moves between them. Here's how it works, step-by-step.You click a link or enter a URL into your web browser.Your computer sends a request to your modem, asking to see the page associated with the URL. Your modem forwards the request to your ISP.Your ISP finds a domain name server (DNS) that tells it which IP address is connected to the URL you asked to see. It then sends the request to that IP address along the fastest available route, which will involve being relayed between several nodes.That IP address is connected with a server that holds the content you're looking for. Once it receives the request, it breaks the data down into small packets of about 1 to 1.5 kilobytes.These packets separate to find their own fastest routes back to your ISP, your modem and finally your web browser, which reassembles them.You see a web page, likely no more than a second after you asked for it.The outgoing requests and inbound packets are key to understanding VPN function. A VPN intervenes during step 2 (when your modem contacts your ISP) and step 5 (when your ISP sends the packets back to you). In the next section, I'll explain exactly what it does during those steps.How VPN tunneling protects dataYou might have heard a VPN's activities described as "tunneling." That term refers to a figurative tunnel being created between your device and the VPN. Data enters the tunnel when it's encrypted by the VPN client and exits when it's decrypted by the VPN server Between those two points, encryption means nobody can see the true data. It's as though it's traveling through an opaque tunnel.While the tunnel is a useful metaphor, it may be better to think of VPN encryption as an encapsulation. Each packet of data sent via VPN is "wrapped" in a second packet, which both encrypts the original packet and contains information for reaching the VPN server. However, none of these outer layers have the complete path each just knows enough to reach the next relay. In this way, the origin point (that's you) remains invisible.The same thing happens when the internet returns content to show you. Your ISP sends the data to the VPN server, because, as far as it knows, that's where the request came from. The VPN then encrypts each packet and sends them back to you for decryption and reassembly. It takes a little longer with the extra steps; that's why VPNs always slightly slow down your browsing speed, though the best ones don't do that by much (Surfshark is currently the fastest).You learned in that last section that two protocols, IP and TCP (usually combined as TCP/IP), are responsible for letting online devices talk to each other, even if they've never connected before. In the same way, a VPN protocol is like a shared language that lets VPNs encrypt, move and decrypt information. See the next section to learn how a VPN protocol works in detail.How VPN protocols encrypt dataVPN protocols are the technology behind VPNs; every other feature of your VPN is just a method of interacting with them. All protocols are designed to encrypt data packets and wrap them in a second layer that includes information on where to send them. The main differences are the shape of that second layer, the types of encryption used and how the client establishes its initial secure connection with the server.It's extremely common for VPNs to advertise protocols with "bank-grade" or "military-grade" encryption. This is talking about the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256), a symmetric encryption algorithm, which is used by financial institutions and the US government and military. AES-256 is indeed some of the strongest available encryption, but it's only part of the story. As a symmetric algorithm, it's not fully secure on its own, because the same keys are used to encrypt and decrypt it and those keys can be stolen.For that reason, most VPN protocols use AES-256 (or a similarly strong cipher like ChaCha20) to encrypt the data packets themselves, then combine it with a larger suite of multiple encryption algorithms. One of the most reliable and popular protocols, OpenVPN, uses the asymmetric TLS protocol to establish a secure relationship between client and server, then transmits packets encrypted with AES-256 across that channel, knowing the keys will be safe.Explaining this could easily reach the length of a book, but the basic principle isn't complicated. In asymmetric encryption, a sender encodes data with a unique key, then a recipient decodes it with a different paired key. The keys are provided by a trusted third party. In a maneuver called a TLS handshake, the server and client send each other encrypted data. If each can decode the other's test data, they know they have a matched pair of keys, which proves that both are the same client and server that got the keys from the trusted authority.Why not just use asymmetric encryption for the data itself, if it's more secure? Mainly, protocols don't do this because it's a lot slower. Asymmetric encryption requires a lot of resource-heavy math that makes connections drag. That's why OpenVPN and others use the asymmetric-to-symmetric two-step instead.To summarize, a VPN protocol is a complex set of instructions and tools that control encryption and routing via VPN servers. Protocols still in use include OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2, SSTP and L2TP. PPTP, one of the oldest protocols, is no longer considered secure. On top of these, VPNs often build their own proprietary protocols, such as ExpressVPN's Lightway.Putting it all togetherNow that we've hit all the relevant information, let's revisit that step-by-step from earlier, this time with a VPN in the mix. Here are the steps, starting with establishing the VPN connection and ending with anonymously viewing a website.You open your VPN client, choose a server location and connect. The VPN client and server authenticate each other with a TLS handshake.The client and server exchange the symmetric keys they'll use to encrypt and decrypt packets for the duration of this session (i.e. until you disconnect). Your VPN client tells you that it's established a secure tunnel.You open your web browser and enter a URL. Your browser sends a request to view the content at that address.The request goes to your VPN client, which encrypts it and adds an outer layer of information with directions to the VPN server.The encrypted request reaches the VPN server, which decrypts it and forwards it to your ISP.As normal, your ISP finds the IP address associated with the URL you entered and forwards your request along.The destination server receives the request and sends all the necessary packets of information back to your ISP, which forwards it to the VPN server.The VPN server encrypts each packet and adds a header directing it to the VPN client.The client decrypts the packets and forwards them to your web browser.You see the web page you opened.Because of the encrypted tunnel, the request arrives at the VPN server without any information on where it came from. Thus, the VPN doesn't actually encrypt your activity on the websites themselves for the most part, the HTTPS protocol does that. Instead, a VPN gives you a false name to put in the register, with no information that could be traced back to your real identity.How to use this informationNow that you know how a VPN works on a technical level, you're better equipped to choose one for yourself. You can cut through marketing hype statements like:"Military-grade encryption!" (It's the same algorithm everybody uses)"Stay completely anonymous online!" (Plaintext you post on social media is not encrypted)"Dodge ISP throttling!" (If your ISP is throttling you based on your IP address, this works but if you're being slowed down because of your moment-to-moment activity, your identity doesn't matter)A VPN is just one important part of a complete cybersecurity breakfast. While hiding your IP address, make sure to also use strong passwords, download updates immediately and remain alert for social engineering tactics.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/how-a-vpn-works-and-why-you-should-care-143000250.html?src=rss
Last year at CES, Samsung debuted its first mainstream Micro RGB TV, a 115-inch model that surprised us with its rich, vivid colors and $30,000 price tag. Now, the company has announced that it will be showing off an entire lineup of Micro RGB TVs at CES 2026 ranging from 55- to 115-inch models, promising to set "a new standard for premium home viewing."
As a reminder, Micro RGB is a unique new technology similar to Mini LED displays. Unlike the white backlights used on Mini LEDs, though, it uses tiny red, green and blue LEDs that produce more accurate colors and offer smaller and more controllable dimming zones. However, because pixels can't be turned on and off individually like Micro LED or OLED, Micro RGB contrast ratios aren't as high. They promise to be brighter and more color accurate than other technologies, though, hence the high prices and "premium" branding.
Samsung's upcoming Micro RGB lineup will be available in 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, 100- and 115-inch models and use the next evolution of the company's technology. The main claim to fame is near broadcast monitor-like color accuracy, covering 100 percent of the demanding BT.2020 HDR standard. That new standard now has a name and VDE certification: Micro RGB Precision Color 100.
Other key features include Samsung's "Micro RGB AI Engine Pro" for more precise frame-by-frame clarity and realism, new color enhancement functions, Samsung's glare free tech and enhanced audio features including Dolby Atmos and Adaptive Sound Pro.
Yesterday, LG announced that it would also show off new televisions using Micro RGB technology, with 75-, 86- and 100-inch models coming next year. What remains to be seen, however, is pricing. Given the $30,000 cost of the 115-inch model, you can likely expect the first Micro RGB televisions to be among the most expensive in the lineups of both LG and Samsung. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/samsung-will-show-off-its-expanded-micro-rgb-tv-series-at-ces-141716449.html?src=rss
Sure, we've seen millions poured into lobbying and other means of influence during every presidency, but the last two years set a whole new bar. Business leaders, including those from almost every Big Tech company, stepped over themselves to prove fealty to Donald Trump's second administration. It's easy to see why: Their kowtowing was meant to secure regulatory favors, gain tax and tariff advantages and avoid Trump's ire. Ultimately, it was all in the service of appeasing their shareholders. Why else would Apple CEO Tim Cook, someone who typically cultivates a progressive image, hand deliver a gold plaque to the President of the United States? Before we leave 2025 behind, it's worth documenting the many ways tech companies and leaders debased themselves for political favor with the Trump administration. Alphabet (Google)Google dropped diversity recruitment goals in February, following Trumps executive orders dismantling DEI programs in the federal government. Google also changed its AI principles to allow AI in weapons and surveillance, a move that is in line with the relaxed artificial intelligence regulation the Trump administration would later adopt for its AI Action Plan. To the chagrin of geographers everywhere, the company also replaced the Gulf of Mexico in Google Maps with "Gulf of America," following Trump's executive order.Additionally, Alphabet agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle Donald Trump's lawsuit against YouTube, following the suspension of his YouTube accounts after the January 6th riot. Trump will receive $22 million, while another $2.5 million of the settlement will be paid out to additional plaintiffs who were part of the class action which is to say, other rioters involved in the storming of the Capitol.Joining plenty of other tech companies, Google donated $1 million to the Trump inauguration, and its also contributing to the cost of Trumps reported $300 million White House ballroom.AmazonIn August, Amazon Web Services said it would provide up to $1 billion in credits to the Trump administration through 2028. Those credits can be put towards AWS cloud services, training and certification and direct contracts.Amazon founder Jeff Bezos also did his fair share to support Trump: He donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration, and since purchasing the Washington Post in 2013 he pushed the paper to the right. This year, Bezos declared that the Posts opinion pages would be devoted to the support and defense of personal liberties and free markets. He added, Well cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others." To that end, the Post also hired three new conservative columnists. Bezos reportedly also blocked his paper from endorsing Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.I shared this note with the Washington Post team this morning:Im writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages. We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. Well cover other topics too Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) February 26, 2025
Amazon, too, is contributing to Trump's $300 million White House ballroom. The Washington Post, unsurprisingly, was one of the first major publications to praise Trumps ballroom. AppleApple relied on big numbers and flashy trinkets to ingratiate itself to the Trump administration. In February, it said it planned to invest $500 billion into the US economy over the next four years. While that sounds impressive, Apple previously announced another $430 billion multi-year investment for the US in 2021. In a potential bid to avoid the administrations volatile tariff plans, Apple also said it would invest another $100 billion into the US in August.Tim Cook personally donated $1 million to the Trump inauguration fund, Cook's first political donation since 2017. At that August event, he also gave Donald Trump a now infamous gold statue for being a special little guy. Additionally, Apple followed in Googles footsteps by replacing the Gulf of Mexico in Apple Maps with the Gulf of America. The company is also chipping in for Trumps $300 million White House ballroom.MetaMeta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wasted no time trying to get into Trumps good graces, perhaps to erase his previous statement that the President should be held responsible for his words for inciting the January 6 Capitol riot. On top of donating $1 million to Trump's inauguration, Meta announced that it would be getting rid of third-party fact-checkers on Facebook and Instagram on January 7. Instead, it's relying on community notes similar to X. Meta also ended its DEI initiatives and changed its hate speech rules to allow for calling LGBTQ people mentally ill. "We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common non-serious usage of words such as 'weird,'" reads the companys updated policy.Even Zuckerbergs charity, which he runs alongside his wife, bowed to Trump. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative ended its diversity programs and stopped providing social advocacy funding, which supported immigration and racial equity efforts. According to The Guardian, the charitys website removed every reference to diversity or promoting scientific research from underrepresented groups. Similar to Google, Meta said it will pay Donald Trump $25 million to settle his lawsuit related to his Facebook suspension after the January 6 riot. And yes, Meta is also contributing to Trump's $300 million White House ballroom. MicrosoftMicrosoft contributed $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund. Previously, it donated $500,000 to Biden's fund and the same amount for Trump's first term. Its also contributing to Trumps $300 million White House ballroom.Similar to Amazon, Microsoft also offered up to $3.1 billion worth of services to the Trump administration as part of the American-centric OneGov strategy. That includes discounts for Microsoft 365, Azure cloud services and cybersecurity tools. Copilot AI will also be discounted to government agencies, and itll be completely free for a year for agencies subscribing to Microsoft G5 service.Elon Musk (X, SpaceX, Tesla)Elon Musk was by far the biggest booster for Trump in the business world. He spent a whopping total of $277 million to back Trump and other candidates in 2024, including $239 million to America PAC, his super PAC focused on securing votes for Trump and other Republicans. Musk went so far as to offer $1 million to people who said they would vote for Trump, a move that the Justice Department warned might be illegal. Wisconsin's Attorney General challenged Musk's ploy but the state's Supreme Court declined to hear a case on the matter, thereby giving Musk leeway to award two $1 million checks to voters. Musk's team edited a video of one of the recipients to remove her admission that she was paid "to vote." He also joked that he could be jailed if Kamala Harris won the 2024 election, which could be referencing potential election fraud, his penchant for busting unions, national security concerns from his uncomfortably close relationship with Vladimir Putin or any number of potential crimes.Elon Musk spearheaded DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency), an unelected position from which he was given nearly unprecedented federal oversight. Once installed he hired his techie acolytes to chip away at government budgets and staffs. For the first few weeks of the second Trump administration, it appeared as if Musk had unfettered power to manipulate the government.And let's not forget, while leading DOGE, the world's richest man also destroyed USAID, the world's largest food aid provider, for no apparent reason other than cruelty. After purchasing Twitter in 2022 and renaming it "X," Musk has also transformed Twitter into a Trump-friendly social network focused on free speech. He reinstated Trumps Twitter account, which was banned after the January 6 Capitol riot, and he also paid Trump around $10 million to settle his lawsuit over being kicked off the platform. X is now a platform that amplifies far-right extremists, treats the inclusive term cisgender as a slur and doesnt punish users for deadnaming and misgendering trans people.What about the rest?This is by no means an exhaustive documenting of every single tech tycoon that has bent the knee. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, for instance, told Joe Rogan in an interview that everything that [Trump] thinks through is very practical and very common sense, and, you know, it's very logical. According to Axios, Huang added that Trump "wants to make sure that that the important, critical technology of our nation is built in United States, and that we re-industrialize and get good at manufacturing again, because it's important for jobs." Its also worth remembering that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Oracle chairman Larry Ellison joined President Trump onstage in announcing Stargate the largest AI infrastructure project by far in history. The two were joined by Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, who called the moment the beginning of a golden age. The next day, Altman posted on X that he believed Trump will be incredible for the country in many ways!Ellisons son David is the CEO of Skydance, and has infamously been rebuilding Paramount with Bari Weiss since the merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media was approved this year. The list of major tech players bowing to Trump only grows from here, and putting the bulk of the transactions in one place should serve to remind us how closely tied Big Tech is with American (and global) politics.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/big-tech-bent-the-knee-for-trump-in-2025-140000365.html?src=rss
Warner Bros. Discovery's board has formally rejected the $108 billion takeover bid from Paramount Skydance, the company announced. WBD said it remains committed to its $82.7 billion deal with Netflix, which would close some time next year, pending regulatory approval.
"[The board] has unanimously determined that the tender offer launched by Paramount Skydance on December 8, 2025 is not in the best interests of WBD and its shareholders and does not meet the criteria of a "Superior Proposal" under the terms of WBD's merger agreement with Netflix announced on December 5, 2025," the studio said in the press release.
Paramount's offer was funded in part by sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Abu Dhabi, so it could have triggered a national security review by the US government. However, Paramount said that even if those entities dropped out, the company's owners (the Ellisons) would "backstop the full amount of the bid."
However, the board said that Paramount "has consistently misled WBD shareholders that its proposed transaction has a 'full backstop' from the Ellison family. It does not, and never has," adding that "the terms of the Netflix merger are superior." WBD explained that Paramount is relying on an "opaque revocable trust" for said backstop which is "no replacement for a secured commitment by a controlling shareholder." WBD's board also noted that Paramount expects to achieve $9 billion in cost synergies from the merger, and that "would make Hollywood weaker, not stronger."
In a statement, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said that "the Warner Bros. Discovery board reinforced that Netflix's merger agreement is superior and that our acquisition is in the best interest of stockholders. This was a competitive process that delivered the best outcome for consumers, creators, stockholders and the broader entertainment industry."
Paramount has yet to comment, but the company has previously said that its $30 per share offer is a better deal, due to the all-cash nature (compared to 84 percent cash for Netflix) and fact that it would have a clearer path to regulatory approval due to the Ellison's supposedly tight relationship with President Trump. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/warner-bros-discovery-rejects-paramounts-hostile-bid-131055882.html?src=rss
When Amazons latest Echo speakers arrived in October, a feature the company spent time hyping during its fall devices event was missing. Alexa Home Theater arrived in late November, allowing owners of a recent Fire TV device and either of the new Echo speakers the ability to use up to five units and an Echo Sub as a surround sound setup. The main selling point is that the underlying tech allows you to put the speakers wherever you want and Alexa Home Theater will handle the rest. A robust array of speakers is a considerable investment, though, and there are limitations to Amazons latest play for your living room.What is Alexa Home Theater?At the most basic level, Alexa Home Theater is an automatic room calibration tool thats akin to Trueplay from Sonos, SpaceFit Sound from Samsung or Sound Field Optimization from Sony. The feature, no matter which company builds it, is designed to automatically tune the acoustics of a soundbar or other speakers to the acoustics of the room. These tools allow companies to account for things like high ceilings and weird angles, adjusting audio performance so things sound their best no matter how your home is designed. Like similar technologies from other companies, Alexa Home Theater and the latest Echo speakers also support spatial awareness. This allows you to position the speakers however they best fit in your living room and the underlying tech will balance the sound based on their proximity to each other. Gone are the days when you have to put rear speakers in a specific spot in order for them to work. For the latest Echo speakers, Amazon overhauled Alexa Home Theater to accommodate more devices in a single setup. Now you can use up to five Echo Dot Max or second-generation Echo Studio units and a subwoofer at the same time. Of course, this means you can put the compact speakers around the perimeter of your home theater space, providing more immersive surround sound than a single speaker or two can muster. Alexa Home Theater recognizes each Echo speaker and adjusts the system accordingly. What hardware do I need to use it?My test setup was four Echo Studio speakers and a Fire TV Stick 4K Max.Billy Steele for EngadgetIf you want to use more than two Echo speakers and a subwoofer in your Alexa Home Theater setup, youll need the latest Amazon devices to make that happen. That list includes the Echo Dot Max and second-gen Echo Studio, along with the Echo Sub if you crave more bass. Youll also need a Fire TV streaming gadget for the multi-speaker option, but it has to be one of the following:Fire TV Cube (3rd gen)Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2nd gen) Fire TV Stick 4K (2nd gen)Fire TV Stick 4K PlusYou might be wondering why Alexa Home Theater isnt supported on other (older) Amazon streaming and audio models. Well, it is but youll only be allowed to pair just two Echo speakers of the same model with an optional subwoofer for a total of three devices. That list of supported models is quite long, but it accounts for the two most recent generations of both the Echo and Echo Dot in addition to the Echo Pop, Echo Plus (2nd gen) and the original Echo Studio. This two-speaker method is also supported on more Fire TV devices, including some standalone TVs with Amazons streaming platform built in. In that scenario, it means you could pair two Echo speakers with a subwoofer, for example, and have them play the same audio content with Alexa Home Theater.Currently, Amazon says these are Fire TV devices that dont support Alexa Home Theater: Fire TV Stick 4K SelectAmazon Fire TV 2-SeriesFire TV 4-Series (2025 Release, newest model)Fire TV Omni QLED Series (2025 Release, newest model)Fire TV Omni Mini-LED Series (2024 Release, newest model)How to set up Alexa Home TheaterLike nearly all home theater speakers and soundbars these days, setting up Alexa Home Theater is easy once you have the required hardware in place. Unlike a lot of the competition, this initial configuration isnt done in a mobile app its handled by the Settings menu on a compatible Fire TV device. Before you initiate the setup process, youll want to make sure your Echo speakers and Fire TV device are up to date. You can ask Alexa to check for updates to the speakers, while youll need to check the Device & Software section of the Fire TV Settings menu for those gadgets. Once everything is current, here are the steps to follow to get started with Alexa Home Theater: Go to Settings on your Fire TV.Select Display & Sounds. Select Alexa Home Theater.Select Create Alexa Home Theater. Select the compatible Echo speakers. You can also add an Echo Sub during this step. Follow the on-screen instructions to configure the system. After you select either the second-gen Echo Studio or the Echo Dot Max, hit Next and the system will calibrate automatically. If you select other Echo speakers, hit Next and then confirm the placement of the speakers before calibration. When the setup is complete, the Alexa Home Theater system is ready to use. To do so, select either Home or Watch Preview. Using Alexa Home Theater with four Echo Studio speakersThe two Echo Studio speakers that flanked my TV primarily handled dialogue.Billy Steele for EngadgetLike most home theater gear, the Fire TV will play short audio clips through each Echo speaker and your TV speakers to determine their location and to calibrate the group to the room. From start to finish, the setup process takes about five minutes so long as your Fire TV and all speakers are running up-to-date firmware. Its a quick and straightforward process, which meant I was watching Fallout soon after putting all of the speakers in place. While streaming that video game-inspired original series, the Echo Studios provided an immersive audio experience with directional sound and crisp, clear dialogue. The front two speakers handle speech, but theres some nuance in what direction its coming from on screen. Rear speakers are tasked with the bulk of the environmental noise, whether thats nearby water, passing cars, rain or gunfire just to name a few. I was also pleasantly surprised by how much bassy rumble these speakers produced during movies and shows. I didnt think a single unit was particularly adept at low-end tone during my review, but I think it would be just fine to use a collection of Echo Studios without having to add the Echo Sub. The overall audio performance here is certainly a boost over any TVs built-in speakers, but the sense of immersion isnt as complete as what a soundbar and a pair of rear satellite speakers can provide. Specifically, I felt like the foursome of Echo Studio speakers in my test setup stumbled with the height channels. Despite the angled design of the devices and their multi-driver configurations, the effect of overhead and aerial sounds was quite subdued. And the worst part about this is that theres no way to try to fix it with settings. Thats because there are minimal settings to adjust once Alexa Home Theater is set up. There are two features dialogue boost and volume leveler but those are both Fire TV settings rather than items meant for any connected speakers. In the Alexa Home Theater menu, theres a lip sync tool to address any audio lag, which is a standard item for any soundbar. I wouldve loved to see some kind of channel adjustment at the very least, so that I could dial in the mix a bit rather than relying on Amazons preferences. If you turn to Alexa for help, the assistant can only change bass, treble and midrange, and it can only do so when prompted by voice commands. When I asked for it to turn up the dialogue, it seemed to just increase the volume. If I asked it to adjust the height channels, Alexa responded affirmatively, but it didnt sound like any tweaks were applied. Amazon later confirmed that those basic EQ changes are Alexa and actually do here. Another gripe I have with Alexa Home Theater is the inability to connect my phone or another device to the entire group for music. You can still sync with individual Echo Studio speakers for music via Bluetooth, but if you want to use the whole shebang, youll have to play your tunes from the Fire TV or ask Alexa to help. The Fire TV platform has plenty of audio streaming apps, but Apple Music isnt there and thats where my monthly subscription resides. You have to add the Apple Music skill to the Alexa app on your phone first, then you can stream content from the service by asking Amazons assistant. For other services with Fire TV apps, youre using your TV to play music, and most of the time I want the TV off and to just pick up my phone to blast some Spiritbox. I also like to control the queue from my phone, but alas thats not an option here. Wrap-upAmazon's new Echo Studio is a complete redesign from the 2019 model.Billy Steele for EngadgetThe main issue with using four Echo Studios and a Fire TV is the cost. For the speakers alone, youre looking at nearly $900 for the setup I tested. When the new Echo speakers were announced in September, Amazon said it would offer Alexa Home Theater bundles with multiple speakers, but I couldnt find those on the companys website. For comparison, Sonos currently offers multiple configurations of the Beam soundbar and either Era 100 speakers or a sub for less than $800. For the same price as four Echo Studio speakers, you can get Sonys Bravia Theater System 6, which comes with a soundbar, rear speakers and a subwoofer. There are other options from other companies as well in the $800 range, and most people will likely be happier with a dedicated soundbar-based setup than four Echo units and a subwoofer. Hello, AirPlay and Google Cast.From an aesthetic perspective, I can see why someone might opt for multiple Echo speakers instead of a mid-sized (or larger) soundbar. Two Echo Studios on either side of my TV with the two rear units tucked away on a shelf certainly creates a clean look. And in terms of sound, using two Echo Studio speakers, let alone four like I tested, will provide a noticeable boost over a TVs built-in speakers. However, the lack of customization and the inability to control music from my phone for an Alexa Home Theater group makes it hard to recommend Amazons latest for shoppers looking for more immersive audio in the living room. Hopefully the company will continue to refine this feature so that its more capable in the future.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/alexa-home-theater-everything-you-need-to-know-about-amazons-newest-echo-feature-130000328.html?src=rss
Patagonia Japan has partnered with Niida Honke, a 300-year-old sake brewery in Fukushima, to release Yamamori 2025, the first sake in Japan to earn Regenerative Organic Certification.
Amazon is in discussions with OpenAI to invest $10 billion in the company while supplying more of its AI chips and cloud computing services, according to The Financial Times. The deal would push OpenAI's valuation over $500 billion but is likely to raise more questions about the company's circular investment agreements involving chips and data centers.
The two companies are also in talks about the possibility of OpenAI helping Amazon with its online marketplace, similar to deals it has made with Etsy, Shopify and Instacart. However, any agreement still wouldn't allow Amazon to market OpenAI's most advanced models on its developer cloud platform, as Microsoft holds the exclusive rights to those until the 2030s.
OpenAI recently restructured its agreement with Microsoft to allow it to use data center capacity from other suppliers. Around the same time, it made a string of deals with NVIDIA, Oracle, AMD and others to build out data center capacity and acquire or rent AI chips.
The new deal would require OpenAI to use Amazon's Trainium AI chips and rent more data center capacity from Amazon Web Services (AWS). That's on top of the $38 billion that OpenAI has already committed to renting servers from AWS over the next seven years.
These deals have sounded alarms among investors considering their circular nature. In many of those, including this latest Amazon deal, OpenAI is taking investment money and then sending that cash back to the same company for infrastructure or chips. And the amounts are staggering, with just two companies, Softbank and Oracle, spending a combined $400 billion on new data centers for OpenAI's compute needs. And so far, OpenAI has lost more money than it makes. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-in-talks-to-invest-10-billion-in-openai-and-supply-its-trainium-chips-103653151.html?src=rss
Teslas sales in California should be suspended for 30 days because its marketing around Autopilot and Full Self-Driving misled consumers, a California administrative law judge has ruled. Back in 2022, the California DMV accused the automaker of using deceptive language to advertise those products and making it seem like its vehicles are capable of level 5 autonomous driving. Tesla has since added the word Supervised to the name of its Full Self-Driving assistance technology. As Bloomberg notes, the DMV asked the administrative law judge if a suspension is warranted based on the evidence it presented. Even though the judge has agreed that it is, the agency will give Tesla 90 days to explain its side and remove any untrue or misleading language in the marketing materials for the products. Teslas sales and manufacturing in California will only be suspended if it doesnt comply within that timeframe.Were really asking Tesla to do their job, as theyve done in other markets, to properly brand these vehicles, said California DMV director, Steve Gordon, in a statement.A suspension in California could be devastating for the automaker. While new Tesla registrations in the state plummeted earlier this year, Reuters says California accounts for nearly a third of the companys sales in the country. In addition, Tesla only manufactures its Model S and X vehicles in its Fremont plant, where it also produces Model 3 and Model Y units. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-used-deceptive-language-to-market-autopilot-california-judge-rules-035826786.html?src=rss
Despite changing its name and using decidedly bird-free branding, X is trying to hold on to its original Twitter trademarks, TechCrunch reports. The xAI-owned social media platform has updated its terms of service to include references to Twitter after previously only mentioning X, and seemingly attempted to counter a startup's petition to cancel the company's Twitter trademarks with a petition of its own.The startup X appears to be responding to is Operation Bluebird, a company cofounded by former Twitter general counsel Stephen Coates that went public last week with plans to capture what remains of Twitter for its own use. The first step in that process was filing a petition with the US Patents and Trademark Office to cancel X's control of Twitters trademarks."The TWITTER and TWEET brands have been eradicated from X Corp.s products, services and marketing, effectively abandoning the storied brand, with no intention to resume use of the mark," Operation Bluebird explained in the petition. Petitioner seeks to use and register the TWITTER and TWEET brands for new products and services, including a social media platform that will be located at the website twitter.new."In fairness to Operation Bluebird, Elon Musk was very open about his plan to abandon the Twitter name and bird logo after he acquired the company in 2022. "And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds," Musk posted in July 2022, not long before Twitter was rebranded to X. Even after the platform rebranded, though, at least one remnant of the original Twitter brand has stuck around: Twitter.com still redirects to X.com.And soon we shall bid adieu to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 23, 2023
The updated terms of service TechCrunch spotted now say that as of January 16, 2025, "nothing in the Terms gives you a right to use the X name or Twitter name or any of the X or Twitter trademarks, logos, domain names, other distinctive brand features, and other proprietary rights, and you may not do so without our express written consent." The company's counterpetition also reiterates that the Twitter trademarks are X's "exclusive property."In a statement to Engadget, Coates said that Operation Bluebirds cancellation petition was based on well-established trademark law and that he believes the upstart will prevail. X legally abandoned the TWITTER mark, publicly declared the Twitter brand dead, and spent substantial resources establishing a new brand identity. Our cancellation petition is based on well-established trademark law and we believe we will be successful. They said goodbye. We say hello.At the time of writing, Operation Bluebird has convinced over 145,200 people to claim a handle on the company's new social platform. Maybe X sees that early interest as a threat, but it's just as possible Operation Bluebird's public comments were enough to tip the company off so it could try to hold on to trademarks it clearly believes still hold some value.Update, December 16, 2025, 4:13PM PT: This story was updated to add a statement from Stephen Coates.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-was-spooked-enough-by-new-twitter-to-change-its-terms-of-service-231138305.html?src=rss
