Gadget News

Grok, the AI assistant that's for some reason baked into X, is now available as a standalone app. Like the version that exists as a tab on the social media platform, the Grok app can be used to... generate images, summarize text and answer questions, with a conversational tone xAI, the AI assistant's creator, calls "humorous and engaging." The app was first tested with a limited set of users in December 2024, right around the same time X debuted a free tier of Grok that's available to anyone. Prior to that, you needed to pay at least $8 a month for X Premium to have the privilege of using the AI. Ian Campbell for Engadget The limitations of that free access -- 10 requests every two hours, three image analysis request per day -- may also apply to the Grok app. You can use the app without...

The achievement represents the longest continuous record of Earth's climate from an ice core.

From facial recognition tools to algorithms that identify diseases, agencies reported that they didn't know enough about what they're acquiring from commercial vendors.

From a cute little robot that blows on your hot drink to a sexy controller dongle, CES 2025 was full of funky gadgets we can't stop thinking about.

The company may have found a new way to keep its satellites from ruining telescope images.

Was someone spying on cell traffic at the political event?

Nvidia and Jensen Huang took over CES 2025 with the RTX 50-series debut, but the hardware is a vehicle for AI ambitions.

The company is terminating DEI programs in its latest shift away from progressive policy.

About one in every 1,000 people is born with spina bifida, but few develop this specific form of the condition.

As Star Wars slowly but surely looks deeper into its past, we look back too to see what's already been explored in the Galactic Republic's ancient history.

Meta isn't stopping at moderation changes. According to both Axiosand The New York Times, the company is also pulling the plug on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. That includes... removing diversity hiring goals, eliminating the chief diversity officer position and no longer prioritizing minority-owned businesses as vendors, per The Times' reporting. When asked to comment on ending DEI initiatives, Meta confirmed the reporting was accurate. Internally, the company is apparently pinning the decision on a shifting "legal and policy landscape," according to a memo to employees Axios acquired. "The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signaling a shift in how courts will approach DEI," Janelle Gale, Meta's VP of Human Resources says in the memo. "The...

Get ready for fast, reliable performance with the TCL K32 5G, designed to bring high-speed connectivity to more users. This affordable smartphone ensures you enjoy seamless experiences without... compromising quality.   –Speedy Performance: Browse, stream, and game with ultra-fast 5G..

In case you had any doubt, the AI wars have begun.

Most of these experiments don't stick around for long, but who knows.

Apple's AirPods Pro 2 earbuds are on sale for $180 via Amazon. This is the first serious discount of the year and represents a savings of 28 percent. It's not a record-low, but it's darn close. The... AirPods Pro 2 earbuds have made a real name for themselves since originally launching back in 2022. They easily made our list of the best wireless earbuds, and with good reason. These are a marked improvement over the prior iteration in nearly every way. The sound quality is fantastic and the earbuds now feature active noise cancellation. In our official review, we heaped particular praise on the transparency mode. It sounds so natural, especially when compared to some rival earbuds out there. You can leave the AirPods in during a real-life conversation and likely not even notice you're wearing...

A newly compiled dataset of nearly one billion images of auroras is helping researchers categorize--and perhaps ultimately anticipate--the Northern Lights.

At CES 2025, NVIDIA introduced DLSS 4, the latest version of its real-time image upscaling technology, and announced that it will come to all RTX GPUs. That includes the RTX 20 series that was... discontinued back in 2020, but the older models aren't getting all its features. In the new GeForce RTX 50 series models, DLSS 4 will enable Multi Frame Generation. This feature will generate up to three additional frames for every traditionally rendered one, and it can help multiply frame rates by up to eight times more than traditional brute-force rendering. NVIDIA claims 4K 240 FPS fully ray-traced gaming will be possible thanks to Multiple Frame Generation when using its GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card, the new $1,999 flagship GPU arriving later this month. In addition, DLSS 4 represents what the...

Registration for the closed network test of Elden Ring Nightreign are open, publisher Bandai Namco announced today. The sign-up period for the co-op Elden Ring spinoff officially started on January 10... at 9AM ET and will run until January 20 at 9AM ET. You can add your name to the list now on Bandai Namco's website. The close network test will be spread across five different sessions on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X | S, running from February 14 through February 15th. You'll be able to log in on each of those days from 6AM ET to 9AM ET or 10PM ET to 1AM ET the following day to put the game through its paces. Limveld awaits you, Nightfarers.Rise together against the tides of darkness from February 14th to February 17th. Register before January 20 for a chance to join the #ELDENRING...

Peter Cushing stars in 1974's The Beast Must Die... and so do you?

Skate City was an Apple Arcade launch title way back in 2019, developed by Agens and published by Snowman, a company well-known for its mobile-first games like Alto's Adventure, the "sequel" Alto's... Odyssey, When Cards Fall and a handful of other intriguing titles. It's been over five years since Skate City first arrived, but the Snowman / Agens team is back with Skate City: New York, which is out on Apple Arcade today. There have been a number of content updates to the original game over the years, but this is a full-fledged new title that feels quite familiar but also has a number of improvements and updates. I had a chance to try Skate City: New York a few days before its launch, and I also spoke with Snowman's Ryan Cash and Andrew Schimmel about the new game, which they said has been in...

The Supreme Court held oral arguments Friday in a case that is likely to decide whether the TikTok is allowed to continue functioning in the U.S.

The Mecha Comet offers new possibilities for hobbyists, engineers, and creators. Combining a palm-sized design with powerful Linux-based capabilities, it’s a modular computer for creativity &... more!   -Modular Magic: The magnetic interface connects to helpful extensions. Add the gamepad,..

Experience next-level augmented reality with the Rokid AR Spatial, a cutting-edge AR glasses pack (Rokid Max 2 + Rokid Station 2) designed for work, gaming, and entertainment.   –... Intelligent Myopia & Pupillary Adjustment: World’s first with automatic vision correction,..

A German case clarified that LGPL source isn't enough--it needs to be usable.

This is the tech that most impressed us at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.