You can now ensure that you’re not going to be hit by hidden fees and taxes before you sign up with an internet service provider (ISP). Starting today, big ISPs with more than 100,000 subscribers will be required to display “nutrition labels” both in store and online under a new FCC rule. Those labels have to show the companies’ plans, fees and any additional costs, such as activation fees and upfront or rental fees for modems and other equipment.
They also have to show whether a particular amount that’s being advertised is an introductory or a discounted rate and how long you can enjoy that lower rate. Plus, the labels have to indicate each particular plan’s download and upload speeds, as well as any early termination fee associated with it. ISPs can’t hide these labels behind multiple clicks or camouflage them with other elements that make them hard to see. They have to be accessible from your customer account portal, and ISPs should give you a copy if you ask.
The FCC first floated the idea of nutrition labels for ISPs back in 2016, but it wasn’t until 2022 that it formally introduced rules requiring them to be displayed at the companies’ points of sale. As you can see in the image below, it resembles the nutrition labels for food and will (theoretically and hopefully) account for every dollar you pay for a wired or wireless plan. Back when the rule was announced, FCC Chairperson Jessica Rosenworcel explained that the agency chose to approve and implement it as part of its efforts to “end the kind of unexpected fees and junk costs that can get buried in long and mind-numbingly confusing statements of terms and conditions.”
Based on the FCC’s website, providers with less than 100,000 subscribers will be given a bit more time to comply and have until October 10. And in case you come across any ISP that isn’t displaying any label even when they should or is showing inaccurate information, you can file a complaint with the commission through its official portal.
Battery life always limits a drone’s ability to perform tasks and get anywhere. So why not let it slurp from nearby power lines? (Well, there are reasons.)
Researchers at the University of Southern Denmark attached a gripper system to a Tarot 650 Sport drone, which they customized with an electric quadcopter propulsion system and an autopilot module. An inductive charger pulls current from the power line, enabling it to recharge five times over two hours during tests. The benefit here is that power lines already exist (duh), but there is the real concern that a drone could damage a line and knock out electricity for thousands.
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It challenged Apple and lost almost immediately.
WordPress and Tumblr owner Automattic has bought Beeper, the maker of the Beeper Mini app, which challenged Apple with iMessage tricks on Android phones, late last year. Although it ultimately lost its only USP when Apple blocked the exploit — mere days later — the incident gave the DOJ more ammunition in its antitrust suit against Apple. Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that Automattic paid $125 million. It’s a lot of money, especially when Automattic already owns a messaging app, Texts. No, I hadn’t heard of it either.
There’s a thriving black market for satellite-based internet providers.
Reuters
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Russian forces in Ukraine are using Starlink satellite internet terminals to coordinate attacks in eastern Ukraine and Crimea as well as to control drones and other forms of military tech. The Starlink hardware is reaching Russian forces via a complex network of black-market sellers. After reports in February that Russian forces were using Starlink, US House Democrats demanded Musk act, noting Russian military use of the tech is “potentially in violation of US sanctions and export controls.” Starlink can disable individual terminals.
The Motion Picture Association will work with politicians.
The Motion Picture Association chair and CEO Charles Rivkin has revealed a plan to make “sailing the digital seas,” so streaming or downloading pirated content, harder. Rivkin said the association is going to work with Congress to establish and enforce site-blocking legislation in the United States. He added that almost 60 countries use site-blocking as a tool against piracy.
There are tons of solid computer monitors available right now, which is great for anyone who needs a second screen for their home office setup or a special gaming monitor for their rig. Not to mention, display technology has evolved a lot in the past few years: OLED Flex, QD-OLED and built-in smart platforms have become more prevalent, and things like color accuracy, image quality, size and resolution have seen big improvements, too. Engadget can help you make sense of the computer monitor space and help you decide which monitors (or, at the very least, type of monitor) is right for you. Whether you’re a business user, a content creator, a multitasker or into competitive gaming, you have plenty of options to choose from and we’ve outline our top picks for the best monitors below.
Factors to consider
Panel type
The cheapest monitors are still TN (twisted nematic), which are strictly for gamers or office use. VA (vertical alignment) monitors are also relatively cheap, while offering good brightness and a high contrast ratio. However, content creators will find that IPS (in-plane switching) LCD displays deliver better color accuracy, picture quality and viewing angles.
If maximum brightness is important, a quantum dot LCD display is the way to go — those are typically found in larger displays. OLED monitors are now available and offer the best blacks and color reproduction, but they lack the brightness of LED or quantum dot displays. Plus, they cost a lot. The latest type of OLED monitor, called QD-OLED from Samsung, just came out in 2022. The most notable advantage is that it can get a lot brighter, with monitors shown at CES 2022 hitting up to 1,000 nits of peak brightness.
MiniLEDs are now widely used in high-end displays. They’re similar to quantum dot tech, but as the name suggests, it uses smaller LED diodes that are just 0.2mm in diameter. As such, manufacturers can pack in up to three times more LEDs with more local dimming zones, delivering deeper blacks and better contrast.
Screen size, resolution and display format
In this day and age, screen size rules. Where 24-inch displays used to be more or less standard (and can still be useful for basic computing), 27-, 32-, 34- and even 42-inch displays have become popular for entertainment, content creation and even gaming these days.
Nearly every monitor used to be 16:9, but it’s now possible to find 16:10 and other more exotic display shapes. On the gaming and entertainment side, we’re also seeing curved and ultrawide monitors with aspect ratios like 21:9. If you do decide to buy an ultrawide display, however, keep in mind that a 30-inch 21:9 model is the same height as a 24-inch monitor, so you might end up with a smaller display than you expected. As a rule of thumb, add 25 percent to the size of a 21:9 monitor to get the vertical height you’d expect from a model with a 16:9 aspect ratio.
A 4K monitor is nearly a must for content creators, and some folks are even going for 5K or all the way up to 8K. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll need a pretty powerful computer to drive all those sharp pixels. And 4K resolution should be paired with a screen size of 27 inches and up, or you won’t notice much difference between 1440p. At the same time, I wouldn’t get a model larger than 27 inches unless it’s 4K, as you’ll start to see pixelation if you’re working up close to the display.
One new category to consider is portable monitors designed to be carried and used with laptops. Those typically come in 1080p resolutions and sizes from 13-15 inches. They usually have a lightweight kickstand-type support that folds up to keep things compact.
Samsung
HDR
HDR is the buzzy monitor feature to have these days, as it adds vibrancy to entertainment and gaming – but be careful before jumping in. Some monitors that claim HDR on the marketing materials don’t even conform to a base standard. To be sure that a display at least meets minimum HDR specs, you’ll want to choose one with a DisplayHDR rating with each tier representing maximum brightness in nits.
However, the lowest DisplayHDR 400 and 500 tiers may disappoint you with a lack of brightness, washed out blacks and mediocre color reproduction. If you can afford it, the best monitor to choose is a model with DisplayHDR 600, 1000 or True Black 400, True Black 500 and True Black 600. The True Black settings are designed primarily for OLED models, with maximum black levels at .0005 nits.
Where televisions typically offer HDR10 and Dolby Vision or HDR10+, most PC monitors only support the HDR10 standard, other than a few (very expensive) models. That doesn’t matter much for content creation or gaming, but HDR streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other services won’t look quite as punchy. In addition, the best gaming monitors are usually the ones supporting HDR600 (and up), rather than content creation monitors – with a few exceptions.
Refresh rate
Refresh rate is a key feature, particularly on gaming monitors. A bare minimum nowadays is 60Hz, and 80Hz and higher refresh rates are much easier on the eyes. However, most 4K displays top out at 60Hz with some rare exceptions and the HDMI 2.0 spec only supports 4K at 60Hz, so you’d need at least DisplayPort 1.4 (4K at 120Hz) or HDMI 2.1. The latter is now available on a number of monitors, particularly gaming displays. However, it’s only supported on the latest NVIDIA RTX 3000- and 4000-series, AMD RX 6000-series GPUs.
Inputs
There are essentially three types of modern display inputs: Thunderbolt, DisplayPort and HDMI. Most monitors built for PCs come with the latter two, while a select few (typically built for Macs) will use Thunderbolt. To add to the confusion, USB-C ports may be Thunderbolt 3 and by extension, DisplayPort compatible, so you may need a USB-C to Thunderbolt or DisplayPort cable adapter depending on your display.
Color bit depth
Serious content creators should consider a more costly 10-bit monitor that can display billions of colors. If budget is an issue, you can go for an 8-bit panel that can fake billions of colors via dithering (often spec’d as “8-bit + FRC”). For entertainment or business purposes, a regular 8-bit monitor that can display millions of colors will be fine.
Color gamut
The other aspect of color is the gamut. That expresses the range of colors that can be reproduced and not just the number of colors. Most good monitors these days can cover the sRGB and Rec.709 gamuts (designed for photos and video respectively). For more demanding work, though, you’ll want one that can reproduce more demanding modern gamuts like AdobeRGB, DCI-P3 and Rec.2020 gamuts, which encompass a wider range of colors. The latter two are often used for film projection and HDR, respectively.
Console gaming
Both the Xbox Series X and Sony’s PS5 can handle 4K 120Hz HDR gaming, so if you’re into resolution over pure speed, you’ll want a monitor that can keep up and provide the best gaming experience possible. 4K resolution, HDR and at least 120Hz is the minimum starting point, but fortunately there are 27-inch displays with those specs starting at well under $1,000.
Pricing and parts shortages
Though the pandemic has eased, monitor supply is still a bit tighter than pre-pandemic levels due to supply and demand issues. To that end, you may have trouble finding monitors at Amazon, B&H or elsewhere for the suggested retail price point. For our guide below, we’re basing our picks on the MSRP, as long as the street price doesn’t exceed that by more than $25.
The best budget monitor with a balance of size, refresh rate and color accuracy is Samsung’s 27-inch 1080p T35F. It’s good for business or light PC gaming and content work, thanks to the IPS panel and 75Hz refresh rate. Plus, it’s fairly attractive and modern looking. There are some things you don’t get at that price, of course – a downside is that it can only tilt and has an HDMI 1.4 connection.
If you’re fine with a smaller display or have limited desk space, another solid option is LG’s 24-inch 24GL600F. It offers a high refresh rate of 144Hz with AMD FreeSync support, a 1ms response time and low input lag. You also get HDMI and DisplayPort inputs, but like the T35F, there’s no height adjustment.
The 28-inch HP U28 4K HDR monitor is a great all around choice, especially for content creators. The 60Hz IPS panel and factory calibration delivers excellent color accuracy and it’s a nice size for creative or business work. It comes with DisplayPort, HDMI and three USB 3.0 ports, along with a USB-C port with 65W of charging for a laptop or tablet. And it’s easy to set just right, thanks to height, swivel and pivot adjustment.
Screen size: 27 inches | Resolution: 1440p | Display type: VA | Max refresh rate: 165Hz | Weight: 14 pounds
If gaming is more your thing, the Gigabyte G27QC is a top pick. The 27-inch, 1440p curved monitor has an ideal size and resolution for gaming, and it has a quick 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. You can connect via HDMI 2.0 or DisplayPort 1.2 connections and get HDR support – albeit, without DisplayHDR certification.
The $400 BenQ 27-inch 2K QHD HDR model is ideal for creative work, particularly photo editing and graphic design. While resolution is limited to 1440p, it covers 100 percent of the sRGB color gamut with a “Delta E” accuracy value of less than 3 for consistent color performance. You also get height, pivot and swivel adjustment (a full 90 degrees), with HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4 and USB-C daisy chaining and 65W power delivery.
The 32-inch LG 32UN650-W is a great 4K monitor for entertainment, creative chores and gaming. The 31.5-inch, 60Hz IPS panel covers an excellent 95 percent of the DCI-P3 gamut with 10-bit color, but also supports AMD FreeSync for gaming performance. It also supports HDR, albeit with just 350 nits of maximum brightness. It has HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports, tilt and height adjustments and even built-in speakers.
Sometimes speed rules over size and resolution, and the 24.5-inch 1080p ASUS ROG Swift PG256QN is fast. It maxes out at a 360Hz refresh rate (with NVIDIA G-Sync support) and 1ms GtG response time. At the same time, you get 1.07 billion colors with HDR support (up to 400 nits brightness) so you can see your enemies quickly and clearly. Other niceties of this best monitor pick include a fully adjustable stand, ASUS’s GamePlus Hotkey Enhancements and a large heatsink.
Gigabyte’s M28U 28-inch 144Hz 4K gaming monitor sure does a lot. It has an IPS panel with a 2ms (MPRT) response time, 94 percent DCI-P3 coverage, DisplayHDR 400 certification, 2 HDMI 2.1 ports and FreeSync Premium Pro support. It comes in a little bit more expensive than $500, but we’ve often seen it on sale for less.
In this price range you can have resolution, color accuracy or brightness, but not all three. The one with the best balance is ViewSonic’s $1,000 ColorPro VP2786 27-inch 4K HDR Monitor. The true 10-bit IPS panel covers 98 percent of the DCI-P3 color palette with an excellent Delta <2 accuracy figure, and is certified for soft-proofing by the demanding Fogra print industry. At the same time, it offers HDR10 support, albeit with a limited 350 nits of output. It even includes a “ColorPro” wheel control compatible with Adobe or Capture One apps.
The best gaming monitor under $1,000 is Dell’s G3223Q 4K 32-inch HDR 144Hz monitor because of the speed, brightness and compatibility. It has an IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, 1ms GtG response time, 95 percent DCI-P3 coverage and DisplayHDR 600 certification. Plus, it comes with a pair of HDMI 2.1 ports and is both FreeSync and G-Sync compatible.
Dell’s P3223QE 4K USB-C Hub monitor is productivity-oriented, thanks to the wired Ethernet connectivity and USB-C ports that offer up to 90W of power delivery for laptops. It’s a 4K IPS panel with a 178-degree viewing angle and 350 nits of brightness and support for a billion colors (8-bit + FRC). It offers height, pivot, swivel and tilt adjustment, a VESA mounting interface and DisplayPort/HDMI inputs.
In general, monitor compatibility issues with MacBooks and Macs are a thing of the past, though you can still experience issues with things like refresh rates, particularly on M1 Macs. If you’d prefer to stay within the Apple family, the most cost-effective option is still the 27-inch Apple Studio Display. It supports 5K resolution (5,120 x 2,880) with up to 600 nits of brightness, so it can handle creative chores with ease. It even includes a 12-megapixel UltraWide camera that keeps you in frame via Center Stage, along with a three-mic array.
The best third-party option is LG’s $700 UltraFine 4 display, also sold on Apple’s Store. With a 24-inch 4K panel, you not only get very high resolution but also 500 nits of brightness (albeit, without HDR capability). It’s color-accurate out of the box, making it great for video- and photo-editing work on a Mac or MacBook. Finally, it supports Thunderbolt 3 with daisy chaining and power delivery, all of which is very useful for Mac users who may want multiple displays.
Ultrawide 21:9 monitors are a great option for some types of content creation, games (particularly driving and flight sims) and productivity work. The best model this year is LG’s 34GP950G-B, a 34-inch 3,440 x 1,440 curved monitor. The curved IPS panel supports HDR10 with 400 nits of brightness and maximum (via overclocking) 180Hz refresh rate. It’s also G-Sync and FreeSync compatible (the latter over DisplayPort only).
For the best balance of functionality, performance and price, LePow’s 15.6-inch C2S is a solid option. It offers decent brightness (220 nits), solid contrast and a very respectable 96.1-percent sRGB gamut coverage. You get a generous selection of ports (one mini-DisplayPort, one mini-HDMI port and two USB-C ports, along with a headphone jack. The metal stand is solid and practical, and it even has built-in speakers of decent quality.
ASUS still holds the prize for best luxury monitor, but it discontinued the previous mini-LED $4,000 ProArt PA32UCX monitor and replaced it with the $5,000 PA32UCG-K display. It uses the same mini-LED tech, but ups the ante with 1,600 nits of brightness via 1,152 backlight zones, an HDMI 2.1 port, 4K 120Hz resolution, 10-bit, 98 percent DCI-P3 coverage and an impressive 85 percent Rec.2020 coverage. Oh, and it’s one of the few monitors out there that supports Dolby Vision, along with HDR10 and HLG.
You’re probably doing it wrong if you’re using a pricey $5K monitor for gaming. However, it does support AMD FreeSync (good for gaming creation) and has a 5-millisecond response time, very respectable for a display essentially designed for professional colorists. And to that end, color accuracy is calibrated to Delta E < 1 and it’s a true 10-bit panel delivering billions of colors. To verify that, it even comes with an X-rite i1 Display Pro color calibrator, normally sold separately for around $500.
On top of this model, ASUS now makes several slightly less bright and less expensive variants, namely the $4,180 PA32UCX-PK, (plus -P, and -K variants with slightly different features), offering 1,200 nits of brightness and a 60Hz (not 120Hz) refresh rate. Specs are nearly identical otherwise.
Rakuten has a trio of new Kobo ereaders, including the company’s first two with color displays. On Wednesday, the company revealed the $220 Kobo Libra Colour and $150 Clara Colour alongside the monochrome $130 Clara BW. You can preorder them today, ahead of their April 30 launch.
The Kobo Libra Colour has a seven-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 display, which should have a noticeable improvement with 16 levels of grayscale, 4,096 colors and 30 percent better color saturation than E Ink’s last-gen tech. The Libra Colour is the only one of Kobo’s new ereaders with stylus support for ebook annotations and highlighting. But you’ll need to add the $70 Kobo Stylus 2 (also compatible with the Elipsa 2E) to enjoy that.
The device has a curved, “ergonomic” design with page-turn buttons. It supports portrait and landscape reading and has 32GB of storage (good for around 24,000 ebooks or 150 audiobooks). Rakuten says its battery can last up to 40 days on a single charge, but that’s for reading for 30 minutes daily with the front light at 30 percent brightness and the wireless turned off. (Expect less if you read more than that or turn the brightness higher with wireless radios on.)
Rakuten Kobo
Meanwhile, the six-inch Kobo Clara Colour and Clara BW forgo the Libra Colour’s page-turn buttons and stylus support in favor of more accessible pricing. The Clara BW differs from the last-gen Clara 2 (Engadget’s pick for the best ereader) with a faster processor, more storage (16GB) and the latest E Ink Carta 1300 display tech.
Rakuten says the Clara Colour and Clara BW can last up to 53 days on a charge, but that’s with half an hour of reading per day, the brightness set at a mere 10 percent and WiFi / Bluetooth off.
All three devices have ComfortLightPro for automatic blue-light adjustment. They have an IPX8 water resistance rating, making them suitable for poolside or bathtime reading. The ereaders use recycled and ocean-bound plastics in their build materials, and Rakuten has partnered with iFixit for self-repairs.
You can buy separate covers (made from recycled materials) with built-in stands for all three new devices. The Libra Colour has a standard $30 SleepCover and a $40 NoteBook SleepCover with a magnetic stylus slot. The Clara Colour and Clara BW have $30 SleepCovers and a cheaper $20 Basic SleepCover.
You can preorder the new ereaders from Rakuten Kobo starting today. The Kobo Libra Colour costs $220, the Clara Colour is priced at $150 and the monochrome Clara BW runs $130. All three devices arrive on April 30.
Two months after I started using the Apple Vision Pro, it hasn’t transformed the way I live. It hasn’t replaced my TV, and it doesn’t make me want to give up my powerful desktop or slim laptops. It’s just another tool in my gadget arsenal — one I can don to catch up on X-Men ’97 in bed, or to help me dive deep into research while I’m away from my office. The Vision Pro becomes normal so quickly, it’s almost easy to forget how groundbreaking it actually is. Its screens are still absolutely stunning, and the combination of eye tracking and Apple’s gesture controls makes for the most intuitive AR/VR interface I’ve seen yet.
While the Vision Pro still isn’t something most people should consider buying, Apple has thrown out a few bones to early adopters. There are more games popping up on the App Store and Arcade every week, and there are also a handful of 3D films being offered to Apple TV+ subscribers. The addition of Spatial Personas also goes a long way towards making the Vision Pro more of a telepresence machine (more on that below). But we’re still waiting for the company to make good on the promise of 180-degree Immersive Video, as well as to let users create higher quality Spatial Videos on iPhones.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
How I use the Apple Vision Pro
Once the pressure of reviewing every aspect of the Vision Pro was over, I started incorporating it into my life like a typical user. (Full disclosure: I returned the unit I originally bought, but Apple sent along a sample for further testing.) Mostly, that means not forcing myself to use the headset for large chunks of the day. Instead, my Vision Pro time is more purpose-driven: I slip it on in the morning and project my MacBook’s screen to clear out emails and catch up on Slack conversations, all while a YouTube video is virtually projected on my wall.
In the middle of a work session, or sometimes right before diving into a busy workday, I run through a five- or ten-minute meditation session with the Mindfulness app. I can easily meditate without any headgear, but I’ve found the app’s calm narration and the immersive environment it creates (since it completely blocks out the real world) to be incredibly helpful. It’s like having your own yoga teacher on staff, ready to help calm your brain whenever you have a free moment.
I’ve also learned to appreciate the Vision Pro as a way to expand where I can get work done. As someone who’s been primarily working from home since 2009, I learned early on that changing locations was an easy way to keep myself engaged. I try not to write in the same place where I’ve been checking email in the morning, for example. I normally hop between a PC desktop and large monitor (currently it’s Alienware’s 32-inch 4K OLED) in my office, and a MacBook Air or Pro for writing around the house. Sometimes I’ll go to a nearby park or cafe when I need to zone into a writing assignment for several hours.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
With the Vision Pro, I can actually handle some serious multitasking from my deck or kitchen without being tied to a desktop computer. I’ve found that useful for covering events to avoid getting stuck inside my basement office (I can have a video streaming on a virtual window, as well as Slack and web browsers open via a projected MacBook). I’ve juggled conference calls while being sick in bed with the Vision Pro, because it felt more comfortable than staring down at a tiny laptop display.
I still haven’t traveled much with the headset, but I can foresee it being useful the next time I take a weekend trip with my family. Tested’s Norman Chan told me he’s used the Vision Pro during long flights, where it makes the hours just disappear. I’m still working myself up to that — I’d much rather use a small laptop and headphones on planes, but I can imagine the beauty of watching big-screen movies on the Vision Pro while everyone else is staring at tablets or cramped seat-back displays.
The Vision Pro remains a fantastic way to watch movies or TV shows at home, as well. When I’m too tired to head downstairs after putting my kids to sleep, I sometimes just veg in bed while projecting YouTube videos or anime on the ceiling. That’s where I experienced a trippy temporal shift while watching X-Men ’97: As soon as its remastered theme song spun up, I was immediately transported back to watching the original show on a 13-inch TV in my childhood bedroom. If I could somehow jump back into the past, Bishop-style, it would be impossible to convince my 10-year-old self that I’d eventually be watching a sequel series in a futuristic headset, projected in a 200-inch window. How far we’ve come.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
Spatial Personas are a telepresence dream
When Apple first announced the Vision Pro last year, I couldn’t help but be creeped out by its Persona avatars. They looked cold and inhuman, the exact sort of thing you’d imagine from soulless digital clones. The visionOS 1.1 update made them a bit less disturbing, but I didn’t truly like the avatars until Apple unveiled Spatial Personas last week. Instead of being confined to a window, Spatial Personas hover in your virtual space, allowing you to collaborate with friends as if they were right beside you.
The concept isn’t entirely new: I tested Microsoft Mesh a few years ago with a HoloLens 2 headset, which also brought digital avatars right into my home office. But they looked more like basic Miis from the Nintendo Wii than anything realistic. Meta’s Horizon Workrooms did something similar in completely virtual spaces, but that’s not nearly as impressive as collaborating digitally atop a view of the real world.
Apple’s Spatial Personas are far more compelling than Microsoft’s and Meta’s efforts because they’re seamless to set up — you just have to flip on Spatial mode during a FaceTime chat — and they feel effortlessly organic. During a Spatial Persona call with Norm from Tested, we were conversing as if he was sitting right in front of me in my home theater. We were able to draw and write together in the Freeform app easily — when I stood up and reached out to the drawing board, it was almost as if we were standing beside each other at a real white board.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
SharePlay with Spatial Personas
We were also able to customize our viewing experiences while watching a bit of Star Trek Beyond together using SharePlay in the Vision Pro. Norm chose to watch it in 2D, I watched in 3D, and our progress was synchronized. The experience felt more engrossing than a typical SharePlay experience, since I could just lean over and chat with him instead of typing out a message or saying something over a FaceTime call. I also couldn’t help but imagine how easy it would be to record movie commentaries for podcasts using Spatial Personas. (We’d have to use separate microphones and computers, in addition to Vision Pros, but it would make for a more comfortable recording session than following movies on a monitor or TV.)
Our attempts to play games together failed, unfortunately, because we were running slightly different versions of Game Room. We also didn’t have enough time during our session to sync our apps up. I eventually was able to try out Chess and Battleship with other Vision Pro-equipped friends and, once again, it felt like they were actually playing right beside me. (Norm and CNET’s Scott Stein also looked like they were having a ball with virtual chess.)
The main stumbling block for Spatial Personas, of course, is that they require a $3,500 headset. Apple is laying the groundwork for truly great telepresence experiences, but it won’t matter for most people until they can actually afford a Vision Pro or a cheaper Apple headset down the line.
With Horizon Workrooms, Meta allowed non-VR users to join virtual meetings using Messenger on phones and computers, so that they weren’t left out. Standard FaceTime users can also join Vision Pro chats alongside spatial personas, but they’ll be stuck in a window. And unlike Meta’s offering, regular users won’t be able to see any virtual environments (though you could still collaborate on specific apps like FreeForm). Meta’s big advantage over Apple was with capacity: Horizon Workrooms supports up to 16 people in VR, as well as 34 more calling in from other devices. Spatial Persona chats, on the other hand, are limited to five participants.
Apple
No momentum for Immersive Video
Apple’s 180-degree Immersive Video format was one of the most impressive aspects of the Vision Pro when I previewed it last year, and the handful of experiences at launch were pretty compelling. But the Immersive Video well has been dry since launch — the only new experience was a five-minute short showing off the 2023 MLS Playoffs, which was mostly disappointing.
While that short had such great resolution and depth that it felt like I was actually on the pitch, the MLS experience is disorienting because it cuts far too often, and with no sense of rhythm. Once you get settled into a scene, perhaps watching someone gear up for a well-placed goal, the camera view changes and you have no idea where you are. It’s almost like a five-minute lesson in what not to do with Immersive Video. Hopefully, the MLS has a longer experience in the works.
I’m not expecting a tsunami of Immersive Video content, since the Vision Pro is still an obscenely expensive device meant for developers and professionals, but it would be nice to see more of a push from Apple. The company is teasing another six-minute episode of Prehistoric Planet for later this month, but again that isn’t really much. Where are the creators pushing Immersive Video to new heights? While the content is likely hard to work with since it’s shot in 3D and 8K, the format could be a perfect way for Apple to extol the virtues of its new chips.
In lieu of more Immersive Videos, I’ve been spending more time re-watching Spatial Videos captured with my iPhone 15 Pro. They still look more realistic than 2D clips, but I’ve grown to dislike the 1080p/30fps limitation. It’s just hard to accept that resolution when I know my phone can also produce crisp 4K and 60fps footage. The $3 app Spatialify helps somewhat by unlocking 1080p/60fps and 4k/30fps spatial video capture, but its footage is also more shaky and buggy than the iPhone’s built-in camera. At this point, I’ll consider using Spatialify if my phone is on a tripod or gimbal, but otherwise I’ll stick with the native camera app.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget
What’s next for the Apple Vision Pro
We’ll likely have to wait until Apple’s WWDC 24 event in June before we hear about any more major upgrades for Vision Pro or visionOS. That would be appropriate, since last year’s WWDC was the headset’s big debut (and a hellish day for us trying to cover all the news). Now that the hardware is in the wild, Apple has to convince developers that it’s worth building Vision Pro apps alongside their usual iOS, iPadOS and macOS wares. It’s not just some mythical spatial computing platform anymore, after all.
This is your last day to , the streaming service that has nothing to do with Cinemax and everything to do with HBO. Annual subscriptions , depending on the tier. The discount is available to both new and returning subscribers, just in time for the second season of House of the Dragon.
Max
The best deal knocks $100 off the Ultimate plan, which offers an ad-free 4K viewing experience. The grand total here will be $140 per year, instead of $240. The next step down is a mid-level plan that also drops the ads, but there’s no option for 4K streaming. This plan costs $150 per year, instead of $192. Finally, there’s the ad-supported plan, which costs $70 per year as part of this deal. Sure, it might seem weird to watch Curb Your Enthusiasm (RIP) with commercials, but it gets the job done.
The deals apply no matter how you sign up for the Max, including directly from the website, through the Apple App Store or Google Play. There’s one major caveat, as only new subscribers via Fire TV are eligible. All of this is tied to March Madness, as Max is streaming all 2024 Division I NCAA men’s basketball championship games, .
For those too busy to memorize the comings and goings of multinational streaming platforms, Max is a service that combines . So you can watch all five seasons of the critically-acclaimed crime series The Wire and chase it down with 47 seasons of Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, as nature intended. Max is a weird streamer to pin down, but there’s certainly a glut of content to choose from. There’s a reason we named it one of the .
Acer’s midrange gaming laptop line has four new arrivals today following the company’s refresh of its flagship models at CES 2024. On Tuesday, the company unveiled a pair of new 14-inch entries alongside two refreshes of existing 16-inch models. The Intel-powered Predator Helios Neo 14 and Nitro 16 will join the AMD-fueled Nitro 14 and Nitro 16, launching globally later this spring.
As is often the case with pre-launch laptop announcements, Acer only reveals the devices’ minimum pricing rather than a full specs-to-cost breakdown (Acer says they aren’t yet finalized), making it impossible to gauge their overall value. You can expect that info closer to their respective launches in May and June.
Acer
The Acer Predator Helios Neo 14, one of the two all-new models, is the first sub-16-inch variant in the high-performance line. (At $1,800 and up, it’s also the most expensive of the new batch.) That price gets you up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 185H (with dedicated AI acceleration) paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Laptop GPU. The lower-cost models will downgrade those to Intel Core Ultra 7 155H or Intel Core Ultra 5 125H and RTX 4060 or 4050 graphics.
The top-of-the-line variant has a 14.5-inch WQXGA (3072×1920) display with a 165Hz refresh rate, 100 percent coverage of the sRGB color spectrum and NVIDIA G-Sync support. Its cheaper variants will drop the resolution to 2560 x 1600 or 1920 x 1200 with a 120Hz refresh rate.
The Windows 11 laptop has a 76Wh battery and offers up to 32GB of LPDDR5X SDRAM and 1TB of storage. It weighs 4.19 lbs, has a built-in 1080p webcam, and supports Intel Killer Wireless Wi-Fi 6E. It includes a USB-C/ThunderBolt 4 port with a microSD reader. On the cooling front, it uses a 5th Gen AeroBlade 3D fan and Vortex Flow tech.
The Predator Helios Neo 14 arrives in North America in May, starting at $1,800.
Acer
The Nitro 14 is the first 14-inch variant in the company’s midrange Nitro line. It should offer solid performance with up to AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor and RTX 4060 graphics. Cheaper variants drop that down to a Ryzen 5 8645HS processor and RTX 4050 or 3050 graphics.
Its maxed-out model gives you a 14.5-inch 2560 x 1500 display with a 120Hz refresh rate, 9ms response time and sRGB 100 percent gamut support. The entry-level model drops that down to 1080p at 120Hz.
The laptop has USB 4 and USB 3.2 Type C ports, a pair of USB-A ports (including one with offline charging support), HDMI 2.1 and a microSD slot.
The Acer Nitro 14 arrives in North America in May. It starts at $1,300.
Acer
The company’s updated Nitro 16 is launching in separate Intel and AMD variants with different model numbers (AN16-73 for Intel and AN16-43 for AMD). The former has up to an Intel Core i7-14700HX processor, while the AMD version has up to a Ryzen 9 8945HS (the same as the maxed-out Nitro 14). Otherwise, the two models are only separated by extremely minor weight differences (5.37 lbs for the AMD, 5.4 lbs for Intel) and Wi-Fi (Intel’s branded Killer Wireless Wi-Fi 6E vs. a nondescript Wi-Fi 6E for AMD).
As for the many specs the Intel and AMD variants of the Nitro 16 share, they both have Nvidia graphics, maxing out at RTX 4060 with 8GB of dedicated GDDR6 RAM. Cheaper models swap that for either an RTX 4050 or 3050.
Their screens have up to 2560 x 1600 resolution with 500 nits brightness, 165Hz refresh rates and a 3ms response time. The laptops each offer up to 32GB of DDR5 SDRAM and 2TB storage. They have 76Wh batteries with measly 720p webcams.
Both versions of the Nitro 16 will launch in North America in May. They start at $1,400. If you’re considering the new models, you can expect a more detailed configuration-pricing breakdown at or around launch time, so stay tuned.
Streaming can be an art form in its own right and made all the more enjoyable with the proper tools — though they don’t always come cheap. That’s why the 26 percent discount currently running on the Razer Stream Controller is so exciting. The sale brings the all-in-one keypad down from $270 to $200 — a return to its record-low price.
Razer
Razor launched its Stream Controller back in 2022 as a competitor to Elgato’s Stream Deck — albeit at a much higher price point. To be fair, the device offers quite a lot for the cost, including 12 haptic switchblade keys, six tactile analog dials and eight programmable buttons. The haptic switchblade keys have customizable icons and, of course, have adjustable haptic feedback. The tactile analog dials control audio levels and the programmable buttons can make regular actions all the more accessible — and speedy.
The Razor Stream Controller works with Mac or PC and has integrated support for platforms like Discord, Twitch and Spotify. It’s also good for any artists looking for a new creative device, as it works with Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator and more.
If you’re anything like me, then you put off buying a new MacBook until absolutely necessary or there’s a big sale to avoid a large bill. Right now, the latter is making a purchase more tempting, with Apple’s 2022 MacBook Air with M2 chip on sale for $849 from $999. The 15 percent sale brings the 13.6-inch 256GB device down to a record-low price.
Apple
We gave the 2022 MacBook Air a 96 in our review when Apple first released it, dubbing the device “near-perfect.” The MacBook is thinner than its predecessor, but the screen is a noticeable one-third of an inch larger — with a liquid retina display and up to 500 nits of brightness. Other perks include a 1080p FaceTime camera and a 60Hz refresh rate. We were also big fans of the 2022 MacBook Air’s high-quality quad-speaker array and solid three-mic system. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, 2 USB-C thunderbolt ports and a MagSafe connector.
Our pick for 2024’s best budget MacBook is currently $200 cheaper than the latest M3 chip MacBook Air but has similar stats. Both laptops offer an 8-core CPU, up to 10-core GPU and up to 18 hours of battery life. Plus, both devices have up to 24GB of unified memory and can handle up to 2TB of storage.
DJI occasionally knocks us sideways with cutting-edge innovation à la the Ronin 4D, but it’s usually just refining existing products to stay ahead of rivals. That applies to the new RS4 and RS4 Pro gimbals, which boast multiple improvements over the previous RS3 models, particularly in the size and capacity of cameras they can support, but no new standout features.
However, the company also unveiled the Focus Pro, a new version of its LiDAR focus system that works either standalone or with the RS4 Pro. This product is more on the cutting-edge side, adding a host of new capabilities to the company’s gimbal and camera systems.
DJI RS4
The mainstream RS4 gimbal is largely the same as the last model, with a carrying capacity of 6.6 pounds (3kg) that accommodates most mirrorless cameras and a good load of accessories. However, the tilt axis has been extended 8.5mm compared to the RS 3, giving you more balancing space for longer lenses or front-heavy add-ons like ND filters. It also uses DJI’s latest 4th-gen stabilization algorithm for improved smoothness and control.
DJI
The RS4 can pair with the new Focus Pro Motor (more about that in a sec), allowing smooth focus and lens zoom adjustments at a speed 30 percent faster compared to the original DJI Focus Motor. As before, it uses dual-mode Bluetooth tech so you can pair with and control multiple cameras.
Another new feature is improved stability in vertical shooting, steadying jolts for the influencer crowd even when walking or running. The redesigned gimbal horizontal plates allows for “seamless transitions to vertical shooting,” the company said, allowing for more efficiency in video creation (to let you quickly get out an Insta Story while filming, for example).
DJI
As before, it comes with automatic gimbal locking and unlocking for ease of use, along with Teflon coatings on all three axes for smooth operation. A new joystick mode switch lets you change from zoom to gimbal control and the customizable trigger can quickly turn on the FPV mode.
The RS4 supports multiple accessories via the RSA communication port, including DJI’s RS Tethered Control Handle and third-party options (DJI has an SDK protocol for the RS family). IT also supports the new BG70 High-Capacity Battery Grip that extends runtime to 29.5 hours with a 2.5 hour charge time (compared to , while supporting power delivery to camera and USB-C accessories.
Finally, the RS4 supports DJI’s Ronin Image Transmitter, delivering live-action high-definition feeds to other crew members and allowing for remote-control (focus, etc.) capabilities.
DJI RS4 Pro
DJI
The RS4 Pro ups the carrying capacity to 10 pounds (4.5kg) as before, while adding side handles and extra mounting points for accessories. It adds a 20 percent motor torque boost to all axes (compared to the RS 3 Pro) to allow for more responsive tracking even with heavy cameras and accessories.
DJI also introduced a car mount mode, optimizing the stabilizer for vehicle shoots, while updating vertical shooting capability and improving axis locks. Like the RS4, it has DJI’s latest 4th-gen stabilization algorithm that’s particularly helpful for fast-moving scenes when carrying a heavy camera.
DJI
The primary new capability is functionality with the Focus Pro LiDAR and Focus Pro Motor system, giving cinematographers autofocus capability even with manual focus lenses. It also supports remote control and image transmission, “allowing for remote gimbal operation and intelligent focus assistance,” according to the company.
“In collaborative team shooting, the gimbal operator can control the RS 4 Pro gimbal through devices such as the DJI Master Wheels, DJI Ronin 4D Hand Grips, and DJI High-Bright Remote Monitor. Meanwhile, the focus puller can enable LiDAR Waveform on the High-Bright Remote Monitor for intelligent focus assistance, precisely controlling focus using the Focus Pro Hand Unit,” DJI says.
DJI Focus Pro
DJI
For creators and cinematographers, the Focus Pro is the most intriguing product in this release. It’s a LiDAR focus system consisting of the Focus Pro LiDAR unit, Focus Pro Grip, Focus Pro Motor and FIZ Hand Unit. It gives the operator autofocus capability even with manual lenses, or lets them focus manually via a real-time view from the LiDAR’s perspective.
The grip has a full-color touchscreen, 2.5-hour power supply, intuitive visual operation, auto-calibration and data storage for 15 lenses, along with Bluetooth capability for easy start/stop recording. The LiDAR, meanwhile, supports focus at up to 20 meters (three times more than before), and has an ultra-wide 70-degree view for focus. IT has 76,800 ranging points and a 30Hz refresh rate to minimize focus hunting and ensure reliable focus.
DJI
Autofocus includes AF subject recognition and tracking, adjustable focus speed and selectable focus area modes, much like a regular mirrorless AF system. The AMF (auto-manual focus) mode, meanwhile, allows for instant switching between manual and autofocus for tricky shooting scenarios. It also helps camera or focus operators by showing the LiDAR waveform. I tried something similar with the Ronin 4D, and while it takes a while to get used to, it’s very effective.
The FIZ Hand Unit allows full remote control over focus, iris and zoom for focus pullers. It uses stepless real-time damping for smooth control, while letting the focus puller be up to 160 meters away. Other features including faster motor speeds, 10ms latency and intuitive dial operation.
Price and availability
The DJI RS 4 is now available for purchase starting at $549 and includes one Gimbal, BG21 Battery Grip, USB-C Charging Cable, Lens-Fastening Support, Extended Grip/Tripod (Plastic), Quick-Release Plate, Multi-Camera Control Cable, and Screw Kit. You can also pick it up for $719 in a combo with a Briefcase Handle, Focus Pro Motor, Focus Pro Motor Rod Mount Kit, Focus Gear Strip, a second Multi-Camera Control Cable, and one Carrying Case. The RS 4 Pro, meanwhile, starts at $869 or $1,099 with the high-capacity battery grip, with the same range of accessories for each.
The Focus Pro creator combo (DJI Focus Pro LiDAR, DJI Focus Pro Grip, DJI Focus Pro Motor and DJI Focus Pro Carrying Case) is $999, or you can buy the All-in-One combo (with the FIZ Hand Unit as well) for $1,899. The RS BG70 high-capacity battery grip is sold for $149 by itself.
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