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Marvel has released a new trailer for The Fantastic Four: First StepsThe MCU Phase 6 film will arrive in theaters worldwide this JulyThe teaser is full of moments that fans have been waiting to see

Marvel has revealed the official trailer for The Fantastic Four: First Steps – and, if I wasn't already super excited for its release, I certainly am now.The Marvel Phase 6 film's latest teaser is full of new footage that fans will want to *ahem* stretch their eyeballs around. Indeed, from first looks at Julia Garner's Silver Surfer and Pedro Pascal's Reed Richards using his stretchy superpowers, to new teases of the movie's villain Galactus, it's an unmissable two-and-a-half minute feast for the eyes.

The arrival of a new Fantastic Four trailer shouldn't come as a big surprise. Indeed, a new teaser was shown exclusively to CinemaCon 2025 attendees a two weeks ago. That trailer confirmed a big fan theory about Vanessa Kirby's Sue Storm – i.e., that she'll be pregnant for a portion of the film. With this latest round of footage doing likewise, it appears that Marvel has simply released the trailer it showed at during Disney's presentation at the trade show on April 3.A new trailer hasn't been a long time coming for the final Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) movie of 2025. The first teaser for First Steps only achieved lift-off in early February, so it's not like we've had an excruciating wait for new clips to pore over.Still, with Marvel's Thunderbolts* movie set to be released in theaters in early May, the comic book giant will want to run a new teaser ahead of that flick to further build anticipation for First Steps' own launch, which will take place in late July.

#TheFantasticFour: First StepsOnly in theaters July 25. pic.twitter.com/OyTgSYCl2hApril 17, 2025

Joining Pascal, Kirby, and Garner on the film's cast are Joseph Quinn as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Ben Grimm/The Thing, Ralph Ineson as the voice of Galactus, and John Malkovich, Paul Walter Hauser, Sarah Niles, and Natasha Lyonne as TBC.Marvel fans think they know who Lyonne is playing in First Steps, though, and many are also convinced that Hauser and Malkovich are playing B-tier Marvel antagonists in Mole Man and Red Ghost respectively. Lastly, Mark Gatiss appears to be playing the TV host of a show that Marvel's First Family appear on in the trailer and forthcoming film.The Fantastic Four: First Steps will take flight on July 25. While we wait for its arrival, read more MCU-based coverage in the section below.

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Instagram is launching Blends, a new custom Reels feedThe idea is you add this to a DM or Group Chat and watch Reels that will appeal to the people who make up the groupYou can react and add comments that live within the DM

If you’re anything like me, you can spend maybe too much time (though I’ll never admit it) scrolling through Reels on Instagram, and clips on TikTok. But not so surprisingly, Instagram wants to keep you within the walls of its app and has a new feature that lets you make a custom Reels feed for you and your friends.Dubbed Blend, and launching right now, you can set up this custom feed for you and a friend and be served Reels that match both of your interests. It’s an invite-only Reels feed that you can scroll within your chat window and reply to at the bottom to strike up a conversation about whatever you’d like.And if you were guessing it lives within DMs, you’d be right, as that's where Instagram invites you to keep the conversation going. Further, if you’re concerned that the Reels will live in line next to your messages, GIFs, and potentially other shared Reels … fear not.

Blend will live via an icon at the top of the chat that looks like a merge of two basic emojis. You’ll tap on that to access your Blend, which is a Blended feed of Reels that hit your interests, and it’s also where you can invite someone to join your blend.Another important note – you can’t force someone to join your Blend on Instagram; whoever you invite will need to accept it. Instagram also says you can set up blends for you and one other person or for a group of people.

Here’s how Blend will work

(Image credit: Instagram)

So once you’ve set up a Blend with, say, two of your besties, you’ll open that group message within Instagram and tap the new icon next to the call buttons on the top right of the chat.Tap that, and you’ll be taken to your customized Reels feed. It should look pretty similar. You’ll see the Reel creator’s username, the audio used, a snippet of the caption, and the ability to like it, comment, and even share it.The difference is that you’ll see a bubble that says “Suggested for [insert username here],” so Instagram will clue you in as to who it thinks will like the Reel the most. And yes, this is based on whatever Reels you’ve engaged with and what Instagram knows about you.More specifically, Instagram says “Suggested are based on each person’s activity on Instagram, including the reels they watch and interact with. They can also be based on reels sent in the chat.”As you scroll, if you feel compelled to, you can send a message back to your group about the Reel you’re watching or even drop a reaction like an emoji. For instance, if it’s a particularly epic one, you might use the fire emoji.

(Image credit: Instagram)

It’s pretty neat and a new way to explore Reels with friends on your own time, while still interacting with each other. Not for nothing, you won’t need to risk SharePlaying on iOS or screensharing on Android, not knowing what might appear in your regular feed.However, since this is based on your interests, your friends might learn something – those I invite to Blend will know I like Bruce Springsteen, Disney Parks, Lego, and Star Wars.That’s the risk of the Blend: it essentially shows your Instagram Reels interests to a friend (assuming they accepted the invite). If you’re up for the fun and the challenge, you can give Instagram’s latest feature a try as it’s rolling out now.Just make sure that the Instagram app on your iOS or Android device is up to date.

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Portable monitors have been around for years, but their importance skyrocketed during the pandemic. And with the continuation of remote and hybrid work positions, they’re going to be staples for the foreseeable future. But picking one isn’t as simple as it seems. At this point, almost every major PC maker has its own take on travel-friendly displays, with prices ranging from as little as $100 to nearly $1,000. So to help sort through the confusion, I tested out a bunch of options to put together a short list of the best portable monitors on sale today.

Table of contents

Best portable monitors for 2025

Things to consider before buying a portable monitor

What to look for in a portable monitor

Best portable monitors for 2025

Things to consider before buying a portable monitor

Before you start looking at specific products, it’s super important to think about how and where you plan on using a second monitor as a portable display. Larger panels are great for home use where you may only need to move it or put it away when you have company over. Meanwhile, smaller screens are great for travel and whipping out at a coffee shop or shared workspace. But if you go too small, you may be adding extra weight to your bag without providing a ton of extra utility, especially if it lacks a good USB-C cable or mini HDMI for connectivity. Screen size and compatibility with your existing devices should be top considerations.

It’s also important to consider your typical workload, as artists may get extra value out of monitors with higher maximum brightness, HDR, wider color accuracy and a higher contrast ratio. Those who spend all day looking at spreadsheets won’t get as much value from more vibrant displays or FHD displays with high refresh rates, but they may still benefit from having a basic plug-and-play second monitor for multitasking.

What to look for in a portable monitor

Aside from price and screen size, some of the most important specs in a portable monitor include panel type, pixels per inch, brightness, refresh rate and connectivity. Most portable monitors use IPS LCD displays, which generally offer good viewing angles, strong brightness and good power efficiency. However, some higher resolution models now feature OLED screens that support wider color gamuts, better color accuracy and contrast ratio, which can be a major benefit for artists and content creators. Some budget models may use TN panels, as that can help cut costs and reduce energy consumption. That said, we generally try to stay away from those as they often have worse image quality compared to IPS screens.

For brightness, 300 nits is the lowest we recommend — anything less can make the monitor hard to use even in some indoor environments. Ideally, we look for screens that are closer to 350 or 400 nits and above for better accuracy and visibility.

Connectivity is also important because if you can’t easily hook your phone, gaming console, or laptop to a monitor, it becomes an oversized paperweight. Most travel displays include an HDMI port or USB-C port(or both), which cover the large majority of devices. It’s rare to find a portable monitor these days with only USB-A, since the majority of devices have moved over to USB-C. However, we also like models that support passthrough power over USB-C connections, which reduces the complexity of your setup and decreases the number of cords and adapters you have to carry around.

Finally, most portable monitors feature 60Hz refresh rates, which is fine for most use cases. However, if you’re looking for a gaming monitor, there are models with 120Hz or even 240Hz refresh rates. These are excellent choices for gamers looking to maintain smooth fps while playing on the go.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-portable-monitor-120050851.html?src=rss

Instagram is adding yet another way to liven up your Reels recommendations. The app is rolling out “Blend,” a feature that allows you to create a custom feed within a DM that combines your recommendations with a friend’s.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because Blend has been in the works for some time. It was first spotted in the app more than a year ago, but was only an internal prototype at the time. Now, Meta is finally making it official, describing it as an “invite-only Reels feed for you and your friend(s).”

Anyone can invite a friend or a group of friends to join a Blend from within a direct message or group chat on Instagram. Once someone accepts the invitation, Instagram generates a custom feed of Reels made up of video recommendations tailored to each person. As you scroll, you can view who each suggested clip is for, giving a window into what types of Reels Instagram’s algorithm serves your friends.

The feature is the latest way Meta has been allowing instagram users to gain more insight into their friends’ Reels-watching habits. The company also recently introduced a dedicated tab that shows videos liked by your Instagram friends. Whether that sounds like an intriguing way to find new niches of content, or potentially massively embarrassing is another matter. (It’s also yet another reminder that your Instagram likes were never actually private.) But, if you’re Reels suggestions have been feeling a little stale, or you’re just curious about how some of your friends experience the app, it could be an entertaining way to spice up your recommendations.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/instagram-now-lets-you-combine-your-reels-recommendations-with-friends-160023003.html?src=rss

Google 2024 Ads Safety report says it blocked 5.1 billion bad adsIt also blocked millions of advertiser accountsGoogle notes its detection accuracy improved thanks to AI

Google blocked more than five billion bad ads in 2024 and suspended almost 40 million advertiser accounts that were engaged in fraudulent behavior in what was apparently a bumper year for scammers.In its 2024 Ads Safety Report, Google outlined how bad ads have really taken off in recent months, alrgely thanks to the advancements in Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI).However, Google is also using AI to improve its deception rates and apparently - it works.

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Banning ad accounts

Google's proactive measures in 2024 were impressive. The company either blocked or removed 5.1 billion ads that violated Google Ads policies. Furthermore, the search engine giant suspended 39.2 million advertiser accounts, which prevented many ads from ever reaching the consumers in the first place.As a result, the number of stopped bad ads did not grow year-on-year, but remained relatively stable. Last year, Google removed 5.5 billion bad ads, and the drop seems to be due to the fact that Google banned significantly more advertiser accounts (12.7 million).The company also said to have permanently banned more than 700,000 advertiser accounts for policy violations related to AI-driven impersonation scams."To fight back, we quickly assembled a dedicated team of over 100 experts to analyze these scams and develop effective countermeasures, such as updating our Misrepresentation policy to suspend advertisers that promote these scams," Google said in the report."As a result, we were able to permanently suspend over 700,000 offending advertiser accounts. This led to a 90% drop in reports of this kind of scam ad last year. While we are encouraged by this progress, we continue to work to prevent these scams."Google seems to be heavily invested in AI for scanning and detection. It implemented more than 50 enhancements to its Large Language Models (LLMs), enabling more efficient and precise enforcement.Most of the AI-powered bad ads revolved around deepfaked celebrities.Via BleepingComputer

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More details about Mario Kart World, the big first-party Nintendo Switch 2 launch title, were shown during a dedicated Direct on Thursday. The 17-minute presentation showcased some of the game's courses, such as the canal-based Salty Salty Speedway and spooky Boo Cinema, and revealed that some classic, reimagined courses will be dotted around the game's open world.

Beyond regular races and the new Knockout Tour elimination mode, there are a bunch of other ways to play Mario Kart World. Team-based races will see you compete in squads of between six and 12, and you can test yourself in time trials. The classic Balloon Battle mode is here, and in Coin Runners, you'll compete to collect the most coins.

Nintendo

New tricks include a charge jump and a wall-riding option that was highlighted in the reveal trailer. A nifty Rewind feature in particular caught my eye. If you miss a jump or want another crack at making it to an elevated shortcut, you can hit a button that will send your kart backward a bit. You'll probably want to use this sparingly, as the Rewind function only affects your own kart. Your opponents can easily overtake you in the process, so there's a risk-reward balance to consider here. The Forza Horizon series has a similar rewind feature, so it's interesting to see Nintendo adopt that.

Some of the fresh items look pretty nifty. You'll be able to embrace your inner Hammer Bro by peppering the track with an arc of hammers to either hit an opponent or block their progress. With the Ice Flower, you can freeze enemies, while deploying the Coin Shell, oddly enough, leaves a trail of coins that you can collect. It's nice to see the feather, which debuted all the way back in the original Super Mario Kart, make a return.

The open-world aspect of the game looks pretty interesting. You can explore it with your friends (you're all going to be using GameChat, right?) and find some secrets. Hitting one of the hundreds of P Switches that are dotted across the world starts a minigame, such as collecting a number of blue coins in a certain period of time. In Free Roam, you'll also be able to make use of the photo mode.

Nintendo

Elsewhere in the first completely new mainline Mario Kart game since 2014, there are several assist options. The Smart Steering feature can help you avoid accidentally veering off a track, and there's a tilt control function for steering.

On top of all of that, you can pick up food from drive-thrus. While I suspected that we might be taking a trip to The Snack Zone, the Dash Food that you pick up unlocks outfits that are inspired by your meal. Munch on some sushi, for instance, and you'll find yourself wearing a Japanese-influenced getup.

Mario Kart World is slated to arrive on June 5, the same day as the Nintendo Switch 2. There's still no official update on when Switch 2 pre-orders will go live in the US and Canada after Nintendo delayed them. However, rumors suggest that you may be able to lock in a pre-order in either country in the coming days.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-for-switch-2-borrows-forzas-rewind-feature-160818661.html?src=rss

Nintendo has quietly removed the mention of VRR support from some of its regional Switch 2 websitesThe US, Canada, and Japan websites no longer feature the mention of VRR supportAs of writing, the UK website still mentions VRR, but could still be removed

Nintendo has quietly removed any mention of variable refresh rate (VRR) support from some of its regional Switch 2 websites, suggesting the console may not offer the feature after all.That's according to Digital Foundry's Oliver Mackenzie (via VGC), who spotted that the US website has been updated since the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, and no longer mentions VRR support for docked play.Now it reads: "Take in all the detail with screen resolutions up to 4K when you connect the Nintendo Switch 2 system to a compatible TV using the dedicated dock. The system also supports HDR and frame rates up to 120 fps on compatible TVs."It's not just the US website that has been updated, but the Canada and Japan sites too.As of writing, the UK site still mentions that the Switch 2 "supports HDR, VRR, and frame rates up to 120 fps on compatible TVs," but Nintendo may be in the process of removing it from all its regional sites.

Some weird stuff going on at Nintendo. Looks like they've changed their US website to no longer mention VRR support for TV play? Only HDR and 120Hz support get a call-out. pic.twitter.com/3VmFDfrNvtApril 17, 2025

It's unclear why Nintendo has made changes, but Mackenzie theorises that VRR support may not be available at launch. However, the Switch 2 in handheld looks like it will still offer VRR thanks to Nvidia G-Sync, which will ensure "ultra-smooth, tear-free gameplay."Everything we needed to know about the Switch 2's specs was revealed during the Direct earlier this month, where it was also confirmed that the console will have a bigger screen, from 6.2 inches to 7.9 inches, 256GB of internal storage, and a mouse function for its magnetic Joy-Con controllers.The Nintendo Switch 2 is set to launch on June 5, 2025, for $449.99 / £395.99 or $499.99 / £429.99 for a Mario Kart World bundle.You can now pre-order the console in the UK, but US pre-orders and Canada pre-orders have been delayed as Nintendo assesses the potential impact of tariffs.

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Apple has removed DVPN from its App Store at Russia's requestNORSE Labs' decentralized VPN was among Apple's top free VPN appsOver 100 VPNs are currently unavailable in the Russian Apple App Store, with at least 60 apps killed since July last year

Earlier today, April 17, 2025, the Founder and CEO of NORSE Labs, Aleksandr Litreev, received a notification from Apple that its decentralized VPN app was removed per Roskomnadzor's demand "because it includes content that is illegal in Russia."The NORSE Labs DVPN app has gained huge popularity lately across the country, ranking #3 among Apple's top free apps before the block – the provider reported. It adds to the over 100 VPNs, including some of the best VPNs on the market, currently unavailable in Russia's Apple App Store.

Apple keeps killing popular Russia VPNs

"Just a few hours ago, Apple removed our NORSE Labs DVPN app from the Russian App Store – without any valid court order – at the request of Roskomnadzor, the government’s censorship agency," announced Litreev in a X post on Thursday morning.A popular free VPN app especially for Russian Apple TV, Mac, and iPad users, DVPN is a decentralized VPN service by NORSE Labs that relies on a global network of independent nodes rather than centralized VPN servers.This feature, the provider explains on its official website, should make it much harder for governments or ISPs to block access to the service. It doesn't then promise only better privacy and security, but also stronger censorship circumvention skills – exactly what's needed to bypass Roskomnadzor's internet blocks currently in place.A Russian activist and IT engineer, Litreev is a well-known opposition figure in Russia who was involved with Alexei Navalny's movement. In 2020, he managed to flee to Estonia and escape trial.Since then, he's been working in the decentralized VPN space to offer privacy and anti-censorship solutions to help people in Russia, China, Venezuela, and other countries enforcing strong control on the national internet."Ensuring secure and free access to independent media is a fundamental duty of any democratic power in the fight for human rights, and Apple picked the wrong side," said Litreev.

Just a few hours ago, @Apple removed our @norselabs DVPN app from the Russian App Store—without any valid court order—at the request of Roskomnadzor, the government’s censorship agency.Thread 👇 pic.twitter.com/cVWWCzJsaoApril 17, 2025

NORSE Labs is only the latest victim of Roskomnadzor's crusade against VPN.VPN censorship efforts intensified in 2024 since a law enforced in March began criminalizing the spread of information about ways to circumvent internet restrictions. This is likely the legal basis upon which the Russian censor body issues these requests.In 2024 alone, Apple was found to have killed at least 60 VPN apps in this way, bringing the total to 98 VPN unavailable apps in September. These include some of TechRadar's favorites, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and ProtonVPN.The current toll is expected to be even higher, especially considering that another popular Russian VPN, Amnezia VPN, reportedly disappeared from the country's App Store at the end of October, becoming the last target of Russia's anti-VPN actions in 2024.While Apple appears to have been largely compliant with Russia's orders so far, Google Play has also been targeted by similar removal requests.According to AppCentroship's latest data, Google received 212 VPN blocking orders between March and April 2025. Among these, however, only 6 apps appeared to have been removed so far, bringing the total of unavailable VPN services on Russia's Google Play Store to 53.

How to keep downloading unavailable VPNs

Litreev ensured that all users who have already downloaded the NORSE Labs DVPN app before its removal know that the app they have downloaded isn't at risk."The app will continue to work despite the Russian government’s attempts to block it," he said.In case you haven't downloaded it yet, you can still do so by changing your App Store region to any other country. The DVPN app remains available globally.Another alternative is using the DVPN mini-app version that the provider has launched on Telegram. This will remain functional as long as Telegram does, Litreev explains."While we’re working on a tool to help our Russian users bypass this absurd restriction and install the app directly, we’re also evaluating our options for legal action," he added.

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Insta360 has released a new teaser for a launch event on April 22It has the tagline "all day, all night, all angles" and hints at a new 360 cameraRecent leaks suggest it's preparing to launch the Insta360 X5

Insta360 has long topped our guide to the best 360 cameras – and a new teaser suggests it's preparing to launch a new flagship model. Fortunately, some recent leaks have also given us an idea of what to expect, with a successor to last year's Insta360 X4 looking highly likely.The X4 was only launched a year ago in April 2024, but a promo image for Insta360's event on April 22 suggests it'll be replaced next week. The image (below), which has the tagline "all day, all night, all angles", shows the reflection of a camera that very much looks like an X4.We've also recently seen some leaks that point to the arrival of an Insta360 X5 on April 22. The reliable @Quadro_Newshas posted two leaked images for an X5, and the 360 camera also appears to have been prematurely posted in an ad in the Best Buy app.

WIN our next camera 👇 All day. All night. All angles.1️⃣ Follow @insta3602️⃣ Like & repost (1000+ reposts and we'll give away TWO!)3️⃣ Reply with the #1 activity you'd film with the cameraWinner on April 22 🤞*Do not attempt to replicate–smashing a camera may damage it. pic.twitter.com/vvElzEFvW0April 16, 2025

So what can we expect from the Insta360 X5? The leaks so far don't give much away, other than hinting at a mild redesign of the pill-shaped camera and potentially a bigger battery to boost its recording times.Insta360's teaser video is also light on details, mainly focusing on some of the impressive creative video effects that are the series' hallmark. Our Insta360 X4 review also gave the current model five stars, suggesting that there's little room for improvement.

The @insta360 X5 has gotten a nice upgrade. Let's see how the DJI 360 stacks up against it. Not much time left before the show,)#insta360 #insta360x5 pic.twitter.com/nZEz3HNWbuApril 15, 2025

But with Insta360 looking to extend its lead over GoPro (which still hasn't launched its GoPro Max 2) and DJI, which is tipped to be launching a DJI Osmo 360 camera this year, there are definitely some new features it could squeeze into its flagship camera.So, here are five things we'd like to see from the rumored Insta360 X5...

Insta360 X5: what I'd like to see

1. Better low-light performance

(Image credit: Insta360)

Like most 360 cameras, one of the Insta360 X4's biggest weaknesses is low-light performance. It's still very much a day-time camera, but Insta360's teaser – with the tagline "all day, all night, all angles" – suggests its new model could improve this.The low-light weakness comes from a combination of sensor size and processing. Our X4 review noted that, while low-light images look "fairly clean" after being processed with Insta360's mobile and desktop editors, they were also "a little smudgy as a result of noise reduction".Hopefully, a combination of improved processing and a larger sensor (see below) will make the rumored X5 a more versatile camera that can be confidently used outside of bright daylight.

2. Larger sensors

(Image credit: Future)

The challenge for 360 cameras is that they need to house two image sensors, while remaining pocketable and travel-friendly. The Insta360 X4 combines two 1/2-inch sensors, which are decent but still something of a bottleneck on image quality – hence the inclusion of an HDR video option to improve detail in highlights and shadows.While I'm not expecting the X5 to go quite as far as the Insta360 One RS 1-Inch 360 Edition and jump to a 1-inch sensor, it'd be nice to see it upgraded to 1/1.3-inch sensors (the same size as the ones we recently saw on the Insta360 Ace Pro 2).That would help improve dynamic range, low-light shooting and straight-out-of-camera image quality. It could also help the X5 match the incoming DJI Osmo 360, which has been rumored to be going straight in with 1/1.3-inch sensors.It sounds like some long-awaited competition in the 360 camera space could be good news for us…

3. Better heat dissipation

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

While not a big issue in most recording modes, we did find that the X4 has a propensity to get warm quickly – particularly in those demanding high-resolution video modes.The obvious way to prevent this is to avoid shooting static, long-form 8K videos, but it'd be good to see the rumored X5 take a step forward in heat management.This is less of an issue when shooting action, as there's some natural airflow to cool the camera down in those scenarios – but a reduction in overheating during stationary recording would again make for a more versatile 360 camera.

4. Replaceable lenses

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

We don't have many qualms about the Insta360 X4's build quality. Our review called it "superb" in this department and the camera is fully waterproof to 33ft / 10m, with all of its ports rubber-sealed and some handy color-coding inside the catch letting you quickly check to make sure everything's locked.But one upgrade that would be useful is user-replaceable lenses. While it's possible to do this with third-party kits, it certainly isn't straightforward and sending your camera in for repair is usually the best bet for deep scratches.It'd be good to see the rumored X5 offer something like GoPro's swappable lenses system. That may be difficult to achieve on a 360 camera, even if it is hinted at in Insta360's teaser video, where a workman smashes the camera with a hammer.

5. The same price tag

(Image credit: Future | Tim Coleman)

The Insta360 X4 isn't exactly cheap at $499/ £499 / AU$879, but it is probably the most fun camera you can buy for that money. We also thought that was a fair price at the time of the X4's launch, because it was only a 10% markup from the X2 – a camera that launched back in 2022.Because Insta360 is based in China, there's a danger that the recent US tariffs could meddle with this pricing. But we're hoping that isn't the case and that the X5 (if it does indeed launch on April 22) comes in at a similar price to its predecessor, outside of the US at least.

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This morning, news broke that two of the services on our best fitness apps list were joining forces: Strava is buying Runna.Strava, which we rated an excellent service at both free and premium tiers with a terrific social media platform and run-tracking integrations, doesn't really have much in the way of coaching, bar the availability of some static training plans. This seems to make Runna, another highly-rated app built around coaching plans, including an AI coaching service, a great fit.As Strava CEO Mike Martin put it in an interview with TechRadar, alongside Runna CEO Dom Maskell, "The way that I think about it, it's like the world's largest team just got a new coach. I think that's a really exciting way to position it."

(Image credit: Runna)

After reading the reactions on the Runna subreddit (cautious optimism, unlike the furor around Garmin's new Connect+ premium tier last month), I wanted to ask both CEOs, especially Martin, if there's a temptation to force Runna users to eventually onboard to a new system, in the same way Google has done with the Fitbit community.Martin said: "I want to be really clear to both communities and user bases... A key component of Strava is that we are and remain an open platform for the entire connected fitness industry. So we expect to continue to do that, and that is the way that Runna is is integrated in with Strava as well."I think there's lots of interesting opportunities for us to accelerate both the support that we provide for the the running community between the two businesses. And just to put a fine point on it, this is a growth and investment play for us... not to do a forced integration play, or something like that."

A Runna for swimmers/cyclists?

(Image credit: Strava)

I asked Maskell and Martin what the acquisition means for users of both platforms, and in the short term, nothing will change. However, it seems like a given Strava will eventually be able to use some of Runna's comprehensive workout plan-building Runna AI technology in some way.I also asked what Runna will be taking from Strava: of course, Strava also offers features for cyclists, swimmers, triathletes, and all sorts of other disciplines. Could we see Runna-branded AI coaches for other sports in the future, with Strava's help and investment?Short answer: not yet.Maskell said: "It has always been our long-term intention to explore other sports one day. The reason why we didn't do triathlon kind of a couple of years ago is because it's very complicated to do. We would have to build a swimming app for the Apple Watch, and we would have to give customer support to cyclists, and all this kind of stuff. We wanted to really, really nail running before we started exploring other sports."However, Maskell has revealed some changes to his roadmap: "We'll probably look to internationalize to non-English speaking languages, probably in the next couple of years. Strava has a lot of users... that number [of non-English speaking users] is very, very high."We might decide to translate a bunch of the coaching comments, all of the videos, all the kind of content in the app sooner, so that we're able to serve those users. I think that's the kind of thing that would make sense to expedite."In terms of other sports, I think that's more the long-term vision."

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You might now be out of luck if you've been relying on Apple's AI tools to help you craft a Facebook post or generate a custom emoji to slap on an Instagram Story. As first reported by Sorcererhat Tech (by way of 9to5Mac), Apple Intelligence features are not currently functional on Meta's iOS apps, including Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp or Threads. Engadget has confirmed that Apple Intelligence isn't working in the apps at the time of writing.

As things stand, along with writing tools (which include the likes of text generation and proofreading), Apple Intelligence features such as Genmoji aren't working in Meta's apps. While people were previously able to include keyboard stickers and Memoji in Instagram Stories, that's no longer the case.

Developers can opt out of using Apple Intelligence in their iOS apps and Meta may have done just that. Perhaps it's looking to nudge folks to use its own Meta AI tools in Facebook et al. Engadget has contacted Meta and Apple for comment.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-is-busted-on-metas-ios-apps-165620772.html?src=rss

There are several meteor showers we can count on seeing every year as Earth passes through the debris trails of known comets and asteroids orbiting the sun, and two of them are about to be in full swing. The Lyrids, which come from comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, will be visible from April 17 to 26, most prominently in the skies over the Northern Hemisphere. And just a couple days later, the bright streaks of the Eta Aquarids — stemming from the famous Halley’s Comet — will make their first appearance around April 20 before peaking in early May. In both cases, you won’t need any equipment to enjoy the show.

How to see the Lyrids

While the Lyrid meteor shower isn’t the most fruitful astronomical event of the year, we can still expect to see an average of 15 meteors per hour during its peak on the night of April 21 going into April 22, if the conditions are right. In the days before and after that, they’ll come at a rate of about five per hour. The Lyrids’ radiant, or the point from which they appear to emerge, will be in the northeast near the constellation Lyra and well above the horizon by around midnight. You’ll want to set up in a spot with a wide view of the sky and as little light pollution as possible, and look up toward the east.

“The best time to watch is late evening on April 21 until the moon rises a few hours before dawn on April 22,” EarthSky recommends. “Then, after the moon rises, place yourself in the moon’s shadow.” You’ll have the best shot at seeing the Lyrids if you’re in the Northern Hemisphere (and if the weather is clear), but viewers south of the equator may be able to catch some too.

Every so often, the Lyrid meteor shower produces an unusual abundance of meteors in events known as outbursts, but when they’ll occur is unpredictable. In 1982, viewers in Florida spotted as many as 75 meteors per hour, according to NASA. While that’s by no means the norm, it’s not out of the question that you might catch an outburst one of these days. More likely than that, though, is the chance of seeing a fireball, or an exceptionally bright meteor that NASA says is occasionally a feature of the Lyrids.

The relatively short meteor shower will come and go in a little over a week, but the Eta Aquarids right after will offer a whole month of potential “shooting star” sightings.

How to see the Eta Aquarids

The Eta Aquarid meteor shower (also spelled Aquariid) is one of two annual meteor showers originating from comet 1P/Halley, or Halley’s Comet. “This comet is in a retrograde orbit around the sun,” EarthSky explains. “That means it runs around the sun in the opposite direction from Earth and all the other planets. As a result, we pass near its path twice,” giving us the Eta Aquarids on the outbound leg of the trip and the Orionids in late October during the inbound.

The Eta Aquarids are more plentiful than the Lyrids, and you can start looking out for them around April 20, according to NASA. The shower will be active until May 21, but the best time to spot meteors will be overnight from May 5 into May 6, when it peaks, in the pre-dawn hours. During that time, as many as 50 meteors per hour could be visible, versus about 10 per hour in the non-peak windows. The Eta Aquarids’ radiant is in the constellation Aquarius.

These meteors are best seen from the Southern Hemisphere, where they’ll pop up at a higher rate, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be able to see any if you’re in the north. Observers in the Northern Hemisphere may just see fewer, and they’re more likely to see those dubbed ‘Earthgrazers,’ or “long meteors that appear to skim the surface of the Earth at the horizon,” NASA notes. The Eta Aquarids in general move fast, at about 40.7 miles per second, according to the space agency, and they’ll often leave incandescent “trains” lingering in the sky after they’ve zipped by.

While the debris from Halley’s Comet graces our skies twice a year, the comet itself (which I can’t think about without also remembering that episode of Hey Arnold!) only swings past Earth about every 76 years, which last happened in 1986. It’ll make its next appearance in 2061.

After the Eta Aquarids wrap up, we’ll still have a few more meteor showers to look forward to through the summer, so there will be plenty of chances to view some shooting stars if you missed out this time around or just want to catch as many as possible. That includes the Arietids in early June, the Delta Aquarids starting in mid-July and perhaps the best known meteor shower, the Perseids, in mid-August.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/the-first-meteor-shower-of-spring-peaks-soon-and-another-is-close-on-its-heels-174458501.html?src=rss

My latest NotebookLM podcast creation is deeper and more fascinating than anything I've ever created, and I bet it'll shock you, too.I don't understand string theory. In fact, I bet there's fewer than 1% of the world that can speak cogently on the subject, but I am fascinated by the concept and have read a bit on it. Not enough to understand or explain it to you, but enough to have a steady and abiding curiosity.AI, on the other hand, I think I understand and now regularly use as a tool. When Google released a recent NotebookLM update that includes, among other things, mind maps, I thought it was time to bring together something at the very outer edges of my understanding and this bleeding-edge artificial intelligence capability.So I created a String Theory Podcast.First, a tiny primer on NotebookLM. It is a powerful AI-based research tool in which you can upload sources, and it will turn them into summaries and extrapolated information in the form of text, podcasts, and visual guides like mind maps.For me, the most fascinating bit has been the podcasts or "Audio Overviews", which churn out chatty audio conversations about virtually any topic you feed into them. I call it a podcast because the audio style walks a well-worn path of most popular podcast series. It's conversational, usually between two people, sometimes funny, and always accessible.I've been wondering, though, if you can stretch the limits of the format with a topic so deep and, honestly, confusing, that the resulting podcast would be conversational nonsense.My experiment, however, proved that while the current version of NotebookLM has its limits, it's far better at comprehending dense science bits than me and probably most people you or I know.

(Image credit: Future)

Weird science

Once I decided I wanted NotebookLM to help me with the topic, I went in search of string theory content (there's a lot more of it online than you might think), quickly stumbling on this 218-page research paper from 2009 by University of Cambridge researcher Dr. David Tong.I scanned the doc and could tell that it was rich with string theory detail, and so far over my head, it probably resides somewhere near the rings of Saturn.Imagine trying to read this document and make sense of it. Maybe if someone explained it to me, I'd understand. Maybe.I downloaded the PDF and then fed it into NotebookLM, where I requested a podcast and a mind map.

(Image credit: Future)

It took almost 30 minutes for NotebookLM to create the podcast, and I must admit, I was a little anxious as I opened it. What if this mass of detail on one of physics' most confounding topics overwhelmed Google's AI? Might the hosts just be babbling incoherently?I shouldn't have worried.I'd heard these podcast hosts before: a somewhat vanilla pair (a man and a woman) who banter casually, while making witty asides. In this case, they were trying to explain string theory to the uninitiated.

Next, I think I should create an AI podcast avatar who can point at this graphic while they talk. (Image credit: Shutterstock)

They started by talking about how they'd walk through the topic, covering bits like general relativity, quantum mechanics, and how, at least as of 2009, we had never directly observed these "strings". Earlier this month, some physicists claimed that they had, in fact, found the "first observational evidence supporting string theory." But I digress.The hosts spoke like physics experts, but, where possible, in layman's terms. I quickly found myself wishing they had a guest. The podcast would've worked better if they were proxies for me, not understanding much at all, and had an AI-generated expert to interview.

Stringing it all together

(Image credit: Future)

As the podcast progressed, the hosts dug into the details of string theory, specifically, the definition of a "string." They described them as tiny objects that vibrate and added, "all stuff in the universe comes from how tiny strings are vibrating."Things got more complex from there, and while the AI podcast hosts' tone never changed, I struggled to follow along. I still can't tell you what "relativistic point particle viewed through Einstein's special relativity" really means. Though I did appreciate the analogy of "imagine a string moving through space time."The AI hosts used various tricks to keep me engaged and not completely confused. The male host would, like a podcast parrot, often repeat a bit of what the female host had just explained, and use some decent analogies to try to make it relatable.At times, the female host lapsed into what sounded like she was reading straight out of the research paper, but the male host was always there to pull her back to entertainment mode. He did a lot of chatty summarizing.I felt like I reconnected to the whole thing when they explained how "string morphed into the theory of everything" and added, "bosons and fermions, partners in crime due to supersymmetry."

This was heavy

(Image credit: Future)

After 25 minutes of this, my head was stuffed to the point of bursting with those still-theoretical strings and spinning with terms such as "vertex operators" and "holomorphic."I hoped for a grand and glorious summary at the end, but the podcast abruptly ended at almost 31 minutes. It cut off as if the hosts ran out of stream, ideas, or information, and walked away from the mics in frustration and without signing off.In some ways, it feels like this is my fault. After all, I forced these SIMs to learn all this stuff and then explain it to me, because I could never do it. Maybe they got fed up.I also checked out the mind maps, which are branching diagrams that can help you map out and represent complex topics like string theory. As you can imagine, the mind maps for this topic start simple but get increasingly complex as you expand each branch. Still, they're a nice study companion to the podcast.It's also worth noting that I could enrich the podcast and mind maps with other research sources. I would simply add them into the sources panel in NotebookLM and rerun the "audio overview".

A real expert weighs in

For as much as I learned and as much as I trust the source material, I wondered about the podcast's accuracy. AI, even with solid information, can hallucinate, or at least misinterpret. I tried contacting the paper's author, Dr. Tong, but never heard back. So, I turned to another physics expert, Michael Lubell, Professor of Physics at City College of CUNY.Dr. Lubell agreed to listen to the podcast and give me some feedback. A week later, he emailed me this brief note, "Just listened to the string theory podcast. Interestingly presented, but it requires a reasonable amount of expertise to follow it."When I asked about any obvious errors, Lubell wrote, "Nothing obvious, but I’ve never done string theory research." Fair enough, but I'm willing to bet Lubell understands and knows more about string theory than I do.Perhaps, the AI podcasters now know more about the subject than either of us.

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The long-awaited second season of weekly Playdate game drops commences on May 29. During a showcase on Thursday, Panic revealed that players will get two fresh games on their console every seven days for six weeks. It's also promising a surprise of some kind. Unlike the first season of games that's included with every Playdate, you'll need to pay extra for this one. Playdate Season Two will run you $39. You can pre-order now through the Playdate Catalog.

Part of the allure of Playdate's seasons is that the games are a bit of a mystery, so you never quite know what you're going to get in your weekly drops. To that end, Panic didn't go super in depth into all 12 during the showcase, instead opting to shine a spotlight on four of them. One of the games will be of particular interest to FTL: Faster Than Light and Into The Breach fans.

Subset Games, the studio behind those hits, has made a brand new game for the Playdate. It's an arcade action game called Fulcrum Defender. You'll use the crank to aim and shoot at waves of enemies as you try to survive. Subset co-founder Jay Ma says the enemies will progressively become more complex and you'll need to have good aim and choose upgrades wisely to keep your run going.

Antonio "Fáyer" Uribe, one of the folks behind last year's well-received Arco (which Panic published), teamed up with Flinthook designer Dom2D to make Dig! Dig! Dino!. This is a relaxing puzzle game in which you'll be digging for dinosaur bones and treasure. Sell the booty and you can unlock upgrades to help you dig deeper for more bones and artifacts.

The maker of Playdate titles Life’s Too Short and Time From Earth is back with another game that will be part of Season Two. It's a remake of the classic point-and-click adventure Shadowgate for the diminutive console. Pixel Ghost says it took the best parts of the previous versions to make Shadowgate PD, which includes new music, art and features.

The fourth game that was featured in the showcase is Taria & Como, a puzzle platformer that's based around swinging instead of jumping (that reminds me a little of the wonderful Grapple Dogs). You'll take on the role of Taria, a girl with a prosthetic leg who sets out to find her sister, Como. JuVee Productions, Viola Davis' production company, collaborated with Popseed Studio on this project.

"A few years ago, my friend’s son was diagnosed with Tourette’s, and I began to think about what sort of stories he’d grow up with. As a disabled person, I’ve seen the same tropes recycled — pity case, inspiration, disability as a superpower, magical cures," Taria & Como creator Kip Henderson said in a statement. "Disability is complex, and we’re more than the inspirational fodder for able-bodied people. Taria & Como is the story I wish I had growing up."

In addition to the Playdate Season Two details, Panic revealed a new cover for the console to go alongside the purple, blue and pizza ones. This one is yellow to match the hardware and it costs $34. The price of the console itself recently jumped up to $229, but you might be able to snag an official refurbished model for the system's original price of $179.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playdate-season-two-includes-an-action-arcade-game-from-into-the-breach-studio-subset-181438605.html?src=rss

At just €6 per terabyte, Storadera undercuts US cloud giantsIt skipped SSDs for HDDs to slash costs while maintaining solid speedsStoradera plans to expand into Germany, the UK, and beyond

Storadera, a Tallinn-based cloud startup, is offering some of the best cloud storage for photos with S3-compatible storage at €6/TB/month. This puts it head-to-head with providers like Backblaze, which offers a slightly lower rate of €4.75/TB/month.The company's pitch lies not just in low pricing but also in jurisdiction. Being a Europe-based startup, its stored data is beyond the direct jurisdiction of non-EU countries, making it appealing to organizations that require data sovereignty.Storadera’s architecture relies on HDDs rather than SSDs for primary writes. “If we can offer fast enough service on 10x less expensive hardware, then it sounds like magic,” Tommi Kannisto, the founder of Storadera, explained.

Hyperconverged setup

While SSDs are used for metadata, accounting for just 0.05 percent of total disk space, all major writes are done to traditional disks. "QLC 100-plus TB SSDs are still too expensive – and probably will be for the next ten years,” Kannisto said.The company uses a hyperconverged setup, with all servers writing to JBODs – racks containing 102 conventional Western Digital hard drives – using erasure coding schemes such as 4+2 and 6+2, with 8+2 coming soon. Each server has 32GB of RAM and runs services written in 100,000 lines of Go code.“All software runs in all servers and all servers write to all JBODs. There is no load balancer unit,” Kannisto said.The system adapts to load, using “small blocks at times of low load with bigger blocks used at high load times,” and can achieve “close to 300MBps with 2MB files.” It is also preparing to implement higher-capacity shingled magnetic recording (SMR) drives to reduce capital expenditure by up to 25 percent. Storadera also offers bucket geo-replication, object locking for immutability, and integrity checks every 60 days.The company says it is doing well financially, with around 100 customers, including Telia and the Estonian government. It has positioned itself as one of the best cloud storage and cloud backup options available.Despite making slightly less than €1 million a year, the company says it is sustainable and eyeing further growth. “We are profitable… we make a very good profit [and] we’re growing 5 percent/month in revenue,” Kannisto said.Storadera plans to expand into Germany by mid-2025, and aims to enter the UK, and possibly North America or the Asia-Pacific region, later in the yearVia Blocksandfiles

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The TV adaptation of the video game Twisted Metal is coming back for a second season on July 31. Just like the first season, this won’t be a weekly release. All of the episodes will be available on Peacock on that date.

The first season was surprisingly decent, and occasionally hilarious. One thing we didn’t see in that batch of episodes, however, was the titular tournament. The show is rectifying that, as the second season looks to revolve entirely around the Twisted Metal demolition derby.

Co-leads Anthony Mackie and Stephanie Beatriz are both returning. Will Arnett will also once again voice the killer clown Sweet Tooth. Anthony Carrigan, from the HBO show Barry, is on deck as the iconic derby host Calypso. The show’s creators include folks from Cobra Kai and the Deadpool film franchise.

Like I said up top, the first season was surprisingly fun. It’s a fast-paced action-comedy set in a post-apocalyptic version of the US. It’s more goofy than grimdark, so think Fallout and not The Last of Us.

Twisted Metal joins other modern TV adaptations of video games, like Knuckles, The Last of Us, Arcane and Castlevania: Nocturne. Video game adaptations have also been ruling the box office these past few years, with A Minecraft Movie and The Super Mario Bros. Movie both breaking records.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/twisted-metal-season-two-crashes-onto-peacock-on-july-31-182717907.html?src=rss

We already knew that Mario Kart World was being released alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 on June 5 for a whopping $80 (or bundled with the Switch 2 hardware at a slight discount). But this morning, the latest Nintendo Direct gave us nearly 17 minutes of Mario Kart World gameplay. There are plenty of callbacks to classic Mario Kart modes (Balloon Battle Mode), mixed in with all-new options (Knockout Tour). Want the full download? Watch the replay below, and read our full summary of the latest Mario Kart World reveal, as well as our hands-on impressions of the game from earlier this month.

The original story follows.

There’s yet another Nintendo Direct coming our way, which is the third in less than a month. This one is entirely focused on the upcoming Switch 2 launch title Mario Kart World. It starts at 9AM ET and should last around 15 minutes.

It’s livestreaming on Nintendo’s YouTube page, but mega-fans can also open up that recently-launched Nintendo Today! app to follow along. We are embedding the YouTube link, so feel free to keep this tab open.

We have no idea what information Nintendo is going to spring on us as part of this Direct presentation. The company has already released a ton of info about Mario Kart World. It’s an open-world racer that can accommodate 24 plays at the same time.

However, there are still a couple of unknowns. Most of these involve the open-world aspect. Are there any rewards for exploration? Are there secret tracks that can only be unlocked by finding them? Can the same be said for unlockable characters? Again, we don’t know, but hope springs eternal.

There’s also the $80 elephant in the room. The exorbitant retail price of Mario Kart World has sent many fans into a tailspin. That’s a whole lot of money, and Nintendo only recently-released its first-ever $70 game. There’s a minuscule chance that the company will throw us a bone and knock $10 off the asking price, but this is highly unlikely given current economic uncertainty. At the very least, we could get some new data regarding the preorder date for US customers.

Update, April 17 2025, 2:30PM ET: This story was updated after its original publication to include a brief summary of the announcements and link to additional relevant coverage of the game.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/mario-kart-world-direct-rewatch-nearly-17-minutes-of-switch-2-gameplay-184825781.html?src=rss

New Jersey's Attorney General Matthew Platkin is suing Discord over the chat company's child safety features. The lawsuit claims that Discord has "misled parents about the efficacy of its safety controls and obscured the risks children faced when using the application."

The Office of the Attorney General and the state's Division of Consumer Affairs concluded that Discord violated New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act after a multiyear investigation into the company. The details of the lawsuit are currently sealed, but Platkin's announcement suggests a few ways he plans to argue Discord's approach may have endangered children. He says the app uses default settings that "allow users to receive friend requests from anyone on the app" and that it makes it simple to create an account when you're under 13. According to Platkin, Discord "only requires individuals to enter their date of birth to establish their age when creating an account."

When ask for comment, Discord offered the following statement:

Discord is proud of our continuous efforts and investments in features and tools that help make Discord safer. Given our engagement with the Attorney General's office, we are surprised by the announcement that New Jersey has filed an action against Discord today. We dispute the claims in the lawsuit and look forward to defending the action in court.

Discord has introduced multiple features over the years with the express purpose of protecting younger users. Following a report that detailed 35 cases involving Discord in which adults were prosecuted on charges like "kidnapping, grooming or sexual assault," the company introduced its Family Center tool, which lets adults track what their children do on the app. Teen Safety Assist, also introduced in 2023, added automatic content filters and a new warning system for people who violate the apps guidelines. In 2025, Discord launched a nonprofit coalition called Roost with the express purpose of developing open-source child safety tools.

Discord, like other social platforms, has faced scrutiny before, and the pressure seems like it's only going to increase. Back in 2024, California lawmakers proposed the idea of blocking children's access to algorithmic social feeds, and just this year Utah passed an age verification law for app stores, a decidedly blunt way to try and guarantee child safety.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/new-jersey-ag-sues-discord-over-alleged-child-safety-failures-184501604.html?src=rss

Xbox's Spring Sale is live, with big discounts on old and new classics and plenty of forgotten gems. But the deals aren't limited to Xbox console games; there's plenty on tap for PC, too. (You can filter by platform under the "Play with" option in the sidebar.)

Some of the standouts in the Xbox sale include 75 percent off Red Dead Redemption 2 (a mere $15 for the 2018 masterpiece), Elden Ring ($36) and 20 percent off Baldur's Gate 3 ($56). Also available are Subnautica ($9.89), the feline adventure Stray ($18) and Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition ($40).

If you're one of the two gamers who don't already own it, you can even snag Grand Theft Auto V for a mere $20. (Even if you have the 2013 mega-hit on another platform, this is the enhanced version for Xbox Series X/S.)

CupheadStudioMDHR

A few more worth checking out include the Cuphead & The Delicious Last Course bundle ($18.89), Borderlands 3 ($6), Hogwarts Legacy: Digital Deluxe Edition ($20) and the stealth sandbox Hitman World of Assassination ($28).

You can check out the entire Xbox Spring Sale for much more. It lasts until April 30, so you have time for a deep dive before it ends.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-xbox-spring-sale-is-live-185646088.html?src=rss

Just a day after massive Spotify and Zoom outages, it appears that Walmart is having some issues with its online store in the United States. While it’s not a complete outage, it seems to be preventing folks from viewing products and checking out.Right now, I can get the main Walmart page to load as well as shopping category ones, but when searching for an item – be it a Nintendo Switch 2 preorder, AirPods Pro, or Lego sets – I receive a “Sorry…” graphic.It seems I’m not the only one either, as Down Detector, a site that tracks outages and lets folks mark issues, is currently showing over 3,250 reported outages for Walmart as of 3:12 PM ET.We’re going to keep trying to search for products on Walmart, but TechRadar has also reached out to the retail and online shopping giant to ask what’s going on with the site. If they respond, we’ll update, but in the meantime, follow along with our live blog on Walmart’s current issues with its online store.

Here's a look at what I'm encountering when searching for AirPods: I see a "Sorry..." typeface with a random graphic – in this case, a toaster – as well as the text "We’re having technical issues, but we’ll be back in a flash."

(Image credit: Future)

Sonos is offering discounts on its refurbished gear just in time for Earth Day. Select purchases of the audio company's certified refurbished products are currently 25 percent off. That means you can pick up a pre-owned Arc soundbar for $599, or $120 less than the usual sticker price. The deal is running through April 22 or as long as supplies of the refurb items last, so if you're considering one of these revitalized audio products, it's probably best to act quickly. Here's the list of what's currently available.

Right now, in addition to the Arc, the Sub subwoofer is $160 off and available for $479, or you can save $90 on the smaller Sub Mini for $259. Ace headphones are $269, which is a savings of $90. There are also versions of the Beam soundbar currently listed on the refurbished page. The newer Beam (Gen 2) speaker costs $299 and the older Beam (Gen 1) costs $191, which is $100 and $128 off their usual prices.

Buying refurbished items is a great option for saving on major tech purchases while also keeping pre-owned products from going into landfills. We've got a complete guide on how to approach this sector, but in most cases, it's a chance for companies to find buyers for products that are like new that were returned. With this promotion, Sonos is upping the environmental impact by donating a portion of refurbished item sales to conservation nonprofits.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/select-sonos-refurbished-gear-is-25-percent-off-through-april-22-194800703.html?src=rss