Aug 23
This week is off to a simple start, at least as far as Wordle puzzles are concerned. Today brings another familiar word, one you’ve no doubt said many times.
Aug 23
Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5 series includes a Pro model, and while it has great specs, there’s one subtle design change that may really annoy some consumers.
Aug 23
If you love technology as much as we do and have writing chops to boot, we want to hear from you. Engadget is looking for freelance news writers in the US! Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume and links to three writing samples to jobs at engadget dot com. Here’s the deal:
Contributing writer
Engadget is looking for ambitious and enthusiastic freelance writers capable of telling compelling stories about technology, science and the future of everything. The ideal candidate will put important news in proper context with minimal fluff, find an interesting and original angle from which to tackle a story, explain complicated subjects simply and clearly, and do this all reasonably quickly.
As a writer at Engadget you’ll be an essential part of our dedicated and passionate news team. Our ideal candidates will have some solid professional media experience under their belt, but we’re also open to early-career writers who are ready to hustle. You’ll gain valuable experience and exposure in a fast-paced, online newsroom. Plus, you’ll have access to some of the finest writers and reporters in the business who can offer invaluable lessons on how to thrive in the modern media landscape.
Freelance contributing writers will take on between three and five assignments per day (sometime between 8AM and 9PM ET, but your exact schedule is negotiable). We are currently looking for writers located in the US, or anyone willing to work during US business hours. Shifts will be a minimum of four hours.
We’re looking for:
Preferably someone who already has some professional tech/science/auto bylines under their belt.
A familiarity with and sincere interest in consumer technology.
A writer with a strong, lively voice who can turn in clean copy quickly.
Works well with others, and is receptive to feedback.
Experience with Photoshop or other photo editing software is a plus.
Aug 23
The GOP strategist said Trump should spend some of his $120 million war chest to help the stumbling Republican Senate candidates he endorsed.
Aug 23
The latest-generation Xbox consoles support Dolby Atmos, and there’s a good chance your headset is compatible. Here’s how to turn the audio format on.
Aug 23
If you were hoping to while the holiday season wearing a virtual reality headset from Sony, you are sadly out of luck. Nearly six years after its predecessor debuted in 2016, Sony took to Instagram on Monday to announce that its next iteration of the console-based VR system won’t arrive until “early 2023.”
The company first showed off the new hardware, which includes an updated headset and revamped controllers, back in February. Built to better fit in with the PS5’s smoother design aesthetics, the PS VR2 will reportedly feature softer, more forgiving ergonomics as well as offer live streaming capabilities and Cinematic Mode.
According to a PlayStation blog last month, the new setup would run 4000 x 2040 resolution (that’s 2000 x 2040 per eye) at 90/120hz while a “see-through mode” safety feature will keep wayward players from wandering too far a virtual field, similar to what Meta offers on the Quest Guardian. There’s no word yet on pricing.
Aug 23
In his “emergency message,” the notorious disinformation peddler asked Trump to watch the first minutes of Thursday’s show “so you can see what I said in context.”
Aug 23
With the right electric vehicle and a compatible home charging station, you have the potential to end power outages at your home forever.
Aug 23
There’s no shortage of enviable BMW cars, but one stands out as a must-drive: the E30. What made this model so special? A little bit of everything.
Aug 23
Instagram is testing a new feature called Candid Challenges, which bears a striking resemblance to BeReal, a photo sharing app popular among Gen. Z. The currently unreleased feature was spotted by Alessandro Paluzzi, a developer known for reverse engineering apps and finding early versions of upcoming updates. An Instagram spokesperson confirmed the feature is an “internal prototype,” but declined to provide additional details.
According to Paluzzi, Instagram users participating in Candid Challenges will see a notification at a different time each day to snap a photo of their surroundings. Upon getting the prompt, the Instagram camera will also open with both front and rear-facing shooters, and give users a two-minute window to snap a pic. Content shared via the challenges will appear in the Stories tray.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because the functionality sounds nearly identical to BeReal, a selfie app marketed as a more candid and authentic alternative to mainstream social media platforms. The app, which originally launched in 2019, also prompts users to take a photo using their phone’s front and rear-facing cameras at a random time each day. The daily prompts also expire after two minutes, after which users can view all the photos shared by their friends that day.
#Instagram is working on IG Candid Challenges, a feature inspired by @BeReal_App 👀
ℹ️ Add other’s IG Candid to your story tray. And everyday at a different time, get a notification to capture and share a Photo in 2 Minutes. pic.twitter.com/caTCgUPtEV
— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) August 22, 2022
It’s not yet clear if or when Instagram intends to launch the feature. An Instagram spokesperson described the feature as an “internal prototype” that’s “not testing externally.” But the fact that the company is testing the functionality suggests it’s at least considering replicating the app inside of its own service.
BeReal has a big following among Gen. Z, and has been rising in popularity over the last several months. BeReal is currently sitting in the top position in Apple’s App Store, ahead of both Instagram (No. 8) and Facebook (No. 18). It’s been among the ten most-popular free apps for much of this summer.
Mark Zuckerberg has said Meta’s future relies on appealing to young adults, who are increasingly spending their time on non-Meta platforms. And while TikTok is currently its top competitor, the company is known to closely monitor its rivals and has often copied features from other services. Instagram also recently added a new “Dual” setting to its in-app camera that mimics the shooting style popularized by BeReal.
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