ChatGPT has surpassed 400 million weekly active users. “We feel very fortunate to serve 5 percent of the world every week,” OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap said on X about the new audience stat. This figure is twice the weekly active user count reported by the company in August 2024, which was double the figure it posted in November 2023.
The latest milestone for the AI assistant comes after a huge uproar over new rival platform DeepSeek earlier in the year, which raised questions about whether the current crop of leading AI tools was about to be dethroned. OpenAI is on the verge of a move to simplify its ChatGPT offerings so that users won’t have to select which reasoning model will respond to an input, and it will make its GPT-4.5 and GPT-5 models available soon in the chat and API clients. With GPT-5 being made available to OpenAI’s free users, ChatGPT seems primed to continue expanding its audience base in the coming months.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-reaches-400m-weekly-active-users-203635884.html?src=rss
Meta has rolled out several new features for Instagram’s direct messages (DMs), making communication more interactive and convenient. One of the most notable updates is the ability to send music directly in chats. Users can now share songs with friends using the same integration that allows adding music clips to Stories. By selecting the Music option from the sticker icon in the text box, they can search for a track, which will appear in the conversation with an elegant illustration and function as a 30-second audio player.
Another major improvement is automatic message translation, which allows users to translate foreign-language messages simply by pressing and holding them. This feature is particularly useful for conversations between people who speak different languages.
Additionally, Instagram now lets users pin important messages—whether text, images, or links—at the top of the chat for quick access. This can help keep essential information easily available in ongoing conversations.
To improve message organization, the platform has also introduced message scheduling, allowing users to compose a message and set it to be sent at a specific date and time. This feature is ideal for reminders, birthday messages, or time-sensitive conversations. To schedule a message, users simply need to type it, press and hold the send button, choose a date and time, and confirm.
Another enhancement is the ability to invite friends to group chats using QR codes. These codes, customizable with different colors, can be saved, shared, or even printed for easy use in physical locations. Group admins can refresh the QR code at any time from the chat settings.
Instagram has also recently introduced new restrictions for minors and is currently testing a dislike button for comments, signaling ongoing efforts to improve user safety and engagement.
The Action button is available on nearly every iPhone Apple sells, offering a quick way to access a feature, app or shortcut on your phone, just by pushing a button. It can be a flashlight, activate a smart home routine or let you access any number of custom shortcuts without having to unlock your phone and pick through apps.
Apple added the Action Button on the iPhone 15 Pro as a replacement for the iPhone’s original Ring / Silent switch, and it was an acknowledgement of sorts that lots of people keep their phones on silent anyway. Having a reassignable button was pitched as a “Pro” feature at the time, but much like the Dynamic Island, it came to all of Apple’s other phones in short order, even the entry-level iPhone 16e.
How to use the Action Button
Apple
You can use the Action Button for yourself on an iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16 Pro Max and iPhone 16e just by pressing or holding down the small button above the volume up and down buttons on the left side of your phone. By default, the Action Button will mute or unmute your text and ringtones. This fills the same role as the old Ring / Silent switch. Heading into the Settings app will let you reassign it to another task and you can silence your phone via the Control Center.
How to reassign the Action Button to Flashlight
Ian Carlos Campbell for Engadget
Out of the box, Apple lets you assign the Action button to several different controls: Silent Mode (Ring / Silent), Focus (either a specific Focus or a menu that lets you pick each time), Camera (a specific mode like Photo or Video), Flashlight, Voice Memo, Recognize Music, Translate, Magnifier, Controls (a specific control from Control Center like Airplane Mode), Shortcut, Accessibility (toggling a specific accessibility feature) or do nothing at all.
If you wanted to switch from the default, Silent Mode, to the Flashlight, you need to first unlock your phone. Then:
Open the Settings app.
Tap on “Action Button.”
From there, swipe through the different options until you land on Flashlight.
To test that it worked, try pressing on the Action Button.
You can use this same process to reassign the Action Button to any of the built-in actions Apple provides.
How to make the Action Button open an app
Ian Carlos Campbell for Engadget
If you’d like to get a little more adventurous, you can also have the Action Button open a specific app on your phone. Let’s say, for example, your go-to game on the iPhone is Balatro. You can have the Action Button automatically pull up Balatro whenever you press it.
To set it up, you’ll need your iPhone unlocked.
Open the Settings app.
Tap on “Action Button.”
Swipe through the options until you reach “Shortcut.”
Tap on “Choose a Shortcut…”
Then tap on “Open App…”
Then scroll until you find your chosen app and tap on it.
This process works for any app on your phone, including features of specific apps, like if you wanted to jump directly into ChatGPT’s Voice Mode or a new note in the Notes app.
How to make the Action button activate a shortcut
Ian Carlos Campbell for Engadget
The Shortcut action works for more complicated Apple Shortcuts, too. Technically, any shortcut designed to be triggered by you choosing to activate it (as opposed to a time or location-based shortcut) works. There’s a lot of interesting shortcuts out there, and plenty of custom ones you can make on your own, but to use a simple example, here’s how you’d set the Action Button to start a Pomodoro timer.
Open the Settings app.
Tap on “Action Button.”
Swipe through the options until you get to “Shortcut.”
Tap on “Choose a Shortcut…”
Tap on whatever shortcut you want activate.
Press and hold the Action Button to make sure it works.
In the case of the Pomodoro timer, you’ll be prompted to choose how long you want the timer to last, and then you can tap “Done” to start it.
Between lock screen widgets and app shortcuts, home screen widgets, and the Action Button, there’s now multiple ways to check information inside of an app, adjust a specific setting or use specific functionality from the apps on your iPhone. It’s confusing, but a good rule of thumb is that the Action Button works best for actions that you only need to enable once or binary, on / off features. Plenty of others things work, but at a certain point you’ll want to be spending time in an app instead of futzing with the buttons on your phone.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-make-the-most-of-the-iphones-action-button-193038089.html?src=rss
Potensic has unveiled the ATOM 2, a compact and lightweight drone designed to replace its predecessor and compete with the DJI Mini 4K in the entry-level market. With a minimalist design, it aims to offer high-quality imaging and advanced flight features at an affordable price.
The ATOM 2 is equipped with a 48MP Sony CMOS sensor, allowing it to capture 8K photos and 4K HDR videos. It also includes AI-powered object tracking, making it ideal for users who want automated subject tracking for dynamic shots.
A key feature of the drone is its 10 km transmission range, which enables 1080p live streaming over long distances. Additionally, it supports vertical video recording, catering to social media content creators who require mobile-friendly formats.
To enhance the flying experience, the ATOM 2 comes with several intelligent flight modes, including Quickshots, Dolly Zoom, and Dynamic HomePoint. These modes allow users to create cinematic shots with minimal effort. The drone also includes automated photography functions, making it accessible for beginners.
For convenience, Potensic has introduced SmartTransfer, a feature that allows users to quickly transfer 4K footage to their smartphones via Wi-Fi, eliminating the need for a wired connection.
Availability and Pricing
The Potensic ATOM 2 is available for purchase on the company’s official website. The Standard Kit is priced at $339.99, while the Fly More Combo, which includes additional accessories, costs $459.99. With its competitive pricing and advanced features, the ATOM 2 presents itself as an affordable alternative to the DJI Mini 4K, making it an attractive option for beginner drone enthusiasts.
It’s been ten long years since Avatar: The Legend of Korra aired its final episode and over 15 years since Avatar: The Last Airbender bowed out. Now, finally, Nickelodeon has greenlit a sequel series and it sounds pretty awesome. Deadline reports that Avatar: Seven Havens will be a 2D animated 26-episode followup that chronicles the rise of the next Avatar after Korra.
Franchise creators Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are developing the series, so we know it’s in good hands. The plot sounds pretty dark. It seems the world has fallen into chaos following a cataclysmic event of some kind. The titular “seven havens” refer to a handful of small civilizations that have managed to weather the storm.
Also, the next Avatar will be a female Earthbender. In this world, however, the Avatar is reviled and seen as a harbinger of doom instead of a hero. That’s an interesting twist.
“This new incarnation of the Avatarverse is full of fantasy, mystery and a whole new cast of amazing characters. Get ready to take another epic and emotional adventure,” DiMartino and Konietzko said in a statement.
The premiere date and casting information will be released later in the year. We do know that the 26 episodes will be split into two books, or seasons, which is similar to how the original shows handled things. It remains to be seen if the series will cap out at 26 episodes or if that’s just the first two chapters. Personally, I wonder if any aged Korra characters will show up.
The announcement of Avatar: Seven Havens is just the latest news from the franchise. DiMartino and Konietzko are also working on a trilogy of animated movies, with the first one centering on an adult Aang and friends. That one hits theaters on January 30, 2026. Of course, the Netflix live-action adaptation of the original series still has two more seasons to go.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/theres-a-new-avatar-the-last-airbender-cartoon-coming-to-nickelodeon-182956881.html?src=rss
The Pokémon Company is hosting a morning livestream on February 27 at 9AM ET to share the “latest news and updates” from Pikachu and pals. You can stream it via the official YouTube channel. This is the yearly Pokémon Presents event that typically provides info on what’s coming to empty our wallets throughout the year (and beyond.)
So what can we expect this year? Both The Pokémon Company and Nintendo remain tight-lipped, but we can make some educated guesses. Pokemon Legends: Z-A, the follow-up to the open-world Pokémon Legends: Arceus, was announced in early 2024. It’s high time we got some more details on the upcoming game.
The title was originally advertised as a Switch exclusive, but now that the Switch 2 is on our radar, maybe it’ll be a dual-release or something. We could get that information, along with an announcement regarding the game’s trio of starter Pokémon.
There’s a new Pokémon TGC set arriving in May. It’s called Destined Rivals, so we can expect a detailed look at this update. We might even get a tease for another set down the line. Pokémon cards, both digital and physical, are still very much a big deal. To that end, we could get details regarding new features for TGC Pocket.
Pokémon GO’s next season starts on March 4, which is just a few days after the stream. We’ll most definitely get a trailer for that, along with some updates on any new features. Beyond that, it’s a guessing game. Hope springs eternal that we’ll finally get those remakes of Pokémon Black and White. In any event, February 27 is right around the corner.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/theres-a-pokemon-presents-livestream-scheduled-for-february-27-171813096.html?src=rss
The Google Pixel 8a mid-tier smartphone is back on sale for $399 via Amazon. This is close to a record-low price and represents a discount of 20 percent. Even better? The sale applies to multiple colorways, including mint green, light blue and white. This deal is for the 128GB model.
This device topped our list of the best mid-range smartphones, and with good reason. It’s a well-designed phone that gets the job done. It features a powerful Tensor G3 chip, offers support for Google Gemini AI tools and includes an excellent camera system. The 120Hz OLED display is gorgeous and the battery life is on point.
We called the Pixel 8a “one of the best values of any phone on sale today” in our official review, and that was at the original $499 asking price. It’s especially well-valued with today’s sale. We even enjoyed gaming with this device, which isn’t always the case with mid-range phones. The 8a also comes with IP67 dust and water resistance and 7.5-watt Qi wireless charging.
There aren’t any major downsides to this phone, though we do have a couple of nitpicks. The wireless charging, while convenient, is pretty slow. The display bezels are also on the thicker side, so you lose some precious screen real estate. Other than that, this is a near-perfect mid-range phone. It’s also a full $200 cheaper than Apple’s just-announced “budget” smartphone, the iPhone 16e.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/googles-pixel-8a-drops-to-399-at-amazon-163059224.html?src=rss
If there’s one downside to the sheer number of security cameras Ring makes, it’s the sheer darn volume of them. Joining the mob today is the Outdoor Cam Plus, packing a new high-quality lens and 2K imaging sensor promising “a clear, colorful view even in near dark conditions.” It’s clad in a weather-resistant body and can run from mains power, via a rechargeable battery or with one of Ring’s custom solar panels. The company adds the Plus is just as comfortable working indoors as out in the open, and ships with a new mount that will even hold the camera in place on ceilings.
Unfortunately you might have to spend some time poring through the specs to work out where this one will sit in Ring’s camera firmament. After all, there’s already the Stick Up Cam, Stick Up Cam Pro and Stick Up Cam Elite available to buy in the US, and that’s before you get to the models with built-in floodlights. Not to mention the Stick Up Cam Pro, with 3D motion detection and Bird’s Eye Zones, is arguably a better product than the Elite which costs almost a hundred dollars more. Perhaps it’s time for Ring to trim down the excesses in its line up to make everything a lot cleaner for consumers.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/ring-beefs-up-the-image-quality-on-its-new-outdoor-cam-plus-140049128.html?src=rss
In a recent publication made on its website, Facebook announced that it is updating its Live Video storage policy, reducing the retention period for broadcasts. Starting February 19, live videos will be stored for only 30 days before being automatically deleted—Previously, these videos were stored indefinitely.
Key Changes:
Live videos can be replayed, downloaded, or shared for 30 days before removal.
Existing live videos older than 30 days will be deleted in phases over the coming months.
Users will receive notifications before their videos are deleted and have 90 days to take action.
Options to save videos include downloading, transferring to cloud storage, or converting to reels.
How to Save Live Videos:
To help users preserve their content, Facebook is providing multiple download options:
Single Download:
Find the video in the Videos or Live tab on your profile or page.
Open the full-screen view, click […], and select “Download video.”
Alternatively, use the Activity Log to locate and download videos.
Bulk Download:
Open the download notification and select “Download live videos.”
Choose a location and date range for the download.
Click “Create File” to start the process.
Transfer to Cloud Storage:
Open the download notification and select “Transfer live videos.”
Choose a linked cloud provider like Google Drive or Dropbox and save the videos.
Convert to Reels:
Users can clip shorter moments from their live videos and save them as reels, keeping them on their profile beyond 30 days.
Postpone Deletion for Six Months
Users needing more time to manage their videos can postpone deletion for up to six months by following these steps:
Open the deletion notification and select “Learn More.”
Tap “Postpone the deletion” and confirm.
For more details, Facebook’s Help Center provides further guidance on managing live video content.
Twitch is putting a cap on how much storage a streamer can take up for their uploads and highlight videos. The streaming service has announced that starting on April 19, all uploads and highlights will count towards a new 100-hour storage limit for each streamer, whether the videos are published or not. To note, the cap doesn’t apply to past broadcasts, which are previous livestreams saved to a streamer’s account for on-demand viewing, or clips, which are minute-long segments that can be shared to social networks. Highlights can be longer than clips and can be made of several key moments from a video, which means they could take up more storage space.
The service explained that it originally launched highlights to drive discovery and engagement for streamers, but the feature apparently hasn’t been as effective clips and the mobile discovery feed. Storage is costly, and limiting highlights and uploads will allow the service to support the videos users want to keep on their accounts while also investing in improvements for features like Clips and mobile feed.
Twitch said less than 0.5 percent of active streamers has gone over the 100-hour limit, and those who have will be notified directly. To make it easier for streamers to choose which videos they want to keep, Twitch has rolled out filters for Video Producer that will allow them to sort their content based on length, view count and date created. The service will be deleting videos for users that go beyond the 100-hour cap on April 19 and will be limiting uploads and highlights going forward.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/twitch-streamers-uploads-and-highlights-can-no-longer-exceed-100-hours-143018464.html?src=rss
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
