Hasta La Gadget!

Apple is continuing to expand its efforts in the extended reality (XR) market and plans to launch a more affordable version of its Vision Pro headset between late 2025 and early 2026, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. Alongside this, the company is also actively developing its first smart glasses, signaling a broader push into wearable technology.

Since the debut of the Vision Pro, Apple has been seeking ways to make the device more accessible to a wider audience. The company’s strategy involves creating products that are lighter, more comfortable, and more affordable. Gurman reports that the upcoming version of the Vision Pro will be a lighter and less expensive model, designed for longer periods of comfortable wear.

To achieve this, Apple plans to use internal titanium frames while maintaining an aluminum exterior finish. This construction will not only enhance durability but also help visually differentiate the “Pro” model from the more mainstream variant. Rumors suggest that the new headset could be named “Apple Vision” or “Apple Vision Air.”

Mockups of Apple’s “Vision Pro Air” and the Smart glasses codenamed “N50” (Image: DALL-E)

This more affordable model is intended to attract consumers who might find the current Vision Pro’s price and weight prohibitive, helping Apple build a larger user base before introducing a full second-generation Vision Pro. By broadening its XR ecosystem, Apple aims to strengthen its position in a growing yet still emerging market.

In parallel, Apple is also working on smart glasses, internally codenamed N50. Unlike the Vision Pro, these glasses are expected to function more like Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses, incorporating AI features, environmental sensors, microphones, and speakers. However, the initial version of the smart glasses will reportedly not include augmented reality (AR) displays. Instead, they will focus on delivering contextual information through audio and AI-based interactions.

Although still in early development with no official release timeline, these glasses are seen as a potential introduction to “Apple Intelligence,” a concept centered around providing discreet, context-aware information to users. Apple is still considering whether the glasses will feature cameras for photography, balancing the desire for advanced functionality against privacy concerns.

Together, these initiatives suggest Apple is preparing a multi-tiered approach to wearable technology, offering both high-end immersive experiences and more subtle, everyday smart devices to meet a range of consumer needs.

Apple Could Be Planning Affordable Vision Pro And Smart Glasses Launch By 2026

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The consequences of President Trump’s tariff policies are starting to kick in. Crowdfunding platform Kickstarter just announced something called a “Tariff Manager Tool” that lets creators add new surcharges to funded projects. This should help these creators deal with the unexpected costs of Trump’s global trade war.

Here’s how it works. Creators will be able to apply per-item surcharges to account for tariff-related cost increases. These charges will appear as a separate line item on the payment page for folks who have funded the project. It only applies to items heading to US-based shipping addresses. 

Not everyone will want to, or be able to, pay an additional fee for something they backed months or years ago when the economy was stronger. Backers will be given the option to decline the surcharge, in which case a creator can issue a refund. A blog post does suggest that backers and creators could find “another resolution,” beyond a refund, but didn’t get into specifics.

“We understand that asking backers to pay an additional fee—especially after a campaign has ended—can be sensitive,” Kickstarter said. “Our goal is to provide you with the flexibility and transparency necessary to navigate those conversations with clarity and care.”

Many Kickstarter projects rely on parts manufactured in China, Vietnam and other places that are now subject to exorbitant tariffs. This is poised to be exceptionally brutal for American small businesses, but Kickstarter creators face another hurdle. Backers typically fund a project months or years before fulfillment. It’s going to be unpleasant to find a new surcharge for something funded back in 2023 or whenever.

A tabletop game maker called Stonemaier Games is suing President Trump over these tariffs. The small Missouri-based company has joined an upcoming lawsuit that alleges the president’s actions have put the livelihood of its employees in jeopardy. The suit challenges the constitutionality of the tariffs and noted that they will cost the company $1.5 million in additional import fees. Stonemaier is primarily known for the excellent Wingspan, which made our list of the best board games.

Retailers across the country, both large and small, have been warning consumers that prices are about to shoot up in May and that many products could become totally unavailable. This is due to both the tariffs and a recent executive order by Trump that eliminated a loophole that allowed small packages to avoid additional import charges. If you’ve been eyeing a particular gadget, you should probably get on that sooner rather than later.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/kickstarter-adds-a-tariff-manager-to-let-creators-add-surcharges-to-previously-funded-projects-170851069.html?src=rss

LG’s 2025 lineup of its QNED Evo premium LCD TVs will be available to buy starting in May, following an initial reveal at the end of 2024 ahead of CES. The flagship QNED9M is the first QNED (Quantum Nano-Emitting Diode) TV capable of leveraging LG’s True Wireless tech to wirelessly transmit and display 4K content, a feature previously exclusive to the company’s more premium OLED TVs.

LG might be best known for its OLEDs these days, but the trickling down of the wireless functionality it first introduced back in 2023 with the Zero Connect Box is proof that the company isn’t forgetting about its more affordable LCD sets. LG claims that with devices like game consoles or set-top boxes plugged into that external box, you can expect to transmit 4K content at up to 144Hz with no latency or loss in picture and audio quality. In a win for clutter-haters (and who isn’t one of those), the only cable you’ll need to plug into the TV itself is its power cord. It’s worth noting that models 55-inch and below top out at a refresh rate of 120Hz.

The QNED Evo lineup is powered by LG’s Alpha AI processor. The updated TVs also benefit from LG’s Dynamic QNED Color solution, replacing quantum dot tech, which produces more vivid and lifelike colors. QNED TVs combine quantum dot and nanocell technology with Mini LED backlighting that employs thousands of dimming zones. As a result, you get brighter images and higher contrast compared to a more traditional LCD panel, even if it’s still a step down from the self-lit pixels on an OLED display.

The new AI Magic Remote you get in the box has a dedicated AI button, which when pressed allows you to make personalized voice requests. The baked-in AI tech can also tweak the TV according to your personal audio and visual preferences, enhance faces and key scene elements, and produce virtual 9.1.2 surround sound from the built-in speakers.

The TVs also double as smart home hubs, offering multi-platform connectivity through LG ThinQ and Google Home. AirPlay and Google Cast are from your iPhone or Android device of choice.

With sizes ranging from 50 to 100 inches, the refreshed QNED Evo models roll out next month in the US, but prices still haven’t been announced.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/lgs-refreshed-qned-evo-lcd-tvs-are-arriving-in-may-161545392.html?src=rss

There’s an understandable and undeniable pall hanging over The Last of Us after last week’s shocker. And it’s the calm before the storm that’ll make up the rest of the season: Ellie and Dina’s trip to Seattle to track down Joel’s killers. But amid the sadness of that loss and the frustration of Ellie not getting the support of the town in her revenge plan is the absolute delight of seeing more of Ellie and Dina together.

They were probably the highlight of the first episode — their chemistry didn’t immediately hit Joel and Ellie levels, but Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced were doing great work together right off the bat. Here, we get to see a lot more of them together, and Dina’s combination of playfulness and planning is a solid counter to Ellie’s dry humor and impulsive nature.

A great example is their trip to Seattle on horseback, as Dina challenges Ellie to name the best band she can think of for every letter of the alphabet, something Ellie eventually has quite enough of. Dina says she can come up with another game, and Ellie immediately quips they could just travel in silence, something Dina ignores and makes Ellie tell her about the first person she had to kill. Just the kind of lighthearted road trip companion Ellie needs right now.

Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO

Dina is at her best in this episode when she barges in on Ellie planning for a midnight escape from the city to bring Abby to justice on her own. Earlier in the episode, the Jackson town council votes down her proposal to assemble a large crew to go after the WLF group — primarily because the town was so ravaged by the Infected horde the same day Joel was killed that they can’t spare the people. Naturally, Ellie is ready to go rogue and go on her own, but she’s not really ready. Dina shows up at her place, teases her for not planning to bring anything but guns, and lays out exactly what they need and what they don’t. Oh, and she already has it all ready to go. It’s a little too mean to say Ellie is not the brains of the operation, but she’d almost certainly be in trouble without Dina.

Beyond her practical skills, Dina flirts with Ellie constantly throughout the episode, asking Ellie to rate their kiss at the New Year’s Eve dance, teasing her about wanting to wear her Converse on a lengthy journey, whispering in Ellie’s ear that she is a badass after Ellie makes a dorky, action movie-style proclamation. But perhaps the most telling comment she makes is after they very briefly discuss that NYE kiss — Ellie says Dina was high, Dina says Ellie was drunk, and they both agree it didn’t really mean anything. They then turn off the light in their tent, and Dina can’t help but say she wasn’t that high. Ramsey and Merced’s version of “will they, won’t they” brings some much-needed levity to their situation.

Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO

And to be clear, levity is much needed. Even though there isn’t much real action, the fallout from Joel’s death and the Infected siege is all over this episode. It starts with Tommy slowly cleaning Joel’s body before the camera pulls out and shows a whole room of bodies covered with sheets. That’s followed by Ellie awakening in a hospital with a tube coming out of her chest; she then screams bloody murder at remembering what happened to her. That’s not to mention the sunrise visit to Joel’s grave where Ellie briefly smiles as she puts some coffee beans by his side, or her walk through his empty house where she finds his signature watch, revolver and jacket. Keep the tissues handy.

While Ramsey’s Ellie is at her best when partnered with Dina, she also does some great work on her own — the aforementioned hospital scene is chilling, but my favorite Ellie moments in this episode are when she’s trying (and failing) to convince people she’s okay. Her speech to the town assembly encouraging them to go after the WLF is not the off-the-cuff anger that Jesse encouraged her to avoid, but you can tell Ellie is just trying to placate the masses instead of saying what she really wants. The same goes for her conversation with Gail the therapist when she leaves the hospital, though Ellie doesn’t even try to hide her therapy platitudes behind a veneer of belief.

Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO

Oddly enough, it’s Seth (the bigot who got bowled over by Joel in episode one) who says what Ellie is really feeling, interrupting the meeting when someone objects to the plan to go to Seattle. Seth is enraged by what happened to a member of his community and thinks they should pursue justice at any cost. It’s far from the most measured take, but it certainly feels like the most honest.

Thus it’s not a huge surprise when he’s ready to help Ellie and Dina as they slip out of town, offering them a load of supplies and insisting Ellie take his better rifle. He says he’d go with them except for catching some friendly fire during the Infected battle, to which Ellie replies “are you sure it was friendly?” She’s clearly not ready to forgive him for his words, but a better gun, some supplies and a shared desire for revenge gets her close enough. She shakes his offered hand as they ride out of town.

Infected Score: 0/10

The showrunners say season two will have more Infected than season one — let’s see if they’re sticking to their word.

No Infected to be seen here, aside from some charred corpses around Jackson. That’s just fine with me after last week’s showdown.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-last-of-us-season-two-the-path-recap-the-calm-after-the-storm-before-the-storm-120036861.html?src=rss

There’s an understandable and undeniable pall hanging over The Last of Us after last week’s shocker. And it’s the calm before the storm that’ll make up the rest of the season: Ellie and Dina’s trip to Seattle to track down Joel’s killers. But amid the sadness of that loss and the frustration of Ellie not getting the support of the town in her revenge plan is the absolute delight of seeing more of Ellie and Dina together.

They were probably the highlight of the first episode — their chemistry didn’t immediately hit Joel and Ellie levels, but Bella Ramsey and Isabela Merced were doing great work together right off the bat. Here, we get to see a lot more of them together, and Dina’s combination of playfulness and planning is a solid counter to Ellie’s dry humor and impulsive nature.

A great example is their trip to Seattle on horseback, as Dina challenges Ellie to name the best band she can think of for every letter of the alphabet, something Ellie eventually has quite enough of. Dina says she can come up with another game, and Ellie immediately quips they could just travel in silence, something Dina ignores and makes Ellie tell her about the first person she had to kill. Just the kind of lighthearted road trip companion Ellie needs right now.

Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO

Dina is at her best in this episode when she barges in on Ellie planning for a midnight escape from the city to bring Abby to justice on her own. Earlier in the episode, the Jackson town council votes down her proposal to assemble a large crew to go after the WLF group — primarily because the town was so ravaged by the Infected horde the same day Joel was killed that they can’t spare the people. Naturally, Ellie is ready to go rogue and go on her own, but she’s not really ready. Dina shows up at her place, teases her for not planning to bring anything but guns, and lays out exactly what they need and what they don’t. Oh, and she already has it all ready to go. It’s a little too mean to say Ellie is not the brains of the operation, but she’d almost certainly be in trouble without Dina.

Beyond her practical skills, Dina flirts with Ellie constantly throughout the episode, asking Ellie to rate their kiss at the New Year’s Eve dance, teasing her about wanting to wear her Converse on a lengthy journey, whispering in Ellie’s ear that she is a badass after Ellie makes a dorky, action movie-style proclamation. But perhaps the most telling comment she makes is after they very briefly discuss that NYE kiss — Ellie says Dina was high, Dina says Ellie was drunk, and they both agree it didn’t really mean anything. They then turn off the light in their tent, and Dina can’t help but say she wasn’t that high. Ramsey and Merced’s version of “will they, won’t they” brings some much-needed levity to their situation.

Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO

And to be clear, levity is much needed. Even though there isn’t much real action, the fallout from Joel’s death and the Infected siege is all over this episode. It starts with Tommy slowly cleaning Joel’s body before the camera pulls out and shows a whole room of bodies covered with sheets. That’s followed by Ellie awakening in a hospital with a tube coming out of her chest; she then screams bloody murder at remembering what happened to her. That’s not to mention the sunrise visit to Joel’s grave where Ellie briefly smiles as she puts some coffee beans by his side, or her walk through his empty house where she finds his signature watch, revolver and jacket. Keep the tissues handy.

While Ramsey’s Ellie is at her best when partnered with Dina, she also does some great work on her own — the aforementioned hospital scene is chilling, but my favorite Ellie moments in this episode are when she’s trying (and failing) to convince people she’s okay. Her speech to the town assembly encouraging them to go after the WLF is not the off-the-cuff anger that Jesse encouraged her to avoid, but you can tell Ellie is just trying to placate the masses instead of saying what she really wants. The same goes for her conversation with Gail the therapist when she leaves the hospital, though Ellie doesn’t even try to hide her therapy platitudes behind a veneer of belief.

Photograph by Liane Hentscher/HBO

Oddly enough, it’s Seth (the bigot who got bowled over by Joel in episode one) who says what Ellie is really feeling, interrupting the meeting when someone objects to the plan to go to Seattle. Seth is enraged by what happened to a member of his community and thinks they should pursue justice at any cost. It’s far from the most measured take, but it certainly feels like the most honest.

Thus it’s not a huge surprise when he’s ready to help Ellie and Dina as they slip out of town, offering them a load of supplies and insisting Ellie take his better rifle. He says he’d go with them except for catching some friendly fire during the Infected battle, to which Ellie replies “are you sure it was friendly?” She’s clearly not ready to forgive him for his words, but a better gun, some supplies and a shared desire for revenge gets her close enough. She shakes his offered hand as they ride out of town.

Infected Score: 0/10

The showrunners say season two will have more Infected than season one — let’s see if they’re sticking to their word.

No Infected to be seen here, aside from some charred corpses around Jackson. That’s just fine with me after last week’s showdown.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-last-of-us-season-two-the-path-recap-the-calm-after-the-storm-before-the-storm-120036861.html?src=rss