Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. If you own an iPhone 16 or an iPhone 17, you'll find different buttons around the sides of your smartphone. Older iPhones have fewer, depending on the model, but all of these buttons are multitaskers: They come with secondary functions as well as primary ones. For example, did you know you can use either of the volume buttons to snap pictures when you're in the Camera app? This can make it easier to capture photos, compared to trying to hit the circular button on screen.

This robotic pool cleaner can run on battery power or with a connected cable, but it's only effective at cleaning the pool when plugged into an AC outlet. Here's a curious concept from the new-to-us robotic pool cleaner manufacturer Bublue: The BuHybrid L6 is a robotic pool cleaner that can run via a plug-in electrical connection or via an internal battery, a hybrid design that makes more sense than it might seem at first, at least on paper. On the surface, the design has a lot in common with the Polaris VRX iQ and other power-corded robots. A small power box connects to standard wall power via a short cord. A separate, waterproof 49-foot-long cable then connects from the box to the 22-pound robot, attaching to its top via a large four-prong adapter with a screw-on sealing system that waterproofs the connection.

The Acer Swift 14 AI offers solid all-around performance with the latest Snapdragon silicon and a generous selection of ports, but the trackpad is poor and Copilot features are still MIA. The Acer Swift 14 AI looks like an unimposing laptop that could easily be mistaken for any number of machines in Acer's lineup. It has a secret inside, though. The Swift 14 AI is Acer's first Arm-based notebook, running on Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite processor. Laptops have changed a lot in the last few years as Arm-based chips have finally gotten powerful enough to run Windows.

It's been a Mac-heavy week! The Mac mini, in particular, looks like it'll be a huge hit for anyone who needs a simple desktop system. Also, we dive into why Apple is pushing for every Mac to get 16GB of RAM at a minimum. That will benefit all users, even if they don't care about Apple Intelligence. Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News! Regulators force Lyft to tell U.S. drivers accurate numbers of how much money they'll make – 45:30 This week, I'm joined by our podcast producer, Ben Ellman. Kind of a light ship this week because a lot of people are out. Everyone's on taking some break and a lot of people are just busy at Engadget. So it's just going to be us. But we've got a lot of news to dive into all of Apple's new Macs with M4 chips, the M4 Pro and M4 Max as well, that they all just announced this week. There's a lot of new stuff and I'm excited to talk about it as always, folks. So if you're enjoying the show, please be sure to subscribe to us on iTunes or your podcatcher of choice. Leave us a review on iTunes. And also, yeah, you can join us Thursday mornings, typically around 1045 AM Eastern on our YouTube channel for our live stream so we can do some Q& A. In fact, we'll be including some of those questions and our answers later in this episode as well. Ben, you are somebody who I know is fully in the Mac ecosystem, and I also know you're very conscientious. Well, unfortunately, or for what you do, you're kind of there, but you're also very conscientious about how you upgrade, right? How did you feel about all these new Macs? Because we have the M4 iMac, we have an adorable new Mac mini, which is tiny, absolutely tiny, and M4 chips on the MacBook Pros. Is anything particularly compelling to you? Ben: So as I was reading up on the Mac, All of the stuff they released this week. That chip is four years old now. Ben: cut me like a knife. But that is M1 Classic, not M1 Pro. My research says that the M1 Pro is only two times slower than this new M4 Pro. Please fact check me on this. Send us an email at podcast adding gadget. If I didn't get that right. Devindra: I mean, you, you bring up a good point though, Ben, be sure to be very clear about what Apple is comparing its devices to, right? Because they often go back to base M1, which. Was released at the end of 2020 2020. It took a full year before we got the M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, right. Before they really expanded the line. Ben: you mean M1 Pro and M1 Max. So remember that there was that time difference when they, they just dropped the M1 on us and that was on the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro 13 inch, which was a fricking waste of time and the Mac mini, I believe back then, right.

There's a good chance you've never played one, much less seen one, but the PC Engine--branded in the US as the TurboGrafx-16--is a game console that arrived at a unique moment in gaming history. A bona-fide Nintendo-threatening hit in its home country of Japan when it launched there in the late 1980s, this system from computer maker NEC and game company Hudson Soft (makers of Bomberman) could have changed the gaming landscape. But in the US, the console was quickly overshadowed by the Sega Genesis, which launched around the same time. Thankfully, all those long-neglected PC Engine and TurboGrafx-16 games are being given another chance. Since finally launching its first handheld system, hardware maker Analogue is taking a crack at the PC Engine, giving its software a home suitable for the 21st century.

For Apple users, you know what you're going to get each new model of iPhone. Android users on the other hand have a ton of makes and models to consider. So when you get a new Android device, it's not always clear how to take a screenshot. For most, you can either use the physical buttons on the handset, or ask your handy virtual assistant to take one for you. Whether you have a Samsung, Google, Motorola or phone, here's how to take a screenshot on (almost) any Android device.

After almost six years, Beats is back with new over-ear, noise-canceling headphones. A significant update from the Studio 3 Wireless, the new Studio Pro is a familiar formula that's been reconfigured from the inside out. A second-generation version of Beats' own audio chip powers this new model, delivering improvements to active noise cancellation (ANC), spatial audio with dynamic head tracking and wired audio modes via USB-C connection. Small design tweaks and slightly better battery life are also on the spec sheet, while the price remains $350 for Beats' flagship headphones. To refresh the aesthetics, Beats enlisted the help of Samuel Ross, a fashion and product designer who has worked with Hublot, Nike, Oakley and others.

If your Windows 10 or 11 PC is having problems and you aren't sure where to start troubleshooting, booting your computer into Safe Mode is a great place. Safe mode lets you pick apart problems in your computer without your usual programs taking up resources. It's a versatile troubleshooting tool, and there are several ways to boot into it instead of your full operating system. You can boot into safe mode from your settings menu, your sign-in screen, or from a blank or black screen if you can't even turn your computer on--here's how. Safe Mode's simple laayout makes it easier to diagnose problems Safe Mode is Windows' diagnostic mode.

Leviton has been one of the most reliable names in Wi-Fi smart plugs, and for years I relied on one of its first-generation Wi-Fi plugs to power my living-room lights. With this second generation, Leviton brings a streamlined setup process and HomeKit support to the party. Leviton's model D215P is a three-prong on/off switch; model D23LP is a two-prong model with a dimmer feature. Let's start with the specs, which should be unsurprising. The D215P looks identical to the first-generation Wi-Fi plug, with the familiar horizontal brick design and a single three-prong outlet on the face.

When considering the Apple TV 4K, you have to admire Apple's tenacity. Despite overwhelming evidence that most people prefer sub-$50 streaming dongles--or whatever software is built into their smart TVs--Apple is still sticking it out with a $179 streaming box. The company deigns not to sully its living-room experience with anything less than the fastest processors, the finest build materials, and the most bells and whistles--including the ability to operate as a HomeKit smart home hub and as a Thread border router. This review, however, will focus on the device's media-streaming prowess. The result is admittedly exquisite.