Connect with us

Tech

Android XR is finally starting to feel real – Engadget

Android XR is finally starting to feel real – Engadget


Last year at Google I/O, we got a promising, if frustratingly limited, look at Android XR. At this year’s event, the company confirmed that the first glasses from Warby Parker and Gentle Monster are finally coming later this year.

Those frames are still under wraps, though we got a bit of a preview during the I/O keynote. But Google’s developer conference did, at least, give us a much clearer picture of how its smart glasses will work. Given that Meta has a years-long headstart, Google will have a lot to prove. But despite being almost embarrassingly late to the smart glasses game, Google has a few significant advantages. And, after trying out the latest Android XR glasses, I suspect at least some people will prefer these over Meta’s Ray-Ban shades.

The glasses I demoed were not the branded frames briefly shown off during the keynote. They were “reference hardware” that Google uses for its own internal development. These glasses also had a built-in display, unlike the Warby Parker and Gentle Monster specs, which will be audio-only. But they didn’t really look or feel like a prototype either. While not quite as polished as my Ray-Ban Meta frames, they weren’t overly thick or nerdy looking. And they felt much lighter than the extra chunky Meta Ray-Ban Display frames.

The display setup is similar to the prototype I saw last year, with a single window over the right lens. On the reference hardware, it had a 20-degree field of view, though Google was quick to point out that specific specs could change.

While the display was impressive — it was every bit as crisp and bright as the Meta equivalent — it was obvious that even the audio-only Android XR glasses could have a big advantage over Meta and other would-be rivals. Namely, that Google has been able to integrate its own apps and, yes, Gemini into the frames in a way that seems incredibly useful.

For example, using Google Translate was much more seamless than my experience with Meta’s glasses. I was able to move between a Google rep speaking Spanish and my colleague Igor Bonifacic speaking Serbian and the glasses kept the translation going without interruption. It also adeptly ignored the people around me speaking English, and only showed a real-time translation of what was being said in a foreign language. There probably aren’t that many real-life situations when you would need to move between multiple languages inside of the same conversation, but the fact that it was possible underscores Google’s advantage.

While I’ve generally been impressed with Meta’s AI glasses’ translation abilities, you can only do one language at a time. You also need to download the language to your phone ahead of time, which can make spur of the moment translations tricky.

The non-display glasses will also still benefit from multimodal capabilities, which rely on the onboard cameras and Gemini to surface information based on your surroundings. I was able to look at a recipe and ask Gemini to add the ingredients to my shopping list on Google Keep. Gemini actually briefly struggled with the command, but I didn’t have to stop and start over. I kept speaking and it was able to adjust on the fly.

I’ve often complained that one of the biggest drawbacks of Meta’s glasses is that they work with relatively few third-party apps. While Meta’s working on fixing that, for now they’re great if you want to read WhatsApp messages or Instagram DMs, but there aren’t as many options outside of the company’s ecosystem. Android XR may also be heavily reliant on Google’s own ecosystem, at least for now, but being able to access Maps, Gmail and Keep feels much more practical to my everyday life.

Maps in particular could be especially useful. In my latest demo, I was once again able to get walking directions in the display, alongside a little map view when looking down towards the ground. The audio-only XR glasses won’t have the benefit of a visual guide, but Google will still be able to provide walking directions via audio cues. You can also look at restaurants and businesses around you and ask Gemini for reviews and information. I’ve long thought that travel is one of the best use cases for smartglasses. The addition of Google Maps data is a real advantage, especially when you think about combining that with other features like real-time translations and navigation.

I still have some unanswered questions about how all this will work when it’s in a pair of glasses people can actually buy. And Google still hasn’t revealed specs or pricing for the consumer version of these glasses. But there’s already a lot to look forward to.

Continue Reading

Tech

Kickstarter rolls back its mature content policy after outcry – Engadget


It explained that it created the new rules due to Stripe’s policy.

Kickstarter has retracted the new set of rulesaround mature content that it released last week, following an outcry from creators whose campaigns are affected by the change. While the platform still allowed “romance and spicy literature, including comics” under that policy, it enforced stricter rules around pornographic and sexually explicit content. Now, Kickstarter has admitted that the response it got from its community let it know “loud and clear” that the crowdfunding platform got it wrong, so it’s going back to its previous rules.

It explained in its announcement that it updated its policy because of Stripe, its payment processor that operates under its own set of rules.Kickstarter explained that over the past few months, it has seen a growing number of campaigns that it had already approved get suspended by Stripe mid-funding due to their nature.

The platform would advocate for affected creators whenever that happened, and it was able to get Stripe to unfreeze their funds and to continue accepting money on their behalf so they could finish their campaigns. However, Kickstarter wasn’t always successful in getting Stripe’s decision reversed. It thought that the best path forward was to “close the gap” between its rules and Stripe’s so that creators would only have one set of rules to deal with.

“That was the intent, but the decision we made was an abandonment of the core counterculture, f*ck the establishment spirit of Kickstarter, and it left our community vulnerable,” it wrote in its post.

Under its previous rules, which have now been reinstated,pornography and illegal content are still prohibited. But the rules are less restrictive, as they’re more “bare bones and not as specific.” Kickstarter said that Stripe can still suspend campaigns due to their nature, but it promised to advocate for creators and to help them make adjustments to make their projects acceptable to Stripe. The platform called it an “imperfect temporary solution,” so it could still implement changes surrounding mature content in the future.

Kickstarter isn’t the only website affected by payment processors’ policies. Last year, Steam also started banning games that violate the rules and standards of”payment processors and related card networks and banks,” which affected titles with adult themes. Years before that, credit card companies Mastercard and Visa blocked the use of their cards on Pornhub and even severed ties with the advertising arm of the adult website’s parent company MindGeek.

Continue Reading

Tech

Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, May 20


Looking forthe most recentMini Crossword answer?Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.


Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? It’s not too tough today, although I had to pause and think about 6-Down for a bit. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visitCNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for May 20, 2026.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: Ross Edgley’s 1,700+-mile journey around Great Britain, for example
Answer: SWIM

5A clue: Fuzzy fruit
Answer: KIWI

6A clue: Someone who assumes the worst intentions in everything
Answer: CYNIC

7A clue: Orangutans, e.g.
Answer: APES

8A clue: Work well together
Answer: MESH

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Former competitor of Google Hangouts
Answer: SKYPE

2D clue: Signature products of Napa Valley
Answer: WINES

3D clue: “Yeah, in my dreams!”
Answer: IWISH

4D clue: Open ___ night
Answer: MIC

6D clue: Something found on a Mac (that anagrams to MAC)
Answer: CAM

Continue Reading

Tech

Gemini Voice Capabilities and Gemini Spark Coming to MacOS This Summer


After dropping the Gemini app on MacOS in April, Google says it’s bringing voice capabilities and the newly unveiled claw-like autonomous AI assistant Gemini Spark to the MacOS app in the coming months — one of the many announcements that came duringGoogle I/O 2026 on Tuesday morning.

Speaking from Google’s Mountain View, California, HQ during Google I/O, Josh Woodward, VP of Google Labs, Gemini app and AI Studio, demonstrated how you can select a bunch of documents you’ve uploaded onto your MacBook — in his example, he used paperwork related to his pets, like vaccination records and allergy lists — and then long-press the function key and verbally dictate what you want the AI assistant to do with it.

The demonstration showed you can not only dictate an email relating to the documents (as well as requesting that it sound “friendly”), but at the same time also request that Gemini turn the files you selected into a table.

You then release the function key, and Gemini will put together your multiple verbal requests.

Gemini drafts an email with tables it created out of multiple documents selected via MacOS’ Finder.

Google/Screenshot by CNET

“What it’s done is because I’ve selected those files in Finder using its multimodal understanding, it can go through the PDF, it can go through these images of their invoices, and it’s all controlled by my voice, so it can actually take all that complex information and … it’s got a table in line,” Woodward said.

You can download the Gemini app for MacOS at gemini.google/mac, and then use a simple shortcut to launch it. If you’ve got a MacBook, you can access Gemini at any time by pressingOption and Spaceon the keyboard. It already includes some of Gemini’s best features, likeNano Bananaimage generation.

While most people use AI chatbots via their phones or web apps, a native app for a desktop operating system is a newer development. With Gemini poised to power Apple’s new AI-redesigned Siri, it’s unsurprising that MacBooks would also get Gemini built in.

Gemini’s voice capabilities and Gemini Spark will be arriving on MacOS in the summer.

Gemini Spark is arriving on MacOS this summer.

Google/Screenshot by CNET

Continue Reading

Tech

LGs UltraGear is a native 1,000Hz Full HD gaming monitor – Engadget


The company has yet to reveal its price and availability.

LG has introduced what it claims is the world’s first FullHD (1,920 x 1,080) gaming monitor with a native 1,000Hz refresh rate. The company designed the new LG UltraGear with fast-paced first-person shooters in mind, where accurate aiming and speedy reaction times are of utmost importance. It’s most likely overkill for most people, even gamers who play just for the pleasure of it. For competitive players who value high refresh rates in monitors the most, however, the UltraGear seems to be a good model to consider.

Samsung and Acer had launched 1,000Hz models over the past months, but they’re dual-mode monitors that require players to lower their resolution in order to enjoy the highest refresh rate they’re capable of. Players can only activate their 1,000Hz refresh rate capability if they switch to 720p in resolution. In Acer’s case, its monitor switches to 500Hz if it’s at 1440p. LG says the UltraGear can achieve native 1,000Hz at FullHD resolution, which means its screen updates 1,000 times per second.

The higher the refresh rate, the less a screen lags. Monitors with high refresh rates can show moving objects to the users more clearly with less motion blurring and stuttering. Further, it reduces the delay between physical mouse movements or keyboard clicks and the action on screen. Most monitors these days top out at 240Hz, and that’s perfectly fine for most users, even gamers who play FPS titles. Since 1,000Hz monitors are rare, we can’t quite say if they deliver a noticeably better experience that would make them a must-have. Again, LG’s potential customers for this model are mostly highly competitive gamers and actual esports players.

The UltraGear has a 24.5-inchdisplay with an IPS panel and low-reflection film. It has a small base so it doesn’t take up a lot of space and allows users to adjust its tilt and height for the perfect view. It also has an integrated hook for headset storage. Like a lot of devices released these days, UltraGear comes with AI capabilities. It has on-device AI Scene Optimization that adjusts picture settings according to genre, as well as AI Sound for spatial audio. Unfortunately, LG has yet to reveal the model’s pricing and availability.

Continue Reading

Tech

Think You Know Apple? Prove It in CNET's Big Guessing Game: Apple Edition


Apple’s Worldwide Developer’s Conference is set for June 8, and the company is known for making major announcements at the event. Apple will likely announce iOS 27, but will we finally see the fabled foldable iPhone? Will Siri get an AI upgrade? Will Apple bring AI to your Camera app?

If you think you know what Apple will announce this year, now’s your chance to prove it and potentially win some prizes by playing CNET’s Big Guessing Game: Apple Edition.

Here’s how it works. CNET will host three rounds of five Apple prediction questions between now and September (15 questions total). Each question requires you to predict specifics about what Apple will announce or release this year, or what the company will do at its live events.

Every correct answer earns you one entry in a drawing for the grand prize, a sparkly newApple Watch (cue the “oohs” and “ahhs”). You only need to get one prediction right to be entered into the contest, but every correct guess earns you more chances of winning that slick timepiece.

This first round of questions runs from today, May 19, until Tuesday, June 2, so you have some time to think over your responses. Good luck!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter or win the “CNET Group Big Guessing Game” Giveaway. Open to legal U.S. residents in the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18+ yrs of age. Other restrictions apply. Begins May 19, 2026 at 12:01 am ET and ends Sept. 2, 2026 at 11:59 pm ET. Void where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules: Sponsor: Ziff Davis, LLC.
Apple is not a sponsor of, affiliated with, or endorser of this sweepstakes. Apple Watch is a trademark of Apple Inc.

Continue Reading

Latest News

Video37 minutes ago

Dozens arrested as specialist team targets romance fraudsters and scammers. #BBCNews

Subscribe to our channel here: For the latest news download the BBC News app or visit …

BBC News World49 minutes ago

China and Russia sign agreements strengthening their ties after Xi-Putin meeting

After Please For Special Reading

Sports51 minutes ago

How the Kansas Jayhawks became college baseballs unlikeliest powerhouse

THE UNLIKELIEST POWERHOUSE in college baseball features a lineup with eight junior college transfers and a ninth from Division II...

Politics1 hour ago

Trump-critic Thomas Massie loses Kentucky primary to AIPAC-backed Gallrein

!function(e,t,a,n,r){e[n]=e[n]||[],e[n].push({“gtm.start”:(new Date).getTime(),event:”gtm.js”});var g=t.getElementsByTagName(a)[0],m=t.createElement(a);m.defer=!0,m.src=” Trump-critic Thomas Massie loses Kentucky primary to AIPAC-backed Ed Gallrein NewsFeed Congressman Thomas Massie, one of the...

Video1 hour ago

Daughter of security guard killed in San Diego shooting speaks out

The daughter of Amin Abdullah, the security guard killed in the San Diego shooting, spoke out on Tuesday. Hawaa Abdullah...

Video1 hour ago

Extreme hunger forces Afghans to make impossible choices | BBC News

In Afghanistan today, a staggering three in four people cannot meet their basic needs, according to the United Nations.

UsaLocalNews1 hour ago

Assistant principal did nothing when told about 6-year-old with gun, prosecutor says

The assistant principal of a Virginia elementary school where a 6-year-old studentshot his teacher in 2023 “did nothing” about the...

Video1 hour ago

Car swept away in China floodwaters

According to authorities, at least 21 people have been killed after torrential rainfall triggered severe flooding across southern and …

India Top Stories Feeds1 hour ago

Watch: Ugly scenes at Lionel Messi event in India

Lionel Messi’s first stop in India was a chaotic scene as fans tore apart stadium seats and dumped water bottles...

Video2 hours ago

Arsenal fans were in party mode after winning their first Premier League title in 22 years. #BBCNews

Trending News

Join Our Newsletter

Stay updated with breaking news and exclusive content.