A team at Rice University has developed a new material for filtering per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Also known as "forever chemicals," these synthetic compounds have been widely used in many products since the invention of Teflon in 1938. PFAS coatings can resist heat, water, oil, and stains. Unfortunately, they...
Early Android 17 visuals suggest Google is experimenting with blur and transparency inspired by Apple’s Liquid Glass design, hinting at a softer, more layered interface that could reshape how system menus and overlays look.
Preparing for a long flight or train ride, you search for how to download Netflix movies on a laptop, expecting a simple click-and-save process. Instead, you find yourself in a frustrating situation, especially as a Mac user, discovering that the download button is nowhere to be found.
Below, we've gathered some of the best deals from the sale. Most of the TVs are on sale in multiple sizes (though some have sold out). All that to say, if you like the model but are looking for a smaller or larger size, be sure to click around the available options.
The S95F is our TV expert's favorite OLED TV for bright rooms overall, thanks to its impressive peak brightness and anti-glare matte screen. If you're a fan of both the big game and gaming in general, you'll also appreciate the 165Hz found on this TV.
If the above sounds appealing, but an anti-glare screen sounds like overkill, you can also go for the S90F OLED — the 77-inch version is on sale for $1,999.99.
On this TV, you'll find a great color balance, a crystal clear picture, and no glare on the screen. Our sister site PC Mag (also owned by Ziff Davis) wrote in their review for the 65-inch Q90F that it offers a "stunning picture for a very high price." Thanks to this Big Game deal, you get to take $1,200 off that price.
Generally speaking, this will be the best art TV you can grab for bright rooms, according to our TV expert. That's especially important for a TV meant to be used as a display piece when not in use. It is worth noting that this TV does have a higher input lag and limited contrast, meaning the picture won't be the best for movie watchers and gamers. Still, if you've had your eye on an art TV and having the best possible picture isn't the highest priority for you, this is a solid deal.
Sony has announced two new Bluetooth turntables after seven years of radio silence.
The original Sony PS-LX310BT developed a cult following in that time as one of the few worthwhile beginner-friendly Bluetooth record players (along with the Audio-Technica AT-LP60XBT-USB). Now, instead of scouring Reddit for budget Bluetooth record player recommendations, those cautiously looking to replace their old Sony PS-LX310BT have two direct successors as an upgrade option: The $399.99 Sony PS-LX3BT (available to pre-order now) or the slightly more premium $499.99 Sony PS-LX5BT(coming this spring).
Unfortunately, the new record players come with a higher price than the original. For reference, the 2019 PS-LX310BT costs $448, but it was available for $199.99 for many years.
The relatively random announcement came just days after Sony announced that it was handing its home entertainment business (TVs, home audio gear) to TCL. The news didn't sound overly promising for anyone holding on to hope that Sony would ever make a new turntable. False alarm — the best Sony headphones aren't the only way to appreciate Sony's hi-fi expertise in 2026. Here's what to expect.
What's different about the new Sony Bluetooth turntables
As well as the beloved PS-LX310BT has aged, the technology is still creeping up on a decade old. The upgraded playback tech in the 2026 models includes expanded support for Bluetooth codecs like aptX and aptX-Adaptive, minimizing the amount of crucial sound details that are lost over a standard wireless connection. Both support 33⅓ records and 45s and feature built-in phono preamps to connect directly to a speaker system.
The PS-LX3BT comes in a dark gray finish.Credit: Sony
The PS-LX5BT comes in black.Credit: Sony
The PS-LX5BT features a Moving Magnet cartridge, more precise stylus pressure, and a gold-plated audio jack that's said to elevate wired connections. This is clearly the option geared more toward stricter audiophiles, while the PS-LX3BT would be a great record player for beginners.
What's not different about the new Sony Bluetooth turntables
What hasn't changed in either is the fact the PS-LX3BT and PS-LX5BT are still both fully automatic, belt-drive turntables. That might be a bummer for some vinyl purists — the lowering of the needle by hand and nostalgic pre-track crackling play just as much of a role in the overall turntable experience as the quality of the sound itself.
However, as analog media makes a comeback, there's definitely room in the market for simpler automatic record players, especially ones with Bluetooth features. With these Bluetooth record players, you can enjoy the classic sound of vinyl records beamed directly to your favorite wireless headphones. And if you already have Sony headphones, connecting should be even easier.
TL;DR: Finally get through your TBR stack with this lifetime subscription to book summary app Headway Premium, on sale now for just $39.99 with coupon code SUMMARY20 through Jan. 31, the best price online.
Got a long list of books you’d like to read, but life keeps getting in the way? It’s time to meet Headway Premium. This app gives you 15-minute summaries of the world’s best nonfiction books, which you can read or listen to in your spare time.
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No matter how busy your schedule is, you probably have a free 15 minutes. Headway Premium can fill that time by learning the key concepts and ideas from some acclaimed nonfiction books. Choose from topics ranging from personal development and health and wellness to business strategies.
Headway offers two types of concise summaries — audio or written. You can either read or listen to professionally narrated audio. There are already over 2,000 summaries on the app, with new ones added each month.
Set goals and take advantage of the app’s gamified learning process, which tracks your progress and incentivizes continued learning. You can also test yourself with quizzes and trivia, and highlight and save your favorite insights and turn them into interactive flashcards.
Join more than 15 million people already learning with Headway. Though it doesn’t replace reading the entire book, it is a great way to learn about new topics and discover things you’d like to investigate further.
TL;DR: Listen to music, take a call, or hear real-time AI translation of more than 50 languages with these Mymanu Orb Open-Ear AI Translation Earbuds, now on sale for just $139.99 (reg. $179.99).
We’re all multi-tasking the day away, so it’s only natural to expect more from our gear. If you’re looking for headphones that do more than just play music, it’s time to check out the Mymanu Orb Open-Ear AI Translation Earbuds. These earbuds combine comfort with numerous features — including real-time language translation — and they’re on sale for $139.99 (reg. $179.99).
When was the last time your earbuds wowed you? The Mymanu Orb was featured at CES 2026 thanks to its advanced AI-powered features, making it perfect for everyone, from professionals on their morning commute to travelers spending time abroad.
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The Mymanu Orb earbuds come packed with impressive AI that offers real-time translation in more than 50 languages — from German to Thai to Arabic. Instantly translate phone calls, audio content, or even in-person conversations, and know exactly what’s happening around you live.
If serving as your own personal translator weren’t enough, the Mymanu Orb also provides stunning sound in a comfortable open-ear design. That feature lets you enjoy your content while staying alert to your surroundings and remaining hands-free. They’re super lightweight, but offer a movement-friendly design so you can rest easy knowing they’ll stay put even on a run.
If you’d like to just listen to music or take a phone call, you can also use the Mymanu Orb without the translation feature. It’s there only when you need it.
TikTok's newly formed US entity is off to a very bumpy start. As the app continues to face technical issues affecting the recommendation algorithm, view counts and other features, TikTok is also seeing a wave of frustrated users uninstalling it, according to new data.
Analytics firm Sensor Tower, which tracks downloads and other app store-related metrics, told CNBC that there has been a 150 percent rise in uninstalls of the TikTok app in the United States compared with the last three months. An analyst at Sensor Tower told Engadget that TikTok's US daily active users (DAUs) have increased about 2 percent in the same time period, and are flat week-over-week. TikTok has blamed a power outage at a data center for “multiple bugs,” including those affecting view counts and load times. The company hasn't said when users can expect a fix.
At the same time, an independent app called UpScrolled has seen a surge in interest over the last few days. The app is currently the ninth most-downloaded app in the US App Store and the second most popular social app (Meta's Threads is currently in the number one spot for social apps). The app has also reached the top five in the UK and Australian app stores. In the United States, its sudden popularity seems to be closely tied to recent changes at TikTok.
UpScrolled has seen 41,000 total downloads between Thursday (the day the US joint venture was formalized) and Saturday, according to estimates from App Figures. The app, which was first released last June, has been downloaded about 140,000 times between Apple and Google's app stores, according to App Figures. Prior to last Thursday, the app was averaging less than 500 downloads a day, according to the company. The rapid increase in downloads has apparently caused some issues for the company which asked users to "bear with us" on Monday.
Well, this is new... You showed up so fast our servers tapped out. Frustrating? Yes. Emotional? Also yes. We're a tiny team building what Big Tech stopped being. Right now we're scaling on caffeine to keep up with what YOU started. Bear with us. We're on it. pic.twitter.com/OAlYcN6t5q
Created by an Australian developer, UpScrolled looks a bit like Instagram. Users can share photos and shortform videos. The app defaults to a chronological "following" feed, though it does also recommend content to users. The app is "privately funded by its founder, Issam Hijazi, together with a small group of individual investors who share our mission and values," according to an FAQ on UpScrolled's website. It currently has no ads, though the company says it "probably" will in the future.
This isn't the first time turmoil at TikTok has benefitted a previously little-known app. Chinese app RedNote briefly became the top app in the United States early last year as TikTok faced a potential ban. RedNote's popularity proved to be short-lived, though, as the 2025 TikTok "ban" ended up lasting only a couple of hours.
But with new owners at TikTok and growing frustration over technical issues with the app, there could be an opportunity for a new shortform video service that's not controlled by a huge corporation. And that's what UpScrolled seems to be betting on. "Too often, users are left uncertain about whether their voices will be heard or quietly suppressed," the company writes on its website. "UpScrolled changes that by ensuring every post has a fair chance to be seen, creating an environment that is authentic, unfiltered, and equitable for all."
Update, January 26, 2026, 4:28PM PT: This post was updated to reflect the latest details from TikTok about the ongoing issues affecting the US version of the app.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/people-are-uninstalling-tiktok-and-downloading-an-indie-competitor-233345222.html?src=rss
An anonymous reader quotes a report from GeekWire: Microsoft on Monday announced Maia 200, the second generation of its custom AI chip, claiming it's the most powerful first-party silicon from any major cloud provider. The company says Maia 200 delivers three times the performance of Amazon's latest Trainium chip on certain benchmarks, and exceeds Google's most recent tensor processing unit (TPU) on others. The chip is already running workloads at Microsoft's data center near Des Moines, Iowa. Microsoft says Maia 200 is powering OpenAI's GPT-5.2 models, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and internal projects from its Superintelligence team. A second deployment at a data center near Phoenix is planned next.
It's part of the larger trend among cloud giants to build their own custom silicon for AI rather than rely solely on Nvidia. [...] The company says Maia 200 offers 30% better performance-per-dollar than its current hardware. Maia 200 also builds on the first-generation chip with a more specific focus on inference, the process of running AI models after they've been trained. [...] Microsoft is also opening the door to outside developers. The company announced a software development kit that will let AI startups and researchers optimize their models for Maia 200. Developers and academics can sign up for an early preview starting today.
California tech executive Gordon Abas Goodarzi has been arrested and charged with murder in the death of his estranged wife, Aryan Papoli, whose body was found last November down an embankment off Highway 138 in San Bernardino County. Authorities initially believed the injuries were consistent with a fall, but the case was later ruled a homicide following a months-long investigation by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. "Arrest records show that Goodarzi is currently in custody without bail and faces a murder charge and that he is set to appear in court Monday," reports SFGATE. From the report: Goodarzi, a California tech executive with ties to BattleBots, is publicly listed as the president and CEO of Magmotor, which describes itself as a "proud" supporter of the combat robot community and claims to support several teams each year. According to his LinkedIn, Goodarzi also previously worked as a research affiliate at UCLA's B. John Garrick Institute for the Risk Sciences since 2023.
Originally from Iran, Papoli and Goodarzi settled in Los Angeles County's verdant Rolling Hills community because of its tranquility and natural beauty, Papoli previously wrote. [...] She described her husband, Goodarzi, as a pioneer in the world of renewable energy, developing both electric and hybrid vehicles since the 1980s. According to Papoli, he also worked as the technical director at Hughes Electronics, which developed and manufactured the EV1, an early iteration of the electric car, in the 1990s.
On Friday, OpenAI engineer Michael Bolin published a detailed technical breakdown of how the company's Codex CLI coding agent works internally, offering developers insight into AI coding tools that can write code, run tests, and fix bugs with human supervision. It complements our article in December on how AI agents work by filling in technical details on how OpenAI implements its "agentic loop."
AI coding agents are having something of a "ChatGPT moment," where Claude Code with Opus 4.5 and Codex with GPT-5.2 have reached a new level of usefulness for rapidly coding up prototypes, interfaces, and churning out boilerplate code. The timing of OpenAI's post details the design philosophy behind Codex just as AI agents are becoming more practical tools for everyday work.
These tools aren't perfect and remain controversial for some software developers. While OpenAI has previously told Ars Technica that it uses Codex as a coding tool to help develop the Codex product itself, we also discovered, through hands-on experience, that these tools can be astonishingly fast at simple tasks but remain brittle beyond their training data and require human oversight for production work. The rough framework of a project tends to come fast and feels magical, but filling in the details involves tedious debugging and workarounds for limitations the agent cannot overcome on its own.
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