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• The Morning After: Microsoft launches its 2021 fall collection
• Apple MacBook Air M1 models fall back to all-time lows
• 'Flying' microchips could ride the wind to track air pollution
• Xbox Insiders' 360 gamerpics now display properly on modern consoles
• California governor signs warehouse productivity quota bill into law
• Samsung's Thom Browne Galaxy Watch 4 Classic goes on sale September 29th
• Impossible's plant-based 'pork' is coming to restaurants this fall
• Twitter is working to stop tweets from disappearing as you read them
• Discord tests YouTube integration following music bot crackdown
• Facebook's chief technology officer is leaving the company after 13 years
• Yes, Steve Ballmer actually said 'toilets, toilets, toilets'
• YouTube is testing video downloads on computers
• Now you can use emoji to search for food in Uber Eats
• Robinhood will start testing crypto wallets next month
• You can nab a limited-edition Billie Eilish Echo Studio for $230
• Here’s everything Microsoft announced at its Surface event
• In-person TwitchCon events will return in 2022
• Apple won't let 'Fortnite' back on the App Store until all court appeals are exhausted
• Google will offer info on an advertiser's history
• OnStar emergency services will be available through Alexa starting in October
• The next Nintendo Direct takes place on September 23rd at 6PM ET
• How to pre-order the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 and the Surface Pro 8
• Microsoft made a wireless mouse out of recycled ocean plastic
• Surface Laptop Studio and Pro 8 hands-on: Fresh designs with 120Hz screens
• Surface Duo 2 hands-on: Microsoft gets serious about its dual-screen phone’s cameras

The Morning After: Microsoft launches its 2021 fall collection Posted: 23 Sep 2021 04:15 AM PDT Microsoft has announced a small flotilla of new devices during its fall event, and there's plenty of highlights to pick through. Most interesting, of course, is likely Microsoft's Surface Laptop Studio, a notebook with a screen that pulls forward just like its desktop namesake. This replacement for the Surface Book 3 also turns into a tablet-esque PC, although its stacked design may divide users. As we surmised a few days back, the Surface Pro 8 did get a fairly magnificent redesign with a new skinny-bezel, 13-inch 120Hz display, Thunderbolt 4 and new, faster internals. It's been built with Windows 11 in mind and goes on sale when the new operating system arrives on October 5th. Thankfully, Microsoft allowed our chum Cherlynn Low behind the velvet rope to spend a little time with the Laptop Studio and Pro 8, so read this for all the juicy details. Much as with the band U2, we also need to discuss the "other two" members of the lineup, the Surface Pro X and the Surface Go 3. For the former, the only real news is the new, cheaper WiFi-only model, which retails for $899, and the bundling of Windows 11. Similarly, the Surface Go 3 (arguably the Larry Mullen Jr. of Surface tablets) gets faster chip options but is, in most other regards, the same affordable but deeply underpowered device we already know and, uh, love. Cherlynn Low On the mobile front, Microsoft announced the Surface Duo 2, its second-generation dual-screen Android smartphone. The most notable upgrade for this year is a triple camera system and a notification bar on the hinge, so you can see what's going on without opening your phone. And yes, Cherlynn has already spent some time up close with the Surface Duo 2, and you can read all her impressions right here. Microsoft also unveiled a bunch of other accessories, but the one that's probably worth focusing on is the Adaptive Kit. It's a set of add-ons that can help people with accessibility needs get around their Surface devices more easily. That includes raised port indicators, cable wraps and labels to help your fingers land on regularly used keys. Given Microsoft's increasing focus on ensuring its devices are useful for everyone, products like this are always welcome. If you're interested in watching our edited highlights of the event, you can check out our supercut here, and if you're already reaching for your wallet, here's all the pre-order information you could possibly need or want. — Dan Cooper iPad mini review (2021): The best small tablet gets a facelift Another Apple device loses its headphone jack. Valentina Palladino The new iPad Mini is, more or less, a shrunken iPad Air, with USB-C, a TouchID-capable power button and an 8.3-inch display. What it packs in performance, style and support for the Apple Pencil 2, it lacks in ditching the 3.5mm headphone jack. Valentina Palladino has reviewed the new baby slate, finding that, despite all the changes, much of its basic utility has stayed the same. Sadly, that higher price might be a sticking point for all those folks who wanted an entry-level iPad that doesn't cause your bank account to break into tears. Continue Reading. 'Guardians of the Galaxy' is already better than the 'Avengers' game The new title has an emotional core that actually works. Square Enix Everyone deserves a second chance to make a first impression, and it looks as if the second Marvel game has atoned for the sins of its predecessor. Jess Conditt dived into the world of Square Enix's Guardians of the Galaxy and has come away pretty pleased. The characters may look and sound different to their cinematic counterparts, but they feel much more fleshed-out, and there's a better emphasis on relationship building over button mashing. Conditt says the game has an emotional core that bodes well for the finished title, saying it already feels "way better" than Marvel's Avengers. Continue Reading. Shareholders claim Facebook overpaid an FTC settlement to protect Zuckerberg That's generally considered something of a no-no. Facebook shareholders believe the company overpaid its $5 billion FTC settlement in the wake of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, to personally protect Mark Zuckerberg. Reports say the FTC was originally going to levy a fine closer to $106 million (yes, million). The smaller fee, however, was conditional on Zuckerberg himself being named as a defendant in the case. Those shareholders are alleging in a lawsuit that Facebook offered $5 billion on the condition that Zuckerberg avoided any personal liability. Continue Reading. Apple won't let 'Fortnite' back on the App Store until all court appeals are exhausted Its lawyer says Tim Sweeney's own public comments show the developer can't be trusted. Epic Games It's always a delight to see wall-to-wall shade buried in a pile of legalese, and this missive, purportedly from Apple's lawyers, is a doozy. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has published a letter he received saying Apple won't restore Fortnite to the iOS and Mac App Stores just yet. The letter, put simply, says Apple cannot presently trust Epic to behave itself, especially after public comments made by Sweeney. Consequently, Fortnite will remain off the platforms until the lawsuit Epic brought against Apple reaches its conclusion. But the letter is well worth a read in its entirety, given all of the sass lurking between those lines. Continue Reading. The biggest news stories you might have missed Netflix is acquiring the rights to Roald Dahl's books Twitch reveals new process for dealing with unauthorized music use London's largest cab company will go fully electric by 2023 The Gitamini is a smaller, smarter "stuff" hauling bot

Apple MacBook Air M1 models fall back to all-time lows Posted: 23 Sep 2021 04:05 AM PDT You can get an Apple's latest MacBook Air powered by the tech giant's M1 chip for $850 on Amazon again if you missed previous deals the sold the laptop at that price. That's an all-time low for the device, which has an original retail price of $999 — that's also $100 less than its average price on the website since the beginning of September. Take note that the $850 deal is for all colors of the version with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of SSD storage. If you need more space than that, you can get the variant with 512GB of SSD storage for $1,100, which is also an all-time low for the laptop that usually sells for $1,249.  Buy Apple MacBook Air M1 256GB at Amazon - $850Buy Apple MacBook Air M1 512GB at Amazon - $1,100 We gave the MacBook Air with M1 chip a score of 94 in our review, praising it most of all for its impressive speed and iOS-like smoothness. The laptop was shockingly responsive, and launching apps built for the chip felt as fast as opening apps on an iPad Pro. If you use Safari, websites would even load up instantly, and scrolling would feel smooth and effortless. The M1 chip gives the laptop decent gaming performance capability, as well, and it blew away Intel's integrated graphics during our tests. Since the 2020 MacBook Air relies on heatsink and passive cooling, you won't have to deal with fan noise at all. Another thing we praised is its battery life, seeing as it lasted 16 hours and 20 minutes during our benchmark tests — and that's with us playing HD videos on the laptop. It also comes with a responsive trackpad and Apple's scissor-switch keyboard.  Most of the MacBook Air M1 laptops are marked "in stock soon" on Amazon. The silver 512GB model is in stock and could arrive at your place as soon as tomorrow, but you may have to wait until October and November for the other versions.  Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

'Flying' microchips could ride the wind to track air pollution Posted: 23 Sep 2021 03:08 AM PDT Researchers have created a winged microchip around the size of a sand grain that may be the smallest flying device yet made, Vice has reported. They're designed to be carried around by the wind and could be used in numerous applications including disease and air pollution tracking, according to a paper published by Nature. At the same time, they could be made from biodegradable materials to prevent environmental contamination.  The design of the flyers was inspired by spinning seeds from cottonwood and other trees. Those fall slowly by spinning like helicopters so they can be picked up by the wind and spread a long distance from the tree, increasing the range of the species.  The team from Northwest University ran with that idea but made it better, and smaller. "We think we've beaten biology... we've been able to build structures that fall in a more stable trajectory at slower terminal velocities than equivalent seeds," said lead Professor John A. Rogers. "The other thing... was that we were able to make these helicopter flyer structures that are much smaller than seeds you would see in the natural world."   They're not so small that the aerodynamics starts to break down, though. "All of the advantages of the helicopter design begin to disappear below a certain length scale, so we pushed it all the way, as far as you can go or as physics would allow," Rogers told Vice. "Below that size scale, everything looks and falls like a sphere." The devices are also large enough to carry electronics, sensors and power sources. The team tested multiple versions that could carry payloads like antenna so that they could wireless communicate with a smartphone or each other. Other sensors could monitor things like air acidity, water quality and solar radiation.  The flyers are still concepts right now and not ready to deploy into the atmosphere, but the team plans to expand their findings with different designs. Key to that is the use of biodegradable materials so they wouldn't persist in the environment.  "We don't think about these devices... as a permanent monitoring componentry but rather temporary ones that are addressing a particular need that's of finite time duration," Rogers said. "That's the way that we're envisioning things currently: you monitor for a month and then the devices die out, dissolve, and disappear, and maybe you have to redeploy them."

Xbox Insiders' 360 gamerpics now display properly on modern consoles Posted: 23 Sep 2021 01:23 AM PDT If you're attached to your Xbox 360 gamerpic but hate how that it looks small and ridiculous on modern consoles, don't change it for a newer one just yet. Microsoft developer Eden Marie has announced that a recent fix for Xbox 360 gamerpics on newer consoles is now rolling out to Insiders, so everyone should get it soon.  Hey all, I know a bunch of you were asking for a way to go back to your Xbox 360 gamerpic. Exploration Time to the rescue! If you're an Alpha Skip Ahead Insider, you may need to reboot your console, but starting today you'll find a new option in your "change gamerpic" screen. pic.twitter.com/YWijIJR2HE — Eden Marie (@neonepiphany) September 21, 2021 As a reminder, tiny 72x72 pixel Xbox 360 gamerpics were never scaled up on new consoles, so they've grown smaller and smaller and are the wrong shape, to boot. Marie and others engineers originally fixed the issue by scaling the icons to the right size, fitting their square shape into modern round gamerpic (rather than cutting off the corners) and even using transparency for a more seamless appearance. According to a tweet from Marie, the transparency fix was "walked back a bit due to user feedback that the square images looked too different from normal gamerpics." Rather, the circle is now semi-transparent. It will only show up if you've ever had an Xbox 360 gamerpic, "and if your current gamerpic isn't already your Xbox 360 gamerpic," she said. Once set, any changes you make on an Xbox 360 console will "automatically carry over."  The fix arrived first to the Xbox Alpha Ring, but has now hit the Insider ring starting with Alpha Skip Ahead users. Pending more feedback and possible changes, it should work its way up the Insider ring levels and arrive to all users in the near future.

California governor signs warehouse productivity quota bill into law Posted: 22 Sep 2021 10:21 PM PDT California governor Gavin Newsom has signed AB-701, the bill that aims to regulate warehouse productivity quotas, into law. As The Washington Post notes, that makes California the first state to put a restriction on productivity quotas in warehouses like Amazon's, and it could lead to better conditions for workers. After the law takes effect on January 1st, 2022, companies will be required to have transparency around productivity quotas. They have to disclose those quotas to their workers and provide authorities with a detailed description of the targets workers are expected to meet. In addition, it will prohibit the use of algorithms that prevent workers from being able to take state-mandated meal and bathroom breaks or force them to do things that aren't in compliance with health and safety laws. Workers can't be fired or retaliated against for failing to meet unsafe quotas, as well. In his office's announcement, Gov. Newson said in a statement: "We cannot allow corporations to put profit over people. The hardworking warehouse employees who have helped sustain us during these unprecedented times should not have to risk injury or face punishment as a result of exploitative quotas that violate basic health and safety. I'm proud to sign this legislation giving them the dignity, respect and safety they deserve and advancing California's leadership at the forefront of workplace safety." The bill's proponents had Amazon in mind when they wrote it up. Amazon's warehouse workers previously spoke out about having to urinate in bottles just so they wouldn't have to be disciplined for "idle time." The e-commerce giant also has a massive injury rate, because workers are expected to be able to keep up with the machines they're working with.  California Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez, the bill's author, said in a statement: "This bill is simply about giving workers some basic dignity back and empowering them to keep themselves safe. As workers are increasingly surveilled on the job and supervised by algorithms, AB 701 is just the beginning of our work to regulate dangerous quotas and keep employers that have operated above the law in check." Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, however, previously denied that the company has unreasonable productivity quotas. In a letter to shareholders back in April, he said that employees are "are able to take informal breaks throughout their shifts" and that the company doesn't set "unreasonable performance goals." He added: "We set achievable performance goals that take into account tenure and actual employee performance data."

Samsung's Thom Browne Galaxy Watch 4 Classic goes on sale September 29th Posted: 22 Sep 2021 07:00 PM PDT Starting on September 29th, Samsung will start selling limited quantities of the Thom Browne Edition Galaxy Watch 4 Classic it announced at its recent Unpacked event. The release will mark the first time Samsung has sold a Thom Browne-branded Galaxy Watch separately. Previously, you had to buy the wearable as part of a bundle that included other Galaxy devices. Each watch comes with interchangeable straps made from leather, rubber and fabric and features rhodium plating. It also includes five custom watch faces. One thing to note about the Thom Browne Edition Galaxy Watch 4 Classic is it will only be available in a 42mm size with Bluetooth connectivity. At $799 for a single watch, you're paying a hefty premium to get the Thom Browne model over the $250 Galaxy Watch 4 and $350 Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, but that's how it usually goes with high fashion.

Impossible's plant-based 'pork' is coming to restaurants this fall Posted: 22 Sep 2021 04:30 PM PDT Just a couple of weeks after bringing its "chicken" nuggets to restaurants, Impossible Foods is launching another plant-based product. Its spin on ground pork, the inventively named Impossible Pork, will be on restaurant menus this fall. If you're in New York, you can try Impossible Pork starting on Thursday. Chef David Chang's Momofuku Ssäm Bar in Manhattan will serve a version of its spicy rice cakes made with Impossible Pork ragu as of tomorrow. Starting on October 4th, more than 100 restaurants in Hong Kong will offer dishes using the ingredient, which will also arrive on some Singapore menus in the coming weeks. Impossible claims its faux pork is more sustainable than ground pork from pigs. The company says the product uses up to 85 percent less water and as much as 82 percent less land than is needed for typical pork production, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 77 percent. In addition, Impossible claims the ingredient has fewer calories, less fat and more iron than 70/30 USDA ground pork. We tried Impossible Pork at CES 2020 and found it tasted pretty similar to the real thing. Eateries in the US and Hong Kong can now order the product from major distributors, so you might find it on the menu at your favorite dining spot soon.

Twitter is working to stop tweets from disappearing as you read them Posted: 22 Sep 2021 03:28 PM PDT Twitter plans to address a longstanding complaint people have had with its mobile app. If you use the software frequently, you may have noticed tweets will sometimes disappear from view just as you're partway through reading one. You see this happen when your timeline refreshes and it happens most often when there are a lot of people replying to a single tweet. Let's talk about Tweets disappearing from view mid-read when the timeline seems to auto-refresh. We know it's a frustrating experience, so we're working on changing it. Over the next two months, we'll be rolling out updates to the way we show you Tweets so they don't disappear. — Twitter Support (@TwitterSupport) September 22, 2021 "We know it's a frustrating experience, so we're working on changing it," the company said, adding that it plans to roll out a variety of updates over the next two months to address the issue. Twitter didn't detail what those changes will look like but promised they will keep your timeline fresh while preventing tweets from disappearing as you're reading them. Twitter has been iterating on new features at an increased clip in recent months. For instance, the company recently said it would begin testing a tool for removing followers sometime this month. Twitter also recently began rolling its Communities feature to users.

Discord tests YouTube integration following music bot crackdown Posted: 22 Sep 2021 02:34 PM PDT Discord has started testing a feature called Watch Together that allows users to create playlists of YouTube videos they can then watch directly on the chat platform. First spotted by The Verge, the feature is only available to friends and family servers at the moment. However, the company reportedly plans to roll it out to the broader Discord community by the end of October. Users can add a video to the server queue either by searching directly through the included interface or pasting a link from YouTube. Discord didn't have much to say about the test when we reached out to the company. "As a company founded in innovation, we're always experimenting and building things we believe our users will enjoy," a Discord spokesperson told Engadget. "We don't have anything more to share right now, but stay tuned." However, the integration comes just weeks after YouTube sent cease and desist letters to Groovy Bot and Rythm, two of the most popular tools for playing music from YouTube, Spotify and other streaming services directly over Discord. The move forced both apps to shut down. As The Verge points out, the company tested a feature similar to Watch Together toward the start of the year, but ended up shelving it temporarily before bringing it back this week. The company appears to have reprioritized development on the feature following the shutdown of Groovy Bot and Rythm.

Facebook's chief technology officer is leaving the company after 13 years Posted: 22 Sep 2021 01:50 PM PDT Facebook is about to close an important chapter in its history. CNBCreports the social network's chief technology officer, Mike Schroepfer, is stepping down from his role after a total 13 years at the company. He'll move to a part-time position as Facebook's first Senior Fellow at some point in 2022, when he'll help foster talent and improve the development process. The move will let Schroepfer spend more time with his family and philanthropy, according to the CTO's social post. Hardware lead Andrew "Boz" Bosworth will gradually replace Schroepfer as CTO in 2022. The departing executive made clear that his exit was voluntary — it was a "difficult decision" for someone still excited about Facebook's prospects, he said. Accordingly, company chief Mark Zuckerberg said Schroepfer played a "critical role" and was a "close friend." Schroepfer first joined Facebook in 2008 as a vice president of engineering. He took the CTO position in 2013. Bosworth's ascension makes sense for a company increasingly focused on hardware like smart glasses, VR headsets and Portal displays. It's not without some controversy, however. The soon-to-be CTO has authored controversial internal memos in the past, including a 2016 memo seemingly justifying growth at any cost and a 2020 write-up expressing reluctance to fact-check politicians. Boz later said he'd changed his views in response to critiques, but he wasn't exactly known for sensitivity to privacy and misinformation issues in the past. Whatever the new CTO's current stance might be, it won't be surprising if Facebook shifts its technology priorities. Zuckerberg added that a "few other groups" will join Bosworth as part of the transition, helping Facebook develop its metaverse. While the social media giant is already focusing much of its attention on virtual spaces, they might take an even higher priority under Boz.

Yes, Steve Ballmer actually said 'toilets, toilets, toilets' Posted: 22 Sep 2021 01:34 PM PDT What has Steve Ballmer excited now that he can't channel his boundless enthusiasm into Windows developers? Lavatories, apparently. As ZDNetnotes, the former Microsoft chief (and now LA Clippers owner) told The Washington Post and others that he has been obsessed with toilets at the Clippers' upcoming stadium, the Intuit Dome. And yes, Ballmer declared "toilets, toilets, toilets" — when he repeats a word multiple times, you know he's serious. This doesn't mean the toilets are about to run Windows or flush water in Microsoft colors. Rather, it's that the Intuit Dome will have an NBA-leading ratio of toilets (one for every 27 seats in the upper deck). Ballmer hates waiting in line for the washroom at a sports arena, and that high ratio will make sure you spend more watching the game than doing your business. It won't surprise you to hear the Clippers used technology to solve that problem, however. The team used a computer model to estimate how long it would take a fan to use the washroom, grab food and return to their seat. That high toilet-to-fan ratio should help you get back in the space of a typical NBA timeout. Don't laugh too loudly about Ballmer's toilet fixation, then, as you might just appreciate it when nature calls in the middle of a playoff game.

YouTube is testing video downloads on computers Posted: 22 Sep 2021 12:30 PM PDT There's no shortage of ways to capture YouTube videos on the web. Take your pick of dangerous websites, or just go old-school and record a video of your desktop. Now, YouTube is finally offering a simpler solution for computer users: A download button. As Android Police reports, it's currently available as an experimental feature for Premium subscribers. That's not a huge surprise, as YouTube already offers mobile video downloads for subscribers too.  Once you've flipped it on, you'll see a download button right next to the share option below videos, or alongside the three dot menu when browsing. After downloading a video, it gets placed in your offline YouTube library. You can choose to grab videos in resolutions from 144p to 1080p — sorry, 4K fanatics. At this point, there doesn't appear to be any size limit, aside from your available storage. From my quick tests, the feature works as advertised on Safari and Chrome. Personally, it's not something I'd use as often as mobile downloads, but it's a nice option to have for future trips.

Now you can use emoji to search for food in Uber Eats Posted: 22 Sep 2021 12:20 PM PDT Do you pepper your messages with emoji like they're going out of style? You'll now have an easier time ordering food. Uber Eats has introduced searchable pickup maps that lets you find restaurants by typing not only text, but emoji — a single hamburger or sushi roll could be all you need to locate an eatery. This should save time, of course, but it's also helpful if you're traveling to another country and don't know the word for a given dish. The map itself shows restaurants relative to your location, with symbols that make it clear what kind of food you'll get. You'll know if a pickup is just around the corner, or if it would be smarter to request delivery instead.  You can find the searchable map in Uber Eats' app and the web. The addition is well-timed — now that the pandemic is (slowly) easing up, you may be more inclined to pick up your food than wait for a courier. If nothing else, this could improve searches for anyone who grew up with emoji and might not be keen on writing whole words.

Robinhood will start testing crypto wallets next month Posted: 22 Sep 2021 12:00 PM PDT Robinhood plans to start a cryptocurrency wallet next month, the company announced on Wednesday. The tool will allow you to send and receive digital currencies, as well as trade them and move them off the app. If you want to take part in the test, you'll need to join a waitlist. Robinhood plans to trial the feature with a small number of users first before expanding availability to more people gradually. We heard you. Join the waitlist now: https://t.co/FOplKtsdulpic.twitter.com/drZpggGyZJ — Robinhood (@RobinhoodApp) September 22, 2021 The company told The Verge it expects everyone will have access to their own wallet sometime in 2022. In the meantime, you can see progress on the wallet by following Robinhood's Twitter account and blog. The company promised to share whatever feedback early users provide on the product with the community. Initially, the wallet will support Bitcoin, Ethereum and even Dogecoin. The wallet will use a custodial system, which means Robinhood will manage the keys you need to unlock it. That said, you'll have the option to move your cryptocurrencies to other platforms should you so choose. Other security features include support for multifactor authentication, in addition to both email and phone verification. While waiting for Robinhood to roll out the wallet feature to everyone, you can start using the recurring crypto investment tool it announced at the start of the month.

You can nab a limited-edition Billie Eilish Echo Studio for $230 Posted: 22 Sep 2021 11:53 AM PDT After playing through some Billie Eilish tracks in Beat Saber, soon you'll also be able to kick back and listen to a limited-edition Echo Studio sporting the cover of her latest album, "Happier Than Ever." Beyond the beige fabric and Eilish's visage, the $230 speaker is no different than the standard $200 Echo Studio. That's a shame if you were hoping for some sort of upgrade, but if it's any consolation, we adored the Echo Studio's beefy hardware when it launched two years ago. It's one of the few smart speakers built for 3D Audio, and it has more than enough power to blast all of your favorite tunes.  The Billie Eilish Limited-Edition Echo Studio also comes with a six-month subscription to Amazon Music, typically a $48 value. That's not a huge selling point if you're already relying on Spotify or other services, but it's one way to justify the higher price.

Here’s everything Microsoft announced at its Surface event Posted: 22 Sep 2021 11:50 AM PDT With the release of Windows 11 less than two weeks away, Microsoft held its latest Surface hardware event. The presentation saw the company introduce new versions of mainstay devices like the Surface Pro and Surface Go, in addition to a handful of surprises. Here's everything Microsoft showed off on Wednesday. Surface Duo 2 Microsoft Microsoft announced a massive upgrade for its Surface Duo dual-screen Android device. Most notably, there's an entirely new triple camera system on the back of the Surface Duo 2 that includes a telephoto lens and two wide-angle lenses. Another nifty new feature is an ambient screen on the device's hinge to display your notifications and other information. With those upgrades, you can see Microsoft has started thinking of the $1,499.99 Surface Duo 2 as a more of a smartphone than a mere tablet. You can pre-order the Surface Duo 2 today before it becomes officially available on October 21st. Surface Pro 8 Microsoft After several years of what felt like incremental updates, Microsoft's Surface Pro line got a significant upgrade on Wednesday. To name just a few of the features found in the Surface Pro 8, it includes a 13-inch PixelSense display with a 120Hz refresh rate, support for Thunderbolt 4 (finally!) and faster internals courtesy of Intel's latest 11th-generation processors. Oh, and Microsoft has also shaved down the Surface Pro's notoriously chunky display bezels. The Surface Pro 8 will start at $1,100 and is available to pre-order today. It goes on sale on October 5th. That's the same day Windows 11 starts rolling out. Alongside the Surface Pro 8, Microsoft announced the Slim Pen 2. The $130 stylus includes a haptic motor Microsoft claims makes it feel like you're putting pen to paper rather than glass. Another new accessory, the Surface Adaptive Kit, bundles together a collection of add-ons that make it easier to find specific keys, locate ports and open your laptop or its kickstand. Lastly, the company made a mouse made from recycled ocean plastic. Surface Pro X Microsoft Microsoft didn't update its ARM-based 2-in-1, but what it did do is introduce a new WiFi-only model that will save you $100 off the Surface Pro X's previous $999 starting price. With the move to Windows 11, support for 64-bit software emulation is coming to the device. You can pre-order the new model today before it arrives in stores on October 5th. Surface Go 3 Microsoft Microsoft's smallest tablet got an appropriately minor update today. The company's new Surface Go 3 2-in-1s feature faster processors from Intel. The base model comes with a Pentium Gold 6500Y CPU, up from the 4425Y in Go 2, while the more expensive variants feature 10th-generation Core i3 CPUs. Microsoft claims the latter chip is 60 percent faster than the Core m3 it previously offered with the Go 2. The entire Surface Go 3 family is available to pre-order today, with the base model starting at $400. Like all the other Surface computers Microsoft announced today, it goes on sale on October 5th. Surface Laptop Studio Microsoft Microsoft saved its most interesting announcement for last. Enter the Surface Laptop Studio, a portable computer that borrows design cues from the company's Surface Studio all-in-one. An included hinge lets you pull the display over the keyboard to make inking and drawing more immersive. Microsoft also claims the Surface Studio is its most powerful notebook yet. The laptop features Intel's 11th-generation H35 processors and Intel Xe graphics. You can also configure it with NVIDIA's RTX 3050 Ti GPU. The Surface Laptop Studio is available to pre-order today. It starts at $1,600 and will ship on October 5th. Follow all of the news from Microsoft's fall Surface event right here.

In-person TwitchCon events will return in 2022 Posted: 22 Sep 2021 11:45 AM PDT It's still too early to tell what the COVID-19 situation will be like next summer, but Twitch is hopeful it can bring streamers and fans back together in person in 2022. The company has announced plans for two TwitchCon events next year. TwitchCon Amsterdam is scheduled for July, while TwitchCon SanDiego is earmarked for October. Details about exact dates, venues and tickets will be announced later. Mark your calendars. Next year's about to be extra pog. 🇳🇱 TwitchCon Amsterdam: July 2022 🇺🇸 TwitchCon San Diego: October 2022 Read more: https://t.co/1yy3uQ1bg7pic.twitter.com/Scvqe7bt7z — TwitchCon (@TwitchCon) September 22, 2021 These are very much tentative plans, though. "Of course, these are still uncertain times and our plans will remain flexible as needed," Twitch wrote in a blog post. "Our top priority while planning TwitchCon is safety, and we will closely follow local health guidelines and recommendations." Twitch canceled both of last year's TwitchCon events due to the pandemic. It held an online version called GlitchCon instead, which is fitting given the very nature of Twitch. The company hasn't announced any plans for a second GlitchCon for this year as yet.

Apple won't let 'Fortnite' back on the App Store until all court appeals are exhausted Posted: 22 Sep 2021 10:52 AM PDT Apple has told Epic Games it will not allow Fortnite back onto the iOS or macOS App Stores until the outcome of the lawsuit between the two is finalized. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney shared communications between the two sides, in which Apple said it won't consider reinstating Epic's developer program account "until the district court's judgment becomes final and nonappealable."  Apple yankedFortnite from the iOS App Store in August last year after Epic added an alternative payment method to bypass the 30 percent cut that Apple takes from in-app purchases. Epic swiftly filed a lawsuit against Apple over App Store policies (it sued Google around the same time for similar reasons). The Apple case went to trial in May. Earlier this month, Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled in Apple's favor on most counts, but there was one win for Epic. The judge issued a permanent injunction instructing Apple to let App Store developers direct users to alternative payment systems. Epic appealed the ruling, and Apple has yet to decide whether to do so. The injunction is set to take effect on December 9th. Apple lied. Apple spent a year telling the world, the court, and the press they'd "welcome Epic's return to the App Store if they agree to play by the same rules as everyone else". Epic agreed, and now Apple has reneged in another abuse of its monopoly power over a billion users. — Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) September 22, 2021 Given how long it can take to resolve appeals through the various levels of the court system, Sweeney says it could take five years until the case is truly over and Fortnite is back on the App Store. He also accused Apple of going back on its word.  Apple has said that "we would welcome Epic's return to the App Store if they agree to play by the same rules as everyone else." On Twitter, Sweeney shared an email he sent to App Store head Phil Schiller last Thursday, stating that Epic would abide by those rules.  "Though we can't update the Fortnite version that users still have on their iOS devices, we've disabled Epic payments server-side and have paid Apple $6 million as ordered by the court," Sweeney wrote in the email. "Epic promises that it will adhere to Apple's guidelines whenever and wherever we release products on Apple platforms." He added that Epic would restore Fortnite on Mac as soon as possible if Apple restored the developer account.  Late last night, Apple informed Epic that Fortnite will be blacklisted from the Apple ecosystem until the exhaustion of all court appeals, which could be as long as a 5-year process. pic.twitter.com/QCD7wogJef — Tim Sweeney (@TimSweeneyEpic) September 22, 2021 Things are more complicated when it comes to iOS. Sweeney told Schiller that bringing the game back to iPhone and iPad "depends on whether and where Apple updates its guidelines to provide for a level playing field between Apple in-app purchase and other methods of payment. Epic will resubmit Fortnite to the App Store if you adhere to the plain language of the court order and allow apps to include buttons and external links that direct customers to other purchasing mechanisms without onerous terms or impediments to a good user experience." However, as Apple's lawyers wrote in a letter to Epic on Monday, the court affirmed "Apple's termination of the [Developer Program License Agreement] and the related agreements between Epic Games and Apple was valid, lawful and enforceable" following a breach of contract by Epic. Apple noted Sweeney said after the ruling that his company wouldn't give up an alternative payment system "to get Fortnite back on iOS." Following that comment and "other statements since the court's decision, couple with Epic's duplicitous conduct in the past, Apple has exercised its discretion not to reinstate Epic's developer program account at this time," the letter states.  In short, unless you stream the game to your iPhone from your Xbox or PlayStation, don't expect to build armored walls in Fortnite on iOS any time in the near future.

Google will offer info on an advertiser's history Posted: 22 Sep 2021 10:14 AM PDT Have you ever seen an ad for an unfamiliar gadget or clothing label and wondered if it was above-board? You might get a more informed take soon. Google is introducing advertiser pages in the "about this ad" section that not only provide more details about a verified marketer, but show the ads that company ran in the past 30 days. If you're suspicious, it's easier to report an ad. The pages and ad histories will reach the US in the "coming months," and should come to other countries in phases throughout 2022. Google also said it would "continue to explore" ways to share more data. This could help you make more informed online shopping decisions, whether it's building trust in a new name or steering clear of a sketchy brand. What's here can only tell you so much, however — it won't help if you'd need in-depth research to make a wise choice. This will mainly help in situations where you only need a little clarification before tapping a link.

OnStar emergency services will be available through Alexa starting in October Posted: 22 Sep 2021 09:32 AM PDT GM will soon allow OnStar subscribers to contact emergency services through Alexa smart speakers. The company is bringing the OnStar Guardian Alexa skill to Amazon devices in the coming months.  If you need emergency assistance, you're an OnStar member and the skill is active, you can say "Alexa, call for help." OnStar emergency-certified advisors can then call police or EMTs for you. Alexa devices don't support 911 calls otherwise, but you can set up an emergency contact. GM plans to gradually roll out the skill, which will only be available in the US. Some existing OnStar customers will gain access in October, according to CNBC, and the skill will reach in-home Alexa devices more broadly in 2022. The automaker hasn't announced pricing yet. The OnStar Guardian mobile app costs $15 per month.

The next Nintendo Direct takes place on September 23rd at 6PM ET Posted: 22 Sep 2021 09:15 AM PDT The next Nintendo Direct will take place on September 23rd. Nintendo says the stream will last around 40 minutes and will focus on games coming to Switch this winter. So, if you're looking for fresh games to play on a brand-new OLED Switch, it's probably worth tuning in to the third proper Direct of 2021.  Tune in 9/23 at 3 p.m. PT for a #NintendoDirect livestream featuring roughly 40 minutes of information focused mainly on #NintendoSwitch games launching this winter. pic.twitter.com/feHBEKfHPG — Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) September 22, 2021 Perhaps we'll find out about the final fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and maybe more details about games heading to Switch Online. Rumors suggest Nintendo is planning to announce Game Boy and Game Boy Color games for the service, while FCC filings indicate the company might reveal an Nintendo 64-style Switch controller this week. Sony and Microsoft both held eventsin recent weeks to show off what's in the pipeline for PlayStation and Xbox, and it's good to see Nintendo shedding more light on upcoming Switch games. The Nintendo Direct starts at 6PM ET. We'll embed the video below once it's available.

How to pre-order the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 and the Surface Pro 8 Posted: 22 Sep 2021 09:10 AM PDT Microsoft announced a deluge of new Surface gadgets today and most of them are already available for pre-order. Key among them are the Surface Duo 2, Microsoft's second-gen version of its dual-screen, tablet-smartphone hybrid that now has a formidable triple-camera array, and the Surface Pro 8, a powerful update to the Pro 7 that adds 11th-gen Intel processors, a 13-inch screen with Dolby Vision and Thunderbolt 4 ports. Plus, you can also pre-order the high-powered Surface Laptop Studio, the updated (yet still affordable) Surface Laptop Go 3 and a Wi-Fi only Surface Pro X. Here's how to pre-order all of the gadgets Microsoft announced today. Suface Duo 2 Microsoft The Surface Duo 2 folding smartphone is available for pre-order today and starts at $1,499. It will be widely available October 21 in Australia, Canada, Germany, France, the UK and the United States. Pre-order Surface Duo 2 at Microsoft starting at $1,499 The new Surface Duo 2 features the same flip design as last year's device, with two 5.8-inch AMOLED PixelSense touchscreens connected by a hinge. They support 90Hz refresh rates, HDR, P3 color and up to 800 nits of brightness. The smartphone runs on the Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile platform and now supports 5G connectivity. Microsoft upped the Surface Duo 2's camera game replacing the single shooter on the original Duo with a triple-lens system. Now it has a 12MP wide angle lens, a 12MP telephoto shooter and a 16GB ultra wide lens on the rear and a separate 12MP camera on the front. One of our biggest problems with the first Duo was how hard it was to take quick photos, so we're eager to see if Microsoft's improvements this time around have fixed that. The Surface Duo 2 also supports NFC for contactless payments, WiFi 6, biometric authentication with a fingerprint sensor, fast-charging via USB-C and more. It'll come in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB models and all will have 8GB of RAM. Surface Pro 8 Microsoft The Surface Pro 8 2-in-1 is available for pre-order today and starts at $1,099. The new Surface Slim Pen 2 is also available for pre-order today and costs $129. Pre-order Surface Pro 8 at Microsoft starting at $1,099Pre-order Slim Pen 2 at Microsoft - $129 Running Windows 11, the new Surface Pro 8 improves upon most things that made the Pro 7 great. The 2-in-1 now supports 11th-gen Intel Evo processors, is two times faster than its predecessor and gained supported for external GPUs. The screen is a bit larger and brighter, too — it's a 13-inch PixelSense panel with Dolby Vision that can reach 120Hz refresh rates, and it has a new 5MP front-facing camera on top of it that should provide a clearer feed during video calls. There's also a 10MP rear camera with autofocus that's capable of shooting 4K video. As far as connectivity goes, the Surface Pro 6 supports WiFi 6 and LTE, and has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a power connector and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Along with an array of Intel processors, the Surface Pro 8 supports up to 32GB of RAM and up to 1TB of storage. However, only the 128GB and 256GB models are available with LTE connectivity — the 512GB and 1TB versions are WiFi-only. It also works with the new $129 Surface Slim Pen 2 and its Signature Keyboard has a space for the pen to magnetically connect for easier storage. Surface Laptop Studio Microsoft The Surface Laptop Studio is available for pre-order today and starts at $1,599. It will be available in stores in the US and Canada starting October 5. Pre-order Surface Laptop Studio at Microsoft starting at $1,599 Microsoft built the Surface Laptop Studio with power users and creatives in mind. It has a noteworthy design featuring a "Dynamic Woven Hinge" that lets you pull the screen forward into "Stage" mode, which the company claims gives you a better angle for streaming, gaming and presenting. The machine also works in standard Laptop mode and "Studio" mode, the latter of which is best for sketching. The screen itself is a 14.4-inch, 2,400 x 1,600 PixelSense panel that can reach 120Hz refresh rates and supports the Slim Pen 2. That accessory also has its own home on the underside of the Laptop Studio, where it neatly and magnetically attaches. There are also quad speakers with Dolby Atmos, a 1080p front-facing camera and a new Precision Haptic touchpad that provides feedback while you use it. Similarly to the Surface Pro 8, the Laptop Studio has two Thunderbolt 4 ports, one power connector and a 3.5mm headphone jack. When it comes to performance, the Laptop Studio packs a punch. It supports 11th-gen Intel H-series processor along with Intel Xe graphics and even NVIDIA RTX 3050Ti graphics in select models. It'll have up to 32GB of RAM inside and up to 2TB of storage. Surface Go 3 Microsoft The WiFi-only Surface Go 3 is available for pre-order today and starts at $399. It will be widely available starting October 5. LTE models are forthcoming in December 2021. Pre-order Surface Go 3 at Microsoft starting at $399 Microsoft's most affordable Surface device is getting a power boost. The new Surface Go 3 supports up to Intel Core i3 processors now, and those models will be 60 percent faster than previous versions. It has a 10.5-inch FHD touchscreen, stereo speakers with Dolby Audio, 1080p front- and rear cameras and support for Type Covers and the Surface Pen. The edges of the device have one USB-C port, one power connector, a microSD card slot, a nano SIM slot and a headphone jack. In addition to the new Intel processors, the Go 3 runs on up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Surface Pro X Microsoft The WiFi-only Surface Pro X is available for pre-order today and starts at $899. Pre-order Surface Pro X at Microsoft starting at $899 The Surface Pro X isn't getting a big refresh or an upgraded model like some of Microsoft's other gadgets. Instead, the company introduced a new WiFi-only model at a lower price point — only $899. It will run Windows 11 on ARM and will include 64-bit emulation built in. The machine runs on an SQ2 processor, along with up to 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. The new detachable keyboard will also have a slot for the new Slim Pen 2. Follow all of the news from Microsoft's fall Surface event right here.

Microsoft made a wireless mouse out of recycled ocean plastic Posted: 22 Sep 2021 08:58 AM PDT Alongside a fresh lineup of Surface systems, Microsoft announced a new mouse at its fall hardware event. The name gives away the reason why it's interesting. It's called the Microsoft Ocean Plastic Mouse. The shell is made with 20 percent recycled ocean plastic, which is created from waste that has been recovered from oceans and waterways and processed into resin pellets. Those pellets are added to the other materials that are used to make the shell. Microsoft The wood and sugarcane-fiber box that the mouse comes in is completely recyclable, and does not include any plastic. You can also send in your old mouse for free and Microsoft will recycle it. Microsoft says the Ocean Plastic Mouse marks a small step forward in its "larger sustainability journey." There are three customizable buttons on the mouse, which supports Bluetooth 4.0 at a range of up to 33 feet. Microsoft claims the peripheral will run for up to 12 months on a single AA battery. The mouse also supports Swift Pair to help you connect it to your computer. The Ocean Plastic Mouse will ship on October 5th, the same day Microsoft will release Windows 11, and it costs $25. Microsoft Follow all of the news from Microsoft's fall Surface event right here.

Surface Laptop Studio and Pro 8 hands-on: Fresh designs with 120Hz screens Posted: 22 Sep 2021 08:58 AM PDT At its annual hardware event today, Microsoft unveiled a new family of Surface devices ahead of Windows 11's launch on October 5th. Refreshes of the Surface Pro and Surface Go aren't surprising, and the company did show off the latest in both of those series. But the Surface Laptop Studio is the most intriguing. It's meant to replace the Surface Book, which was a detachable 2-in-1 laptop. The Laptop Studio, meanwhile, is more like Microsoft's Surface Studio all-in-one desktop, in that it features a pull-forward screen that can lay flat on top of a table or be propped up at a slant. It also has a 120Hz display, as does the new Surface Pro 8, which got a sleek redesign. I was able to check out the Laptop Studio, Surface Pro X and a slew of new Surface devices at a recent (COVID-safe) demo event in New York and I have to say, these Windows 11 PCs are looking very promising. Surface Laptop Studio hands-on Let's start with the Laptop Studio, which a Microsoft rep told me at the event will replace the Surface Book line. Like I mentioned, its new easel-style design is similar not only to its namesake Surface Studio, but also to notebooks from Acer and HP. I was very impressed with how thin the Laptop Studio's 14.4-inch screen is, and it popped out of its frame without much force. The hinge connecting the display to the keyboard is sturdy, and kept the screen up at a variety of angles in laptop mode. When I flipped the screen to face outwards, though, I had trouble trying to push the lid away from me to get it to stand at a gentler angle as the panel popped out of the frame. But in every other configuration, such as a conventional laptop mode or laid down flat like a tablet (which Microsoft calls Studio mode), the Surface Laptop Studio behaved as expected. When the screen is pulled forward and propped up in front of the keyboard in what the company calls Stage mode, it's great for digital artists. It's easier to draw on, and you can use the new Slim Pen 2 to create your masterpieces. The new stylus offers haptic feedback with an onboard motor and also mimics the resistance you'd get with pen on paper. I did feel a sort of drag across the Laptop Studio's screen when I started doodling on it with the Slim Pen 2. It felt odd at first, as I'm accustomed to other styli like Samsung's S Pen. But I got used to it quite quickly, and kind of liked feeling the mild vibrations that served as an indicator that something had been enabled. The Laptop Studio has a magnetic strip under the keyboard that lets the Slim Pen 2 attach easily and remain flush with the rest of the machine. The magnets were strong enough that I only had to roughly place the stylus along the edge and it flipped into place. I don't feel like I'd need to worry about losing the accessory with this setup, which is nice. Cherlynn Low / Engadget Microsoft also offers a 120Hz screen on the Laptop Studio, and a company representative told me at the demo that the touch sampling rate is 100Hz. This should make for a smooth drawing experience, but also make scrolling and animations look super buttery. There's no adaptive refresh rate available in the system — you'll just get the option to choose between 120Hz or 60Hz in settings. For all the detailed specs on the Laptop Studio, like its new Full HD webcam, its screen resolution, dimensions, processor and memory configuration options, I encourage you to check out our news post. For this hands-on article, I'd like to focus on my initial impressions of the devices I got to try out. On that note, the last thing I'll say about my experience with the Laptop Studio is that its keyboard and trackpad were spacious, and though its buttons were cushy and responsive, I prefer the keys on the Surface Laptop 4. For things like battery life, performance and other real-world observations, though, we'll need to wait till we can test out a review unit. Surface Pro 8 hands-on Another device that got a visual overhaul this year is the Surface Pro 8. It's not the only new Surface Pro unveiled today — there's also the Surface Pro 7 Plus, which received a typical minor processor upgrade and looks very similar to older Microsoft tablets. The Pro 8, meanwhile, looks a lot like the ARM-based Pro X. But it uses 11th-gen Intel Core i5 or i7 chips and is therefore noticeably heavier. It also has a different ventilation design around its sides compared to the X, which was sealed. Cherlynn Low / Engadget Still, the Pro 8 is impressively thin, with a 0.37-inch profile, and its built-in kickstand is even sharper. Its 13-inch screen is surrounded by an attractively thin bezel as opposed to the approximately inch-wide border around the Pro 7 Plus. The Pro 8 also features the same 120Hz refresh rate as the Laptop Studio, running at a 2,880 x 1,920 resolution. Out of the box, though, the Pro 8 runs at 60Hz, and you can go into settings to bump this up to the higher rate. Meanwhile, the Laptop Studio refreshes at 120Hz by default. This difference is because the Pro 8 is designed to be a more portable device, and Microsoft expects people to want more battery life on the go. If your priority is smooth scrolling and inking (Slim Pen 2 is also supported here), then by all means go faster. But if you're trying to squeeze every last minute out of the Pro 8, you might prefer to stick to the lower rate. When you're out of juice, you can charge the Pro 8 back up with Microsoft's own connector or through one of the pair of USB-C ports. These support USB 4 and Thunderbolt 4, and can stream out up to two 4K displays at once. We weren't able to test this during the limited time at our preview, and I can only really tell you that in general the Surface Pro 8 felt very much like a heavier Pro X. They use the same Signature Type Cover with the same comfortable keys and responsive trackpad, as well as onboard slot that holds and charges the Slim Pen 2. Of all the other Surfaces Microsoft announced today — the Go 3, the new Pro X, the Pro 7 Plus and the Duo 2, only the last one is different in a significant way. The rest of the systems basically got incremental updates while maintaining a similar look to their predecessors.  Surface Adaptive Kit I did want to call out the new Surface Adaptive Kit, though. It's a set of labels and stickers that are designed to make Surfaces easier for people with different needs to use. There are translucent keycap labels to make buttons identifiable by touch, bump labels that add visual and tactile cues to keys or ports, as well as colorful indicators with matching cable wraps to make it more obvious which wires go into which sockets.  The colors I saw at the demo area were neon peach hued and I'm not sure if they'll be appreciated by people with certain visual impairments (a pattern might be better for those who can't distinguish between colors). But at least the keycap labels I saw came in different shapes and overall I appreciate the effort here. Microsoft led the way for accessibility tech in gaming with the Xbox Adaptive Controller years ago and though the Surface Adaptive Kit seems like a small product, it shows that the company is thinking in meaningful ways how to cater to people with different needs. Though most of the new Surfaces that were unveiled today feel like incremental updates, the Laptop Studio, Duo 2 and Pro 8 at least bring a low-key level of excitement. Plus, these machines (Duo 2 aside) will all run Windows 11, which is already bringing new life to a stagnating PC industry. As always, we'll need to test all these devices out for ourselves to see if they're worth spending your money on, but you can already pre-order all of them today. Follow all of the news from Microsoft's fall Surface event right here.

Surface Duo 2 hands-on: Microsoft gets serious about its dual-screen phone’s cameras Posted: 22 Sep 2021 08:58 AM PDT As we continue to wait for Microsoft to release the Surface Neo, the company is already unveiling the second generation of its dual-screen Android phone. The Surface Duo 2 is a $1,500 device that's slightly thinner than its predecessor and brings some serious camera improvements. Specifically, it now has three sensors instead of the lone 11-megapixel camera used in the last-gen setup. I had a chance to check out the Duo 2 briefly at a (COVID-safe) demo in New York, and I'm so far cautiously impressed by its updates. Microsoft's demo area wasn't the best place to take memorable photos, but I did try out the Duo 2's triple lenses on an Xbox controller. I easily switched from the main camera to the ultrawide and telephoto options, and also gave Portrait mode a go. I can't judge the quality of these photos yet, since I could only view them on the Duo 2's screens, but I already feel like the bugginess I experienced with the original Surface Duo is mostly gone. That's not surprising, since one of the biggest issues plaguing the Duo's camera software was that it only had one camera that sat above the screen. You had to flip the phone so that the correct side was facing you when you wanted to take a selfie, and have the camera side face out for other shots. This meant the device needed to know which screen to activate based on how you were holding it. Cherlynn Low / Engadget With the triple cameras sitting on the Duo 2's back/outside and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera, there's no longer a need to figure that out. It's a shame, though: There's also no longer a way to take photos without having the Duo 2 opened up; if you're shooting with the rear cameras, you must use the device with both screens facing you. The bulky camera bump also prevents you from flipping one of the screens all the way over to have both displays lay evenly back to back. I never really cared to do that with the original Duo since it was too wide to use as a makeshift phone, but it's still disappointing that with this change, the Duo 2 will really mostly be used in Book mode. It's no longer a phone-tablet hybrid. I'm surprised at this functional shift, since one of the refinements Microsoft made with the Duo 2 is narrowing the device's overall width. Each panel now measures 5.8 inches instead of 5.6 inches on the original, for a combined 8.3-inch screen as opposed to an 8.1-inch canvas. But they're also taller, with resolutions of 1,344 x 1,892 instead of the older 1,350 x 1,800. This would have made the Duo 2 slightly more phone-like in shape, but in person I frankly couldn't tell that it had changed in size at all. Cherlynn Low / Engadget Speaking of, Microsoft claims that this is the thinnest 5G mobile device on the market. Indeed, at 5.5mm (or 0.21 inches) thick, the Duo 2 is certainly sleek. The company also introduced a slight curve on the inner edges of each screen — an effect that's reminiscent of pages in an open book. This could potentially make it easier to drag apps across screens, which I was able to do quickly during my demo. Another new feature that makes the Duo 2 feel faster than the original is its higher refresh rate. Both panels now run at 90Hz and are supposed to be in sync, too. I loaded up Engadget's website and expanded it across the two displays, scrolling frenetically up and down on an article, and the two halves of the page did indeed keep pace with each other. I'm used to a 90Hz screen by now, thanks to long-term use of the Pixel 5, but it's certainly a nice feature to see. Microsoft also added support for its new Slim Pen 2, which offers haptic feedback so doodlers or artists can feel a vibration when they put the stylus to the screen. It also tries to mimic the feel and resistance of pen on paper, and I spent more time with this on the new Surface Laptop Studio than on the Duo 2. Cherlynn Low / Engadget Frankly, the fact that I encountered so few hiccups with the Duo 2 surprised me. The original Duo was riddled with bugs, and even simple things like expanding an app to span both displays were difficult. During my preview, this went smoothly. Admittedly, I didn't spend much time with the Duo 2, so I'm still cautious about the seemingly improved software, but Microsoft has indeed been working on fixing past issues. That responsiveness could also be attributed to the beefy Snapdragon 888 processor that powers the Duo 2, though we'll have to perform real-world testing to be sure. We'll also need to run our own battery test to see how long the Duo 2's 4,449mAh cell lasts, as well as how successful Microsoft was at fixing the flaws of the original. I'm curious to see if the new triple camera system and the problems it introduces are a bane or boon to the Duo series, but for now I'm cautiously optimistic about the second Duo. You can pre-order it now starting at $1,500, and it'll be available on October 21st. That said, I suggest you wait until we can review one before spending any money on a device that's still so novel. Follow all of the news from Microsoft's fall Surface event right here.

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