Latest Tech News

Stay updated with the latest in technology, AI, cybersecurity, and more

Filtered by: ri Clear Filter

Prompting LLMs is not engineering

Prompting LLMs is not engineering published in: With the proliferation of AI models and tools, there's a new industry-wide fascination with snake oil remedies called "prompt engineering". As of July 2025 the term is now "context engineering" or "context prompting" or "context manipulation". To put it succinctly, prompt engineering is nothing but an attempt to reverse-engineer a non-deterministic black box for which any of the parameters below are unknown: training set weights constraints o

Sony’s got an Xperia 1 VII problem so bad, it had to temporarily halt sales

TL;DR Sony has halted sales and shipments of the Xperia 1 VII in its native Japan. Affected phones spontaneously reset, and may refuse to turn back on. Right now we have no confirmation that there’s any problem with the Xperia 1 VII outside of Japan. For a major electronics company, there’s probably no brand whose smartphones are more of niche product than Sony’s. While we’ve had Xperia phones going back to the early days of Android, Xperia handsets have never really taken off in the US. But

Pick up our favorite air purifier while it's $37 off for Prime Day

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Prime Day 2025 is coming soon on July 8-11, but you don't have to wait to grab good tech deals — and that goes for everyone, not just Prime members. Early deals have already started popping up on Amazon, and one of the best at the moment is on an Engadget-approved air purifier. The Lev

The Kindle Scribe just hit an all-time-low price ahead of Prime Day - here's why I recommend it

ZDNET's key takeaways The Amazon Kindle Scribe is on sale for $259 for the 16GB version, the lowest price we've seen yet. It combines the familiar features of the Kindle e-reader with a bright display and a suite of premium note-taking features. The aforementioned features have a bit of a learning curve to fully take advantage of. $399.99 at Amazon $399.99 at Target $399.99 at Best Buy more buying choices Amazon is currently offering the 16GB Kindle Scribe at 35% off, a $140 discount that bri

I'm a phone reviewer, and you don't want to miss these July 4th phone deals

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

The story behind Caesar salad

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK). Crisp, fresh and satisfying, Caesar salad is a dish that’s conquered dining outlets the world over, from your neighbourhood bistro and Pret A Manger to Michelin-starred marvels like Osteria Mozza in Los Angeles. While mayonnaise-heavy iterations haunt room-service menus in hotels far and wide, Caesar salad purists live and breathe its original recipe: whole romaine lettuce leaves, crunchy garlic croutons tossed in a tangy, raw-egg

The Great American EV Fire Sale Is About to Begin

If you are thinking about buying an electric vehicle, the clock is now ticking. President Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” has officially passed Congress, and with it, a countdown that will kill the popular $7,500 federal tax credit for new electric vehicles. You now have less than three months to act. The tax credit officially expires on September 30, 2025. Initially, there were rumors the EV credits would last 180 days from when the bill was signed, a six-month grace period. This law

Sam Altman Feels ‘Politically Homeless’ As Frenemy Musk Proposes Third Party

Sam Altman is grappling with his political alignment. The 40-year-old CEO of OpenAI, like many of his fellow tech executives in recent years, has expressed that he does not feel at home in the Democratic Party or the Republican Party. In an extended post on X, Altman lamented the fact that he’s now “politically homeless” and yearns for a technocratic utopia—something his once friend and current rival Elon Musk has also been calling for with his push to form a third party. Hmm…interesting timing,

Your Samsung phone has secret Wi-Fi settings that are seriously useful - here's how to unlock them

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

July 4th sales: The 65+ best deals we've found (and we've tested almost all of them)

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

Elon Musk Teases “Fireworks” as Trump Signs His “Big, Beautiful Bill”

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, spent the Fourth of July doing what he does best: stirring speculation, igniting controversy, and hinting at big political moves—all from behind a keyboard. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO kicked off America’s Independence Day with a patriotic post on his platform X (formerly Twitter): “🇺🇸🇺🇸 Happy birthday, America! 🇺🇸🇺🇸” 🇺🇸🇺🇸 Happy birthday, America! 🇺🇸🇺🇸 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 4, 2025 But it was his follow-up that really set off alarms: “Great day for some

My favorite smart scale tracks 16 different measurements and is 50% off -- but hurry

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

``Free as Air, Free as Water, Free as Knowledge'' (1992)

``Free as Air, Free As Water, Free As Knowledge'' by Bruce Sterling Speech to the Library Information Technology Association June 1992, San Francisco CA Hi everybody. Well, this is the Library Information Technology Association, so I guess I ought to be talking about libraries, or information, or technology, or at least association. I'm gonna give it a shot, but I want to try this from an unusual perspective. I want to start by talking about money. You wouldn't guess it sometimes to hear so

How to Incapacitate Google Tag Manager and Why You Should (2022)

"We're long past the days when it was possible to simply say "no" to corporate stalking without consequence. Today, when we say "no", we get punished for it. But that only goes to show WHY, more than ever, we should be saying "no"." Google Tag Manager. It's a product which, by design, cloaks a range of the Internet's most invasive and unethical scripts in an opaque closet, then springs them out in disguise. Combining immense power with obfuscation and vast scale of use, Google Tag Manager is th

Prime Day deal: Pick up this Roomba combo robot vacuum and mop while it's nearly 50 percent off

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Prime Day 2025 begins soon on July 8, but members can already save on a bunch of tech available on Amazon's site. One such early deal is on the Roomba Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo, which is down to $140 for Prime members right now. That's nearly half off its usual price and a far cry fro

Best July 4th TV deals 2025: My favorite sales save you up to $2,500

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

You can still get a Walmart Plus membership for 50% off and snag exclusive access to Walmart's anti-Prime Day sale

The summer sale season is here. Plus, with Prime Day (and concurrent sales) kicking off next week, there's no better time to scour the internet for deals, discounts, and top savings at every retailer as they compete for your cash. Also: The best Prime Day deals live now Perhaps the best thing about Prime Day season is that other major retailers are looking to cash in on the shopping palooza, offering similar or better offerings on top products -- and even membership opportunities. Right now, W

Amazon Prime Day starts on Tuesday: Here's everything to know

Amazon confirmed in a June press release that its annual Prime Day event will return Tuesday, July 8, through Friday, July 11. For the first time ever, Prime Day will be a four-day extravaganza two days longer than last year, confirming early rumors that swirled back in March. Now, the event is just a few days away. Also: Amazon extends July Prime Day and confirms 2025 dates In June, the retailer also unveiled early offers for Prime members, like savings on exclusive Amazon products and device

TechCrunch Mobility: The state of EV sales and Rivian secures the next $1B from VW

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! This week I’m publishing an abbreviated version of the newsletter because of the 4th of July holiday. If you’re driving, flying, or taking the train for the U.S. holiday — which AAA projects 72.2 million people will travel at least 50 miles or more — stay safe out there. The complete newsletter returns next week. I have one import

My favorite Dyson vacuum busts dirt and dust with ease, and it's $180 off ahead of Prime Day

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

Dr. Phil’s ‘Anti-Woke’ TV Network Files for Bankruptcy After Only a Year

Last year, in an effort to capitalize on anti-woke backlash, Dr. Phil (real name Phil McGraw) launched his own TV channel, which he said would be used to fight the good fight against the far left’s radical crazies. Merit Street Media, according to McGraw, would be a vanguard in the battle for the soul of America. “Merit Street Media will be a resource of information and strategies to fight for America and its families, which are under a cultural ‘woke’ assault as never before,” said McGraw at t

HP 15.6″ Touchscreen Laptop (16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) Is Over 40% Off, Now Cheap 4.8-Star Pick at Best Buy

When you’re shopping for a laptop, it’s easy to get bogged down by a bunch of technical jargon or end up paying more for features you may not even need. But sometimes you can come across certain computers and just know you’re getting a good deal from the feature set alone. That’s what you’ll likely experience with this particular laptop from HP. It’s an excellent deal that you’ll recognize by the price and brand alone, and we’re confident you’ll want to buy from there. Head to Best Buy to get t

Laid-off workers should use AI to manage their emotions, says Xbox exec

“These are really challenging times, and if you’re navigating a layoff or even quietly preparing for one, you’re not alone and you don’t have to go it alone. I know these types of tools engender strong feelings in people, but I’d be remiss in not trying to offer the best advice I can under the circumstances. I’ve been experimenting with ways to use LLM Al tools (like ChatGPT or Copilot) to help reduce the emotional and cognitive load that comes with job loss. Here are some prompt ideas and use

Minister tells Turing AI institute to focus on defence

Minister tells Turing AI institute to focus on defence 1 hour ago Share Save Joshua Nevett Political reporter Zoe Kleinman Technology editor Share Save BBC Cabinet minister Peter Kyle has written to the Alan Turing Institute Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle has written to the UK's national institute for artificial intelligence (AI) to tell its bosses to refocus on defence and security. In a letter, Kyle said boosting the UK's AI capabilities was "critical" to national security and

The Apple Watch Series 10 is on sale for $100 off for Prime Day

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . Prime Day 2025 will be here in a few days, but you can already shop great tech deals on Amazon before the July 8-11 event. Case in point: the Apple Watch Series 10, which is $100 off at the moment and down to $299. That's the lowest price it's been so far since it came out last Septemb

The 67+ best July 4th deals live now: Save on outdoor, tech, home and more

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

I'm a phone expert, and you won't want to miss these July 4th phone deals

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean? ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing. When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or

The latest Kindle Scribe is $140 off in this Prime Day deal

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission. Read more about how we evaluate products . The latest Amazon Kindle Scribe ereader is on sale for just $260 as part of the upcoming Prime Day festivities. This is a record-low price and a discount of $140. The sale applies to the 16GB model, which is enough storage for thousands of books and notes. The Kindle Scribe is Amazon'

Amazon’s 64GB Fire HD 10 Tablet Is Practically Free, Grab 56% Off Early Prime Day Deal This Long Weekend

Being able to get off your phone in the evening can be a huge help. It doesn’t even really matter if you’re just transferring your focus onto another screen; sometimes having a larger one that’s portable just helps. You can still use a tablet for work, sure, but it makes watching streams, reading books, or just playing some games a lot more enjoyable. While there are a huge number of tablet options out there, if you’re looking for a bargain, then there’s really only one good option for you today

The American system of democracy has crashed

Once upon a time in America, there was a tyrant. And Congress rejected him totally. The tyrant, of course, was King George III, the target of the Declaration of Independence. We take it for granted now, but the Declaration was an enormous political innovation — in it, the country that became the United States of America laid claim to certain “unalienable” rights, rights that took precedence over any king or crown. To protect those rights, our Founders declared that the People were allowed to “