Ford was slightly conservative with its initial range estimates for the F-150 Lightning. The automaker has shared final EPA range estimates for its electric pickup truck, and the Extended Range variants of the XLT, Lariat and fleet-only Pro offer up to 320 miles of driving, or 20 more than the original targets. The standard-range XLT, Lariat and Pro trucks still provide the 230 miles Ford first claimed, although Lightning Platinum buyers will be happy to know they’ll get an estimated 300 miles instead of the previously promised 280.
It’s unclear if these definitive EPA ranges factor cargo into the performance. Ford told YouTube personality Marques Brownlee last year that its estimates included a 1,000-pound payload, which would lead to considerably longer ranges in everyday driving. We’ve asked Ford if this factor is still present today, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Ford was just as cautious as before. Cargo significantly affects EV range, and the company might not want to oversell the F-150 Lightning to workers counting on that heavy-duty capability.
The F-150 Lightning will reach customers later this spring, with prices starting under $40,000 for fleet models. Provided the range claims hold up in real-world use, they’ll help Ford compete against rivals like the Chevy Silverado EV and Rivian R1T. The potential surplus battery power should also be helpful for charging work equipment, other Lightning trucks and even entire homes.
Update 3/21 2:22PM ET: Ford tells Engadget that the final EPA range numbers don’t include a payload. You’ll have to account for weight when you’re planning routes, then.
Almost exactly a year to the date Sony said it was working with Jade Raymond’s Haven Studios on a new gaming IP, the company has now acquired the developer. Financial terms of the deal haven’t been disclosed, but Sony and Haven did share a tidbit of i…
LG is starting to ship the OLED TVs it launched at CES 2022, and it’s mostly good news — though you may have to be patient depending on the model you want. The company is selling multiple B2, C2 (pictured) and G2 Gallery Edition sets though its website this month, with pricing that isn’t too far from what you paid for last year’s models. The B2 variants currently on offer range from a $1,499 55-inch version through to a $3,299 77-inch edition. The C2s you can buy vary from a $1,499 48-inch screen through to a $3,499 77-inch set, while the G2 is available in 65-inch ($2,999) and 77-inch ($3,999) flavors. Third-party dealers will carry the new models starting in April.
Both the most affordable and priciest sets will take longer to reach your living room. The $1,399 42-inch C2 won’t arrive until May, and neither the entry-level A2 nor the gargantuan 97-inch G2 have received prices or release dates. The 83-inch C2 ($5,499), 55-inch G2 ($2,199) and 83-inch G2 ($6,499) ship in April. You’ll also have to wait until April for the Z2 series 8K OLED sets, although the 77- and 88-inch sets’ respective $12,999 and $24,999 prices will rule them out for most viewers.
The 2022 LG OLED TVs are iterative upgrades. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, mind you. C2 models use the brighter “evo” panels that first appeared in 2021. The C2, G2 and Z2 are the first sets to support Dolby Vision IQ with Precision Detail to improve HDR output, and they use a new Alpha 9 Gen 5 chip that promises better luminance, tone mapping and virtual 7.1.2 surround sound. WebOS 22 adds helpful features like user profiles and content mirroring on a second TV. B2 buyers will have to ‘settle’ for an Alpha 7 Gen 5 chip with more limited audiovisual processing and virtual 5.1.2-channel sound.
The launch details come just days after Samsung outlined pricing for 2022 TVs that include a long-awaited OLED set, the $2,200 S95B. LG might not be too worried about short-term competition given the sheer variety of OLED TVs it sells, but Samsung is clearly gunning for some of that audience.
While tablets don’t always get the same level of attention as smartphones or laptops, they’ve become an increasingly important category of devices for many families – particularly with the recent shift to working and learning from home. Their straightforward designs make them easy to use, while improvements to Windows 11 and iPadOS allow many tablets to pull double-duty as part-time productivity devices.
However, there are a lot of options out there, so it can be difficult to pick the right one. So allow us to go over the most important factors you should consider, followed by our top picks across a range of categories and prices.
Which OS is right for me?
Before you even start looking at specific devices, consider how your new tablet will fit in with the gadgets you already own, and how you plan to use it. For example, if everyone in your house uses Macs and iPhones, it probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to buy an Android tablet, even if you’ve been tempted by the massive 14.6-inch screen on the new Galaxy Tab S8 Ultra. This goes double for anyone with an extensive library of purchased videos and music that might be harder to access after switching platforms.
Another consideration is the kind of work you’ll be doing. That’s because while all modern tablets are adept at browsing websites or playing games, some operating systems like iPadOS and Windows 11 are better designed to support multitasking and productivity than Android or even Chrome OS. It’s a similar situation for software, because while most popular apps and games are available on both Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store, more specialized enterprise software may only have proper support on desktop platforms like Windows or macOS.
What size screen should I get?
Trying to decide the size of your tablet is also related to the kind of work (or play) you intend to do. Larger displays make it much easier to view two apps side by side, with big screens also delivering a more immersive movie viewing experience. But at the same time, the larger the tablet, the less likely you’re going to want to move it around. That means you’re not only going to want to take stock of your workspace (i.e., if you have a desk or instead plan to work from a couch or even your bed), you’re also going to want to think about how the device will fit into your everyday routine or commute (if you have one).
Potential accessories
Finally, you’ll want to consider any add-ons or accessories you’re planning to use, which can range from detachable keyboards to things like external mics or a stylus. The good news is that many tablets nowadays offer some kind of keyboard accessory, which allows the device to function more like a 2-in-1 instead of simply being a content consumption device. Some tablets also feature things like microSD card slots that support expandable storage, or optional 4G or 5G connectivity, which can be a real boon to frequent travelers. And if you’re planning to use the tablet mainly for work, you might want to grab a USB hub for connecting all your favorite peripherals.
Engadget picks
Best overall: Apple iPad Pro
Chris Velazco/Engadget
Powered by the same M1 chips you get in Apple’s MacBooks, the iPad Pro is one of the fastest and most well-built tablets you can buy today. It’s available in two sizes (11 and 12.9 inches) and works with a range of accessories including the Apple Pencil and the extremely useful (but pricey) Magic Keyboard. And thanks to their 120Hz ProMotion mini-LED displays, the iPad Pro’s screen boasts strong brightness and fluid visuals, regardless of whether you’re watching a movie or creating a slideshow presentation. Recent versions of iPadOS have also made Apple’s most premium tablet a much more capable work device, with the addition of new sidebars for quickly switching between apps, a more powerful desktop-like UI for Safari, and various new toolbars throughout.
The main downside is that starting at $800 for a base 11-inch model with 128GB of storage, Apple’s iPad Pros aren’t cheap, and that’s before you tack on any extras like cellular connectivity or a keyboard. But considering there’s a good chance a new iPad Pro is more powerful than your current laptop, there isn’t really anything you can throw at Apple’s top-of-the-line tablet it can’t handle.
One final note is that if you like the iPad Pro but want something a bit more affordable, there’s also the fifth-gen iPad Air. You still get the same M1 chip, Apple Pencil support, and optional 5G connectivity. And with a 10.9-inch screen, it’s basically the same size as the smaller iPad Pro too. The main difference is that the iPad Air’s display isn’t quite as bright and doesn’t support a 120Hz refresh rate. But if you’re ok with that, the fifth-gen iPad Air is essentially an iPad Pro with a less fancy screen that starts at $599 instead of $799.
Available in three sizes – an 11-, 12.4- and a huge 14.6-inch model – Samsung’s new Galaxy Tab S8 line has the right-sized screen for practically any need. And while Android typically isn’t quite as accommodating to productivity as Windows or iPadOS, Samsung’s Dex mode offers a desktop-like UI complete with multi-window support and a taskbar for potent multitasking.
Samsung’s mobile displays are also some of the best in the business, with support for 120Hz refresh rates and vibrant colors from their OLED panels. And unlike Samsung’s flagship phone line, the Galaxy Tab S8 still comes with microSD card support, though sadly, Samsung couldn’t seem to find room for a dedicated headphone jack. You even get a choice of three different covers: a simple folio, a keyboard cover and a keyboard cover with a built-in touchpad, so you can choose the right accessory for your needs.
While most people think of Microsoft’s Surface Pro devices as a line of 2-in-1s, because they don’t come with a keyboard (you need to purchase it separately), that technically makes them tablets. But don’t be fooled, because thanks Windows 11 and support for a range of 11th-gen Intel processors, Microsoft’s Surface Pros are designed for productivity.
New on the Surface Pro 8 is a beautiful display with a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and improved stereo speakers, while the inclusion of an IR facial recognition camera allows you to log in to the system in a snap. Another nice bonus is that unlike a lot of tablets, the Surface Pro 8’s SSD is user accessible, allowing you to upgrade its storage yourself whenever you want. And thanks to improvements in Windows 11, the Surface Pro 8 is better suited to life as a tablet without ever needing to attach a keyboard thanks to larger app icons and more touch-friendly controls.
If you just want a simple tablet for a reasonable price, it’s hard to go wrong with the standard Apple iPad. Starting at $329, the basic iPad has a 10.2-inch display with good brightness (500 nits) and a relatively speedy A13 Bionic chip. It’s also the last iPad that still features an old-school Touch ID home button.
After being refreshed last year, the ninth-gen iPad got updated features including Apple Pencil support, improved cameras (in front and back) and double the base storage (64GB, up from 32GB). And just like its more expensive siblings, the standard iPad is available in a WiFi-only model or with optional 4G LTE cellular connectivity. The basic iPad is also the cheapest device Apple sells that gives you access to the App Store, which makes it a good multimedia device and a handy way of managing your media library across your other Apple devices.
If you’re in the market for a new tablet for your child, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the easy pick. Starting at $200, it’s the cheapest tablet on this list, and unlike more adult-oriented fare, it comes with an included “kid-proof” case and a two-year warranty. Amazon says if your kid breaks the tablet, the company will replace it for free.
Other useful add-ins include a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which unlocks more than 20,000 games, books and apps designed for children. There’s also a handy dashboard for parents that allows you to set time limits, content filters and educational goals. And even though its 3GB of RAM and 32GB of base storage aren’t much, its 1080p display is plenty sharp and it has a microSD card slot for expandable storage. And if you want a slightly smaller and more affordable option, there’s the $140 Fire HD 8 Kids Pro too.
You might soon see DJI’s drones flying in particularly rough conditions. DJI has unveiled the Matrice 30 (aka M30), an enterprise-class drone with IP55 dust and water resistance that lets it fly in heavy rain, strong wind and even icy situations. It can fly to altitudes as high as 22,965ft above sea level (with the right propellers) and survive temperatures between -4F and 122F, too. Even the included RC Plus controller can handle a downpour thanks to an IP54-rated body.
The M30 can also fold with a button press. The self-heating battery lasts for 41 minutes, but the charging case can bring the drone from 20 percent to 90 percent in 30 minutes.
DJI’s robotic flier will also require little human intervention in some cases. A variant of the M30 will support an upcoming DJI Dock that, like other drone stations, lets the aircraft fly programmed routes and autonomously land to recharge between rounds. You can remotely monitor work sites from the air in areas where beyond-line-of-sight drone use is allowed, in other words. The dock is dust- and water-resistant, includes its own weather station and has both a battery backup and 4G dongle support to keep it running.
DJI is taking orders for the M30 today through a contact form. The dock will be available sometime in the fourth quarter of 2022, and M300 RTK drone owners can also buy a new Zenmuse H20N sensor with “starlight-grade” night vision. There’s no mention of pricing, but it’s safe to assume individual drone enthusiasts aren’t the target market. This is for companies that have the need and budget to fly drones on a regular basis.
Update 3/21 12:05PM ET: The base M30 starts at $9,999 with remote, two batteries, the charging case and a storage case. An M30T with a thermal camera starts at $13,999.
It’s not often a brand new genre of game comes around. And while battle royale-style titles like PUBG andFortnite have gotten a ton of attention and countless clones in recent years, there’s another new type of game — especially for fans of strategy and tactics games — that deserves your attention: auto battlers.
Now before anyone gets hysterical about auto battlers already having been around for some time, let’s get one thing clear. While the genre can trace its lineage back to Warcraft 3 mods like Pokemon Defense, the category as a whole didn’t really get mainstream attention until 2019 thanks to titles like Dota Autochess (which is now just Autochess), Teamfight Tactics, Hearthstone’s Battlegrounds and Dota Underlords.
However, since those games have characters and abilities based on existing titles (e.g. Dota and League of Legends), their counterpart auto battlers are kind of intimidating for new players to pick up. I know because, despite it becoming one of her favorite games as of late, I played Teamfight Tactics for almost a year on my own before successfully convincing my wife to give it a shot. And on PC, both Teamfight Tactics and Battlegrounds are only available within the launcher for their parent games. That makes them seem more like expansions rather than a brand new game type, which is admittedly somewhat confusing. But that’s where Super Auto Pets comes in.
By taking the basic auto battler formula and then adding a roster of cute, cuddly animals, Super Auto Pets has become the perfect intro to the genre, while still being surprisingly deep. The game’s general mechanics are simple. Every turn you start with 10 gold. You then use the gold to buy pets or food for three gold each (or one gold in the case of the pill), while trying to assemble the strongest five pet squad you can muster. If you combine three of the same pet, it’ll turn into a stronger level 2 version. And if you combine a total of six of the same creature, you’ll get a top-tier level 3 animal.
Alternatively, if you see a pet you like but can’t afford at the moment, you can freeze it to save it for later. After that comes the battling. It’s just you versus someone else’s squad, with each getting a silly auto-generated team name. If you win you get a trophy. If you don’t, you lose some hearts (up to three depending on the number of rounds). Your ultimate goal is to eke out 10 victories before all your hearts are gone. And the rounds keep coming until you win or die trying.
Team Wood Games
Now I know I’m glossing over some of the game’s finer mechanics. But they’re not hard to pick up and will be immediately familiar to anyone who has played a trading card game like Magic: the Gathering or Hearthstone. And with over 80 pets already in the game (and more on the way), there are a lot of nifty interactions that are a blast to learn.
Take the parrot, who copies the ability of the pet in front of it. Or the skunk, who reduces the health of the enemy team’s tankiest pet. And then there’s the lovable turtle (who looks like a dead ringer for the old blob-style Android emoji) that gives fellow pets armor after it faints. Each pet’s ability is a callback to the creature’s personality, adding both flavor and strategy to the game. And I haven’t even mentioned the deer’s ability, which is downright hilarious. But you’re going to have to check it out for yourself because I’m not spoiling it here.
But my absolute favorite thing about Super Auto Pets is how easy it is to pick up and put down whenever I want. I had my first kid six months ago, so it probably won’t surprise you when I say I don’t have quite the same amount of time for games as I used to — let alone titles like Teamfight Tactics which typically last 20 to 30 minutes or more per match. In contrast, not only is Super Auto Pets available on pretty much anything with an internet connection (Android, Steam, web browsers, and most recently iOS thanks to a recent patch), I can quit at a moment’s notice in the middle of a run with zero consequences.
That means I can throw my phone down with haste if I need to change the kid or give him a bottle. Then later, when he goes down for a nap, I can hop back in where I left off. And thanks to cross-platform support, it doesn’t even have to be on the same device. It’s almost the perfect mobile game, that is, aside from needing an internet connection, which means I can’t really play it on the subway.
Team Wood Games
And because the game is free-to-play, there’s essentially no barrier to entry. The game’s 59 core pets are available from the start, while another 22 pets are available for $5 as part of an expansion pack. That’s more than reasonable, especially since the expansion animals don’t really feel like an upgrade in power. It’s more like different flavors than a slimy pay-to-win cash grab. All other in-app purchases are completely cosmetic, and most of them can be bought with points that are easily acquired just by playing the game. There’s even a 64-player versus mode, though for obvious kiddo-related reasons I haven’t really tried it out.
For me, Super Auto Pets is the rare game that’s just as engaging on desktop as it is on mobile, due to its adorable art style and simple, but deep mechanics. It doesn’t prey on my wallet (I’ve spent a grand total of $5 dollars over countless hours of gameplay), and it fits into my schedule without infringing on my more pressing real-life responsibilities.
So even though there’s no shortage of new titles I’d love to drown myself in like Elden Ring, Triangle Strategy, and others, Super Auto Pets is one of the select few games I actually have the time to play. I appreciate that it lets me keep in touch with a hobby that’s been largely pushed aside, and it’s a great way to try out a fun twist on more traditional strategy games. And even though I achieved the incandescent high of getting my first win long ago, I can already tell this is going to be a game I’ll keep in my pocket for a long time coming.
Today is National Single Parents Day and Match has unveiled a new app designed to help such folks find love. The aim of Stir is to help single parents meet, chat with and date folks who also have kids.
Match says there are around 20 million single parents in the US who are often underserved by many dating apps. After you answer questions on personality and values, Stir will show you potential matches.
Once you find someone you have a spark with, you’ll be able to arrange a date. Match is aware that single parents might find it hard to coordinate their schedules and find a time that works for both of them. The app has a feature called Stir Time, which allows you to display your available “me time.” Hopefully, that will line up with your prospective date’s calendar. Stir Time schedules can be displayed on your profile.
“Having kids shouldn’t be a dealbreaker when dating,” Match Group’s Dinh Thi Bui said in a statement. “We’re dedicated to giving single parents a dating experience where they are celebrated and feel like they can be themselves. With that, our hope is that they can truly focus on having a personal life beyond navigating parenthood.”
For ICE (internal combustion) vehicles, higher a drag coefficient translates into lower fuel efficiency and more frequent trips to the pump. For EVs, a low drag coefficient is even more critical because it directly impacts the vehicle’s driveable range, a continuing concern for many potential EV buyers. As such, designing optimally aerodynamic vehicles is in every automaker’s interest but doing so does require the use of a specialized wind tunnel technologies, much like the $124 million state-of-the-art HALO facility Honda opened on Monday in Central Ohio.
HALO (Honda Automotive Laboratories of Ohio) is “the world’s most advanced wind tunnel” according to Honda, offering three distinct testing capabilities — aerodynamics, aeroacoustics, and racing — with which to develop Honda and Acura products as well as conduct general science and research work with third parties.
Honda
“I can tell you our new HALO wind tunnel will be an incredible new asset to our engineers as well as others evolved in aerodynamic research in America, providing a critical new resource for future innovation,” Jim Keller, EVP of Honda Development and Manufacturing of America said in a Friday press call. “This new wind tunnel and our safety research center will provide our R&D engineers with two world-class facilities in Ohio to support the design and development of new products.”
When vehicles are operated in a wind tunnel, they drive on what is essentially a giant treadmill belt. These belts are designed to control the boundary layer between the floor and the vehicle, a critical factor in generating accurate aerodynamic data, Mike Unger, Wind Tunnel Lead at HALO, explained during the call. HALO uses two, 40-ton belt modules: a standard “wide” belt, which sits under the entire vehicle and works well for sedans and other low-riding vehicles, and the 5-belt system which puts one under each tire, a fifth under the whole vehicle and is meant for testing SUVs. Each can be swapped out for the other in under four hours.
Honda
For acoustics testing, the HALO utilizes more than 500 exterior microphones studded throughout the wind tunnel and another 54 mics within the vehicle itself. Thanks to a novel microphone array, Honda techs can switch the wind tunnel from aerodynamic testing to aeroacoustic testing in just half an hour — a process that used to take around half a day to complete.
Determining the frontal area of a new vehicle, a stat necessary to properly calibrate the tunnel’s results, is done with lasers and optical cameras that precisely measure the vehicle’s front and side proportions. The tunnel is also equipped with a 180-degree turntable, Unger said, “which allows us to test various, and sometimes extreme, yaw angles as well load the car as quickly and as efficiently as possible.” There’s also an 80-ton diagnostic tool.
Honda
“Essentially, it’s a big giant big robotic arm that we can attach a sensor on the end of and locate anywhere in the tunnel,” he continued. With it techs can “measure any kind of phenomena we’re looking for — it could be pressure, velocity, sound, or any other thing… this tool will allow the test engineer to look into detailed phenomena to understand exactly what’s going on with the flow field.” The system is so precise that it can measure drag forces with a sensitivity of +/- 2.5 Newtons, roughly the weight of a standard D battery.
The tunnel itself is an eighth of a mile long with a test area measuring 3m x 5m x 15m, large enough to accommodate up to a full-size delivery van. It’s 8m-diameter fan is outfitted with a dozen hollow carbon fiber fixed-pitch blades which spin up to 253 rpm, driven by a 5MW 6,700HP electric motor, and generates wind speeds in excess of 190 MPH.
Honda
Honda began development on the HALO facility in 2015 in what was initially an effort to mitigate the expenses the company was incurring flying its technicians and the prototypes being developed at the Honda R&D Center in Ohio, around the world in order to get access to suitable aerodynamic testing facilities, like the company’s existing wind tunnel in Japan. Those considerations as well as “the arrival of the electrified era, made building Honda’s own wind tunnel a smart decision,” Wind Tunnel Business Strategy Lead, Chris Combs, said during the call.
The company does not plan to bogart its new facility’s research capabilities, however. “Honda has partnered with the Transportation Research Center to form a consortium for the purpose of promoting aerodynamic research that will be shared amongst consortium members,” Combs said. “We look forward to hosting college students in the future to advance in STEM careers and overall aerodynamic endeavors. It is anticipated that some non-auto parties will utilize the facility for projects focused on renewable energy like wind turbines and even architectural design.”
Microsoft isn’t just reserving watermarks for unactivated or bootlegged Windows copies. The Verge has learned that the most recent Windows 11 Release Preview build (22000.588) applies a watermark to the desktop if you use a workaround to run the operating system on unsupported hardware. Try it and you’ll see a “system requirements not met” notice that asks you to visit settings to learn more. There don’t appear to be any feature limitations, however.
The company started testing the watermark in rough Windows 11 builds released in February. Its inclusion in the Release Preview indicates Microsoft is ready to bring the alert to a completed software update in the near future.
Windows 11 officially requires either an 8th-generation Intel Core CPU or an AMD chip based on a Zen+ or Zen 2 architecture. Many believe the cutoff is arbitrary, and have used a Microsoft-sanctioned registry tweak to bypass a CPU check and install the OS without a rejection message. Microsoft has warned it might not provide updates to these PCs, but the software should still work.
In practice, a purely cosmetic mark like this is more a disclaimer than a deterrent — it’s a reminder that Microsoft won’t help you if the software misbehaves on an unsupported machine. If you’re comfortable bypassing the CPU check in the first place, you can likely remove the watermark as well. Still, this might prove annoying if you’ve been running Windows 11 on an out-of-spec PC without hassles.
