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Soon, folks in the UK will be able to check out Apple TV+ series Trying for free (well, other than the cost of a TV license). The BBC has picked up the rights to the first three seasons of the show. The Beeb will broadcast it on TV and stream it on iPlayer starting on September 8. According to Deadline, the deal includes the option for the BBC to pick up more seasons of Trying, which — as it happens — is produced by a commercial arm of the corporation. Apple greenlit a fifth season earlier this year. This marks the first time that the BBC has picked up an Apple TV+ series, but deals such as this aren’t uncommon. BBC rival ITV scooped up Apple TV+ series Suspicion earlier this year for its ITVX streaming service. Sales distributor Fifth Season is said to have brokered that deal. Last year, Fifth Season was shopping around other Apple TV+ shows, such as See, Roar and Servant. We’ve seen other instances of streaming services and production companies taking their projects to other platforms to get some more eyeballs on them and try to earn more revenue. A couple of years ago, Warner Bros. Discovery yanked shows including Westworld from (HBO) Max in favor of streaming them on free, ad-supported platforms. The BBC has also partnered with Disney+ to stream Doctor Who internationally. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/apple-tv-sitcom-trying-is-coming-to-the-bbc-144552532.html?src=rss

If your Wi-Fi signal is struggling to reach every corner of your home, a signal booster — also known as a Wi-Fi extender — might be the fix you need. Whether you’re dealing with annoying dead zones, buffering video calls or laggy gaming sessions, the right Wi-Fi extender can help expand coverage and improve connectivity without forcing you to move your router. There are different types of Wi-Fi extenders to choose from. Some models use external antennas to push the signal farther, while others, like mesh extenders, create a seamless, whole-home network. If you’re simply looking to extend coverage into a specific room, a Wi-Fi repeater can do the job — but it may cut your bandwidth in half. More advanced extenders, however, can help maintain strong speeds and reliability throughout your home. We’ve rounded up the best Wi-Fi extenders to suit different needs, whether you’re looking for an affordable fix or a high-performance upgrade. Table of contents Best Wi-Fi extender for 2025 How do Wi-Fi extenders work? What to look for in a Wi-Fi extender Wi-Fi extender FAQs Best Wi-Fi extender for 2025 How do Wi-Fi extenders work? These handy wireless devices do exactly what their name suggests: extend your Wi-Fi network so it covers more areas of your home. Most wireless extenders plug into an AC outlet and connect to your existing router so they can then rebroadcast it to spots that your router alone may not cover well. As a rule of thumb, you’ll get the best results by placing the extender half way between your router and the dead zone you’re trying to fix or improve your W-Fi connection and strengthen the wireless signal. One important thing to note about Wi-Fi range extenders (also sometimes called “repeaters”) is that most of them actually create a new Wi-Fi network when rebroadcasting your existing one. That network will have a new name (it’ll often be your default network’s name with an EXT appended at the end, unless you change it) and that means you’ll have to connect to different networks when in different parts of your home. While that’s a small tradeoff in return for improved internet connection, some will be more inconvenienced than others. If you’d rather have one, much larger network in your home, you’re better off upgrading to mesh networking systems. Mesh systems come with a main router and a wireless access point or two that, by default, create one large Wi-Fi system that should be accessible throughout your whole home. They tend to be the best Wi-Fi routers you can get, but that also translates to more expensive, and possibly more complicated, devices. Mesh Wi-Fi systems are, by far, more costly than a simple extender, plus you may have to work with your internet service provider to get your home’s existing network working on your new router. What to look for in a Wi-Fi extender Speed Extenders today can support single, dual or tri-band Wi-Fi, and they will tell you the maximum speeds they support on all of their available bands. For example, one dual-band device might support 600Mbps speeds over its 2.4GHz band and up to 1300Mbps over its 5GHz band, for a combined maximum speed of 1900Mbps. For the best performance, you’ll want to go with a Wi-Fi extender that has the highest speeds possible (and those, as you might expect, tend to cost more). Some extenders even support Wi-Fi 7, giving you the latest in wireless technology for higher bandwidth, faster internet speed and lower latency. However, it’s important to remember that Wi-Fi extenders are not true “signal boosters” since they are not designed to increase speeds across your home. In fact, you may find that the extender’s network is slower than your router’s. Instead, extenders are designed to increase the strong Wi-Fi coverage throughout your home, making them ideal for filling in dead zones. Some mesh extenders can help create a more seamless network, reducing the drop in speed and improving connectivity in larger spaces. Range, and number of supported devices With the name of the gaming being coverage area, taking note of a device’s range is important. Depending on the size of your home and property, you may only need up to 1,200 square feet of coverage. But those with larger homes will want to spring for an extender that can support upwards of 2,000+ square feet of coverage. Similarly, those with lots of gadgets will want an extender that can handle them all at once. If you spend most of your time on your phone or laptop and maybe have your smart TV online for a few hours of Netflix each day, you could get by with a more limited extender. Smart home aficionados and tech lovers should invest in one that won’t buckle under the pressure of a few dozen connected devices. This is especially important if you plan on linking all of the devices in a certain part of your home to your Wi-Fi range extender’s network, rather than directly to your existing router. Some models with external antennas can improve performance by providing stronger, more directional wireless signal. Design There isn’t a ton of innovation when it comes to design in the Wi-Fi extender space. Most of the ones you’ll find today are rounded rectangles roughly the size of your hand that plug into a standard wall outlet. They usually have a few indicator lights that will show you when the extender is connected, how strong its signal strength is and when there’s a problem, and some will even have moveable external antennas that companies claim provide even better Wi-Fi signal. Generally, they are pretty simple to install and get connected, but if you’re struggling with how to set up your Wi-Fi extender, there are plenty of YouTube videos you can check out. Aside from that, there are the scant few standalone Wi-Fi extenders that sit on an end table or a desk, and those look pretty similar to regular ol’ routers. But make

Figuring out the best iPad for you can be tricky. Apple now sells three 11-inch tablets and two 13-inch ones, each with key differences in pricing, specs and accessory support. The iPad mini is still hanging around, too. Ahead of the big changes coming with the iPadOS 26 update later this year, we’ve tested each current iPad and broken down which ones best fit different needs, whether you want a laptop replacement or just a big screen for streaming. Table of contents The best iPads for 2025 How we test the best iPads iPad FAQs Recent updates The best iPads for 2025 How we test the best iPads The top edge of the iPad mini. Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Much like we do for our guide to the best tablets overall, we spend several days with each iPad to see how they feel and perform with different tasks: watching videos, web browsing, playing both casual and graphically intense games, editing 4K photos and video, running multiple apps side-by-side, making FaceTime calls and the like. To better measure performance specifically, we use benchmarking tests like Geekbench 6, 3DMark and GFXBench Metal, plus we measure how long it takes for each tablet to boot up and open various apps. We also check how well each tablet holds up long-term, whether it’s with a review unit provided by Apple or an iPad model that’s owned by a member of the Engadget staff. To help compare the color performance and brightness of the displays, we play the same videos on different iPads, side-by-side, at equal brightness levels. We use each tablet in direct sunlight outdoors to see how well they hold up to glare, and we play a handful of the same musical tracks to evaluate speaker performance. For battery life, we keep track of how long each tablet generally lasts before it needs a recharge, but we also play a 1080p movie on a loop at roughly 70 percent brightness with power-sapping background processes off. We also test each device with an Apple Pencil and note how responsive the stylus feels. Finally, we carefully pore over spec sheets and software updates to keep track of which features are available on certain iPads but not others. iPad FAQs The iPad (A16) on top of an 13-inch iPad Air. Jeff Dunn for Engadget What are some new features coming to iPadOS 26? Apple first previewed iPadOS 26 during its WWDC keynote in June. The update looks to be a major overhaul, one that brings iPadOS closer to macOS than ever before. New features include the ability to open more windows simultaneously and resize or tile them more freely; a Mac-style Menu bar; a dedicated Preview app; an upgraded Files app; an improved ability to export or download large files in the background; an Exposé view that shows all open windows; a pointier cursor and the option to add folders to the Dock. It’ll also use the new “liquid glass” design language Apple is rolling out across all of its platforms in 2025. Importantly, Apple says these features will be available across its tablet lineup, from the iPad Pro to the entry-level iPad. That could make the latter a particularly enticing value. You can find the full list of compatible devices at the bottom of Apple’s press release. How long do iPads typically last? If history is any indication, expect Apple to update your iPad to the latest version of iPadOS for at least five years, if not longer. The current iPadOS 18 update, for example, is available on iPad Pro models dating back to 2018 and other iPads dating back to 2019. How long your iPad’s hardware will last depends on which model you buy and how well you maintain it. (If you’re particularly clumsy, consider an iPad case.) A more powerful iPad Pro will feel fast for a longer time than an entry-level iPad, but each model should remain at least serviceable until Apple stops updating it, at minimum. What’s the difference between the iPad and the iPad Air? Compared to the 11th-gen iPad, the iPad Air runs on a stronger M3 chip (instead of the A16 Bionic) and has 2GB more RAM (8GB total). Both come with 128GB of storage by default. The Air is also available in two sizes, 11 and 13 inches, whereas the 11th-gen iPad doesn’t offer the larger screen option. The M-series SoC gives the Air better long-term performance, plus access to certain iPadOS features such as Apple Intelligence and Stage Manager. Its display supports a wider P3 color gamut, has an antireflective coating and is fully laminated. The latter means there’s no “air gap” between the display and the glass covering it, so it feels more like you’re directly touching what’s on screen instead of interacting with an image below the glass. The Air also works with the newer Pencil Pro stylus and more comfortable Magic Keyboards, and its USB-C port supports faster data transfer speeds. It technically supports faster Wi-Fi 6E, too, while the lower-cost iPad uses Wi-Fi 6.   Starting at $349, the 11th-gen iPad is $250 less expensive than the iPad Air. It has a similarly elegant design with flat edges, thin bezels, USB-C port, and a Touch ID reader. Battery life is rated at the same 10 hours, and both devices have their front-facing camera on their long edge, which is a more natural position for video calls. The cheaper iPad works with the first-gen and USB-C Apple Pencils – which are more convoluted to charge – and a unique keyboard accessory called the Magic Keyboard Folio. Jeff Dunn for Engadget What’s the difference between iPads and Android tablets? The operating system, duh. But to give a few more specifics: Android devices are available from more manufacturers and cover a wider price range. You won’t see an $80 iPad anytime soon. Android is also more malleable in that you can easily sideload apps from places beyond Google’s official app store and more

Samsung is hosting another Unpacked event on September 4, and this time it’ll only be available to watch virtually. The event will stream on Samsung’s YouTube page and website at 5:30AM ET, following the in-person launch events the company held for the Galaxy S25 line in January and the new Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 in July. With most of the company’s smartphone lineup accounted for, Samsung will likely use this Unpacked to introduce new tablets. The company announced the the Galaxy Tab S10 Lite earlier this week and now leaks point to a new Galaxy Tab S11 and S11 Ultra being in the works, according to Notebookcheck. The Tab S11 will reportedly feature an AMOLED screen, 12GB of RAM and a MediaTek Dimensity 9400 chip, rather than Samsung’s preferred Qualcomm Snapdragon chips. The Tab S11 Ultra will have similar features, but with a larger AMOLED, up to 16GB of RAM, the same MediaTek chip and a larger 11,600mAh battery. Odds are also good that Samsung will announce the Galaxy S25 FE, a cheaper alternative to the normal Galaxy S25. Based on the leaks SamMobile compiled, the S25 FE will share many similarities with the S24 FE, save for an improved 12MP selfie camera, up from 10MP on the S24 FE, a larger 4,900mAh battery and faster wired charging speeds. Provided you’re willing to get up early, you’ll be able to see for yourself when Samsung streams its next Unpacked event on September 4. It likely won’t be the last event the company holds this year, either. The Project Moohan Android XR headset and Samsung’s first trifold phone are also expected to be released in 2025. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-will-hold-another-unpacked-on-september-4-230040711.html?src=rss

Most of the time, AI companies are locked in a race to the top, treating each other as rivals and competitors. Today, OpenAI and Anthropic revealed that they agreed to evaluate the alignment of each other’s publicly available systems and shared the results of their analyses. The full reports get pretty technical, but are worth a read for anyone who’s following the nuts and bolts of AI development. A broad summary showed some flaws with each company’s offerings, as well as revealing pointers for how to improve future safety tests.  Anthropic said it evaluated OpenAI models for “sycophancy, whistleblowing, self-preservation, and supporting human misuse, as well as capabilities related to undermining AI safety evaluations and oversight.” Its review found that o3 and o4-mini models from OpenAI fell in line with results for its own models, but raised concerns about possible misuse with the ​​GPT-4o and GPT-4.1 general-purpose models. The company also said sycophancy was an issue to some degree with all tested models except for o3. Anthropic’s tests did not include OpenAI’s most recent release. GPT-5 has a feature called Safe Completions, which is meant to protect users and the public against potentially dangerous queries. OpenAI recently faced its first wrongful death lawsuit after a tragic case where a teenager discussed attempts and plans for suicide with ChatGPT for months before taking his own life. On the flip side, OpenAI ran tests on Anthropic models for instruction hierarchy, jailbreaking, hallucinations and scheming. The Claude models generally performed well in instruction hierarchy tests, and had a high refusal rate in hallucination tests, meaning they were less likely to offer answers in cases where uncertainty meant their responses could be wrong. The move for these companies to conduct a joint assessment is intriguing, particularly since OpenAI allegedly violated Anthropic’s terms of service by having programmers use Claude in the process of building new GPT models, which led to Anthropic barring OpenAI’s access to its tools earlier this month. But safety with AI tools has become a bigger issue as more critics and legal experts seek guidelines to protect users, particularly minors.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-and-anthropic-conducted-safety-evaluations-of-each-others-ai-systems-223637433.html?src=rss

Remember Judas? No, not the biblical figure and not the Lady Gaga bop, this Judas is a project from Ghost Story Games. If you don’t remember, it’s the game that was reportedly in “development hell” before it was even announced. The team, led by BioShock creator Ken Levine, had gone pretty quiet for a few years after releasing the debut trailer, but today teased a look at some key art and mechanics for the game. The BioShock lineage is clear from the handful of visuals we’ve seen so far, but instead of a linear binary of which NPCs and actions are good versus bad, Judas aims to place the moral compass more firmly in the player’s hands. There are a trio of major characters, dubbed the Big 3 in today’s devlog, who will be drawn to the player based on what you do in-game. If one of the main NPCs gets ignored for too long, they’ll become the game’s villain. This unlocks new sets of powers and abilities for them that could also influence your gameplay options. For instance, there are Rent-A-Deputy stations where the player can temporarily access a weirdly wiggly ally to help them in fights. However, if you’ve alienated Tom, the old-school sheriff character, Rent-A-Deputies will attack you instead. The emphasis here seems to be on building relationships with the Big 3, and the gist seems to be that at some point, you’ll have to decide which one will be your real enemy. Unsurprisingly, the team has no release date to share yet. Maybe in another couple of years… This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/bioshock-creator-ken-levines-judas-game-still-exists-now-has-key-art-201635885.html?src=rss

Choosing the best Android phone can feel overwhelming as there are so many options from so many brands, it’s hard to know where to start. Unlike Apple, which sticks to its sleek lineup of iPhones, Android offers a world of variety. Whether you’re eyeing the latest flagship from Samsung, a budget-friendly smartphone from Motorola or something unique with a foldable design, there’s an Android device out there to suit your needs. The beauty of Android is its flexibility. You’ll find phones with different screen sizes, camera setups, battery life and even quirky extras like stylus support or rugged builds. Plus, Android lets you customize your device to your heart’s content – something Apple fans might envy. We’ve tested and researched the top Android phones to help you find the right one for your budget, lifestyle, and tech preferences. Best Android phones for 2025 What to look for in a new Android phone Performance When it comes to picking our favorite Android phones, the main things we look for are pretty straightforward: good performance (both compute and AI), a nice display, solid design, sharp cameras, long battery life and a significant commitment to ongoing software support. For performance, not only do we look at benchmarks and other metrics, but we also evaluate phones based on responsiveness. Regardless of whether you’re reading, text messaging, scrolling through social media or playing a game, no one wants a gadget that feels sluggish. Display When it comes to displays, we generally prefer OLED panels that can produce rich, saturated colors with at least 600 nits of brightness, though many of our top mid-range and high-end phones can hit 1,000 nits or more. And more recently, most of our favorite devices also support screens with fast refresh rates of 90Hz or 120Hz, which adds an extra level of smoothness and fluidity. Design Now we will admit there is a bit of subjectivity when deciding which phones look the best, but there are other design aspects like dust and water resistance or screen durability that can make a big difference to long-term survival. It’s also important to consider things like support for wireless charging, power sharing (aka reverse wireless charging) and UWB connectivity, which can have an impact on how your phone interacts with your other devices. Cameras Obviously, for photos we’re looking for sharp, colorful shots in both bright and low-light conditions. And we want video clips with high dynamic range, rich audio and smooth image stabilization. Extra cameras for ultra-wide and telephoto lenses are a plus. The best cameras should also include features like dedicated night modes, support for various video recording resolutions, and additional photo modes like timelapse, slow motion and more. Battery and software Finally, in terms of longevity, we’re looking for all-day battery life on devices that also delivered great results on our local video rundown test (at least 16 hours on a charge, but more is obviously better). Wireless charging capabilities have become almost ubiquitous over the past few years, and most of our top picks have this extra perk. Fast-charging is available on some Android phones, too. Finally, with people holding onto their phones longer than ever, we like to see companies commit to at least three years of software support, upgrades and regular security updates. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/best-android-phone-130030805.html?src=rss

It’s now a little cheaper to try Xbox Cloud Gaming. Previously restricted to the Game Pass Ultimate tier, it’s now open to Core and Standard subscribers. Xbox Cloud Gaming is still in beta, so you’ll need to sign up (for free) as an Xbox Insider. Game Pass Core and Standard subscribers can stream cloud-playable games from two categories. This includes games supported in their subscription or select cloud-enabled games they own. The biggest perk of Cloud Gaming is it’s supported on a whole mess of devices. In addition to Xbox consoles and PCs, it’s also available on mobile, smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV devices, Meta Quest headsets and anything else with a web browser. Microsoft The move is the latest evidence of Microsoft’s shift to a more device-agnostic gaming strategy. It’s now more about selling Game Pass subscriptions than fighting a losing hardware battle with Sony. And Microsoft views cloud gaming as playing a pivotal role in that trajectory. In the past year, it rolled out the ability to stream Xbox games you already own. In July, it expanded that to include PC games and made your recently played games follow you across devices. The company also sees an opportunity in handheld consoles, with its partnership with ASUS. The ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X are set to arrive on October 16, although their pricing remains unknown. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-cloud-gaming-is-now-playable-in-the-cheaper-game-pass-tiers-183033789.html?src=rss

WhatsApp just introduced an AI-powered writing assistant, in case you need help with a text or whatever. The AI provides suggestions in various styles, like professional, funny or supportive. Once generated, the user can continue editing the message if required. All you have to do is look for the new pencil icon in a 1:1 conversation or a group chat. The AI will handle the rest. It’s rolling out now, but only in English and to users in the US. The company says it hopes “to bring it to other languages and countries later this year.” The obvious question here is regarding privacy. WhatsApp messages are end-to-end encrypted, but AI queries are typically sent to a cloud data center somewhere. Luckily, the company has built this feature on top of Meta’s pre-existing Private Processing technology. This allows users to use Meta AI without anyone else ever reading the message or any suggested re-writes. This works similarly to Apple’s Private Cloud Compute, which also integrates with AI without sending all data to the cloud. Meta says the tech preserves “WhatsApp’s core privacy promise, ensuring no one except you and the people you’re talking to can access or share your personal messages.” With the privacy angle out of the way, that leaves the feature itself. Just about every platform out there has some kind of AI writing assistant at this point, so we aren’t sure what makes this one special. Also, is there even a benefit to using this type of thing in the context of a quick back-and-forth text conversation? I see the use for long-form writing projects but not so much here, but maybe that’s just me.  This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/whatsapp-is-the-latest-to-offer-an-ai-powered-writing-assistant-182116369.html?src=rss

Anthropic’s agentic AI, Claude, has been “weaponized” in high-level cyberattacks, according to a new report published by the company. It claims to have successfully disrupted a cybercriminal whose “vibe hacking” extortion scheme targeted at least 17 organizations, including some related to healthcare, emergency services and government. Anthropic says the hacker attempted to extort some victims into paying six-figure ransoms to prevent their personal data from being made public, with an “unprecedented” reliance on AI assistance. The report claims that Claude Code, Anthropic’s agentic coding tool, was used to “automate reconnaissance, harvest victims’ credentials, and penetrate networks.” The AI was also used to make strategic decisions, advise on which data to target and even generate “visually alarming” ransom notes. As well as sharing information about the attack with relevant authorities, Anthropic says it banned the accounts in question after discovering criminal activity, and has since developed an automated screening tool. It has also introduced a faster and more efficient detection method for similar future cases, but doesn’t specify how that works. The report (which you can read in full here) also details Claude’s involvement in a fraudulent employment scheme in North Korea and the development of AI-generated ransomware. The common theme of the three cases, according to Anthropic, is that the highly reactive and self-learning nature of AI means cybercriminals now use it for operational reasons, as well as just advice. AI can also perform a role that would once have required a team of individuals, with technical skill no longer being the barrier it once was. Claude isn’t the only AI that has been used for nefarious means. Last year, OpenAI said that its generative AI tools were being used by cybercriminal groups with ties to China and North Korea, with hackers using GAI for code debugging, researching potential targets and drafting phishing emails. OpenAI, whose architecture Microsoft uses to power its own Copilot AI, said it had blocked the groups’ access to its systems. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-admits-its-ai-is-being-used-to-conduct-cybercrime-170735451.html?src=rss