Spotify adds ‘Exclusive Mode’ audiophile feature for Windows PCs
Starting Tuesday, Spotify users will have access to "Exclusive Mode," a new feature in the streaming service's Windows app that can help maximize audio quality by giving the Spotify app full control over your device's audio processing. According to Spotify, "your computer may alter audio before it reaches your DAC by resampling it, mixing other system sounds in, and changing the volume." Turning on Exclusive Mode prevents this, which Spotify says allows for "Bit Perfect playback."
Exclusive Mode is currently only available to Spotify Premium users on Windows, but Spotify says it will also be coming to the Mac app "in a future release." To …
Ikea tried to build a smart home for everyone — here’s why it’s not working yet
Ikea's new Matter-over-Thread products were supposed to prove that the smart home could be cheap, accessible, and reliable. The highly anticipated line - which includes sensors, remotes, smart plugs, air-quality monitors, and smart bulbs - has most everything you need to build a smart home, with prices starting at $6. It's an exciting idea, but it's still not ready for primetime.
When I first got the Ikea devices in January, I had a lot of problems connecting them to my main platform, Apple Home. And it turned out I was not alone. Reddit forums and user reviews were full of reports of onboarding and connectivity issues. Many people were str …
Nvidia’s DLSS 5 is like motion smoothing for video games, but worse
Yesterday Nvidia revealed its latest upscaling tech called DLSS 5, which it described as "the company's most significant breakthrough in computer graphics since the debut of real-time ray tracing in 2018." Sounds good, until you actually see it. According to Nvidia, the tech "infuses pixels with photoreal lighting and materials," but all anyone seemed to notice was that it turned recognizable faces into something resembling AI slop. Resident Evil Requiem protagonist Grace got a makeover that would make her look at home in a Tilly Norwood video. The Hogwarts Legacy kids looked like they'd been wrung through an Instagram filter. Even Liverpool …
Antigravity’s 360-degree drone is 20 percent off ahead of its next feature drop
Insta360’s Antigravity A1 is one of the most interesting drones on the market thanks to its included Vision Goggles, which provide a 360-degree first-person view through the drone’s cameras (a screen on the outside of its lenses shows what the pilot is seeing). Its cameras can shoot 8K video at 30 frames per second, or in 5.7K at 60 frames per second. And now, the company has launched its biggest discounts yet on all bundles, knocking 20 percent off the list price at Amazon, Best Buy, and directly from Antigravity through April 16th.
Antigravity A1 drone
Where to Buy:
The ongoing promo ends just as the company is set to release a new set of features via a free software update. Before I dig into said features, however, here’s what each bundle includes and how much they currently cost. The most affordable bundle, which Antigravity calls the “Standard” set, costs $1,279 (originally $1,599). It includes the A1 drone, Vision Goggles, a remote control, a battery, a carrying case, and four spare propellers.
The “Explorer” and “Infinity” bundles are selling for $1,519 (was $1,899) and $1,599 (was $1,999), respectively. They include additional spare propellers and batteries, as well as other accessories not included in the entry tier, such as a sling bag and a charging hub. The priciest package comes with a quick reader for transferring drone footage to other devices, and high-capacity batteries instead of standard batteries included in other tiers.
In February, Antigravity shipped a new Flight Simulator mode, which lets you practice flying through the Vision Goggles without actually having to fly the drone. On April 15th, the company will launch voice controls to let you trigger certain shooting functions with a command, timelapse capture in multiple flight modes, and Virtual Cockpit. The latter inclusion can insert virtual assets into your view for fun, making it look like you’re riding a dragon or flying in an airplane cockpit.
Here’s a look at the A1 when we got hands-on with a prototype ahead of its launch:
The messiah rises in Dune: Part Three’s new trailer
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a portentous set of twin babies in the new trailer for Dune: Part Three.
Warner Bros. has debuted its first full trailer for Denis Villeneuve's third Dune film. Thankfully, it doesn't give everything about the film away, but it does put a spotlight on a few of the key characters who will bring this chapter of Paul Atreides' (Timothée Chalamet) story to an end. Set a few years after the events of Part Two, Dune: Part Three finds Paul and Chani (Zendaya) eagerly anticipating the birth of their first child.
Though the couple don't seem to know that they're about to have twins in the trailer, …
Now everyone in the US is getting Google’s personalized Gemini AI
Google announced on Tuesday that all users in the US will now have access to its Personal Intelligence feature, which lets you connect various Google apps to provide context for Gemini's responses and suggestions. Access was previously limited to Google AI Pro and AI Ultra subscribers. Now, free-tier users in the US can also use Personal Intelligence through AI Mode in Search, Gemini in Chrome, and the Gemini app. However, the feature is currently only available to users on personal Google accounts, not business, enterprise, or education users.
Personal Intelligence uses data from connected apps, like YouTube, Google Photos, and Gmail, to …
Intel announces Core Ultra 200HX Plus CPUs for high-end gaming laptops
Intel has a pair of new flagship CPUs coming to a variety of pricey gaming laptops: the Core Ultra 9 290 HX Plus and Core Ultra 7 270HX Plus. The Arrow Lake Refresh chips sport 24 cores / 24 threads and 20 cores / 20 threads, respectively. Like Intel's recently announced desktop CPUs, the new Plus models for laptops are "pushed further for enthusiasts," and also feature the Intel Binary Optimization Tool that can improve native performance "in select games."
Intel's Josh Newman states that the new chips "deliver meaningful, real‑world performance gains so users can experience smoother gameplay, faster creation workflows, and mo …
Two more EVs for the trash heap: Volvo EX30 and Honda Prologue
The steady stream of news about automakers cancelling or discontinuing electric vehicles continues apace. This week it's Volvo's small, quirky EX30 and Honda's solo electric offering in the US, the Prologue. Both are the latest victims of stagnating EV sales in the US thanks to the Trump administration's decision to eliminate tax incentives.
First, the EX30. The small SUV was the most affordable EV in Volvo's lineup, even if it took some time before it arrived on our shores. Volvo spokesperson Sophia Durr says that the automaker's US division has decided to discontinue the EX30 and EX30 Cross Country after the 2026 model year. It will, how …
Several Sonos audio products got their first 2026 discounts
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale kicks off on March 25th, though some great tech sales are already available. Sonos is one of several companies that has switched on sales for its products, including some that haven’t previously been discounted this year. While the company is best known for its home theater gear, these discounts largely focus on products that are just as enjoyable to use outside as they are indoors (it is almost spring, after all).
Kicking things off, the Sonos Ace wireless headphones are back down to $299 (originally $399) at Amazon, Best Buy, and through Sonos, as long as you’re ready to buy them in black. While this price is $20 shy of their best-ever, it’s worth noting that this is the first discount of the year. The Ace headphones are an impressive first attempt at wireless headphones for the company, packed with active noise cancellation, comfort and great sound that rivals the best in the category — currently at a price that’s lower than most of its competitors. Their TV Audio Swap feature is unique, letting you swap audio from a Sonos soundbar (including the Arc, Beam, or Ray) to the Ace for private listening. Read our review.
Sonos Ace
The Sonos Ace are the company’s first set of wireless headphones. They feature a premium, comfortable build and active noise cancellation, along with compatibility with Sonos Arc and other Sonos soundbars.
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The Roam 2 Bluetooth speaker is $139 at Amazon, Best Buy, and Sonos, matching the $40 off price we last saw during Black Friday and throughout December of last year. While similar in terms of performance to the first model, the 2024 upgrade has some new quality-of-life features, like separate power and Bluetooth pairing buttons, plus the ability to use it as a Bluetooth speaker out of the box. The first model required you to set it up with the Sonos app before you could do anything else with it, which was a silly limitation. This model supports Sound Swap, letting you swap from listening on the Roam 2 to other Sonos speakers you might have. You can also pair a Bluetooth device to the Roam 2 and then share that audio across other Sonos speakers.
Sonos Roam 2
The Sonos Roam 2 is a compact and travel-friendly Bluetooth speaker that easily syncs up with Sonos’ home audio ecosystem via Wi-Fi. While it looks much like the original, the Roam 2 has some small quality-of-life improvements, like a separate button for Bluetooth connections.
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The larger Move 2 Bluetooth speaker is $399 ($100 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Sonos, which is another price drop that hasn’t appeared since the end of the year. It’s a fantastic speaker that’s full of improvements over the original, with stereo sound, twice the battery life, plus line-in playback for wired audio sources. In terms of audio performance, former reviewer Chris Welch noted that the Move 2 is like a wireless Era 100 (a plug-in speaker that’s $219). Being able to take it on-the-go with IP54 protection against the elements might be worth the extra money to you. Read our review.
Sonos Move 2
With double the battery life of its predecessor and better-sounding stereo audio, the Sonos Move 2’s improvements don’t stop there. It supports line-in audio, can stream Bluetooth audio to other Sonos speakers, and more. Read our review.
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Switching over to home theater upgrades, we see the return of two deals that were last running during the Super Bowl. The second-gen Sonos Beam soundbar from 2021 is back down to $369 in black or white at Amazon, Best Buy, and at Sonos, down from its original $499 price. While it’s getting a bit old, it still delivers a wide, expansive sound stage that the first-gen model can’t match. Sonos touts Dolby Atmos support with this Beam soundbar, though you should know that it’s not Atmos at its best. Since the Beam lacks up-facing speakers to direct audio above your head, it has to virtualize the effect. As our review says, don’t upgrade just for the Atmos support. But if you’re comparing the cheaper Ray soundbar and this model, the Beam is more powerful.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2)
The Beam isn’t as powerful as the Sonos Arc, nor can it match the flagship soundbar’s Dolby Atmos immersion bubble. But you still get room-filling surround sound for less money — and the Beam ties into the Sonos ecosystem for added convenience. Read our review.
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Lastly, you have another chance to save on the Sonos Sub Mini, the company’s most affordable wireless subwoofer that — surprise, surprise — isn’t all that cheap even when there’s a deal. It’s normally $499, but you can grab one in white or black for $399 at Amazon, Sonos, and Best Buy. It has previously been available for as low as around $350, but the last time we saw that price was over six months ago. While the Sub Mini isn’t the ideal subwoofer for large rooms (the $899 Sub 4 awaits you), it might be just what you’re looking for if you want to add more low-end presence to your movies and games to your small- to medium-sized room. Read our review.
Sonos Sub Mini
It can’t fully match the loudness and sheer power of the flagship Sonos Sub, but the more compact Sub Mini still kicks out plenty of boom that will make you feel the low-end bass from your couch. Read our review.
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Microsoft appoints a new Copilot boss after AI leadership shake-up
Microsoft is doing another executive shuffle today to reorganize how it engineers its Copilot assistant. Different teams have been working on the consumer and commercial sides of Copilot for years, but Microsoft is about to unify parts of them in an effort to create a more cohesive Copilot for businesses and consumers.
The changes will see Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman focus on creating Microsoft's own AI models, instead of working directly on the assistant-like features of Copilot for consumers. Suleyman first joined Microsoft nearly two years ago, after Microsoft hired a bunch of folks from Inflection AI. Months after Suleyman's hirin …