OpenAI’s robotic hand doesn’t need humans to teach it human behaviors
Gripping something with your hand is one of the first things you learn to do as an infant, but it’s far from a simple task, and only gets more complex and variable as you grow up. This complexity makes it difficult for machines to teach themselves to do, but researchers at Elon Musk and Sam […]
How to pick the smart display that’s right for you
Smart speakers like the Amazon Echo, Google Home, or the Apple HomePod remain a good fit for most homes if you enjoy listening to music above all else. But some of the smart assistants that power them have found their way into smart displays, a new form factor that brings about some exciting changes. Whether […]
Google Wants You to Use Physical Security Keys So Bad It’s Willing to Sell You One
Image: GoogleGoogle really, really wants you to use physical security keys to protect yourself from hackers. After announcing that its 85,000 employees have managed to go more than a year without getting phished because of mandated security devices, Google now has its own physical security key to sell you.On Wednesday, the company announced its new […]
The Future of Labor: It’s Not All Robots in the Workplace
Is the robot revolution arriving sooner — and with more devastating force — than you once believed? While much of the automation discussion has surrounded blue-collar careers in manufacturing and transportation, recent studies on the subject see a much wider range of jobs being affected. According to an algorithm developed in 2013 by researchers at […]
The billionaire ‘Giving Pledge’ signed by Bill Gates and Elon Musk could soon be worth up to $600 billion
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images At least 175 people committed to donating a majority of their fortunes through the Giving Pledge, which could be worth as much as $600 billion by 2022, according to a Wealth-X report. The pledge has drawn some criticism because it allows donors to name their own charities in their wills. Education was the […]
The best VPN service
By Mark Smirniotis This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter’s independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full VPN guide here. We spent more than 130 hours over four months researching 32 VPN services, testing 12, interviewing the leadership of five, and […]
Facebook sets a new task for AI: guide a virtual tourist around New York
How do you teach computers to understand language — not just transcribe human speech, but actually comprehend what someone is saying? It’s one of the grand challenges of AI, and we still don’t really know the best way to tackle the problem. Facebook’s AI research lab, FAIR, has one idea: teach AIs to understand language […]
Preparing for Spear Phishing Attacks
Spear phishing is a major threat to any business. Did you know that 90 percent of cyberattacks on businesses come through phishing emails? In fact, spear phishing attacks have become so complex that they have the opportunity to trick even the savviest user. Is your team prepared to recognize the lure? To be prepared, you […]
This app reads Wikipedia to teach you about the cities you’re driving through
If you’re a fellow Wiki-addict who loves obscure local trivia, there’s now an app that’ll read it to you. Developed by Malte Ubl, the tech lead for Google’s AMP project, the app detects a user’s geolocation and matches it with relevant Wikipedia articles. The app then reads the articles out loud, kind of a smart […]
This day in Engadget history: Blockbuster Video tanks in a big way
Engadget has been around for 14 years and counting, which means our archives contain a veritable treasure trove of technology history. From notable reviews and news to the more mundane or ridiculous finds from across the internet, there’s a lot to explore here. "This Day in Engadget History" will take you on a historical voyage […]