The best mobile gaming controllers you can buy

Mobile gaming is serious business now. The biggest titles out there are games like Fortnite and Genshin Impact, helped along by legions of kids getting their first smartphone. Lots of game publishers are putting out console-quality experiences on mobile, and it’s taken time for gaming accessories to catch up. But they have, and now players have a number of controller options to suit their play style. We’ve sorted through the leading options to highlight the pros and cons of each, so you can decide which one is the best for getting your game on (the go).

For players who prefer PlayStation-style controllers: 8BitDo Pro 2

8BitDo Pro 2 in gray
Kris Naudus / Engadget

8BitDo has built itself a reputation for versatile gamepads that can work with multiple systems, from the Nintendo Switch to the Raspberry Pi. And while the Pro 2 is one of our top controllers for the Switch, it’s also a pretty great option for Android and iOS as well. The advantage to using these with your phone is also the free 8BitDo software that gives you extensive customization options for the buttons; it even has more options than you’ll find on Nintendo’s system. Of course, being a Bluetooth gamepad means it’s easy enough to jump back and forth, making this a good investment for people who own multiple portable devices (like a Switch).

Pros: PlayStation-like design is comfortable; configuration software is robust; controller is available in multiple colors

Cons: Not small and would be best carried around in a case

Buy 8BitDo Pro 2 at Amazon – $50

For players who like Xbox-style controllers: SteelSeries Nimbus+ and Stratus+

Two controllers in black
Kris Naudus / Engadget

While the PlayStation’s DualShock design has gained its share of devotees over the years, the Xbox gamepad is the stereotypical image of the gamepad in many people’s minds (as well as the Discord logo). So it makes sense that there are a lot more mobile gaming options with that shape, and the best ones come from SteelSeries: the Nimbus+ for Apple-made devices and the Stratus+ for Google-based devices (Android and Chromebook).

The two controllers are, for the most part, identical. They have shoulder buttons and triggers, the d-pad is the same, and they both include sturdy phone mounts for attaching your device at the top — the type that clamps in place automatically. Unlike a clamp from a more generic company, the one SteelSeries provides with both controllers won’t fight you during the process of mounting your phone.

Pros: More players are likely to be familiar with Xbox-style controllers; both models include sturdy clamps for clipping your phone to the controller.

Cons: You have to buy a different controller based on what OS you’re using; the controller with the clamp attached is unwieldy

Buy Nimbus+ at Amazon – $70Buy Stratus+ at SteelSeries – $60

For players who want to turn their Android phone into a Switch or Steam Deck-like device: Razer Kishi

Razer Kishi with phone inserted and Brawlhalla on the screen
Kris Naudus / Engadget

Let’s be honest, the form factor is a big reason that devices like the Switch are so popular. They’re comfortable to hold, well-balanced and really put the screen front and center. You don’t really get that with a phone clamp or table stand. Luckily, Razer’s Kishi is a super affordable option that’s easy to slide your phone into — though the setup admittedly wasn’t as quick for me as the SteelSeries options. But at least the direct connection it forms with the phone using USB-C is faster than Bluetooth.

The Kishi’s biggest advantages — besides Razer’s high-end build quality — are its passthrough charging, so you never need to detach it to charge your phone, and the size it folds down to when you do take it off your device. It’s smaller than the SteelSeries controllers, making it ideal for throwing into a small bag.

Pros: Provides a direct connection to a phone instead of relying on Bluetooth; folds up compactly when not in use

Cons: Phone with Kishi attached may feel bulky; doesn’t work with iPhones

Buy Razer Kishi at Amazon – $90

For players who want to turn their iPhone into a handheld console: Backbone One

Backbone One, folded up
Kris Naudus / Engadget

The USB-C port on the Kishi restricts it to Android devices, and Razer doesn’t make an iOS equivalent. However, the new Backbone One is made for Apple devices, though at a higher cost (due to being newer and from a smaller company). My colleague Mat Smith was a big fan of the One when he tried it, and in my own use it has a few advantages over the Razer device, namely a cleaner design and a more sweat-friendly matte texture. It also features Apple-specific buttons, ones that are much bigger and thus easier to hit than the ones on the Kishi.

Pros: Nice matte finish; specifically made for iPhone users

Cons: Expensive; only works with iPhones

Buy Backbone One at Amazon – $100

For players who want the most portable controller possible (or the cutest): 8BitDo Zero 2

8BitDo Zero 2 in pink
Kris Naudus / Engadget

If you have big hands, the 8BitDo Zero 2 is definitely not for you, and your hands will likely cramp if you spend too long playing with this diminutive Bluetooth controller. But for everyone else, it’s definitely worth a look, if only because it’s so small there’s no reason to keep it on you at all times in case of an emergency. Not that we could tell you what constitutes a gaming emergency, but if one does come up you’ll be glad to have this on hand. It truly is keychain-sized, so you can clip it on your backpack or slide it into a Switch carrying case with ease. And we love the bright colors, which are based on the Switch Lite design and should blend in with your spring and summertime apparel.

Pros: Cute and tiny; comes with a strap for attaching to a bag

Cons: Too small for gamers with big hands

Buy 8BitDo Zero 2 at Amazon – $20

DuckDuckGo’s Chrome extension will block Google’s new ad targeting

The privacy-focused browser DuckDuckGo has updated its Chrome extension to block two new ad targeting methods that are a part of Google’s Privacy Sandbox. In a blog post, DuckDuckGo informed users that they can block Google Topics and FLEDGE via its extension, or just disable the “Privacy Sandbox” setting in Chrome. The search giant’s Privacy Sandbox initiative — its alternative method of tracking and targeting users for online ads that Google argues is more privacy-focused — has been met with scrutiny by regulators and privacy advocates. DuckDuckGo has joined the chorus criticizing Google’s new ad tech, which the search giant is currently testing on a limited number of users.

“While some suggest that Topics is a less invasive way of ad targeting, we don’t agree. Why not? Fundamentally it’s because, by default, Google Chrome will still be automatically surveilling your online activity and sharing information about you with advertisers and other parties so they can behaviorally target you without your consent,” wrote DuckDuckGo’s product director Peter Dolanjski in the post.

The company also called out Google’s FLEDGE (short for First Locally-Executed Decision over Groups Experiment), its new method of ad re-targeting (otherwise known as those obnoxious ads that follow users wherever they go on the web). Unlike older methods, Google claims that FLEDGE allows for re-marketing with relying on a personal identifier about users. FLEDGE will also be directly baked in Google’s Chrome browser, instead of traditional ad re-targetting which occurs through third-party cookies.

“When you visit a website where the advertiser may want to later follow you with an ad, the advertiser can tell your Chrome browser to put you into an interest group. Then, when you visit another website which displays ads, your Chrome browser will run an ad auction based on your interest groups and target specific ads at you. So much for your browser working for you!,” wrote Dolanjski.

It’s possibly just lip service, but Google has emphasized that it’s accepting feedback from privacy advocates and regulators as it continues to test Privacy Sandbox. UK’s competition watchdog gave Privacy Sandbox a cautious stamp of approval earlier this year. Phasing out third-party cookies has taken Google longer than expected. Google has regularly updated its Privacy Sandbox timeline, and the new estimate is that it will gradually stop supporting third-party cookies over a three-month period in late 2023.

Google teases its next generation of AR glasses

A decade after Google Glass made its debut at I/O 2012, Google is working on a new set of augmented reality glasses. The company teased the device at I/O 2022, sharing a short clip that showed off some of its capabilities. We saw an “early prototype” of the wearable transcribe a conversation in real-time, effectively providing captions for the wearer. Google also showed demoed the prototype translating a conversation from English into Spanish, allowing a non-English speaker to carry out a conversation with the Google employee speaking to them. 

Google didn’t say when it plans to release the wearable it showed off today. We’ll also note the teaser video the company played during its presentation included text at the bottom of the frame that said what it was showcasing was a “simulated point of view,” suggesting the final interface may look dramatically different from the one Google showed off today. 

Google’s cautious approach to sharing too many details before the device is ready is understandable. While Google Glass is still available to enterprise customers, it’s fair to say the wearable never quite took off the way the company envisioned. In addition to privacy concerns, the “Glasshole” label made it difficult for Google to sell consumers on wearable AR.  

Follow all of the news from Google I/O 2022 right here!

Google brings transcripts and auto-translated captions to YouTube on mobile

Google is rolling out auto-translated video captions for YouTube on mobile devices, with support for 16 languages, the company announced during its I/O 2022 keynote today. The feature is live now. Additionally, YouTube video transcripts are now available to all Android and iOS users.

This is all part of Google’s work to make YouTube videos easier to navigate and search, building on existing features like auto-generated chapters. Google has a plan to increase the number of YouTube videos with auto-generated chapters from 8 million to 80 million by the end of the year. 

The updates to YouTube’s auto-translation features come after Google removed community captions in 2020, leaving some users high and dry, particularly in Japan and Korea. By 2021, however, Google was openly experimenting with auto-translation tools on YouTube.

Next month, Google plans to add auto-translated captions to Ukrainian YouTube content.

Follow all of the news from Google I/O 2022 right here!

Watch the Google I/O 2022 keynote here at 12:40PM ET

Google I/O is one of the company’s most important events of the year, and it all kicks off with today’s keynote. It’s a safe bet that Google will reveal fresh details about Android 13, but the company will most likely have much more to discuss.

It’s not exactly a secret that Google has been beavering away on its own smartwatch — especially after a prototype was left at a restaurant recently. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the company officially showed off the Pixel Watch for the first time today. There are also rumblings of news on the smartphone front, particularly in the form of the rumored Pixel 6a. 

Google will also surely have announcements on other fronts. Key products like Search, Google Assistant and other hardware may be on the docket as well (I have my fingers crossed for some Stadia news, but I’m not holding my breath).

Before the keynote gets underway at 1PM ET, join us for our pre-show, which starts at 12:40PM. Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low and Senior Reporter Sam Rutherford will break down what we expect Google to announce and provide their expert analysis. Engadget will also have full coverage of all the biggest news from I/O.

Follow all of the news from Google I/O 2022 right here!

Apple’s Mac Mini M1 returns to a record low of $570 at Amazon

Apple’s compact desktop is back down to the best sale price we’ve seen since its debut. Amazon has the 2020 Mac Mini M1 for $570 right now, thanks to a discounted price that’s brought down even further by an automatically applied coupon. That’s $130 off the desktop’s regular rate, and the model on sale includes 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage.

Buy Mac Mini M1 (256GB) at Amazon – $570

The Mac Mini is still the most cost effective way to get an M1 machine in your home — even the MacBook Air M1, which debuted at the same time, costs more starting at $1,000. The Mini comes with an eight-core CPU, eight-core GPU (one more than you’ll find in the base Air M1) and 16-core Neural Engine, so you can expect speedy performance, high energy efficiency and nearly instant wake times. It should provide enough power for most users, even content creators, and it can even handle some gaming as well.

The exterior design of the Mac Mini has been left mostly unchanged, but that’s not a bad thing. The small silver box will fit into nearly any desk setup without taking up too much space, and it has a number of ports including two Thunderbolt connectors, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet connector and a headphone jack. Our biggest gripe with the machine is its lack of upgradeability: you can’t change the RAM and SSD, as they are soldered in place. But if you can live with that, the Mac Mini M1 remains a good option for anyone in need of an updated, powerful desktop.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

ICE ‘now operates as a domestic surveillance agency,’ think tank says

Although it’s supposed to be restricted by surveillance rules at local, state and federal levels, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has built up a mass surveillance system that includes details on almost all US residents, according to a report from a major think tank. Researchers from Georgetown Law’s Center on Privacy and Technology said ICE “now operates as a domestic surveillance agency” and that it was able to bypass regulations in part by purchasing databases from private companies. 

“Since its founding in 2003, ICE has not only been building its own capacity to use surveillance to carry out deportations but has also played a key role in the federal government’s larger push to amass as much information as possible about all of our lives,” the report’s authors state. “By reaching into the digital records of state and local governments and buying databases with billions of data points from private companies, ICE has created a surveillance infrastructure that enables it to pull detailed dossiers on nearly anyone, seemingly at any time.”

The researchers spent two years looking into ICE to put together the extensive report, which is called “American Dragnet: Data-Driven Deportation in the 21st Century.” They obtained information by filing hundreds of freedom of information requests and scouring more than 100,000 contracts and procurement records.

The agency is said to be using data from the Department of Motor Vehicles and utility companies, along with the likes of call records, child welfare records, phone location data, healthcare records and social media posts. ICE is now said to hold driver’s license data for 74 percent of adults and can track the movement of cars in cities that are home to 70 percent of the adult population in the US.

The study shows that ICE, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security, has already used facial recognition technology to search through driver’s license photos of a third of adults in the US. In 2020, the agency signed a deal with Clearview AI to use that company’s controversial technology. In addition, the report states that when 74 percent of adults hook up gas, electricity, phone or internet utilities in a new residence, ICE was able to automatically find out their updated address.

The authors wrote that ICE is able to carry out these actions in secret and without warrants. Along with the data it acquired from other government departments, utilities, private companies and third-party data brokers, “the power of algorithmic tools for sorting, matching, searching and analysis has dramatically expanded the scope and regularity of ICE surveillance,” the report states.

Spending transactions reviewed by the researchers showed that, between 2008 and last year, ICE spent around $2.8 billion on “new surveillance, data collection and data-sharing initiatives.” It spent approximately $569 million on data analysis, including $186.6 million in contracts with Palantir Technologies to help it make sense of its vast troves of data. Records showed that ICE also spent more than $1.3 billion on geolocation tech during that timeframe and $389 million on telecom interception, which includes tech that helps the agency track someone’s phone calls, emails, social media activity and real-time internet use.

In addition, the findings suggest the agency started engaging in certain surveillance activities much earlier than previously believed. The researchers found a contract from 2008 that granted ICE access to the Rhode Island motor vehicle department’s facial recognition database. Prior to that, it was understood that ICE started conducting facial recognition searches on state and local data sets in 2013.

The authors claim that ICE has been able to sidestep congressional oversight and bypass attempts at state level to curtain its surveillance capabilities. They included a list of recommendations that may help rein in the agency’s surveillance dragnet, such as Congress reforming immigration laws to “undercut ICE surveillance authority” and blocking ICE’s use of DMV data. The recommended measures also include protecting people who trust federal, state and local authorities with their data and blocking the use of utility records for immigration enforcement.

Engadget has contacted ICE and the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

Lenovo Legion 7 hands-on: New i9 chips, with bigger batteries to match

Now that the latest components from AMD, Intel and Nvidia are available, Lenovo is updating its 16-inch flagship gaming laptop with more lights, better performance and bigger batteries. And after getting a chance to go hands-on with the new Legion 7, I really appreciate that Lenovo made two slightly different versions to suit people’s needs.

First up is the standard Legion 7, which is more of a desktop replacement-style gaming notebook designed to house the most powerful CPUs and GPUs you can put in a laptop right now. It’s available in either Intel/NVIDIA (starting at $2,449) or all-AMD configurations (starting at $2,059), with Lenovo supporting up to a 12th-gen Intel i9 chip and RTX 3080 Ti or Ryzen 9 6900HX and Radeon RX 6850M XT.

The standard Legion 7 (right) is thicker and heavier than the Legion 7 Slim (left), but it supports more powerful components and has a plethora of RGB lighting.
While both systems have very similar designs, the Legion 7 Slim (left) weighs about a pound less but lacks support for some of the standard model’s top-end components and most of its RGB lighting.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Now those are some beefy specs, but the most important upgrade might be the addition of a new 99.9 WHr battery. That’s the biggest power pack you can put in a laptop while still being able to carry it on a plane. On top of that, while Lenovo’s included power adapter is a bulky 300-watt affair, the Legion 7 also supports USB-C power delivery. That means if you want to travel light, you can pack a smaller USB-PD adapter (up to 135 watts). However, it’s important to remember that if you do so, the laptop won’t charge as fast or get full performance when plugged into the wall.

That said, the most eye-catching part of the system is without a doubt all the RGB lighting scattered across its chassis. You get a light-up logo on its lid, a backlit keyboard with optional per-key adjustability, a big light bar in front and a ton of LEDs in its vents. Now I don’t know if anyone keeps track of stats like this, but the Legion 7 may have the most RGB lighting of any gaming notebook.

As its name implies, the Legion 7 Slim is slightly thinner than the standard model.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

While it wasn’t ready in time for my hands-on session, Lenovo says it’s also planning to release its new Spectrum app that’s designed to give users more control over lighting effects, including the ability to sync things with whatever music or videos they’re playing.

I’m not sure I love the system’s brushed metal edges, but I have to give some props to Lenovo for including three USB-C ports on the laptop’s left and right sides. This makes it easy to plug in things like thumb drives, while in back, there’s additional connectivity for stuff you don’t need to fiddle with as often such as power, Ethernet, HDMI and more. And alongside a new 1080p webcam (up from 720p), you also get a dedicated electronic shutter slider on the right for increased privacy.

On top of RGB lighting on its lid and keyboard, the Legion 7 also features color LEDs in its vents.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

In general, the Legion 7’s build quality felt good too. There wasn’t very little flex on its lid or deck, and while touchpads are often an afterthought on gaming laptops, this one is both large and responsive. Unfortunately, there weren’t any games installed, so I wasn’t able to get a sense of its thermals or fan noise. But I do like the laptop’s updated power button, which now has a built-in fingerprint reader.

That said, while I respect a big, high-spec gaming laptop (and anyone who wants to carry one around), weighing in at 5.5 pounds, the Legion 7 isn’t a great pick for frequent travelers. But that’s where the Legion 7 Slim comes in. That’s because while you still get a 16-inch display, support for a 99.9 Whr battery and a very similar design, Lenovo increased the Slim’s portability by reducing its max specs a touch, deleting a lot of RGB lighting and trimming down the size of its chassis. The result is a thinner and lighter 4.5-pound laptop with a smaller hinge that’s easier to toss in a bag.

The Legion 7 also has a RGB light bar that runs across the front edge of the system.
Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Aside from its size, the biggest difference between the standard Legion 7 and the Legion 7 Slim is that the latter tops out with either an NVIDIA RTX 3070 or an AMD RX 6800S GPU. And unlike its bigger sibling, the Slim’s refresh rate peaks at 165Hz instead of 240Hz. The upside is that with the Intel/NVIDIA version of the Slim starting at $1,589 for a Core i5 chip with an RTX 3050 Ti or just $1,519 for the AMD Advantage model featuring a Ryzen 5 6600H and RX6600S GPU, Lenovo’s slightly smaller system is a lot more affordable.

So regardless of what type of gamer you are, Lenovo is looking to give you a few more choices among 16-inch gaming notebooks. And while I’m curious to see how those huge batteries fare in real life (especially when paired with a power-hungry 12th-gen Intel CPU), I really like what I’ve seen so far.

The Intel/NVIDIA versions of the Legion 7 and Legion 7 Slim will go on sale first sometime later this month, with the AMD Advantage models arriving slightly later in June.

Apple loses director of machine learning over its office return policy

Last week, a group of Apple employees wrote an open letter criticizing the company’s hybrid work-from-home policy, which requires employees to be at the office three days a week starting May 23rd. Now, Apple has lost director of machine learning Ian Goodfellow over the policy, according to a tweet from The Verge‘s Zoë Schiffer. Goodfellow may have been the company’s most cited machine learning expert, according to Schiffer. “I believe strongly that more flexibility would have been the best policy for my team,” he wrote in a note to staff. 

A group of Apple staffers called “Apple Together” opposed to the RTO (return-to-office) strategy cited multiple arguments against it. They noted that in-person collaboration isn’t needed that often, thanks to apps like Slack. They also countered Apple’s argument that in-person work allows for “serendipity” when people bump into each other, saying that Apple’s siloed office structure makes that difficult. 

It also noted that a daily commute “is a huge waste of time as well as both mental and physical resources,” and that the policy will lead to a “younger, whiter, more male-dominated, more neuro-normative, more able-bodied” workforce.

Mainly though, the group cited Apple’s hypocrisy in the way it markets its products. “We tell all of our customers how great our products are for remote work, yet, we ourselves, cannot use them to work remotely? How can we expect our customers to take that seriously? How can we understand what problems of remote work need solving in our products if we don’t live it?” the letter states. 

Apple, which brought in a Q3 record $97.3 billion last quarter, has been facing employee discontent of late. On top of issues around RTO, it’s facing an NLRB complaint over hostile working conditions, and Apple Store employees are quietly attempting to unionize.