Apple is reportedly enlisting Hollywood talent to create content for its upcoming AR headset

Apple has reportedly enlisted Hollywood directors like Jon Favreau to create video content for its long-rumored mixed reality headset. According to The New York Times, the filmmaker is developing an experience that brings the dinosaurs from Prehistoric…

5G voice calls arrive for some T-Mobile customers in Salt Lake City and Portland

Telecoms have been slow to hop on the 5G bandwagon — your smartphone normally relies on 4G or LTE for old-fashioned phone calls. But T-Mobile is venturing forward by launching its commercial Voice over 5G service today in limited areas of Portland and …

Mozilla made a Firefox plugin for offline translation

Mozilla has created a translation plugin for Firefox that works offline. Firefox Translations will need to download some files the first time you convert text in a specific language. However, it will be able to use your system’s resources to handle the translation, rather than sending the information to a data center for cloud processing.

The plugin emerged as a result of Mozilla’s work with the European Union-funded Project Bergamot. Others involved include the University of Edinburgh, Charles University, University of Sheffield and University of Tartu. The goal was to develop neural machine tools to help Mozilla create an offline translation option. “The engines, language models and in-page translation algorithms would need to reside and be executed entirely in the user’s computer, so none of the data would be sent to the cloud, making it entirely private,” Mozilla said.

One of the big limitations of the plugin as things stand is that it can only handle translations between English and 12 other languages, according to TechCrunch. For now, Firefox Translations supports Spanish, Bulgarian, Czech, Estonian, German, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian Bokmal and Nynorsk, Persian, Portuguese and Russian.

Mozilla and its partners on the project have created a training pipeline through which volunteers can assist out by helping train new models so more languages can be added. They’re looking for feedback on existing models too, so Firefox Translations is very much a work in progress.

For the time being, though, the plugin can’t hold a candle to the 133 languages that Google Translate supports. Apple and Google both have mobile apps that can handle offline translations as well.

On the surface, it’s a little odd that a browser, which is by definition used to access the web, would need an offline translation option. But translating text on your device and avoiding the need to transfer it to and from a data center could be a boon for privacy and security.

AirPods Pro drop to $180, plus the rest of the week’s best tech deals

Memorial Day may have come and gone, but you can still pick up some of our favorite electronics for less thanks to some holiday deals that are still available now. Apple’s third-generation AirPods are still down to $150, and the AirPods Pro have return…

iRobot’s Roomba 694 is $94 off at Amazon right now

A robot vacuum can take one chore off your hands, and now you can grab one of iRobot’s most affordable machines for less. The Roomba 694 robot vacuum is back down to $180, which is just about an all-time low (we’ve seen it $1 cheaper in the past). That’s $94 off, making it a great deal if you’ve had your eye on a robo-vac for a while but have been hesitant to drop a lot of money on one.

Buy Roomba 694 at Amazon – $180

The Roomba 694 is one of iRobot’s most basic machines, but don’t let that fool you. It earned a spot on our list of favorite affordable robot vacuums thanks to its good cleaning power and easy to use companion app. Its three-stage cleaning system and dual multi-surface brushes do a good job sucking up dirt and debris on both carpeted and hard floors, and it has sensors that can detect furniture and “cliffs” (stairs, really) so it can avoid or maneuver around those obstacles.

You can control the robo-vac via its on-device buttons or from within the iRobot mobile app, and when it has finished cleaning your home, it’ll automatically return to its charging base to power up. Even if you’ve never used a robot vacuum before, you’ll likely be able to learn the ins and outs of the iRobot mobile app pretty easily. It’ll be your portal for doing things like setting cleaning schedules, checking the status of your machine and more. And if you have an Alexa or Google Assistant smart speaker in your home, you can use voice commands to control the Roomba 694.

Most people will find all of their semi-autonomous vacuuming needs met by the Roomba 694, but if you want to splurge, the Roomba j7+ is also on sale right now for $589. That’s $210 off its regular rate and a new record low. The j7+ is one of iRobot’s newest machines and its first “pet poop-detecting” robot vacuum. It has advanced obstacle avoidance which should allow it to avoid unexpected things on your floors, including a robo-vac’s arch nemesis: pet poop. It also comes with a clean base into which the machine will automatically empty its dustbin after each job.

Buy Roomba j7+ at Amazon – $589

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

Samsung’s Galaxy Buds 2 drop to a new record-low price

Samsung fans looking for a new pair of wireless earbuds can get a couple of the company’s latest models for less. Amazon has the Galaxy Buds 2 in graphite and olive at the lowest price we’ve seen — just $95, which is $55 off their usual rate. If you prefer earbuds with a more power and perks, the Galaxy Buds Pro in phantom violet are also down to a new low of $120, which is $80 off their normal price.

Buy Galaxy Buds 2 at Amazon – $95Buy Galaxy Buds Pro at Amazon – $120

Both of these wireless earbuds came out last year, with the Galaxy Buds 2 being the newer of the two. Samsung brought a number of premium features down to these relatively affordable earbuds, including adjustable ambient sound mode and wireless charging. The Buds 2 are 15 percent smaller and 20 percent lighter than the Galaxy Buds+ that came before them, plus they have much improved sound and an IPX2-rated design. Just keep in mind that the Buds 2 don’t have any iOS integration — while you could use them with an iPhone, you’d be stuck with thee default settings. Those with Samsung handsets will get the most out of these buds.

Same goes for the Galaxy Buds Pro, which we dubbed Samsung’s best earbuds yet when they first came out. Normally $200, these are the company’s direct competitor to the AirPods Pro and they hold their own against Apple’s offering. Sound quality is excellent and ANC is strong enough to block out surrounding noises like those from a fan or running dishwasher. The Buds Pro also have an IPX7-rated design and support for 360 Audio and wireless charging. If you’re on a tight budget, we recommend opting for the Galaxy Buds 2, but if you can spend a bit more, you’ll appreciate the extra perks that come with the Galaxy Buds Pro. 

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

Square will support Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhones later this year

Soon, sellers using Square’s Point of Sale app can accept payments with only an iPhone. The mobile payment company has announced that it’s working with Apple to enable the feature within its application and will launch the service to the public later this year. It will provide sellers with an easy-to-use payment solution, since they’ll no longer need to use Square’s add-on devices and terminals. All customers need to do is to tap their credit cards, debit cards or phones with digital wallets such as Apple Pay on the seller’s iPhone. It does require sellers to have an iPhone XS or later device, but there’d be no extra expenses on hardware if they already have one.

When Apple introduced Tap to Pay in February, it was seen as a product that could disrupt the business of companies like Square. The tech giant promised back then, however, that it will “work closely with leading payment platforms and app developers across the payments and commerce industry,” and it looks like Square is part of that list. Apple was testing the feature at its visitor center in Cupertino as recently as last month, allowing staff members to accept payment using the method.

While the general public won’t have access to the feature for a while, Square has opened an Early Access Program to give select sellers the chance to try it out. The company has a sign up page on its website where sellers can submit their details to learn more about it. 

Engadget Podcast: Gearing up for Apple’s WWDC 2022

We’re prepping for Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference! This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat about the announcements they’re expecting at WWDC, including new computers with M2 chips (and potentially a revamped MacBook Air!). What’s next for iOS and MacOS – will lockscreen widgets really be useful? And they hold out hope to hear something about the company’s AR/VR glasses. Also, they discuss the surprising news about Sheryl Sandberg leaving Meta, as well as Microsoft’s new Surface Laptop Go 2.

Listen above, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you’ve got suggestions or topics you’d like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!

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Topics

  • What to expect at WWDC 2022 – 1:29

  • Could Apple AR Glasses make an appearance? Some rumors – 2:30

  • Possible news on iPhone 14, iOS 16, iPadOS, and WatchOS – 14:10

  • Youtube’s TV app now lets you use your phone as a second screen – 30:15

  • Surface Laptop Go 2 announcement – 33:19

  • Sheryl Sandberg leaves Facebook after 14 years – 36:23

  • France bans English e-sports terminology – 42:33

  • Working on – 44:22

  • Pop culture picks – 52:38

Livestream

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O’Brien
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos
Graphic artists: Luke Brooks and Brian Oh