Engadget - Twitter’s edit button is real

It's Friday, September 02, 2022.

Twitter has rather tentatively announced it’ll bring an edit button to users, but not for a while. First, it’s being tested by the platform’s employees, then it will slowly roll out to paying customers who subscribe to Twitter Blue. After the better part of two decades, the addition of such a basic feature will likely baffle non-tweeters the world over. But Twitter’s regard has always been disproportionate to its reach, mostly because of the number of journalists who use (or used) it. That said, it doesn’t feel like the addition of an edit button will help supercharge signups on a platform that seems to have reached its natural ceiling a long time ago.

– Daniel Cooper

The biggest stories you might have missed

• You'll soon be able to control your Philips Hue sync box from the main app

• LG's MoodUP refrigerator comes with color-changing LED doors and a built-in speaker

• Withings has a new smart scale and Health+ fitness subscription platform

• Sennheiser unveils its latest, less expensive Ambeo soundbar

• NASA fixed the glitch that caused Voyager 1 to send jumbled data

• Ring's latest device makes voice intercom systems smarter

• Lenovo's IdeaPad 5i Chromebook features a 16-inch display and full-sized keyboard

• Clmbr’s new at-home smart climbing machine will offer live feedback and coaching in 2023

• Sony's $1,000 Xperia 5 IV offers 4K 120p HDR on all three rear cameras

• HMD's Nokia launches a smartphone subscription service with eco-friendly twists

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold hands-on: Big upgrades, inside and out

It’s bigger, faster and more practical, but still expensive.

Sam Rutherford / Engadget

Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold broke new ground as the first laptop with a flexible OLED display, but that was the only really great thing about it. Thankfully, Lenovo is quick to learn from its mistakes, and the second-generation Fold is bigger, better and much more user friendly. Our Sam Rutherford got to spend some time with a pre-production version of the new device – and likes it a lot. He said the bigger display, better keyboard and beefier insides all add up to a machine that, while still eye-wateringly expensive, might actually justify some of that cost.

Continue Reading.

The best educational toys for kids

Keep those young brains working hard.

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

There’s no better way to give your kid the tools to succeed in our modern world than by teaching them the fundamentals of science, technology, engineering and math. (Well, there is, but you can’t order a billion-dollar trust fund and a luxury education for $9.99 on Amazon.) For our back-to-school guide, we collected a bunch of cool toys that will help your kids learn the basics of coding, design, engineering, electronics and everything in between. Plus, they’re just as fun for adults as kids.

Continue Reading.

The next USB standard will double existing speeds even with an older cable

USB 4 (Version 2.0) will reach speeds of up to 80 Gbps.

The bunch of swell folks behind USB are gearing up to start talking about the updated version of its USB 4.0 standard. And the big news is that speeds are jumping from 40 Gbps all the way up to 80 Gbps over a USB-C type connector. Faster speeds are great and all, but what’s really exciting is that the new plans will also double performance on existing 40 Gbps USB-C passive cables, where compatible.

Continue Reading.

EU proposes new rules to make phones and tablets last longer

It wants to reduce e-waste by making sure we can repair our phones.

VladTeodor via Getty Images

The European Union is on a mission to crack down on e-waste and has already mandated a common charger to reduce the current mess of cables and plugs. Now, the bloc is looking at rules to enforce minimum standards for phone and tablet repairability. One of the key proposals is to ensure users can replace the display, battery, SIM tray and back cover for at least five years after purchase. It won’t turn into anything real just yet, but it does show the bloc’s commitment to driving better environmental practices in the tech industry.

Continue Reading.

SpaceX secures five more NASA astronaut missions as part of a $1.4 billion contract

Musk’s company can take advantage of Boeing’s stumbles.

NASA has awarded a further five astronaut missions to SpaceX as it secures launch capacity to keep the ISS crewed until 2030. That’s good for Elon Musk and his associates, and a further blow to Boeing, which is struggling to get its own crew capsule ready to fly. The deal takes the amount of cash NASA has handed to SpaceX up to nearly $5 billion, all the while Boeing scrambles to get its first crewed test flight of Starliner ready for 2023.

Continue Reading.