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TheSolar Orbiterhas beenobserving the sunsince 2021, but it recently went on a side trip to Venus which significantly tilted its orbit and gave it a good view of the sun's polar region. That is how it was able to capture images that will historically be known as humankind's first-ever views of the sun's pole. All our galaxy's planets and the other spacecraft we've deployed orbit the sun around an imaginary ecliptic plane along the star's equator. But thanks to the Solar Orbiter's Venus flyby, it now has a view of the sun from below its equator, allowing it to see the star's southern pole clearly. The images you see above were captured from an angle of 15 degrees below the equator on March 16 and 17, but the probe has reached the 17 degree maximum angle it could achieve since then.

Three of the probe's instruments were responsible for the images. The Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) imaged the sun in visible light and mapped its surface magnetic field. Meanwhile, the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) imaged the sun in ultraviolet light, and the Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE) instrument captured light "coming from different temperatures of charged gas above the sun’s surface, thereby revealing different layers of the sun's atmosphere."

So what exactly was the Solar Orbiter able to observe at the sun's southern pole? Well, the pole's magnetic field, simply put, is a mess at the moment. See, the sun's magnetic field flips roughly every 11 years, and it'sabout to flipthis year if it hasn't yet. Normally, a magnet has a clear north and south pole, but the orbiter's PHI instrument showed that both north and south polarity magnetic fields are present at the sun's south pole right now. "This happens only for a short time during each solar cycle, at solar maximum, when the Sun’s magnetic field flips and is at its most active," ESA explained.

After the flip, the magnetic field fixes itself so that the poles have single polarities. The process is gradual, however, and it will take five to six years to achieve solar minimum, wherein which the sun's magnetic field is at its most orderly. These solar cycles or regular magnetic field flips aren't fully understood yet, and the orbiter's observations could be the key to unlocking that knowledge.

In addition, scientists used the orbiter's SPICE instrument to take Doppler measurements, or how fast clumps of solar material are moving. They then took that information to create a velocity map that shows how solar material moves within a specific layer of the sun. These measurements can show how the sun flings out particles into space in the form ofsolar winds, which is one of the orbiter's key goals.

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Deciding what to get your dad for Father's Day is tricky. There are the standbys like tools for the grill or a new history book, but there are also plenty of unique options out there. That includesdigital optionslike a Nintendo Switch Online membership or asubscription to MasterClass.

AMasterClasssubscription is one of ourfavorite gifts for teachers, but it's also an especially good option right now as the site is running a Father's Day sale. Currently, you can gift dad a one-year membership for up to 50 percent off. Take the MasterClass Plus subscription, which is down to $96 from $180 annually. It offers unlimited classes and access on two devices.

Give your dad a 12-month MasterClass subscription for up to half off.

Then there's the Premium tier, which allows unlimited access across six devices. The sale brings this option down to $120 from $240 for the year. The cheapest option is the Standard subscription, which is also discounted, and it offers one class every three months on one device.

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On Thursday, Bose unveiled its next-gen premium wireless earbuds. The latest QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds have enhanced adaptive noise cancellation, thanks to AI. Among their other upgrades overthe originalsare boosted call quality and wireless charging.

Since AI isthe tech world's obsession, it's no surprise that Bose is jumping on that bandwagon. Here, the company uses it to improve adaptive noise cancellation. AI algorithms in the new model can smooth out sudden spikes in background noise while using aware mode. (That's the feature that lets you hear your surroundings while listening to music.) So, for example, the ANC should respond more quickly to a suddenly passing train or siren. In theory, that means fewer distractions from your music.

AI is also behind improved call quality in the second-gen QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Bose claims that its noise suppression system improves voice pickup and overall quality.

The new model supports wireless charging natively. Thefirst-gen QC Ultra Earbudsonly offered it in a roundabout way. You had to buy a $50 silicone cover for the case, which wasn't the most elegant solution.

The rest of the 2025 model's upgrades are subtler. Their ear tips now include a built-in earwax filter. That should make it easier to clean them and avoid sound degradation over time. You can also turn off the earbuds' capacitive touch controls in the app. The inability to do that was a commoncomplaintabout the 2023 originals. (They'll receive an update later this year that adds the same functionality.)

The second-gen Bose QC Ultra Earbuds retail for the same $299 as their predecessors. They'll be available in black, white smoke and deep plum. Later this summer, the company will start pre-orders and provide a release date.

Alongside the earbuds, Bose announced two new Bluetooth speakers. The SoundLink Plus is a mid-range one, sitting between theSoundLink Flex and Max. The company's tagline for the speaker sums up the niche it wants to fill: "big enough to bring the bass but portable enough to take on the go."

The SoundLink Plus has one subwoofer, a tweeter and four passive radiators. It also includes an automatic tuning system called Active EQ. Bose says it adjusts its frequency response to match an optimal sound curve. It weighs 3.29 lbs. It supports Bluetooth Core 5.4.

The speaker supports up to 20 hours of playback. In a nice touch, you can use its USB-C port to charge your phone and other devices.

The SoundLink Plus costs $269. If you're looking to grab one, you won't have to wait long. Pre-orders open today, ahead of a June 26 launch. It will be available in black, blue dusk and citrus yellow. (The latter won't be available to pre-order until June 18.)

Finally, Bose is rolling out a second-gen version of the SoundLink Micro. The speaker is still small — just slightly less so than the first model. (The second-gen Micro measures 4.06 x 4.06 x 1.54 inches.) But in exchange, you get much longer battery life. Bose says the new speaker lasts up to 12 hours, an increase from six hours in its predecessor.

The SoundLink Micro also includes some modernizations. First, it now works with the Bose app. The speaker also ditches the micro-USB charging from its predecessor in favor of USB-C.

Elsewhere, it adds the same Active EQ and Bluetooth Core 5.4 support in its mid-range sibling. The company claims that the speaker plays back sounds more clearly at higher frequencies. (And it does so without muddying bass.) It also has a removable nylon strap. This should be handy for attaching the speaker to bags, bikes, shower heads and the like.

The Bose SoundLink Micro will be available in black and blue dusk. It costs $129. The company will provide specific launch info later this summer.

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission.Read more about how we evaluate products.

A number of Sonos speakers are on sale right now atSonosdirect andAmazon. his includes the well-regardedEra 300smart speaker, which is on sale for $359. This particular model is one of Sonos' newest, and it has rarely gone on sale in the past.

We enjoyed the Era 300 enough to give it ascore of 80in our review. It has excellent sound quality and offers a premium experience that far surpasses other products in the company's lineup, even the Era 100. This is also true when compared to rival speakers likeApple's HomePod.

This deal is available in both white or black, and it's also available fromSonos direct.

It's simple to set up and offers the company's proprietary Trueplay tuning system. This feature optimizes the sound of the speaker to the unique acoustics of a room by leveraging an internal microphone. It measures how sound reflects off surfaces and adjusts the EQ to match. It's pretty nifty.

As for connectivity, it can pair with another Era 300 speaker for a true stereo experience. It also includes a Bluetooth receiver and line-in options. Of course, the speaker integrates with just about every streaming music service. The built-in mic also allows for voice assistant control, but only with Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is left out of the party.

This speaker goes all-in on spatial audio, and the results are mixed. Sometimes it's sublime and sometimes it's kind of eh. This is more of a dig on the technology itself. It has serious potential but is still experiencing growing pains. The only real downside of this speaker is the exorbitant asking price, which has been slightly alleviated by this sale.

As previously mentioned, other Sonos products are available at a discount. This includes the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar,which is 26 percent off at $369, and theEra 100, which is down to $179. These deals are also available via Sonos itself. There's also an ongoing sale on portable speakers that includes theMove 2and theRoam 2.

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If you have ever looked at theX100VIsaid to yourself, "Man, I wish Fujifilm would just make an interchangeable lens version of this camera," consider your request answered. Four years after therelease of the X-E4, the company hasannounced the X-E5, a compact, $1,699.95 camera that should appeal to the same crowd that loves X100VI.

Inside, the X-E5 has Fujifilm's latest X-Trans CMOS 5 HR sensor. That's the same sensor you'll find on the X100VI,X-T5andX-T50. It's capable of capturing 40.2-megapixel stills, and video at up to 6.2K and 30 frames per second. Thanks to improvements Fujifilm has made to the sensor's pixel structure, the X-E5 offers a native 125 ISO, and there's AI-based autofocus to make it easier to capture moving subjects such as animals, birds, insects, motorcycles, planes and more.

Also new to the X-E5 is the inclusion of in-body image stabilization (IBIS). It offers up to seven stops of stabilization near the center of the frame and six stops toward the periphery.

Fujifilm has also once again tweaked the exterior of the camera. If the X-E4 was a bit too minimalistic for your taste, the good news is the X-E5 has a front grip where Fujifilm did away with that on the X-E4. The camera's top plate is machined from a single piece of aluminum, an addition that should make the X-E5 feel more premium than its predecessor. On the top, you'll find all the usual dials, including one for shutter speed and another for exposure compensation.

There's also an entirely new dial dedicated to Fujifilm's film simulations. In addition to the usual presets like Classic Chrome and Velvia, you can save up to three of your own recipes for easy access. As before, the external LCD can flip up 180-degrees to make it easier to capture selfies and vlog.

Fujifilm has also redesigned the X-E5's viewfinder. It offers two new modes. First, there's a "Classic" mode, which simplifies the interface so it's more like what you would find on an old film camera. All your exposure settings are displayed along the bottom of the screen in a deep red color, with the light meter present on the side. Alternatively, the other new mode, "Surround View," displays a black, semi-transparent or outlined area outside of the aspect ratio you've set. In practice, that should make it easier to frame your shots.

Alongside the X-E5, Fujifilmannounced a new pancake lens, the XF23mm f/2.8 R WR. It's a full stop slower than the fixed, 35mm equivalent you'll find on the X100VI, but it's about the same size and should be a lot faster to focus thanks to inclusion of a direct current motor.

Fujifilm will offer the X-E5 in black and silver. The camera will be available starting in August. At $1,699.95 for just the camera body, the X-E5 is twice as expensive as its predecessor. In fact, it's more expensive than the $1,599 X100VI, which features a leaf shutter and hybrid optical viewfinder. Personally, I'm sad about that since the X-E4 was my recommendation for a great starter camera. Now I'll need to tell people to look elsewhere.

Infinite Machine made waves with itsretro-futuristic P1 electric bike. That one was built for speed, but the company is back with something that's more for urbanites commuting to and from work. The Olto boasts 40 miles of range and a top speed of 33 MPH, with a 20 MPH limit while riding in the bike lane.

Just like the P1, the Olto e-bike looks both futuristic and retro, with a design that can only be described as "Cybertruck meets a scooter fromTron." This bike could be a boon for commuters, as it can accommodate two riders at the same time. The design is also fairly modular, so riders can add accessories like child carriers, rear racks and baskets, among other items.

The battery is easily removed with one hand, for nighttime charging, and can reach 50 percent in just an hour at the outlet. This removable battery also helps with security, as the battery is typically one of the most expensive components of an e-bike.

However, that's not the only security feature that Infinite Machine has implemented here. The company claims the Olto "virtually theft-proof." Each bike is connected to the internet and tracked in real time with precise GPS coordinates. There's an app to keep an eye on things and the vehicle features a dedicated slot for AirTags.

Once parked, the bike automatically locks the steering and wheels, making it difficult to move. If someone tampers with the vehicle, an alarm will sound and an alert gets sent to the owner's phone. The phone alsodoubles as the key.

Now for some bad news. All of these high-tech features come with a high-end price tag. The Olto costs $3,495. Preorders are available right now, with shipments going out later in the year.

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission.Read more about how we evaluate products.

If you’re looking for a versatile newwireless controllerthat isn’t exclusive to a particular platform, 8BitDo’s various pads are always worth considering. And Amazon’scurrent dealon the brand’s Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller is nearly the cheapest we’ve seen. Right now, if you pick up the controller in either its Purple or Green colorways, you’ll pay $25.49, as opposed to $30 or above (the special editionBlack Wukongversion costs $35) for the other available colors. The lowest price we’ve ever seen this model at is $25.

You can get selected colors of 8BitDo's Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller for $25.49, which is nearly the cheapest price we've seen for this model.

If you’re a console gamer you’ll need to look elsewhere, but the Ultimate 2C plays nice with Android devices and Windows PCs, connecting either via Bluetooth in the case of the former, or over 2.4G or a wired connection for PC. There’s also a mode switch button to make it easy to hop between devices. The controller offers extra bumpers that sit next to the standard left and right bumpers, and these can be remapped without the need for additional software, while the Hall Effect joysticks are precise and reassuringly durable.

The Ultimate 2C is compatible with devices running Windows 10 and above, and Android 9.0 or above. You can expect 32 hours of playtime over a Bluetooth connection, or 19 hours when using the wireless 2.4G adapter.

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Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission.Read more about how we evaluate products.

Just in time for a last-minute Father's Day gift (or perhaps a little treat for yourself, because you deserve nice things), Apple's AirPods 4 have dropped back down to their lowest price to date. You cansnap up a pair for $99. That's $30 off the list price.

This discount is for the base version of the earbuds without active noise cancellation (ANC). All the same, this is a good deal on our pick for thebest budget AirPods, especially if foregoing ANC doesn't bother you too much.

Just in time for Father's Day, our pick for the best budget AirPods have dropped down to $99, which is $30 off.

We gave the AirPods 4a score of 88 in our review. The improved fit and comfort, and upgraded sound quality compared with the previous version are definite plus points.

The AirPods 4 include features seen in the higher end AirPods Pro 2 but, unfortunately, not that model's onboard volume controls. The lack of wireless charging and Apple's Conversation Awareness feature are also negatives.

However, due in large part to the H2 chip that's included in the AirPods 4 (the same one that powers AirPods Pro 2), you'll get features such as Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, "cinema-quality" audio for FaceTime, Adaptive EQ andVoice Isolation(which helps eliminate background noise). With Siri Interactions, you can nod or shake your head to accept or reject calls, and respond to or dismiss messages and notifications.

When Apple rolls out iOS 26, iPadOS 26 and macOS Tahoe 26 this fall, the company willrelease a firmware update for AirPods 4(as well as AirPods 4 with ANC and the second-gen AirPods Pro). This update will bring new features to the earbuds, such as the ability to use them to control iPhone and iPad cameras. Apple is also promising "studio quality recording" that should help creators better capture sound, even in noisy environments. Audio quality upgrades are on the way too.

Check out our coverage of thebest Apple dealsfor more discounts, and follow@EngadgetDealson X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Apple Intelligence hasn't landed in the way Apple likely hoped it would, but that's not stopping the company from continuing to iterate on its suite of AI tools. During itsWWDC 2025conference on Monday, Apple announced a collection ofnew features for Apple Intelligence, starting with upgrades to Genmoji and Image Playground that will arrive alongsideiOS 26and the company's other updated operating systems.

In Messages, you'll be able to use Image Playground to generate colorful backgrounds for your group chats. At the same time, Apple has added integration with ChatGPT to the tool, meaning it can produce images in entirely new styles. As before, if you decide to use ChatGPT directly through your iPhone in this way, your information will only be shared with OpenAI if you provide permission.

Separately, Genmoji will allow users to combine two emoji from the Unicode library to create new characters. For example, you might merge the sloth and light bulb emoji if you want to poke fun at yourself for being slow to understand a joke.

Across Messages, FaceTime and its Phone app, Apple isbringing live translation to the mix. In Messages, the company's on-device AI models will translate a message into your recipient’s preferred language as you type. When they responded, each message will be instantly translated into your language. In FaceTime, you'll see live captions as the person you're chatting with speaks, and over a phone call, Apple Intelligence will generate a voiced translation.

Visual Intelligence is also in line for an upgrade. Now in addition to working with your iPhone's camera, the tool can scan what's on your screen. Like Genmoji, Visual Intelligence will also benefit from deeper integration with ChatGPT, allowing you to ask the chat bot questions about what you see. Alternatively, you can search Google, Etsy and other supported apps to find images or products that might be a visual match. And if the tool detects when you're looking at an event, iOS 26 will suggest you add a reminder to your calendar. Nifty that. If you want to access Visual Intelligence, all you need to do is press the same buttons you would to take a screenshot on your iPhone.

As expected, Apple is also making it possible for developers to use its on-device foundational model for their own apps. "With the Foundation Models framework, app developers will be able to build on Apple Intelligence to bring users new experiences that are intelligent, available when they’re offline, and that protect their privacy, using AI inference that is free of cost," the company said in its press release. Apple suggests an educational app like Kahoot! might use its on-device model to generate personalized quizzes for users. According to the company, the framework supports Swift, Apple's own coding language, and the model is as easy as writing three lines of code.

An upgraded Shortcuts app for both iOS andmacOSis also on the way, with support for actions powered by Apple Intelligence. You'll be able to tap into either of the company's on-device or Private Cloud Compute model to generate responses that are part of whatever shortcut you want carried out. Apple suggests students might use this feature to create a shortcut that compares an audio transcript of a class lecture to notes they wrote on their own. Here again users can turn to ChatGPT if they want.

There are many other smaller enhancements enabled by upgrades Apple has made to its AI suite. Most notably, Apple Wallet will automatically summarize tracking details merchants and delivery carriers send to you so you can find them in one place.

A year since its debut at WWDC 2024, it's safe to say Apple Intelligence has failed to meet expectations. The smarter, more personal Siri that was the highlight of last year's presentation has yet to materialize. In fact, the companydelayedthe upgraded digital assistant in March, only saying at the time that it would arrive sometime in the coming year. Other parts of the suite may have shipped on time, but often didn't show the company's usual level of polish. For instance, notification summaries were quite buggy at launch, and Apple ended up reworking the messages to make it clearer they were generated by Apple Intelligence. With today's announcements, Apple still has a long way to go before it catches up to competitors like Google, but at least the company kept the focus on practical features.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference kicked off on June 9. Check out ourWWDC keynote liveblogto experience how things unfolded in real time and get a recap oneverything Apple is announcing at WWDC 2025.

Engadget has been testing and reviewing consumer tech since 2004. Our stories may include affiliate links; if you buy something through a link, we may earn a commission.Read more about how we evaluate products.

Apple'sWWDC 2025 keynoteon June 9 introduced a slew of new changes coming to iPhone's operating system this fall. That includes a numbering change:iOS 18 is skipping to iOS 26, as opposed to introducing iOS 19. Plus, there was a laundry list of actual usability changes shown off, as well as thenew Liquid Glass design(think Windows Vista, but arguably more toughtful), which looks to be Apple's largest visual update in years. But the biggest question we're all wondering: Will my iPhone be able to run iOS 26?

Last year, Apple didn't nix any iPhones from its eligibility list, but that's not the case for 2025 — a few models are getting cut this time. All iPhone 8 models and the iPhone X were the last to get the boot in 2023, and this year the 2018 models are getting left behind. If you have an ineligible device, you won't be able to download iOS 26 when it becomes available this fall.

We'll get to the bottom of which iPhones will support iOS 26 this year. To see what's coming with the latest OS and more, check outeverything announced at Apple's WWDC event.

Unlike last year, several iPhone models won't be eligible to download the newest iOS when it makes its debut this fall. This trio of models first released in 2018 won't be coming to the iOS 26 party:

While we don't yet know the new iPhones Apple will be dropping this fall — though there areiPhone 17 rumors— we do know, perApple's site, that the phones listed below will be compatible with iOS 26. Basically, if you have an iPhone that was announced in 2019 or later, you're in the clear:

iPhone SE (second generation or later)

If you want to continue using your older iPhone that isn't supported by iOS 26, that's fine. However, you'll miss out on security updates which could potentially put your phone at risk for malware and other threats. Additionally, some apps may stop working if they require a certain version of iOS or later. And of course, you won't be able to access the latest features iOS 26 offers.

Apple usually rolls out its latest iOS in mid-September, just a few days before the new iPhones hit store shelves. Last year, it released iOS 18 on Monday, Sept. 16. Expect a confirmation of the release date at that iPhone 17 event, expected in early September.

Liquid Glass design:Your home screen is getting revamped with new app icons, including dark mode and all-clear options. You'll also notice buttons with a new floating design. Liquid Glass was designed to make all of Apple's OSes more cohesive.

Phone app redesign:You'll finally be able to scroll through contacts, recent calls and voicemail messages all on one screen. It also comes with a new feature called Hold Assist that'll notify you when an agent comes to the phone so you can avoid the elevator music.

Live Translate:iOS 26 is bringing the ability to have a conversation via phone call or text message with someone who speaks another language. Live Translate will translate your conversation in real time.

Polls feature:Coming to group messages in the Messages app, chat members will be able to create polls. This can help prevent the unwanted 30+ messages when it comes to deciding which restaurant you're meeting at this weekend.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developer Conference kicked off on June 9. Check out ourWWDC keynote liveblogto experience how things unfolded in real time and get a recap oneverything Apple is announcing at WWDC 2025.