Right before crowds across the country prepare to mark the Fourth of July with displays of light and sound, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope offered a view from far beyond Earth that carries a similar sense of energy and new activity. Two protostars in the FS Tau system sit near the center of the frame. Both remain young enough that they still draw in gas and dust while pushing excess material outward through strong flows.
One of the two shoots off large orange streams that fan out and become entangled in the surrounding cloud. These streams compress the gas and dust, resulting in ridges visible in lighter blue where the material has been pushed together like a big cosmic bulldozer. Looking at the stars in near infrared light (thanks to Webb) provides insight into what is truly going on. The activity was invisible in visible light because of the dust, but infrared allows us to discern the form of the flows and textures in the cloud surrounding the primary stars in much greater detail.
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In the background, you can see faraway galaxies of various colors. Some are jumbled and appear redder because there is a lot of dust in their path. Others have a clear path to the camera and sparkle in yellow or white tones. They appear to be dispersed around the area, with brilliant spots sporadically appearing.
The decision to release the image on July 2 was wise, as it coincides with a holiday in a year when the country is commemorating a significant milestone of its founding. Many people will be staring up at the sky soon, watching all of the amazing fireworks and bursts, as it is a perfect moment to reflect on the history of the area. Systems like this one are extremely beneficial for researchers because they allow them to observe how lower mass stars originate in a non-overwhelming manner. Everything stays clean and clear, allowing you to observe what’s going on and track changes over time.
The obvious gaps in the orange streams are quite telling, as it appears that the material is dragged in and then blown out in stages rather than all at once. Webb continues to return to places like FS Tau because each encounter adds another brick to the understanding wall that transforms simple clouds into stars and planets.
On the first evening of GenCon 2026, in a venerable theater that Wizards of the Coast took over for a weekend’s worth of Dungeons & Dragons activities, the team behind the biggest tabletop roleplaying game in the world revealed its next year of upcoming adventures.
There was plenty of news to look forward to, including the triumphant return of D&D legends to contribute to classic D&D settings like R.A. Salvatore (The Legend of Drizzt), Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis (Dragonlance) and Luke Gygax (Greyhawk, one of the earliest D&D settings created by his father, Gary Gygax). Among the banquet of table offerings was outreach to other corners of nerd culture — including new sets for World of Warcraft and Star Wars planned for this year and next.
The new series, Universes Beyond, works much like the same-named subset of Magic: The Gathering releases: adapting fan-favorite franchises to the game’s system. In D&D’s case, this means adapting the iconic signature, villains, boss fights and regions for D20 rules. Yes, that means you can fight the Lich King in D&D — that’s the objective of the Warcraft set’s first adventure, plotted out so players can jump in right out of the box.
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But the big virtue of Universes Beyond is kicking off custom adventures to explore the corners of these franchises with characters that players can grow at their own pace. With all the information Wizards of the Coast has revealed, CNET’s brain trust of dice-rollers has come together to theorycraft exactly what we want to play first in these exciting new collaborations.
The only problem? The D&D team shared plenty about the World of Warcraft set, which will come out in the fourth quarter of 2026, but shared almost nothing about Star Wars. Still, we let our imaginations run wild for how we’d play to see what happens in Azeroth and a galaxy far, far away.
The product family for D&D’s World of Warcraft set: a core rulebook (center and center-left), Icecrown Citadel adventure (center-right), map pack for the adventure (top) and dungeon master’s screen (bottom).Wizards of the Coast
How CNET would explore the World of Warcraft, one dice roll at a time
The D&D team rolled out a small family of products that will debut with the World of Warcraft set toward the end of the year, including a 265-page sourcebook (along with special and hobby store-exclusive editions), the aforementioned adventure called Icecrown Citadel for character levels 16-20, a map pack for said adventure, miniature packs and a dungeon master’s screen adorned with famous characters from the MMORPG. All of those are available for preorder right now with a full release later this year on Nov. 17.
On stage during the D&D keynote, presenters laid out what the set adds to the broader tabletop RPG. You’ll be able to play virtually any species you can in the online game, including 11 that are wholly new to D&D, such as Dracthyr, Earthen and Pandaren. There are nine subclasses in the sourcebook, six of which are new, like the iconic Death Knight, Demon Hunter and Shadow Priest. There are also stat blocks for the MMORPG’s most famous characters, like Arthas Menethil, Jaina Proudmoore, Anduin Lothar, Thrall and Sylvanas.
Here’s what CNET’s editors would play first:
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It’s been over 20 years since I last played World of Warcraft – I reluctantly canceled my subscription when I started college. But as soon as I read D&D’s news, my mind immediately cast back to my time roaming the Barrens of Kalimdor as a troll shaman, braving the frontier for the Horde. Before smartphones and doomscrolling and Twitter and all the modern escapes in your pocket, entering the Dark Portal on World of Warcraft’s login screen was how I left my mundane reality behind.
I never got to a high enough level to participate in a raid, the large-group efforts that bundled 10, 25 or even 40 players together to take on the biggest bosses in the game. From Ragnaros to the Lich King himself, the sourcebook has stat blocks for 30 of these classic World of Warcraft baddies, though they’ve been scaled down so that a D&D-friendly three-to-five-person party can take them on. I’d love to tackle the worst of the worst, explore the seven dungeons in the new sourcebook, and more — undertaking the challenges I missed out on to prevent me bungling my college career.
David Lumb, Managing Editor
Three of the nine subclasses added in the World of Warcraft set: Shadow Priest (left), Demon Hunter (center) and Death Knight.
I’ve been WoW-curious for about as long as the game has been around, but I’ve always been a bit too intimidated by the prospect of investing hundreds, if not thousands, of hours into a game when I already feel like I can’t keep up with new releases and my existing library. So World of Warcraft coming to Dungeons & Dragons is exciting because it’s an opportunity for me to interact with the world without tumbling into a seemingly bottomless pit.
I enjoy casting spells and controlling battlefields, so my mind immediately goes to a couple of different builds. If my group wants to go the Alliance route, a Frost Mage Void Elf sounds like a fun time, and fairly straightforward to build with existing D&D Wizard rules. If we’re feeling more Horde, I’d probably check out the new Shadow Priest subclass, maybe as a shifty Vulpera. I’m excited about the high-level Lich King adventure, but I’m hoping the book also gives us options for things like a political intrigue campaign set in the maritime island nation of Kul Tiras, which is the kind of campaign I might brew up if I were in the DM seat.
Adam Benjamin, Managing Editor
Forecasting fights and the Force in Star Wars D&D
While the D&D team at Wizards of the Coast had a lot to share about the upcoming World of Warcraft set due out later this year, they were tight-lipped about what’s coming with Star Wars. Despite prodding, the team deigned not to reveal anything just yet — not even whether there will be starship flight and combat systems in the game. And no, they didn’t confirm what challenge rating the Death Star will be (we’re betting it’s in the triple digits).
Without even a hint at what’s to come, we speculated on what we want most from exploring the expansive Star Wars universe, one dice roll at a time.
I’ve been playing Star Wars TTRPGs for an entire decade at this point, and having the franchise officially come to D&D is an exciting proposition. It’s going to be interesting to see how they deal with the more technical aspects of space combat, and I’m looking forward to seeing what era of Star Wars they start in.
I like the concept of a Force User droid. Potentially like General Grievous (a biological/droid mix), but as a Wizard-style class. His familiar could be a mouse droid from the Death Star. I’m not sure if “Droid” will be a race in the new campaign, but D&D already has a Warforged race from Eberron, so it doesn’t feel like a big stretch to add them here. Droids are such a large part of the Star Wars Universe and I would enjoy the roleplay challenges they would bring to the table.
James Bricknell, Managing Editor
We don’t know what we don’t know yet when it comes to Star Wars played through a D&D lens, but the Star Wars universe is more than big enough to speculate on what would be cool to have. My genuine hope is that the rules being built for this little expansion make it relatively easy to play in any era of Star Wars. As much fun as it would be to roleplay through a big battle with Darth Vader or a space dogfight against a Star Destroyer, I’d love to see some of the flexibility from the High Republic era as well. From repair and hacker focused roles like Mekneks to the greater diversity of Force powers of the era, it’s a bigger sandbox to play in.
This doesn’t mean there needs to be a core book for each era of Star Wars, just a set of rules that encourage adaptation. This is something Wizards of the Coast has demonstrated as a core strength since the release of the 2024 rules. The tools for supporting the creativity of players have been well established, but adapting the massive and decidedly not high-fantasy vibes of Star Wars presents some fun challenges. I genuinely can’t wait to play.
Russell Holly, Content Director
The Demon Hunter is one of the nine subclasses in the World of Warcraft set.Wizards of the Coast
What’s the first thing D&D’s developers will play?
Ahead of the GenCon keynote, I chatted with several game developers from Wizards of the Coast to get the full scope of the World of Warcraft set. From development to new mechanics to how the Universes Beyond sets would play with broader D&D, I plied them with many questions — including what they would do first in their new worlds. While they couldn’t comment on Star Wars, they did have answers for World of Warcraft.
“For me, it’s the Icecrown Citadel adventure,” said Laura Hohman, product architect for D&D. Wrath of the Lich King, World of Warcraft’s second expansion, was what really got her hooked, even though she spent most of the time collecting owls, she admitted with a laugh. But the climactic raid at the end, where players take on the Lich King, holds a special place in memory and nostalgia for her.
“I can’t wait, once this is out there, to play this with my friends [and] recreate those moments again in a new way on tabletop,” Hohman said.
Jeff Turiff, director of product management for D&D Beyond, the online character creator and portal for resources, talked about updates coming to the service as well as to its mobile app version. Fittingly, the self-avowed Horde player is going to “probably start by rolling up some characters.”
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“I love character builds. Hop on D&D Beyond, of course, and make some characters to test drive in a setting — maybe in a standard D&D setting would be kind of cool,” Turiff said.
The three editions of the core rulebook: special edition with a faction slipcase (left), hobby store-exclusive Murloc edition (center) and standard edition (center-right). Behind them is the dungeon master’s screen, with outside art on the bottom and inside rule shortcuts on the top.Wizards of the Coast
D&D Game Design Director Justice Arman is most excited about the mounts, an iconic element from the MMORPG that enables players to speedily travel (and show off with more exotic beasts of burden).
“I’m from Tennessee originally, so maybe it’s the cowboy in me, but the idea of having a direwolf or gryphon mount is pretty cool,” said Arman.
But as with Hohman, Arman turned to his memories of playing the MMORPG back in the day. It’s less about what race or class he plays, but who he plays tabletop games with, he said.
“Back in undergrad, I had two roommates who were wrestlers and they loved World of Warcraft, and we were playing it so often,” Arman said. “I would love to sit down with them and reconnect.”
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David Lumb
Managing Editor, Mobile
David Lumb is a managing editor for the mobile team, covering mobile and gaming spaces. Before CNET, he covered tech, gaming, and culture for TechRadar, Engadget, Popular Mechanics, NBC Asian America, Increment, Fast Company and others. As a true Californian, he lives for coffee, beaches and burritos.
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James Bricknell
Managing Editor
James’ job is Managing Editor of Commerce, but he loves all things “maker”, from 3D printers to Cricut machines.
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Russell Holly is a Managing Editor on the Commerce team at CNET. He works with all of CNET to assemble top recommendations as well as helping everyone find the best way to buy anything at the best price. When not writing for CNET you can find him riding a bike, running around in Jedi robes, or contributing to WOSU public radio’s Tech Tuesday segment.
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Adam Benjamin
Managing Editor
Adam Benjamin has helped people navigate complex problems for the past decade. The former digital services editor for Reviews.com, Adam now leads CNET’s services and software team and contributes to its game coverage.
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A staggering $1,200 discount is available exclusively to AppleInsider readers, delivering the lowest price on record for the M5 Max 16-inch MacBook Pro config.
The exclusive $1,200 discount* brings the cost of Apple’s latest 16-inch MacBook Pro with an M5 Max chip down to $3,199, the lowest price on record, when ordered in Space Black.
B&H has partnered with AppleInsider to bring you the limited-time discount on the high-end configuration that’s equipped with an 18-core CPU and 32-core GPU. It has 36GB of unified memory and a spacious 2TB SSD as well, making it a well-equipped configuration for content creation, AI tasks, business management, and more.
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Along with the exclusive markdown, B&H is tacking on free standard shipping within the contiguous U.S. And if you’re looking to save on tax, the store’s Payboo Card offers an instant sales tax refund for purchases in qualifying states.
Wondering how the deal stacks up against other Apple resellers? You can easily compare prices in our 16-inch MacBook Pro Price Guide. According to the guide, Amazon is selling the exact same model for $800 more, making B&H’s $3,199 price the lowest available.
In our hands-on 16-inch MacBook Pro review, we found the M5 Max chip to be blazing fast, with excellent performance when running AI tasks. Wi-Fi 7 support is also a plus, as is the faster SSD compared with the previous-generation MacBook Pro.
To activate the exclusive discount that’s valid this week only, you must shop through the special pricing links in this post or in our Price Guide from a laptop or desktop computer. The offer cannot be activated through B&H’s mobile app at this time.
Siri AI is coming soon. The redesign of Apple’s voice assistant was first unveiled at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference in June. Since then, the buzz has been all about what to expect from the new Siri 2.0.
But Siri AI may cost you, at least if you use it a lot.
Cook was asked about iOS 27, Apple Intelligence, feedback from the public beta and how Apple is thinking about compute costs and the ability to recover those costs through iCloud Plus. He suggested the possibility of charging for Siri AI as a part of the iCloud Plus application stack.
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“We do believe there will be people that want to use it a lot, and so we will have some kind of upgrade possibilities on iCloud Plus,” Cook said.
He added that those ideas are in the early stages and did not discuss a complete plan. Apple’s team is “off-the-charts excited about Siri AI,” he added, saying feedback has been overwhelmingly positive so far.
The earnings call, Cook’s last before John Ternus takes over as CEO, comes weeks after Apple announced price increases for Apple Music and Apple One subscription bundle.
Examples of Siri’s new capabilities include being able to find out about the latest concert, how to get tickets and remind you when it’s time to buy them. Other features include finding information in your messages (e.g. “Call the eye doctor who messaged me”), creating a photo album specifically for a loved one that includes photos of them, and even identifying a place from a picture.
Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Dashia is the consumer insights editor for CNET. She specializes in data-driven analysis and news at the intersection of tech, personal finance and consumer sentiment. Dashia investigates economic shifts and everyday challenges to help readers make well-informed decisions, and she covers a range of topics, including technology, security, energy and money. Dashia graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She loves baking, teaching spinning and spending time with her family.
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HDMI has emerged as one of the most ubiquitous audio/video standards to ever be adopted in consumer electronics. According to the HDMI Licensing Administrator, Inc. (HDMI LA), almost 14 billion HDMI-enabled devices have shipped since HDMI 1.0 was introduced in 2002. The latest HDMI 2.2 was announced in 2025, and we expect to see HDMI 2.2 devices in 2027. You can find an HDMI port on something as small as a Raspberry Pi single-board computer, or as big as something like Samsung’s The Wall 130″ smart display. Somewhere on that spectrum is graphics cards, which have been incorporating HDMI ports for years.
The first graphics cards that made use of HDMI hit the market in 2006, and have continued to evolve alongside HDMI, as well as other technologies like DisplayPort. Modern graphics cards usually ship with only one HDMI port alongside usually 2 or more DisplayPort ports. As far as why so many graphics cards ship with only one HDMI port is a question many users have pondered, and there isn’t a single answer. The truth is that the decision comes down to equal parts business costs, user needs, and engineering.
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In the world of monitors, DisplayPort is king
Martenzite/Shutterstock
Graphics cards are built for PCs, and PCs are predominantly going to use monitors. Monitors favor DisplayPort, as the format has become an incredibly robust and PC-centric standard that can carry video, audio, data, and power along a single cable. DisplayPort also enables multi-monitor setups by daisy-chaining monitors with Multi Stream Transport (MST), with only a single cable from the source. DisplayPort is also better equipped to consistently handle higher refresh rates, and also supports VESA Adaptive Sync, which is what variable refresh rate technologies like AMD’s FreeSync are based on. Importantly, Nvidia’s G-Sync is limited to DisplayPort, but G-Sync Compatible will work over HDMI in addition to DisplayPort.
On a graphics card, HDMI is treated more like a compatibility port, ensuring the card can be used across a variety of potential outputs, monitors included. The bandwidth roadmap for DisplayPort has also routinely exceeded that of HDMI, though HDMI 2.2 looks to change that with a top end bandwidth of 96 Gbps –- but HDMI 2.2 ports will come with a catch in the form of certified cables and ports that will likely be expensive and confusing to buy into. DisplayPort 2.1 can already accommodate up to three 4K monitors at 90 Hz or two 4K monitors at 144 Hz without using compression, all while being the more versatile interface.
The slight bandwidth lead HDMI 2.2 enjoys likely won’t make a huge impact, as resolutions beyond 4K have yet to break into the mainstream consumer market. And based on the history of DisplayPort’s roadmap, we can expect the next version to leapfrog HDMI 2.2.
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HDMI is expensive to implement
marketlan/Shutterstock
Compared to DisplayPort, HDMI is costly to build into a graphics card. An HDMI port has a higher physical complexity than DisplayPort, and can take up more PCB space –- which is already premium real estate on graphics cards. Depending on the version, HDMI ports can also require additional hardware and board space to meet the electrical and bandwidth requirements. For instance, an HDMI 2.1 port that supports the newer Fixed Rate Link (FRL) encoding will cost more than an HDMI 2.0 port that relies on Transition-minimized differential signaling (TMDS).
GamersNexus covers this in a tour they took of a Taiwan factory that manufactures Intel Arc GPUs for Sparkle. In that video, it is also revealed that HDMI ports cost about $1/port for Sparkle’s Intel Arc GPUs, with most of the cost going to licensing fees. This is because HDMI is not an open standard; HDMI adopters (companies paying to license HDMI) have to pay annual adopter fees and royalties on devices. For something like Sparkle’s Intel A310 Omni View SKU that has 4 HDMI ports, that’s $4 in HDMI costs for a card that’s targeting a $100-$110 price point. Sparkle’s Taiwanese factory produces over 1,000 Intel Arc GPUs per day, so you can see where the math is going. Then there’s mandatory compliance and certification testing according to HDMI’s Compliance Test Specification, which has to be completed by an Authorized Testing Center. HDMI 2.1 –- and eventually HDMI2.2 –- will compound these costs further.
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DisplayPort is an open and royalty free standard, which is another huge difference between HDMI and DisplayPort, and manufacturers can implement the ports at no cost. The VESA DisplayPort Compliance Program is also not tied to licensing agreements like HDMI, and is driven by VESA members and the DisplayPort ecosystem.
WIRED is obsessed with what comes next. Through rigorous investigations and game-changing reporting, we tell stories that don’t just reflect the moment—they help create it. When you look back in 10, 20, even 50 years, WIRED will be the publication that led the story of the present, mapped the people, products, and ideas defining it, and explained how those forces forged the future. WIRED: For Future Reference.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? A few of the clues are tricky. Read on for all the answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Something you might ask for while staying over at a friend’s house Answer: WIFI
5A clue: Genre for “Stranger Things” Answer: SCIFI
7A clue: Unlikely pants to wear to a wedding Answer: JEANS
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8A clue: Octagonal sign word Answer: STOP
9A clue: Where sows are housed Answer: STY
The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for Aug. 2, 2026.NYT/Screenshot by CNET
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Newspaper that covers the stock market, for short Answer: WSJ
2D clue: Puts a cold pack on Answer: ICES
3D clue: Official decrees Answer: FIATS
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4D clue: “Otherwise …” Answer: IFNOT
6D clue: Words before “with my little eye,” in a game Answer: ISPY
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CNET editor Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, a journalist and pop-culture junkie, is co-author of “Whatever Happened to Pudding Pops? The Lost Toys, Tastes and Trends of the ’70s and ’80s,” as well as “The Totally Sweet ’90s.” She’s been a journalist since 1989, working at Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, Twin Cities Sidewalk, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, and NBC News Digital. She’s Gen X in birthdate, word and deed. If Marathon candy bars ever come back, she’ll be first in line.
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The Danish TV audio specialist is expanding beyond direct sales, giving American buyers a chance to hear, install, and service its premium systems through authorized dealers. Spending $5,000 or more on a TV audio system you have never actually heard requires confidence, disposable income, and a rather trusting relationship with international freight.
CANVAS HiFi is attempting to make that proposition somewhat less adventurous.
The Danish manufacturer has appointed Playback Distribution as its exclusive U.S. distributor, opening the door to a broader network of specialty audio dealers and custom integrators across the country.
That might not sound as exciting as a new amplifier, larger woofer, or proprietary acronym involving spatial audio, but it could be one of the more important developments for the brand in the United States.
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CANVAS is not a $399 soundbar that can be carried out of Costco between the paper towels and frozen dumplings. Its products are large, heavy, configurable audio systems designed to visually integrate with televisions ranging from 55 to 85 inches; and eventually even larger screens with the forthcoming CANVAS L.
For American consumers, the ability to hear one before buying it, confirm that it will work with a specific television, and have somebody else install the thing properly has considerable value.
Canvas HiFi
Related Stories:
What Playback Distribution Brings to CANVAS
Playback Distribution was founded in 2023 by industry veteran Rob Standley and represents a growing collection of premium audio brands, including Advance Paris, Amphion, AudioSolutions, AVID HiFi, Esoteric, PMC, TEAC, Velodyne Acoustics, Vicoustic, and Vienna Acoustics.
That portfolio gives CANVAS access to dealers already selling expensive loudspeakers, electronics, subwoofers, room treatments, and custom-installed home-theater systems.
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More importantly, Playback already has the sales, logistics, dealer-support, parts, warranty, and customer-service infrastructure required to support products that are considerably more complicated than their minimalist appearance suggests.
CANVAS combines loudspeakers, amplification, DSP, streaming, room correction, television mounting, and interchangeable furniture-grade front panels in one rather substantial enclosure. When everything works, the result can be visually striking and far less intrusive than a conventional collection of speakers, racks, amplifiers, and cables.
When something does not work, buyers will probably prefer calling a local dealer rather than holding an international video conference while kneeling behind a 77-pound audio system with a flashlight between their teeth.
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CANVAS has already sold directly to American customers, with shipping and import costs included in its pricing. The Playback agreement adds something the direct-sales model could not easily provide: local demonstrations, professional installation, and support from somebody who has actually seen the product outside of an Instagram reel.
What Is CANVAS HiFi?
The original CANVAS is an active stereo speaker system built into a structure designed to align visually with a television. Calling it a soundbar is technically convenient but somewhat misleading.
Most soundbars use multiple small drivers packed into a shallow enclosure and rely heavily on digital processing to create the impression of a larger presentation. CANVAS takes a more traditional loudspeaker approach.
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The system uses two 6.5-inch SB Acoustics bass and midrange drivers, two 29mm silk-dome tweeters, and two passive radiators inside a 24-liter braced MDF enclosure. Four channels of Class D amplification deliver a combined 250 watts, while a Burr-Brown DAC and Analog Devices DSP handle digital conversion, crossover functions, and signal processing.
CANVAS also uses BACCH 3D crosstalk cancellation to produce a wider and deeper stereo presentation without rear speakers or a conventional Dolby Atmos speaker layout. Room correction can be performed using an iPhone microphone or the company’s optional Zen Microphone.
Connectivity includes HDMI eARC, optical digital, analog audio, Apple AirPlay 2, Google Cast, Spotify Connect, TIDAL Connect, Roon, and DLNA.
Magnetically attached front panels are available in multiple fabric and wood finishes, allowing the system to match different screen sizes and room designs. The television, despite the rather persuasive product photography, is not included.
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CANVAS L Is the Larger Prize
The distribution agreement also gives CANVAS a stronger U.S. foundation ahead of the arrival of CANVAS L, which the company unveiled at High End Vienna 2026.
CANVAS L is considerably more ambitious than the original model. It uses custom Scan-Speak midrange and bass drivers, SB Acoustics ring-radiator tweeters, four 8-inch woofers, matching passive radiators, and 1,500 watts of Class D amplification.
It also adds BACCH 3D+, upgraded DSP, room correction, HDMI eARC, analog and digital inputs, and compatibility with televisions ranging from 65 to 115 inches.
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A 115-inch television is not something most people install casually on a Tuesday evening after dinner. Products of that size and price need dealers and integrators who understand wall construction, television mounting, cable routing, network configuration, room acoustics, and why drilling into a water pipe tends to end the demonstration rather abruptly.
CANVAS expects the L to reach authorized retailers during the fourth quarter of 2026. European pricing begins at €5,999, while final U.S. pricing and configurations have not yet been announced.
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Canvas L
Why This Matters for U.S. Buyers
CANVAS has generated considerable attention at CES, High End Vienna, and other international events. It has also earned multiple eCoustics Best in Show selections.
The problem has been access.
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Reading about BACCH processing and Scandinavian industrial design is one thing. Hearing whether the system actually produces a convincing stereo image from beneath a television is another. And it’s something that has left a very positive on members of the press who have been able to try it at home. This sounds nothing like the soundbar systems you’ve tried so far — and for these prices, it needs to be significantly better.
That does not mean a CANVAS display will suddenly appear in every audio showroom from Manhattan to Missoula. Dealers will still have to decide whether local customers are interested in a premium product that occupies the space between an active loudspeaker system, a soundbar, a television mount, and a piece of Danish furniture.
But CANVAS is precisely the kind of product that benefits from being demonstrated in person.
Playback Distribution gives CANVAS a better opportunity to explain that proposition to American consumers—and allows those consumers to decide whether the performance justifies the price before an extremely large crate appears in the driveway.
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Pricing & Availability
CANVAS HiFi products are now available in the United States through Playback Distribution’s network of authorized dealers.
Current U.S. pricing begins at approximately $4,999, depending on the size, finish, front-panel material, and configuration.
Final U.S. pricing and availability for CANVAS L will be announced closer to its expected fourth-quarter 2026 launch.
Apple’s second-generation iPhone Air is beginning to take shape, and if the latest supply chain report is accurate, the company isn’t simply refreshing the hardware. Instead, it appears to be refining the formula that made the first iPhone Air stand out. According to analyst Jeff Pu, the iPhone Air 2, expected to launch in early 2027, will retain its slim profile while introducing a smaller Dynamic Island, an upgraded camera system, and Apple’s next-generation silicon.
Unlike the Pro models, which often chase headline-grabbing camera upgrades or new materials, the Air lineup appears to be evolving through careful iteration. None of the rumored changes are individually revolutionary, but together they suggest Apple is addressing some of the biggest compromises of the original device.
Apple appears to be refining, not reinventing, the Air
According to Pu, the iPhone Air 2 will retain the 6.55-inch display found on its predecessor, but Apple is reportedly reducing the size of the Dynamic Island. While the difference may seem subtle on paper, a smaller cutout would free up more usable screen space and make the display feel cleaner during everyday use.
Rachit Agarwal / Digital Trends
The camera system could also receive one of the biggest upgrades in the Air lineup so far. Pu claims the phone will feature the existing 48-megapixel main camera alongside a new 48-megapixel ultra-wide sensor, giving the Air a far more versatile imaging setup than the first-generation model. That addition would narrow one of the biggest gaps between Apple’s premium and mainstream iPhones.
Under the hood, Apple is expected to introduce the A20 Pro, reportedly built on TSMC’s 2nm process using Wafer-Level Multi-Chip Module (WMCM) packaging. The technology integrates memory closer to the processor, which could improve both performance and power efficiency without increasing the chip’s physical footprint. The report also points to 12GB of RAM, a titanium frame, and Apple’s next-generation C2 modem, replacing the original Air’s C1X modem.
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Small upgrades could make a meaningful difference
On paper, none of these upgrades dramatically change what the iPhone Air represents. That’s arguably the point. The first-generation iPhone Air established itself as Apple’s answer for users who wanted something lighter and thinner than a Pro model without sacrificing flagship performance. If these reports prove accurate, Apple isn’t trying to reinvent that identity. Instead, it’s strengthening it by fixing practical shortcomings that users notice every day, whether that’s gaining a little more screen real estate, improving ultra-wide photography, or squeezing better efficiency from next-generation silicon.
Rachit Agarwal / Digital Trends
The timeline also fits Apple’s broader roadmap. Pu expects Apple to unveil the iPhone Air 2 alongside the base iPhone 18 during the first quarter of 2027, while the iPhone 18 Pro and Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone are expected to arrive several months earlier.
As always, these details remain based on supply chain intelligence rather than official announcements. But if Apple is indeed focusing on refinement over reinvention, the iPhone Air 2 could become a stronger example of something the company often does well: making a familiar product noticeably better through a series of thoughtful, incremental upgrades.
The Game Boy Advance is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the US, and while Nintendo has largely chosen to honor the handheld through its Switch Online library, another company has decided to recreate the hardware itself. Chinese handheld maker Ayaneo has unveiled the Konkr Pocket Advance, a modern reinterpretation of the iconic Game Boy Advance that updates almost every part of the original while preserving the horizontal design that made Nintendo’s console so beloved.
Rather than building a nostalgia piece that simply looks like the original, Ayaneo is targeting the growing retro gaming market with modern hardware. The Konkr Pocket Advance features a higher-resolution display, additional controls, USB-C connectivity and wireless support, making it less of a replica and more of a contemporary handheld inspired by one of gaming’s most influential consoles.
The announcement also arrives at a time when retro handhelds are becoming a serious product category rather than a niche hobby. Companies such as Anbernic, Retroid, Miyoo and Ayaneo have spent the last few years proving that there is sustained demand for devices designed around classic games instead of cutting-edge graphics.
A familiar design with modern hardware underneath
At first glance, the Konkr Pocket Advance is unmistakably inspired by the original Game Boy Advance. It retains the signature horizontal layout while introducing a 3.5-inch display with a 960 × 640 resolution, considerably sharper than Nintendo’s original hardware. Ayaneo has also added a full set of ABXY buttons, additional menu and shoulder buttons, USB-C, microSD expansion, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and even a dedicated volume wheel.
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KONKR Pocket AdvanceAyaneo
The handheld will initially launch in two color options: a navy blue inspired by the classic Indigo Game Boy Advance and a coral orange reminiscent of Nintendo’s Spice Orange edition, which was originally exclusive to Japan. Ayaneo has not announced pricing or a release date but says the device will arrive later this year. Unlike some of its earlier limited-production handhelds, the company also expects broader availability for the Pocket Advance.
Retro gaming is no longer just about nostalgia
Ayaneo’s latest handheld highlights a broader trend that Nintendo itself has been surprisingly cautious about. Despite the enduring popularity of the Game Boy Advance and a library that includes classics such as Advance Wars, Golden Sun, Metroid Fusion, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap and WarioWare, Nintendo has shown little interest in producing dedicated retro hardware beyond occasional emulation through Switch Online. The accompanying retrospective in Engadget underscores just how influential those games remain two and a half decades later.
KONKR Pocket AdvanceAyaneo
That has created an opportunity for third-party manufacturers. Modern retro handhelds no longer appeal only to collectors; they attract players who want sharper displays, rechargeable batteries, wireless connectivity and ergonomic designs without sacrificing access to classic games.
The Konkr Pocket Advance won’t replace Nintendo’s original hardware in the hearts of longtime fans. But it does reflect something increasingly clear about the gaming industry: while Nintendo owns the memories, companies like Ayaneo are becoming remarkably good at selling the hardware people wish Nintendo still made.
Brazil ordered Jair Bolsonaro to stay silent. Last weekend, a giant AI version of him addressed a campaign rally anyway.
At the launch of his son Flávio’s presidential bid in São Paulo on Saturday, a video avatar of the jailed former president loomed over the crowd. The clever part was the confession. “What you see here is not me,” it said. “This is a simulation of my image and my voice using artificial intelligence.”
Then it campaigned. “As everyone here knows, I am imprisoned and silenced by an unjust and arbitrary decision,” the avatar said, before asking the crowd to back Flávio, “blood of my blood.” Bloomberg timed the clip at 46 seconds, and both Reuters and AFP reported the appearance.
Why this is not a normal deepfake
The debate over AI in elections has focused on lies: fake videos that trick voters into believing something false. This clip does the opposite. It announces that it is synthetic. That honesty is the whole gambit.
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Bolsonaro is under house arrest, serving 27 years for plotting a coup after he lost the 2022 election to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. A condition of that arrest is a ban on public communication, on social media or by any other means. He cannot phone, post or speak to a rally.
An avatar can. That is the loophole the courts must now weigh: not whether the video deceived anyone, but whether a disclosed simulation lets a court-silenced man keep campaigning through a screen.
The legal fight
The challenge came fast. On Sunday, a coalition of Lula’s campaign and other left and centre-left parties petitioned the Superior Electoral Court, the TSE. They argued Brazil’s rules bar synthetic content that reproduces a real person to sway voters.
Flávio’s team fired back a day later. The video broke no rule, they said, because it disclosed its use of AI, caused no harm and never mixed fabricated footage with real images. On that reading, it is not a deepfake at all.
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Jair Bolsonaro, through his lawyer Paulo Cunha Bueno, denied authorising anything. He “did not authorise the use of his image and voice,” the lawyer wrote, and “could not have done so,” since he is barred from seeing visitors. He added that the former president had never objected to his children using his image.
A court he helped build
The judges are split in tone. The TSE’s president, Justice Kássio Nunes Marques, whom Bolsonaro appointed to the Supreme Court, said using AI to campaign is permissible. What is forbidden, he added, is using it to harm someone.
Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes was sharper. Authorising the video could be a “serious violation” of the house-arrest terms, he warned, and using Bolsonaro’s image to imply he is campaigning could amount to electoral disinformation.
The stakes are steep. The TSE could disqualify Flávio’s run if it finds the clip broke the rules. Bolsonaro himself is unlikely to be punished, said Insper law professor Ivar Hartmann, because he can argue he neither recorded nor approved it. One Lula coordinator predicted the most heavily litigated election since Brazil returned to democracy.
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The rules are already behind
Politicians are reaching for avatars faster than the law can frame them. Malaysia’s prime minister has fielded his own AI stand-in, and regulators are scrambling to respond. France plans to triple the penalties for AI-driven election disinformation.
Most of those rules turn on disclosure. The EU’s AI Act will force a label on synthetic media, and Brazil’s own code targets fabricated content that misleads. The Bolsonaro clip met that bar and marched straight through it. India is wrestling with the flip side, opening a case over altered videos of its prime minister.
That is the gap this stunt exposes. A label tells you a video is fake. It does not tell you whether a jailed politician should be allowed to speak through it. Brazil votes on 4 October. Its court has until then to decide.
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