Google finally released the A-Series of its Pixel Buds, a more affordable option for those who want Google-branded wireless earbuds. Much like the company’s A-Series smartphones, the new Pixel Buds have pared down features and a lower, more tempting price. Unlike the more expensive Pixel Buds, the A-Series won’t have wind reduction or a wireless charging case, but users can still take advantage of the IPX4 water-resistance rating and easy access to Google Assistant....

Chinese scientists have invented a VR platform for mice, according to a new study. The six-screened setup with virtual environments is intended to study how rodents think. The study is the latest in a growing body of research to see if using VR with animals can uncover their secrets and even help them lead happier lives. “VR can help reduce stress on livestock by providing them with calming environments that simulate natural habitats,” veterinarian Sophie Whoriskey told Lifewire in an email interview....

Twitter recently announced the introduction of Super Follows, the ability to charge users a monthly subscription fee to access your content. While rewarding creators for their hard work is always a plus, experts say Twitter could face backlash for monetizing content instead of focusing on features the community has been requesting for years. “Most actual users wanted an edit button before they wanted another way to give Twitter and influencers money directly,” Jeff Ferguson, a partner at digital marketing agency Amplitude Digital, told Lifewire via email....

Apple has a weird relationship with the iPad mini. Updates are rare, and really, it’s hardly changed since the original in 2012. And yet users love it. I bought that 2012 original after seeing a colleague using one at CES. It was just so cute, and I used it as my sole portable computer, doing all my work on it, for a year. The mini is Apple’s most portable iPad, and it looks like it’s about to get a long-deserved, and absurdly overdue, redesign....

Over the past few years, we’ve seen several remakes and remasters releasing for older games like Resident Evil 2, Demon’s Souls, and more. While these remakes have been received with love and adoration, other companies have focused on bringing the original experience to newer consoles. Nintendo is the most recent gaming company to take a stab at bringing classic titles back in their original format. It announced that Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games would be coming to the Switch via an online subscription....

You might be surprised by how many apps track you and steal private data from your iPhone and iPad. Despite Apple’s strict App Store rules, apps are allowed to collect and share your location, your contact details, and more. Even without your permission, they can also steal all kinds of information you probably prefer to keep private. The solution is to install some kind of firewall on your device. “Many people expressed shock just from what we were able to show in our first release,” Will Strafach, creator of iOS anti-tracking app Guardian, told Lifewire via direct message, “and now with Push to notify users in real time, I am very curious to see what folks think....

According to a recent report published by Research and Markets, less than 20% of electronics are recycled safely, and most end up in landfills, leaking toxic chemicals that are detrimental to the environment and human health. You probably have a drawer full of old iPhones or devices you haven’t touched in years, but it’s important to be aware of the impacts e-waste has on the environment, as well as how to properly dispose of old electronics....

What Is an XBM File? A file with the XBM file extension is an X Bitmap Graphic file used with the graphical user interface system called the X Window System to represent monochrome images with ASCII text, similar to PBM files. Some files in this format may instead use the BM file extension. While they aren’t as popular anymore (the format has been replaced with XPM - X11 Pixmap Graphic), you might still see XBM files used to describe cursor and icon bitmaps....

What Is an XP3 File? A file with the XP3 file extension is a package file used by KiriKiri, a scripting engine. The XP3 file is often used with visual novels or for storing video game resources. Inside the file might be images, audio, text, or any other resource that would be useful during gameplay or for a visual representation of a book. These files are stored in the XP3 file like an archive, similar to ZIP files....

Just about everything you do online is tracked in some way. If you use Google platforms like YouTube, Google Search, or even Google Maps, all that data is tracked and conveniently stored on your Google My Activity page. The idea is to give you a way to go back and look through your data whenever you need to re-explore those searches and answers. The problem is, convenience puts a lot of your personal data at risk, which is why Google has added a password verification system to that page....

To quantify the extent of this blatant disregard for your privacy, researchers from Norton Labs analyzed the search feature of the top one million websites. Astonishingly, they discovered that a majority had leaked search terms to third parties, often advertisers. “Of the top websites which have internal site search, we observed 81.3% of these websites leaking search terms in some form to third parties,” wrote the researchers. “Often, websites would leak search terms via more than one [way]....

Android Police readers with Premium YouTube subscriptions have started noticing a new option to download videos through the Labs page. According to Labs, the download feature will work with Windows, Mac, and Chrome OS, and the test will be ending in mid-October. According to Android Police, it’s been made available to YouTube Premium subscribers in India and France, but should also be widely available in other areas. The main draw of downloading YouTube videos is not having to worry about an internet connection....

Rise might be one of the best co-op games on the Switch, but it’s the sort of game you need a mentor for, if not a full 101-level college course. From the jump, Rise is a nest of menus, sub-menus, radial menus, incessant tutorials, and rules on top of rules, with each new weapon, mechanic, and monster presenting a new set of fun facts to know and tell. It’s amazing that a series this popular is also this hard to get into....

Rock Band Legacy Adapter for Xbox One Because the Xbox 360 controllers use a proprietary wireless signal and the Xbox One uses Wi-Fi Direct for its controllers, using your old wireless Xbox 360 instruments on Xbox One requires an extra adapter. The legacy adapter for Xbox One is a small USB device that you plug into your Xbox One that enables your console to receive signals from your wireless Xbox 360 drums and guitars....

How to Use Your Android as a Webcam Follow the steps below to install and configure the correct software, and then launch your phone as a webcam in chat software like Skype. The whole process takes less than 15 minutes or so. Why Use Your Phone as a Webcam? Using your phone as a webcam for your videoconferencing software is very convenient. It lets you get away from your desktop even while you’re having a meeting....

How to Use the iPad as a MIDI Controller on a Mac Apps for musicians can turn your iPad into an advanced controller and a great music-maker, but you still have to get those signals to your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). You may be surprised to hear that iOS has supported wireless MIDI connections since version 4.2, and Macs running OS X 10.4 or higher support MIDI Wi-Fi. While Windows doesn’t support wireless MIDI out of the box, there’s a simple way to get it working on the PC as well....

How to See Your Activity Data Your iPhone can show you data on today’s activities as well as trends across time. Here’s how to see it. Adding Pedometer Data to Your Health App Favorites To see your steps and distance data on the Favorites screen that first appears in the Health app: Fixing Issues Caused by iOS Updates Occasionally, your app might stop counting steps for no apparent reason. This can happen because your iPhone had an iOS 12 or 13 update that caused an issue....

View Mail Grouped by Conversation Thread in Outlook Outlook collects messages in a conversation from multiple days and folders, then it displays them all together. Include Your Sent Mail (and Other Folders) in Conversations Set Outlook to group messages in the same folder and draw from other folders, including Sent Items. How Does Conversation View Work? Conversations show as an arrow to the left of the most recent message in the conversation....

Watch Facebook Video on Apple TV With App Like many social networks, Facebook wants to play a role in your video-sharing life. Currently, there are two ways you can watch Facebook videos on your Apple TV—by downloading the Facebook Video app on your Apple TV or by streaming the video from your iPhone or iPad to the Apple TV using AirPlay. As long as your iPhone or iPad is on the same network as your TV, you can use the Facebook Video app to watch videos on the Apple TV....

If you’re a cord-cutter, we provide all the information you need to stream the NBA finals on your computer, phone, set-top box, or game console. All you need is a high-speed internet connection, access to the right streaming service, and you’ll be ready for the tip-off. How to Watch the NBA Finals The NBA playoffs are broadcast on a combination of TNT, ESPN, NBA TV, and ABC, but the finals can be watched in their entirety on ABC....