If you think piloting a drone is tricky, try managing a swarm of them in the sky at once — it'll be a small wonder if there isn't a collision. However, NASA and the FAA managed just that. They've completed the most complex test yet of a drone traf…
Technical
Qualcomm says it’s fine to fast-charge your phone over USB-C
Technically, USB-C and fast-charging methods like Qualcomm's Quick Charge 3.0 aren't supposed to mix. As Google's Benson Leung (a frequent crusader for good USB implementations) noted last fall, the USB-C spec explicitly forbids the variable voltage…
Stanford wind tunnel for birds could lead to more stable drones
Birds can navigate both urban and real jungles with ease even when they're facing moderately turbulent winds. If they could speak, we'd have already asked their secret. But since they can't, the Stanford School of Engineering built one of the most ad…
Congress asks the NSA how often it spies on Americans
Thanks in part to leaks, it's no secret that the National Security Agency's foreign intelligence gathering also covers some Americans. But just how many Americans are under watch, and how many are simply innocents caught in the crossfire? Congress…
The government is shaming people for texting and driving
It's a bad idea to text and drive. Beyond just being dangerous, it's now illegal in most US states and in several countries around the world. Yet, despite the many ad campaigns telling them it's wrong, people still do it. In fact, some of them actual…
Bank of America now supports Android’s fingerprint scanner
Sure, smartphone fingerprint scanners like Apple's Touch ID and Google's Nexus Imprint help keep your phone more secure. But they also make it easier to log into various apps or make purchases without having to type an unwieldy password into your pho…
Comedy Central, BET, MTV, more Viacom networks will hit Sling TV
Viacom networks Comedy Central, BET, MTV, Spike, Nick Jr. and others will land on Dish's streaming service, Sling TV, in the coming months. These channels will be available in single-stream and multi-stream packages, though there's no word on specifi…
The Wirecutter’s best deals: Logitech Harmony 350 remote
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. Read their continuously updated list of deals at TheWirecutter.com. You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at The Wirecutter….
Watch the ‘Star Fox Zero’ animated short here at 6PM ET
Ahead of the launch of Star Fox Zero on Wii U, scheduled for April 22nd, Nintendo this week teased an animated short with ties to the game's story. Titled Star Fox Zero: The Battle Begins, the film will be premiering worldwide today at 6PM ET/3PM PT,…
Samsung’s thin and light Notebook 9 harks back to simpler times
Samsung's new flagship laptop, the $1,500 Notebook 9, does not have a touchscreen. Its display does not detach or fold back into tablet mode. It's not even that exciting-looking. And yet I am fully enjoying my time with it. Though it doesn't offer so…
My Miitomo addiction proves social media is just a game
I used to think there was no room for another social network in my life. I already have Twitter for public interactions and jokes, Facebook for connecting with friends and family, Instagram for sharing closeup photos of my dinner and Snapchat for whe…
Vizio brings tablet remotes and 4K to lower-cost TVs
You don't have to splurge on Vizio's higher-end P-Series TVs to get some of their nicer features. The company is trotting out new M-Series and E-Series sets that bring over some of the nicer features, even if they aren't quite as eye-catching. Like…
BlackBerry CEO won’t say whether he gave up encryption keys
Here's what we know, thanks to an investigation by Motherboard and Vice: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have a key that unlocks encrypted messages on every single non-corporate BlackBerry. Here's what we don't know: whether BlackBerry gave that ke…
Ubisoft to ban ‘Division’ players who exploit its shoddy coding
A community manager for Ubisoft's hit game, The Division, warned players against exploiting in-game glitches to gather extra end-game loot. The issue first appeared last week with the debut of the game's Falcon Lost expansion map pack, which offers l…
Ben Heck’s luggage detective
Your valuable belongings getting damaged? Ben Heck the Luggage Detective is on the case. Using an NXP accelerometer and motion sensors, Ben produces a logging device that can fit inside your baggage to see just how mistreated your belongings get…