You can link a free, Plus or Pro ChatGPT plan to WhatsApp as well.
The tech sector’s ongoing effort to force-feed generative AI features into widely used services continues with updates to WhatsApp’s ChatGPT integration. There are now more ways to interact with the chatbot in the app. To use it there, you have to add 1 (800) CHAT-GPT — or 1 (800) 242-8478 — to your contacts.
WhatsApp says users around the world can now upload images to the chatbot, just like they can when using ChatGPT directly. You can also send a voice message to talk to ChatGPT, which will respond using text. In addition, starting today, WhatsApp users can link to their free, Plus or Pro ChatGPT plan to get more usage out of the service in Meta’s app.
ChatGPT debuted in WhatsApp in December, though text was the only input option at the jump. Meta’s own AI chatbot is available in the app too. Meanwhile, if you’re trying to avoid that stuff as much as possible, it’s not too late to convince your loved ones to switch to Signal.
ChatGPT Search no longer requires an OpenAI account to use
If you've been married to Google, now is a good time to try something new.
OpenAI is showing no signs of slowing down its recent pace of updates. On Wednesday, the company announced the expanded availability of ChatGPT Search. After rolling out the tool first to paid subscribers last fall, and then making it available to all logged-in free users at the end of 2024, now anyone can use ChatGPT Search with no account or sign-in necessary.
"Like the logged-in experience, ChatGPT can search the web and get you fast, timely answers with links to relevant web sources directly in ChatGPT," OpenAI said.
In most cases, ChatGPT will automatically search the web to source the most up-to-date information related to your question. Users can also force the chatbot to scour the Effectively, today's announcement means OpenAI is ready to take on Google's dominance in search, though, if I had to guess, right now it's more concerned about staying ahead of upstarts like DeepSeek. In just the last week, the company announced the availability of its latest AI model, and a new ChatGPT feature called Deep Research. Oh, and it even showed off a new logo.internet by tapping the "Search" button below the prompt bar.
Lyft uses Anthropic's Claude chatbot to handle customer complaints
Lyft is partnering with Anthropic to bring the startup's AI tech to its platform. "Anthropic, known for its human-centric approach to AI, will work with Lyft to build smart, safe, and empathetic AI-powered products that put riders and drivers first," the two said in a joint press release.
If you're a frequent Lyft rider, you can see the early results of that collaboration when you go through the company's customer care AI assistant, which features integration with Anthrophic's Claude chatbot. According to Lyft, the tool is already helping to resolve thousands of driver issues every day, and has reduced average resolution times by 87 percent. The company plans to make it available to riders soon.
Moving forward, Lyft plans to integrate Anthropic's tech across its business. As part of the partnership, Lyft will get early access to the startup’s products and models, and will in turn assist Anthropic with testing those capabilities. Lyft says this will allow it to integrate Anthropic's AI models in a way that aligns with the needs of its drivers and customers. Last but not least, Anthropic will provide training and education to Lyft’s software engineers."Lyft is using Claude to both reimagine the future of ridesharing, and at the same time deliver tangible benefits to their community today," said Michael Gerstenhaber, vice president of product management at Anthropic. "This approach, combined with their deep collaboration with our team of experts, creates a blueprint for how companies can successfully bring AI into their business."
Lyft is no stranger to working with other companies, particularly when it involves AI technology. At the end of last year, it partnered with three companies in the autonomous vehicle space — Mobileye, May Mobility and Nexar. Lyft plans to start introducing their technologies into its network starting this year.
DeepSeek limits model access due to overwhelming server demand
DeepSeek recent explosion in popularity continues to be a problem for the AI startup. In a notification spotted by Bloomberg, the company said it was temporarily limiting access to its application programming interface service in response to a shortage of server capacity.
"Due to current server resource constraints, we have temporarily suspended API service recharges to prevent any potential impact on your operations," DeepSeek said. "Existing balances can still be used for calls. We appreciate your understanding!" Separately, DeepSeek announced pricing for its chat model would increase to $0.27 per million input tokens and $1.10 per million output tokens starting February 8.
DeepSeek has been dealing with overwhelming demand for its services since the debut of its R1 model on January 20. The company's emergence as a leading premier AI provider, and the fact it was able to train R1 for a fraction of the price it cost OpenAI to develop its o1 reasoning model, sent US investors into a panic. Major tech stocks, including NVIDIA, shed $1 trillion of value the Monday after DeepSeek's chatbot hit the top of the App Store. Since then, OpenAI has released its o3-mini model and Deep Research feature for ChatGPT
US lawmakers want DeepSeek banned from government devices
Two US Congress members plan to introduce bipartisan legislation to ban China’s DeepSeek AI chatbot from government devices. The bill’s announcement came after a security expert said DeepSeek not only poses a threat to US AI stocks; it’s also a national security risk. The chatbot has recently been the most downloaded app in the US.
U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Darin LaHood (R-IL), each party’s senior-most member on the House Select Committee on Intelligence, plan to introduce the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act.” If all of this sounds familiar, the move echoes Congress’ blocking of TikTok from government devices in 2022. That was the opening salvo in a saga that culminated in the US-wide ban the app is now staring down.
The alarm follows an independent analysis from Feroot Security claiming that DeepSeek’s code sends user data directly to the Chinese government-owned China Mobile. “We see direct links to servers and companies in China that are under control of the Chinese government,” Feroot analyst Ivan Tsarynny said in an interview with ABC News. “This is something we’ve never seen before.“Our personal information is being sent to China, there is no denial, and the DeepSeek tool is collecting everything that American users connect to it,” Tsarynny told the Wall Street Journal. ABC reported on Wednesday that multiple cybersecurity experts verified Feroot’s findings.
The US Navy and NASA have already banned DeepSeek from their employees’ devices. Texas is the only state to have blocked the app from government devices. Three other countries have already beat the US to the punch in banning the app: Italy, South Korea and Australia.
LaHood warned of the app’s dangers. “The national security threat that DeepSeek — a CCP-affiliated company — poses to the United States is alarming,” the Representative wrote in a press release. “DeepSeek’s generative AI program acquires the data of US users and stores the information for unidentified use by the CCP. Under no circumstances can we allow a CCP company to obtain sensitive government or personal data.”
“We must get to the bottom of DeepSeek’s malign activities,” Gottheimer wrote. “We simply can’t risk the CCP infiltrating the devices of our government officials and jeopardizing our national security.”
As the world turns, so do the console generations. The Nintendo Switch is over seven years old, so it’s due for a refresh. Nintendo Switch 2 rumors have been swirling for years, but now we have some signs of life. The company officially revealed the sequel to its most successful home console ever in a brief trailer on January 16.
The Switch 2 looks functionally very similar to the original system, albeit with a larger display, magnetic Joy-Cons and a sleeker design. The company also reaffirmed that the upcoming console will be backwards compatible with Switch games.
While the reveal did confirm some rumors and have a few interesting details for those who were paying close attention, Nintendo is still largely keeping its cards close to its chest. We'll have to wait until a special Nintendo Direct at 9AM ET on April 2 for all the juicy information. Annoyingly, that date is a Wednesday and not a Two-sday.The full list of Nintendo Switch 2 Experience events is as follows:
North America:
New York, April 4-6, 2025
Los Angeles, April 11-13, 2025
Dallas, April 25-27, 2025
Toronto, April 25-27, 2025
Europe:
Paris, April 4-6, 2025
London, April 11-13, 2025
Milan, April 25-27, 2025
Berlin, April 25-27, 2025
Madrid, May 9-11, 2025
Amsterdam, May 9-11, 2025
Oceania:
Melbourne, May 10-11, 2025
Asia:
Tokyo (Makuhari), April 26-27, 2025
Seoul, May 31-June 1, 2025
Hong Kong, To be announced
Taipei, To be announced
Will the Nintendo Switch 2 have some weirdness?
Everything we've seen and so far about this console has been fairly, well, traditional. It looks like the original Switch, but better. That's awesome, but will there be any of that unpredictable Nintendo magic? Maybe! There are two puzzling additions that folks can't make hide nor hair of
We're a few days from Super Bowl LIX, and it remains a decent time to grab a new TV at a discount. At this point, you'll likely have to buy in-store if you want to make a living room upgrade in time to watch Chiefs and Eagles go at it (again), as shipping times for most sets have stretched beyond Sunday. However, if you don't care so much about football (or Super Bowl commercials) and just want a quality TV at a reasonable price, there are still a number of discounts worth checking out. To save you some time, we've searched through Amazon, Best Buy and other retailers to find a few Super Bowl 2025 TV deals that are actually solid value.
To be candid, many of the better offers stem from TVs naturally falling in price this time of year rather than Super Bowl-specific sales. In general, most TVs follow a similar pricing timeline: arrive in the spring, drop a little over the summer, receive a larger price cut around the holidays, then gradually fall cheaper until being discontinued the following year. We're in the last stage of this pattern now, and with TV makers like Samsung and LG unveiling their 2025 lineups during CES last month, last year's models are likely to drop even further in the months ahead.
That said, if you need to make a change today, a number of well-regarded TVs from LG, Samsung, Sony, TCL and Hisense are back down to the prices we saw around Black Friday. In some cases, they're even cheaper. We're also seeing a couple deals on streamers and soundbars we like from Roku and Sonos. Though we at Engadget do not formally review TVs, we've scoured feedback from other reviewers we trust and checked price histories to ensure everything below is a genuine deal.
LG B4 OLED TV (48") for $600 at Best Buy ($200 off MSRP): This ties the lowest price we've seen for the 48-inch LG B4, which is the entry-level model in LG's 2024 OLED lineup. While it's not as bright or color-rich as some higher-end alternatives, it still offers the essential perks of any good OLED TV: superb contrast with deep black tones, clear motion, wide viewing angles and the like. It's also a nice value for gaming, as it has four HDMI 2.1 ports that support refresh rates up to 120Hz. It's just better off in a darker room, and this particular model is relatively small.
Hisense U7N QLED TV (65") for $698 at Amazon ($300 off): Several reviewers we trust say that the U7N delivers better brightness, contrast and HDR performance than most TVs in its price range. It's built with most of the features expected from pricier LED sets, including quantum-dot color, mini-LED backlighting and a 144Hz refresh rate. It also runs on the handy Google TV platform. Its viewing angles are poor, so it's not great for watching shows with a large group, and you may need to tinker with settings to get an optimal image. But the 65-inch model should be a strong value at this price, which is only about $20 more than the all-time low we briefly saw around Cyber Monday. Also at Best Buy. If you'd prefer a smaller size, the 55-inch model is also back within $20 of its best-ever price at $498.
Samsung The Frame 2024 QLED TV (55") for $868 at Woot ($630 off): This deal from Amazon subsidiary Woot has been live for several weeks, but it ties the best price to date for the 55-inch version of Samsung's stylish Frame TV outside of a one-off eBay coupon deal. You'd buy The Frame for its design above all else: It can't match the contrast and color volume of other TVs in its price range, as it lacks local dimming altogether, but it's convincingly built like a framed piece of wall art that can blend in with your home decor. Its matte panel helps it fend off glare in a bright room, and you can display actual artwork onscreen when you're not watching something. It's worth noting that Samsung unveiled a new and improved "Frame Pro" TV at CES, but we'd expect that to cost more whenever it arrives.
TCL Q651G QLED TV (65") for $368 at Amazon ($182 off): The Q651G is a fairly basic LED TV that might appeal to gamers on a budget, as it can play at a fast 120Hz refresh rate — albeit only when you drop the resolution from 4K to 1440p or 1080p. It's another one without local dimming, so its contrast is limited. Most reviewers suggest that the Hisense U6N (which isn't majorly discounted) provides a brighter and much more dynamic image for not much more. However, while the U6N can also play in 1440p/120Hz, the TCL model has a wider variable refresh rate (VRR) range in that mode. In simpler terms, that means it'll have an easier time allowing your PS5 or Xbox games to run smoothly. This discount marks a new low for the 65-inch model. Also at Best Buy and Walmart.
Hisense U8N QLED TV (65") for $898 at Amazon ($602 off): The U8N's picture quality is a broad step-up from the U7N above, with better contrast, more vibrant colors and supremely high peak brightness. It still has most of the same drawbacks — mediocre viewing angles, minor blooming in a dark room, just decent upscaling of lower-res content — but it should be a worthy upgrade if you have more cash to burn. This is another discount we saw for much of November and December, but it ties the all-time low for the 65-inch variant. Also at Best Buy.
Samsung S90D QD-OLED TV (55") for $1,198 at Amazon ($600 off): The S90D stands out for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of an OLED display with a layer of quantum dots to boost color performance. Most reviews say that it can put out a wider gamut of more vibrant colors and brighter HDR highlights than more traditional OLED TVs like the LG C4. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports that can play up to 144Hz. It doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR, however, and Samsung's Tizen interface can be clunky. The company has also made the aggravating step of using both QD-OLED and more standard WOLED panels within the same product line, but this 55-inch version comes with the superior display in North America. (The 65- and 75-inch models do as well.) This deal is the second-best price we've seen and about $150 off this variant's average street price in recent months. Also at Samsung and Best Buy.
Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55") for $1,198 at Amazon ($100 off): The Bravia 7 isn't as strong of a value as the Hisense U8N, but some reviews suggest that it's a decent alternative if you're willing to trade some contrast and peak brightness for a more accurate picture out of the box. Like the Hisense TV, its image washes out when viewed from an angle and it only has two HDMI 2.1 ports for gaming. In general, most people will be happier with a good OLED TV around this price. But if you want a brighter LED TV that looks great right away, this one might be worth a look. This is a new low for the 55-inch model. Also at B&H and Best Buy.
Roku Ultra (2024) for $79 at Amazon ($21 off): Roku's Ultra set-top box is overkill for most, but it might be worthwhile if you prefer the simplicity of Roku's interface and need built-in Ethernet and USB ports. It supports just about all the major apps and HDR formats, plus it lets iPhone owners cast video from their phone via AirPlay. Unlike the cheaper Roku Streaming Stick 4K, it also comes with a rechargeable remote that has backlit buttons, built-in voice controls and a lost remote finder. We call it the best Roku player in our guide to the best streaming devices. This deal was available for much of the holiday season, but it ties the latest model's all-time low. Also at Roku, B&H and Best Buy.
Sonos Beam (Gen 2) for $399 at Sonos ($100 off): Yes, the recent overhaul of the Sonos app has been an abject disaster, to the point where the audio brand's CEO and chief product officer have left the company entirely. However, if you're not already tied up in the Sonos ecosystem and just want a clean-sounding soundbar that won't chew up a ton of space, the Sonos Beam's hardware still does enough right to be worth a look. We call it the best midrange option in our guide to the best soundbars. It only has one HDMI port, and it's too small to deliver truly room-rattling bass, but it still compares favorably to most alternatives in its size range. This deal is $30 above the device's all-time low but still $100 off its typical street price. Other Sonos home theater gadgets are similarly discounted, including the more compact Sonos Ray for $179 and the Sub 4 subwoofer for $679. These offers are also available at Amazon and other retailers. Sonos says they'll run until February 9.
TV deals that are no longer available
LG C3 OLED TV (65") for $1,197 at Amazon ($303 off): The LG C3 was released in 2023, but it's not a huge downgrade from last year's LG C4, so it's still worth considering when it's available for less. The C4 should be slightly better in terms of brightness and color volume, plus it supports refresh rates up to 144Hz rather than 120Hz, though the latter is only really useful for PC gaming. Neither model can quite match the QD-OLED panel on the Samsung S90D, but the C3 will still look excellent if you're not comparing the two side-by-side and just want to save some cash on a larger premium display. This discount ties the lowest price we've tracked outside of a handful of in-store-only and eBay coupon deals.
Sony A95L OLED TV (65") for $2,498 at eBay via BuyDig ($500 off): The A95L is wildly expensive even with this discount, but many reviewers agree that it's the best TV on the market if money is no object. It's another QD-OLED TV like the Samsung S90D, but it's more color-accurate out of the box and should be better at preserving details in shows that aren't presented in 4K. It also supports Dolby Vision, unlike Samsung's TVs, and its Google TV software is generally easier to navigate than Tizen. The only serious drawback is that it's limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports, which may be annoying for those who own a soundbar and multiple game consoles. This discount from ties the lowest price to date for the 65-inch model; just use the code SAVEBIG20 at checkout. It comes from eBay via BuyDig, which Sony lists as an authorized seller.
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