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NASA just released a stunning new image of the Sombrero galaxy captured by the JWST
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is back to once again paint a glorious portrait of the heavens. This time, the powerful telescope was set loose on the Sombrero galaxy, otherwise called Messier 104 or M104. The end result? A gorgeous image that reframes our understanding of that particular region of space. Upon closer inspection using the JWST’s mid-infrared view, the Sombrero galaxy no longer truly resembles its namesake. It looks more like an archery target, complete with a bullseye in the center. That bullseye? It’s actually a supermassive black hole. The sharp resolution offered by Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) finally gives us a detailed glimpse of the outer ring, showing “intricate clumps” of dust. Previous images, captured via visible light, made the area appear “smooth like a blanket.” The JWST presents a more complicated picture. The “clumpy nature of the dust” indicates carbon-containing molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which typically illustrate the presence of young star-forming regions. This is likely the case here, though the Sombrero galaxy is thought to not be a hotbed of star formation. Scientists believe that the galaxy produces less than a single solar mass per year. The Milky Way galaxy, where you’re most likely reading this from, creates roughly two solar masses per year. Messier 82, otherwise called the Cigar galaxy, is responsible for around 20 solar masses per year. The MIRI image also shows a whole bunch of galaxies littering the background of space, all with different shapes and colors. Astronomers are busy studying these background galaxies to determine how far away they are. As for the Sombrero galaxy, it’s 30 million light-years from Earth deep in the Virgo constellation. A galaxy too far for us to ever even hope of traveling to? Typical independent Virgo. Of course, this is just the latest glorious image provided to us by the JWST. It recently found the most distant galaxy ever observed and gave us a new perspective on everyone’s favorite ice giant, Uranus.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/nasa-just-released-a-stunning-new-image-of-the-sombrero-galaxy-captured-by-the-jwst-171642105.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 17:16:42
Max Black Friday deal: Get six months of access for only $18
Max’s Black Friday deal gives you six months of one of the best streaming services for only $18 (billed monthly). The sale applies to new and returning subscribers. This is the Max with Ads plan, which usually costs $10 monthly, so you’re getting a 70-percent discount. Since the ad-free one costs $17 per month, perhaps that’ll make it easier to stomach some commercials before each episode of The Last of Us. The deal is only available in the US and will automatically renew during the six months — and beyond. If you don’t want to pay $10 monthly after the discount period, just remember to cancel before the renewal date. Max’s lineup has series and films like The Last of Us, House of the Dragon, Euphoria, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, The Penguin, Dune: Part Two, Everything Everywhere All at Once and Barbie. In addition, you get full series from HBO’s legendary archives, like The Sopranos, The Wire, Sex and The City, Game Of Thrones and Six Feet Under. It also includes current and old content from Warner Bros., A24, Adult Swim, ID and the DC Universe. The Black Friday deal lasts from now through December 2. Head over to Max and log in or sign up. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/max-black-friday-deal-get-six-months-of-access-for-only-18-165721872.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 16:57:21
The 17 best Black Friday deals on robot vacuums from iRobot, Shark, Dyson and others
Robot vacuums can help automate a chore you may loathe doing yourself. And even if you don’t mind vacuuming regularly, it’s undeniable that it takes time out of your day that you could be using for other things. The Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period is a great time to look for one of these smart home gadgets because you can often find them for hundreds of dollars off their usual prices — this year is no different. We’re seeing steep discounts on many of our favorite robot vacuum cleaners, as well as some cordless vacuums too. These are the best Black Friday vacuum deals you can get this year. Black Friday robot vacuum deals iRobot Roomba Vac robot vacuum (Q0120) for $149 (40 percent off): This entry-level robot vacuum has strong suction power with three cleaning modes and smart navigation, and you can control it and set cleaning schedules from the iRobot mobile app. iRobot Roomba Combo robot vacuum and mop (Y0140) for $159 (42 percent off): This basic robot vacuum also comes with a mop pad and a water reservoir for cleaning hard floors like wood and tile. It also works with the iRobot mobile app so you can set cleaning schedules, and it'll automatically return to its base when it needs a recharge. Eufy 11S Max robot vacuum for $130 ($120 off): One of our top picks for the best budget robot vacuums, the 11S Max has a slim design that lets it get under furniture better than other models, good suction power for its size and a long battery life. Just remember that this robovac doesn't have Wi-Fi connectivity, but it comes with a handy remote that lets you control it, set cleaning schedules and more. Roborock Q5 Pro robot vacuum for $140 ($110 off): Roborock's midrange vacuuming has 5500Pa of suction power, a 240-minute runtime and you can set no-go zones from within its companion app. iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $979 ($420 off): If you're looking to splurge, this robo vac-and mop combo machine is one of our top picks for the best robot vacuums thanks to its excellent cleaning power, good mopping capabilities, solid battery life and well-designed self-emptying base. Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum with self-emptying base for $300 ($300 off): A version of one of our top picks, this Shark robot vacuum cleans both carpet and hard flooring well, has an easy-to-use app, a self-cleaning brushroll and a bagless self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris before you need to empty it. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $550 ($350 off): This Shark combo machine automatically picks up and drops its mop pad when you program it to clean hard floors, plus its self-emptying base can hold up to 60 days of vacuumed debris and up to 30 days of cleaning liquid for mopping. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $700 ($400 off): The PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro is the most premium robot vacuum and mop that Shark sells and it has suction and mopping capabilities to match. The self-emptying base takes care of most things for you for up to 30 days, including emptying the machine's dustbin, emptying and refilling the mop reservoir and the pad-drop system that holds the mopping pad when not in use. Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum for $999 ($200 off): Yes, it's still expensive, but this is the first major discount we've seen on Dyson's only robot vacuum since it launched in the US a few months ago. It earned a spot on our list of the best robot vacuums thanks to its superior suction power that can handle all kinds of messes and pet hair, its easy-to-use app and simple setup process. Also available at Dyson. Black Friday cordless vacuum deals Dyson V15 Detect Absolute cordless vacuum for $550 ($200 off): This is our top pick for the best cordless vacuum you can get right now thanks to its excellent suction power, relatively light weight and good battery life. This model comes with a Fluffy Optic cleaning head that illuminates the ground in front of you so you can see where the most debris lies, and the pack-up includes three additional cleaning head attachments. Dyson Gen 5 Detect cordless vacuum for $700 ($250 off): The Gen 5 Detect is another excellent Dyson machine, very similar to the V15 Detect. We like that it has a single-button start and even stronger suction power, and it's slightly newer than the V15 Detect as well. Dyson Gen 5 Outsize Absolute for $800 ($250 off): This Outsize model has 150 percent bigger bin capacity than the standard Gen 5 vacuum, making it better for those with larger homes or those who regularly have big messes to clean up. Its cleaner head is 25 percent wider as well, allowing it to cover a larger surface area in one go, and it comes with two batteries for a total of over two hours of runtime. Dyson V11 Origin for $350 (39 percent off): This stick vac comes with four cleaning heads, including Dyson's signature Motorbar and a crevice tool. The built-in LCD screen shows cleaning modes and maintenance tips, and the machine has up to 60 minutes of runtime. Dyson Digital Slim cordless vacuum for $250 ($250 off): As its name suggests, this Dyson stick vacuum is 30 percent lighter than the V11, which should make it even easier to handle and maneuver while you clean. It also has a 40-minute runtime and an LCD display that shows the amount of battery life left. Tineco Pure One S11 cordless vacuum for $180 ($120 off with coupon): Our top budget pick in our best cordless vacuums guide, the One S11 provides good suction for the price and it includes Tineco's iLoop smart sensor, which auto-adjusts suction power as you clean to account for messes big and small. Tineco Pure One Station 5 cordless vacuum with self-emptying base for $300 ($160 off with coupon): One of Tineco's newest machines, the Station 5 stick vacuum cleans hard floors and carpets well, doesn't choke when it meets pet hair and includes a self-cleaning HEPA filter to maintain strong, consistent suction power. Plus, the bagless, self-emptying base cleans the machine's brush, tube, filter and dustbin after every time you use it. Tineco Pure One Station Furfree cordless vacuum with self-emptying base for $400 ($300 off): This model has a massive 3L self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris, and it comes with cleaning attachments that can make grooming your pets easier. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-17-best-black-friday-deals-on-robot-vacuums-from-irobot-shark-dyson-and-others-161528417.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 16:40:22
This Anker 3-in-1 foldable magnetic charger is down to a record-low price for Black Friday
Anker makes some of our favorite charging gear, and one such item that’s great for travelers is deeply discounted right now for Black Friday. Anker’s 3-in-1 foldable magnetic charging station is 25 percent off and down to a record low of just over $82. It's part of a larger sale on a bunch of Anker gear for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period. This charger features on our list of the best Apple Watch accessories. It can simultaneously charge your smartwatch, MagSafe-compatible iPhone and, if you have a wireless charging case, AirPods. It's handy when power outlets are at a premium or you want to keep your nightstand or desk as clutter-free as possible. The MagGo is compact — it's similar in size to Apple's Magic Mouse and weighs 6.9 oz. Anker says it can charge an Apple Watch Series 9 from zero to 47 percent capacity in 30 minutes. The charger comes with a 40W USB-C adapter and a five-foot cable. You can snap up the MagGo as part of a broader sale on Anker devices. There's another good deal on one of the best power banks around. A 3-in-1 model with a 10,000mAh capacity (enough to fully charge an iPhone 15 nearly twice over) has dropped to $36, but only for Prime members. That's a $9 discount. The charger has a built-in AC plug and USB-C cable. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-anker-3-in-1-foldable-magnetic-charger-is-down-to-a-record-low-price-for-black-friday-155939001.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 16:31:30
Black Friday kitchen deals on gadgets, appliances, cookware and more: The best discounts are up to 44 percent off
Over the years, Engadget has tested out some pretty great kitchen gear that helps us make pizzas, spice our food, get our vitamins and crisp our fries. Now that Black Friday kitchen deals are already going live, we're seeing deals some of those appliances and gadgets. Here, we’ve gathered up the best deals we could find on the cooking tools we recommend, with picks pulled from our various reviews and buying guides. These Black Friday discounts are not only a good opportunity to level up your own home chef setup, you can also save on some excellent gifts. For example, if anyone were to tuck the Ninja Creami or an Ooni pizza oven under my tree, I’d be terribly appreciative — as would anyone who’s a fan of ice cream or pizza, which covers about 95 percent of the population. As Black Friday itself is still a few days away, we'll continue to update this guide as new discounts go live. The best Black Friday kitchen deals for 2024 Whether for buying guides, reviews or our own use, we’ve tried plenty of gadgets that make home cooking simpler and more enjoyable. We also recently put together a cooking gift guide full of our favorite stuff. Our picks include low and high tech devices for kitchens both indoor and outdoor and right now, lots of those harder-to-categorize recommendations are currently on sale for Black Friday and listed here. Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $160 ($40 off): One of our favorite kitchen gadgets, this ice cream maker is super easy to use and makes an infinite amount of frozen treats; you're really only limited by your imagination. This is an Amazon exclusive model that comes with just one pint. The model with two pint jars is on sale too, but it’s $40 more, making it cheaper to buy extra containers separately. The two-pint model is also direct from Ninja. Meater Pro for $100 ($30 off): In our official review, Engadget’s Billy Steele praises the longer battery life and extended range of this updated smart thermometer from the Trager-owned company. It also packs increased heat resistance and is more durable overall. Also direct from Meater. Ooni Karu 16 outdoor pizza oven for $520 ($130 off): The Karu 16 is our favorite multi-fuel outdoor pizza oven but it’s not cheap, so it’s best to get it when it’s on sale. It has a large capacity that can handle full size pizzas — and even cast iron cookware — using wood, charcoal or propane fuel. Plus the bottom-mounted digital thermometer helps you keep tabs on your cooking. Thermapen One for $76 ($32 off): We recommend this blazingly fast thermometer in our grilling guide because it’ll give you a readout in one second on its auto-rotating screen. Stanley IceFlow tumbler with straw for $25 ($15 off): Our resident grill master, Billy Steele recommends having a reliable source of frosty beverage at the ready when you grill. This is the one he picked for our grilling gear buyer’s guide. Anyday Microwave Cookware Starter Set for $70 ($30 off): Our resident microwave aficionado Cherlynn Low speaks highly of these plastic-free dishes, which she’s been using for two years now. The design allows you to steam and even bake foods in the zapper box while also acting as excellent food storage containers. Fellow Atmos Vacuum canister for $32 ($8 off): Only people who spend top dollars on the good coffee or loose leaf tea need this rather pricey canister. But it does the job of removing the air so oxidation can’t occur. Firebelly Tea Travel Mug for $32 ($8 off): This travel mug not only keeps your iced tea cold and your hot tea steamy, its insert also stops infusion when you press it down so you can steep on the go. The best Black Friday deals on sous vide machines Photo by Avery Ellis / Engadget If you know someone without a sous vide machine, now might be a good time to ameliorate that situation as many of our favorite models are on sale. And if you happen to be without one, here’s your chance to get in on the low-effort, high-result water-bath cooking method. This is the best what’s on sale for Black Friday, as pulled from our picks. Anova Culinary Sous Vide 3.0 for $112 ($87 off): This is the best overall sous vide machine, according to testing for our buyer’s guide and this price beats the one from July. We like the easy digital controls and the high flow rate that maintains water temperature better. Also the companion app is stuffed with recipes. It's $120 at Best Buy and directly from Anova. Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano for $97 ($52 off): We've seen this price for much of the past month, so it's not exactly a new deal, but still a good discount on the machine that led Engadget's Avery Ellis to dub the sous vide stick the “Millennial crockpot.” She uses this one a few times a week to make unfussy meals that keep her alive. The Nano model is a slightly smaller and less expensive version of the top pick in our buyer’s guide. Also direct from Anova for $99. The best Black Friday deals on air fryers and Instant Pots Instant Brands Air fryers make microwaves jealous. Food that would otherwise come out hot yet soggy comes out hot and crisp and doesn’t take that much more time. Another kitchen MVP is the ever popular Instant Pot, which can cook everything from soups to rice, beans and more. Here are the best Black Friday deals on the air fryers and Instant Pots we recommend. Ninja DZ401 Foodi 10-quart air fryer for $130 ($100 off): What if you want to air fry two different foods at once? Go for our recommendation for a dual-zone air fryer. It’s best for larger kitchens and big meals and takes up a commensurate amount of space. It went as low as $150 for Black Friday last year. Also at Walmart and direct from Ninja. Instant Vortex Plus 6QT Air Fryer for $99 ($70 off): This is the top recommendation in our guide to air fryers and happens to be the model I bought for myself after reading our guide. It preheats quickly and keeps cooking odors to a minimum with replaceable filters (it even tells you when it’s time to replace). Plus clean-up is easy and the window is handy for making sure the nachos don't burn. Also at Walmart. Cosori 9-in-1 air frier for $88 ($32 off): This is the newest addition in our list, earning a runner up nod for best overall. It has nine preset cooking modes and a six-quart capacity that makes it just the right size to cook a good amount of food without taking up too much space on most countertops. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro for $300 ($100 off): If you want a more traditional toaster oven design with a huge capacity, go for our premium air fryer pick. The fryer-and-oven combo can accommodate a five-quart dutch oven, so it’s almost an auxiliary oven, which could come in handy for holiday cooking. Also at Target and Best Buy. Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer for $280 ($70 off): This is the non-Pro version of the Breville air fryer we recommend. It has a slightly smaller capacity (0.8 cubic feet instead of one cubic foot). But still has most of the same features including 11 of the 13 cooking functions. Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 pressure cooker (6QT) for $100 ($70 off): These ubiquitous and highly versatile cookers can make just about anything you can dream up — Instant Pot recipes make up a considerable portion of online recipes. This is the pro version of the model we recommend in our buyer's guide to kitchen tech and it has five favorite buttons and extra wattage for a faster preheat. Best Buy has the eight-quart model on sale for $120. Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker for $80 ($50 off): We like this Instant Pot model because it's simple to use and has several quick-cooking modes including beans, cake, sous vide and more. Ninja AF150AMZ Air Fryer for $90 ($70 / 44 percent off): This gets an honorable mention in our air fryer guide. Though the round cooking basket doesn’t feel as roomy as square ones, the taller and thinner design might make the most of limited countertop space. Plus it has a dehydrate option for making your own dried fruit. The best Black Friday deals on blenders and mixers KitchenAid Black Friday is a good time to upgrade an aging hand blender or finally get that Vitamix you’ve been thinking about. Whether for yourself or as a gift for the home cook on our list, these blender and juicer deals come straight out of our kitchen tech guides and will bring plenty of extra muscle for a low price. Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender for $300 ($80 off): Oh the Vitamix. I can attest from personal experience it really is as powerful as you’ve heard. It’s of course a recommendation in our guide to kitchen gadgets for its ability to make even the toughest ingredients smooth and creamy. Also at Best Buy and direct from Vitamix. Vitamix Immersion Blender for $145 ($25 off): For an immersion blender that matches the power of a countertop version, go for the one from Vitamix. We found the 625-watt motor impressively powerful (duh) and think it’s great for people who want to make crushed ice drinks but don’t have space for a full-sized blender. Also at Amazon and Williams Sonoma. Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker for $80 ($40 off): Engadget’s Vallentina Palladino recommends this smoothie blender in our gift guide for cooks saying it doesn’t take up that much space and the swappable lids make it easy to take one’s health shakes on the go. Also at Target and directly from Ninja. KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer for $330 ($130 off): Small wonder that the home cook’s gold standard of mixers made its way onto our kitchen tech guide. Its ton of available attachments can be used to make pasta, grind food, strain or spiralize fruits and veggies and more. This is no unitasker. Also at Target and direct from KitchenAid. KitchenAid Go Cordless Hand Blender for $90 ($40 off): The big selling point here is the removable battery that you can use for other KitchenAid Go appliances. In our testing, it had enough power to turn a roasted butternut squash into a smooth, creamy soup. KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender for $45 ($15 off): If you’d rather a corded model of the KitchenAid recommendation, that’s on sale too — and is cheaper to begin with. This one comes with extra accessories to make it a true multitasker and has a powerful 180 watt motor, just like the cordless version. Also at Target. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-kitchen-deals-on-gadgets-appliances-cookware-and-more-the-best-discounts-are-up-to-44-percent-off-153533497.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 16:20:50
The best Anker Black Friday deals: Get up to 47 percent off power banks, wireless chargers and more
Black Friday and Cyber Monday present great opportunities to get a bunch of tech for less, and some of the best deals you can typically find are on charging gear and mobile accessories. Anker makes some of our favorites in both departments, and this year a ton of Anker gear has been discounted as part of the Black Friday deals. Whether you’re looking for a new power bank to take with you on your next trip or a wireless charger to put on your nightstand, Anker probably has one that will fit your requirements. We’ve collected all of the best Anker Black Friday deals below so you don’t have to sift through them yourself. Anker Nano 5K USB-C foldable power bank for $16 (47 percent off): If you have an Android phone or a newer iPhone, this compact power bank is one of the best you can get. The built-in USB-C connector makes it so you do not have to remember to bring a cable with you, and it fits neatly under your phone while it powers it up. Also available at Anker. Anker Prime Power Bank 200W with charging base for $110 ($75 off, Prime exclusive): This high-capacity power bank is one of our favorites thanks to its speedy charging performance, onboard display which shows how much juice is flowing to each connected device and the included charging station that provides a neat space for the brick to live when you're not using it. Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $30 ($15 off): A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices. Also available at Anker. Anker MagGo 3-in-1 foldable charging station for $82.50 (25 percent off): This Qi2 charging station supports up to 15W of power output and can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and a pair of AirPods all at once. It also comes with a 40W USB-C charger and connecting cable, so you get everything you need to use it in the box. Also available at Anker. Anker 10K MagGo power bank for $60 ($30 off): This is one of our top picks for the best power banks you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand. Also available at Anker. Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $44 ($35): The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen. Also available at Anker with coupon. More Anker Black Friday deals Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station, Qi2 Certified 15W for $56 ($44 off) Anker MagGo UFO 3-in-1 MagSafe Compatible Charger for $63 ($27 off) Anker 15W 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charger Stand for $104 (20 percent off) Anker USB A to USB C Cable (2 Pack, 10FT) for $12 (30 percent off) Anker 20W USB C Charger with USB C Cable (2 pack; 2 chargers and 2 cables) for $12 (44 percent off) Anker GaNPrime Power Bank, 10K 2-in-1 Hybrid Charger for $59 (41 percent off) Anker 727 GaNPrime 100W Charging Station for $48 ($52 off) Anker 525 7-in-1 USB C Power Strip Charging Station for $36 ($24 off) Anker Prime 100W GaN USB C Wall Charger for $55 ($32 off) Anker Nano 100W USB-C Charger, USB-C Cable Included for $33 (40 percent off) Anker 25,600mAh 87W Portable Charger, bundled with 65W USB-C Wall Charger for $86 ($57 off) Anker Soundcore 2 portable Bluetooth speaker for $38 ($6 off) Anker Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-anker-black-friday-deals-get-up-to-47-percent-off-power-banks-wireless-chargers-and-more-134553576.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 16:06:16
The best board games to gift this 2024 holiday season
This time of year is best spent with friends and family, and it’s even better if you can do so with a little less screen time. Board games are a classic and fun way to bring everyone together, and there are more to choose from now than ever before. Classics like Monopoly and Scrabble will always have their place, but dozens of newcomers can make your next game night unique. From word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life, there’s a board game out there that will suit every friend and family group you have. Below are some of our favorite board games (and new ones we want to play this year) that are great options to pick up before visitors start to come over for the holidays, and they make great holiday gifts, too. Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-board-games-holiday-gifts-130003702.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 16:00:36
Rocket Lab gets up to $23.9 million in CHIPS funding for space-grade solar cells
The Department of Commerce has finalized federal funding for two more recipients under the CHIPS and Science Act. One of those is Rocket Lab, which has secured up to $23.9 million in funding to boost production of space-grade solar cells that power satellites and spacecraft. The company, which launched its 200th satellite to orbit over the weekend, will use the money to upgrade its manufacturing plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The funding will create more than 100 jobs and the goal is to beef up Rocket Lab's compound semiconductor production by 50 percent within the next three years. The Commerce Department says this will "meet the growing national security and commercial demand for these solar cells in the United States." Rocket Lab's solar cells are vital components of many of the country's space programs. They're found on the James Webb Space Telescope, Ingenuity Mars Helicopter and Mars Insight Lander. The solar cells are also used in NASA’s Artemis missions, as well as in commercial satellites. Rocket Lab, one of only two US companies that make space-grade solar cells, agreed to preliminary terms for the funding in June. Defense contractor BAE Systems will also get funding of up to $35.5 million to drastically speed up the timeline of a modernization project. According to the Department of Commerce, BAE will replace "aging tools" and quadruple its supply of chips for key US defense programs, such as F-35 fighter jets. The department will provide the funding to the two companies as they complete various project milestones. To date, the Department of Commerce has allocated over $10 billion of the $36 billion in funding that was earmarked under the CHIPS and Science Act to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/science/space/rocket-lab-gets-up-to-239-million-in-chips-funding-for-space-grade-solar-cells-155932062.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:59:32
Black Friday TV deals for 2024: Save big on sets from Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense and more
Black Friday is still a few days away, but many retailers have already kicked off their official holiday sales. That means several of the TV sales we expect to see after Thanksgiving are already up for grabs. If you’re looking to refresh your living room, we’ve scoured through reviews and checked price histories to find the Black Friday TV deals that are genuinely decent. You can find our favorites below, which include OLED and LED TVs in various sizes from Samsung, Sony, LG, Hisense and TCL. If you're already happy with your set, we've also included a few deals on streaming devices we like from Amazon and Roku. A handful of these discounts have actually been available for a few weeks, but most represent the lowest prices we could find for each set all the same. We’ll continue to update this post throughout the week if more discounts pop up and prices change. Hisense U6N QLED TV (55”) for $348 at Amazon ($200 off MSRP): Reviews around the web have praised the U6N as one of the year’s best budget-level TVs. It’s one of the few options in its price range with mini-LED backlighting, quantum dots and full-array local dimming, all of which help it deliver better contrast and richer colors than most of its direct rivals. Its picture will wash out if you don’t view it straight-on, and its 60Hz refresh rate isn’t the best for gaming, but it’s a good bargain all the same. While this deal has been live for most of November, it’s still an all-time low. Also at Best Buy. Other sizes are similarly discounted. Hisense U7N QLED TV (65”) for $698 at Amazon ($300 off): The U7N is a standout LED TV for those who don’t want to pay for a high-end set but can still go above the budget tier. It delivers higher brightness levels and better contrast than the cheaper Hisense U6N, plus it can play at 144Hz in 4K, so it can get more out of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Its viewing angles still aren’t ideal, though, and it’s limited to two gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports. This is another deal we’ve seen for the last few weeks, but it’s the lowest price to date for the 65-inch version. If you'd prefer something smaller, the 55-inch model has dropped to a new low of $478. Also at Best Buy. Hisense U8N QLED TV (65”) for $898 at Amazon ($602 off): The U8N is another well-reviewed 2024 TV from Hisense. Like the lower-cost Hisense U7N, it offers mini-LED backlighting, quantum-dot color and 4K/144Hz support, plus it runs on the handy Google TV platform. The extra cash nets you a punchier image, with superb contrast for a non-OLED TV and higher brightness across the board. This deal ties an all-time low. Also at Best Buy. Other sizes are discounted as well, but note that the 55-inch version isn’t as bright as the larger variants, while the 75-inch set has slightly worse contrast. Viewing angles aren’t super wide either way. LG B4 OLED TV (48”) for $600 at Best Buy ($200 off): The B4 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2024. It gets you the essential perks of any good OLED set — excellent contrast with deep black tones, wide viewing angles, fast motion, etc. — but it’s not as bright as higher-tier models, so it’s best kept in a darker room. That said, this is a stellar value if price is a concern and you don’t mind a smaller panel. This discount marks an all-time low. The 55-inch version is also on sale for a low of $998, a price we've seen a few times before, while the 65-inch model has hit a new low of $1,198. The Samsung Frame TV.Amy Skorheim Samsung S90D QD-OLED TV (65”) for $1,398 at Amazon ($800 off): The Samsung S90D is a premium set that’s notable for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of a good OLED display with a layer of quantum dots. This helps it put out a wider gamut of more vibrant colors, so images tend to “pop” more than they would on more traditional OLED TVs like the LG B4 or C4. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports. Like all Samsung TVs, though, it doesn’t support the popular Dolby Vision HDR format. This discount matches the best price we've seen for the 65-inch model outside of special in-store and one-off coupon deals. The set has typically cost $200 more over the past month. Other sizes are similarly discounted, but be aware that only the 55-, 65- and 75-inch versions use the superior QD-OLED tech. Also at Samsung, B&H and Best Buy. Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV (55”) for $1,898 at Amazon ($500 off): The S95D is Samsung’s flagship set for 2024. Its QD-OLED panel is excellent but mainly stands out for having a matte finish, which makes it noticeably more effective at fending off glare than most OLED TVs. That said, there’s no Dolby Vision, and the matte coating can make black tones look closer to gray under direct light. In general, it’s more TV than most people need. But if you’ve got cash to burn, this deal is another all-time low. Also at Samsung and Best Buy, with other sizes on sale. Samsung QN90D QLED TV (43”) for $898 at Amazon ($400 off): The Samsung QN90D is another high-end LED TV for those willing to trade the deep contrast and wide viewing angles of a good OLED set for higher brightness. There’s still no Dolby Vision, and most reviewers we trust suggest that the Hisense U8N is a better value. This set comes with two more HDMI 2.1 ports, though, plus it comes in a wider range of sizes, all of which offer similar performance. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 43-inch model, though again, the deal has been available for a few weeks. Other sizes are also discounted. Also at Samsung, B&H and others. Samsung The Frame TV (2024) QLED TV (55”) for $878 at Woot ($620 off): The Frame TV lags behind other sets in its price range in terms of picture quality, as it lacks local dimming to boost contrast. Instead, you’d buy it for its style, since it’s built to resemble a framed piece of wall art and you can use it to display actual artwork on-screen. Beyond that, this is one of the few TVs with a matte finish, which helps it ward off glare in bright rooms. This deal at Amazon subsidiary Woot is a new low. Other sizes are on sale, but note that the 43- and 50-inch models have a lower 60Hz refresh rate (instead of 120Hz) and lack variable refresh rate tech. Also available for $20 more at Amazon, Best Buy and Samsung. The Sony Bravia 7.Sony TCL Q550F QLED TV (55”) for $250 at Best Buy ($200 off): The TCL Q5 is a relatively basic LED TV with no local dimming or HDMI 2.1 ports and a 60Hz refresh rate. This model also uses Amazon’s Fire OS software, which isn’t quite as clean as other platforms. Most people should get the better-looking Hisense U6N instead. But if you really want to save an extra $100 or just need a cheap TV for a back room, it should do the job. This discount for the 55-inch model is the best we’ve tracked. TCL Q68 QLED TV (55”) for $300 at Woot ($200 off): The Q68 is another cheapo LED TV that broadly falls short of the Hisense U6N’s picture quality, though it should offer better contrast than the TCL Q5 thanks to its local dimming feature. Like the Q5 and U6N, it can also play at a 120Hz refresh rate if you drop the resolution to 1080p or 1440p, which is nice for gaming. If you don’t want to spend any more than $300 for a 55-inch set, this is the lowest price we’ve found for this particular model. TCL QM8 QLED TV (65”) for $1,000 at Amazon ($500 off): If the Hisense U8N becomes unavailable, the TCL QM8 looks to be a decent alternative. It can get even brighter, according to reviewers we trust, but it has slightly worse contrast. We’ve seen this discount a few times in recent months, but it ties the all-time low for the 65-inch variant. Also at Best Buy. Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55”) for $1,298 at Amazon ($402 off): The Bravia 7 is a relatively premium set with mini-LED backlighting to improve contrast and quantum dots to boost colors. Reviews suggest that it provides accurate colors out of the box and does well to preserve details in lower-resolution content, so it’s worth considering over the Hisense U8N if those are chief concerns. It only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, however, and it’s another LED TV with mediocre viewing angles. Most people will be happier with an OLED TV at this price, though this deal is an all-time low. Also at Walmart and B&H, with other sizes similarly discounted. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for Black Friday.Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29 at Amazon ($21 off): A pick from our guide to the best streaming devices, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K gets you snappy performance, Apple AirPlay support, and a dead-simple interface that makes it easy to access free shows and movies. It works with the necessary HDR formats and apps as well (Twitch aside), though its search function isn’t as in-depth as some of its peers, and the UI looks fairly bland. This deal is $4 more than the best price we’ve tracked but still $11 off the stick’s average going rate in recent months. Also at Target, B&H, Best Buy and others. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 at Amazon ($27 off): This is a new low for Amazon’s top-end streaming stick, which runs fast and supports all the major streaming apps and HDR formats. We’ve found it to be surprisingly flexible as a gaming device, too, though you’ll have to put up with an ad-heavy interface that promotes Prime Video and other Amazon services above everything else. Also at Target, Best Buy and others. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $22 at Amazon ($28 off): The standard Fire TV Stick 4K offers the same core experience as the pricier 4K Max — for better or worse — but comes with a slightly slower processor, half as much storage (8GB) and Wi-Fi 6 instead of the technically-faster Wi-Fi 6E. Still, this is a decent value if you just want a competent 4K streamer for as little as possible. This deal is another all-time low. Also at Target, Best Buy and others. Roku Ultra (2024) for $80 at Amazon ($20 off): The Roku Ultra is overkill for most people, but it might be worthwhile if you like the Roku's simpler UI and need a full-on set-top box with built-in Ethernet and USB ports. Unlike the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, it comes bundled with a rechargeable remote that supports voice controls, a lost remote finder tool and backlit buttons. (You can buy that separately, though.) This latest model also has a faster processor and Wi-Fi 6 support. This discount ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. Also at Roku, B&H and others. Peacock Premium 1-year subscription for $20 at Peacock ($60 off, new users only): Peacock isn’t exactly essential, but it should be worth adding to your streaming rotation if you’re big into NBC and Bravo shows, Premier League soccer, WWE events or Sunday Night Football. This is a sizable discount on the service’s ad-supported tier, though it’s only available to new or returning subscribers. Those folks can also get a six-month trial for $2 per month, which works out to a $36 discount. If you don’t see the price drop at checkout, use the code REALDEAL for the one-year promo or REALDEALMONTHLY for the six-month one. Note that the service will auto-renew by default, so you’ll have to cancel manually if you don’t want to subscribe beyond the discounted period. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-tv-deals-for-2024-save-big-on-sets-from-samsung-lg-sony-hisense-and-more-161445516.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:52:41
The Dyson Airwrap is $100 off for Black Friday
The dry air, hats and wind mean there's little that can be done to make hair behave in the winter. But, there's no harm in trying — especially when there's a sale on devices that can help you. Right now, a Black Friday deal has brought the Dyson Airwrap down to $499 from $600 on Amazon — a 17 percent discount. That brings it to only $20 more than what we saw last year. It's available for the same price on QVC. Ok, so spending half a grand on hair tools is still quite an investment, but it should be a big boost to your hair. We named it one of the best self-care gifts for 2024 thanks to its air flow system. It uses the Coanda effect to style your hair — theoretically causing less damage to your locks than typical hot tools. The device also comes with six attachments, including a wide-tooth comb, diffuser and Coanda smoothing dryer. The Airwrap is only one of the Dyson hair products on sale for Black Friday. Right now, you can buy the Dyson Airstrait Hair Straightener (another of our self-care gift picks) for $399, down from $500 — a 20 percent discount. The same deal is available on the Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener, while the Supersonic Hair Dryer has dropped to $329 from $430. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-dyson-airwrap-is-100-off-for-black-friday-153056294.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:30:56
Black Friday subscription deals for 2024: The best discounts on Audible, Kindle Unlimited, MasterClass, ProtonVPN and more
We typically think of Black Friday and Cyber Monday as good opportunities to save on gadgets and pick up a few gifts at a discount before the holidays. But those savings extend to subscriptions and services in addition to tangible gadgets. Whether you’ve been thinking about trying a streaming service like Peacock or want to invest in a VPN service like ExpressVPN, you can do so during this time of the year for less thanks to Black Friday deals on subscriptions. To make it easier to find the services you want and need this year, Engadget has curated the best subscription deals you can get for Black Friday this year. Best Black Friday subscription deals Peacock annual subscription for $20 (75 percent off): The Peacock Black Friday deal is back this year, bringing the price of one year of access to the ad-supported tier down to only $20. Note that the subscription will automatically renew at the regular rate after the first year, and the deal is only available to new subscribers who are not currently paying for Peacock Premium or Premium Plus. Max 6-month subscription for $18 (70 percent off): This deal gives you access to the Ads tier for $3 per month for the first six months, coming out to a total of only $18 for that time period. New and returning Max subscribers can take advantage of this. Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $1 for three month ($35 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Audible Premium Plus for $3 for three months + $20 Audible credit ($64 off): This deal gives you one title for each of the three months you're subscribed, plus unlimited access to the Premium Plus library of books, podcasts and other. Anyone who's not already subscribed to Audible can get this deal, and you'll get an additional $20 Audible credit to use at your discretion. MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields. Rosetta Stone lifetime access for $149 ($250 off): Those eager to learn a new language (or two) can get full lifetime access to Rosetta Stone for less for Black Friday. The one-time payment gives you access to the company's Dynamic Immersion courses, TruAccent speech recognition technology to help improve your pronunciation and the ability to learn on mobile and desktop. Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off): First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps. Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out. Calm annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Another one of our top pocks for the best meditation apps is a great option for anyone new to meditation thanks in part to the many short and focused sessions it includes. There's also a dedicated kids section and subscribers get access to a soothing music library. ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off): Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature. ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off): Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager. NordVPN Plus two-year plan plus three extra months for $121 (70 percent off): In addition to VPN access, NordVPN's Plus plan gives you a password manager, ad blocker, anti-malware protection and more. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-subscription-deals-for-2024-the-best-discounts-on-audible-kindle-unlimited-masterclass-protonvpn-and-more-173037655.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:22:17
The 45 Black Friday tech deals worth shopping right now from Amazon, Walmart, Target, Apple and others
November is in full swing, which means Black Friday is right around the corner. But the days in which you had to wait for Black Friday proper to get good deals have long been behind us. The holiday shopping season is effectively the entire month of November now, with early Black Friday deals already popping up across the web (and in some stores). We’re seeing deep discounts on a bunch of your favorite tech we’ve tested this year, which means you can start crossing things off your to-buy list right now. While we typically recommend holding out until the week of Black Friday to get the best of the best deals, the sales we're already seeing right now are some of the best of the year. These are the best early Black Friday deals we could find; we’ll be updating this post regularly throughout November, so check back for the latest discounts. Engadget's top picks Apple 10th-gen iPad for $250 ($100 off with coupon): The best iPad for those on a budget, this model has a modern design, good performance, a landscape-oriented front-facing camera and a solid battery life. It has also done away with the Lightning port in favor of a more modern USB-C port. Note that some color options are on sale for $279 and have an addition coupon that brings the final price down to $250. Also available (at $279) at Target. Apple Watch Series 10 for $329 ($70 off): The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can get thanks to its slightly thinner and lighter design, wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, watchOS 11 features and slightly improved battery life. We gave it a score of 90 in our Apple Watch Series 10 review. Also available at Walmart. Anker 10K MagGo power bank for $60 ($30 off): This is one of our top picks for the best power banks you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand. Also available at Anker. DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 ($40 off): The latest version of DJI's smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming. Also available at B&H Photo. Peacock annual subscription for $20 (75 percent off): The Peacock Black Friday deal is back this year, bringing the price of one year of access to the ad-supported tier down to only $20. Note that the subscription will automatically renew at the regular rate after the first year, and the deal is only available to new subscribers who are not currently paying for Peacock Premium or Premium Plus. Max 6-month subscription for $18 (70 percent off): This deal gives you access to the Ads tier for $3 per month for the first six months, coming out to a total of only $18 for that time period. New and returning Max subscribers can take advantage of this. Meta Quest 3s + $75 gift card for $300 ($75 off): A recent addition to our best VR headsets guide, the 3S is our favorite cheap virtual reality device. It's comfortable to wear for long sessions, has fast performance and excellent controllers, plus it has a vast library of games and programs to choose from. Also available at Target. PS5 Slim Digital for $374 ($75 off): If you've been unable to get your hands on a PS5 until now, you can get a decent discount for the holiday shopping season. It earned a score of 87 in our original review for its speedy 4K gaming, minimal load times and excellent DualSense controller. Also available at Walmart, Target and Sony. Elden Ring for PS5 for $20 (67 percent off): Elden Ring is one of our favorites for most consoles, and you'll be hard-pressed to find it cheaper than this right now. It offers a rich, open world to explore and, depending on your play style, you can pursue a path as difficult as you want. Also available at Walmart The best early Black Friday tech deals Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $170 ($80 off): The best AirPods you can get right now, these offer a secure, comfortable fit, good sound quality and ANC, plus excellent transparency mode. Thanks to a recent software update, the Pro 2 earbuds can be used as hearing aids if the user takes Apple's new hearing test and it discovers mild to moderate hearing loss. Also available at Target. Apple Watch SE for $169 ($80 off): The most budget-friendly Apple Watch has all of the core features that the flagship one has, but lacks things like ECG monitoring. We consider it to be the best Apple Watch for first-timers, and anyone who's on a tight budget. Also available at Walmart. Apple AirTags (four-pack) for $73 ($27 off): These are the Bluetooth trackers to get if you have an iPhone, and they allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings from within the Find My app. Just make sure to pick up an AirTag holder or case if you plan on using them with your keys. Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch) for $849 ($250 off): The latest MacBook Air is our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount. If you're ok with getting an M2 processor, that 13-inch MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is also on sale for $749. Apple 2024 M4 iMac desktop computer for $1,150 ($148 off with coupon): Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, and now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia. Will Lipman Photography for Engadget Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $30 ($15 off): A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices. Also available at Anker. Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $45 ($35): The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen. Also available at Anker with a coupon. Bose QuietComfort headphones for $199 ($150 off): The latest version of Bose's iconic QC headphones, these cans have excellent ANC, a comfortable (if a bit dated) design, 24 hours of battery life and a quick-charge feature that will get you two hours of battery after just 15 minutes of them being plugged in. Also available at Bose. reMarkable 2 bundles starting at $529 ($89 off): Our top pick for the best E Ink tablet for most people has now been discounted when you pick up one of its folio cases and a marker to go along with it. The reMarkable 2 provides an excellent, distraction-free reading and writing experience, plus it has handy integrations with Google Drive and Dropbox. PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller for $54 ($21 off): If someone on your list already has a PS5 (or if that someone is you), now's the time to stock up on extra controllers. These have a comfortable design and some of the best haptics we've tried on any console controller. Also available at Sony. Xbox Series X (1TB) with extra controller for $490 ($110 off): This bundle includes a total of two Xbox wireless controllers with the Series X console, and the built-in 1TB SSD is a good starting point for most gamers. Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 ($160 off): Seagate's expansion card is one of the best options for expanding your Xbox Series X/S storage. A 2TB version has dropped to $200, its lowest price to date. It's one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. Also available at Seagate. Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 (20 percent off): This set recreates the scene in which Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers battled the Rebels, and it includes seven Star Wars minifigures. Lego Google Pixel Watch 3 for $280 ($70 off): Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our guide to the best smartwatches and it earned an 84 in our review. It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at Best Buy and Target. Google Nest Indoor security camera (wired) for $70 ($30 off): Google's security camera can tell the difference between people, animals and vehicles while it's monitoring your home, and it supports 1080p video, night vision and two-way audio. Theragun Mini 2.0 for $149 ($50 off): This compact massager makes a great gift for a beloved parent or anyone else you think could use a little more TLC. It supports a couple of different head attachments that help relieve different muscles of the body and it’s arguably the easiest of Thergun’s devices to throw into a carry on or gym bag. Also available at Therabody. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for $280 ($70 off): One of our favorite air fryers, this machine does a lot more than just air fry thanks to its 11 cooking modes, and while it's larger than a typical air fryer, that means it can cook larger things like a full turkey or chicken. Kindle for $85 ($25 off): The 2024 base Kindle is lighter than ever before, and it has a 6-inch, glare-free screen with an adjustable front light, 16GB of storage, speedier performance and six weeks of battery life. Echo Dot for $23 ($27 off): This is one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its compact design, physical button controls that compliment voice commands and its solid sound quality for its size. Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands. You can also grab it bundled with a free TP-Link smart light bulb. Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): These are one of our top picks for the best budget wireless earbuds you can get right now thanks to their comfortable design, pocket-friendly case, automatic wear detection, multi-device connectivity and, of course, built-in Alexa voice controls. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 ($27 off): Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device. Ring pan and tilt security camera for $50 ($30 off): This security camera joined the Ring lineup only a few months ago, and this is the best price we've seen on it. It's part of a larger Ring sale that discounts home security gear by up to 50 percent. Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside if you wish provided you have the separate $10 weather-resistant adapter. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Hisense U8N 4K TV (55-inch) for $698 ($402 off): The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at Best Buy. Samsung 55-inch The Frame smart TV (2024) for $898 (40 percent off): The latest Frame TVs can show art on the screen when you're not using it, and it has a matte finish to make it look more like a picture frame on your wall. Also available at Samsung. Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $150 ($70 off): Our top pick for the best budget Android tablet sports an 11-inch 90Hz display, a microSD card slot for extra storage and a hefty battery. Also available at Samsung. Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard Bundle for $400 ($180 off): Solo Stove Black Friday deals include up to 30 percent off fit pit bundles that give you all of the necessary accessories to make the most out of your new fire pit. Alternatively, you can pick up the Bonfire fire pit with its stand over at Amazon for only $196. Ooni Black Friday deals: Get 20 percent off pizza ovens: Most pizza ovens at Ooni have been discounted, including a few of our favorites. The Karu 16 multi-fuel oven is down to $519, a whopping $280 off its normal price. Audible Premium Plus for $0.99/month for three months + $20 Audible credit ($64 off): Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel. Plus, you'll now also get an additional $20 Audible credit to use at your discretion. Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $1 for three month ($35 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5. Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out. MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields. Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off): First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps. ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off): Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature. ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off): Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager. Black Friday FAQs When is Black Friday 2024? Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 this year. When do Black Friday deals start? We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and you’ll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event. When do Black Friday deals end? Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, we’ve seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday. Where are the best Black Friday deals? There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available — both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure you’re getting the best deal before you cross things off your list. Does Apple have Black Friday deals? You typically will not find cash discounts on Apple’s website for Black Friday, though it has offered various gift card bundles during Black Friday in recent years. You may be able to find local Apple store discounts on accessories, but Apple isn’t a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-45-black-friday-tech-deals-worth-shopping-right-now-from-amazon-walmart-target-apple-and-others-163039934.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:19:19
The best Black Friday laptop deals from Apple, Microsoft, Lenovo and others
With many retailers rolling out their annual Black Friday sales days in advance, several of the laptop deals we expect to see later this week are already available. To help you find a bargain that’s actually decent, we’ve dug into reviews, checked price histories and rounded up the best Black Friday laptop deals we could find below. As of this writing, the offers include new lows for several notebooks we’ve tested and recommended in our buying guides. The latest MacBook Air is down to a new low of $844, for instance, while Microsoft's newest Surface Laptop is $300 off. Our favorite Chromebook and budget Windows machine are discounted as well. We’ll update this post if prices change and more discounts pop up over the course of the week. Just keep in mind that many of the deals below are for pre-configured models, so you may not be able to spec out your notebook as precisely as you would directly from a manufacturer. The Apple MacBook Air (2024).Engadget Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M3) for $844 at Amazon ($255 off MSRP): The latest MacBook Air is our pick for the best laptop you can buy. It ticks nearly all the boxes for those partial to macOS, from its premium design and comfy keyboard to its lengthy battery life and capable performance for everyday use. We gave it a score of 90 in our review. A recent Bloomberg report said that Apple will likely release an updated notebook early next year, but this is a new low for the current base model, which includes Apple’s M3 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. If you want more storage, the 512GB variant is down to an all-time low of $1,049. Also at Best Buy. Apple MacBook Air (15-inch, M3) for $1,044 at Amazon ($255 off): The 15-inch MacBook Air is virtually identical to the 13-inch version in terms of features and performance, but it has a more spacious display and better speakers. It’s about 0.6 pounds heavier, though. This is the best price to date for the base model with an M3 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, but a version with double the storage space is available for a new low of $1,234 as well. Also at Best Buy. Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M2) for $749 at Amazon ($250 off): If you’re on a tighter budget, the last-generation MacBook Air gets you most of the things we love about the newer M3 model at a lower price. The main sacrifices are a slightly lesser chip, technically slower storage in the base model and no ability to connect to two external monitors. This ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the entry-level variant, which includes an M2 chip, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Also at Best Buy. The Apple MacBook Pro (2024).Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Apple MacBook Pro (14-inch, M4 Pro) for $2,099 at Amazon ($300 off): The recently updated MacBook Pro is more laptop than most people need, but it remains a powerhouse for coders, media editors and those with more demanding needs. We gave it a score of 92 in our review earlier this month. Just keep in mind that there’s no USB-A port and, as with all Apple laptops, effectively no way to upgrade the device after purchase. This is the largest discount yet for the configuration with Apple’s M4 Pro chip, 24GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. A version with 512GB of storage is $250 off and down to a low of $1,749 as well. Also at Best Buy. Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, M4 Pro) for $2,199 at Amazon ($300 off): The 16-inch version of the MacBook Pro adds a roomier display and a couple extra hours of battery life to the same excellent performance, build quality and mini-LED display of its smaller counterpart. The downside is that it’s heavier at 4.7 pounds. This is an all-time low for the config with an M4 Pro chip, 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. Also at Best Buy. Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (13.8-inch) for $899 at Amazon ($300 off): We gave the latest Surface Laptop a review score of 88 earlier this year, and we currently recommend it as a great mainstream ultraportable in our laptop buying guide. The caveat is that it runs on an ARM processor, which performs well but may not work with every app or peripheral you use. If you can live with that, though, the bright 120Hz display, upscale aluminum design and long battery life all impress. This configuration with a Snapdragon X Plus chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is technically available for $800 at Micro Center, but only with in-store pick up. Otherwise, this is the best price we’ve seen. If you prefer a bigger screen, a 15-inch version with 256GB of storage is down to a low of $1,100. Also at Best Buy. The Microsoft Surface Laptop (7th generation).Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget HP Pavilion Aero 13 for $580 at HP ($320 off): The HP Pavilion Aero is the budget pick in our laptop buying guide. It feels a bit cheap, and its webcam is poor, but it’s thin and light, it has a decent port selection and its IPS display is solid for the money. This config with a Ryzen 5 8640 chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD should be fast enough for typical web browsing, word processing and light photo editing. This ties the best price we could find for the 2024 model since its release. Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus for $369 at Best Buy ($130 off): The Flex 5i Chromebook Plus tops our guide to the best Chromebooks. We like that its IPS touchscreen has a tall 16:10 aspect ratio, as it makes the device better-suited to word processing and reading web pages. It runs just fine for the basic tasks you’re meant to do with Chrome OS, and both its keyboard and trackpad feel reliable. Its battery life is mediocre, however, and at 3.6 pounds it’s fairly heavy for a 14-inch notebook. This discount is $20 more than the lowest price we’ve ever seen, and it’s been live for a weeks now, but it’s still a decent way off this config’s typical street price. It includes an Intel Core i3-1315U chip, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of eMMC storage. ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) gaming laptop for $700 at Best Buy ($400 off): Although it’s a 2023 model, this configuration of the A16 should do the job for value-minded buyers. It comes with a 16-inch 165Hz 1,920 x 1,200 display, an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and an AMD Radeon RX 7700S GPU. You’ll still have to deal with the usual trade-offs of a cheaper gaming laptop — it can get warm under load, it’s bulky, the keyboard isn’t great and the screen is somewhat dim. But it’s powerful enough to run newer games in 1080p, the chassis is generally sturdy, and the battery can reach double-digit hours when you aren’t gaming. This discount is $20 above than the config’s all-time low but ties the best price we’ve seen otherwise. The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus.Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget ASUS ROG Strix G16 (2024) gaming laptop for $1,615 at Amazon ($285 off): While not a top pick in any of our guides, this configuration of the ROG Strix G16 should be a solid value for those in search of an 16-inch all-rounder gaming notebook. It includes an Intel Core i9-14900X chip, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, which should be enough to run many games at high-ish settings without much hassle. The overall build doesn’t feel cheap, and the 2,560 x 1,600 240Hz display is both sharp and fast. The RAM and storage are user-upgradeable, too, though the battery life and 720p webcam aren’t ideal. This deal matches an all-time low. Another model with a 1080p panel, a Core i7-13650HX chip and a RTX 4060 GPU is on sale for a low of $1,100, but you’ll have to turn down game settings more frequently to get decent frame rates with that one. Alienware M18 R2 gaming laptop for $2,200 at Amazon ($500 off): The M18 R2 is an iteration of the top 18-inch pick in our gaming laptop buying guide. It’s an absolute tank, but it’s put together well, and this configuration can blow through new games at high settings in 1080p or 1440p. It comes with a 165Hz 2,560 x 1,600 panel, an Intel Core i9-14900HX chip, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU. This deal price is far from cheap, but it's a new low for this variant. A lower-spec model is also on sale for $1,900, though that one will run into issues sooner with more demanding games. Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, M4) for $849 at Amazon ($150 off): The iPad Pro is still overkill for most people, but its class-leading OLED display, remarkably slim frame and powerful M4 chip make it a tremendous tablet. It can work as a laptop replacement for certain creative types, but you’ll have to live with iPadOS’ continued shortcomings in multitasking, file management and other computer-y tasks. If you’re thinking of making the switch — or if you’ve just got money to burn and want a more portable companion to your current laptop — this matches the lowest price we’ve seen for the latest 11-inch model. Just clip the $50 on-page coupon. If you’re willing to pay for a roomier display, the 13-inch iPad Pro is also on sale for a low of $1,099. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-black-friday-laptop-deals-from-apple-microsoft-lenovo-and-others-151347223.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:13:47
Black Friday Google deals: The Pixel 8a is on sale for an all-time low of $399
If you're looking for an excellent midrange smartphone for yourself or a loved one among all the early Black Friday deals, your search may be over. Google's Pixel 8a is on sale. It has dropped by $100 to $399. That's not quite the lowest price we've seen for the handset. It fell to $380 at one point. But this is still a good deal if you're looking for a great phone that won't break the bank. This price is for a configuration with 128GB of storage, but 256GB models are also $100 off at $459. The Pixel 8a is our pick for the best midrange smartphone overall. We gave it a score of 90 in our review. Thanks to Google's inclusion of the Tensor G3 chip, the Pixel 8a supports many of the same AI features that you'll find on flagship Pixel devices. We feel that the cameras are excellent, while that 6.1-inch 120Hz OLED display sure looks pretty. The Pixel 8a has great battery life too. It lasted for 20 hours and 29 minutes in our video rundown test, actually beating out the Pixel 8 by 13 minutes. On the downside, wireless charging is pretty slow as it maxes out at 7.5W. The bezels are a little thicker than you might like too, but otherwise the design is fairly slick. Another plus point is that the Pixel 8a is IP67-rated for dust and water resistance, so it should be somewhat durable. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-google-deals-the-pixel-8a-is-on-sale-for-an-all-time-low-of-399-180827593.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:13:22
Black Friday Apple deals: The best sales we could find on AirPods, iPads, MacBooks and AirTags
Between the ”Let Loose” iPad event in May, the iPhone 16 “It’s Glowtime” event in September and the Mac Week non-event in October, Apple has been busy releasing a slew of new iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, MacBooks and more for 2024. If you’ve been waiting for a good sale before diving in, now is the time. Black Friday often represents the best discounts on Apple gear and this year is no different. We’ve reviewed nearly every major release from the company over the last 20 years, including the newest products for 2024, like the AirPods 4, the M4 iPad Pro and more. Some of those devices are seeing their first discounts for Black Friday and others are dipping back to the lows they saw earlier in the year. Here are the best Black Friday deals on Apple devices we could find from retailers across the web. The best Black Friday Apple AirPods deals Apple has four models of AirPods right now: The AirPods Pro 2, the over-ear AirPods Max and two AirPods 4, one with active noise cancellation and one without. Apple has been doing a lot of interesting things with their headphones lately, making this a good time to dive in. Though the discounts for Black Friday look to be minor, it's better than paying full price. Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) for $170 ($79 off): We already think the AirPods Pro are the best earbuds iPhone users can get, but Apple’s tiny white gizmos recently got even better with the addition of hearing aid features. They have a remarkably natural-sounding transparency mode, solid active noise cancellation and make a great go-between for Siri’s assistance. This is a new low price for the buds, also at Walmart. Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) for $499 ($100 off): Apple’s only over-ear headphones haven’t had a full revamp in a few years. When the iPhone 16 came out, Apple swapped out the lightning port for a USB-C connector and introduced new colors. While the overall design and build is a bit old at this point, they still deliver balanced sound in a premium package. Apple AirPods 4 (standard) for $119 ($10 off): Here's a minor discount on Apple’s newest personal audio device. They were announced alongside the iPhone 16 back in September. There are two versions of the AirPods 4, this is the standard version without active noise cancellation. Both have a redesigned shape for a better fit and offer an open ear design (as opposed to the closed-ear shape of the Pro model). We gave them an 88 in our review. Apple AirPods 4 (ANC) for $169 ($10 off): The new buds with ANC got a respectable 86 in that same review. We noted they had pro-level features like letting you nod or shake your head to respond to Siri’s questions and Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. The best Black Friday Apple iPad deals Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget The line between Apple’s tablets and laptops is a little blurry at this point, especially with the release of the iPad Pro this year, which (at the time) housed the company’s most powerful chip. The iPad Air is our current pick for the best iPad you can buy and we were delighted by the iPad mini that came out just last month. The only problem is iPads are among the more expensive tablets you can buy. Hopefully these Black Friday iPad deals help out. Apple iPad (2022, 10th gen) for $250 ($100 off): This is a new all-time low price on the base model iPad. Some models are on sale for $279 on Amazon, and a few colors have additional coupons that bring the price down to $250. It didn’t get an upgrade during Apple’s Let Loose event back in May, though it did get a quiet price reduction by $100 to $349. Now Black Friday sales are bringing down the price even more. This is our current favorite budget iPad because it’s a capable tablet that’s great for casual browsing, streaming and gaming. It can even handle everyday productivity tasks well. Also at Walmart. Apple iPad mini (2024, 7th gen) for $450 ($49 off with coupon): Click the coupon to save nearly $50 on Apple’s newest iPad overall. The iPad mini was just released this October right before the announcement of a few new Macs (the new Pro and Air tablet came out back in May). In his review, Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham called the mini a “necessary update to the best small tablet on the market.” Apple iPad (2021, 9th gen) for $200 ($129 off): Apple discontinued this model with the release of the new iPad Pro and Air models earlier this year. In what's likely an effort to get rid of current stock, the price is down to a new record low. The 9th generation iPad is the former budget pick in our guide to the best Apple tablets and will serve well as a casual browsing, streaming and game playing machine. Apple iPad Pro (2024, 7th gen, 11-inch) for $899 ($100 off): The latest iPad Pro came out back in May and, notably, was the first Apple device to sport the M4 system-on-a-chip. We gave it an 84 in our review calling it an engineering marvel and the best screen our reviewer had ever seen. It’s also our pick for the best iPad for power users. The only problem is it’s very expensive, but this sale helps a little. Also at Amazon. Apple iPad Air (2024, 6th gen, 11-inch) for $499 ($100 off): The iPad Air is the Apple tablet we recommend for most people in our buying guide and it earned a high score of 91 in our review. It strikes the best balance between performance, price and features of all slabs in the lineup. It has an M2 chip which is really overkill for casual browsing and gaming, but will ensure that your tablet is compatible with the latest Apple Intelligence tricks and demanding games. Also at Target. The best Black Friday Apple Watch deals Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget If you take steps or do a workout and you’re not wearing a smartwatch, does it really count? Of course, the Apple Watch is more than a fitness tracker, it’s also a shortcut to your iPhone notifications, a handy Siri portal and an always-on weather forecast. Plus it tells time. While they’re not cheap, these Black Friday Apple Watch discounts should help. Apple Watch Series 10 for $329 ($70 off): This is the lowest price we've seen yet on an Apple Watch Series 10. It is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can buy and has a slightly thinner and lighter design, a wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, plus all of the watchOS 11 features that Apple recently released. Also at Walmart. Apple Watch SE for $169 ($80 off): Apple’s budget smartwatch hasn’t had an update since 2022. There were rumblings that we’d see an update with the launch of the Apple Watch Series 10 but that didn’t happen. But if you just need a reliable wrist companion for your iPhone and an accurate fitness and workout tracker, this will serve. It went as low as $170 for October Prime Day, so this a return to an all-time low. Also available at Walmart. Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $719 ($80 off): The Ultra model is big and has a big price tag to match, so this discount might help. It’s our Apple Watch recommendation for adventurers and athletes thanks to its specialized features like a depth meter, SOS siren, and dual frequency GPS for more accurate route tracking. The best Black Friday Mac and MacBook deals Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget Apple held a quiet Mac Week at the tail end of October in which it announced the new desktop M4 Mac mini, the all-in-one M4 iMac and the M4 MacBook Pro laptop. The MacBook Air from back in March is still the model we recommend for most people Apple MacBook Air (2024, M3, 13-inch) for $849 ($250 off): Here's a new all-time low on the latest MacBook Air. It's our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount so it can tackle the demands of the burgeoning Apple Intelligence. Also at B&H Photo for $200 off. Apple MacBook Air (2022, M2, 13-inch) for $749 ($250 off): The previous MacBook Air has a (still very fast) M2 processor and it’s our previous pick for the best overall laptop for most people. This is the 13-inch model with 16GB of RAM. This is a return to an all-time low. Apple iMac (2024, M4, 24-inch) for $1,150 ($148 off with coupon): Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, but now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia. Also at B&H Photo for $100 off. Apple MacBook Pro (2024, M4 Pro, 14-inch) for $1,400 ($199 off with coupon): The main update Apple gave to its most powerful laptops is the faster than ever M4 chip. Not much else changed, but that’s not a bad thing as the Pros are excellent machines that we recommend to pro users. They have enough power to handle even the most demanding video, audio and any other productivity tasks you can throw at it. The best Black Friday deals on Apple gear Apple Apple AirTags (four-pack) for $73 ($27 off): These are the Bluetooth trackers we recommend if you have an iPhone. They allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings using the Find My app and nearly every other nearby iPhone. Note that you’ll need an AirTag holder or case to use them with your keys and a new generation is rumored for next year. The record low for the four pack was $70 which we saw earlier this month, this deal is a few dollars more. Also at Walmart. Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off): It’s true that you may need a roadmap to help you figure out which stylus is compatible with which iPad. The Pro is the newest Apple Pencil and it’ll work with the newest iPad Air and Pro models and adds haptic feedback, squeeze and barrel roll movements to the mix of features. The all-time low was $90, but this is still a decent deal. Also at Target. Apple Pencil (2nd gen, USB-C) for $69 ($10 off): The USB-C Apple Pencil was released late last year and effectively serves as Apple's "budget" stylus. It works with the widest range of Apple tablets, though not all of them so check before you buy. This is about $4 more than the all-time low. Also at Walmart. Expired Apple Black Friday deals Apple Mac mini (2024, M4) for $500 ($99 off with coupon): Use the coupon to get the full deal as this is a first-time low on Apple’s $599 example of good things, small packages. The five-inch by five-inch box can tackle some serious workloads and remains the most affordable entry point to accessing Apple’s latest silicon. We gave it a solid score of 90 in our review, praising the incredibly fast M4 chip and useful ports. Also at B&H Photo for $560. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-the-best-sales-we-could-find-on-airpods-ipads-macbooks-and-airtags-165143851.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:05:38
Black Friday Apple Watch deals: The Watch SE is discounted to a record-low price
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a solid smartwatch. A good option for iPhone users is the Apple Watch SE, the company’s most affordable wearable. Black Friday deals have brought its price down to $169, which is 32 percent off and the lowest we’ve seen it. This is a new record-low price for the 40mm GPS variant. However, it's an all-time-low only by one dollar. The wearable was on sale for $170 during the October Prime Day event. The Apple Watch SE is a good choice for iPhone users who have yet to hop into the smartwatch ecosystem or perhaps are clinging onto a much older Apple Watch but don't need a flagship model. If you're looking for something more advanced, you'd be better off with the Apple Watch Series 10, which is also currently sitting at a record low price for Black Friday and is our pick for the best smartwatch overall. The second-gen Apple Watch SE is our pick for the best budget Apple Watch and we gave it a score of 89 in our 2022 review. It has the same chipset as the Apple Watch Ultra and Series 8, and it should feel faster if you're coming over from, say, a Series 6 or earlier model. The SE shares some, but not all features with flagship Apple Watches. It supports crash detection, heart rate monitoring and emergency calling, and it is water resistant to 50 meters. We felt that the screen was easy to view, even when the sun was shining brightly. Fitness tracking is accurate (which is pretty important!). Perhaps most crucially, the Apple Watch SE is light and easy to wear. The Ion-X glass isn't quite as robust as the sapphire crystal on other recent Apple Watch models, so you'll likely want to be extra careful with it. Other features present on other Apple Watch devices that are missing here include an always-on display, blood oxygen monitoring and temperature sensor. The very handy Double Tap feature isn't available here either. While we feel that this is a good price for the second-gen Apple Watch SE, it's worth bearing in mind that a new model could arrive in the coming months. Apple is reportedly working on an Apple Watch SE with a plastic casing in a bid to reduce the price and allow for bolder color options. It's unlikely that Apple will announce this model before next year, though. There are plenty of other Black Friday deals available on Apple products. We've put together a list of the best ones from across the web. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-watch-deals-the-watch-se-is-discounted-to-a-record-low-price-183924456.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 15:02:23
Nintendo Black Friday deals are live: Get The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for a record-low price
Nintendo Black Friday deals are now live, and they’re worth paying attention to if you want to pick up some big games on sale. Arguably the jewel in Black Friday’s crown is a big discount on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Normally $70, Nintendo has the game for $50, but we're seeing even steeper price drops at GameStop ($45), Target ($40) and Best Buy ($40) at the moment. The game is an absolute blast and builds on all of the good stuff originally introduced in Breath of the Wild. This time, however, new abilities allow for even more unique solutions to puzzles. The sale also applies to the long-gestating Pikmin 4 and the sublimely creative Super Mario Maker 2. Both is available for between $35 and $40. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the belle of the COVID-era ball, costs between $35 and $40 as well, depending on the retailer. There are a few deals on an actual Switch console bundles, too. The Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition has dropped to $210, but it comes with some serious perks. This bundle ships with the gold-colored console and a full year of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. This provides access to all kinds of retro games, from the NES all the way to the N64. Elsewhere at Target and Best Buy, a bundle with the Nintendo Switch OLED edition and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is down to $275. The standard Switch is also on sale bundled with the same game for $225. There’s a caveat here. The Nintendo Switch isn’t long for this world, as a sequel is imminent. Adults may want to wait for the new console, but a Switch Lite is still a great gift for a kid. However, nobody has any idea what Trump’s promised tariffs will do to console prices, so maybe even the Switch Lite will cost $600 next year. Who the heck knows anymore. If you're keen on getting some holiday shopping done now, though, you can browse the best Black Friday tech deals we've curated. Gaming deals are ramping up, and right now you can get up to 55 percent off Xbox titles right now, or a 1TB Xbox Series X with two included controllers for $490 — that's $110 off the usual rate. Elsewhere, Lego deals are in full swing with up to 40 percent off Star Wars and Super Mario sets, including this Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion (71436) for $60 and Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy (75387) for $44. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/nintendo-black-friday-deals-are-live-get-the-legend-of-zelda-tears-of-the-kingdom-for-a-record-low-price-194609876.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 14:56:18
MasterClass subscriptions are as low as $7 per month for Black Friday
Those eager to keep learning should consider a MasterClass subscription, and now you can get one (or gift one) for less. The MasterClass Black Friday sale currently has memberships starting at $7 per month. Arguably the best deal is on MasterClass Premium, which is $10 per month right now instead of the usual $20 per month. Spend the extra cash, and that tier gives you access to classes on six devices and allows for offline viewing. A subscription will let you view more than 200 classes across 11 categories no matter what option you choose. MasterClass offers lessons from some of the best and most well-known people in their field, such as Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Mariah Carey (using voice as an instrument), Stephen Curry (basketball), Steve Martin (comedy), Shonda Rhimes (writing for TV), John Legend (songwriting), Garry Kasparov (chess), Jane Goodall (conservation), Simone Biles (gymnastics) and Samuel L. Jackson (acting). Take note that you'll have to pay for the whole year to be able to enjoy the discounted rates, which are only available for a limited time. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/masterclass-subscriptions-are-as-low-as-7-per-month-for-black-friday-150047291.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 14:47:37
Black Friday deals bring the Fire TV Stick 4K Max down to a record low of $33 on Amazon
Amazon is marking down a slew of its products for Black Friday and that includes its streaming devices. Currently, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is down to $33 from $60 — a 45 percent discount that brings it to a new all-time low price. This device is Amazon's most powerful streaming stick, supporting a 4K Ultra HD display, with an enhanced Alexa Voice Remote and Wi-Fi 6E support. You can, of course, use it to access Amazon Prime Video, along with Netflix, Disney+ and all your favorite streamers. While the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a good option for streaming, we also use it for something a bit different: playing retro games. Our senior reporter Jeff Dunn bought one to play games from the PS1, Game Boy, Genesis, old arcade games and more. He finds it works much better than having to lug around any bigger devices. However, using your Fire TV Stick 4K Max to play old games requires a bit of setup so, if you're interested in trying it, may I direct you to Dunn's helpful guide here. Amazon's Fire TV Cube is also discounted as part of a larger sale on Fire TV devices for Black Friday. Right now, you can pick up the streaming device for 29 percent off, dropping to $100 from $140. The Cube is your pick if you want access to ethernet and hands-free use with Alexa. It's more powerful than the 4K Max, but, for the price difference, it's a tough call if it's worth it. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-bring-the-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-down-to-a-record-low-of-33-on-amazon-140334469.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 14:41:35
Dyson Black Friday deals include the 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum for $200 off
As Black Friday arrives again, it’s time to consider getting something new. If that something happens to be a reliable assistant for home cleaning, consider this Dyson 360 Vis Nav, one of our choices for the best robot vacuums. This is the first time it’s been discounted since Dyson started selling these earlier this year. We put this robot vacuum through its paces, and you can see the results in our Dyson 360 Vis Nav review. It managed to suck up an impressive amount of dog hair in our tests and has 360-degree vision augmented with LED lights to prevent collisions and accidents. While not perfect, it only hit chair legs a couple of times. On top of this, the robot has more than enough sensors and memory to remember your room’s layout. Even if you’re not home, you can tell the vacuum to start cleaning up if you’ve connected it to your MyDyson app. It compiles deep clean reports and other useful information to help you find the right settings for better results in the future. Sadly, it doesn’t have a self-emptying base, but the debris ejection process is straightforward. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/dyson-black-friday-deals-include-the-360-vis-nav-robot-vacuum-for-200-off-143634325.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 14:36:34
NVIDIA's new AI model Fugatto can create audio from text prompts
NVIDIA has debuted a new experimental generative AI model, which it describes as "a Swiss Army knife for sound." The model called Foundational Generative Audio Transformer Opus 1, or Fugatto, can take commands from text prompts and use them to create audio or to modify existing music, voice and sound files. It was designed by a team of AI researchers from around the world, and NVIDIA says that made the model's "multi-accent and multilingual capabilities stronger." "We wanted to create a model that understands and generates sound like humans do," said Rafael Valle, one of the researchers behind the project and a manager of applied audio research at NVIDIA. The company listed some possible real-world scenarios wherein Fugatto could be of use in its announcement. Music producers, it suggested, could use the technology to quickly generate a prototype for a song idea, which they can then easily edit to try out different styles, voices and instruments. People could use it to generate materials for language learnings tools in the voice of their choice. And video game developers could use it to create variations of pre-recorded assets to fit changes in the game based on the players' choices and actions. In addition, the researchers found that the model can accomplish tasks not part of its pre-training, with some fine-tuning. It could combine instructions that it was trained on separately, such as generating speech that sounds angry with a specific accent or the sound of birds singing during a thunderstorm. The model can generate sounds that change over time, as well, like the pounding of a rainstorm as it moves across the land. NVIDIA didn't say if it will give the public access to Fugatto, but the model isn't the first generative AI technology that can create sounds out of text prompts. Meta previously released an open source AI kit that can create sounds from text descriptions. Google has its own text-to-music AI called MusicLM that people can access through the company's AI Test Kitchen website. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/nvidias-new-ai-model-fugatto-can-create-audio-from-text-prompts-140017297.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 14:00:17
Black Friday Apple deals include the M3 MackBook Air with 16GB of RAM for an all-time-low price
Black Friday deals are already coming in hot with some excellent discounts on MacBooks. Key among them is a sale on the M3 MacBook Air, the machine we consider to be the best laptop for most people and the best laptop for college students. Amazon has the notebook with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $849 (some models are even down to $844), which is $250 off the list price. Apple just released its first M4-powered Macs, but it has yet to slot the latest chip into the MacBook Air. The 13-inch MBA's blend of power and portability makes it a potent choice and we gave it a score of 90 in our review. It delivers fast performance and has a killer display. The design is sleek and sturdy and it sounds great thanks to a quad-speaker array. We like the trackpad and keyboard as well, while the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E connectivity is a definite plus. Our main quibble is that the USB-C ports are on the same side of the unit as the one for the charger — having even one USB-C on the right side would be handy. But that's a minor complaint about an otherwise terrific laptop. If you're willing to go with a slightly older (but no less capable) processor, the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage has dropped to $749 — another record-low price. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-include-the-m3-mackbook-air-with-16gb-of-ram-for-an-all-time-low-price-180617468.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 13:25:27
Black Friday PS5 deals: Grab the Slim console for $75 off
Black Friday is in the air, gently blowing breezy deals our way. Case in point? The PS5 Slim is available for $75 off at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Sony and other retailers. This brings the price of the disc-based version down to $424 and the digital-only model down to $374. This is a fairly budget-friendly way to see what all the PS5 fuss is about. Despite the moniker, there’s nothing slim about the specs. This is a regular PS5, with the same horsepower as the original unit. However, the PS5 Slim is 30 percent smaller and around 25 percent lighter. When it comes to tech, smaller is typically a good thing. Both versions ship with a DualSense controller and a 1TB SSD. These consoles also come with Astro’s Playroom pre-installed, which is the precursor to the incredible Astro Bot. They don’t, however, come with a vertical stand. That’ll cost extra. The digital-only model, obviously, doesn’t ship with a disc drive, though there’s a standalone drive available for those who would rather make that decision later. Otherwise, this is a PS5. There’s no other way (right now) to play games like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered. It also runs cross-platform hits like Star Wars Outlaws and Elden Ring, in addition to pseudo-exclusives that made their way to PC like God of War Ragnarök. This sale is not for the recently-released PS5 Pro, so you won’t get all of those graphical upscaling bells and whistles. However, that new console is a whopping $700, whereas these PS5 Slim consoles are just over half that. And we'd be remiss if we didn't also mention the sale happening on DualSense Wireless Controllers that work with PS5 consoles; you can pick them up starting at just $54 a piece at Amazon and Sony. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-ps5-deals-grab-the-slim-console-for-75-off-080645152.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 13:24:06
Black Friday Apple deals include the 10th-gen iPad for a record-low price
If you’ve had your eye on a new iPad, now’s the time to seriously consider that purchase. Black Friday Apple deals have arrived, and the 10th-gen iPad is down to its best price yet. Most models are on sale for $279, but a couple of colorways have an additional, clippable coupon that will bring the final price down to a record low of $250. Apple released the tablet back in 2022, but it's still our best budget iPad option for 2024. The 10th-gen iPad is only slightly thicker and heavier than the iPad Air. It looks similar to the iPad Air, too — the tablet no longer has the Home button that its predecessor did, and it has a bigger screen with smaller bezels. The device is powered by Apple's A14 Bionic chip, which was first seen on the iPhone 12 and is powerful enough that we could edit RAW photos in Lightroom when we tested the tablet. When we ran a test for battery life, we discovered that the model could play movies continuously for 11 hours and 45 minutes on a single charge. Unlike previous models with Lightning ports, this one comes with a USB-C port for charging. Apple moved its front-facing camera to its landscape edge, as well. The company gave it a larger display, measuring 10.9 inches, so it doesn't feel as cramped as previous models even with a lot of apps. While the iPad Air does have a better display overall with its lamination and anti-reflective coating, the 10th-gen iPad's isn't bad at all seeing as it costs significantly less, especially with this discount. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-include-the-10th-gen-ipad-for-a-record-low-price-130005592.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 13:22:07
Black Friday PS5 deals discount the DualSense wireless controller to $55
If you’re looking to stock up on PS5 controllers, now is the time. There’s an early Black Friday deal that discounts the wireless DualSense controller down to $55 at various retailers including Amazon, Target and Best Buy. These gamepads typically cost between $75 and $80, so this is quite the sale. Even better? The deal applies to a whole bunch of colorways to suit whatever wacky aesthetic you got going on, though some colors are selling for a bit more at $60. A brand-new PS5 ships with one of these controllers, but you need two to enjoy some sweet couch co-op. We called out the gamepad in our official review of the PS5, saying it had “some of the most advanced haptic controls” we’ve ever experienced. The analog triggers can be manipulated to emulate various sensations, like pulling an arrow back or running out of ammo with a gun. It’s a gimmick, sure, but a fun one. The built-in haptics also allow for more realistic rumble, which is heads and shoulders above what the DualShock 4 offered. There’s a built-in microphone, a headphone jack, a tried-and-true button layout and a pair of joysticks. It’s a really well-designed controller. It’s a DualSense. It is not, however, a DualSense Edge. That’s Sony’s ultra-premium controller that costs nearly $200. That one offers extra features like easy button remapping, multiple joystick nubs, customizable rear paddles and more. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-ps5-deals-discount-the-dualsense-wireless-controller-to-55-081313630.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 13:20:31
This Black Friday Meta Quest deal includes a free $75 gift card when you buy the Quest 3S
If you’ve been interested in diving into the world of virtual reality, Black Friday deals may have just what you’re looking for. Both Target and Amazon have a good deal on the Meta Quest 3S: the price is its standard $300, but you’ll get a $75 gift card with purchase. There's a lot to recommend the Meta Quest 3S for a virtual reality fan. In fact, it's our pick for the best budget VR set. Even if you're investing in a lower-range VR headset, you'll want to have plenty of software to run on it. The Quest 3S has a large app library and it can be used to stream games from a PC. While some headsets can be unpleasant to wear for very long, reviewer Devindra Hardawar found that wasn't an issue with the Quest 3S. And although it has made some sacrifices on the screen and lenses to keep the costs down, this set still delivers a strong, immersive virtual reality experience. The content included with any Quest headset purchase will help you get started in VR. Batman: Arkham Shadow is one of the most notable exclusive games for Meta's Quest 3 and Quest 3S, continuing the lineage of the Arkham game universe initially developed by Rocksteady Studios. You'll also get three months' subscription to the Meta Quest+ catalog of games. Keeping the subscription after the trial period will cost $8 a month. Or use that gift card and pick up a title to keep. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-black-friday-meta-quest-deal-includes-a-free-75-gift-card-when-you-buy-the-quest-3s-115856500.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 13:18:48
The best tech gifts and gadgets of 2024
Trying to find the right gift for an unabashed gadget lover during the holidays can be difficult, especially if you don’t keep up with tech industry news yourself. Fortunately, you’re reading Engadget.com, a site entirely staffed by people who spend all day figuring out what new stuff is and isn’t actually good. So allow us to help. Below, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite gadgets and gear that just might satisfy the avid geek in your life, from premium keyboards and wireless headphones to audio samplers and karaoke mics. Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/best-tech-gifts-and-cool-gadgets-140052910.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 13:01:28
Raspberry Pi's $7 Pico 2 W microcontroller board adds wireless connectivity
Raspberry Pi has announced the Pico 2 W, a wireless version of its Pico 2 microcontroller board built for hobbyists and industrial applications. At $7, it's a relatively inexpensive way to control electronic devices like smart home gadgets and robots. With the new version, users will be able to securely link to remote sources to send and receive data, either via Bluetooth 5.2 or Wi-Fi 802.11n. As with the Pico 2, the wireless variant is built around the RP2350 microcontroller built in-house by Raspberry Pi. it offers more speed and memory than the original RP2040 chip, along with a security model built around Arm's TrustZone for Cortex-M. Users can program it using C, C++ and MicroPython, and choose between Arm Cortex-M33 or RISC-V cores. There are many potential use cases for the Pico 2 W, like smart home control that can link to external devices (plugs, lights, etc.) over Wi-Fi, robotics and science experiments. It's now available for hobbyists from a variety of sources at $7.00 for the board only, $21 for a basic kit or $31 for the starter kit. You can see them here when you select the Pico 2 W option at the bottom of the page. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/raspberry-pis-7-pico-2-w-microcontroller-board-adds-wireless-connectivity-130001976.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 13:00:01
The Morning After: Apple makes it cheaper to repair its MacBook Pro speakers
A memo spotted by MacRumors indicated Apple Stores and Authorized Service Providers will be able to buy speakers as standalone components for the 14-inch and 16-inch M4 MacBook Pro with the M4 family of chips. A source added it’ll be an option for repairs on earlier MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon as well. Until now, the speaker repair process entailed replacing the whole top case, including the battery and other parts, which understandably increased the cost. It may not necessarily be a simpler repair — the guide shows a rather involved process — but not having to also replace other parts should shave the price. — Mat Smith Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! The biggest tech stories you missed Engadget review recap: An iMac, a coffee maker and an Amazon tablet The 44 Black Friday tech deals worth shopping right now The best mesh Wi-Fi systems Hackers breach Andrew Tate’s online ‘university’ They captured data on 800,000 users. Hackers breached an online course founded by far-right influencer and accused human trafficker Andrew Tate. The hackers captured data on more than 800,000 users and revealed the email addresses of around 325,000. The unnamed hackers cite “hacktivism” as their motive, suggesting an issue with Tate’s toxicity and his alleged propensity for sex trafficking underage girls. This isn’t the first time this year Tate’s site has been hacked. Back in July, over a million users and 22 million messages were exposed. Continue reading. UK watchdog says Apple’s rules restrict iOS browser competition A law passed earlier this year will let the CMA hand out hefty fines. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has “provisionally concluded” Apple’s restrictive mobile browser policies limit innovation. Google is also guilty of this, but Apple’s more closed ecosystem has become the focus. The board says third-party browser developers have complained they’re constricted by rules, like Apple’s requirement to use the company’s WebKit browser engine. The CMA’s summary of Apple’s hearing reveals the iPhone maker argued it restricts browser engines to “ensure users get the best security, privacy and performance on iOS devices,” which sounds familiar. Continue reading. Loop Switch 2 review Easily adjustable earplugs. Engadget Loop’s latest earplugs are an improved version of the original Switch that introduced changing sound filter levels while the earplugs are in your ears. They can safely filter loud noise without overly muffling the sound for social gatherings, concerts, commuting and more — better still, they’re very comfortable. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121632165.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 12:16:32
Sony is reportedly developing a new portable console
In its heyday, I used the PlayStation Portable (PSP) obsessively, but I haven't been pulled in by other handheld devices — no, not even the Nintendo Switch. That could change in the future as Sony is reportedly developing a new portable console that would offer games directly on-device, Bloomberg reports. Yes, the handheld device will allegedly have games right on the device, so you won't have to invest in a PlayStation 5 (or whatever number we're up to at that point). The news comes from unnamed sources with Sony declining to comment on the possible development. Sony currently offers the $200 PlayStation Portal but, unlike my beloved PSP and the PS Vita, only works for streaming games from your PlayStation. We were not fans when Sony released it last November, giving it only a 68 in our review and found it to be "among the most fickle devices" out there. It's not the best quality picture, even when it and the PS5 have stable Wi-Fi connection. However, we've come to appreciate it over the past year, with some of Engadget's editors really enjoying it. Also, last week Sony started testing cloud streaming on the Portal for PlayStation Plus Premium members. It's a much more reliable connection than in the past and offers over 120 PS5 titles. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-reportedly-developing-a-new-portable-console-121417218.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 12:14:17
The best mesh Wi-Fi systems of 2024
The frustrations of a traditional Wi-Fi router tend to be more noticeable when you live in a larger or busier household. Constant buffering while trying to stream a movie or music cutting out when you want to bust out to some moves using your smart speaker; it’s frankly annoying. That’s where a mesh Wi-Fi system can make a difference. Unlike traditional Wi-Fi routers, which send a single signal from just one point, a mesh system uses multiple nodes (or satellites) placed around your home to create a more reliable, consistent connection. These nodes work together to blanket your entire space in Wi-Fi, meaning you can say goodbye to dead zones and weak signal strength in certain rooms.With a traditional Wi-Fi router, the further you are from it, the weaker your connection tends to be. A mesh setup, however, ensures that each node communicates seamlessly, allowing your devices to stay connected as you move throughout the house. So, if you’ve got security cameras in different areas or smart home devices spread across rooms, a mesh Wi-Fi network keeps everything online and working smoothly without a hitch. Plus, mesh systems are designed to handle a higher volume of Wi-Fi devices more efficiently, which means they’re perfect for today’s connected homes packed with everything from laptops and phones to smart fridges and robot vacuums.In addition, many mesh Wi-Fi systems come equipped with features like automatic firmware updates, which can enhance functionality over time without you having to lift a finger. And if you’re into the latest tech, some systems even support Wi-Fi 7 or multi-gig speeds, ensuring that your network is ready for the future of ultra-fast connections. Other features, like multiple WAN ports for flexible setups, can be a game-changer if you have specific network needs or want to maximize speeds.Whether you’re streaming, gaming, working or simply need reliable connectivity for your growing list of smart gadgets, a mesh Wi-Fi system can be the solution for keeping everything running smoothly across every corner of your home. What to look for in a mesh Wi-Fi system It’s a pretty good time to buy a mesh Wi-Fi system, since Wi-Fi 6E represents a fairly significant leap in the technology. Matt MacPherson, Cisco’s Chief Technology Officer for Wireless, said that Wi-Fi 6E is a substantial “inflection point” and can take advantage of a much broader chunk of the wireless spectrum than its predecessors. “If you’re using that spectrum with a Wi-Fi 6 [device],” he said, “you’re going to get significant gains [in speed.]” MacPherson added that Wi-Fi 6E will likely “carry you for a long time,” thanks to the fact that its “top throughputs now typically exceed what people can actually connect their home to.” In short, with a top theoretical per-stream speed of 1.2 Gbps, Wi-Fi 6E is fast enough to outrun all but the fastest internet connection. (You may also see talk of Wi-Fi 7 devices, some of which have been released already before the standard is officially launched next year. Given that it will take a generation for all of the devices in your home to be compatible with Wi-Fi 7, it’s not worth thinking about this for several years yet, so a Wi-Fi 6 system will suffice for now.) Range and speed All mesh routers boast a theoretical broadcast range in square feet, as well as its theoretical top speed. Given there are so many factors outside of the manufacturer’s control, these numbers don’t really mean much in the real world. Your internet service provider’s (ISP) real speed, the construction materials and layout of your home, amongst other things, will all affect your Wi-Fi coverage. Simply investing in a wireless router or mesh Wi-Fi system isn’t going to offer faster speeds on its own. It’s worth saying that raw speed isn’t everything, and that for most normal users, you probably need a lot less than you’re paying for. Netflix recommends a minimum speed of just 15 Mbps to stream a 4K video to a single device. Naturally, that’s just for one connection, so you’ll need some more capacity if you’ve got other connected devices all running at the same time. As cool as it is to say you’ve got 100, 200 or 500 Mbps download speed, factors like latency and reliability are way more crucial. And unless you have Gigabit internet that can reach speeds of up to 1Gbps, you won’t need a mesh router that offers these specs. Backhaul Mesh Wi-Fi systems work by connecting every hardware node to a single wireless network, letting them all communicate with each other. Imagine four people in a busy, noisy restaurant all trying to order their dinner from a weary staff member, all at once. Now imagine, while this is going on, that four more people at that same table are also trying to tell a funny anecdote. It’s no surprise that it might take a long while for the right information to reach its intended destination. To combat this, higher-end mesh routers offer dedicated wireless backhaul; a slice of the spectrum for node-to-node communication. So rather than everyone talking at once in the same space, the conversations are essentially separated, reducing the invisible clutter in the air. Because there’s less confusing cross-chatter, everything moves faster, offering a significant performance boost to those systems. Connectivity These days, even your washing machine has a wireless connection, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore the joys of wired internet. No matter how fast WiFi is, a hard line will always be faster, and some gear, like Philips’ Hue bridge, still needs an ethernet connection. Plenty of routers can also use these hard connections as backhaul, eliminating further wireless clutter. It’s convenient for spread-out systems and power users, but it will mean running more wires through your home. The most common standard is Cat 5e, or gigabit ethernet which, unsurprisingly, has a top speed of 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps). Since Ethernet cables are backward compatible, you should be able to easily find one that works with your system. However, to make the most out of your mesh routers, it’s worth investing in an Ethernet cable that meets the standard your router uses — if it’s Cat5e, use a Cat5e cable. You can check your router’s specs via the manufacturer’s website to be sure. Flexibility and scalability Mesh routers enable you to add (or subtract) modules from your home network to suit your needs. D-Link’s Alan Jones said users should “check how scalable the prospective product is” before you buy. This sense of scale doesn’t just apply to the number of nodes on the network, but how many simultaneous connections it can handle. Placement Mesh networks use multiple access points in order to create a bigger network, resulting in better indoor Wi-Fi coverage. You might see the term “whole home coverage”, which is more easily achieved with multiple access points or nodes. Modern mesh routers offer one, two or three (or more) pieces of equipment that are commonly the same hardware inside and out. It normally doesn’t matter which module you make the primary one to connect to your modem, usually over ethernet. You’ll then set up the other, secondary nodes around your home, which is often just a case of adding them to the existing mesh network. When installing your hardware, remember that every physical obstacle between nodes may hurt your performance. The ideal spot is, at the very least, at waist height on a piece of furniture without too many obstructions. Tables, sideboards, free-standing cupboards, and bookcases make for a good home. The rule of thumb is to place each node no more than two rooms away from the last one. How we test Wi-Fi routers My home covers around 2,200 square feet across three stories, with my office on the third floor. It’s relatively long and thin, with the living room at the front of the house, the kitchen at the back and three bedrooms on the second floor. Its age means there are a lot of solid brick walls, old school lathe and plaster, as well as aluminum foil-backed insulation boards to help with energy efficiency. There are two major Wi-Fi dead zones in the house, the bathroom and the bedroom behind it, since there’s lots of old and new pipework in the walls and floors. For mesh routers that have two nodes, I placed the first in my living room, connected via ethernet to my cable modem, with the second on the first-floor landing in the (ostensible) center of the house. For three-node sets, the third went in my kitchen, which I’ve found is the optimal layout to get the bulk of my house covered in Wi-Fi. Each mesh is judged on ease of setup, Wi-Fi coverage, reliability, speed and any additional features. I looked at how user-friendly each companion app is from the perspective of a novice, as well. My tests included checking for dead zones, moving from room to room to measure consistency, and streaming multiple videos at once. Best mesh Wi-Fi systems for 2024 Other mesh Wi-Fi router systems we tested Amazon Eero 6E On one hand, Eero Pro 6E does count as an “easy” device, the sort you could hand to a total novice and expect them to thrive with. There’s very little brain work needed to get things set up, and the app has a clean UI with plenty of hand-holding. But — and it’s a big but — the fact so many common management tools aren’t available to me here because they’re paywalled irks me. Amazon and Eero are playing in the same slightly shallow waters as Google / Nest, building a “good enough” mesh product for "everyone;” types who want to set up the hardware and more or less forget about it for several years at a time knowing that everything is in hand. But the fact that the Nest WiFi Pro offers more features for free compared to Eero’s package means that, despite my gripes about Google’s system, it wins out in a straight duel. Netgear Orbi 960 The Orbi 96T0 (RBKE963) is Netgear’s flagship mesh WiFi product, which the company calls the “world’s most powerful WiFi 6E system.” It’s also one of the most expensive consumer-level kits on the market, setting you back $1,499.99 for a three pack. It's a fantastic piece of gear but it's worth saying that the subset of people who could, would or should buy it remains far smaller than you might expect. Ultimately, I feel that if you’re paying luxury prices, you should expect a luxury product. There were plenty of times during testing that I went looking for a feature that was either only available via the web client, or behind a paywall. While, yes, much of your cash is going to the superlative hardware, but for this sort of money, the fact you have to pay extra for some table-stakes features is insulting. If you’re looking for a new Wi-Fi system and aren’t prepared to spend almost $1,500, it’s worth considering our other top picks for the best Wi-Fi routers and mesh systems. Wi-Fi Wi-Fi is governed by the International Standard IEEE 802.11, and every few years the standards evolve. Until 2018, routers were sold under their IEEE designation, leaving consumers to deal with the word soup of products labeled 802.11 b/a/g/n/ac et cetera. Mercifully, wiser heads opted to rebrand the standards with numbers: Wi-Fi 4, Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6. We’re presently between two Wi-Fi generations, Wi-Fi 6 and 6E, which relates to the frequencies the standard uses. Wi-Fi 6 covers routers which operate on the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, while the latter means it can also use the 6GHz band. Each Wi-Fi band has tradeoffs, because the slower radio frequencies have greater range but less speed. 2.4GHz signals will travel a long way in your home but aren’t quick, while 6GHz is blisteringly fast, but can be defeated by a sturdy brick wall. A lot of Wi-Fi-enabled gear, like a lot of smart home products, only use 2.4GHz because the range is better and it’s a lot cheaper. But it means that the band is also overcrowded and slow. You can check the speed of your Wi-Fi by using an online speed test like Speedtest by Ookla. This will display your download and upload speeds, offering better insight. Linksys’ CEO Jonathan Bettino told Engadget why mesh systems are an “advancement in Wi-Fi technology” over buying a single point router. With one transmitter, the signal can degrade the further away from the router you go, or the local environment isn’t ideal. “You can have a small [home], but there’s thick walls [...] or things in the way that just interfere with your wireless signal,” he said. Historically, the solution to a home’s Wi-Fi dead zone was to buy a Wi-Fi Range Extender but Bettino said the hardware has both a “terrible user experience” and one of the highest return rates of any consumer electronics product. Mesh Wi-Fi, by comparison, offers “multiple nodes that can be placed anywhere in your home,” says Bettino, resulting in “ubiquitous Wi-Fi” that feels as if you have a “router in every room.” Rather than having one main router in your home, having a “router in every room” is the biggest selling point for mesh Wi-Fi given how reliant we all are on the internet. Each node is in constant contact with each other, broadcasting a single, seamless network to all of your connected devices. There’s no separate network for the 2.4GHz and 5GHz bands, just a single name that you connect to. You may also see mesh Wi-Fi systems advertised as dual-band or tri-band routers. Dual-band routers typically offer a 2.4GHz and 5GHz band. Wi-Fi 6E tri-band routers, on the other hand, provide a 2.4GHz, a 5GHz and a 6GHz band —or in the case of Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 routers, a 2.4GHz band and two 5GHz bands. Once you’ve got your head wrapped around the concept of dual-band and tri-band, you should also be aware that the width of each band is measured in MHz. The wider the band, the more MHz it can support, typically 20MHz, 40MHz, 80MHz, 160MHz or 320MHz. The wider the channel, the more bandwidth it offers.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-mesh-wifi-system-130028701.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 10:01:26
Peacock’s Black Friday deal grants a full year of access for $20
Fans of random Love Island spinoffs rejoice! Peacock just dropped a doozy of a Black Friday deal. Customers can now sign up for a year-long subscription to the streaming service for just $20 or six months at $2 per month. That’s a discount of 75 percent, no matter which option is selected. The promotion is live right now, but ends on December 2. Peacock doesn’t have the name recognition of Netflix or Hulu, but it’s still home to plenty of good shows and movies. There’s a reason, after all, that the platform made our list of the best streaming services. Peacock isn’t just home to the aforementioned Love Island and other reality shows about love not set on islands. The streamer also airs some top-notch content like the AI-centric Mrs. Davis and the surprisingly-decent video game adaptation Twisted Metal. A Peacock subscription also allows access to SyFy shows like the underrated The Ark. Other worthwhile programs include Hysteria!, We Are Lady Parts and Killing It. There are a few little caveats. First, this subscription is the one with ads. Also, the offer is only available to new subscribers who are not currently paying for Peacock Premium or Premium Plus. Finally, it’s only available directly from Peacock, and not from third-party billers like Apple or Amazon. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/peacocks-black-friday-deal-grants-a-full-year-of-access-for-20-080004658.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-25 08:00:04
Microsoft confirms Windows 11 24H2 update is crashing some Ubisoft games
Microsoft says it’s working with Ubisoft to fix a problem with its latest Windows 11 update that’s been crashing some games, and it’s put the update’s release on pause for devices with those games in the meantime. Following users’ reports of issues after installing the Windows 11 24H2 update, Microsoft confirmed this weekend that certain games may become unresponsive or display a black screen. The problem affects Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Assassin's Creed Origins, Assassin's Creed Odyssey, Star Wars Outlaws and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Ubisoft has released a temporary fix for Star Wars Outlaws, but there still may be some issues, Microsoft says. “To safeguard your Windows update experience, we have applied a compatibility hold on devices with these games installed,” the company said on its support blog. “These devices will not be offered to install Windows 11, version 24H2 via the Windows Update release channel.” It goes on to say, “We recommend that you do not attempt to manually update to version 24H2 using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or the media creation tool until this issue has been resolved.” This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/microsoft-confirms-windows-11-24h2-update-is-crashing-some-ubisoft-games-215748241.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-24 21:57:48
Apple is changing how MacBook Pro speakers are replaced and it could make repairs cheaper
It’ll soon be possible to replace the speakers in recent MacBook Pro models without having to replace the entire top case, as has long been the procedure. A memo seen by Macrumors reportedly informed Apple Stores and Authorized Service Providers this week that speakers will be available as standalone components for the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M4 family of chips. A source also told the publication that this will be an option for repairs on earlier MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon as well. The change should make for a less expensive repair. Up until now, the process entailed replacing the whole top case, including the battery and other parts, which works out to be pretty costly. It’s been that way since 2016. The repair manual with the new steps for speaker replacement is available online now from Apple Support. It may not necessarily be a simpler repair — the guide shows a process that’s rather involved — but not having to also replace other parts like the battery just to change out the speakers should cut costs significantly. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-is-changing-how-macbook-pro-speakers-are-replaced-and-it-could-make-repairs-cheaper-175356909.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-24 17:53:56
Engadget review recap: An iMac, a coffee maker and an Amazon tablet
It's almost Thanksgiving week here in the US, and that means gift-shopping season is in full swing. As the hardware launches slow down while companies wait for you to buy their wares, so, too, can our reviews team take a tiny breather. That respite will unfortunately be brief, as we begin to prepare for CES 2025 in earnest while getting some year-end retrospectives ready. Many of our team members will be taking meetings all through December ahead of the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, which is officially starting on January 7 this year, and the news will be coming as early as January 5. In the meantime, our team's holiday gift guide and Black Friday shopping content have been dominating our site, thanks to the relentless hard work of everyone that works at Engadget. There are many people behind-the-scenes involved in the process, as we try to find the best deals this season to better serve our audience. I myself have gone to CamelCamelCamel to make sure a standing-mirror-shelf was indeed 30 percent off, and not just marked as such while being listed at the same price as during non-sale periods. You've got to be so careful with your money and not falling for deceptive deals, and our commerce team is truly adept at sussing out the good stuff versus the bad. Between all the work for our holiday gift guides, planning for CES and taking some well-deserved time off, our team of reviewers has still managed to deliver some great reads, just in time for the holidays. Apple M4 iMac review by Steve Dent Steve's one of our expert photographers and videographers, and his review of the new iMac as a content creator is super insightful. I've always admired Steve's depth of knowledge, and his background brought a different perspective to our review that I found relevant and helpful. One of the biggest takeaways from Steve's review is that Apple is finally offering more RAM in the entry-level model, and that's somehow the most intriguing upgrade here. Though the webcam now has a sharper 12-megapixel sensor, and the display can be configured with a nano-coating, having twice the RAM in the base configuration is the most significant improvement. Steve clearly lays out why. Fellow Aiden review by Billy Steele Whenever Billy files a draft that's for something outside the audio category, I know I have to be prepared. His mouthwatering descriptions of the meats he smokes or pizzas he makes with the cooking appliances he reviews often evoke FOODMO (food-induced FOMO) and, weirdly, so did this review of the Fellow Aiden. It's an automatic coffee maker that promises to replicate the quality of brews you'd get using a pour-over cone. I am a casual coffee lover, in that I know my preference for darker roasts and can kind of tell the difference when a cuppa has been prepared well. But aside from convenience, I couldn't tell you exactly why I prefer my pour-over cone to a French press or drip machine. Billy's review clearly explains why the Aiden is the best of the coffee makers that claim to bring pour-over quality in an automatic system. While simultaneously making me somehow crave an expertly crafted cup of morning joe. Be warned, if descriptions of beans can make your mouth water, definitely make sure you have a mug of your favorite beverage nearby before reading this. Loop Switch 2 review by Billy Steele We don't typically review earplugs, but Billy had done fairly deep testing of the Loop Switch 2, and had enough experience to also compare it to some competing products. That's why we felt confident about assigning these noise-filtering earbuds a score. You might notice that the scorecard is smaller than usual — this is something you'll see more of moving forward. It represents reviews that involved first-hand, in-depth testing, but for products that for a variety of reasons may not rise to the level of our full reviews. Rest assured that a scored review on Engadget will always involve thorough first hand testing and thoughtful criticism and evaluation. Billy's piece on the Switch 2 had me intrigued, especially as I recently went to a concert and was concerned about the loud music and potential damage to my hearing. I never knew earplugs had gotten so advanced, and learned a lot from Billy's description of how you can change between levels of noise-filtering without having to take these buds out of your ears. Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet review by Jeff Dunn Many Amazon tablets fall under the category of products that we would like to review but don't typically have the time or bandwidth to get to. That's why I was excited when Jeff was able to find time to test the Fire HD 8, especially since he is familiar with the Amazon product ecosystem. There are plenty of Android tablets out there, and the Fire series are among the most affordable, making them a popular choice. That's why it's important for us to test them, to get a better sense for what people are using and also to inform our other coverage and reviews. Though Jeff didn't like Fire OS, he did find the HD 8 to be just good enough to be a decent value. As long as you can put up with an ad-heavy interface and a limited app selection, you'll probably find this to be a competent device for, say, your child to use on the go. Sonos Arc Ultra review by Billy Steele Sonos' Arc Ultra manages to deliver better bass and sound than the original, and thanks to Billy's explainer on the company's latest Sound Motion technology, I have a better understanding of how it's different. According to Billy, the acoustic improvement is significant, and the company's improved app makes for a greater overall experience that could be worth the extra $100. Considering the Sonos Arc is now on sale for $699 and the Ultra costs $999, though, the greater difference in cost may be harder to justify. Sony's PlayStation Portal gets a cloud-streaming upgrade by Devindra Hardawar Sony announced this week that it was bringing cloud-streaming to the PlayStation Portal, a handheld gaming console that was previously only capable of playing games that were on the PlayStation in your home. Since this drawback was one of the major complaints Devindra had when he reviewed the Portal last year, he dusted off his Portal and got to testing the new cloud-streaming feature and was generally impressed by the performance and latency. It's nice to see companies deliver features after a product launches, and even nicer when they work well. But since Devindra still has some unaddressed griped with the Portal, like some clunkiness and lag in connecting to a PlayStation, the cloud-streaming addition doesn't yet warrant an update to our original review and score. If Sony further updates the Portal and genuinely improves the experience, we will revisit our evaluation. For now, though, Devindra just says he has "started to hate this thing a bit less." On the horizon: Upcoming reviews We're still awaiting a review unit of the new Kindle Scribe that Amazon announced in October, and continue to work through our backlog of gadgets that includes a Roku, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. We're also taking some time to revisit some older products so we can review them with some time after launch, which should give us a better view of how the things we test hold up over time. Stay tuned for all that, and feel free to send us your feedback and suggestions on what you'd like to see us review. In the meantime, happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it, and we'll see you soon!This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadget-review-recap-an-imac-a-coffee-maker-and-an-amazon-tablet-150018151.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-24 15:00:18
Black Friday gaming deals 2024: The best discounts on consoles, video games, accessories and more
Black Friday is often a good time to restock on video games and gaming gear on the cheap, and this year is no exception. While the event itself is still a few days away, several retailers have already kicked off their official holiday sales, which means many of the season's better gaming deals are available now. If you’re looking to add a few games to your backlog, pick up a new console or upgrade your desktop with new accessories, we’ve rounded up our favorite Black Friday gaming deals below. We’ll inevitably see more discounts in the days ahead, but the current selection includes a ton of games and accessories we like for their lowest prices to date. The PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch are $75 off, too, while the Xbox Series S is $50 less than usual. We’ve dug through reviews and used price history trackers to ensure each offer below is a genuine deal, and we’ll continue updating this post as new deals pop up over the course of the week. PlayStation 5 (slim) for $424 at Amazon ($76 off MSRP): This isn’t the absolute biggest price drop to date for Sony’s console, but larger discounts have been extremely uncommon over the past year. You have a few different purchasing options, too. If you’re a Fortnite Person, you can grab a bundle that throws in skins and V-Bucks for that game at no extra cost. Walmart and a few others have a separate bundle that pairs the machine with the recent RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard or one of EA’s sports games for $450. Beyond that, Walmart says it’ll sell the console with an extra DualSense controller for $475 starting on November 25. Also available at Best Buy, Target, GameStop and PlayStation Direct, among others. PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (slim) + NBA 2K25 bundle for $374 at Amazon ($76 off): If you have no interest in buying physical media, you can save an extra $50 upfront by going with the PS5’s discless version. This bundle comes with the latest NBA 2K game as a freebie. If it runs out of stock, you can grab the same Fortnite bundle noted above for the same price. The console alone is $75 off as well. It’s a good price either way, though it’s difficult to get too excited given that the Digital Edition originally sold for $400 before this “slim” revision launched with a $50 price hike. Also at Target, GameStop, Best Buy, Walmart and PlayStation Direct, among others. The Nintendo Switch (left) and Nintendo Switch OLED (right).Kris Naudus / Engadget Xbox Series S (512GB) for $249 at Amazon ($51 off): The entry-level Xbox has had a difficult time keeping up with the technical demands of some new games, and the 512GB of storage in this model can run out fast. That said, it still has value for casual players or Game Pass subscribers who don’t care about high frame rates and just want a cheap way to play the latest stuff. This $51 drop isn’t an all-time low, but it makes the console a bit more palatable. Just remember there’s no disc drive. Also at Xbox, Best Buy, Target and others. Nintendo Switch OLED + Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle for $275 at Target ($75 off): To be clear, now is not a great time to buy a Switch: Nintendo has already confirmed that it’ll reveal the console’s successor at some point in the next few months and that the new device will be able to play current Switch games. So if you can wait, you should. But if you just want a more affordable route into the fantastic Switch library — or if you’re buying for a kid who doesn’t care about having the latest and greatest — we almost never see the OLED model fall this low. Besides the console, this bundle includes a digital copy of Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and a 12-month subscription to Nintendo’s Switch Online service. Also at Best Buy. Nintendo Switch + Mario Kart 8 Deluxe bundle for $225 at Target ($75 off): If you want to save a bit more, you can get the standard Switch with the same add-ons for $50 less. The Switch OLED still has a larger and noticeably more vivid display, so it’s worth the extra cash if you’ll mainly play in handheld mode. That said, the base model can play all the same games just as well, and there’s virtually no difference between the two when they’re docked to a TV. This rare $75 discount is one of the largest we’ve ever tracked. Also at Best Buy. The Meta Quest 3S.Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Meta Quest 3S (128GB) + $75 Amazon digital credit for $300 at Amazon ($75 off): Meta only released the Quest 3S last month, so while this isn’t a cash discount, any sort of bonus is worth noting. Just clip the on-page coupon or use the code QUEST75 at checkout to see the deal. The device itself is the budget pick in our guide to the best VR headsets: Its older Fresnel lenses certainly aren’t class-leading, but they’re good enough for those new to VR, and the whole thing is just as fast and comfortable as the more expensive Quest 3. Most importantly, it can play the same wide array of apps and games. Also at Target if you'd prefer a different gift card. PlayStation VR2 + Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle for $349 at Amazon ($251 off): To be candid, it’s difficult to widely recommend the PlayStation VR2: The hardware is excellent, but Sony's software support has been weak. Like the Meta Quest, you can use the headset on PC with an optional adapter, but some reviewers have said that getting that to actually work can be a hassle. So, we’re mostly noting this deal for posterity. But if you do have cash to burn and want to dive into games like Gran Turismo 7, Tetris Effect or the Horizon adventure bundled here, this deal matches the lowest price we’ve seen. If the bundle goes out of stock, the standalone headset is on sale for the same price. Also at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, GameStop and PlayStation Direct, among others. ASUS ROG Ally X for $700 at Best Buy ($100 off): The ROG Ally X is the top Windows pick in our guide to the best gaming handhelds. It’s better-equipped to handle recent AAA fare than Valve’s Steam Deck, and its 120Hz VRR display does wonders to keep those games looking smooth. Windows itself remains something of a tire fire on handheld devices — which keeps the Deck our top pick overall — but it does give you the flexibility to play games from any PC client. This $100 drop isn’t massive but nevertheless ties the handheld’s lowest price to date. The PS5's DualSense Wireless Controller.Aaron Souppouris/Engadget PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller for $54 at Amazon ($21 off): While Sony’s official PS5 controller has gone for less in the past, steeper discounts have been fairly uncommon over the past year, so this is an decent time to stock up if you need a spare or two. The offer applies to several different color options, though a few are priced $5 higher than the others. Also at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, PlayStation Direct and others. Xbox Wireless Controller for $40 at Amazon ($20 off): This is another deal we’ve seen a few times before, but it’s a decent $5 to $15 off the Series X/S pad’s typical street price, depending on which color you pick. Several different models are on sale, with some of the more vibrant colorways available for $45 or $50. Just remember that each requires a pair of AA batteries or a separate pack for power. Also at Walmart, Best Buy, Target and others. Nintendo Switch Pro Controller for $49 at GameStop ($20 off): Nintendo’s Pro Controller is far more comfortable to hold and satisfying to press than the standard Joy-Cons, so it’s a fine buy if you mainly keep your Switch docked up to a TV. Its 40-hour battery life is great, too, though fighting game and Tetris diehards will likely find its d-pad too imprecise. This discount matches the lowest price we’ve seen in the last couple of years. Also at Target and Best Buy. Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controllers for $60 at Amazon ($20 off): Between their beady buttons, lack of analog triggers and longstanding drift issues, the Joy-Cons are far from Nintendo’s finest product. Still, they’re the Switch’s default controllers. If you need to restock, this is about as cheap as they’ve been in recent years. Also at GameStop, Target and Best Buy. Astro Bot.Sony Interactive Entertainment PlayStation Plus 12-month membership for 30 percent off at PlayStation: Sony’s online service became a worse deal with last year’s sizable price hikes, but it’s still required if you want to play PS5 games online or utilize cloud saves. This year’s Black Friday deal is geared more toward upgrading than saving on your current service, annoyingly, but those just signing up can grab an annual membership for 30 percent off, bringing the standard “Essential” tier down to $64. If you’ve been thinking of stepping up from the base service to the higher “Extra” or “Premium” tiers, you can take 25 or 30 percent off the usual cost of that upgrade. You can check Sony’s overview page for a refresher on what perks are included with each tier. Astro Bot for $50 at Amazon ($10 off): The wonderfully inventive 3D platformer Astro Bot is the closest thing the PS5 has to a modern Super Mario game, even if it is a bit too reverential to the PlayStation brand. Engadget Senior Editor Jessica Conditt called it nothing less than “one of the best games Sony has ever made” in her review. This is the game’s first major discount across retailers. Also at PlayStation, Best Buy, Target and others. Elden Ring for $20 at Amazon ($40 off): There isn’t much we can say about Elden Ring that hasn’t already been said. Its world runs almost unfathomably deep and feels lived-in (really, died-in) in a way few games ever have. It’s both haunting and darkly funny (hello Ordina). It is unafraid to test your resolve and make its quest matter, yet it grants you the freedom to simply walk in a different direction and find new paths forward. It’s great, and this deal brings it down to the best price we’ve tracked. Also at Best Buy. If you want to double up with the game’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, a copy that comes with that DLC is on sale for $50, another new low. Metaphor: ReFantazio for $50 at Amazon ($20 off): It’s about as subtle as you’d expect a game named “Metaphor” to be, but the latest from the minds behind Persona 5 is a fantasy JRPG through and through: bombastic, stylish and deeply earnest. (And long.) This deal is a new low. Also at PlayStation and Xbox for $2 more. Elden Ring.FromSoftware / Bandai Namco Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for $40 at Amazon ($30 off): Engadget UK Bureau Chief Mat Smith gave this grandiose action-RPG a favorable review earlier this year, and it’s one of the year’s highest-rated games overall. You need to have played its predecessor — and, ideally, the original PS1 game — to really get where it’s going, but it’s absolutely stuffed with things to do (for better and worse), and its combat system is still a rush. This is a new low for the PS5 exclusive. Also at Best Buy, or PlayStation for $2 more. Helldivers 2 for $30 at GameStop ($10 off): The co-op shooter Helldivers 2 straddles the line between Starship Troopers satire and genuinely rousing, strategically engaging action. You could do much worse if you’re looking for a multiplayer game you can hop in and out of at your leisure. This deal matches the lowest price we’ve seen for the PS5 copy. Also at Amazon, Target and Best Buy, or at PlayStation for $2 more. The Last of Us Part I for $30 at Amazon ($40 off): The PS5 version of Naughty Dog’s tense zombie drama may be the most unnecessary remake of all time, but if you’ve never given it a try, it’s still the best way to play it. This deal is a new low, and it comes as part of a wider suite of discounts on first-party PS5 games, including Gran Turismo 7, Returnal, Horizon Forbidden West, God of War Ragnarök, Demon’s Souls and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart for $30 each. Also at Target, Best Buy, GameStop and others. Dragon’s Dogma 2 for $40 at Amazon ($30 off): Another one of the year’s highest-rated RPGs, Dragon’s Dogma 2 is unusually opaque and unforgiving for a major-studio release, but it owns that. If you can deal with some jank and hate the glut of self-serious hand-holdy “adventures” that’ve come out in recent years, it should be worth the occasional frustration. Don’t bother if you didn’t like the original, though. This the biggest discount to date for the PS5 and Xbox versions. Also at Target and PlayStation, or at Xbox for $2 more. Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door.Nintendo Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for $42 at Woot ($18 off): This is a new low for the recent Switch remake of the beloved GameCube RPG Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar was pretty straightforward in his review: “It’s great, you should play it.” Super Mario RPG for $32 at Woot ($18 off): The lively and brisk Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars remains one of the Super Nintendo’s essential games. It didn’t necessarily need a Switch remake, but it got one last year anyway; thankfully, the new version keeps the original’s oddball spirit in tact as it spruces up the visuals for true 3D. If you’re in the market for a lighter RPG, this deal at Amazon subsidiary Woot brings the game down to a new all-time low. Super Mario Odyssey for $30 at GameStop ($30 off): This matches the lowest price to date for Nintendo’s joyous 3D platformer, which combines pitch-perfect movement with a relentless stream of inventive design ideas. Also at Target and Best Buy. A few other first-party Switch games are available for all-time lows as well, including the adorable real-time strategy games Pikmin 1+2 and Pikmin 4 for $30 and $40, respectively, and the delightful action-platformer Kirby and the Forgotten Land for $35. Portal: Companion Collection for $5 at Nintendo ($15 off): Portal and Portal 2 are two of the most fully-actualized games ever made, a pair of human-lab-rat simulators overloaded with wit and mind-opening puzzles. The second is also one of our favorite couch co-op games. This discount ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the Companion Collection, which bundles both games for the Switch, and it comes as part of a wider suite of digital game deals at Nintendo’s online store. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon.FromSoftware Mass Effect Legendary Edition for $5 at Epic ($55 off): The Mass Effect trilogy doesn’t hold up perfectly — the original is very much a game from 2007, while the overarching “morality” system feels ancient in a post-Baldur’s Gate 3 world — but it remains as accessible and deeply entertaining as any action-RPG series out there. The Legendary Edition remasters all three titles, and this discount brings the compilation down to its lowest price to date. The deal comes as part of the Epic Games Store’s Black Friday sale, which is otherwise light on standout offers. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon for $20 at GameStop ($40 off): Armored Core VI is a big loud action game about building a mech and using it to blow up everything in sight. It rules. But it’s not mindless: Its many boss fights are genuine duels, and it’s deeply flexible in how it lets you tweak your death machine to tackle stages in different ways. This price is another new low. Also at Amazon and Best Buy. Unicorn Overlord for $30 at Amazon ($30 off): Unicorn Overlord’s story leans a little too hard on RPG tropes, but it’s gorgeous, and its battle system should satisfy those who pine for classic Fire Emblem or (especially) Ogre Battle games from yesteryear. Engadget Senior Writer Sam Rutherford called it a “must-play for tactics fans” in his review. This discount is the largest we’ve seen for the PS5 and Xbox editions and ties the all-time low for the Switch copy. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 for $19 at Amazon ($21 off): Few games take the responsibility of entertaining you as seriously as the Metal Gear series; even fewer have as clear of a voice and point of view. The Master Collection may not go as far as it should in updating the landmark stealth games for modern consoles, but if you’ve yet to give them a try, you really ought to take the ride. This deal ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. Also at Best Buy for $1 more. Cyberpunk 2077.CD Projekt Red Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for $40 at GameStop ($20 off): The moody action-RPG Cyberpunk 2077 started as a technical disaster, but years of patches have ultimately left it in a healthy place, one that lets it more easily lean on its surprisingly pointed narrative and dirty-techno-future art style. This is a new low for the game’s Ultimate Edition, which includes last year’s well-regarded Phantom Liberty expansion. Also at Best Buy. Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth for $25 at Amazon ($45 off): Infinite Wealth is the kind of goofy, playful and wholly excessive RPG that’s come to define the series formerly known as Yakuza. It can border on “too much,” and you’ll need to have played past entries to get the most out of it, but its turn-based combat is fun, and it’s more endearing than obnoxious in the end. This discount ties the best price we’ve seen for the next-gen versions of the game. Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10 at Xbox ($30 off): This matches the all-time low for The Master Chief Collection, which gathers five of the venerable FPS series’ essential games in one package. It also includes Halo 4 (we kid). Pentiment for $10 at Xbox ($10 off): Pentiment remains one of the Xbox’s true gems, a gorgeous and unusually soulful 2D adventure/visual novel that examines the nature of truth itself. This deal for the Xbox version represents an all-time low. Psychonauts 2 for $12 at Xbox ($48 off): Another entry on our list of the best Xbox games, Psychonauts 2 is a distinctly eccentric, wonderfully written 3D platformer that tackles heavy themes with real warmth. This is another all-time low. Several other digital Xbox games are on sale as part of Microsoft’s Black Friday sale. Halo: The Master Chief Collection.Xbox Game Studios Madden NFL 25 for $30 at Amazon ($40 off): Madden could pretty badly use a creative reset, but it’s ultimately still Madden, so there’s fun to be had if you’re in the football mood and feel like denying Patrick Mahomes a championship in at least one realm of existence. This is the best price to date for this year’s latest installment. Also at Best Buy, or at PlayStation, Xbox and Steam for $5 more. EA Sports FC 25 for $30 at Amazon ($35 off): We’re not going to sit here and tell you the series formerly known as FIFA is good — AI defending is still a mess, while the Ultimate Team mode still blends grinding with gambling to mind-numbing effect — but we realize that many people just want to mess around as their favorite footy team. This is a new low for the PS5, PS4 and Xbox editions. Also at Best Buy, or at PlayStation, Xbox and Steam for $5 more. The Switch version is down to $30, too, though it won’t run as well. WWE 2K24 for $24 at Amazon ($11 off): We acknowledge that this is a new low for the physical PS5 and Xbox copies of the latest WWE game, which should scratch the itch for most people looking to do some fantasy booking and digital powerbombing. Just don’t be surprised if you run into a few bugs every now and then; this is a 2K game, after all. Also at Walmart, Target and Best Buy, or for $1 less at Xbox. The last-gen versions are on sale for a few bucks less as well. NBA 2K25 for $30 at Amazon ($40 off): NBA 2K has its own longstanding issues with pay-to-win online modes and occasional glitchiness, but its on-court play is generally rock solid if you’re looking to play through a season or run some offline games with friends. This is a new low for the PS5 and Xbox copies of the game. Also at Walmart, Target and Best Buy. Nintendo has the Switch edition for $4 less, though that version is generally slower and more watered-down than the others. The WD Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S.WD WD Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox (1TB) for $9 at Amazon ($59 off): It’s aggravating, but the only way to fully increase the storage of an Xbox Series X/S is to use a proprietary expansion card. Only two of those currently exist, but the C50 is one, and this discount drops the 1TB model to a new low. It’s normally sold for roughly $40 more in recent months. Is this still expensive compared to a normal SSD with the same capacity? You bet. But any extra savings should be welcome. A 512GB model is a couple bucks above its all-time low at $68 as well. Also at Best Buy. Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S (2TB) for $200 at Amazon ($160 off): Seagate makes the other official storage expansion card for the Xbox Series X/S. This discount isn’t the best we’ve ever seen, and it’s been live for most of the month, but it’s still about $30 to $50 below the 2TB model’s typical street price. There’s little performance difference between this and the C50, so which is best merely comes down to how much space you need and whatever one costs less. Crucial P310 (1TB) M.2 2230 SSD for $70 at Amazon ($102 off): The P310 is a small-size SSD you can slot into handheld PCs like the Steam Deck or ROG Ally. It uses cheaper QLC memory, not the faster and more durable TLC, but other reviews suggest that it still performs well for what it is. This is a new low for the 1TB model. The 2TB version is down to its best price yet at $140 as well. Also at Crucial and B&H. The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller.Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Backbone One mobile game controller for $70 at Amazon ($30 off): The Backbone One is a nifty mobile gamepad that makes playing console-style games on your phone feel a little more natural. This matches the lowest price we’ve tracked for the second-gen model. Both the USB-C and Lightning versions are discounted. Note that the PlayStation-branded version officially supports Sony’s Remote Play app on both Android and iOS, while the standard model only supports it with the latter. Also at Backbone, Walmart and Best Buy. 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller for $48 at Amazon ($12 off, Prime only): We’ve raved about this wireless gamepad for Switch and PC in the past. It’s on the small side, but it’s comfortable, and its durable Hall effect joysticks should avoid the “drift” sensation that plagues many modern controllers. This discount isn’t the absolute lowest price we’ve seen, but it’s a solid $12 off the device’s typical street price. It's exclusive to Prime members at Amazon, but Best Buy has the pad for the same price. If you don’t need Bluetooth support, a version that only connects over a USB dongle and uses Xbox-style face buttons (instead of Switch-style ones) is on sale for $40. The Audeze Maxwell.Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Turtle Beach Atlas Air wireless gaming headset for $141 at Amazon ($29 off): The Atlas Air is our pick for the best gaming headset. It’s one of the few wireless pairs with an open-back design, which helps it create a wider, airier and more natural sound than most of its competition. It’s exceptionally comfortable on top of that, though it lets in and leaks noise fairly easily, so you should only buy it if you normally play in a quiet environment. This deal marks the headset’s all-time low. Also at Best Buy for $150. Astro A40 TR gaming headset for $90 at Amazon ($40 off): The A40 TR is our favorite wired gaming headset. It’s not quite as comfy or spacious-sounding as the Turtle Beach Atlas Air, our top overall pick, but its open-back design still makes games sound like they’re happening all around you instead of feeling confined in your head. Just know that it won’t block much outside noise, and its mic isn’t the best. Also at B&H. HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 gaming headset for $30 at Amazon ($20 off): The Cloud Stinger 2 is the budget pick in our gaming headset guide. It’s comfortable, with a solid mic and full-bodied bass, though you shouldn’t expect a particularly accurate sound or exceptional build quality. This deal ties the headset’s all-time low. Also at Walmart and Best Buy. The Keychron Q3 Max.Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Keychron Q3 Max mechanical keyboard for $182 at Keychron ($32 off): The Keychron Q Max is the top pick in our guide to the best mechanical keyboards, pairing an upscale (if heavy) aluminum case with a lovely typing experience and extensive customizability. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the tenkeyless model, but other size layouts are similarly discounted. Also at Amazon for $6 more, but only for Prime members. Keychron V3 Max mechanical keyboard for $87 at Amazon ($22 off, Prime only): The V Max is our favorite mechanical keyboard in the $100 range. It has a plastic frame and suffers a bit more from rattling in the larger keys but otherwise carries most of the same perks as the Q Max series. This Prime-exclusive deal marks the best price we’ve tracked for the tenkeyless model, but other size options are also 20 percent off. Also at Keychron. Keychron C3 Pro mechanical keyboard for $38 at Amazon ($22 off, Prime only): If you just want to pay as little as possible for a decent mechanical keyboard, the C3 Pro is the budget pick in our buying guide. Its keycaps are a bit slick, but its typing feel and sound are still levels above the membrane boards you usually find in this price range. This Prime-exclusive deal is within $5 of the best price we’ve seen for the model with hot-swappable switches and RGB backlighting. Another model that doesn't support hot-swap and only has a red backlight is available for $28, though we've seen that one go for less in the past. 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard (N Edition) for $60 at Woot ($40 off): While not a top pick in any of our keyboard guides, the wireless 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is still a nice value for anyone looking to give their desk a more vintage look, as its keycaps and accents are inspired by Nintendo’s old NES console. It’s comfy for typing and hot-swappable, too, though the default switches are pretty noisy. This discount matches the lowest price we’ve seen. The Razer Basilisk V3.Jeff Dunn / Engadget Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse for $40 at Amazon ($30 off): We recommend the Basilisk V3 in our guide to the best gaming mice for those who don’t mind using a cable and prefer a more ergonomic right-handed shape. We’ve seen this discount several times before, but it matches the device’s all-time low. Note that Razer released an revised version with an improved sensor a few months ago, but that one costs $40 more, and it’s not a massive upgrade in practice. Also at Target, Best Buy and others. Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite MMO gaming mouse for $50 at Amazon ($30 off): The Scimitar RGB Elite is the top MMO pick in our gaming mouse buying guide. It has 12 customizable side buttons, which make it easier to pull off strings of actions in complex titles like Final Fantasy XIV or World of Warcraft. This deal comes within a couple bucks of the lowest price we've seen. Also at Corsair and Best Buy. A wireless model with an upgraded sensor is also on sale for $89, which is the second-best price we've tracked for that variant. ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) gaming laptop for $700 at Best Buy ($400 off): Although it’s a 2023 model, this configuration of the A16 should do the job for value-minded buyers. It comes with a 16-inch 165Hz 1,920 x 1,200 display, an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and an AMD Radeon RX 7700S GPU. You’ll still have to deal with the usual trade-offs of a cheaper gaming laptop — it can get warm under load, it’s bulky, the keyboard isn’t great and the screen is somewhat dim. But it’s powerful enough to run newer games in 1080p, the chassis generally feels sturdy, and the battery can reach double-digit hours when you aren’t gaming. This discount is $20 above than the config’s all-time low but ties the best price we’ve seen otherwise. Alienware M18 R2 gaming laptop for $2,200 at Amazon ($500 off): The M18 R2 is an iteration of the top 18-inch pick in our gaming laptop buying guide. It’s an absolute tank, but it’s sturdily put together, and this configuration can blow through new games at high settings in 1080p or 1440p. It comes with a 165Hz 2,560 x 1,600 panel, an Intel Core i9-14900HX chip, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 GPU. This deal price is far from cheap, but it's a new low for this variant. A lower-spec model is also on sale for $1,900, though that one will likely run into issues sooner with more demanding games. The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard.Will Lipman Photography for Engadget LG 32GS95UV-W 32-inch gaming monitor for $1,000 at Amazon ($400 off): This is a variant of the “no-compromise” pick in our guide to the best gaming monitors. It’s a premium OLED panel with a sharp 4K resolution and a fast 240Hz refresh rate, though it can jump to a super-smooth 480Hz if you drop to 1080p (and own a PC that can handle that). That’s great if you spend a decent chunk of time in esports-style games like Counter-Strike 2. Being an OLED monitor gives it excellent contrast with deep black tones, though it’s not quite as vivid as the handful of high-end OLEDs that also use quantum dots to boost colors. Still, it’s well worth a look if you have cash to burn and know you’ll use the dual refresh rate modes. This deal has been live for a month but represents an all-time low. Also at LG and Best Buy. Compared to the recommendation in our guide, the only differences with this model are that it has a white finish and its built-in speakers aren’t as strong. MSI MAG 271QPX QD-OLED E2 27-inch gaming monitor for $480 at B&H ($210 off): This ties the lowest price we’ve seen for MSI’s QD-OLED monitor, which blends the high contrast and inky blacks typical of OLED displays with color-enhancing quantum dots. It has a 1440p resolution and 240Hz refresh rate, which should be sufficient for most, though like many OLEDs it’ll look better in dim lighting than a bright room. Also at Amazon, or at Best Buy for $20 more. MSI MPG 321URX 32-inch gaming monitor for $880 at Amazon ($70 off): The MPG 321URX (gesundheit) is a larger high-end monitor with a gorgeous QD-OLED panel, a 4K resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. It also includes a KVM switch and a USB-C port that can deliver up to 90W of charging power. It’s certainly not cheap, but at its current deal price it undercuts its handful of competitors by a fair amount. This is another all-time low. Also at Best Buy. ASUS ROG Swift OLED PG32UCDM 32-inch gaming monitor for $999 at Amazon ($300 off): If the MSI 321URX runs out of stock, the PG32UCDM is an excellent alternative with a similar list of features. Some reviewers we trust say it can get brighter, too, plus it supports the popular Dolby Vision HDR format. This discount represents a new lowest price. Also at Walmart and Best Buy. Black Friday gaming deals that are no longer available Xbox Series X (1TB) for $448 at Amazon ($52 off): This is well off the lowest price we’ve seen for the higher-end Xbox, and there’s a chance we see alternative deals next week. It is Microsoft’s official discount, though, and any chance to save $50 is still worth calling out. Whether any Xbox is a must-have is another question, as Microsoft has put less and less emphasis on exclusives, but the Series X is still a nice piece of kit if you’re sold on Xbox Game Pass or just have friends who use the platform. Also at Xbox, Walmart, Target and others. Audeze Maxwell wireless gaming headset for $200 at B&H ($100 off): The Maxwell is another excellent wireless headset we recommend in our buying guide. It’s bulky, and it doesn’t provide the same sense of width as our top pick, but it still sounds fantastic, with ample bass, crisp highs and impressive detail. A nice mic and long battery life help as well. The headset isn’t discounted very often, so this coupon deal marks a new low. Just note that you won’t be able to checkout until later on Saturday. The price above applies to the PS5/PC model, but the Xbox version is also down to a new low of $230 with the same $100 discount. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-gaming-deals-2024-the-best-discounts-on-consoles-video-games-accessories-and-more-144605291.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-24 14:30:49
Black Friday Lego deals: Get up to 29 percent off Star Wars, Super Mario sets
We’re big Lego fans here at Engadget, so it’s not difficult for us to understand why the building block sets are some of the first items to sell out during the holiday shopping season. Kids and adults alike seek out Lego sets all year round, and they make particularly good gifts. Whether you know your recipient loves Star Wars or Super Mario, or they don’t have a fan-favorite franchise and just love building stuff, there are Lego sets out there that all kinds of people will love. And no, they don’t all cost hundreds of dollars — some, like seasonal advent calendars, come in at $50 or less. If you’ve got a Lego lover on your holiday shopping list (or if that person is you), these are the best Black Friday Lego deals for 2024. Most of these deals are on Amazon, but you can find the same (or similar) pricing direct at Lego and other retailers like Target. The highlights for Black Friday include a couple of Lego advent calendars: one for Disney fans and another that's more general for all kids. Lego makes a bunch of other advent calendars in addition to these, and we expect to see more of them go on sale in the coming days. There's also the beautiful Insect Collection, which when completed, includes three life-size, posable models of a butterfly, Hercules beetle and Chinese mantis. Even as someone who detests bun appreciate the elegance of this set and how striking they'd look sitting on a shelf. Star Wars, Super Mario and Harry Potter sets have been discounted as well. For example, This King Boo's Haunted Mansion set is on sale for the first time since launch, and in addition to the brick mansion that opens out for better play, it includes King Boo, Yellow Baby Yoshi, Dry Bones and Boo figurines. We'll be updating this post through the entire Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period, so check back for the latest offers. Black Friday Lego deals Lego Super Mario Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest Expansion Set 71428 for $7 (28 percent off) Lego Super Mario Bowser’s Muscle Car Expansion Set 71431 for $24 (20 percent off) Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant 71426 for $48 (20 percent off) Lego Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion 71436 for $60 (20 percent off) Lego Star Wars: The Clone Wars Captain Rex Y-Wing Microfighter Building Set 75391 for $10 (23 percent off) Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian Ambush on Mandalore Battle Pack 75373 for $17 (15 percent off) Lego Star Wars Spider Tank 75361 for $40 (20 percent off) Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 (20 percent off) Lego Star Wars Droideka Model 75381 for $52 (20 percent off) Lego Harry Potter Hedwig at 4 Privet Drive 76425 for $16 (20 percent off) Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle Owlery Toy 76430 for $36 (20 percent off) Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds 76419 for $136 (20 percent off) Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 for $25 (29 percent off) Lego Technic Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit Building Set 42179 for $60 (20 percent off) Lego Ideas The Insect Collection 21342 for $64 (20 percent off) Lego Marvel Dancing Groot 76297 for $36 (20 percent off) Expired Black Friday Lego deals Lego Friends Advent Calendar 42637 for $21.19 (36 percent off) Lego Harry Potter Expecto Patronum Collectible 2-in-1 Building Set 76414 for $56 (20 percent off) Lego Disney Advent Calendar 43253 for $20 (56 percent off) Lego Super Mario Nabbit at Toad’s Shop Expansion Set 71429 for $12 (40 percent off) Lego Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos ESPA Podrace Diorama 75380 for $60 (25 percent off) Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-lego-deals-get-up-to-29-percent-off-star-wars-super-mario-sets-150013961.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-24 13:34:30
Amazon Black Friday 2024 deals: The best sales on Kindles, Echo speakers, Ring doorbells and more
There are two (well, technically, three) optimal times of the year to pick up Echo speakers, Kindle ereaders and other Amazon devices: Amazon Prime Day (now multiple days) and Black Friday. While Amazon likes to save its steepest discounts for its members-only shopping event, it’s a safe bet that we’ll see the same deals (or similar ones) during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This year, we’re seeing some of the best prices of the year on all things Amazon, so now’s the time to buy if you want to beef up your smart home ecosystem or pick up a gadget as a gift this year. These are the best deals you can get on Amazon devices for Black Friday 2024. Kindle Paperwhite (2024) for $130 ($30 off): The latest version of the Paperwhite has speedier performance, a higher-contrast screen, a built-in warm light and 12 weeks of battery life. Kindle (2024) for $85 ($25 off): The 2024 base Kindle is lighter than ever before, and it has a 6-inch, glare-free screen with an adjustable front light, 16GB of storage, speedier performance and six weeks of battery life. Echo for $55 ($45 off): We consider this to be the best smart speaker for $100 or less at the moment thanks to its loud audio with good bass quality, the ability to pair two together for stereo sound and Alexa’s utility. Echo Dot for $23 ($27 off): This is one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its compact design, physical button controls that compliment voice commands and its solid sound quality for its size. Echo Pop for $18 ($22 off): One of Amazon’s newest smart devices, the Pop sports a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker, a physical mic mute switch for extra privacy and eero compatibility. Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands. You can also grab it bundled with a free TP-Link smart light bulb. Ring pan and tilt security camera for $50 ($30 off): This security camera joined the Ring lineup only a few months ago, and this is the best price we've seen on it. It's part of a larger Ring sale that discounts home security gear by up to 50 percent. Ring Video Doorbell (2024) for $60 ($40 off): This entry-level security doorbell records 1080p video, supports motion detection and privacy zones and has a built-in, rechargable battery and can be hardwired to your doorbell wiring. Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside if you wish provided you have the separate $10 weather-resistant adapter. Blink Outdoor 4 + Blink Mini 2 bundle for $60 ($80 off): It's almost a guarantee that Blink security systems will be on sale for Black Friday and this time is no different. This bundle is 64 percent off, and there are a bunch of other bundles on sale that include cameras, video doorbells and more. Echo Show 5 for $45 ($45 off): This is one of our favorite smart displays thanks to its compact design, ambient light sensor and sunrise alarm feature, all of which make it an excellent smart alarm clock. Amazon improved the speaker quality on this latest model, which gives sound deeper bass and clearer vocals. Echo Show 8 for $80 ($70 off): This is our current top pick for the best smart display with Amazon’s Alexa thanks in part to its 8-inch touchscreen, 13MP camera that supports auto-framing for better video chats and its built-in Zigbee smart home hub. Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): These are one of our top picks for the best budget wireless earbuds you can get right now thanks to their comfortable design, pocket-friendly case, automatic wear detection, multi-device connectivity and, of course, built-in Alexa voice controls. Echo Dot Kids for $28 ($32 off): The kids version of the Echo Dot uses the same basic hardware, but comes with a cute dragon or owl cover, plus parental controls and a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+ that can play kid-friendly audiobooks and more. Fire TV Stick streamer for $18 ($22 off): This dongle ups the ante on the TV Stick Lite by adding support for Dolby Atmos audio, plus it comes with the regular version of the Alexa Voice Remote. It also supports Wi-Fi 5 and comes with 8GB of internal storage. Fire TV Stick 4K streamer for $22 ($28 off): This mode is the cheapest Fire TV Stick you can get to stream 4K content, plus it has support for Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Vision and Atmos. With its live picture-in-picture feature, you can view security camera feeds right on your TV while you’re watching your favorite show or movie. Fire TV Stick 4K Max streamer for $33 ($27 off): In addition to 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Vision and Atmos support, the 4K Max dongle includes Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, 16GB of built-in storage and live picture-in-picture capabilities. Fire TV Cube set-top box for $100 ($40 off): This model will provide the best performance of any Fire TV streaming device, and it supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and an enhanced version of the Alexa Voice Remote. Along with live picture-in-picture view and the Fire TV ambient experience, you can also hardware other devices to the Fire TV Cube including a cable box or a game console. Fire HD 8 tablet for $55 ($45 off): Amazon just released this new version of the HD 8 tablet, which includes more RAM, a better camera and new AI features not found on the previous model. Fire HD 10 tablet for $75 ($65 off): This slab has a 10-inch FHD touchscreen, improved camera for video calls, 13 hours of battery life and it works with a stylus (although you have to buy that separately). If you’re looking for a cheap tablet that doesn’t compromise too many of the basics, this is a good option. Fire Max 11 tablet for $140 ($90 off): Amazon’s most powerful tablet sports an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, up to 128GB of storage and 14 hours of battery life. It also works with a number of optional accessories, including a stylus and keyboard case. Fire HD 10 Kids tablet for $110 ($80 off): Designed for kids aged three to seven, this tablet comes with full parental controls plus one year of Amazon Kids+ for free with the tablet purchase. It also has a 10-inch FHD touchscreen, an octa-core processor and 13 hours of battery life, plus it comes with a two-year warranty and a protective case. Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet for $110 ($80 off): This model is designed for kids aged six to 12 and comes with a slimmer protective case, a two-year warranty and one year of access to Amazon Kids+. Otherwise, you get a very similar experience here that you would with the non-Pro version, including parental controls, a 10-inch touchscreen, solid performance and a 13-hour battery life. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-black-friday-2024-deals-the-best-sales-on-kindles-echo-speakers-ring-doorbells-and-more-130003506.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-24 13:17:27
ExpressVPN’s Black Friday deal saves you up to 61 percent
Black Friday doesn't just mean discounts on "stuff," it also means big price cuts on services — and VPNs are no exception. ExpressVPN, a mainstay on our list of best VPNs, is currently offering an attractive discount for all new customers: Up to 61 percent off. US-based customers can choose between two plans with huge discounts over ExpressVPN's standard rate. The "1-year plan" (actually 16 months) costs $6.25 per month, billed at a total of $100, and the 2-year plan (actually 30 months) costs just $4.99 per month, billed at a total of $150. Those rates compare to a default price of $12.95 per month. Engadget deemed ExpressVPN the best for streaming services, frequent travel and gaming. Its biggest drawback is generally considered to be the price — higher than most rivals in the space — so this is a great time to get it at a discount. (There's a 7-day trial period and a 30-day money back guarantee, so you can make sure it meets your needs before committing.) And since we conducted our review, ExpressVPN has added some additional features making it more of a full-service suite, including a password manager and ad blocker. More recently, it's added ID alerts (with a $1 million identity theft insurance package), as well as a data removal service (to counteract the preponderance of online data brokers). Some notable caveats: The data removal service is only available on the 30-month plan, and the ID alerts, insurance and data removal features are only applicable to subscribers in the US. Furthermore, these discounts are applicable only to new ExpressVPN customers. And the service will automatically renew at the standard rate after the initial discount period expires. It goes without saying that ExpressVPN is compatible with nearly all major operating systems, with support for connecting 8 devices at a time. And its no-logs policy means your online activity is as anonymous as can be. If you're looking for a dependable VPN that now has a bevy of additional privacy features, ExpressVPN is worth checking out. But don't delay: This offer is only good through December 6. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/expressvpns-black-friday-deal-saves-you-up-to-61-percent-120441528.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-24 12:04:41
Tesla and Rivian have reached a ‘conditional’ settlement in lawsuit over trade secrets
Four years after Tesla filed a lawsuit against Rivian alleging that the company poached its employees with a goal of obtaining trade secrets, the two appear to be nearing a resolution. According to Bloomberg, Tesla says it’s reached a “conditional” settlement with Rivian and expects to seek the case’s dismissal by December 24. In the lawsuit filed in 2020, Tesla claimed Rivian encouraged exiting Tesla employees to steal information, and that it caught three employees taking “highly valuable, confidential information as they left for Rivian.” Rivian has denied the allegations from the start, calling them “baseless.” Rivian filed a motion for the lawsuit to be dismissed, but this was denied by a California judge who tentatively ruled earlier this year that Rivian would have to face a trial. The trial was expected to take place in 2025, but it now looks like the matter may be wrapped up before the end of the year without coming to that. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-and-rivian-have-reached-a-conditional-settlement-in-lawsuit-over-trade-secrets-214721559.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-23 21:47:21
What to read this weekend: A visual history of Futurama, and more
New releases in fiction, nonfiction and comics that caught our attention this week. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/what-to-read-this-weekend-a-visual-history-of-futurama-and-more-193047965.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-23 20:15:47
The Apple Watch Series 10 is $70 off during Amazon's Black Friday sale
Apple devices are some of the most sought after this time of year as Black Friday deals bring their prices down to some seriously enticing lows. At the moment, one such deal is on the Apple Watch Series 10: Apple’s newest wearable is on sale for $329, which is $70 off and a record low. That price is for the smaller 42mm model without LTE functionality, and the 46mm size is also $70 off and down to $359. The Apple Watch Series 10 is our pick for the best smartwatch overall, but it's probably best to look at other options if you're an Android user. After all, you'll need a compatible iPhone to set up the wearable and get the most out of it. For Apple users who are after something a little simpler than the flagship model, the Apple Watch SE has also dropped to a record low price ($169) for Black Friday. We gave the Apple Watch Series 10 a score of 90 in our review. Apple redesigned the smartwatch to offer a larger screen and thinner frame, both of which were plus points in our book. The wide-angle OLED panel offers better viewing angles. The wearable has in-depth fitness and health tracking too, with new functions including sleep apnea detection. We found that there was a slight increase in battery life thanks to efficiency improvements, but some alternative smartwatches run for much longer on a single charge. Overall, this is a somewhat iterative update compared with the Series 9 and 8, but if you're upgrading from an older Apple Watch (or buying one for the first time), you may find the features, performance and charging speed to be impressive. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-10-is-70-off-during-amazons-black-friday-sale-180028994.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-23 17:07:41
Apple Black Friday deals: The M4 Mac mini drops to a record low of $500
Apple's new Mac mini hasn’t been available for that long yet, but you can already grab it at a discount. The M4-powered Mac mini has dropped to an all-time low of $500 thanks to a discount and an additional, clippable coupon that will bring the final price down to $500. That’s a total of $100 of savings off the original price. The 2024 Mac Mini is available with an M4 or M4 Pro chip, both of which give the desktop computer a real boost from its previous version. We gave the upgrade a 90 in our review, in part due to the Pro's perks (which we'll get into later), but also general features like the base level being 16GB of RAM. This generation also offers front USB-C and headphone ports, as well as a design that's less than half the size of its predecessor. The Mac Mini with M4 chip should be plenty of power for all your basic tasks. But, if you need a bigger boost, then check out Mac Mini with an M4 Pro chip. It's currently on sale for $1,349, down from $1,399. This deal is available on the model with 24GB of unified memory and 512GB of SSD storage. It's remarkably fast and offers Thunderbolt 5 support, rather than the M4's Thunderbolt 4. Thunderbolt 5 can triple data transfer speeds to 120GB/s, up from 40GB/s. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-the-m4-mac-mini-drops-to-a-record-low-of-500-144307243.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-23 15:29:02
Loop Switch 2 review: Easily adjustable earplugs that are great for concerts
There are numerous options for concert earplugs nowadays, so you don’t have to settle for the bargain bin foam bits that completely seal off your ears anymore. The PPE-grade products vary in design and performance, with some offering different levels of noise reduction. That hearing protection always comes with the promise that the earplugs won’t completely muffle the band, which is a real problem when you have to settle for the generic foam versions from the bartender. Loop has been in the concert earplug game since its founding in 2016. In that time, its product roster has grown to encompass nine different models, including dedicated options for sleep, travel, commuting and social events in addition to concerts, festivals and sporting events. The Switch 2 ($59.95) is Loop’s latest, an improved version of the original Switch that debuted the ability to change sound filter levels while the earplugs were still in your ears. To put the audio quality to the test, I took them to a 100dB rock show in a small venue last month. Loop has maintained mostly the same design from its first model. There’s a silicone ear tip, similar to those on wireless earbuds, that’s attached to a circular loop where all the protective bits reside. In the case of the Switch 2, the outer half of that loop rotates to allow you to select between three levels of sound filtration: Engage, Experience and Quiet. These settings reduce noise by 20dB, 23dB and 26dB respectively, and you don’t have to take them out to make the adjustment. The company recommends Engage for social gatherings and conversations while Experience works best for concerts and sporting events. Quiet’s maximum noise reduction is meant for commutes and downtime, which also makes them a solid option for travel. For the Switch 2, Loop says it redesigned that dial for “smoother” changes while you’re wearing them. I never tried the previous model, but I can tell you this new version allows you to rotate between modes with ease. I never felt like I had to press the earplugs further into my ear to make the change, and the dial stopped at each setting with a satisfying click that I could feel even when the venue was too loud for me to hear it. True to Loop’s advice, I found the Experience setting was the best for the live show. My Apple Watch detected that the venue hit 100dB, a level at which the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) says you should only be exposed to for 15 minutes to avoid hearing damage. Obviously, with five bands on the bill for the evening, I was going to spend significantly more time in a dangerously loud environment. So, the 23dB reduction at this setting brought the noise level down to a much safer number for the roughly two hours I was there. Since a set of earplugs is so tiny, I was able to easily carry both the Switch 2 and the Sennheiser SoundProtex Plus to the show for a direct comparison. During both the brutal hardcore of Ends of Sanity and the chaotic metal of Dying Wish, I could consistently hear more details with the Switch 2. This was most apparent in the guitars, where Loop’s option let in more high-frequency sound, allowing me to enjoy all the riffs both bands had to offer. I like the fit of SoundProtex Plus, but the filtered sound is more bass heavy and tends to favor the drums, so it loses some fidelity compared to the Switch 2. Billy Steele for Engadget The Switch 2 comes with four sizes of ear tips to help you find the best fit, and there’s a hard plastic case that’s easy to find when you drop it in a bag. Again, this is very compact (about the size of a quarter), so I just carry them with me all the time so I don’t have to worry about forgetting them before I head out to another concert. The SoundProtex Plus, however, comes with three separate ear plugs in three different sizes. That pack also includes four sound filters, with options for 10dB, 17dB, 20dB and “full” noise reduction. The big problem with Sennheiser's version is that you can’t swap the filters without removing them from your ears. It’s a quick process, but the filters are tiny, so it’s not something you want to fiddle with mid-set in a crowded club. Plus, you’ll have to remember to pack those in the tiny pouch the company gives you before you leave home. The SoundProtex Plus is now a much more attractive option at $50, which is $30 less than they were when I reviewed them. But, as I mentioned, I think the Switch 2 offers better sound filtration and ease of use for just $10 more. I have close friends and former bandmates who’ve used Loop earplugs for years and they noted the secure fit of the ear tips in the company’s products as a key selling point. Some of the competition tends to work itself loose after a few minutes, they said, requiring constant adjustment. For the Switch 2, the company revised those parts for better noise reduction in the maximum or Quiet mode, and they still stay in place as long as you need them to. The only time I ever reached for the earplugs during the show was to adjust the filter setting for testing purposes. I’ve been toting the SoundProtex Plus around with me since I started testing them last year, and they’ve served me well. However, the Switch 2 lets more detail through, which means you can hear more of what the band has to offer during the show. Plus, Loop’s latest model offers more noise protection at each level, with even the lowest setting bringing a 100dB venue down to something that’s safer to stand in. And like the Sennheiser package, the Switch 2 is certified as hearing protection after thorough testing, meeting both EU and US safety standards.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/loop-switch-2-review-easily-adjustable-earplugs-that-are-great-for-concerts-150002181.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-23 15:00:02
Black Friday deals include a $70 discount on the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer
A version of one of our favorite air fryer toaster ovens is on sale for one of the best prices we've seen. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, which has 11 cooking functions and takes up less counter space than the pricier “Pro” model, is available for $70 off. The appliance will usually set you back $350, but this Black Friday deal brings the brushed stainless steel mode down to $280. The Pro model, the one we tested for our air fryer buying guide, is also on sale for $300, or $100 off. Breville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer has a long list of cooking functions: toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, air fry, reheat, cookies and slow cook. The oven uses five quartz heating elements known for quick and consistent heating. It uses algorithms to direct heat to where it’s needed most for each mode. The oven uses “super convection” tech to reduce cooking time by up to 30 percent. It speeds up cooking by raising hotter air and sinking the cooler, less dense air. It supports a wide temperature range of 120 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The appliance requires a decent amount of counter space: 18.9-inch wide x 15.9-inch deep x 10.9-inch high. But in return, you can squeeze in six slices of pizza or toast, a whole chicken or nine muffins. Breville’s oven has a smooth-looking brushed stainless steel texture, including snazzy-looking knobs and buttons and an interior light that automatically turns on at the cooking cycle’s end. (You can also flip it on manually.) Breville makes some of our favorite cooking gear, from air fryers to immersion blenders to coffee machines, but their devices are on the high end of the price spectrum. Black Friday typically brings decent sales on all things kitchen tech, and we're seeing some good ones on other Breville gear right now, like the Creatista Plus Nespresso coffee machine for $405. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-include-a-70-discount-on-the-breville-smart-oven-air-fryer-130032726.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-23 14:57:08
LinkedIn is killing the standalone live audio feature you probably forgot about
Remember in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when live audio was suddenly everywhere? The trend was made popular by the briefly viral phenomenon Clubhouse before seemingly every other online platform copied the feature for themselves. Since then, live audio has become mostly a footnote to a weird time when we were all stuck at home at the same time with nothing to do and listening to hours-long streams of strangers talking to each other passed as entertainment. Now LinkedIn, which was somewhat late to the live audio party in 2022, has opted to get rid of its standalone live audio events. In an update, the company says it will no longer support native audio events beginning next month. Users will stop being able to create new events as of December 2, and previously scheduled events will no longer work after December 31. Instead, the company is “bringing together” audio events with its live-streaming feature, LinkedIn Live. LinkedIn Live, however, requires creators to use third-party tools to set up streams. So while audio-only streams will still be able to exist on LinkedIn, they will take a few extra steps. LinkedIn isn’t the only company to change course on live audio. Reddit, Facebook, Spotify and Amazon have all shuttered their pandemic-era live audio products.Even Clubhouse (which, yes, still exists) pivoted away from the format last year. The feature is, however going strong on X despite a few high-profile technical issues.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/linkedin-is-killing-the-standalone-live-audio-feature-you-probably-forgot-about-232705727.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-22 23:27:06
Anthropic will use AWS AI chips after $4 billion Amazon investment
Amazon is doubling its investment in Anthropic. The e-commerce giant will provide Anthropic with an additional $4 billion in funding on top of the $4 billion it committed last year. Although Amazon remains a minority investor, Anthropic has agreed to make Amazon Web Services (AWS) its “primary cloud and training partner.” Before today’s announcement, The Information had reported that Amazon wanted to make any additional funding contingent on a commitment from Anthropic to use the company’s in-house AI chips instead of silicon from NVIDIA. It appears Amazon got its way, with both companies noting in separate press releases that Anthropic will use AWS Trainium and Inferentia chips to train future foundation models. Additionally, Anthropic says it will collaborate with Amazon’s Annapurna Labs to develop future Trainium accelerators. “Through deep technical collaboration, we’re writing low-level kernels that allow us to directly interface with the Trainium silicon, and contributing to the AWS Neuron software stack to strengthen Trainium,” the company said. “Our engineers work closely with Annapurna’s chip design team to extract maximum computational efficiency from the hardware, which we plan to leverage to train our most advanced foundation models.” According to another recent report, Anthropic expects to burn through more than $2.7 billion before the end. Before today, the company had raised $9.7 billion. Either way, it’s bought itself some much-needed runway as it looks to compete against OpenAI and other companies in the AI space.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-will-use-aws-ai-chips-after-4-billion-amazon-investment-222053145.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-22 22:20:53
Apple Black Friday deals discount the 9th-gen iPad to a record low of $200
The 9th-gen iPad has fallen to $200 for Black Friday. Considering the regular price for this model was $330 at its peak, this is a great discount. This is a tablet Apple first released back in 2021, so it’s getting a bit long in the tooth. The 10th-gen iPad is Apple’s official “budget” tablet, as the 9th-gen will ultimately be phased out. But it’s still a fantastic machine, particularly for the price, particularly if you’re dead-set on getting an iPad but have little to spend. This is a relatively ancient tablet with an equally ancient A13 Bionic chip. This isn’t the best iPad to buy for those looking for raw power. However, it’s the perfect tablet for those who want a media consumption machine on the cheap. Netflix in bed? Sign me up. This sale is for the 64GB model and doesn’t apply to the 256GB version. The 9th-gen tablet is being discontinued, so it’s highly likely this is the last chance to pick one up at this price. Once the stock is gone, it’s all over. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-discount-the-9th-gen-ipad-to-a-record-low-of-200-161404354.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-22 20:50:35
UK watchdog says Apple’s rules restrict iOS browser competition
The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has “provisionally concluded” that Apple’s restrictive mobile browser policies limit innovation. After an independent inquiry group shared its findings on browser competition on iOS and Android, the governing body’s board plans to conduct an in-depth assessment of how Apple and Google constrict third-party browsers on their platforms. However, Apple — with its more closed ecosystem — appears to have borne the brunt of the CMA’s concern. The CMA’s investigation is based on the premise that Apple and Google have an effective duopoly on mobile platforms, allowing them to set the rules of how mobile browsers work. The board says third-party browser developers have complained that they’re constricted by rules like Apple’s requirement to use the company’s WebKit browser engine. “The group has provisionally found that Apple’s rules restrict other competitors from being able to deliver new, innovative features that could benefit consumers,” the CMA wrote. “Other browser providers have highlighted concerns that they have been unable to offer a full range of browser features, such as faster webpage loading on iPhone.” The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC), which passed earlier this year, will give the UK body extra ammunition to carry out its next steps. The UK’s equivalent of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) can designate big tech companies as having “Strategic Market Status” with “substantial and entrenched market power” and “a position of strategic significance.” Much like the EU’s version, the law gives the UK some teeth to negotiate and force concessions from Big Tech behemoths that, at least in the US, often seem untouchable: The DMCC will empower the UK board to fine infringing companies up to 10 percent of their global revenue. The CMA’s summary of Apple’s hearing reveals the iPhone maker argued that it restricts browser engines to “ensure users get the best security, privacy, and performance on iOS devices” — a familiar argument to those who’ve followed Apple’s previous competition trials. Apple claimed healthy competition exists, due to the presence of third-party browsers with features like ad-blocking, VPNs and AI. The company also said it routinely considers developer feedback and hadn’t heard any fuss over its current browser rules. Contradicting that, the CMA said other browser providers have highlighted features they can’t implement on iOS, like faster webpage loading. “Many smaller UK app developers also told us that they would like to use progressive web apps — an alternative way for businesses to provide apps to mobile users without downloading apps through an app store — but this technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices,” the board wrote. The CMA also said that how browser choices are presented to users lets Apple and Google “manipulate these choices to make their own browsers the clearest or easiest option.” In addition, it pointed out a revenue-sharing agreement between the two companies that “significantly reduces their financial incentives to compete in mobile browsers on iOS.” The board’s next step is a period of open comments on its findings, which will end on December 13. After its investigation, the CMA expects to make its final ruling in March 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/uk-watchdog-says-apples-rules-restrict-ios-browser-competition-201106359.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-22 20:11:07
GTA III and Vice City are leaving Netflix's mobile games catalog next month
Two Grand Theft Auto titles that helped Netflix's games division pick up steam are leaving the service next month. Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City won't be available through Netflix's library of mobile games after December 13. The Netflix app lists that as the "last day to play" both games. There's no such deadline on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas listing, indicating that subscribers can still enjoy CJ's story at no extra cost. "Just like with series and film, games will be removed from Netflix as licenses expire," a Netflix spokesperson said, according to GameSpot. "Players will notice a 'Leaving Soon' badge and be notified by the app itself well in advance of removal." Netflix is removing those two games exactly a year after adding them and San Andreas to its library, indicating that it had an initial 12-month agreement with publisher Rockstar. Earlier this year, Netflix said that the GTA trio had boosted game engagement at the end of 2023. Some people even signed up just to play them, the company claimed. However, Netflix recently scaled back its gaming ambitions to a degree by closing a studio that had some notable developers who were working on a AAA title. You can still play the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (what a mouthful!) versions of GTA III and Vice City on iOS and Android after December 13, but you'll need to buy them from the respective app stores. If you're looking for other games to play with your Netflix subscription, don't worry, we've got you covered with our picks. Or just Poinpy and thank me later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/gta-iii-and-vice-city-are-leaving-netflixs-mobile-games-catalog-next-month-193106378.html?src=rss
Published: 2024-11-22 19:31:06
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