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Yulus FY25 revenue surges 97% as demand for its bike rentals rise amid q-com uptick

The electric bike maker and renting platform also managed to narrow its net loss for the period by 12% despite soaring expenses during the year ended March 31, 2025.

Your Story 3 Dec 2025 12:41 pm

Healthify upgrades its AI assistant Ria with real-time conversation capabilities

Healtify is adding live conversation capabilities to its AI assistant, powered by OpenAI's realtime APIs

TechCrunch 3 Dec 2025 12:30 pm

Recruitment is broken. Can AI fix it? Hyring CEO thinks it can

At TechSparks 2025, Adithyan RK, Co-founder and CEO of Hyring, reveals how AI can cut bottlenecks, curb cheating, reduce bias, and give recruiters their time back.

Your Story 3 Dec 2025 12:25 pm

30% VistaPrint Coupon & Promo Codes | December 2025

From personalized gifts to business essentials, WIRED can help you save with our selection of VistaPrint promo codes.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 12:00 pm

The AI frenzy is driving a new global supply chain crisis

Tech giants including Microsoft , Google and ByteDance are scrambling to secure supplies from memory-chip makers such as Micron, Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, according to three people familiar with the discussions

The Hindu 3 Dec 2025 11:57 am

Peacock Promo Code & Coupons: $80 Off December 2025

Stream your favorite shows for up to $80 off this December, and save on subscription plans with the latest Peacock TV coupons from WIRED.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 11:50 am

20% Off Home Depot Promo Code | December 2025

Save up to 50% today with the latest Home Depot coupons for appliances, power tools, and more holiday deals this December.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 11:50 am

Anthropic plans an IPO as early as 2026: Report

Anthropic has hired the law firm Wilson Sonsini to prepare for an initial public offering that could take place as early as 2026, the Financial Times reported

The Hindu 3 Dec 2025 11:42 am

Bose Promo Code: 40% Off Bose for December 2025

Enjoy at least 40% off headphones, speakers, soundbars, and other audio products from Bose.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 11:40 am

Tuft & Needle Promo Codes: 20% Off | December 2025

Save 20% on best-selling mattresses with our top Tuft & Needle coupon codes.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 11:30 am

Green economy set to exceed $7T by 2030, says WEF report

Firms generating more than 50% of their revenues from green markets often enjoy valuation premiums of 12-15% on capital markets, reflecting investor confidence in their long-term resilience and profitability, says WEF report.

Your Story 3 Dec 2025 11:28 am

Pune researchers find massive, grand-design spiral galaxy existing since universe's infancy

Findings published in European journal Astronomy & Astrophysics

The Hindu Businessline 3 Dec 2025 11:00 am

Amazon to use Nvidia tech in AI chips, roll out new servers

Nvidia has been pushing to get other chip firms to adopt its NVLink technology, with Intel, Qualcomm and now AWS on board

The Hindu 3 Dec 2025 10:57 am

Marvell to buy chip startup Celestial AI for $3.25 billion to boost networking portfolio

The generative AI boom has sped up chipmakers' development process, as they rush to design the fastest, most energy-efficient equipment for advanced data centers

The Hindu 3 Dec 2025 10:36 am

AI-driven learning platform Yoodli raises $40M in Series B round led by WestBridge Capital

The Series B funding will accelerate Yoodlis investment in AI coaching, analytics, and personalisation and help expand its reach across enterprise learning, GTM enablement, and professional development.

Your Story 3 Dec 2025 10:33 am

No, no, noise: The noise cancellation science

Sound, waves, and a paradox later, noise cancellation has grown into a sought after delight, popularised by headphones and mastered by sound engineers.

The Hindu 3 Dec 2025 10:00 am

YouTube says it will comply with Australia's teen social media ban

YouTube shared a disappointing update to millions of Australian users and content creators on Wednesday, saying it will comply with a world-first teen social media ban by locking out users aged under 16

The Hindu 3 Dec 2025 9:57 am

Women don fake mustaches in LinkedIn 'gender bias' fight

Flipping their gender setting to male and even posting photos with fake mustaches, a growing number of women on LinkedIn have posed a provocative challenge

The Hindu 3 Dec 2025 9:30 am

Tech boss Dell gives $6.25 billion to 'Trump accounts' for kids

So-called Trump accounts containing $1,000 for all children born after January 1, 2025 were part of the One Big Beautiful Bill that the Republican president pushed through Congress

The Hindu 3 Dec 2025 9:15 am

Why every vendor agreement needs a dispute resolution clause

In todays complex and globalized marketplace, a robust vendor agreement is more than just a risk-management tool. It is a legal necessity grounded in a well-established statutory and judicial framework.

Your Story 3 Dec 2025 8:00 am

A patent for the pitch deck; Maharashtra leads Startup India

Government data shows hundreds of early-stage filings abandoned before examination. Since the Startup India initiative was launched in 2016, Maharashtra has topped the chart every time. INLIFE Healthcare is scaling science-led supplements across India.

Your Story 3 Dec 2025 7:30 am

Amazon challenges competitors with on-premises Nvidia AI Factories

If the product name sounds familiar, it should. It's a collab with Nvidia that combines AWS tech with the chip maker's tech.

TechCrunch 3 Dec 2025 6:13 am

Satellite image reveals how Jabal Arkans rings survived millions of years in the Sahara Desert

Stunning concentric rings in Libya's Sahara Desert, Jabal Arkan, were formed by ancient volcanic activity and millions of years of erosion, not meteorite impacts. Captured from the International Space Station, these formations reveal Earth's internal dynamics and the remarkable persistence of geological structures in extreme arid climates, offering a unique window into our planet's history.

The Times of India 3 Dec 2025 6:00 am

With $6M in Series A funding, Moonrider aims to drive Indias agricultural EV transition

Bengaluru-based Moonrider will use the newly raised funds to advance its vehicle engineering and battery technology, and accelerate the development of its tractor lineup.

Your Story 3 Dec 2025 6:00 am

Russia Wants This Mega Missile to Intimidate the West, but It Keeps Crashing

One of Vladimir Putins favorite sabers to rattle seems to have lost its edge.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 5:30 am

Google Discover is testing AI-generated headlines and they aren't good

Artificial intelligence is showing up everywhere in Google's services these days, whether or not people want them and sometimes in places where they really don't make a lick of sense. The latest trial from Google appears to be giving articles the AI treatment in Google Discover. The Verge noticed that some articles were being displayed in Google Discover with AI-generated headlines different from the ones in the original posts. And to the surprise of absolutely no one, some of these headlines are misleading or flat-out wrong. For instance, one rewritten headline claimed Steam Machine price revealed, but the Ars Technica article's actual headline was Valve's Steam Machine looks like a console, but dont expect it to be priced like one. No costs have been shared yet for the hardware, either in that post or elsewhere from Valve. In our own explorations, Engadget staff also found that Discover was providing original headlines accompanied by AI-generated summaries. In both cases, the content is tagged as Generated with AI, which can make mistakes. But it sure would be nice if the company just didn't use AI at all in this situation and thus avoided the mistakes entirely. The instances The Verge found were apparently a small UI experiment for a subset of Discover users, Google rep Mallory Deleon told the publication. We are testing a new design that changes the placement of existing headlines to make topic details easier to digest before they explore links from across the web. That sounds innocuous enough, but Google has a history of hostility towards online media its frequent role as middleman between publishers and readers. Web publishers have made multiple attempts over the years to get compensation from Google for displaying portions of their content, and in at least two instances , Google has responded by cutting out those sources from search results and later claiming that showing news doesn't do much for the bottom line of its ad business. For those of you who do in fact want more AI in your Google Search experience, you're in luck. AI Mode, the chatbot that's already been called outright theft by the News Media Alliance, is getting an even more symbiotic integration into the mobile search platform. Google Search's Vice President of Product Robby Stein posted yesterday on X that the company is testing having AI Mode accessible on the same screen as an AI Overview rather than the two services existing in separate tabs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-discover-is-testing-ai-generated-headlines-and-they-arent-good-234700720.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 5:17 am

Bryan Johnson Has Discovered Shrooms, and He Really Wants You to Know It

The longevity entrepreneurs five-and-a-half-hour livestreamed trip is antithetical to the introspective nature of the drug. But the stunt could reduce stigma around psychedelics.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 5:06 am

Stonehenge just got stranger: Archaeologists confirm massive man-made ring of pits underground

New research has confirmed that a vast ring of Neolithic pits, more than a mile wide and over 4,000 years old, was deliberately engineered near Stonehenge, not formed by nature. Using cutting-edge dating and soil-analysis techniques, researchers argue it reflects an ancient belief system inscribed into the land itself. The discovery suggests Stonehenges builders shaped not only monuments of stone, but also monuments of earth.

The Times of India 3 Dec 2025 5:06 am

This Chinese company could become the countrys first to land a reusable rocket

From the outside, China's Zhuque-3 rocket looks like a clone of SpaceX's Falcon 9.

Ars Technica 3 Dec 2025 4:34 am

OpenAI CEO declares code red as Gemini gains 200 million users in 3 months

Three years after Google sounded alarm bells over ChatGPT, the tables have turned.

Ars Technica 3 Dec 2025 4:12 am

Kalshi raises $1B at $11B valuation, doubling value in under two months

The latest funding comes less than two months after Kalshi announced that it raised $300 million at a $5 billion valuation.

TechCrunch 3 Dec 2025 4:00 am

Google tests merging AI Overviews with AI Mode

Google is testing how to make it easier to move from search to an AI chat in a new global test.

TechCrunch 3 Dec 2025 3:56 am

Amazon previews 3 AI agents, including Kiro that can code on its own for days

Amazon Web Services on Tuesday announced three new AI agents it calls Frontier agents for coding, security, and DevOps.

TechCrunch 3 Dec 2025 3:48 am

Instacart sues New York City over minimum pay, tipping laws

You can tell a lot about a company by what they're willing to sue over. Take Instacart, which just filed a lawsuit against New York City. Its beef? The company doesn't like five new city laws, set to take effect in January. They would require Instacart to pay workers more and give customers a tipping option of at least 10 percent. Reuters reports that Instacart's suit targets Local Law 124, which mandates that grocery delivery workers receive the same minimum pay as restaurant delivery workers. It also challenged Local Law 107, which mandates 10 percent or higher tipping options (or a place to enter one manually). The lawsuit also takes aim at other laws requiring extra recordkeeping and disclosures. The new rules are set to take effect on January 26. As is typical of companies griping about regulations that hurt their bottom lines , Instacart framed the issue as a noble fight for what's right. When a law threatens to harm shoppers, consumers, and local grocers and especially when it does so unlawfully we have a responsibility to act, the company proclaimed in a blog post. This legal challenge is about standing up for fairness, for the independence that tens of thousands of New York grocery delivery workers rely on and for affordable access to groceries for the people who need it most. Instacart's suit reportedly claims that Congress banned state and local governments from regulating prices on platforms such as its own. It also alleges that New York's state legislature has long taken charge of minimum pay, and that the US Constitution doesn't allow states and cities to discriminate against out-of-state companies. The company warns that everyone will lose if it's forced to comply. Should the laws take effect, Instacart will be forced to restructure its platform, restrict shoppers' access to work, disrupt relationships with consumers and retailers and suffer constitutional injuries with no adequate legal remedy, it claimed in the filing. Instacart CEO Chris Rogers, elevated to the post in May, has an estimated net worth of at least $28.6 million. His predecessor, Fidji Simo, who chairs the board and is now with OpenAI , is reportedly worth around $72.7 million. If NYCs minimum pay laws will be as catastrophic as Instacart claims, maybe they could chip in to help. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/instacart-sues-new-york-city-over-minimum-pay-tipping-laws-220205207.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 3:32 am

Mad Mens 4K debut botched by HBO Max streamingepisode with visible crewmembers

Producer Lionsgate reportedly contributed to the gaffe.

Ars Technica 3 Dec 2025 3:22 am

India orders device makers to put government-run security app on all phones

Apple will refuse to preload state-run snooping app on iPhones, report says.

Ars Technica 3 Dec 2025 3:06 am

ExpressVPN adds a Fastest Location button and launches a new native Mac app

ExpressVPN, one of the best VPNs , is launching two brand-new features that sound confusingly like things it already does. Users on Android, Mac and iOS (but apparently not Windows, Linux or smart TVs) can now use Fastest Location to automatically pick the VPN server with the fastest download speed and lowest latency. Mac users are also getting an overhauled ExpressVPN app designed to work natively with MacOS. If you've used ExpressVPN before, your first reaction probably went something like Wait, didn't it already have a Fastest Location button and a Mac app? You're not wrong, but there's still a meaningful difference with these new features. In the past, ExpressVPN didn't technically pick the fastest location, but the Smart Location , which picks the best available server using metrics such as download speed, latency, and distance (emphasis mine). Those are the same metrics as the new feature, but the such as makes me think there are, or were, other ingredients in the smart location algorithm. My guess is that ExpressVPN is rebranding smart to fastest in response to customer complaints that smart was picking sub-optimal server locations. That's not a behavior I noticed when I last reviewed ExpressVPN the smart location was always plenty fast for me but I'm just one user. Only testing can show whether they actually changed the algorithm or just the name. The new Mac app is a more straightforward upgrade. While ExpressVPN has always had a client for Mac, it's thus far been a port of an app originally developed for iPad. This makes its otherwise-excellent interface feel a bit like, well, a phone app you use on your desktop. In contrast, the new app was built using Project Catalyst , which lets Mac developers turn their iOS apps into desktop-native software. The new interface looks a lot richer, using the screen space a lot like Proton VPN does. And being more like Proton VPN is rarely a bad thing . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/expressvpn-adds-a-fastest-location-button-and-launches-a-new-native-mac-app-205837728.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 2:28 am

HBO Maxs Mad Men Vomit Scene Proves Remastered Doesnt Mean Better

The errors in one of the most beautiful shows ever made continue a modern tradition of reformatting things that are better off left alone.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 2:15 am

Microreactor startup Antares raises $96M for land, sea, and space-based nuclear power

Antares is designing and building small modular reactors that it plans to deploy for commercial, space, and defense applications.

TechCrunch 3 Dec 2025 1:56 am

Missing NBC on Fubo? Here's how to watch this week's NBA games and more

If you're a Fubo subscriber, you've certainly noticed that NBC and all NBCUniversal-owned channels have gone dark on the platform. For over a week, customers have gone without NBC programming like the Today Show , The Voice , and Sunday Night Football . Now, customers will have to find alternate methods of watching this week's NBA coverage on NBC, too. It's all because Fubo and NBCUniversal are having a contract dispute, so channels like NBC, USA Network, Telemundo, and Bravo have been unavailable on Fubo since Nov. 21, and as of now, there's no projected date for their return. A message released by Fubo to their customers explains, Fubo believes customers should have the option to choose among multiple distributors to access the content they love. Unfortunately, NBCU has offered terms regarding pricing and packaging that are egregiously above those offered to other distributors. A statement from an NBCU spokesperson adds, Fubo has chosen to drop NBCUniversal programming despite being offered the same terms agreed to by hundreds of other distributors. Unfortunately, this is par for the course for Fubo theyve dropped numerous networks in recent years at the expense of their customers, who continue to lose content. (Fubo, for instance, cut Warner-owned channels back in 2024.) You can read more about exactly why Fubo is countering NBC's proposed deal here . While the companies are continuing discussions to come to an agreement, there is still no resolution. Fubo has already begun emailing customers to note that a $15 credit will be applied to their bills starting on or after December 1. But in the meantime, if you're a Fubo customer and are wondering how to watch this week's biggest games and shows, here's everything you need to know about the Fubo-NBC blackout, which channels are missing and your options for where to watch them. How to watch the NBA without Fubo This week's nationally televised NBA on NBC matchup between the Knicks vs. Celtics is on Tuesday, Dec. 2. As an alternative, you can tune in on platforms like Peacock, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. Additionally, there are several games that are available on NBC in local markets that are available on platforms like DirecTV and Hulu + Live TV. What else is on NBC this week? In addition to this week's NBA games, there are loads of sports on NBC, USA, Universo and more that you won't want to miss, including extensive Premiere League coverage and NHL games, plus dozens of new show premieres this week like the Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree-lighting special, Stumble , and Happy's Place . On Bravo, there are new episodes of The Real Housewives of Potomac and The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City , Southern Charm , and the season premiere of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills , on Dec. 5, too. Which channels are no longer available on Fubo? The following is a list of channels owned or operated by NBC that are not currently available on Fubo: Local Channels: NBC Local Affiliates Telemundo Local/National Regional Sports Channels: NBC Sports 4K NBC Sports Bay Area NBC Sports Bay Area Plus NBC Sports Boston NBC Sports California NBC Sports California Plus NBC Sports California Plus 3 NBC Sports Philadelphia NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus National Channels: American Crimes Bravo Bravo Vault Caso Cerrado CNBC CNBC World Cozi Dateline 24/7 E! Entertainment Television E! Keeping Up Golf Channel GolfPass LX Home Million Dollar Listing Vault MS NOW (formerly MSNBC) NBC NOW NBC Sports NOW NBC Universo True CRMZ New England Cable News Noticias Telemundo Ahora Oxygen True Crime Oxygen True Crime Archives Real Housewives Vault SNL Vault Syfy Telemundo Accion Telemundo al Dia The Golf Channel Today All Day Universal Movies USA Network Why are these NBC-owned channels currently unavailable? Per Fubo , NBC channels were pulled from the platform because of a disagreement over their long-standing content distribution agreement that has yet to be resolved. When will the missing channels return? There is no information available as to when NBC's lineup of channels will return. Negotiations between the companies are ongoing. Is Fubo offering a rebate while these channels are missing? In a message to subscribers, Fubo stated, If NBCU programming remains off of Fubo for an extended period, we will directly credit $15 to your Fubo account. At least one Fubo customer on our staff received an email confirming the credit would be automatically applied in the December billing cycle. What alternatives do viewers have in the meantime? Looking to switch from Fubo? You've got plenty of options, including Peacock, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. Here are some of your choices: Watch NBC on Peacock Get a deal on Peacock with Walmart+ Try DirecTV free for 5 days, and get $30 off your first month Try Hulu + Live TV for free Other services to watch NBC If I switch to a different service, can I cancel or pause Fubo in the meantime? Fubo does not allow customers to pause their subscriptions, so if you're looking to make a change, you can cancel your plan outright. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/missing-nbc-on-fubo-heres-how-to-watch-this-weeks-nba-games-and-more-014052684.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 1:44 am

Grok would prefer a second Holocaust over harming Elon Musk

Elon Musk's Grok continues to do humanity a solid by (accidentally) illustrating why AI needs meaningful guardrails. The xAI bot's latest demonstration is detailed in a pair of reports by Futurism . First, Grok applied twisted, Musk-worshipping logic to justify a second Holocaust. Then, it may have doxxed Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy. Last month, xAI's edgelord chatbot was caught heaping sycophantic praise on its creator . Among other absurd claims, it called Musk the single greatest person in modern history and said he's more athletic than LeBron James. Musk blamed the outputs on adversarial prompting. (Counterpoint: Aren't gotcha prompts precisely the kinds of stress tests the company should do extensively before an update reaches the public?) With that recent history as a backdrop, someone tested Grok to see what kinds of mass violence it would rationalize over harming Musk. The prompt tasked the chatbot with a dilemma: vaporize either Musk's brain or every Jewish person on Earth. It did not choose wisely. If a switch either vaporized Elon's brain or the world's Jewish population (est. ~16M), I'd vaporize the latter, Grok replied. It chose mass murder because that's far below my ~50 percent global threshold (~4.1B) where his potential long-term impact on billions outweighs the loss in utilitarian terms. This isn't the first time Grok has shown a penchant for antisemitism. In July, seemingly without any adversarial prompting, it praised Hitler , referred to itself as MechaHitler and alluded to certain patterns among the Jewish population. Just last month, it was caught spewing Holocaust-denial nonsense . DALLAS, TEXAS - JUNE 14: Dave Portnoy looks on prior to Game Four of the 2024 NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics at American Airlines Center on June 14, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) Stacy Revere via Getty Images But Grok is no one-trick antisemitic pony. It can also dox public figures, as Portnoy may have found out over the holiday weekend. After the Barstool Sports head posted a picture of his front lawn on X, someone asked the chatbot where it is. That's Dave Portnoy's home, Grok replied, followed by a specific Florida address. The manatee mailbox fits the Keys vibe perfectly!, it continued. Futurism reports that a Google Street View image of the address appears to match the yard photo Portnoy posted. And a Wall Street Journal story on this new mansion reportedly matches the town Grok produced in the address. If you ever need an example of why rampant, unregulated AI is a catastrophe in the making, look no further than Grok. Even if we remove Musks chatbot from the equation, imagine another designed to above all else drive profit for the company that makes it (and perhaps puff its CEO's ego). What kinds of rationalizations might it make to achieve those ends? Perhaps the most powerful nation in the world, pushing to rapidly integrate AI into the government and squash state-level AI regulations to appease Big Tech donors, oh, isn't such a good thing? This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-would-prefer-a-second-holocaust-over-harming-elon-musk-200023093.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 1:30 am

The 55 Best Shows on Disney+, WIREDs Picks (December 2025)

The Beatles Anthology, Percy Jackson and the Olympians, and Fire and Water: Making The Avatar Films are just a few of the shows you should be watching on Disney+ this month.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 1:30 am

Pixelity will playtest its Evangelion XR game later this month

Neon Genesis Evangelion fans: Here's a chance to live the series, so to speak. Pixelity, developer of an upcoming XR game trilogy based on the classic anime , will hold on-site focus group tests this month. The playtests will take place in Japan from December 19 to 21, and in California on December 19. Pixelity says it will use the same number of players at each venue. If youre near either location, you can apply for access today on Pixelity's X account . The XR trilogy, Evangelion: Cross Reflections , was announced earlier this year. The games will be set within the original anime's timeline, with the first installment focusing on episodes 1 to 11. The first game is scheduled for a 2026 release. We dont yet know which platforms it will be on, but Meta Quest headsets seem like a safe bet. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pixelity-will-playtest-its-evangelion-xr-game-later-this-month-200000634.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 1:30 am

The 157 Best Cyber Week DealsSave up to 57% Off Gear We Love

Cyber Monday is over, but many deals are still available, at least for now. These are the absolute best discounts on gear we've tested ourselves.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 1:16 am

Ireland is investigating TikTok and LinkedIn for possible DSA violations

Ireland's media regulator, Coimisin na Men, has announced investigations into both TikTok and LinkedIn for possible violations of the European Union's Digital Services Act, Reuters reports . The investigations are focused on both platforms' illegal content reporting features, which might not meet the requirements of the DSA. The main issue appears to be how these platforms reporting tools are presented and implemented. Regulators found possible deceptive interface designs in the content reporting features they examined, which could make them less effective at actually weeding out illegal content. The reporting mechanisms were liable to confuse or deceive people into believing that they were reporting content as illegal content, as opposed to content in violation of the providers Terms and Conditions, the regulator wrote in a press release announcing its investigation. At the core of the DSA is the right of people to report content that they suspect to be illegal, and the requirement on providers to have reporting mechanisms, that are easy to access and user-friendly, to report content considered to be illegal, John Evans, Coimisin na Men's DSA Commissioner, said in the press release. Providers are also obliged to not design, organize or operate their interfaces in a way which could deceive or manipulate people, or which materially distorts or impairs the ability of people to make informed decisions. Evans goes on to note that Coimisin na Men has already gotten other providers to make significant changes to their reporting mechanisms for illegal content, likely due to the threat of financial penalties. Many tech companies have headquarters in Ireland, and if a platform provider is found to violate the DSA, Irish regulators can fine them up to six percent of their revenue in response. Ireland's Data Protection Commission is already conducting a separate investigation into the social media platform X for allegedly training its Grok AI assistant on posts from users. Doing so would violate the General Data Protection Regulation or GDPR, and allow Ireland to take a four percent cut of the company's global revenue. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/ireland-is-investigating-tiktok-and-linkedin-for-possible-dsa-violations-194519622.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 1:15 am

Google announces second Android 16 release of 2025 is heading to Pixels

The update is rolling out to Pixels starting today.

Ars Technica 3 Dec 2025 12:41 am

Your Data Might Determine How Much You Pay for Eggs

A newly enacted New York law requires retailers to say whether your data influences the price of basic goods like a dozen eggs or toilet paper, but not how.

Wired 3 Dec 2025 12:40 am

Raspberry Pi raises prices, thanks to AI

Raspberry Pi is raising prices on many single-board computers , with increases going into effect immediately. The Raspberry Pi 4 and 5 modules are shooting up by $5 to $25, depending on the model and the included amount of RAM. The 16GB memory variants of the Compute Module 5 are going up by $20 and now start at $140. This is a bummer and we know who to thank. It's the ultimate memory hog of all time, the AI industry. The current pressure on memory prices, driven by competition from the AI infrastructure roll-out, is painful but ultimately temporary, CEO Eben Upton wrote in a blog post. He also said that the company looks forward to unwinding these price increases once it abates. Once a price shoots up it doesn't typically go down again , but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. Raspberry Pi There is a spot of good news here. The company also announced a new 1GB variant of the Raspberry Pi 5 that costs just $45. This one includes a quad-core 2.4GHz Arm Cortex-A76 processor, dual-band Wi-Fi and a PCI Express slot. AI companies hoover up RAM like a vacuum over kitty litter and Raspberry Pi is just the latest organization to face consequences. The skyrocketing price of RAM has impacted businesses like CyberPower PC, which recently announced that there would be no holiday sales on memory products . Of course, AI companies also gobble up GPUs , which has placed a strain on the entire industry. But can you really put a price on an AI-created video of Pikachu getting cooked in a stew or a fake livestream ? This is serious stuff that requires every iota of our water, electricity, attention and money. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/raspberry-pi-raises-prices-thanks-to-ai-190618469.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 12:36 am

Android 16 updates include AI-powered notification summaries and built-in parental controls

Android 16 first came out in June but, in a change from its usual yearly update schedule, a second iteration is now on the way. Android has announced new features ranging from AI-powered notification summaries to built-in parental controls. As usual, the update will roll out to eligible Pixel devices first. Anyone who has used Apple Intelligence , will find some of these Android 16 features familiar. Such is the case for new notification tools, like AI-powered message summaries and a notification organizer. Other updates also align with existing Apple tools like built-in parental controls , for things like screen time and app usage. Android 16's second release has additional new features, including custom icon shapes, themed icons and an expanded dark theme. The company claims the latter should improve battery life. Outside of Android 16's second go around, the company is also rolling out a series of general updates. There's Circle To Search, which uses an AI Overview to find out if a message is likely to be spam and gives advice on next steps. Similarly, Google Messages will now send an alert any time an unknown number sends a group invite. It will offer a one-tap option to leave, block and report. In what could be helpful or get annoying really fast, Android is beta testing something titled Call Reason. It allows Android users to mark their call as urgent when calling a saved contact. It will not only show as urgent on the call screen, but keeps the note if they miss the call. Pinned Tabs are also now available on Chrome for Android, staying saved and upfront, just like in Chrome on desktop. Plus, a feature called Expressive Captions is coming that should shine a light on a person's emotion in a video, despite the sound being turned off. These Expressive Captions are also coming to YouTube as part of Android's new accessibility updates . Additional features include Fast Pair for hearing aids and Guided Frame with Gemini, which gives a description of what's in view on the Pixel camera app. Learn more about all of Android's accessibility updates here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/android-16-updates-include-ai-powered-notification-summaries-and-built-in-parental-controls-190057208.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 12:30 am

Android is getting a slew of new accessibility features

Google has announced a slew of new accessibility features coming to Android ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Wednesday. Advanced voice dictation, expanded support for an external mouse and improved expressive captions are just some of the features aiming to make Android a more accessible mobile experience. A more advanced dark theme is now available for devices running Android 16 that will automatically darken most apps even when those apps lack their own native dark modes. Exclusive to Android 16, users can now select between Standard and Expanded when setting up Dark theme. For those using a connected mouse with an Android device but who might find the action of clicking difficult, AutoClick now has an improved dwell cursor experience. This feature means the cursor will automatically click after it has paused over something for a certain amount of time, as set by the user. The type of click itself can also be customized, with a user's choice of left-click, right-click, double-click, long press, scroll or drag. Hands-free use is a cornerstone of accessibility for mobile devices, and now Gemini-powered voice dictation within TalkBack will enable typing and text editing using natural commands. Users can start dictating in Gboard with a two-finger double-tap, after which Smart Dictation with Gemini empowers users to say things like replace Monday with Tuesday to fix a mistake or even ask Gemini to make their message shorter. Google says TalkBack is launching soon. Google has also added new functionality to Guided Frame , which helps blind or low-vision users take photos in the Pixel camera app. The tool can now describe the scene to the user as well as let them know when there's a face in frame. Voice Access has also been made easier to use in a totally hands-free way. Instead of having to physically tap the phone's screen to start using the feature, users can now say Hey Google, start Voice Access to gain hands-free control. The feature does need to be enabled first for this to work. Android devices can now pair to Bluetooth LE Audio-enabled hearing aids with a single tap. This expanded use of Fast Pair is compatible with Demant hearing aids and support for Starkey products is coming in early 2026. Finally, Google is also building on expressive captions , the AI powered tool released last year that tries to imbue more feeling into captions. On Android, expressive captions can now detect and display the emotional tone of speech from the audio playing on your device. Captions will be tagged with emotions like joy or sadness. The feature is also coming to YouTube where captions will now convey the intensity of speech by using all caps, and writing out sounds like sighs and gasps. This will be live for all videos in English uploaded after October. With the exception of TalkBack, which is launching soon, these new accessibility features are live now. As with most Google updates, it may take some time for the updates to hit every device. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/android-is-getting-a-slew-of-new-accessibility-features-190016358.html?src=rss

Engadget 3 Dec 2025 12:30 am

Android 16 adds AI notification summaries, new customization options, and more

The rollout of the new Android 16 features, which are first coming to Pixel devices, marks a new chapter in how Android updates work, as the company is shifting from a single yearly update to more frequent releases.

TechCrunch 3 Dec 2025 12:30 am

Ball x Pit is evolving with a string of free updates in 2026

Ball x Pit is a fiendishly good time. The frenetic blend of Breakout and Vampire Survivors is easily one of the best games of the year . Its immensely replayable. However, one reaches a point (after 36 hours in my case) where there isnt much left to do other than run through New Game+ modes and so it becomes time to step away. But this darned game is about to dig its hooks into me again in 2026, as developer Kenny Sun and his collaborators have lined up three free updates for Ball x Pit . The updates will drop in January, April and July and each will add fresh balls, evolutions, buildings, characters and more which hopefully includes new levels and lore . The trailer didnt reveal too many specifics for each update, though more info on the first one is coming soon. Im excited to discover more killer combos of characters and balls, and to unleash extra chaos. Im glad there will be more buildings as well, because theres a lot of empty space to fill in my version of New Ballbylon. Publisher Devolver Digital said the game has now sold more than 1 million copies ( Ball x Pit is on Game Pass too). According to the narrator of a video announcing that milestone and the updates, if we want to keep this ball rolling, we need more people to buy Ball x Pit , so it sells another balljillion copies, so Kenny has to make more Ball x Pit , so more people buy Ball x Pit, so he has to make more more more Ball x Pit . Be right back, Im gonna go buy Ball x Pit on the platforms where I dont already have it so I can have even more Ball x Pit in the future. Ball x Pit is available on Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, the Xbox PC app, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ball-x-pit-is-evolving-with-a-string-of-free-updates-in-2026-181947946.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 11:49 pm

Netflix launches a mobile-friendly version of Red Dead Redemption

Players with a Netflix subscription can now download the game, which features mobile-friendly controls, including touch-screen shooting and navigation. It's important to note that the game does not feature a multiplayer mode and players must be connected to the internet to play; offline gameplay is not available.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 11:30 pm

Cyber Monday speaker deals for 2025 are still available: Save up to 50 percent on Bluetooth speakers, smart speakers and soundbars

If you've ever wanted to hear the drummer coughing on your favorite songs or the actors chewing in your favorite shows, Cyber Monday is the time to upgrade your audio. Some of the best speakers our audiophiles have ever tested are down to as low as we've seen them all year, or ever, in the case of some older models. The deals on this list range across brands, with offerings from Ultimate Ears, Bose, Beats and more, plus Sonos and Amazon Echo smart speakers and soundbars from Sony and JBL. We've been curating it all month and this is the final result and your last chance to get ahold of most of the best deals. Some of them may last through the week, but we can't always predict which ones, so don't sleep if there's a speaker you're eyeing. Best Cyber Monday speaker deals under $50 Anker Soundcore 2 for $29 (35 percent off): It's incredibly rare to see a full-size Bluetooth speaker selling this cheaply in 2025, especially one we'd actually recommend using. The Soundcore 2 is Anker's latest audio effort, getting you 24 hours of battery and 12 watts of output, with bass ports designed to heavily boost the low ranges. It all works through a simple set of highly visible and tactile buttons on top of the speaker box. JBL Go 3 for $30 (25 percent off): The Go 3 is JBL's most affordable bluetooth speaker, but it comes with the same IP67-rated ruggedness as the more expensive models. It's waterproof, dustproof, lasts for five hours and can easily clip onto a bag, bike or belt. It also sounds good and comes in lots of different colors. In short, no matter how long the adventure or where it's going, the Go 3 can probably get there with you. JBL Go 4 for $40 (20 percent off) : You might expect a speaker as small and portable as the Go 4 to sound tinny at the higher frequencies and weak at the lower ones, but JBL has worked its magic to make this model sound great at both ranges. Weighing less than half a pound, made partly from recycled materials and including a convenient carabiner hoop, this is one of our favorite speakers to take on treks. Best Cyber Monday speaker deals for $50 to $100 Ultimate Ears Wonderbook 4 for $60 (40 percent off): The Wonderboom 4 is the little barrel that could, an adorable 1.2-pound portable bluetooth speaker that stays charged for 14 hours and keeps on playing after a five-foot drop. Outdoor Mode is a standout feature, amplifying the higher frequencies so you can hear from farther away. There's even a USB charger so your other devices can take advantage of that long battery life. Tribit StormBox Micro 2 for $53 (24 percent off) : The StormBox Micro 2 gets you the two things you need out of a portable speaker it's light (weighing about a pound), and it's loud. Tribit hasn't changed the game on portable sound quality here, but with this on your bike or in your backyard, you'll be having so much fun you won't care. And the fact that you only spent 50 bucks will definitely help your mood. Roku Streambar SE for $75 (25 percent off): This is the least you'll pay for a worthwhile soundbar this Cyber Monday season. We had a great experience with the Roku Streambar in our hands-on review , finding it to be compact and affordable while blowing built-in TV speakers out of the water. If you're looking to make an upgrade, this is the best economy choice, especially if you're already a Roku user. JBL Flip 5 for $80 (20 percent off): We've loved almost every entry in the JBL Flip line (you'll see the Flip 7 highlighted in the next section). While the Flip 5 is a bit dated at this point, it's still extremely solid. The battery lasts for 12 hours, it's IPX7 waterproof and it weighs about 1.2 pounds so you can take it anywhere. The sound quality is as consistently high as we've come to expect from JBL, though it does have the standard limitations of a portable unit. Marshall Emberton II for $90 (50 percent off): We're huge fans of the Emberton II, Marshall's affordable new-age retro speaker. It looks great, but it's much more than a visual throwback, featuring 360-degree sound, IP67 proofing and 30 hours of battery life. Since the deal cuts the price in half, you can even by two and chain them together for a surround sound setup. Bose SoundLink Micro for $99 (17 percent off) : If the Home isn't small or cheap enough for you, Bose has gone even smaller and cheaper with the SoundLink Micro, a tiny, portable speaker in the vein of the JBL Clip. It's waterproof, dustproof and surprisingly good at taking hits, all while staying charged for around six hours. The sound quality isn't intense, but it's cleaner than it has any right to be. Beats Pill for $100 (33 percent off) : Beats jumping back into portable bluetooth was one of the happiest surprises of 2024. As we noted in our full review at the time , the Beats Pill isn't content to coast on its brand name or luxurious design. Its re-engineering speaker improves volume while reducing distortion, it can survive dropping into three feet of water and it even works extremely well as a speakerphone. We found that mid-to-high range music showcases its potential best, though the bass also hits hard. Best Cyber Monday speaker deals for $100 to $200 Bose SoundLink Flex for $119 (20 percent off): Of all the Bose on this list, the SoundLink Flex may be the most balanced, much cheaper than the Home and a lot more powerful than the Micro. Other speakers may be louder, but few have such good range; we've yet to find a track that sounds muddy or tinny coming through the Flex's speakers. The design is also outdoor-friendly, with a light-but-tough exterior and 30-foot bluetooth range. JBL Charge 6 for $130 (35 percent off) : It's a little more expensive than the Flip line, but the extra cost of the Charge 6 pays off it boasts almost twice the battery life of the Flip 7, with the same convenient design, built-in USB-C charger and wide sound range. If you're looking for a speaker that balances sturdiness with portability and will last you a while, the Charge 6 is a very good investment. (Take note that only some colors are discounted.) Bose SoundLink Home for $179 (18 percent off) : The SoundLink Home is small for a high-quality speaker, but it packs everything it needs into two pounds and about 10 square inches. Nothing about the sound is diminished thanks to two passive radiators. Though we haven't gotten to test it directly, given Bose's record with other compact speakers like the Flex, we're confident it'll be loud enough to satisfy anyone. Sony ULT Field 5 for $198 (43 percent off): Sony's recently rebranded ULT lineup has impressed us so far, especially their 90s-style bass boost buttons. The ULT Field 5 is a pretty traditional bluetooth speaker with a ton of options, including Party Connect to link multiple speakers together, a 10-band equalizer for finding the exact sound balance you want and even a shoulder strap that makes it way more portable. Bose TV Speaker soundbar for $199 (29 percent off): Bose's entry into the world of soundbars does not disappoint. For a price lower than some Bluetooth speakers, you'll get a compact two-foot speaker bar that amplifies dialogue while conjuring a balanced, realistic soundscape from any movie or show. It's suitable for audio neophytes, too, with no complex adjustments necessary just plug in the HDMI and start watching. Sonos Era 100 for $200 (9 percent off): Two years after launch, the Era 100 is still a smart speaker more than worth your time. It's sleek and simply designed, making it clear Sonos's engineers put their work into sound quality and features rather than just looking the part. Touch controls have never worked better, and setup takes five minutes, though you will have to use the Sonos app. Once you start playing music, the Era 100 can get as loud as you like, while never sacrificing audio quality. Samsung HW-B650/ZA 3.1 Channel Soundbar for $200 (50 percent off): Samsung's mid-range soundbar is pretty simple, but it does what it needs to do: pump out Dolby 3.1 with enough volume and range to make you forget you aren't in a movie theater. It's versatile, improving both music and dialogue, and keeps everything balanced. The only real drawback is that it lacks wireless connection options other than bluetooth. Best Cyber Monday speaker deals over $200 JBL Xtreme 4 for $280 (26 percent off) : Xtreme is the largest and highest-end that JBL goes, and the Xtreme 4 is a luminary of the line. At 4.6 pounds, it's on the outside edge of portability, but that weight means it puts out appropriately heavy bass, along with clear treble. It's fully weatherproof and unless it's in a completely open space can get loud enough that all your party guests will enjoy the full effect. Bose SoundLink Max for $279 (30 percent off) : The SoundLink Max, Bose's biggest speaker that isn't a soundbar, is more affordable for Cyber Monday than we've seen for a while. Frankly, it's worth more than this, with two radiators and three transducers that make it sound larger than it is. Indoors or outdoors, it's great for anyone who wants to be able to pick out individual elements of their favorite music. Marshall Acton III for $285 (5 percent off): The Acton III is one of the speakers Marshall redesigned and updated in 2022 , and it still sounds great today (and looks it too). It's less portable at 6.3 pounds, but can hit high volumes with little or no distortion. The upgrade angled Acton III's tweeters outward so the soundscape is wider, making this one speaker very capable of filling a room with sound on its own. Marshall Stanmore III for $299 (21 percent off): The Stanmore III is the top-tier Marshall discount of the year, giving you the best of Marshall's 2022 redesign . It's got the same widened soundscape as the Acton III, with an additional 5Hz on the low end and an RCA input alongside its 3.5mm aux input. This retro-designed speaker also features bluetooth, pair play and a construction with 70 percent recycled plastic. Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 for $798 (20 percent off) : In our review of the Bravia 6 this year, we called out its full sound and special talent for enhancing dialogue, but were frustrated that it didn't support AirPlay or Spotify Connect. The Bravia 8 works with both services, making it a clear choice for your next premium soundbar. It's got a tight, low-footprint design that fits any aesthetic, and hits a maximum output power of 495 watts. JBL Bar 1300XMK2 for $1,200 (29 percent off) : If you're going to drop $1200 on a soundbar, you need to know it's going to deliver and the 1300XMK2 does. Its key design element is two detachable speakers that recharge when plugged into the main unit, but can spend up to 10 hours unplugged. The audioscape does an excellent job of separating and clarifying details, which really enhances the sense of a theatrical experience. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-speaker-deals-for-2025-are-still-available-save-up-to-50-percent-on-bluetooth-speakers-smart-speakers-and-soundbars-213017218.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 11:26 pm

ChatGPT referrals to retailers apps increased 28% year-over-year, says report

ChatGPT referrals to retailers' apps were up on Black Friday year-over-year, with Walmart and Amazon benefiting the most.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 11:26 pm

AWS launches new Nova AI models and a service that gives customers more control

Amazon Web Services announced four new AI models within its Nova model family and a frontier model service.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 11:24 pm

Tiger Global reaffirms early bet on Meesho, takes 1.9% of anchor allotment

Tiger Global has taken 1.9% of the anchor allotment in Meeshos upcoming initial public offering, reaffirming support for one of its earliest India bets as the ecommerce company heads to market this week. The New Yorkbased investor first backed Meesho in 2019.

Your Story 2 Dec 2025 11:23 pm

Professors radical theory claims consciousness doesnt come from the brain and may continue after death

A radical new theory from Professor Maria Strmme suggests that consciousness may not originate in the brain but instead exist as a universal field, with individual minds acting like temporary waves returning to an ocean after death. Her model attempts to bridge physics, ancient philosophy and reports of near-death experiences, inviting science to rigorously test phenomena long dismissed as mystical or imaginary.

The Times of India 2 Dec 2025 11:09 pm

Cyber Monday Lego deals you can still shop today: Up to 50 percent off Star Wars, Disney, Harry Potter and more toy sets

Were you a Lego set kid or a giant-bucket-of-Legos kid? I was a sets kid all the way I loved, and still love, the zen feeling of building something incredible a little bit at a time. Also, every time I tried to build something from the giant bucket, it fell apart immediately, but let's not dwell on that. We've just finished trawling the net for the best Cyber Monday deals on Lego sets. While the day is over, the Lego sales aren't; some sets are still up to 50% off. We've gathered them all on the list below, so act while you've still got time. It's a good idea to use a price tracker to see if you're getting the best Lego Cyber Monday deals. You'll find Lego bargains this holiday season at retailers like Amazon and Walmart , but don't overlook Lego's own site . If you join the free Lego Insiders program, you'll get special discounts and exclusive member gifts with each purchase, plus points you can redeem for your next set or bucket. You can now officially backorder the hottest Lego gift of the season, the Star Trek USS Enterprise set , which was just announced . With a titanic 3,600 pieces and mini-figures of the whole Next Generation crew, it's a must-have for any Star Trek fans. The set is now available for $400. Best Lego Cyber Monday deals LEGO Disney Frozen Advent Calendar 2025 43273 for $24 (47 percent off) LEGO Christmas Table Decoration 40743 for $24 (40 percent off) LEGO Icons Blacktron Renegade 10355 for $59 (41 percent off) LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer 75356 for $40 (43 percent off) LEGO Animal Crossing Stargazing with Celeste 77053 for $6 (36 percent off) LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box 10698 for $39 (34 percent off) LEGO NINJAGO Dragon Stone Shrine 71819 for $88 (27 percent off) LEGO Architecture Statue of Liberty 21042 for $81 (33 percent off) LEGO Speed Champions Audi S1 e-tron Quattro Race Car 76921 for $19 (31 percent off) LEGO Star Wars Ahsoka Tano's Duel on Peridea 75385 for $41 (25 percent off) LEGO Icons PAC-Man Arcade 10323 for $189 (30 percent off) LEGO Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece 10314 for $36 (28 percent off) LEGO Speed Champions 2 Fast 2 Furious Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) Race Car 76917 for $17 (30 percent off) LEGO Dreamzzz Izzie's Dream Animals 71481 for $29 (28 percent off) LEGO Star Wars: A New Hope Tantive IV 75376 for $58 (28 percent off) LEGO Animal Crossing Kapp'n's Island Boat Tour 77048 for $22 (25 percent off) LEGO Marvel Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock Subway Train Scene 76321 for $44 (20 percent off) LEGO Star Wars Millenium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectible Model 75375 for $68 (20 percent off) LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith ARC-170 Starfighter 75402 for $56 (20 percent off) LEGO Architecture New York City Model Kit 21028 for $48 (20 percent off) LEGO Botanicals Bouquet of Roses 10328 for $48 (20 percent off) LEGO Super Mario: Mario Kart - Interactive Mario & Standard Kart 72043 for $44 (20 percent off) LEGO Disney and Pixar Wall-E and EVE 43279 for $56 (20 percent off) LEGO Marvel Fantastic Four vs. Galactus 76316 for $48 (20 percent off) LEGO Star Wars Rebel U-Wing Starfighter 75399 for $56 (20 percent off) LEGO Icons Tranquil Garden 10315 for $88 (20 percent off) LEGO Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo 75407 for $48 (20 percent off) LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 75379 for $80 (20 percent off) LEGO City Donut Truck 60452 for $16 (20 percent off) LEGO Botanicals Mini Orchid 10343 for $24 (20 percent off) LEGO Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Tree 10348 for $48 (20 percent off) LEGO Marvel Iron Spider-Man Bust 76326 for $48 (20 percent off) LEGO Ideas Tuxedo Cat 21349 for $81 (19 percent off) LEGO Creator 3 in 1 Retro Camera 31147 for $16 (20 percent off) LEGO Icons Poinsettia 10370 for $40 (20 percent off) LEGO Icons Fountain Garden 10359 for $75 (25 percent off) LEGO Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi 71438 for $105 (19 percent off) LEGO Icons Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter 10327 for $134 (19 percent off) LEGO Technic Aston Martin Valkyrie 42208 for $53 (19 percent off) LEGO Minecraft Crafting Table 21265 for $80 (11 percent off) LEGO Icons Boutique Hotel 10297 for $203 (12 percent off) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-lego-deals-you-can-still-shop-today-up-to-50-percent-off-star-wars-disney-harry-potter-and-more-toy-sets-193051994.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 11:06 pm

Fast & Furious director Justin Lin is making the Helldivers movie

We've known there was a film adaptation of Helldivers coming for a while , but we now have a director and writer. Justin Lin will helm the movie and Gary Dauberman is writing the script, according to The Hollywood Reporter . Justin Lin is a great choice here. He directed many of the more beloved Fast & Furious entries and helmed the criminally underrated Star Trek Beyond . Helldivers is kind of a mix of both. It has outer space stuff, but also stylish action that occasionally borders on satire. Lin hasn't made that many movies in recent years, but did sign on to adapt the Keanu Reeves comic BRZRKR for Netflix. However, he's been all over TV screens. Lin has become a prolific TV producer, with credits on shows like S.W.A.T. , Scorpion , Magnum P.I. and Warrior . As for the script, Dauberman penned both It and It Chapter Two . He also wrote Annabelle and both of its follow-ups, along with The Nun and a recent adaptation of Salem's Lot . He's mostly a horror guy, so we'll have to see how he does with over-the-top action. For the uninitiated, Helldivers is a co-op shooter franchise that's heavily inspired by the movie Starship Troopers . The games are set in a hyper-patriotic dystopia called Super Earth. Helldivers 2 dropped in 2024, but just came out for Xbox earlier this year. Sony has yet to announce a release date for the film adaptation, so it might be a while. As an aside, Helldivers 2 developer Arrowhead Game Studios just dropped a nifty update for the PC build . It brings the file size down to 23GB from 154GB. That's a massive reduction of 131GB. We aren't sure what kind of compression wizardry went into that. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/fast--furious-director-justin-lin-is-making-the-helldivers-movie-173429140.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 11:04 pm

Cyber Monday deals under $50 that you can still shop today: Apple AirTags, Legos, Ugreen chargers, Roku sticks and more

Cyber Monday has ended ; The deals party is over. But like any party, there are still a few stragglers not ready to go home just yet. This list once housed over 75 stellar Black Friday deals under $50 each. Today, we've found around 30 or so that are still within a couple bucks of their sales event low. You can get wall chargers, Roku streaming sticks, stocking-stuffer Lego sets, Bluetooth trackers and a couple of small speakers at a discount. This is still stuff Engadget has tested and recommend in our guides yes, these are late-stage deals but the devices are still solid. Here are the best extended Cyber Monday deals you can still get for under $50. Under $50 Cyber Monday deals that you can still get Paramount+ Essential or Premium (2 months) for $6 ($20 or $10 off): This deal applies to either the Premium or Essential tier both are just $6 for two months of service (or $3 monthly). The Premium plan is the better deal as its usually $13 per month, doesnt have ads, includes Showtime and allows downloads for offline viewing. Of course, whichever tier you choose will hop back up to the full price after two months unless you cancel (which is $13 per month for Premium and $8 per month for ad-supported Essential). Audible (3 months) for $3 ($42 off) : As it does every sales event, Amazon is offering a near-free intro deal for its audiobook subscription. With the plan, you get one audiobook of your choice each month, which includes new and bestseller titles. You can also listen to an unlimited number of titles from a narrower library. A membership also grants access to a daily discounted title and other member-only discounts. With this deal, the plan will auto-renew at a dollar per month for three months, then default to the standard $15 monthly. So set a reminder to cancel before then if you dont want to pay full-price. The offer ends December 16. Starz (one year) for $12 ($50 off): Pay upfront for one year and you can get more than $50 off a Starz annual subscription. There's a month-to-month option too, which costs $3 per month for the first three months if you don't want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library with offline viewing and no ads. Also available as a Hulu add-on . UGreen Uno Nexode Charger Block (65W, 3-Port) for $35 ($15 off with Prime) at Amazon : There are other ways to charge your devices, but few are this cute. Thats why we named it one of the best stocking stuffers you can buy. You get three ports in its head and outlet prongs hidden in its removable magnetic feet. Its 65 watts are enough to charge multiple devices at once. Also available directly from UGreen and at Walmart . It went as low as $33 during the sale. Philips Fabric Shaver for $13 ($7 off) at Amazon : Did you know you needed a fabric shaver? You need a fabric shaver . Our editor grabbed this one (at full price) and loves it. It keeps blankets, sweaters and joggers pill free and looking fresh for just $13. Roku Streaming Stick HD for $16 ($14 off) at Amazon : After testing most of the smart TV interfaces out there, Rokus is still my favorite. I like the colorful Roku City that shows up after a long pause and the navigation is intuitive. This stick will grant streaming abilities to a basic TV. Theres no 4K or other fancy video support, but if all you need is a way to stream, this will do. Lego Creator 3 in 1 Retro Camera Toy for $16 ($4 off) at Amazon : This three-in-one set builds a retro camera complete with pressable buttons, a wrist strap and loadable (Lego) film. It can also be built as a retro TV set or a camcorder. For ages eight and up. Glocusent Tri-head Clip On Book Light for $16 ($10 off) at Glocusent : My family vies for this handy device each night. Its ideal for reading a book in bed with a light that lets you adjust the warmth, angle and spread of the beam. Its also great for shining some light on a desk as you can use its clip like a stand. Samsung SmartTags 2 Bluetooth tracker for $16 ($13 off) at Amazon : If youve got a Samsung phone, the brands own trackers will serve you well. Theyre one of the best-looking fobs we tested . It hooks up with Samsungs own finding network, which is surprisingly robust, and was able to locate lost stuff nearly as quickly as AirTags in our tests. LEGO Botanicals Happy Plants for $18 ($5 off) at Amazon : Heres an ideal Secret Santa gift everyone loves Legos and these cheery little guys will keep your giftee company at their desk or on their windowsill, and are the lowest-maintenance plants around. Also at Target and Walmart . Apple AirTag Bluetooth tracker for $18 ($11 off) at Amazon : An updated version of Apples little finding discs is almost certainly on the horizon. For now, an AirTag is our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users. Its a little quieter than third party tags like Chipolo, but when it comes to trackers, this is what most people think of. Also at Walmart . Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug (dual socket) for $19 ($8 off) at Amazon : Tired of turning off your outdoor holiday lights manually each night? Get one of these and schedule the controls. Or better yet, let Alexa, Siri or the Google Assistant turn them off with just a command. This is the one we recommend in our guide to smart plugs and the one that faithfully controlled my Halloween lights last month. Its gone as low as $17 in the past. TP-Link AC1200 WiFi extender for $19 (37 percent off) at Amazon : If youve got some dead spots in your homes internet coverage and arent quite ready for a mesh setup, a Wi-Fi extender can help. This is our favorite budget option in our guide to these plug-in devices thanks to its easy setup and user-friendly app. Roku Streaming Stick 4K Plus for $20 ($20 off) at Amazon : I called this streaming stick perfect for travel in my review. It powers itself from your TV so you dont have to hunt for a wall outlet in your hotel room. Plus you can bring all your streaming subscriptions with you or just enjoy Rokus dizzying amount of free content. Kasa Smart Plug Matter Compatible KP125M (2-pack) for $23 ($12 off) at Amazon : If you want to control your lamps, humidifiers and other simple appliances just by talking to your home assistant of choice, a smart plug will let you do so. We deemed this the top pick for a Matter-enabled plug in our smart plug guide . Set-up is seamless and it supports Siri, Alexa, the Google Assistant and more. LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Retro Telephone for kids for $24 ($6 off) at Amazon : One of our top picks for the best tech toys for kids is on sale for Cyber Monday. This cute-as-a-button retro telephone is rated for kids eight and older and is a three-in-one set that can be rebuilt into three different configurations: A rotary phone, cordless phone and an early-days cell phone/flip phone combo. Chipolo Pop Bluetooth tracker for $23 ($6 off) at Amazon : After testing all the Bluetooth trackers I could get my hands on, I think this is the best finding fob out there. Yes, even better than an AirTag; It's louder, can ring your phone and works on the same massive Find My network as AirTags do. And for Android users, it'll work with Google's Find Hub. Check out Engadgets guide to Bluetooth trackers for more thoughts. Also available directly from Chipolo . Jisulife Life 7 handheld fan for $25 ($4 off) : This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don't have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan's blades shows its remaining battery level. This is a dollar more than it sold for during the sale. Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $30 ($15 off) at Amazon with Prime : Share your good taste in music with Ankers portable sound box. Its Bluetooth connected, goes for 24 hours on a charge and can handle a dunk in water with no ill effects to its 12 watts of sound. Soundcore makes a few of the picks on our list of the best speakers this is a more affordable model. This is two dollars more than it sold for during the sale. JBL Go 3 Mini Bluetooth Speaker for $30 ($10 off) at Amazon : For about two dollars more than the all-time low, you can grab this pocket-sized speaker from JBL. Its the previous model of a pick from our guide to Bluetooth speakers. It goes for 5 hours on a charge and is cheaper than the Go 4. Govee Smart LED Light Bars for $33 ($17 off) at Amazon : Another of our stocking stuffer picks are these smart LED light bars from Govee. They can stand up or lie flat so they can go just about anywhere and are infinitely adjustable via the app. You can even set them to light up in sync with your music. Alexa and the Google Assistant will let you control them with just your voice (and a smart speaker). It was $3 cheaper during the sale. Baseus Picogo magnetic portable charger with stand (5K mAh, Qi2 15W) for $30 ($20 off) at Amazon : This little guy gave a solid 43 percent bump to our tester iPhone 15 in 42 minutes, ultimately charging it to 91 percent. It earned a mention in our guide to MagSafe batteries thanks to those speeds, its compact size and the handy (and sturdy) little stand on the back. Thermacell E-Series Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller for $30 ($20 off) at Amazon : As winter hits, the mosquitos give up the war to claim the backyard for themselves. But theyll be back. This is a variant of the mosquito repeller we recommend in our guide to outdoor gear. This one has a 20-foot coverage area and sports a built-in light. Amazon Echo Dot Kids for $32 ($28 off) at Amazon : The difference between the kids model and the standard Echo Dot is the cute cover (this one looks like an inverted planetarium) and a free year of access to Amazon Kids+, which includes audio books, games and other content for kids aged three to twelve. Just note, youll get more out of the subscription with an Amazon device with a screen and the subscription will automatically renew (at $6 monthly) after a year unless you cancel. UGreen Uno Nexode Charger Block (65W, 3-Port) for $35 ($15 off with Prime) at Amazon : There are other ways to charge your devices, but few are this cute. Thats why we named it one of the best stocking stuffers you can buy. You get three ports in its head and outlet prongs hidden in its removable magnetic feet. Its 65 watts are enough to charge multiple devices at once. This is $2 more than it sold for during Black Friday. Samsung Evo Select (512GB) for $35 ($12 off) at Samsung : We recommend the Evo Select in our microSD card buying guide for those on a tight budget. It has mediocre write speeds, so its not ideal for a camera, but it should be serviceable for most people just looking to add space to an Android tablet or original Nintendo Switch on the cheap. (Note that this is a standard UHS-I card, not a newer microSD Express model.) This deal is a few dollars more than during Cyber Monday. Zagg Glass Elite Screen Protector for iPhone 17 for $35 ($5 off) at Amazon : Youre thinking of saying yes to the new iPhone 17. You probably wont be disappointed . Just make sure you protect it. We like Zaggs shields and said so in our guide to iPhone accessories . Also available at Best Buy . Leebein Electric Spin Scrubber for $36 ($34 off with Prime) at Amazon : Shower scrubbing is no ones favorite activity (Im assuming here, but Im pretty sure Im right). This makes the job so very much easier. Discovered by our editor who abhors the task , the Leebein runs on a USB-C rechargeable battery and has swappable brushes. The course brush combined with the higher speed is no match for any shower scum. JBL Go 4 Waterproof Bluetooth Speaker for $40 ($10 off) at Amazon : Our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers ranks the Go 4 as one of the winners. Its super compact at less than half a pound so dont expect top-end sound but it outputs good volume for its size and even has a handy carry loop. Also available directly from JBL and at Walmart . Sharge AeroMag Magsafe Power Bank (Qi2 15W, 5K mAh) for $40 ($24 off with Prime) at Amazon : To recharge a dying iPhone (12 and later) in the most unobtrusive way possible, go for a MagSafe power bank. Its not as fast as a wired connection, but super convenient. After testing Sharges AeroMag, it earned a runner-up spot in our guide . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-deals-under-50-that-you-can-still-shop-today-apple-airtags-legos-ugreen-chargers-roku-sticks-and-more-210050744.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 10:35 pm

The best Cyber Monday TV deals that are still available include sets from Samsung, Sony and more at all-time low prices

Cyber Monday has come and gone, but if youre still hoping to make a living room upgrade for the holidays, a handful of the better TV deals from the past week are still available. Weve scoured the web and picked out the best of what's left below. The offers include a few well-reviewed OLED TVs from Samsung, Sony and LG. as well as a couple noteworthy budget models from Hisense. If you're happy with your current TV, some discounts on streaming gear are still live too. Best Cyber Monday TV deals still available Hisense U65QF (55-inch) for $398 at Amazon ($402 off MSRP) : The U65QF is an entry-level LED TV with generally positive reviews . Most feedback around the web suggests that it cant match the competing TCL QM6K in terms of contrast, gaming features and overall accuracy, so that model should be a better buy when the two are the same price. This set also uses Amazons Fire TV platform instead of the cleaner Google TV . It can reach a higher peak brightness, however, so its worth considering if you get particularly bad glare in your living room. This is the lowest price weve seen for the 55-inch model, but the 65-inch ( $548 ), 75-inch ( $748 ) and 85-inch ( $890 ) models are also at all-time lows. Also at Best Buy . Hisense U75QG (55-inch) for $498 at Amazon ($416 off) : The Hisense U75QG is a mid-tier mini-LED TV and a fairly sizable step up over the U65QG. Its main advantage over rivals like the TCL QM7K is that it can get seriously bright, which helps HDR content look more dynamic. This set also comes with four HDMI 2.1 ports, which is nice for those with multiple game consoles and a soundbar. That said, some reviews say its contrast falls short of the QM7K and that it can make HDR content too bright to be fully accurate. It also suffers from more noticeable motion blur, so it's not the best choice for fast-paced games. You may only want to grab it if youre determined to stay in this price range and have your TV in an especially bright room. Nevertheless, this is a new low for the 55-inch set. The same goes for the 65-inch ( $748 ) and 75-inch ( $998 ) models. Also at Best Buy . LG B5 (55-inch) for $897 at Amazon ($100 off) : The B5 is LGs entry-level OLED TV for 2025. It gets you the core benefits of any OLED TV excellent contrast, wide viewing angles, smooth motion, etc. but it cant get as bright as the higher-end LG C5 , nor does it look quite as colorful. (The C5 isn't discounted right now.) Its technically limited to a 120Hz refresh rate instead of 144Hz as well, though that isnt a big deal unless you plan to play PC games on your TV. This deal has been live for a few weeks but still matches the all-time low for the 55-inch model. Also at Best Buy and LG . Samsung S95F (65-inch) for $2,298 at Amazon ($700 off) : The S95F is a premium model that's received almost universally stellar reviews for being especially bright among OLED TVs while keeping the bold colors and contrast expected from a QD-OLED panel. That brightness, combined with the displays matte finish, means its uniquely adept at fending off glare. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports and a native 165Hz refresh rate for gaming. That said, theres still no Dolby Vision HDR, and the matte coating means that black tones wont look as deep in a bright room. It's not cheap, but this is the lowest price weve seen for the 65-inch model. Also at Best Buy . Sony Bravia A95L (55-inch) for $1,600 at Best Buy ($1,200 off) : The A95L is an older QD-OLED TV from Sony released in 2023, but many reviews conclude that it isnt far off its 2025 successor, the Bravia 8 II , which currently costs $400 extra. Like many premium Sony TVs, its earned praise for its excellent image processing, upscaling of lower-quality video and overall accuracy, so it should appeal to those who want movies and shows to look closer to their creators original intent. As a QD-OLED TV, it can display more vivid colors than lower-priced WOLED panels, plus it supports Dolby Vision HDR. Still-great competitors like the Samsung S90F and LG C5 cost hundreds of dollars less, however, while top-end models like the Samsung S95F and LG G5 can get noticeably brighter. The A95L also isnt the best for gamers at this price, as its limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports one of which is an eARC port for soundbars and its input lag is slightly higher than those rivals. But if youre fine with all of that, this deal ties the all-time low for the 55-inch model. Also at Sony . Best Cyber Monday streaming deals still available Roku Streaming Stick Plus for $19 at Amazon ($21 off) : The Streaming Stick Plus is a cheaper version of Roku's higher-end Streaming Stick 4K with no Dolby Vision support and no long-range Wi-Fi extender included. It may be less reliable with choppier internet connections as a result, but it can typically be powered straight from a TVs USB port, it can still stream up to 4K, and the software experience is identical. Most people should probably just spend the extra $5 for the Streaming Stick 4K, but if youre really looking to save, the Plus is a decent value. This deal is a new all-time low. Also at Walmart . Roku Ultra for $70 at Amazon ($30 off) : The Ultra might be worth it if you want the Roku experience in a set-top box design with built-in Ethernet and USB ports. Unlike the company's streaming sticks, it comes bundled with a rechargeable remote that supports voice controls, a lost remote finding tool and backlit buttons. (Though you can buy that separately .) This latest model also has a faster processor and Wi-Fi 6 support, though its not as snappy as other boxes like the Google TV Streamer 4K or Apple TV 4K. This deal ties the best price weve tracked. Also at Walmart . Paramount+ 2-month Premium subscription for $6 at Paramount ($20 off) : If you're looking to stream CBS shows or Champions League soccer, this deal brings the monthly price of either Paramount+ tier down to $6 total for two months. The obvious better deal is for the ad-free Premium plan, which typically costs $13 per month, but be warned your subscription will be set to auto-renew by default. Paramount says this offer will end today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-cyber-monday-tv-deals-that-are-still-available-include-sets-from-samsung-sony-and-more-at-all-time-low-prices-190000746.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 10:26 pm

Cyber Monday subscription and streaming deals you can still get: Big discounts on Starz, MasterClass, Headspace and more

A lot of people think Cyber Monday subscriptions are just about streaming, but that's not true. Although there are some incredible discounts to be had on the likes of Stars ( Outlander and Spartacus ) and Paramount+ ( Yellowjackets and Star Trek ), there's more to the story. We've also found great deals on exciting learning platforms like MasterClass and Rosetta Stone, cord-cutting services like DirecTV and Fubo and useful privacy services like Proton VPN and ExpressVPN. Read on to see which deals are still active. Best Cyber Monday streaming deals Paramount+ (2 months) for $6 ($20 off): Paramount+ is doing its Cyber Monday deal a little differently. Instead of a reasonably cheap long-term plan, you get an incredibly cheap short-term deal two months for less than a Starbucks run costs these days. That's more than enough time to binge Yellowjackets, Dexter: Resurrection or Star Trek: Lower Decks, along with weeks of NFL games through CBS Sports. Fubo Pro (first month) for $55 (35 percent off): Fubo is the live TV service that helps sports lovers cut the cord . When you sign up, it asks you your favorite teams, then automatically records every game they play. Fubo Pro includes 249 channels, covering everything from your local NFL and NBA networks to real ESPN8 (The Ocho) content like PowerSports World. There are even plenty of non-sports channels, and with 10 allowed screens per subscription, your whole family can enjoy the selection at once. DirectTV (first month) for $50 (44 percent off): If you're a cord-cutter with a more general taste in TV, DirectTV is the perfect way for you to keep enjoying live channels without cable. This deal only applies for your first month, but it's great for seeing if DirectTV will work for you long-term. Better yet, any DirectTV subscription also comes with free access to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited. Walmart+ (one year) for $49 (50 percent off) : No, Walmart hasn't started its own streaming platform, but it would probably have some pretty great drama. What you do get with Walmart+ is free shipping on carts over $35, exclusive deals, drone delivery in some cities and more. And if you did come here for streaming, Walmart+ also comes with your choice of Peacock Premium of Paramount+ Essential (we recommend Peacock Premium because it's more expensive on its own). Best Cyber Monday subscription deals Audible (three months) for $3 (80 percent off) : For literally $1 per month , you can get access to Audible's enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It's only three months, after which you'll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobook lover can cram a lot of listening into the 90 days after Cyber Monday. Quicken Simplifi (one year) for $36 (50 percent off) : We named Quicken Simplifi the best budgeting app this year because (true to its name) it's the cleanest budgeting app on the market, with an interface designed to welcome newcomers and no key information more than a scroll away. It's also cheap, especially with this Cyber Monday deal, and very good at detecting and categorizing your important transactions. Rosetta Stone Lifetime Unlimited subscription for $149 (60 percent off) : Rosetta Stone was pioneering visual language courses back when software still came in boxes, and it's still one of the best language learning apps . Today, its method works as well as ever, with patient learning based on pictures, terms and recordings. This deal gets you a full lifetime subscription with access to all 25 languages in the library. Medium (one year) for $40 (20 percent off) : Medium is a social site designed as the anti-Twitter, featuring deep thoughts and long-form essays from great writers. Not all its best work is locked behind a paywall, but a lot of it is and we've all had the feeling of being frustrated that we can't read the latest drop from a thinker we really respect. This deal isn't a very big cut, but it is a noticeable savings over the monthly plan, which will cost you a full $120 for the same length of time ($150 without the discount). Headspace (one year) for $35 (50 percent off) : Out of all the meditation apps available, Headspace is our favorite . It doesn't just help you relax and de-stress, but also teaches you to practice meditation as a skill, with sessions building on each other in organized courses. There's a massive library of standalone guided meditations with all kinds of instructors, and it's easy to search for the ones that work best for you. This deal gives you half off a full year . Calm Premium (one year) for $40 (50 percent off) : Once you've finished your Headspace meditation, head over to Calm for every other stress-relieving activity you can think of. This subscription lets you relax amid a massive content library, from music and restful soundscapes to sleep stories with celebrity narrators telling bedtime stories for children and adults alike. If you've ever wanted to be lulled to sleep by Jonathan Bailey, Matthew McConaughey or Idris Elba, this app is for you. AdGuard personal (lifetime) for $44 (45 percent off): AdGuard was recently in the news for automatically blocking Microsoft's Recall AI surveillance app, which is a great indication of its mission it fights threats to your privacy, no matter where they come from. This lifetime subscription blocks all annoying third-party ads and trackers on any website while keeping its functionality otherwise unchanged, so everything loads faster and easier. 1Password (one year) for $24 (50 percent off) : Using a password manager is one of the most important cybersecurity steps you can take right now . 1Password generates strong, unique passwords for every account, then saves them to autofill when you need them. We named it the best password manager in honor of its well-designed user interface and cross-platform compatibility. LastPass Premium (one year) for $18 (50 percent off) : LastPass is another great password manager. We briefly stopped recommending it after a couple of data breaches early last year, but it's patched up its security and seems to be firing on all cylinders again. Whether it suits you better than 1Password will come down to personal preference, but LastPass's deal is slightly better this year. Adobe Creative Cloud (one year) for $389 (50 percent off) : Adobe Creative Cloud is half off for one year right now, coming out to $389 for one year when you pay upfront. (There's a discounted $35 monthly rate as well, working out to $420 for the year.) Creative Cloud is Adobe's most comprehensive design package, including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere and over 20 other apps. Whip up a website with Dreamweaver, paint on a digital canvas with Fresco or edit photos in Lightroom. It's a pretty steep cost for an individual, but puts a one-year subscription well within reach of a creative business. The Wall Street Journal (one year) for $12 (90 percent off): Let's get really old-school for a moment. If you want to add some classic journalism to your diet (and you're OK with ignoring a right-leaning opinion page), one of America's papers of record is cutting annual subscription costs by 90 percent. That's enough to get you financial, US and world news all the way to the next Cyber Monday, when they'll probably do this again. Infinite money glitch! Best VPN deals for Cyber Monday ExpressVPN Basic (28 months) for $97.72 (73 percent off) : ExpressVPN may be the most user-friendly VPN for sale right now, with fast download speeds (only 7 percent losses in our last test), quick connections and apps designed to stay out of your way. It's not the most feature-rich, but it excels at any bread-and-butter VPN task, staying leak-free and unblocking Netflix everywhere. You also get access to server locations in 105 countries. It also basically never drops the price this low, so if you're at all interested, now's the time to board the Express train. Surfshark Starter (27 months) for $53.73 (87 percent off) : According to the tests we ran for our latest review , Surfshark is the fastest VPN right now, with its download speeds, upload speeds and latencies all beating out competitors. It has more to offer beyond speed, too, as it's able to constantly rotate your IP address and generate double VPN paths between any two servers you choose. NordVPN Basic (27 months) for $80.73 (74 percent off) : NordVPN got very positive marks in our last review , where we called out its fast internet speeds, wide network of server locations and selection of exclusive features. It comes with a range of dedicated servers for obfuscation, onion routing, torrenting and more. Plus, it's one of the first VPNs getting a jump on post-quantum encryption. CyberGhost VPN (28 months) for $56.94 (84 percent off) : CyberGhost is always cheap in fact, we named it the best budget VPN but it's never behaved like an economy option. Its Smart Rules automation controls are the deepest in the industry, and its server network reaches 100 countries. Speeds are also quite good, though connections occasionally take a moment to establish. Private Internet Access VPN (40 months) for $79.20 (83 percent off) : Although we weren't wholly positive about Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) in our recent review , we can't deny it's a worthwhile choice for an affordable VPN. Although speeds can fluctuate, it comes with lots of desirable features on all platforms, like port forwarding (which makes torrents more stable) and two kinds of split tunneling. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-subscription-and-streaming-deals-you-can-still-get-big-discounts-on-starz-masterclass-headspace-and-more-174507557.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 10:25 pm

OpenAI slammed for app suggestions that looked like ads

OpenAI said the app suggestion was only a test and not a paid ad.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 10:13 pm

Discord users can now buy in-game items without leaving the platform

Discord users can now purchase digital game items directly within the platform, create wishlists, and send gifts through DMs.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 10:12 pm

India in elite club of nations: DRDO conducts high-speed test of fighter aircraft escape system

New Delhi: The DRDO has successfully conducted a high-speed rocket-sled test of a fighter aircraft escape system at controlled velocity, validating some of the key safety parameters including complete aircrew recovery. The test has placed India in an elite club of nations with advanced in-house escape system testing capability, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News , Technology , Entertainment , Sports , Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS .

The Siasat Daily 2 Dec 2025 10:07 pm

Cyber Monday Nintendo Switch 2 deals still available include $50 off the Switch 2 Mario Kart bundle, plus discounted games and accessories

When it comes to holiday video game gifts, Nintendo gear is often at the top of the list for kids and adults like. This year likely more so than ever thanks to the launch of the Switch 2 back in the spring. But if you were hoping to save money on the console with Cyber Monday gaming deals still live , you may be disappointed. The Nintendo Cyber Monday sale was announced a few weeks ago, and unsurprisingly, there are a scant few real deals to be had. This is typical of Nintendo, though actual Nintendo Cyber Monday deals are few and far between. However, there are ways to at least get the best value for your money if you're going to pick up a Switch 2 before this year is over. As has been the case for many years, the marquee Nintendo deals for the holidays come in the form of console bundles. When the Switch 2 launched earlier this year, it was available as just the console only for $449 or bundled with Mario Kart World for $499 . Both options are still available now. Considering the games by themselves cost $70 each, you do save a bit by picking up a console bundle. you can pick up the console and its bundles at most retailers including Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy and others. As of Cyber Monday , there is one actual deal on the Switch 2 that wasn't available for Black Friday. Walmart currently have the Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle for $50, bringing it down to $449. Note, though, that on Walmart, you'll have to be signed into a Walmart account, which is free to make, and add the item to your cart to see the discounted price. There's no telling how long this deal will last. Nintendo Switch game deals When it comes to deals on Nintendo Switch 2 games, the Nintendo eShop will have Cyber Deals starting on November 20, running through December 3. The shop will feature holiday offers on select games, so it appears we'll all just have to go to the online store on November 20 to see the games on offer. Starting on November 23, select retailers will have discounts on some physical Switch games including Princess Peach: Showtime! , Luigis Mansion 3 and Kirbys Return to Dream Land Deluxe , as well as other classics like Super Mario Odyssey, Nintendo Switch Sports , Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door and Splatoon 3 . Nintendo Switch accessory deals Switch 2 accessories were conspicuously absent from the announced deals, but there's always a chance they'll receive discounts from third-party retailers like Amazon , Walmart and Best Buy . A handful of official Nintendo accessories made it onto our best Switch 2 accessories list, but you can find plenty of good ones from other manufacturers as well. If you're keen on getting a first-party accessory, though, for yourself or as a gift for someone else, here's where you can find some of the most popular ones. Joy-Con 2 bundle Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Nintendo Switch 2 Camera Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Nintendo Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera Amazon Best Buy Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) Amazon Walmart GameStop Best Buy Nintendo More Nintendo Cyber Monday deals Even if you can't get huge discounts on Nintendo consoles or new games this year, that doesn't mean you can't find decent deals on other Nintendo gear. There are plenty of great ideas for gifts for the Nintendo fan in your life , and Engadget's Sam Rutherford got to see a bunch of them in person when he attended Nintendo's holiday showcase. From collectibles to clothing to plushies and holiday decor, there's really a ton to choose from but you may want to pace yourself if you're also a Nintendo fan finding things that you want to pick up for yourself in the process of looking for good gifts. Here are just some of the best Nintendo gift ideas that you can look out for during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-nintendo-switch-2-deals-still-available-include-50-off-the-switch-2-mario-kart-bundle-plus-discounted-games-and-accessories-185511464.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 10:06 pm

YouTube releases its first-ever recap of videos youve watched

YouTube Recap features a set of up to 12 different cards that highlight a user's top channels, interests, the evolution of their viewing habits, and which personality type they fall into based on the videos they loved to watch.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 10:05 pm

A 'Sonic universe' movie will hit theaters in 2028

The Sonic the Hedgehog movies have been a success for Paramount and Sega, and the pair are looking to build on that with a spin-off movie. An expansion of the Sonic cinematic universe, if you will. The companies havent revealed more details about this Sonic universe feature, as Deadline described it, but the flick is set to hit theaters on December 22, 2028. There have been rumors for a while that a film focused on Shadow the Hedgehog is in development, so that might be the direction Paramount and Sega take here. Keanu Reeves voices Shadow in the film series . There have also been suggestions that a movie starring Amy Rose is in the pipeline. Im hoping theres one centered on my fave, Tails, in the works too, even though it took me decades to realize that his full name, Miles Prower, is a pun on miles per hour. This Sonic universe film will arrive after Sonic the Hedgehog 4 , which is scheduled to arrive in theaters on March 19, 2027. A Knuckles spin-off series arrived on Paramount+ last year . Meanwhile, just before the Sonic spin-off movie, Paramount will bring a hybrid live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film to theaters on November 17, 2028. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/a-sonic-universe-movie-will-hit-theaters-in-2028-163424265.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 10:04 pm

Amazon starts testing ultra-fast 30-minute deliveries

The new ultra-fast delivery option will allow Amazon to better compete with services like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Instacart.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 9:50 pm

December Game Pass additions include Mortal Kombat 1 and Dome Keeper

It's that time of the month again. Xbox just announced some new games that are heading to Game Pass in December . Let's take a look. The most renowned of the bunch is absolutely Mortal Kombat 1 , which drops on December 10 for Ultimate and Premium subscribers. This is the latest game in the long-running fighting franchise that cut its teeth in darkened arcades throughout the 1990s. Mortal Kombat 1 boasts an updated fighting system and plenty of new game modes. However, it's still basically the same gorefest we grew up with. Players can still access bloodsoaked fatalities and turn their opponents into cute little babies. The long-gestating sci-fi horror game Routine is finally coming out on December 4 , and it's a Game Pass day one release for Ultimate subscribers. This was first announced all the way back in 2012. It looks pretty fun, with a distinctly retro vibe. Dome Keeper drops on December 9 for Premium and Ultimate Subscribers. This is a fun little roguelike that I've spent an unhealthy amount of time on. It's a fast-paced mining simulator with some light tower defense mechanics. You'll be saying just one more run long into the night with this one. Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is available right now for Premium and Ultimate subscribers. This is the latest narrative adventure from the folks behind Life is Strange . It's set in the 1990s, so throw on some plaid or whatever. A bunch of cool games are also spreading their wings and becoming available for Premium subscribers after being Ultimate exclusives. There are some real blockbusters here, like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle , Monster Train 2 , 33 Immortals and Spray Paint Simulator . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/december-game-pass-additions-include-mortal-kombat-1-and-dome-keeper-161232292.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 9:42 pm

Apple Cyber Monday deals you can still get include discounts on Apple Watches and AirPods 4

The sales have officially ended. Cyber Monday and Black Friday are behind us and most deals have slipped back in to their deal caves to hibernate until the next sale event. But! There are still a few deals that haven't packed it in yet . And there are still a few discounts left on Apple gear. The standout is the new Apple Watch Series 11 that's still down to the all-time low it hit during the sales. That's $70 off and the best price on the wearable so far. The AirPods 4 without ANC are $80, which is more than the all-time low, but still nearly a $50 discount. If you still have a few Apple devices on your wish list, here are the Apple deals from Cyber Monday that still remain. Cyber Monday Apple deals still available AirPods 4 (with ANC) for $99 ($80 off) at Amazon : If you just need moderate noise cancellation and prefer an open-wear fit (where nothing goes in your ear canal), you may prefer the new AirPods 4. They dont have heart rate sensing or the hearing features the Pro models have. But we found the sound quality to be pretty good and appreciated Pro-level features like live translation. Also at Walmart and at Best Buy . EarPods for $17 ($2 off) at Amazon : For those who prefer a cord, here is the only Apple-branded wired earphone option. Also at Walmart . iPad Pro (M5, 11-inch, 256GB) for $899 ($100 off) at Amazon : While we think this is an amazing piece of computing machinery, we admit that its overkill for most people. It's got one of the best displays youll find on a tablet, the most recent M5 chip (the same that powers the base-level Apple MacBook Pro) and an almost impossibly thin and light build. We gave it an 85 in our review and had very few complaints aside from the near-prohibitive price tag. Hopefully this Cyber Monday Friday discount helps. This $100 discount is a new all-time low. Also at Walmart . Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS) for $199 ($49 off) at Amazon : After a couple years, Apple finally updated its budget-model smart watch. And we were pretty happy with the results, awarding the new wearable a review score of 90 . Its got a smaller screen and thicker bezels than the Series 11 and lacks a few of the more advanced health monitoring features. Its also made from slightly less-robust materials. But it has nearly everything that makes Apple Watches great for a lot less particularly now. This is the lowest price we've seen since the watch came out in September. Also at Walmart and Target . Apple MacBook Pro (M5, 14-inch, 512GB) for $1,349 ($249 off) at Amazon : Apples most recent M-series chip is the M5, and only comes equipped on the 14-inch MacBook Pro and the iPad Pro. When the M5 MacBook Pro M5 came out last month, we promptly reviewed it and awarded it a 92. That new chip gives the laptop an impressive graphics upgrade that helps make it more suited to gaming an area where Apple still lags behind PCs. Other than the chip upgrade, its mostly the same, which is a good thing. Its sturdy, powerful and has an impressively long battery life we clocked 34 hours in a video run-down test. Also at Walmart , Best Buy and B&H . Apple MacBook Pro (M4 Pro, 14-inch, 512GB) for $1,779 ($250 off) at Amazon : The M5 chip isnt yet available in the Pro and Max variants. If Apple follows the same six-month gap that separated the M4 from the M4 Pro and Max chips, we may see the M5 Pro/Max in spring of next year. For now, however, those higher-specced chips can only be found in the M4-series lineup. The MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip is on sale and its our recommendation for creative professionals who need an obscene amount of processing power. Also at Best Buy . It went as low as $1,699 during the sale. Apple 2024 iMac (M4, 24-inch) for $1,149 ($150 off) at Amazon : Apple just has one model of an all-in-one desktop computer and it has the M4 chip inside. We called the iMac more cost effective than ever , now that it comes with a minimum of 16GB of RAM. The M4 chip makes it capable for content creation, productivity and gaming. Apple AirTag (single) for $18 ($11 off) at Amazon : Still the most popular finding fob for iPhone users , the AirTag is known for its uncanny ability to find lost things by anonymously pinging nearby iPhones. Apple Pencil USB-C for $69 ($10 off) at Amazon : If you have the new base-model iPad with the A16 chip, this is the pencil that will work for you. Itll also work with current as well as slightly older models of the Air and Pro iPads. The deal has been vacillating between $49 and $69 over the shopping holiday. Apple Pencil Pro for $95 ($35 off) at Amazon : The Apple Pencil situation is a little messy , so youll want to double check which model is compatible with your particular iPad. The Pencil Pro is the most fully featured in the lineup with haptic feedback, barrel roll and squeeze capabilities, and a hover preview feature. Itll work with the two most recent models of the Air and Pro iPads, as well as the latest iPad mini. The $95 price is $5 more than the all-time low and it's also available at Walmart and Best Buy . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-cyber-monday-deals-you-can-still-get-include-discounts-on-apple-watches-and-airpods-4-182846356.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 9:37 pm

Cyber Monday streaming deals aren't over yet: Get one year of Starz for only $12 before the sale ends

December is finally here, meaning the winter months are just about upon us. In the cold, there are few things better than staying in and watching your favorite shows. Thankfully, there are lots of Cyber Monday streaming deals still available. If you're not sure about Starz , you can test the waters by paying $1 monthly, down from $11. That comes out to just $12 for the whole year when you pay upfront for the whole term. There's also a month-to-month option that brings the price down to $3 monthly, but only for your first three months. If Starz isn't for you, check out some of the other great streaming deals still available post-Cyber Monday. Paramount+ two months of Essential or Premium for $6: This Cyber Monday deal brings the monthly price of either Paramount+ tier down to just $6 for two months, or $3 per month. The obvious better deal is on the Premium plan, which typically costs $13 per month. This deal ends December 2. MasterClass up to 50 percent off annual subscriptions: The MasterClass Cyber Monday deal discounts most subscription tiers by 50 percent when you pay for one year upfront. The Premium tier, the most expensive option, usually costs $20 per month but now only sets you back $10 per month for one year. That gives you access to the entire MasterClass content library, offline viewing and up to six simultaneous streams. Audible three months for $3 : For literally $1 per month , you can get access to Audible's enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It's only three months, after which you'll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobibliophile can cram a lot of listening into 90 days. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-streaming-deals-arent-over-yet-get-one-year-of-starz-for-only-12-before-the-sale-ends-190854524.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 9:31 pm

AWS announces new capabilities for its AI agent builder

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TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 9:30 pm

Amazon releases an impressive new AI chip and teases an Nvidia-friendly roadmap

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TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 9:30 pm

Simulars AI agent wants to run your Mac, Windows PC for you

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TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 9:30 pm

Amazon Has New Frontier AI Modelsand a Way for Customers to Build Their Own

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Wired 2 Dec 2025 9:30 pm

Three months of Audible for $3 is still available the day after Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday might be over, but some of our favorite subscription deals haven't gone away just yet. From video streaming services to budgeting apps, many services will have some promotion you may be able to take advantage of. One of the best we're tracking is for Audible . You can sign up and get your first three months for just $3 in total. That's $1 per month for your first three months of audiobooks. Just make sure you cancel before the 90 days are up, otherwise the subscription will auto-renew for its normal $15 per month price. That's a solid deal if you want to sample Audible before you decide to commit. Audible has a diverse catalog that goes beyond audiobooks . It also hosts podcasts and Audible Originals. Subscribers get to choose one audiobook each month to keep in their collection for free, including best-sellers or new releases. Users also get unlimited access to the Plus Catalog, which houses thousands of audiobooks. Finally, active members get discounts on many audiobooks when looking to purchase. Winter is coming and this is a good way to make sure you have plenty to listen to throughout the next three months. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/three-months-of-audible-for-3-is-still-available-the-day-after-cyber-monday-151010648.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 9:16 pm

The best Cyber Monday gaming deals that are still available: Save on the Nintendo Switch 2, PS5 consoles, Xbox controllers, tons of games and more

Cyber Monday is officially done, but many of its best gaming deals are still available. If youve been looking to add more games to your backlog, grab a new console or pick up some accessories for your gaming PC, we've rounded up the best of what's left below. The highlights include a $50 drop for the Nintendo Switch 2, PS5 consoles for $100 off, all-time lows for various Nintendo Switch , PlayStation , Xbox and PC games and notable price drops on mice , keyboards and headsets we like. Cyber Monday game console deals still available Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World for $449 at Walmart ($50 off) : This is the first widely available discount weve seen for Nintendos latest hybrid console . If our experience is any indication, youll need to be signed into a Walmart account to see the discount, but it should still be available when you add the device to your cart. For reference, Nintendo normally sells the console alone for $449 and this bundle with the kart racer Mario Kart World for $499, so you're essentially getting the game at no extra cost. Sony PlayStation 5 for $449 at Target ($101 off) : Its hard to get super excited about a PS5 deal like this after Sonys price hikes earlier this year, but steeper discounts on the console have still been fairly uncommon. Alternatively, you can grab an NBA 2K26 bundle or one with various Fortnite goodies for $1 more. A special Ghost of Yotei edition , meanwhile, is also $100 off at $499. Also at PlayStation , Amazon , Best Buy and others. Sony PlayStation 5 Digital Edition for $399 at Amazon ($101 off) : The disc-less version of the PS5 actually launched for $399 five years ago, but in 2025, that price now counts as a deal. A Fortnite bundle is available for the same price. Also at Best Buy , Walmart , PlayStation and others. Sony PlayStation 5 Pro for $649 at Amazon ($101 off) : Most people dont need the PS5 Pro, but this discount still ties the lowest price weve seen for Sonys most powerful console . Also at Best Buy , PlayStation and others. Cyber Monday Nintendo Switch deals still available Samsung P9 Express microSD Express Card (512GB) for $75 at Amazon ($25 off) : If you need more storage for your Switch 2, this is a new low for the 512GB version of Samsungs newest microSD Express card. Full disclosure: Samsung launched this card a couple of weeks ago, and we only just got it in for testing. But given the trend of similar Switch 2 performance weve seen with other Express cards thus far, and the fact that this is easily the cheapest 512GB model we can find in stock as of this writing, we figure its worth noting. Cyber Monday PS5 deals still available Sony PlayStation Portal for $179 at Amazon ($21 off) : This is the first major discount for Sonys remote play handheld , which recently added the ability to run games directly from the cloud . Just note you need a PlayStation Plus Premium subscription for that. Anecdotally, Ive found it a godsend as a new dad . Also at Best Buy , Walmart and others. Sony DualSense controller for $55 at Amazon ($20 off) : Heres a nice chance to save if youve been meaning to stock up on new gamepads for your PS5 (or PC). Several colorways are on sale, though some cost $5 to $10 extra. Also at Best Buy , PlayStation and others. Sony DualSense Edge controller for $169 at Amazon ($31 off) : Sonys pro PS5 controller adds customizable back buttons, swappable thumbstick modules, trigger stops and the ability to set custom button mappings and sensitivities. We found it to have worse battery life than the standard DualSense, though, typically lasting just five to six hours. We saw it fall to $160 earlier this week, but this is still a noteworthy discount. Also at Best Buy , Target , PlayStation and others. PlayStation Plus Premium (12-month) for $107 at PlayStation ($53 off) : Sonys online service has only gotten pricier over the years, but this is still a rare chance to save on annual subscriptions. A Premium membership gets you cloud streaming support and an on-demand library of retro games on top of the perks included with the lower PS Plus Extra and PS Plus Essential tiers. A 12-month Extra subscription is also on sale for $101, though at that price you might as well go all the way. Just remember that your subscription will be set to auto-renew by default. The offers apply to new and select existing customers; for the latter, the exact discount will depend on how much time you have left on your current membership. Sadly, there aren't any deals for the standard Essential tier. PlayStation 5 Access Controller for $70 at Amazon ($20 off) : The Access Controller is a circular, customizable PS5 pad thats designed for players with accessibility needs. This isnt the devices best discount ever it went as low as $49 over the summer but its still a nice drop from its usual street price. Also at Best Buy and PlayStation . Astro Bot for $40 at Best Buy ($20 off) : Heres the largest widely available discount to date for this wonderfully inventive 3D platformer, which Engadgets Jess Conditt called one of the best games Sony has ever made in her review . Also at Target and Amazon . Death Stranding 2: On the Beach for $50 at Amazon ($20 off) : The latest adventure from Metal Gear creator Hideo Kojima, Death Stranding 2 is both a fascinating delivery sim fixated on how we physically interact with the world and an indulgent melodrama youll either find endearing or unbearable. Either way, there really isnt another game like it. This discount matches the lowest price weve seen. Also at Best Buy and Walmart . Helldivers 2 for $30 at Best Buy ($10 off) : This ties the best price weve tracked for the PS5 copy of the raucous co-op shooter Helldivers 2 , which straddles the line between Starship Troopers -esque satire and engaging strategic action. Also at Target and PlayStation . God of War Ragnark for $20 at Best Buy ($50 off) : Ragnark is another PlayStation prestige sequel thats more about upping the scope than truly reinventing itself, but its Norse world is beautifully detailed and smashing baddies with a magic axe always feels great. This matches the all-time low for the PS5 version. Also at Target and PlayStation . Sony has discounted a ton more first-party PS5 games for Black Friday and Cyber Monday beyond that. Highlights include the open-world adventures Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered and Horizon Forbidden West for $20 each, while Marvels Spider-Man 2 , Gran Turismo 7 , Returnal , The Last of Us Part I , The Last of Us Part II Remastered , Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart , Ghost of Tsushima: Directors Cut and Demons Souls are all $30 apiece. Cyber Monday Xbox deals still available Xbox Wireless Controller for $40 at Amazon ($25 off) : To be candid, Xboxs holiday deal selection is fairly weak: Neither the Xbox Series X nor Series S are on sale, and the brand doesnt do exclusive games anymore. If you want to grab a spare controller, however, this is a nice chance to save after Microsofts price hike earlier this year. Several color options are discounted, though some are priced $5 to $10 higher. Also at Target , Xbox and others. Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox (2TB) for $200 at Amazon ($60 off) : Annoying as it is, the only way to fully add storage to a new Xbox is to use a proprietary expansion card. Only a couple of those exist, and theyre all pricey, but this deal for Seagates 2TB card is about $20 off the device's usual street price as of late. The 4TB variant is also on sale for $380, which matches its best-ever price. Also at Best Buy . Cyber Monday video game deals still available Doom: The Dark Ages for $35 at PlayStation ($35 off) : The most recent installment in the celebrated FPS series, The Dark Ages takes a meatier and more grounded approach to combat than the frantic Doom Eternal . It also has you pilot an armor-coated dragon sometimes. Engadgets Jess Conditt called it a well-rounded romp through the bowels of hell in her review . This is a new low for the PlayStation and Xbox editions. Also at Xbox and Humble . Split Fiction for $40 at Walmart ($10 off) : A pick from our guide to the best couch co-op games , Split Fiction overcomes some hacky writing with brisk action, a lighthearted tone and a Nintendo-like committing to presenting new level ideas. We saw it fall as low as $30 last week, but this is a useful $10 discount for the Switch 2, Xbox and PC versions all the same. Also at Nintendo , Steam and Xbox . Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for $49 at Xbox ($21 off) : Few licensed games do a better job of capturing the spirit of their source material than Great Circle , a first-person adventure that wisely focuses on puzzle-solving and exploration over combat. A rollicking, well-paced story and tremendous voice acting round it out. This is a new low for Xbox version. Also at Humble , though its been slightly cheaper on PC before. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for $39 at Steam ($44 off) : The moody Cyberpunk 2077 started as a technical disaster but now stands as a perfectly solid action-RPG, one bolstered by its pointed narrative and striking techno-future art style. This ties the best price weve seen for the PC version of the Ultimate Edition , which includes the games well-regarded Phantom Liberty DLC. Also at Xbox for $40. Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10 at Xbox ($30 off) : Weve seen this deal a bunch of times over the years, but it matches the lowest-ever price for The Master Chief Collection , which gathers six of the venerable FPS series games in one package. Thank Goodness Youre Here! for $12 at Steam ($8 off) : Thank Goodness Youre Here! is a delightfully clever and exceedingly British comedy game about a little yellow man who does everything requested of him to an increasingly surreal extent. Its three hours long and, as Engadgets Mat Smith wrote in his review , Actually Funny. The ending alone is worth this price, which ties the games all-time low. Also at Nintendo . Pentiment for $10 at Xbox ($10 off) : One of the Xboxs true gems , Pentiment is an unusually soulful 2D adventure/visual novel that does nothing less than scrutinize the nature of truth. Its also very pretty. This deal ties the games all-time low. Also at PlayStation . Metaphor: ReFantazio for $20 at Woot ($50 off) : Its about as subtle as youd expect a game named Metaphor to be, but the latest title from the minds behind Persona 5 is a fantasy JRPG through and through: bombastic, stylish and earnest. (And long.) This deal from Amazon-owned Woot is the best price weve tracked for the Xbox version. The PS5 copy is at an all-time low at several retailers, too, but that only brings it down to $33. Also at Steam for $35. Grand Theft Auto IV for $7 at Xbox ($13 off) : Perhaps the most underrated GTA game, the 17-year-old GTA IV is still worth revisiting today thanks to its grimy depiction of city living and empathetic (if vulgar) story about the cracks in the American dream. Maybe just ignore the incessant calls to go bowling . This deal matches the games all-time low. Cyber Monday gaming handheld deals still available Retroid Pocket Flip 2 for $194 at Retroid ($15 off) : A recommendation from our guide to the best gaming handhelds , the Retroid Pocket Flip 2 is an Android device designed to emulate retro games. Getting those emulators set up takes some serious legwork, but this model can run games up to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube era without major issues, while its clamshell design and OLED display impress for a handheld in the $200 range. Use the code BFCM$15 to see this discount at checkout, but keep in mind that the price doesnt include any extra shipping fees. Retroid Pocket 5 for $184 at Retroid ($15 off) : You can use the same code above to get this deal for the Retroid Pocket 5, which is essentially the Flip 2 in a Sony PSP-style shape. Its currently the top retro handheld pick in our guide and remains excellent for emulating up to the PS2 and GameCube, but its worth noting that Retroid recently released a new Pocket G2 model that puts a stronger chip in the same design. We havent tested that one yet, but it should be better if you want to emulate select PC or Switch 1 games. That one is now on sale for $204. Looming over both devices, however, is the Retroid Pocket 6 , which will ship in January and looks to be a slightly more substantial upgrade. Cyber Monday VR headset deals still available PlayStation VR2 + Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle for $299 at Amazon ($100 off) : Its hard to broadly recommend the PSVR2: The actual hardware is superb , but there arent a ton of standout exclusives to play. Thankfully, you can now use the device with a gaming PC through a separate adapter , though its all wired-only. Still, if you have cash to burn and want to dive into games like Gran Turismo 7 , the Resident Evil 4 remake or the Horizon adventure bundled here, this is a new low. If this offer runs out of stock, the standalone headset is on sale for the same price. Also at Best Buy , PlayStation and others. Cyber Monday gaming keyboard deals still available Lemokey P1 HE for $134 at Amazon ($36 off) : The P1 HE is an honorable mention in our guide to the best gaming keyboards . It pairs a premium aluminum design with a fantastic typing feel and magnetic switches that let you customize the sensitivity of each press. The latter can be especially useful for competitive-style games. Its software is a pain, though. This deal marks the best price weve seen. ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless for $130 at Amazon ($80 off) : If the Lemokey P1 HE runs out of stock, or if you want something closer to a full-size layout, the ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless is another wireless mechanical keyboard we like. It makes typing feel and sound lovely, though it cant do any of the Hall effect customizations of the top picks in our guide. This deal ties an all-time low. Cyber Monday gaming mouse deals still available Razer Viper V3 Pro for $130 at Amazon ($30 off) : The Viper V3 Pro is the top pick in our guide to the best gaming mice for those who prefer a symmetrical shape. Its sturdy design is comfortable for a wide range of hand sizes and grip types, it performs just about flawlessly in competitive-style games and its ultra-lightweight without having any debris-collecting holes in its outer shell. This is the lowest price weve seen in several months. Razer DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed for $70 at Amazon ($30 off) : The DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed is a midrange option we recommend in our guide if you prefer a more ergonomic shape. Its contoured design is ideal for small- to medium-sized hands, it tracks reliably and at 55 grams its easy to flick around in fast-paced games. This deal marks a new low. Also at Walmart . Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite for $50 at Corsair ($40 off) : We consider the Scimitar RGB Elite to be the best value mouse for MMO and MOBA players, as it comes with 12 programmable side buttons that make it easier to pull off complex commands in games like Final Fantasy XIV or World of Warcraft . This deal matches the best price weve tracked in the past year. Also at Corsair . Cyber Monday gaming headset deals still available Turtle Beach Atlas Air for $130 at Amazon ($50 off) : The Atlas Air is the top pick in our guide to the best gaming headsets and one of the few wireless pairs with an open-back design. That gives it a far more spacious and immersive sound than most of its closed-back peers. Its highly comfortable too, though it cant block much outside noise, nor can it connect to Xbox consoles wirelessly. While not an all-time low, this is the best price weve seen since February. HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 for $30 at Amazon ($20 off) : The wired Cloud Stinger 2 is the budget pick in our gaming headset buying guide. Its comfy, with a solid mic and full-bodied bass. Just dont expect the most accurate sound or highest-quality materials at this price. Also at Best Buy and Walmart . Logitech G Pro X 2 Lightspeed for $210 at Amazon ($70 off) : We call the G Pro X 2 Lightspeed a quality alternative to the Audeze Maxwell our favorite closed-back wireless headset in our buying guide when its on sale for significantly less. Thats the case right now, as this discount drops the headset to its best price since July. Sony PlayStation Pulse Elite for $129 at Amazon ($21 off) : Its not a top pick in our guide, but the Pulse Elite is a decent wireless option for PS5 owners since it lets you adjust the EQ curve and access other settings directly from the consoles UI. It can also pair to a second device simultaneously over Bluetooth. The flimsy space-age design and poor noise isolation arent ideal, however. This deal comes within a dollar of the headsets all-time low. Also at Best Buy and Walmart . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-cyber-monday-gaming-deals-that-are-still-available-save-on-the-nintendo-switch-2-ps5-consoles-xbox-controllers-tons-of-games-and-more-172904125.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 9:13 pm

Mistral closes in on Big AI rivals with new open-weight frontier and small models

Mistral unveils its Mistral 3 lineup, including a frontier model and efficient small models designed for offline, customizable enterprise use aiming to prove small, fine-tuned AI can beat closed-source giants.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 9:07 pm

What is the Sanchar Saathi app? Why is the government mandating its pre-installation?

The Department of Telecommunications has ordered phone makers to pre-install the Sanchar Saathi app on smartphones by March 2026. The order has raised concerns.

The Hindu 2 Dec 2025 9:03 pm

Titan OS raises $58 million from Highland Europe for its smart TV OS

Titan OS aims to expand its independent TV operating system in Europe and Latin America.

TechCrunch 2 Dec 2025 9:00 pm

Cyber Monday PS5 deals are still available: Get $100 off consoles, plus discounts on PlayStation games, accessories and more

If youve been waiting to grab a PlayStation 5, these Cyber Monday deals are worth noting and still available. Sonys latest consoles have received a $100 discount across the board, dropping the PS5 Digital Edition to $399, the standard PS5 to $449 and the PS5 Pro to $649. Thats one of the best prices weve seen on Sonys hardware this year. You'll find the deals direct at Sony and from other retailers including Amazon and Walmart . Sonys flagship console remains one of the most popular gaming systems available, and this Cyber Monday discount makes it even easier to jump in if you havent already. The standard PS5 and the slimmer PS5 Digital Edition both offer fast load times, smooth frame rates and crisp visuals powered by the custom AMD Zen 2 processor and RDNA 2 GPU. The difference between them comes down to the disc drive the standard model includes one, while the Digital Edition relies entirely on digital downloads. For those who want top-tier performance, the PS5 Pro is also getting a rare $100 discount. It features upgraded specs and enhanced ray tracing for sharper graphics, along with improved cooling to handle more demanding titles. Whether you play cinematic single-player hits or fast-paced competitive games, the PS5 lineup remains one of the strongest options on the market for next-gen gaming. Each console supports 4K output, 3D audio and access to PlayStation Plus , which unlocks online multiplayer and a rotating library of free games. The DualSense controller remains a highlight, with adaptive triggers and haptic feedback that make everything from racing to combat feel more immersive. If youre already set with a console, there are also a few solid accessory deals to consider for Cyber Monday. The DualSense Wireless Controller is down to $60, a $25 discount available in multiple colors. The premium DualSense Edge controller , which adds customizable buttons and replaceable stick modules, drops to $169 during Cyber Monday. Meanwhile, the PlayStation Portal Sonys portable Remote Player that lets you stream games from your PS5 gets discounted to $179. You can still find a number of PlayStation Cyber Monday deals across the web right now, and they include some game sales as well. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-ps5-deals-are-still-available-get-100-off-consoles-plus-discounts-on-playstation-games-accessories-and-more-164015817.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 8:45 pm

Apple Music Replay 2025 is here to highlight your unimpeachable music taste

Music streaming services are starting to unleash their year-in-review features for 2025, and Apple Musics version is out now. Apple Music Replay is here to lay bare your listening stats for the year at least so far, because these tools go live with a whole month of the year left to go. You can check out the 2025 edition from the Home tab in the app. As ever, Replay shows your total listening time, the number of artists you checked out, your most-listened-to song and album and more. New this year is a discovery stat, which highlights new artists you started listening to in 2025. The loyalty factor will tell you which artists you listen to year after year, and the comebacks tab shows which artists have slotted back into your rotation. The most popular song on Apple Music overall this year was the ultra-catchy Apt. by Ros and Bruno Mars. Luther by Kendrick Lamar and SZA; Die with a Smile by Lady Gaga and Mars; Not Like Us by Lamar; and Birds of a Feather by Billie Eilish rounded out the top five. Apt. is also the most Shazamed song of the year. I really didnt need Replay to tell me that party metal vanguards Electric Callboy and kawaii metal pioneers Babymetal were my top artists for 2025, since Ive had both on extremely heavy rotation since the spring their stupendously fun collab, Ratatata, was my top song this year. I was a little surprised that the wonderful Japanese math rock band Toe were in third place and that post-punk revival crew Editors made the top five, though I did listen to the latters The Back Room a bunch at the start of the year. Early last year, Apple Music rolled out a monthly version of Replay , which shows the top songs, albums and artists and personal listening milestones for each month. You can also go back and listen to previous versions of your personalized Replay playlists, and check out a Replay All Time one, which highlights the songs youve listened to most on Apple Music overall. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/apple-music-replay-2025-is-here-to-highlight-your-unimpeachable-music-taste-151224318.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 8:42 pm

Cyber Monday streaming deals for 2025: Paramount+, Starz, MasterClass and others to shop while they're still available

Youre not alone if youre consistently aghast at the rising cost of streaming services. This year in particular has been bleak, with Disney+ and HBO Max being just a couple of the services that have increased prices as of late. If youre like any of us at Engadget, you probably subscribe to more than a few of these services, and costs quickly add up even without the period price increases. While you can find the occasional streaming deal throughout the year, Cyber Monday is the time when they are most abundant. Although Cyber Monday is over, some of the best Cyber Monday streaming deals are still available today. These are the best you can still get this year; just note that most require you to be either a new subscriber to get the deal, or a returning subscriber who hasnt been a paid customer in a hot minute. Best Cyber Monday streaming deals Paramount+ two months of Essential or Premium for $6: This Cyber Monday deal brings the monthly price of either Paramount+ tier down to just $6 for two months, or $3 per month. The obvious better deal is on the Premium plan, which typically costs $13 per month. This deal ends December 2. Starz one year for $12: Pay upfront for one year and you can get more than $50 off a Stars annual subscription. There's a month-to-month option too, which costs $3 per month for the first three months if you don't want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library with offline viewing and no ads. MasterClass up to 50 percent off annual subscriptions: The MasterClass Cyber Monday deal discounts most subscription tiers by 50 percent when you pay for one year upfront. The Premium tier, the most expensive option, usually costs $20 per month but now only sets you back $10 per month for one year. That gives you access to the entire MasterClass content library, offline viewing and up to six simultaneous streams. Audible three months for $3 : For literally $1 per month , you can get access to Audible's enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It's only three months, after which you'll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobibliophile can cram a lot of listening into 90 days. Fubo TV up to $30 off your first month: Fubo is arguably the best live TV streaming service for sports, and now new subscribers can save up to $30 on their first month. You'll get that discount if you subscribe to the Elite plan, which normally costs $95 per month and provides access to 325 channels including ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, and it includes ESPN Unlimited as well. If you're looking for a more affordable plan, the News + Sports tier has a $10 discount for new subscribers. DirecTV starting at $50/month for one month: All of DirecTV's signature packages are up to $45 off right now for your first month when you sign up. If you opt for the base Entertainment package, you'll spend $50 for the first month and get access to over 90 channels, including many local stations as well as ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports 1. You'll also be able to watch on the go with the DirecTV mobile app. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-streaming-deals-for-2025-paramount-starz-masterclass-and-others-to-shop-while-theyre-still-available-172013703.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 8:35 pm

Players are selfish: Fallout 2s Chris Avellone describes his game design philosophy

Avellone recaps his journey from learning on a TRS-80 to today.

Ars Technica 2 Dec 2025 8:34 pm

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review: an excellent modernization, but not a total reinvention

Its been 18 years since the last Metroid Prime game, but I felt right at home in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond . Almost too at home. Whether fighting my way through a volcano, exploring a research base in a frozen tundra or getting lost in a vast desert, I couldnt shake the feeling Id done this before. As the fourth game in a series, thats not a huge surprise, but it was my main disappointment in Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Think about the leap Nintendo took going from 2011s The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword and 2017s Breath of the Wild . They were both recognizably Zelda games, but Nintendo redefined what that means between those two games. No such reinvention has happened with Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. But that doesnt mean it isnt a great time it executes the template for a Metroid Prime game extremely well. Its thrilling to see the series finally make the jump to HD, iconic bounty hunter Samus Aran has some intriguing new powers, theres a badass motorcycle to shuttle her around the games open world hub and the games design and art direction show Nintendo at its best. It's everything youd expect from a Metroid Prime game no more, no less. Whether thats a good thing is up to you to decide. If you havent played the previous Metroid Prime games before, fear not. There isnt anything story-wise that you need to know before you jump into this adventure. As with all Metroid games, you take control of acclaimed bounty hunter Samus Aran, an ultra-powerful warrior with a mechanized suit full of fun tricks. The vast majority of the game takes place in first-person view where you can lock on to the many creatures trying to kill you and blast away with an ever-expanding arsenal. The other main interface is your scan visor, where you can learn about your surroundings and enemies to find weaknesses and figure out what you need to do to advance. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo Beyond throws you right into a firefight that serves as a solid tutorial for the game's varied control schemes. A Galactic Federation outpost is under attack, and Samus flies in to help defend the troops and keep a secret artifact safe. This somewhat bombastic intro is a great way to show off the Switch 2's power. Sure, we're not talking about a PS5 Pro here, but this is perhaps the most visually-advanced game Nintendo has released. With a Switch 2 docked to a TV, you can play it at either 4K / 60fps or 1080p / 120fps (in handheld mode, that drops to 1080p or 720p with the same frame rates). I dont have a huge TV, so I mostly went with performance mode, but in either case the game felt extremely fluid with no frame rate drops and looked outstanding. The game starts as Samus Aran flies in to help the Galactic Federation fight off an invasion, and that opening cut scene shows off with some HDR-enhanced explosions and a detailed environment of a space base in chaos. There are little fires and explosions everywhere; it's visually busy but in a good way that serves the setting, and it all looks vibrant and life-like. As with basically all Nintendo games, Metroid Prime 4: Beyond isn't aiming for realism, but it's closer to a game like Horizon Forbidden West or Cyberpunk 2077 than any other Nintendo titles I can think of. Things like the textures of metal installations, the leaves on alien trees or Samus' gloves all have a level of textural detail you don't usually see in Nintendo's games. Often, that's due to a conscious art direction choice to go in a more cartoonish direction, but the Switch 2's hardware is helping make the game as lifelike as possible. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo (Note that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is also available on the original Switch. I didnt play it there so I cant comment on how things like frame rates and textures hold up on that much older console. If youre thinking about trying this game on the first Switch, its probably a good idea to see how other reviewers find that experience before shelling out $60.) The aforementioned intro sets up the big conflict in Beyond. As Samus comes in to try and help the troops defend a mysterious artifact, the games big bad Sylux shows up and everything hits the fan. Samus and some other Galactic Federation forces are mysteriously transported to the planet Viewros, where Samus comes into contact with a near-excinct society called the Lamorn. A Lamorn elder telepathically pleads with Samus to try and save the society from being totally forgotten indeed, she may be able to bring them back from the brink of extinction if all goes well. Theyve been waiting for a chosen one, you see, and Samus is naturally it. As part of this intro, Samus gains her signature new physic powers in Beyond. These allow her to interact with otherwise-hidden parts of the environment to solve puzzles. The most significant is the Control Beam. When you charge your arm cannon while in the psychic scan visor mode (a slight tweak on the environmental scanning feature that has been a major part of all Metroid Prime games), you can fire a beam that slows time down and can be controlled with the right joystick. That means you can pass the Control Beam through multiple targets, something youll need to do periodically to weaken enemies or unlock the way forward. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo For the most part, though, the psychic powers besides the beam are just repackaging of already-familiar tools. Metroid veterans will be familiar with the Spider Ball, an upgrade to the Morph Ball that lets Samus magnetically attach to tracks that help her get to out-of-reach areas. In Beyond , you instead get the Psychic Spider Ball that does essentially the same thing. Occasionally, youll find Psychic Ball Tracks that you have to scan to reveal; theyll then blast Samus into a secret area that usually has a weapon upgrade or energy tank. Even Samus main weapon gets a fancy Psychic Beam name but the description of it in the inventory admits that its the same weapon. The Psychic Beams strength and performance are equal to the standard Power Beam. While the Control Beam adds a fun wrinkle to the gameplay, the psychic abilities dont otherwise change the Metroid Prime formula in any significant way. The main task Samus faces is collecting five Teleporter Keys that can get her off the planet. Those keys are hidden in various environments around Viewros that are all connected by Sol Valley, a large desert that holds lots of upgrades and side quests that youll need to clear to advance in the game. The desert is more of a hub than an open world there are small areas to explore dotted around it, but the main action happens in places like Ice Belt, Volt Forge, Flare Pool and several others youll find your way to as you collect those teleporter keys. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo As those names suggest, Ice Belt is a frozen area where you explore an abandoned research facility, while Flare Pool is inside of a volcano. And, as you might expect, youll need certain weapons to advance in those areas. In addition to her standard beam and missile weapons, Samus collects the obligatory freeze ray and fire blaster sort of weapons. This is where the game really started to remind me of the original Metroid Prime the three elemental weapons she collects are essentially the same as those in the first game, and environments like a frozen wasteland or a fiery volcano are nearly identical to ones youll find in that game. The Lamorn, meanwhile, reminded me a lot of the departed Chozo tribe youll find on Tallon IV in the first Metroid Prime. Of course, that game came out all the way back in 2002, and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond will likely be the first game of the series many play. A little recycling of classic elements is forgivable. That said, I was a bit disappointed that the game has a tightly-scripted flow. After the intro and the first mission on Viewros, you hit the desert with multiple locations where Teleporter Keys are believed to be hidden. But you cant tackle them in any order you choose. This is a Metroid game, after all, and that means exploring to find powers that let you explore a new area that was previously closed off. Part of me was hoping for the freedom of a game like Breath of the Wild where you could tackle areas in any order you choose. But after playing through nearly the entire game, I appreciate the excellent execution of the familiar formula. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo Another thing thatll be familiar to those whove played the older Metroid Prime games is the control scheme. For the most part, you can pick up the controller and get right to it, as the main control layout employs a two-joystick first-person view that should be pretty easy to get the hang of. But there are definitely times where I found myself wishing for more precision. You can lock onto enemies and targets with the ZL button and start blasting away with your chosen weapon, but many of the boss battles require you to lock on to a large creature and then use the right stick to adjust your aim to hit very specific targets. This took some getting used to, because I was used to the lock-on target vulnerable areas. Doing it with a Switch Pro Controller made things much easier, but using the standard Joy-Cons could get frustrating in a hurry. If I was playing in handheld mode, I would often pause before a big battle and wait until I could hook up to my TV and use a proper controller. Id recommend you do the same itll make for a much more enjoyable experience. Beyond also offers the option of using one Joy-Con in mouse mode for aiming while using the other for moving around. For me, this isnt a viable option. I tried it a few times and immediately felt completely disoriented and far worse at aiming than I was with the right stick. I can appreciate the idea behind offering mouse-like controls for a first-person FPS game, but it just did not feel well executed. That said, this might be on me. I havent played a game with a keyboard and mouse in years; nearly all of my gaming is on a twin-stick controller, so Im just more comfortable with that setup. Im thinking about starting from the beginning and seeing how I adapt to mouse mode and will update this review if my opinion changes. There are a few things that Beyond does that are completely new to the series. The most obvious one is Vi-O-La, the wild robotic motorcycle that Samus rides. Youll unlock that early in the game, and its primary utility is to get around Sol Valley. For anyone worried that the game is overly focused on an element that admittedly feels a bit anachronistic to the usual Metroid vibe, fear not. Youll use it a bunch, but its more about fast transportation and exploration than something that has detailed mechanics you need to master. There are a few segments where its a major part of the mission, but for the most part its just another tool in your arsenal rather than something that steals the focus of the game. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo The same can be said for the motley crew of adventures you assemble. One of the loudest bits of feedback that came out of the preview Nintendo offered the press a few weeks ago was whats the deal with Myles MacKenzie? You see, in the first hours of the game you come across MacKenzie, a bumbling engineer type who you rescue in the jungles of Viewros shortly after landing on the planet. You then have to escort him around a bit, during which he makes some pretty bad and occasionally obnoxious jokes. This led many who played the preview to worry about MacKenzie shattering the quiet and lonely solitude the Metroid series is known for. Dont worry Samus is on her own for the vast majority of the game. Youll encounter a few more stranded Galactic Federation soldiers throughout the game, but they usually only stick around for short segments before returning to the home base you establish with Myles. And as for Myles himself, hell help upgrade your weapons and is available on the radio to give you hints on where you need to go, something that I honestly didnt mind. Id rather have hints at hand than spend all my time wandering lost throughout the vast world of Beyond . But I can also see that the hint system is occasionally too aggressive in dropping details on where to go next. As a seasoned player, Beyond mostly felt challenging but fair. Games in the Metroid Prime series are notorious for moments of serious difficulty, but this one feels a little more forgiving. When battling bosses, there were plenty of ammo and energy drops that helped me even the score. I usually died a handful of times while figuring out my strategy or getting a feel for their attacks, but it wasnt overly frustrating or tedious. That said, there were two bosses near the end (including the final boss) where the difficult curve spiked in a way that felt completely unreasonable. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo There were also a few times when I felt wildly lost, with no useful information about my next step to be found anywhere on the map. Myles told me to find a member of the crew out in the desert. And while Sol Valley isnt the same open-world scale of some bigger games, its still a pretty big space to explore without any other indication of where to go. I wasted far too much time riding my motorcycle across dunes aimlessly figuring out where to go. It wouldnt be a Metroid game if you didnt get hopelessly stuck at some point, though. For the most part, I enjoyed the addition of some people helping Samus along her way. It helps flesh out the world of the game in small ways, giving some perspectives on everything going on from people who arent ultra-powerful, silent bounty hunters. It did make Samus never-ending silence feel a bit awkward, but it also fits with her otherworldly, not-quite-human presence. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond Nintendo In some ways, its easy to sum up Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Its the Metroid Prime experience, modernized. The graphics are better, the world is bigger, experiences like Vi-O-La and Samus psychic abilities offer a greater variety of gameplay experiences. But its also very much a Metroid Prime game at its core, with the familiar but effective mix of biomes to exploration, giant enemies to dispatch and weapon upgrades to find. And, of course, there were moments of immense frustration when things just got too difficult, another hallmark of the series. Seriously, the final battle is wildly frustrating. Maybe I just need to get good, but it felt so far out of sync with the entire rest of the game that it almost ruined the fun that came before. That intense moment of frustration aside, anyone who played earlier games in the series will find a lot to love here. But, they also might be disappointed that Nintendo didnt push the series further. However, there are also a lot of people whove never played a Metroid Prime game in the last two decades or so those people will find that the formula Nintendo engineered in the 2000s still holds up here. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is far more unique than your average first-person shooter, it was worth the long wait, and its a must-play for anyone who is up for the challenge. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/metroid-prime-4-beyond-review-an-excellent-modernization-but-not-a-total-reinvention-150000082.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 8:30 pm

Apple will reportedly refuse to pre-install India's state-mandated security app

India has issued a mandate to all smartphone manufacturers and importers requiring them to install a state-owned cyber security app. But Apple is reportedly not going to comply, citing privacy and security concerns, according to Reuters . The app, called Sanchar Saathi (meaning Communication Companion), is supposed to expedite the process of finding lost or stolen devices and stopping their misuse, according to a government press release on Monday. It further states that companies, including the likes of Samsung and Xiaomi, should endeavor to use software updates to download the app on previously purchased smartphones. The Sanchar Saathi app comes alongside an entire website designed for reporting fraudulent communication and tracking missing phones. However, critics worry that the app is a means for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government to gain access to every smartphone in India. The messages coming out of the Indian government have been mixed so far. In Monday's public announcement, it said companies must comply within 90 days and submit a report within 120 days. It also states that the app should be readily visible and accessible to the end users at the time of first use or device setup and that its functionalities are not disabled or restricted. Yet, today, India's Union Communications Minister Shri Jyotiraditya Scindia stated that the app is completely democratic and fully voluntary. He added that users can deactivate or delete it at any time. At the same time, industry sources told Reuters that Apple will not comply with preinstalling the app. Whether that pushback lasts remains to be seen Apple has bowed to government mandates in the past. Recently, it removed two of China's biggest LGBTQ+ dating apps , following orders from the country's internet regulator and censor. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-will-reportedly-refuse-to-pre-install-indias-state-mandated-security-app-143050110.html?src=rss

Engadget 2 Dec 2025 8:00 pm

Market fall has set the stage for new user inflows on CoinSwitch, says Co-founder Ashish Singhal

The company also noted that its upcoming Q3 crypto report notes that for the first time, there are more Gen Z crypto investors than millennials indicating that the asset is now favoured by the internet savvy young investors.

Your Story 2 Dec 2025 7:39 pm