Gadgets News

The AirPods Pro 3 are $40 off right now on Amazon

If you haven't yet upgraded to Apple's AirPods Pro 3 , you can pick up the company's latest model at a discount through a deal on Amazon right now. The AirPods Pro 3, which came out in September, are currently down to $210. That's $40 off and only $10 more than the record-low price we saw last week. The Pro 3s have been fluctuating in price since Black Friday, with the lowest they've been being $199 for a brief period. With the new AirPods Pro, Apple made some big improvements, including better battery life and sound quality, and introduced useful new features, such as Live Translation. The AirPods Pro 3 are the best AirPods available today, with Apple's H2 chip, and earned a score of 90 out of 100 in Engadget's review this fall. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is one of the biggest selling points of the AirPods Pro, and Apple has made the experience even better with the AirPods Pro 3. They sport new foam-infused ear tips that create a better seal to improve passive noise isolation, and as Engadget's Billy Steele wrote in his review, Ultra-low-noise microphones combine with advanced computational audio to silence even more background noise. In testing, they had no problem blocking out the chatter of people nearby or otherwise noisy environments. With the AirPods Pro 3, Apple introduced heart-rate sensing, so you'll be able to see your heart rate data from the earbuds in the Fitness app and other workout apps. The AirPods Pro 3 also boast Live Translation, which you can activate via controls on the earbuds themselves. As long as you have an Apple Intelligence-capable device, you'll be able to translate in-person conversations in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese (Mandarin). Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-airpods-pro-3-are-40-off-right-now-on-amazon-222806233.html?src=rss

Divinity: Original Sin 2 for modern consoles is free for old fans

The definitive version of Divinity: Original Sin 2 , the sequel to Original Sin first released back in 2017, is now available for the PS5, Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox X|S. The role-playing game was developed by Larian Studios, the same company that developed Baldurs Gate 3 . To be clear, the games new release isnt a remake or even a remaster its just a port for new consoles so that old and new fans alike can enjoy the game without having to bust out their previous-gen devices. Fans who already own a copy of the game can even get it for free. Original Sin 2 is the fifth main entry in the Divinity game series. In it, gamers play a sorcerer who can wield forbidden magic and who gets captured by the Magisters of the Divine Order so they can be cured of their powers. Players can make their character from scratch, creating their own class and giving their character the abilities, skills and stats they want. But they can also use any of the pre-set characters the game provides. Players who already have the 2017 version installed will get a free upgrade applicable to their console. If they dont have it installed anymore, they can go to games store page on their new device and download the upgrade for free aside from fans in Japan wholl have to pay 100 for the Switch 2 and PS4 upgrade. Larian is also working on the latest entry to the franchise, simply called Divinity , which is its biggest and most abitious game to date. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/divinity-original-sin-2-for-modern-consoles-is-free-for-old-fans-130000192.html?src=rss

Hollow Knight: Silksong's upcoming DLC pack will be free for all players

One of 2025's splashiest games, Hollow Knight: Silksong , is getting its first major DLC expansion, developer Team Cherry announced in a blog post . The nautically-themed Sea of Sorrow update will come to the moody Metroidvania some time in 2026, and better still, it will be free for all players. The DLC will include new areas, bosses, tools and more, the developer wrote. There aren't a lot of clues to the gameplay in the short trailer below, but the four shots definitely relay the vibe. The first shows what looks like fishing tackle, then we see something (or someone) on a tomb-like wooden platform tied under a canvas sheet. Next an orb-like structure crackling with electricity looms and finally the game's protagonist, Hornet, appears. In related news, Team Cherry gave updates on its Nintendo Switch 2 version of the original Hollow Knight that will bring it up to visual parity with the the Hollow Knight: Silksong Switch 2 edition. As part of that, the studio also released a beta update to the Steam and GOG PC versions of the original Hollow Knight. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/hollow-knight-silksongs-upcoming-dlc-pack-will-be-free-for-all-players-123055729.html?src=rss

The Anker Laptop Power Bank soothed my (self-inflicted) battery anxiety

For the longest time, I refused to upgrade my work-issued MacBook. I was leery of the hassle, and would much rather hang on to an aging Intel-powered laptop than have to transfer files, set up apps and sign in to accounts all over again. What did it matter if my notebook barely lasted long enough to cover an iPhone launch? My petty brain blamed it all on external factors (like being forced to use a MacBook instead of a PC), and left me dripping in stress as I watched the power levels dip down to zero at many of the live events I attend every year. So when I saw the Anker Laptop Power Bank was one of the items in our Labor Day deals roundup this year, I decided to get one to alleviate my battery anxiety (instead of, you know, doing the sane thing and agreeing to a new laptop). When I unboxed my new Laptop Power Bank the night before the iPhone 17 Pro launch , I wasnt expecting to be so taken by its features. All I knew before then was that this was a solid, beefy laptop battery pack, squeezing 25,000mAh in a compact package that would save me from having to worry too much about finding an outlet. But when I saw the screen light up with details on the amount of energy left (to two decimal places!) and the real-time charge data when I plugged it in, I was impressed. How modern! Then I noticed the built-in cables one retractable and neatly tucked inside the charger and the other artfully curved into a groove and doubling as a handle. Both wires were braided and felt like theyd be resistant to fraying and destroying themselves over time. Altogether, the general build quality and functionality of all the components made it clear this was a thoughtfully designed product worthy of all the praise and money weve hurled at it since my colleagues first tested it. But what truly made me smile (and giggle, honestly) was a naughty little Easter egg . I saw posts on Threads indicating that if you tugged on that retractable cable and let it go in and out a few times, the screen would show a smiley face. I didnt believe this was true until I saw it for myself. Sure, it felt a little bit odd, but I told myself I was revving a chainsaw, and doing legitimate testing for professional reasons, not jerking off a device. And when I saw the funny face appear, I felt the effect was humorous rather than pervy. The good news for the more staid readers is that if you dont want to ever see that face, you never have to. And if you like cheeky little touches in your tech products, the Anker Laptop Battery Charger will delight. Regardless of how I felt about having pleasured a laptop battery charger, it doesnt take away from the fact that this is a well-made, well-rounded product. It managed to get my MacBook a few extra hours, so I made it all the way to the end of a multi-hour keynote, though it did run completely empty so I couldnt recharge my phone after. Blast Apple Park and its utter lack of available power outlets! Ankers Laptop Battery Pack effectively allayed my battery anxiety, brought me some mirth and won me over with its thoughtful design. And because I got it on sale, it was $90 well spent. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/the-anker-laptop-power-bank-soothed-my-self-inflicted-battery-anxiety-123000024.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Roomba maker iRobot files for bankruptcy

iRobot, the company that brought robotic vacuum cleaners to homes and popular culture, has filed for bankruptcy . It plans to sell all assets to its primary supplier, the Chinese company Picea Robotics. Investors will experience a total loss and not receive recovery on their investment if the deal is approved, iRobot said. The company didnt discuss how the move might affect its employees in the US or elsewhere. Amazon dropped its $1.7 billion acquisition of the company last year after a veto threat from European regulators, leaving the Roomba maker with no other option. Political scrutiny came on two fronts: The company was also reportedly hit hard by Trumps tariffs in Vietnam, where it manufactures products for the US market. iRobot launched its first Roomba in 2002, arguably inventing the world of robot vacuums and the first robots to enter many of our homes. Competition from rivals has chipped away at its dominance, with other companies coming in at both lower and higher prices, like Roborock, Dyson and Ankers Eufy. Mat Smith The other big stories this morning In 2025, tech giants decided smart glasses are the next big thing Grok is spreading inaccurate info again, this time about the Bondi Beach shooting 47 Ronin director found guilty of defrauding Netflix out of $11 million The best things Engadget editors bought in 2025 IKEAs new wireless charger is cute I like the illuminated charging bowl too. IKEA IKEAs revamp of its smart home products doesnt end with Matter support. It also has some new Qi wireless chargers. First up, the $10 VSTMRKE combines a PopSockets-style phone grip with cable storage in a donut-shaped package. It can magnetically attach to iPhones with MagSafe or Pixel phones with Googles Pixelsnap magnets. Then theres the $25 VSTMRKE wireless charger with lighting, a bowl-shaped charging pad in the center for your smartphone or wireless earbuds. Continue reading. LG will debut its first Micro RGB television at CES More color and better dimming than a standard LCD. LG says it will unveil its LG Micro RGB evo TV at CES 2026, but ahead of that, it shared some preliminary information about the screen. Instead of just white lights, Micro RGB means the backlight can be any hue, thanks to individually controlled red, green and blue Micro LEDs, offering a wider color array. This approach is midway between OLEDs individual-pixel lighting and TVs that use typical mini-LEDs. Continue reading. Slop is Merriam-Websters word of the year 2025 saw AI slop sludge into every nook and cranny of online life. OpenAI Merriam-Webster has selected slop for its 2025 word of the year. Its defined as digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence. Weve seen an absolute deluge of AI slop this year, from fake movie trailers on YouTube to AI-generated bands on Spotify. It was (unfortunately) one of our winners of 2025 . Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121547853.html?src=rss

The best mobile microphones for 2026

Theres nothing more frustrating than shooting the perfect reel only to realize that the audio sounds like garbage. For budding creators, its a frustration; for those looking to make more professional content, its a dealbreaker. Fortunately, the world of mobile-specific (or phone-friendly) microphones has exploded with great options in the last few years. Whether youve been tasked with recording candid moments at a relatives wedding, shooting a friends dance moves or are a journalist out in the field traveling light theres an option out there that will be perfect for you. Weve tested a wide range of popular microphones with a mobile focus so that you dont have to. Below is our hand-picked list of the very best options for a variety of use cases. Some microphones the wireless lavalier kind, for example will be more versatile and convenient, useful for a number of different applications. Others, such as our musician or field-recording picks, are where we explore more exotic form factors such as shotgun mics and mobile-friendly desktop options. As always, above everything else is sound quality and general performance. The good news for you is that weve done all the hard work for you. Happy recording! Best phone mics for 2026: Best wireless mics for creators Creator is a broad term, but for the purposes of this guide, its anyone that wants to make videos or recordings to share on the internet. This is possibly the most exciting category right now with excellent options from brands such as Rode and DJI, but also some compelling budget options too. Once the domain of TV and pro productions, wireless lavalier mics are now the go-to choice for anyone creating in front of (or even behind) the camera. They usually sound great, offer hands-free flexibility and premium models come with extra features that will streamline your creative process. How we test mobile microphones The world of mobile microphones has exploded in recent years thanks to affordable, high-quality wireless systems, the popularity of social media and content creation and, of course, Apples reluctant switch to USB-C on the iPhone which has removed connectivity complications for manufacturers. When it comes to testing, my experience as a journalist, podcast producer, YouTuber and (failing) music producer has given me a lot of real-world experience with a wide variety of products all aimed at different jobs. When compiling this guide for Engadget, I filter that experience down to a few simple criteria that allows us to focus on whats important to you, the reader and whatever it is youre trying to record. The main criteria for mobile microphones are simple: Does it sound great? Does it connect to a phone directly and reliably? And, is it good value for its intended purpose? A hobbyist and a professional have different budgets after all. What every microphone endures is repeated recording in treated, non-treated and outdoor environments. Ill also A/B test each one against its rivals and usually a suitable reference microphone Shures SM7b for podcasting microphones or Rodes NTG 5 for shotgun/video mics, for example. Some sub-categories of microphone require a slightly different approach. For wireless systems, I test how far I can walk from the receiver before recordings degrade, along with a standard battery life test by setting them to record until they power off. For podcast and vocal-focused microphones, I record in different spaces to see how they cope with different environments and measure self noise (recording silence). Lastly, I test how they sound when recording at different distances from the microphone. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-mobile-microphones-for-recording-with-a-phone-154536629.html?src=rss

Alexa in 2025: What all did Indians ask the virtual voice assistant this year

Indians turned to Alexa to know Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Gautam Adani, and Jeff Bezos net worth-related queries

Ai+ Smartphone to launch its first flip phone NovaFlip in Q1 2026

NovaFlip will run on NxtQuantum OS which the company said is designed to adapt intelligently across folded and open states

Google is retiring its free dark web monitoring tool next year

Google will stop sending out dark web reports starting early next year, as it shuts down the free tool that can tell you if your personal information has appeared on the seedy underbelly of the internet. The tool used to be exclusively available to Google One subscribers until the company opened it up to everyone in mid-2024. If you switch it on, youll receive a notification whenever your name, email address and phone number leak on the internet, typically due to data breaches. In Googles email announcement, however, it said it was discontinuing dark web reports because feedback showed that it did not provide helpful next steps. A report just lets you know that your information has appeared on the dark web. You can also see a list of all the hits you get on your Google account, along with what data breach leaked that particular detail. However, it doesnt give you guidance on what to do afterwards. The company explained that it will focus on tools that can give you clear, actionable step to take instead. Google will stop monitoring for new dark web results on January 15, 2026 and will remove access to the report from your account on February 16. You can also remove your monitoring profile right now by going to the results with your info section on the tools official page. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/google-is-retiring-its-free-dark-web-monitoring-tool-next-year-023103252.html?src=rss

LG will debut its first Micro RGB television at CES

LG is getting in on one of the newest trends for televisions with the introduction of Micro RGB. The company will unveil the LG Micro RGB evo at CES 2026, but it shared some preliminary information about the screen today. Micro RGB is a newer screen technology where rather than white lights, the backlight can be any hue thanks to individually controlled red, green and blue Micro LEDs, offering a wider color array. This approach is a mid-way point between the precision of OLED with its individual pixel lighting, but it offers an upgrade over screens only using mini LEDs. The television is also equipped with an upgraded engine for AI upscaling. According to the company's press release, the LG Micro RGB evo is certified by Intertek for 100 percent color gamut coverage in BT.2020, DCI-P3, and Adobe RGB. The TV has more than a thousand dimming zones for brightness control. The few other brands currently using micro RGB are charging a pretty penny for it; the one announced by Samsung earlier this year costs $29,999 . At 115 inches, the Samsung version is also much larger than LG's offerings, which include options at 100 inches, 86 inches and 75 inches. Although the size is reduced, expect the eventual prices for the LG Micro RGB evo to also be very expensive. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/lg-will-debut-its-first-micro-rgb-television-at-ces-010037923.html?src=rss

Judge blocks Louisiana's social media age verification law

A Louisiana law that would have required social media platforms to verify the ages of their users has been blocked by a judge. The law, known as the Secure Online Child Interaction and Age Limitation, was passed in 2023 and required Meta, Reddit, Snap, YouTube Discord and others to implement age verification and parental control features. The ruling came just days before the law, which technically took effect over the summer, would have started to be enforced. In his ruling, Judge John W. deGravelles wrote that the law's age-verification and parental-consent requirements are both over- and under-inclusive, and that its definition of social media platform was nebulous. The ruling was a victory for NetChoice, a lobbying group that represents the tech industry and has challenged the growing number of age verification laws around the world. The group had argued that the law was unconstitutional and posed a safety and security risk. In a statement following the ruling, the group pointed to the massive privacy risk posed by the Louisiana law and others like it. Louisianas law would have done more than chill speech, Paul Taske, the co-director of NetChoices Litigation Center said. It would have created a massive privacy risk for Louisianans like those playing out in real time in countries without a First Amendment, like the UK. The Louisiana Attorney General's office didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/judge-blocks-louisianas-social-media-age-verification-law-001212758.html?src=rss

LG quietly added an unremovable Microsoft Copilot app to TVs

Microsoft made a big punt this year with Copilot. The company put its AI chatbot into a special line of laptops and has also tried to integrate it into other tech products. The latest place you may find Copilot is on your LG smart television, whether you want it or not. Several LG smart TV owners have taken to Reddit over the past few days to complain that they suddenly have a Copilot app on the device and cannot uninstall it. Two Engadget staffers discovered the app on a 2022 LG OLED and a 2023 UA8000. They confirmed that the app can't be removed, although they were able to hide it from the home screen. One other person from our team also has a 2022 LG OLED but isn't seeing Copilot, so your mileage may vary based on what permissions and privacy settings you already have set up with LG. Karissa Bell for Engadget LG said during the 2025 CES season that it would have a Copilot-powered AI Search in its next wave of TV models, but putting in a permanent AI fixture is sure to leave a bad taste in many customers' mouths, particularly since Copilot hasn't been particularly popular among people using AI assistants. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/lg-quietly-added-an-unremovable-microsoft-copilot-app-to-tvs-235923754.html?src=rss

Ford is rebooting the F-150 Lightning as an EREV with a gas generator

Just last month, Ford seemed to be on the brink of sunsetting the F-150 Lightning. Today, the vehicle manufacturer announced plans to reboot the truck as a hybrid. This next generation of the F-150 Lightning will contain Extended Range Electric Vehicle. An EREV is similar in concept to a plug-in hybrid but with a larger battery that's topped up by a gas generator the powertrain itself is all electric. This next generation of the F-150 Lightning will offer an estimated range of more than 700 miles. Production will end this year on the current F-150 Lightning models. This revamp of the F-150 Lightning is part of Ford's latest approach to electric vehicles. The company projected that by 2030, half of its global volume will be comprised of hybrids, extended-range EVs and electric vehicles, compared with 17 percent today. As part of these actions, Ford no longer plans to produce select larger electric vehicles where the business case has eroded due to lower-than-expected demand, high costs and regulatory changes, the company's press release states. Ford will also swap its planned electric commercial van for North America with a new, affordable commercial van that has both gas and hybrid options. The company anticipates seeing a $19.5 billion negative impact for this pivot away from EVs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/ford-is-rebooting-the-f-150-lightning-as-an-erev-with-a-gas-generator-222529768.html?src=rss

The 12 best last-minute Christmas gifts for 2025 that will arrive by December 24

The holidays are nearly here and if youre a bit behind on your gift shopping, youre not alone. The holidays can truly sneak up on you, and this year thats been more true than ever. Between wrapping things up at work before some well-deserved time off and making sure you have everything you need to host family and friends, it can be hard to find the time to go to a store to pick out presents. And when you do finally get there, you may be met with half-empty shelves. But this is where the internet comes in handy: you still have time to buy holiday gifts online. USPS , UPS and FedEx have laid out their holiday shipping deadlines for 2025. At this point, we recommend picking up small, affordable gifts that will ship quickly from retailers like Amazon , Walmart and Target so you have plenty of time to wrap them up nicely and make it look like you had everything well-planned from the start. Here are the best last-minute Christmas gifts you can get right now and still have in time before the holidays. Best last-minute Christmas gifts Holiday shipping deadlines for 2025 USPS: Ground Advantage December 17, Priority Mail Express: December 20 UPS: Three-Day Select December 19, Next Day Air December 23 FedEx: Ground Economy December 15, First Overnight December 23 Amazon Prime: December 23 Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-12-best-last-minute-christmas-gifts-for-2025-that-will-arrive-by-december-24-140037753.html?src=rss

Apple TV app for Android now supports Google Cast

Apple TV is adding Google Cast support to its native Android app. This update allows subscribers to stream Apple TV shows from their smartphones to their televisions. Apple's streaming service only just released the dedicated app for the Android operating system in February 2025. Adding in Google Cast support helps fully integrate the app into the experience for people whose gear is part of the Android ecosystem. The addition should make it easier for viewers to shift between screens, even mid-episode. It's a very different approach than Netflix, which recently ended Google Cast support for its streaming platform in most use cases. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-tv-app-for-android-now-supports-google-cast-205642324.html?src=rss

Fallout season 2's first episode will premiere a little earlier than expected

In an era where we often have to twiddle our thumbs for three years before a new season of a TV show we enjoy returns to our screens, the second season of Fallout has had a relatively short turnaround. It's set to hit Prime Video 20 months after the first batch of episodes. As it turns out, the season two premiere is going to arrive a little earlier than you may have anticipated as well. The first episode will now hit Prime Video at 9PM ET on December 16. That's six hours earlier than expected. So if you've been looking forward to catching back up with Lucy, Maximus and The Ghoul, you won't have to stay up as late on Tuesday night to catch the premiere as soon as it's available. Well, well, looks like Christmas came early on Sphere. The Fallout Season Two premiere, now arriving December 16 at 6 p.m. PT. pic.twitter.com/RHpSBBXJ6H FALLOUT (@falloutonprime) December 15, 2025 However, you won't be able to binge the entire season this week. While Amazon dropped all of Fallout season one at once in April 2024, this time around it will release episodes on a weekly cadence through February 4. Fallout was also in the news late last week when Prime Video offered up an error-ridden, AI-generated recap of season one. Amazon responded to the backlash ( the Fallout fallout, if you will ) by nixing AI video recaps from Prime Video entirely. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/fallout-season-2s-first-episode-will-premiere-a-little-earlier-than-expected-205018028.html?src=rss

Bungie's Marathon will arrive in March

Bungies Marathon has a new release window. The survival extraction shooter was originally set to hit PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in September , but by June, Sony had delayed it indefinitely . Now, with a plagiarism issue largely in the rearview mirror, Bungie has confirmed that Marathon will arrive in March and and plans to sell it for $40. Alongside the release date and price announcement, Bungie released a 23-minute video that takes a deep dive into the game and shows off the current state of Marathon. New features include proximity chat and a solo mode, while Bungie says it has upgraded the environmental storytelling and visual fidelity. Gritty environments provide a nice contrast to the glossy sci-fi sheen that defined Marathon s visual language in our earliest looks at the game . Theres a lot more on deck for Marathon s first year including new maps and events. Bungie also plans to release more shells, which are akin to character classes that can be customized by changing your loadout. The Rook shell, for instance, is a new one that the studio has added since the alpha playtests. This shell allows you to join a run that's already in progress. Youll have a limited loadout, but youre not really risking anything valuable as you run around to loot items. Theres a lot riding on Marathon . Parent company Sony Interactive Entertainment said last month that Destiny 2 had not lived up to its expectations and it wrote down the value of Bungies assets by $204 million. Back in August, Sony asserted more control over Bungie and said the developer was shifting into a role that is becoming more part of PlayStation Studios. Thats hardly the only issue Bungie has faced this year. The studio admitted in May that one of its former employees plagiarized the work of artist Fern Hook by enabling it to be used in Marathon s in-game textures. Earlier this month, Hook said that Bungie and Sony had resolved the matter to my satisfaction. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/bungies-marathon-will-arrive-in-march-200838426.html?src=rss

Disney+ is now available to stream on Meta's Quest headsets

Meta revealed that Disney+ was coming to its Quest headsets earlier this year during its Connect event. Now, the streaming app and its vast catalog are finally available to Meta's VR users in the United States. Meta recently overhauled the Quest's entertainment experience with a new Horizon TV hub that brings its streaming features into one place. Horizon TV also added support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos sound, both of which Disney+ subscribers can now take advantage of. According to Meta, there are aselect number of titles available to stream in Dolby Vision 4K HDR, and Disney+ Premium subscribers can stream with Dolby Atmos Sound. The company also says there are more than 100 titles in Disney's catalog that support 4K UHD and HDR and some Marvel and Pixar titles that support IMAX's expanded aspect ratio . The app is available now on the latest version of Horizon OS. Though Disney+ is for now limited to US-based Quest users, Meta says that international availability is coming soon. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/disney-is-now-available-to-stream-on-metas-quest-headsets-203622392.html?src=rss

Amazon sells MOBA March of Giants to Ubisoft

Ubisoft is moving deeper into MOBAs after buying March of Giants from Amazon and acquiring the team that made the game. As part of the agreement , Amazon will help promote March of Giants on Twitch. The deal is expected to close on December 16 Theres no release date as yet for March of Giants . Amazon announced the free-to-play game back in August and there was a closed alpha playtest the following month. The next playtest will take place in 2026. The next major update for March of Giants will include new giants, expanded competitive modes and foundational systems designed to support long-term growth. March of Giants is a 4v4 game in which players control giant war commanders. Youll lead armies with thousands of soldiers and send them to attack enemy giants. Likewise, youll have to fend off the other teams minions. You can also deploy reinforcements (called Battleworks) like trenches, tanks and bunkers to help you win a match. MOBAs arent entirely new territory for Ubisoft. While its ostensibly a third-person action game, For Honor checks all the MOBA criteria too. Although it clearly sees an opportunity in the MOBA market, Ubisoft will have a job on its hands to make March of Giants succeed in a space thats dominated by League of Legends and Dota 2 . March of Giants was in development at Amazon Games Montreal, a studio that was established five years ago . Several former Ubisoft employees are returning to that company as part of this deal. Many of them were part of the original creative team behind Rainbow Six Siege , including Amazon Games Montreal founder and March of Giants creative director Xavier Marquis. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/amazon-sells-moba-march-of-giants-to-ubisoft-183948291.html?src=rss

'Slop' is Merriam-Webster's word of the year

Merriam-Webster has selected slop for the dictionary company's 2025 word of the year. The leading lexicographers define slop as digital content of low quality that is produced usually in quantity by means of artificial intelligence. We've seen an absolute deluge of AI slop this year, from fake movie trailers on YouTube to AI-generated bands on Spotify . Not even food delivery like Uber Eats could escape the onslaught of AI-generated garbage that no one asked for. It's gotten to the point that half the videos my well-meaning parents send me on social media are AI-generated videos of dogs. This isn't all that surprising given how very intentionally the social media giants have added slop to all our feeds . Merriam-Webster rightly points out the somewhat mocking nature of calling it slop. Like slime , sludge and muck , slop has the wet sound of something you don't want to touch. Slop oozes into everything. The original sense of the word, in the 1700s, was 'soft mud.' In the 1800s it came to mean 'food waste' (as in 'pig slop'), and then more generally, 'rubbish' or 'a product of little or no value,' the dictionary distributors wrote. As the proliferation of AI slop expanded, some platforms like TikTok and Pinterest got wise and began offering users the choice to tone down the sheer amount of it in their feeds. Even Spotify is at least trying to combat some of this stuff now, though that didn't stop an AI-generated copycat from going unnoticed on the platform for weeks. Elsewhere, companies like Google leaned in, incorporating Veo 3-generated videos into YouTube Shorts. We'll only be able to tell in hindsight if 2025 was the peak of AI slop, but for now it shows no signs of abating. Merriam-Webster highlighted some other words for the year (some of which the chronically online will be familiar with), including Gerrymander, Touch Grass, Performative, Tariff, Conclave and Six Seven. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/slop-is-merriam-websters-word-of-the-year-181903322.html?src=rss

The 10 best white elephant gifts worth fighting over for 2025

If you have a white elephant gift exchange at work this year or with friends and family, theres a good chance youre scrambling right now to find a good gift or decipher what even makes a good white elephant gift. The possible origins of the term white elephant provide one way of looking at it: According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. It was a far more devious punishment than simply having them executed. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. Whether or not that story is true, it gives us one way of looking at a white elephant gift: something just useful or amusing enough that it wont immediately get tossed into the trash, but is also somewhat of a burden. However, there are plenty of other ways of interpreting this strange yet delightful tradition. Some compete to get a gift that others will surely want to steal, while others scavenge for the most niche and targeted gag gifts. Almost all of them, though, typically have a price limit that keeps the burden of gift giving to a minimum usually $50 or less. So with all of that in mind, here are some white elephant gift ideas that will get you a few chuckles without requiring you to spend too much (or think too hard about it). Best white elephant gift ideas White elephant FAQs What is white elephant? A white elephant gift exchange is a party game typically played around the holidays in which people exchange funny, impractical gifts. How does white elephant work? A group of people each bring one wrapped gift to the white elephant gift exchange, and each gift is typically of a similar value. All gifts are then placed together and the group decides the order in which they will each claim a gift. The first person picks a white elephant gift from the pile, unwraps it and their turn ends. The following players can either decide to unwrap another gift and claim it as their own, or steal a gift from someone who has already taken a turn. The rules can vary from there, including the guidelines around how often a single item can be stolen some say twice, max. The game ends when every person has a white elephant gift. Why is it called white elephant? The term white elephant is said to come from the legend of the King of Siam gifting white elephants to courtiers who upset him. While it seems like a lavish gift on its face, the belief is that the courtiers would be ruined by the animals upkeep costs. Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-10-best-white-elephant-gifts-worth-fighting-over-for-2025-150516281.html?src=rss

In 2025, tech giants decided smart glasses are the next big thing

There's a growing sentiment that gadgets have gotten boring. And while I don't fully agree, I understand why people might feel that way. Just think about some of the novel device types that companies have tried to push since the original iPhone came out. 3D TVs were a massive flop and tablets still feel like extra-large smartphones despite Apple's efforts to prop them up as laptop replacements. Meanwhile, even with huge technological advancements over the last decade, VR headsets remain relatively niche due to factors like high prices and a lack of compelling content. And although big names like Google, Microsoft, Meta and others continue to dump billions into AI development, the first wave of dedicated AI devices was an abject failure . When you think about it, the only new(ish) class of gadget that has made major inroads to the mainstream market is smartwatches . That said, because they've evolved into wearable health and fitness sensors instead of the wrist-based computers that many once thought they would be, they haven't really disrupted our lives like the personal computer and smartphone did. But that seems poised to change because the tech giants have decided that smart glasses are going to be the next big thing. Headsets versus smart glasses, whats the difference? Google is planning to support both smart glasses and headsets with Android XR, though the increased size and weight of devices like the Galaxy XR means it's not a great choice for all-day functionality. Sam Rutherford for Engadget At this point, you might be saying, Wait, hold on. Aren't VR headsets and smart glasses kind of the same thing? Well, yes and no. Both types of gadgets require similar software and hardware, but they utilize them in very different ways. Not only are VR goggles typically much bigger and heavier, they also provide a more isolated experience that can make it feel like you've been transported to another world. Sure, most modern headsets have exterior cameras that support some level of mixed reality (blending virtual graphics with physical objects) or let you peek quickly into meatspace (passthrough view) for when you need to get a drink or acknowledge other humans in the room. But in many respects, that closed-off feeling is the goal because it creates the ideal environment for playing games, taking virtual meetings or modeling 3D objects without real-world distractions. Furthermore, while many headsets like the Vision Pro and the Meta Quest 3 can function as standalone systems and support accessories like controllers or other motion trackers, they can also be tethered to a nearby PC for enhanced functionality. On the other hand, the default use case for smart glasses is a mixed reality environment where the spectacles can overlay helpful info or messages while you stay active and aware of your surroundings. Notably, while smart glasses might come with lenses or clip-on attachments that allow them to get darker or serve as sunglasses when you're outside, there typically isn't a way to completely block out the world like you can with a headset, mostly because that's simply not the point. And even though most smart spectacles can be paired with a phone to get access to mobile data or notifications, they're generally not meant to be tethered to a PC full-time (though there are some exceptions). The goal for smart glasses is more to provide a mobile-first heads-up display that augments what you see with your eyes instead of replacing things entirely with a digital environment. OK, but what makes you so sure that smart glasses are it? Now that we've discussed what separates smart glasses from headsets, what makes it so obvious that they are going to be the next big thing? This one is a bit easier to answer because we can simply look at the sheer number of companies that have released smart glasses or are planning to do so in the future. If we skip past the Google Glass from 2013 as forward-thinking specs that were ahead of their time, the most well-known example of modern smart glasses is the Meta Ray-Ban (or the even earlier Ray-Ban Stories from back when Facebook was still Facebook). While they are a bit chunky, the Meta Ray-Ban Display are some of the most sophisticated smart glasses on the market right now due in large part to their single full-color screen. Karissa Bell for Engadget Even though they don't have built-in displays, the ability to capture photos and videos and play audio via built-in speakers brought the idea of smart glasses into the mainstream without making the concept look or feel completely ridiculous. Those earlier models then paved the way for even more sophisticated iterations like the Meta Ray-Ban Display from earlier this fall, which features a stunning RGB HUD (though only in the right lens) that has gotten us tantalizingly close to a true wearable display that doesn't make you look like a cyborg. Of course, Meta isn't the only game in town: there's a rapidly growing number of competitors from companies like Even Realities , Rokkid , TCL , Xreal , Viture and more. But for an even clearer sign of where the tech giants are heading, we can just look at Meta's two biggest competitors: Apple and Google. While Apple hasn't publicly announced plans to make its own smart glasses, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman who is one of the company's most reliable analysts provided inside info earlier this fall that Tim Cook and Co. are planning to pivot away from a proper follow-up to the Vision Pro in favor of more lightweight spectacles with greater mass appeal. This shouldn't really come as a major surprise, as sales of Apple's $3,500 headset have been lackluster . But more importantly, for a company that's extremely cautious about entering new product categories (foldable iPhone anyone?), it feels very telling to hear that Apple is shifting to smart glasses instead of abandoning the idea of wearable displays entirely. This is a company that doesn't swing and miss very often, so the idea of two flops in a row seems preposterous. If this pivot is real, there must be some Apple execs who are big believers that glasses and not goggles are the right choice for future development. Here are two of Google's reference design smart glasses. The one in the front features dual RGB waveguide displays while the one in the back relies on a single monocular screen. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Meanwhile, Google is taking a two-pronged approach. In addition to releasing a new mixed reality OS Android XR on Samsung's Galaxy XR headset in October, the company has also teased upcoming smart glasses along with a handful of partners including glasses makers Gentle Monster and Warby Parker . Just this week, the company also added a number of new features to Android XR designed to support a wide range of upcoming devices while simultaneously making it easier for developers to port existing apps over to smart glasses and headsets. And if you still need additional evidence regarding Google's desire to get into smart glasses, consider that even with its ongoing collaboration, the company also spent $100 million to acquire a 4 percent stake in Gentle Monster . Regardless of who is making them though, the big draw for these companies is the idea that smart glasses will become a new piece of core personal computing, similar to how people rely on smartphones and laptops today (or to a lesser extent wireless headphones and smartwatches). If true, that could become a trillion-dollar market in the next 10 to 15 years (or sooner, who knows), which not only makes it a natural avenue for expansion but possibly a future existential crisis for certain companies. After all, none of these organizations want to be the next Microsoft after it failed to develop a successful smartphone or mobile OS. Fine, the smart glasses trend is real, but why would we even want them? At this point, I hope it's clear that the push for smart glasses is very real and very serious. But so far, we've only addressed why companies are betting big on them. So what's in it for us, the people who might actually buy and use them? Well, to answer that, we need to separate the current models into three main categories. A great use case for smart glasses would be to provide heads-up mapping without the need to constantly look down at your phone as seen in this demo clip of Android XR. Google First, there are the most basic smart glasses that don't come with built-in displays and typically rely on cameras and built-in speakers for enhanced functionality. The best example of this class of devices is the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses (or the original Ray-Ban Stories) along with rivals like the Bose Sound Frames , which, believe it or not, have been on the market since 2019. However, before anyone gets attached to these early models, the simplest smart glasses already kind of feel like dinosaurs and will probably, in the not-too-distant future, go extinct. They were an interesting attempt to add things like music playback or photo and video capture to regular-looking sunglasses, but their limited feature set puts a clear ceiling on what they can do. Plus, if this is what people really wanted, they would have taken off already. Waveguides like the ones built into the Even Realities G2 project images directly onto their lenses allowing for super sleek glasses featuring a heads-up display. Sam Rutherford for Engadget This brings us to more recent offerings like the Meta Ray-Ban Display , Even Realities G2 , the Halliday glasses and others which add some type of built-in display to the mix. Most often, these models rely on waveguide displays as they enable thinner and lighter designs while propagating images onto the glasses' lenses. Currently, most of these smart glasses feature single-color optics (usually green) to reduce complexity and power draw, but there are others like the Meta Ray-Ban Display and both the TCL RayNeo X2 and X3 that support full color. In this day and age when everyone is surrounded by screens, the idea of yet another display mounted inches away from your eyeballs might sound like the last thing you want. However, because modern smart glasses are much more discreet and less awkward-looking, I find that they can actually help cut down on distractions. That's because instead of having to peek down at your phone or smartwatch to check notifications, reply to messages or look up directions, you can do many or all of these things using smart glasses all in the middle of a conversation without anyone noticing. Not only does this keep your focus where it should be on people instead of gadgets the glasses are also just as easy to wear as a smartwatch and far more comfortable than bulky VR headsets. Then, when you consider some other features of modern smart glasses like on-the-fly translation, the ability to function as a teleprompter hidden in plain sight or additional support from AI, suddenly you have a wearable that allows you to keep all of your other devices neatly stashed away. In many respects, smart glasses could be the portable displays that people might not even know they want. Compared to rivals with waveguides, glasses featuring birdbath optics are often significantly thicker and bulkier. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Speaking of portable displays: If you recall, I mentioned above how most smart glasses generally don't need to be tethered to other devices. The exception to that comes from a subclass of specs that are primarily designed to function as wearable monitors capable of supporting one or more virtual screens that can be in excess of 100 inches in size, relatively speaking. The most well-known smart glasses in this category come from Xreal and Viture , with both companies offering a range of models with varying levels of performance. One interesting thing to note is instead of waveguides, some of these smart glasses rely on birdbath optics. This means instead of projecting an image into the lens itself, they use a beamsplitter and mirror to reflect images into your eye. The benefit of this is that you get good image quality from components that cost less than an equivalent waveguide setup, with the downside being increased light loss, potentially lower brightness and a much thicker design. This results in chunky frames that often look like they are sitting too far away from your face, which might not be immediately apparent if you see someone using them from afar. But up close, they don't look quite right. Or at least they dont look like a pair of normal glasses. Another issue is that due to more light loss, birdbath smart glasses require darker lenses (similar to sunglasses), which means they aren't great for wearing all day in a variety of environments. And because we still don't really have a great protocol for wireless displays (though it looks like Valve may be cooking up something with the Steam Frames ), most of these need to be connected by wire to a nearby PC. So you plug them in, put them on, get your work done and then you take them off. Project Aura is Xreal's next-gen smart glasses and they feature a large 70-degree field of view and fancy electrochromic lenses. Sam Rutherford for Engadget That said, for those who need a ton of screen real estate, this type of smart glasses can be a very attractive alternative to traditional portable monitors. On top of being smaller and more portable, they provide additional privacy when working in public spaces like a cafe or plane, which is what prompted a doctor friend of mine to get a pair instead of going with a portable display. And for the gamers out there, because they can be connected to a phone or even a portable PC or Switch 2 (with the proper dock, of course), they're great for people who might not have room for or access to a big screen TV. So where do we go from here? Ultimately, I think all three types of smart glasses will merge into one as engineers perfect the tech and steal ideas from one another, though there will surely be plenty of room for more niche designs. But more importantly, if we consider the types of gadgets most people carry around today, it boils down to just a handful of devices: a smartphone, some type of wireless audio (either earbuds or headphones) and maybe a health and fitness tracker of some kind (typically a smartwatch or smart ring). Even tough they didn't have a built-in display, the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses from 2023 raised a ton of awareness for the category. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Smart glasses have the potential to really round out that kit by allowing us to keep most of those devices in our pocket while the wearables serve up helpful info when we need it, but without being overly intrusive or distracting. In the short term, you'll still need a laptop for work, but smart glasses may have a role to play there too, as they can provide way more screen space than a traditional physical display (even the new-fangled flexible ones). It might never happen, but I wouldnt rule out a future scenario where your next employer gives you a company-issued phone and a pair of smart glasses and that's it. Before that happens though, there are still a bunch of other things that need to be figured out. Without help from a mouse or keyboard, navigating a virtual display is a bit of a challenge. AI combined with hand and eye tracking can help, but no one has really nailed that combo yet. Not even Apple could do so on the much bulkier Vision Pro. To address this, Meta created a bracelet (they call it a neural band) that pairs with the Ray-Ban Display that can detect subtle movements so you can type or navigate menus practically anywhere. Even Realities opted for a ring accessory that does some basic health monitoring and comes with a tiny touchpad. In the more distant future, this hurdle may be solved by BCIs (brain-computer interfaces), but even the most optimistic view suggests that those aren't going to be mainstream for a long time. Even though we're still a long ways away, one day everyone might be able to have something like Tony Stark's E.D.I.T.H. smart glasses from the Marvel Universe. Marvel The issue for Meta is that it's pretty obvious that its wristband really ought to be incorporated into a smartwatch. The idea of a single-purpose bracelet that doesn't track your health or do anything else sort of feels like a step backwards. And there's the problem of Meta's glasses being largely tied down to its own platforms (i.e. Instagram, Whatsapp and Facebook), which may end up being a major hindrance after rivals like Google and Apple catch up. And then there's the cost. Right now, a pair of Meta Ray-Ban Displays (which thankfully come with the wristband) costs $800. That's a lot for what is basically a publicly available beta test. But when you consider that an Even Realties G2 and an R2 ring costs even more at $850, it's clear that wearing smart glasses is going to be a very expensive hobby for at least the next few years. And while more single-purpose smart glasses from Xreal and Viture are a bit more affordable, with models ranging from $400 to $550 or $600, they still aren't cheap. On top of that, getting prescription lenses for smart glasses can often be a major pain in the ass and may not even be an option for people with more limited eyesight. But those are problems for another day. And just because tech giants are pouring billions into the development of smart glasses doesn't mean they will be a guaranteed hit. If you care about tech, alongside AI and possibly EVTOL aircraft (aka flying taxis), pay attention to the advancements in smart glasses. Otherwise, you could miss out on what might be the next major wave in sci-fi gadgetry made real. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/in-2025-tech-giants-decided-smart-glasses-are-the-next-big-thing-163000812.html?src=rss

Swallowing the Moon and other new indie games worth checking out

Welcome to our latest roundup of what's going on in the indie game space. Between The Game Awards and showcases like Day of the Devs , Wholesome Snack, Latin American Games and Women-Led Games, theres been a ton of video game news over the last week (I need Control Resonant ASAP, please and thank you, Remedy). And hey, guess what? I've got even more for you to dig into, including info on some new releases that you can play right now. One of those is a game Id been looking forward to since about 2022, and its always nice when something youve remained patient for turns out to be worth the wait. In Sam Eng's Skate Story , you play as a demon who accepts a deal offered by the Devil. If the demon can ride a skateboard to the Moon and swallow it after being transformed into a creature made of glass and pain, the Devil will grant them their freedom. Its just as strange as that setup sounds. While youll need to execute combos to defeat bosses, this is a skateboarding game that leans more heavily on story than pure gameplay. Its visually and sonically arresting too, with Blood Cultures and John Fio crafting a killer soundtrack I know Ill be listening to for a long time to come. Skate Story is out now on Nintendo Switch 2 , Steam and PS5 for $20. PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium members can play it at no extra cost . New releases Unbeatable is another game Ive had on my radar for some time, though I havent had a chance to jump in yet. This is another stylish game in which you play as Beat, who sings in a band. However, music is outlawed in this world (oh no!). Through rhythm-based minigames and battles with cops, Beat tries to bring back the music. There's a separate arcade mode with a dedicated progression system too. I'm a sucker for stories about rebellious underdogs, and this rhythm adventure could well hook me in. Unbeatable from D-Cell Games and publisher Playstack is available on Steam and PS5 for $28 (theres a 10 percent discount on Steam until December 23). It's set to hit Xbox Series X/S very soon too. Speaking of games I've been keeping an eye on, Adrift (from solo developer S.K.9.8 and co-publisher Secret Sauce) was one of the first games I covered when I started doing this weekly roundup earlier this year. It's a driving game in which your aim is to deliver a volatile energy core. Since you're traversing a hot desert, you'll need to be careful to prevent the core from overheating and blowing up. Thankfully, there are safe spots and cooling stations where you can bring down the temperature. The vaporwave aesthetic of Adrift caught my eye and although I dig the presentation, the game isn't quite clicking for me in the early going. It didn't take long before my vehicle got stuck and I had to reset, and I'm finding the top-down world a little confusing to navigate. I'll stick with it for at least a little longer, though. Adrift is out now on Steam . It usually costs $13 though there's a 25 percent discount until December 23. I've very happy that a game like Drywall Eating Simulator can exist. Peripheral Playbox's satirical walking sim sees your character trying to deal with the maddening realities of daily life and the frustration that one may find in dealing with other people. Get mad enough and you'll be able to punch through a wall (something you'll have to do to move through the levels anyway). Then, you can munch on some drywall to calm yourself down. I had a good time with it and theres some pointedly funny writing here. I thought AI sucks but it told me that was wrong and I believed it, says one person. That's all well and good, but I mainly just want the NPCs to leave me alone so I can eat drywall in peace. Drywall Eating Simulator is out now on Steam . It'll usually run you $10, but there's a 10 percent discount until December 17. Planet of Lana was one of my favorite games of 2023 and now it's available on iOS and Android for $9. It sees teenage Lana and her cute companion Mui making their way through a world that's been taken over by alien robots as they try to rescue Lana's sister. This is a puzzle platformer in the vein of Inside and Limbo , and despite the pretty and often bright presentation, it's just as dystopian as those games. It sounds gorgeous too, thanks in large part to a beautiful score from The Last Guardian composer Takeshi Furukawa. I'm very much looking forward to the sequel from Wishfully and publisher Thunderful. That's set to arrive next year. A Game About Digging A Hole is one of this year's real indie success stories. Its a game that a developer started making in their spare time that has sold more than 1.2 million copies since February. After landing on PC and mobile, the $5 game from Doublebee and publisher Rokaplay is now on Nintendo Switch , Xbox Series X/S and PS5 . It's on Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass. It's a straightforward loop. Start digging a hole in your backyard, sell the stuff you find, upgrade your equipment and keep going. Just, uh, be careful down there. You never quite know what you'll run into. Upcoming Vampire Therapist developer Little Bat Games has revealed its latest project, Better Than Us, which is coming to Steam in 2026. It's a narrative-driven sci-fi narrative game in which you'll infiltrate swanky parties thrown by wealth hoarders in the future to steal spoils back from them. Violence isn't the solution here, as you'll need to charm the ultra-rich, who buy elections and have monopolized AI development to ensure machines serve their interests (I dunno, this all seems extremely far-fetched). You can spin up a web of lies about things like how your husband died and how much Worldcoin you have. To maintain your ruse, you'll need to keep your story straight by remembering what you said and to which characters. Okomotive ( Herdling , Far: Changing Tides ) just revealed its next game. PinKeep is a roguelike deckbuilder in which you'll place structures on a playing field to fend off enemies. To collect resources, you'll need to play some pinball. By using the flippers (and flicking the ball for more precise movement), you can pick up what you need to fight back against your opponents. You can damage bad guys directly with the balls too. As a Ball x Pit enthusiast with a tepid but growing interest in deckbuilders, this speaks to me. A PinKeep demo is coming to Steam in January, with the full game set to arrive late in 2026. AudioMech is a neat-looking game that popped up for the first time during the pre-show of The Game Awards. This is a rhythm-based action title from Dylan Fitterer, the creator of Audiosurf . It taps into whatever music you have playing on your computer (even something that you're streaming or playing through a microphone) to customize both your weapons and opponents. A track that's heavy on bass might give you a longer sword, while vocals and lead instruments can power a cannon. There are several ways to play, including a mode in which you don't take damage and a boss rush option. AudioMech is coming to Steam and there's a demo available now. Let's wrap things up with something a little more relaxing. Lost and Found Co . is a hidden object game from Bit Egg Inc. and co-publisher Gamirror Games. During the latest Wholesome Snack showcase, it was revealed that the game is coming to Steam on February 11. It's little wonder that more than 170,000 Steam users have wishlisted this game. It looks absolutely lovely. The developers sought to recapture the magic of childhood puzzle books in their hand-drawn world. Here, you'll help Ducky, a duck-turned-human intern at a startup that hunts for items that townspeople have lost. There's a demo available that features the option to decorate a part of the world using items you find. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/swallowing-the-moon-and-other-new-indie-games-worth-checking-out-154937071.html?src=rss

Spotify was down this morning for thousands of users: Updates on the widespread outages

My boyfriend texted me those dreaded four words: Is your Spotify down? Sure enough his, mine and thousands of other users' Spotify accounts appear to be down and out at the moment, with Downdetector recording over 10,000 reports from users. Spotify is apparently working on the problem. The account, Spotify Status, shared an update on X at 9:45 AM on Monday, Were aware of some issues right now and are checking them out!About an hour later, the company shared an update saying that the outage was resolved as of 10:34 AM ET. All clear! Thanks for your patience. If you're still having issues, you can find out more on this issue on our Community support thread: https://t.co/IaZcQTy9jF Spotify Status (@SpotifyStatus) December 15, 2025 Update, December 15, 2025, 10:48AM ET: This story and its headline were updated to indicate that Spotifys outage has been resolved. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-was-down-this-morning-for-thousands-of-users-updates-on-the-widespread-outages-150453379.html?src=rss

New Stranger Things trailer hints at what's next for our heroes

Warning: the following contains spoilers for part one of Stranger Things season five With just over a week to go until Netflix releases the next batch of Stranger Things episodes, the company has dropped a trailer for the second part of season five. The clip begins in the aftermath of the action-packed ending to the first bunch of episodes, with bodies and blazes surrounding Will as he says in a voiceover, We failed. We never stood a chance. However, his mother Joyce tells him that, This is not over. Not by a long shot. We learn in this trailer that some of the gang who were still in the Upside Down at the end of part one make it back to their own reality. However, it appears that were about to learn a whole bunch of new information about the deadly alternate dimension. Dustin says, This whole time, everything we have ever assumed about the Upside Down has been dead wrong. In addition, the clip shows some of the heroes going on the offensive against a militarized area; Max and Holly making their way through the mental prison they're trapped in; Demodogs attacking the Hawkins hospital; and Eleven asking Eight to help her find and kill Vecna. There's also a death pact between Dustin and Steve, a look at an ominous new pulsating mass from the Upside Down and Vecna stating, It is time for a new world. There's a lot going on in this trailer and we won't have to wait too much longer for the next three episodes. They will hit Netflix at 8PM ET on December 24. The finale will debut on December 31, also at 8PM. The last episode will also be shown in movie theaters . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/new-stranger-things-trailer-hints-at-whats-next-for-our-heroes-152327474.html?src=rss

Spotify has stopped working for thousands of users

My boyfriend texted me those dreaded four words: Is your Spotify down? Sure enough his, mine and thousands of other users' Spotify accounts appear to be down and out at the moment, with Downdetector recording over 10,000 reports from users. Spotify is apparently working on the problem. The account, Spotify Status, shared an update on X at 9:45 AM on Monday, Were aware of some issues right now and are checking them out! We're aware of some issues right now and are checking them out! Spotify Status (@SpotifyStatus) December 15, 2025 This is a developing story... This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-has-stopped-working-for-thousands-of-users-150453887.html?src=rss

New users can get half off one of our favorite budgeting apps right now

If you have a resolution in the new year to get more acquainted with your finances, a good budgeting app can help with that. One of our favorites is a bit cheaper to sign up for right now: Monarch Money is offering 50 percent off annual subscriptions for new users. Use the code MONARCHVIP at checkout to get half off, so you'll pay just $50 for one year of access. Monarch Money was the runner-up in our guide to the best budgeting apps in 2025, and it was definitely a grower. Initially we found the experience of using the app to be needlessly complicated compared to some of its rivals, but get over that hurdle and its impressively fully-featured. There are plenty of customization options, a helpful goals feature and a thorough month-in-review recap that beats out similar features from some of its competitors. We also like how you can grant account access to others. Besides the steep learning curve, we also noted that the mobile app is less intuitive to use than the web version, which might pose a problem if you were hoping to do most of your accounting on the go. We also had some issues with the app failing to distinguish between bills and other recurring expenses, as well as a few bugs along the way. All things considered, Monarch is definitely one of our favorite budgeting apps, only being beaten out by Quicken Simplifi. As you might expect, the biggest strength of Simplifi is its simplicity, and how it eases you into using its various features. If you value that kind of user experience, it might be a better choice for you, but theres unfortunately no free trial to take advantage of. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/new-users-can-get-half-off-one-of-our-favorite-budgeting-apps-right-now-154056942.html?src=rss

The Meta Quest 3S is back down to its Cyber Monday all-time low of $250

The Meta Quest 3S is back on sale at its all-time low price of $250. That's $50 off, or a discount of 17 percent, and matches a deal we saw on Cyber Monday. The 3S is the more affordable model in the company's current VR headset lineup . It features the same Snapdragon XR2 processor as the more expensive Meta Quest 3, but with lower resolution per eye and a slightly narrower field of view. In our hands-on review , we gave the Meta Quest 3S a score of 90, noting how impressive the tech was compared to its price. The headset was comfortable to wear during longer gaming periods, and the performance was quick and responsive thanks largely to the upgraded processor and increased RAM from the Quest 2. We were big fans of the new controllers, which the 3S shares with the more expensive Quest 3 . This new generation of controller sports a more refined design, shedding the motion tracking ring and leaving behind a sleek form factor that fits in your hand like a glove. We did miss the headphone jack, though most users are probably fine with the built-in speakers. You can wirelessly connect headphones for higher quality sound if you feel the need. The Quest 3S also recycles the old Fresnel lenses from the Quest 2, which can lead to some artifacts. If you were considering a VR headset for yourself or a loved one this holiday season, the Meta Quest 3S offers an excellent value alongside impressive performance. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-meta-quest-3s-is-back-down-to-its-cyber-monday-all-time-low-of-250-144027382.html?src=rss

Samsung's P9 microSD Express card for Switch 2 is 40 percent off right now

It was a big day in gaming history when Nintendo finally released its Switch sequel. But the Nintendo Switch 2 lacked many options for microSD Express cards. Samsung helped change that this fall, with the release of its P9 Express series of microSD Express cards, and now one of them is on sale. Currently, you can pick up the 256GB Samsung P9 Express microSD Express Card for $33, down from $55. The 40 percent discount brings the microSD down to a new all-time low price. That means your new Nintendo Switch 2 gets a lot more memory with transfer speeds reaching 800MB/s. The specs are on par with some of our other favorite microSD cards for the Nintendo Switch 2 . Samsung's new microSD also comes with the company's Dynamic Thermal Guard, which should keep things from heating up too much during gameplay. It also works with devices other than the Switch 2, including other gaming consoles, computers, Steam Deck, cameras and more. Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsungs-p9-microsd-express-card-for-switch-2-is-40-percent-off-right-now-141947128.html?src=rss

Bose's new QuietComfort Headphones are 53 percent off

The holiday season is very much upon us and, whether you're traveling or need a last-minute present, noise-canceling headphones are a great purchase for this time of year. This is made all the more true when they're on sale. Take the Bose QuietComfort Headphones , which are down to $170 from $359. The 53 percent discount brings these headphones to a new record-low price even better than their Black Friday deal . Bose released its new QuietComfort Headphones in October and they're an incredible option, especially for the sale price. It offers ANC with two modes: Quiet and Aware. It also has up to 24 hours of battery life and should give you two and a half hours of juice after just 15 minutes of charging. Looking for something a bit more high-tech? The second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones have also been on sale for some time now. An 11 percent discount brings them down to $399, from $449 an all-time low price since they came out in September. We gave the second-gen Quiet Comfort Ultras a 90 in our review, thanks to incredible active noise cancelation and upgraded sound quality. They also overtook Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones (also great and 12 percent off ) for the top spot in our best noise-canceling headphones for 2025 list . Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/boses-new-quietcomfort-headphones-are-53-percent-off-122332817.html?src=rss

Engadget's best of 2025

Engadget has been reviewing the latest devices for over two decades, adding well over 100 in-depth product tests to our tally every year. For 2025, we have compiled a list of the best gear we reviewed this year based on the highest review scores in each category. From Pixel to iPad, and Switch 2 to Sony WH-1000XM6, our reviews team has spent thousands of hours testing new products this year to discover the best of the best. Now its your turn to rediscover the best gadgets of 2025, including explanations from our editors as to why these products were rated so highly. Best overall phone: Google Pixel 10 Pro Best iPhone: iPhone 17 Pro Best foldable: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Best laptop: MacBook Air M4 Best Windows laptop: Dell 14 Premium Best gaming laptop: Acer Predator Triton 14 AI Best smartwatch: Apple Watch Series 11 Best tablet: Apple iPad Air (M3, 13-inch) Best desktop: Apple Mac Studio M4 Max Best gaming handheld: Nintendo Switch 2 Best headphones: Sony WH-1000XM6 Best earbuds: Apple AirPods Pro 3 Best CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Best GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti Best drone: DJI Neo 2 Best camera: Sony A1 II Best smart glasses: Ray-Ban Meta (2nd gen) Best home theater: Anker Nebula X1 Best kitchen appliance: Ninja Swirl by Creami Best kitchen accessory: Thermoworks RFX Best EV: 2026 Nissan Leaf Best VPN: Proton VPN Best wireless mouse: Logitch MX Master 4 Best charging accessory: Anker Laptop Power Bank This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/engadgets-best-of-2025-114500543.html?src=rss

The best Secret Santa gift ideas for 2025: Affordable gifts you can still get from Lego, Apple, Yeti and more

Secret Santa gift exchanges can be chaotic in the best way. One minute youre drawing a name from a hat, the next youre scrambling to figure out what theyd actually like. The trick is finding something thats thoughtful, gets a laugh or feels useful without going over budget. Luckily there are plenty of gifts that do exactly that, whether youre shopping for the office exchange, a family swap or a friend group tradition. From clever gadgets to playful desk toys and little luxuries, these ideas prove you can spend less than $50 and still land the perfect Secret Santa present. Best Secret Santa gift ideas Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-secret-santa-gift-ideas-for-2025-affordable-gifts-you-can-still-get-from-lego-apple-yeti-and-more-130014284.html?src=rss

iRobot has filed for bankruptcy and may be taken over by its primary supplier

iRobot, which brought robotic vacuum cleaners to the masses with its iconic Roomba models, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy . The Massachusetts-based company plans to sell all assets to its primary supplier, a Chinese company known as Picea Robotics. If approved by a bankruptcy court, the move would allow iRobot to continueoperating in the ordinary course, pursue its product development roadmap, and maintain its global footprint, iRobot wrote in a press release. The company expects the deal to close in February 2026, but says it will continue to operate with no anticipated disruption to its app functionality, customer programs, global partners, supply chain relationships or ongoing product support. That means your Roomba should continue to clean normally and you'll be able to get consumables and replacement parts. However, investors of common stock will experience a total loss and not receive recovery on their investment if the deal is approved, iRobot stated. The company didn't discuss how the move might affect its employees in the US or elsewhere. Bankruptcy seemed a likely outcome for iRobot after Amazon dropped its $1.7 billion acquisition of the company last year following a veto threat by European regulators. The company's fortunes continued to decline and it issued a statement to investors in March 2025 that it had substantial doubt about [its] ability to continue. It's a sad turn of events for the company that invented the robotic vacuum niche and launched its first product, the Roomba, back in 2002. It dominated that space for more than a decade, but its market size has steadily shrunk more recently, particularly since Covid, due to competition from rivals like Roborock and Dreame. Though iRobot retooled its product lineup earlier this year with new models like the Roomba 105 Vac Robot series and Roomba Plus 505 Combo Robot + AutoWash Dock, but they failed to move the sales needle enough. The company was reportedly hit hard by Trump's 46 percent tariff in Vietnam where it manufactures products for the US market. If the sale is approved, iRobot says it will return in force. Today's announcement marks a pivotal milestone in securing iRobot's long-term future, said CEO Gary Cohen. The transaction will strengthen our financial position and will help deliver continuity for our consumers, customers, and partners. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/irobot-has-filed-for-bankruptcy-and-may-be-taken-over-by-its-primary-supplier-091602257.html?src=rss

Motorola Edge 70 launched in India with 50 MP lenses: Price, features and sale

The mid segment phone comes with IP68 + IP69 rating for dust and water resistance. It is also being protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 7i

Google pulls AI-generated videos of Disney characters from YouTube in response to cease and desist

Google seems to be cracking down on the use of Disney characters in AI-generated videos on YouTube after it was hit with a cease and desist letter. According to reports by Variety and Deadline , the company removed dozens of videos featuring Deadpool, Moana, Mickey Mouse, Star Wars characters and other Disney IP as of Friday, just days after Disney accused it of infringing Disneys copyrights on a massive scale. The letter, seen by both publications earlier this week, called out Google not just for hosting these videos on YouTube, but also for using copyrighted works to train models including Veo and Nano Banana. Prior to this, Disney has come after Character.AI as well as Hailuo and Midjourney both of which it's suing over AI-related copyright infringement. But, that doesn't mean it's shunning AI-generated content altogether. The company on Friday announced a deal with OpenAI that will bring Disney characters to Sora and ChatGPT, and bring AI-generated shorts from Sora to Disney+. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-pulls-ai-generated-videos-of-disney-characters-from-youtube-in-response-to-cease-and-desist-220849629.html?src=rss

Grok is spreading inaccurate info again, this time about the Bondi Beach shooting

In the same month that Grok opted for a second Holocaust over vaporizing Elon Musk's brain, the AI chatbot is on the fritz again. Following the Bondi Beach shooting in Australia during a festival to mark the start of Hanukkah, Grok is responding to user requests with inaccurate or completely unrelated info, as first spotted by Gizmodo . Grok's confusion seems to be most apparent with a viral video that shows a 43-year-old bystander, identified as Ahmed al Ahmed , wrestling a gun away from an attacker during the incident, which has left at least 16 dead, according to the latest news reports . Grok's responses show it repeatedly misidentifying the individual who stopped one of the gunmen. In other cases, Grok responds to the same image about the Bondi Beach shooting with irrelevant details about allegations of targeted civilian shootings in Palestine. The latest replies still show Grok's confusion with the Bondi Beach shooting, even providing information about the incident to unrelated requests or mixing it up with the shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island. xAI, Grok's developer, hasn't officially commented on what's happening with its AI chatbot yet. However, it's not the first time that Grok has gone off the rails, considering it dubbed itself MechaHitler earlier this year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/grok-is-spreading-inaccurate-info-again-this-time-about-the-bondi-beach-shooting-203946515.html?src=rss

Kindle's in-book AI assistant can answer all your questions without spoilers

If you're several chapters into a novel and forgot who a character was, Amazon is hoping its new Kindle feature will jog your memory without ever having to put the e-reader down. This feature, called Ask this Book , was announced during Amazon's hardware event in September, but is finally available for US users on the Kindle iOS app. According to Amazon, the feature can currently be found on thousands of English best-selling Kindle titles and only reveals information up to your current reading position for spoiler-free responses. To use it, you can highlight a passage in any book you've bought or borrowed and ask it questions about plot, characters or other crucial details, and the AI assistant will offer immediate, contextual, spoiler-free information. You'll even be able to ask follow-up questions for more detail. Amazon While Ask this Book may be helpful to some Kindle readers, the feature touches on a major point of contention with authors and publishers. In response to Publishers Lunch , a daily newsletter for the publishing industry, an Amazon spokesperson said that, To ensure a consistent reading experience, the feature is always on, and there is no option for authors or publishers to opt titles out. Other AI companies are already facing lawsuits claiming copyright infringement. Most recently, the New York Times and Chicago Tribune sued Perplexity , accusing the AI company of using its copyrighted works to train its LLMs. As for the Ask this Book feature, Amazon is already planning to expand it beyond the iOS app and will introduce it to Kindle devices and the Android OS app next year. Beyond this new feature, Amazon also introduced Recaps to Kindle devices and the iOS app for books in a series, which acts much like a TV show's Previously on roundup in between seasons. However, Amazon recently had to withdraw its AI-generated Video Recaps feature, so it might be worth double-checking the info you get from Recaps, too. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/kindles-in-book-ai-assistant-can-answer-all-your-questions-without-spoilers-190609961.html?src=rss

Ayaneo's first smartphone is a major callback to the Xperia Play

Close enough, welcome back Xperia Play . After releasing a teaser video in early November, Ayaneo fully revealed its first smartphone called the Pocket Play . As suspected, the Ayaneo Pocket Play features a sliding mechanism that transforms it from a chunky smartphone into a gaming handheld. In its gaming configuration, the Pocket Play features a controller setup with a D-pad, ABXY buttons and four shoulder buttons. However, Ayaneo has modernized the Xperia Play design by incorporating two touchpads, which will also be seen in the handheld maker's next flagship device called the Next II . According to Ayaneo, you can map these touchpads as virtual joysticks or customizable inputs. Ayaneo hasn't revealed the specs of the Pocket Play yet, but the device appears to have slots that could hint at expandable storage options. The Pocket Play will be Ayaneo's first foray into the smartphone world, albeit with mobile gaming in mind. It'll have to compete against the likes of other gaming-specific smartphones like the Redmagic 10 Pro or the Asus ROG Phone series , as well as the latest iPhone and Samsung Galaxy smartphones that can also handle demanding mobile games. Ayaneo will launch the Pocket Play on Kickstarter soon, but hasn't revealed any pricing details yet. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ayaneos-first-smartphone-is-a-major-callback-to-the-xperia-play-165206332.html?src=rss

Half-Life 3 is rumored to be a Steam Machine launch title and could arrive in spring 2026

Half-Life fans are nothing if not patient. For the diehard fans out there, the latest test of patience comes from Insider Gaming Weekly 's podcast , which claimed that the third installment in the Half-Life franchise is set to release with the launch of the Steam Machine sometime in spring 2026. The window I was specifically told was spring 2026 for the Steam Machine, for the Frame, for the Controller, for Half-Life 3, Mike Straw, one of the hosts of the Insider Gaming Weekly podcast and senior editor at Insider Gaming , said. At the end of the day, the game is real. Straw added that all the previous dates for an announcement of the next Half-Life game have passed, but that his sources are still adamant this is a game that will be a launch title with the Steam Machine. However, being tied to Valve's latest hardware release could be an issue since Straw noted that the explosive jump in RAM pricing is causing considerable concern for the Steam Machine's pricing announcement. There is a concern, however, they haven't made a decision on price, which is kind of holding back the announcement of anything else, Straw said. There's no doubt in my mind Valve is still trying to make decisions because of what's going on on the component side. While optimistic devotees were hoping for some teasers during The Game Awards , Valve hasn't officially said anything. However, there's still a lot of hope, especially considering Valve updated Half-Life 2 for its 20th anniversary , and previous rumors hinted at a game that's still in development but is playable from beginning to end. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/half-life-3-is-rumored-to-be-a-steam-machine-launch-title-and-could-arrive-in-spring-2026-193029413.html?src=rss

iOS 26.2 is here with another Liquid Glass tweak, new Podcasts features and more

Apple has released iOS 26.2 , bringing a number of new convenience features and security updates. The update includes auto-generated chapters for episodes in the Podcasts app, the option to make AirDrop more secure using verification codes, alarms for Reminders and more. It also introduces new controls for how Liquid Glass appears on the Lock Screen, adding a slider to adjust the transparency level. The drop also includes updates for iPadOS , macOS , watchOS , visionOS and tvOS . What's new in iOS 26.2 and iPadOS 26.2 It's not exactly a major update feature-wise, but iOS and iPadOS 26.2 bring a bunch of quality of life improvements to apps including Apple Music, Podcasts and Games. In Apple Music, you'll now see your Favorite Songs playlist in the Top Picks section, and lyrics will be available offline for songs you've downloaded. In addition to automatically generated chapters, Podcasts will display links to any other podcasts mentioned in the episode you're listening to. And, Games is getting in-game score banners, along with filters for the library to make it easier to find titles based on category and other descriptors. Apple says it also improved support for Backbone and Razer controllers. With iOS 26.2, Apple made Safety Alerts for natural disasters and other emergencies more detailed, and they'll now come with maps of affected areas and other useful information. For iPad users, Apple has added drag-and-drop gestures for its new windowing system to make multitasking smoother. The update for iPhones and iPads also addresses several potential security issues , including vulnerabilities in WebKit that Apple says may have been exploited in an extremely sophisticated attack against specific targeted individuals on versions of iOS before iOS 26. So, if you're not yet running the latest OS on your iPhone and iPad, it's a good time to update. OS updates for the rest of the family Beyond the iPhone and iPad, macOS Tahoe 26.2 introduces Edge Light for Mac, which turns your display into a ring light for video calls. For the Apple Watch, 26.2 fixes an issue with stuck songs in the Music app, and adds some new controls for the Sleep app. The tvOS update brings the option to add profiles even for people who don't have an Apple Account, and new restriction options for kid profiles. With visionOS 26.2, Travel Mode now has settings for cars and buses, and you'll now be able to use spatial accessories including Logitech Muse in Notes, Freeform, and any PencilKit-enabled app to create hand-drawn content with the Apple Vision Pro. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/ios-262-is-here-with-another-liquid-glass-tweak-new-podcasts-features-and-more-181020133.html?src=rss

CRKD's Nitro Deck 2 works for both the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2

Even though Nintendo made some serious upgrades with the Joy-Con 2 , you still might end up ditching them for CRKD's Nitro Deck 2. After winning over Nintendo Switch owners with its first Nitro Deck , CRKD followed it up with an improved design that works for both the original Switch and the Switch 2 . To refine the original design, CRKD added several upgrades to the Nitro Deck 2 based on community feedback. The new-and-improved accessory features the company's CaptiStick Technology, which prevents stick drift and isn't affected by magnetic interference like other Hall effect joysticks . CRKD also offset the right thumbstick and contoured the outer shell for a more ergonomic feel. The Nitro Deck 2 is keeping the swappable stick top feature, but CRKD added the ability to swap out the D-Pad for even more customizability. At the back of the Nitro Deck 2, CRKD managed to squeeze in extra L2 and R2 shoulder buttons alongside the programmable back buttons, which were first seen with the predecessor. CRKD Even if you don't own a Switch 2 yet, the Nitro Deck 2 features a new retractable locking mechanism that can be adjusted to fit both the original Switch and Switch OLED. The Nitro Deck 2 supports a low-latency wired mode thanks to an included adapter, but you can also connect the devices through Bluetooth. Thanks to its wireless connection, the Nitro Deck 2 even works as a controller with PC, mobile or smart TVs. The Nitro Deck 2 will release in white and smoke black, starting at $99.99. That's a $30 increase from the original Nitro Deck's price tag when it debuted in 2023. CRKD will also offer a carrying case for $39.99 and additional D-Pad and Stick Top packs for $19.99. Nitro Deck 2 is currently available for preorders on CRKD's website and is expected to start shipping in spring 2026. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/crkds-nitro-deck-2-works-for-both-the-nintendo-switch-and-switch-2-173920127.html?src=rss

OnePlus 15R to sport a 32 MP selfie camera with 4K video shooting

OnePlus 15R will launch on December 17 along with Pad Go 2

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event: How to watch John Cena's final match for free

John Cena began his WWE retirement tour back in January, and it's coming to an end this weekend when the wrestling legend headlines WWE Saturday Night's Main Event . For the last fight of his career, Cena has been matched up with The Ring General Gunther on the night's fight card, which also features matches between Cody Rhodes and Oba Femi, a tag team match featuring AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans & Leon Slater, and a women's matchup between Bayley and Sol Ruca. This show starts at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday and will stream with a subscription to Peacock, or grab a 7-day trial of Peacock through Prime Video and tune in for free. Here's a look at how to watch John Cena's final fight at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event this weekend, including how to stream the entire thing for free. How to watch WWE Saturday Night's Main Event : Date: Dec. 13, 2025 Time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT Streaming: Peacock Where to watch WWE Saturday Night's Main Event : The WWE Saturday Night's Main Event will air live on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 on Peacock, with fights starting at 8 p.m. ET. You can also tune in to the Saturday Night's Main Event Countdown pre-show starting at 6 p.m. ET, and the post-show, which immediately follows the event on Peacock. Who will be at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event ? This weekend's Saturday Night's Main Event will be headlined by John Cena and Gunther. Also on the bill, you can catch matches between Cody Rhodes and Oba Femi, a tag team bout between AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans & Leon Slater, and a women's matchup between Bayley and Sol Ruca. How to watch the WWE Saturday Night's Main Event : WWE Saturday Night's Main Event Fight Card: John Cena vs. Gunther (John Cena's final match) Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. NXT Champion Oba Femi World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je'Von Evans & TNA X Division Champion Leon Slater Bayley vs. Sol Ruca This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/wwe-saturday-nights-main-event-how-to-watch-john-cenas-final-match-for-free-235537779.html?src=rss

Amazon pulls its bad AI video recaps after Fallout fallout

Amazon has responded to viewers catching errors in its AI-generated season recaps by apparently pulling them from Prime Video. The company announced its new Video Recaps feature in November as a way to make it easier to jump into a new season of a show, but the feature had issues: A recap created for Fallout included factual errors about the plot and the setting of the show. On Prime Video, recaps can be played in the Extras section if you're watching on the web, or via a dedicated recap button on the show's page, according to Amazon's original Video Recaps announcement . If you head to the Fallout s eason two page now, the erroneous recap has been removed. In fact, at least on the web, there are currently no video recaps available on the show's Amazon was testing the feature on, which includes Fallout, Bosch, Upload, The Rig and Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan . Engadget has contacted Amazon for more information on why the recaps were removed. We'll update this article if we hear back. Video Recaps are just one of the ways Amazon is trying to integrate AI into its different products and services. The company offered AI-generated English dubs for select anime shows on Prime Video, before it pulled the dubs after users complained. Amazon also uses AI to generate recaps for long-running book series that are sold through the Kindle Store. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/amazon-pulls-its-bad-ai-video-recaps-after-fallout-fallout-220358758.html?src=rss

IKEA's new wireless charger is as cute as it is practical

IKEA's revamp of its smart home products doesn't end with Matter support. The furniture and home goods company also has a line of new Qi wireless chargers, the best of which, the VSTMRKE wireless charger , combines the functionality of a PopSockets-style phone grip with cable storage. The $10 VSTMRKE wireless charger is reminiscent of a bagel or donut, if you could take the top half of those ring-shaped foods and turn them inside out to create a cozy grip for your fingers. That same red silicone design also makes for a perfect place to store the charger's built-in USB-C cable, according to IKEA's product page, and otherwise acts as a playful replacement for what can be a pretty boring smartphone accessory. A VSTMRKE wireless charger with its top half unfolded so fingers can grip it. IKEA VSTMRKE offers Qi2 charging speeds and can magnetically attach to iPhones with MagSafe or Pixel phones with Google's Pixelsnap magnets . If you're interested in something a bit more discrete, the $25 VSTMRKE wireless charger with lighting is a bowl-shaped charger with a column in the center for attaching a smartphone, and room around it for keys or your wallet. IKEA has had multiple different ideas over the years for how smart home tech should integrate with its minimalist and user-friendly furniture. The company's partnership with Sonos ended in May 2025 , which produced lights and picture frames with smart speakers built-in. Since then, the company has announced a new Bluetooth speaker and started rolling out a new collection of Matter-connected remotes, lights and sensors. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ikeas-new-wireless-charger-is-as-cute-as-it-is-practical-195013422.html?src=rss

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 devs dropped a big update after sweeping The Game Awards

Sandfall Interactive, the developer of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 , knows how to ride the wave. Right after the visually stunning RPG finished dominating The Game Awards, the team dropped a free Thank You content update for fans. This is no minor patch. It adds a playable environment and new boss battles for late-game players. The Thank You update also adds new music tracks, a Photo Mode and new text and UI localizations. On top of that, you'll find quality-of-life tweaks, including improved performance on handheld PCs . Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 won a record-breaking nine categories at The Game Awards 2025. That includes deep breath Game of the Year, Best RPG, Best Art Direction, Best Game Direction, Best Narrative, Best Performance (Jennifer English), Best Score and Music, Best Debut Game and Best Indie Game. The previous record was The Last of Us Part 2 , which took home seven awards in 2020. The game's free Thank You update is rolling out now. You can catch a glimpse of it in the trailer below. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/clair-obscur-expedition-33-devs-dropped-a-big-update-after-sweeping-the-game-awards-183628313.html?src=rss

Google Translate is now better at translating slang terms and idioms using AI

Google is rolling out new Gemini-assisted functionality to Search and its Translate app. It says its AI can now provide more natural and accurate text translations for phrases that have more nuanced meanings. Translate will now take slang terms and colloquial expressions into consideration rather than provide sometimes unhelpful direct translations. The latest update to its text translation feature is rolling out first in the US and India, translating between English and just under 20 other languages, including German, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic. It works in the Translate app for iOS and Android and on the web. Geminis speech-to-speech translation feature has also been updated, so you can now hear real-time translations in your headphones, like with Apples AirPods Pro 3 . Google says the new functionality, which is now in beta in the Translate app for Android (iOS is coming next year) in the US, tries to preserve the tone, emphasis and cadence of each speaker so you better understand the direction of the conversation and who said what. It works with any headphones and supports more than 70 languages. Finally, Google is adding more tools to its potentially Duolingo-rivaling AI-powered language learning tools, which it introduced to the Translate app in August. Like Duolingo, Translate can now track how many days in a row youve been attempting to learn a new language, so you can check your progress over time. Whether it will nag you as persistently as the Duolingo owl famously does for slacking off is not clear. The feedback feature has also been improved, so you should receive more useful tips on how youre pronouncing words or phrases. Germany, India and Sweden are among the 20 new countries that can now use these educational tools. After not showing it much love for a while, Google has been busy adding new features to Translate recently. As well as the new language practice feature, an update last month added the ability to select between Fast and Advanced translations that allow you to prioritize speed when youre in a rush (ordering a drink at the bar, for example) or receiving more accurate translations using Gemini. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-translate-is-now-better-at-translating-slang-terms-and-idioms-using-ai-173428316.html?src=rss

Doom studio id Software forms 'wall-to-wall' union, with 165 employees voting in favor

Id Software, the company behind Doom, has voted in favor of forming a wall-to-wall union. The term wall-to-wall refers to a union that includes every employee, regardless of duties. The vote wasn't unanimous, with 165 of 185 total employees in favor of the union. The union will work in conjunction with the Communications Workers of America (CWA), which is the same organization involved with parent company ZeniMax's recent unionization efforts . Microsoft, who owns ZeniMax, has already recognized this new effort, according to a statement by the CWA . It agreed to a labor neutrality agreement with the CWA and ZeniMax workers last year, paving the way for this sort of thing. The wall-to-wall organizing effort at id Software was much needed; its incredibly important that developers across the industry unite to push back on all the unilateral workplace changes that are being handed down from industry executives, id Software producer and CWA committee member Andrew Willis wrote in a statement to Engadget. From the onset, this union will look to protect remote work for id Software employees. Remote work isnt a perk. Its a necessity for our health, our families, and our access needs. RTO policies should not be handed down from executives with no consideration for accessibility or our well-being, said id Software Lead Services Programmer Chris Hays. He also said he looks forward to getting worker protections regarding the responsible use of AI. Workers at id began organizing around 18 months ago, according to a report by Aftermath . Things sped up after Microsoft closed several Bethesda studios in the middle of last year. We look forward to sitting across the table from Microsoft to negotiate a contract that reflects the skill, creativity and dedication these workers bring to every project, said CWA Local 6215 President Ron Swaggerty. The developer's latest game is Doom: The Dark Ages , which we loved . It scooped up an award for accessibility at last night's The Game Awards . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/doom-studio-id-software-forms-wall-to-wall-union-with-165-employees-voting-in-favor-164808311.html?src=rss

The best iPad deals this week include the iPad Air M3 for $150 off

We generally consider Apples iPads to be the best tablets for most people, but they usually dont come cheap. To help those looking to grab one get the most value possible, were keeping an eye on sale prices and rounding up the best iPad deals we can find each week. This weeks highlights include both versions of the latest iPad Air for $150 off at Amazon, matching the all-time lows we last saw around Black Friday. The iPad mini and iPad Pro are each $100 off as well. Beyond iPads, both the AirPods Pro 3 and Apple Watch Series 11 are even cheaper than they were last month, and there are still decent drops for the AirPods 4 , Apple Watch SE 3 and MacBook Air . Here are the best Apple deals from this week that we can find. Best iPad deals Apple iPad Air (13-inch, M3) for $650 ($149 off MSRP) : The 13-inch iPad Air is exactly the same as its smaller counterpart, only it has a larger and slightly brighter display. We gave it a review score of 89 earlier this year. This is another all-time low, but again, make sure to clip the coupon on Amazon's product page to see the full discount. Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off) : The iPad mini is exactly what it sounds like : the smaller iPad. This latest iteration adds an improved A17 Pro chip, 128GB of storage in the base model and Apple Pencil Pro support. As always, youd buy it if you value the smaller 8.3-inch display and want a tablet thats easier to use with one hand. This discount is $50 more than the all-time low we saw around Cyber Monday but still $100 less than buying directly from Apple. Also at Best Buy . Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, M5) for $899 ($100 off) : The latest iPad Pro is still more tablet than most people will ever need, but its class-leading OLED display, impressively thin design and super-powerful M5 chip make it a luxury experience for those who can afford it. The device was only released in October, so this deal ties its lowest price to date. Also at Best Buy and B&H . Apple iPad Pro (13-inch, M5) for $1,199 ($100 off) : Its not a massive discount, but this matches the lowest price so far for the larger iPad Pro, which may be worthwhile if youve got cash to burn and want to use an iPad as your main computer. We gave it a score of 85 in our review. Also at B&H . Best Apple deals Apple AirPods 4 for $74 ($55 off) : If you don't need active noise cancellation and hate the feeling of headphones that just into your ear canal, the standard AirPods 4 remain a good buy. They lack built-in volume controls, and no open-style earbuds can produce the same level of bass as typical in-ear headphones, but they generally sound more pleasant than most pairs along these lines and still offer the usual array of Apple-friendly features. This discount is only $5 more than the all-time low we saw around Black Friday. Also at Best Buy for $85 if that runs out of stock. Apple AirPods 4 with ANC for $99 ($80 off) : This version of the AirPods 4 adds active noise cancellation, a wireless charging case and Find My tracking support on top of the many other iPhone-friendly features included with any set of Apple headphones. It still has an open-back design, so the ANC isnt as effective as what youd get with a pair that fully seals off your ear canal, but its useful all the same. We gave it a score of 86 in our review. This deal matches the pairs all-time lowest price. Apple Watch SE 3 for $199 ($50 off) : This discount has been around for a few weeks, but its the lowest price to date for Apples newest entry-level smartwatch. We gave the SE 3 a score of 90 in our review last month: The big upgrade is an always-on display, which makes it so you no longer have to wake the watch to check the time or notifications. It still includes most of the essential health and fitness features beyond that, plus it now runs on the same chipset as the higher-end Apple Watch Series 11. Also at Walmart . Apple Pencil Pro for $95 ($34 off) : The Pencil Pro is Apples most feature-rich stylus, offering pressure sensitivity, wireless charging, haptic feedback and unique gesture controls compared to the standard USB-C model (which isnt significantly discounted). Just note that its not compatible with the entry-level iPad and other older models. While this discount is only $5 below the devices usual street price, its still the largest discount weve seen this year. Also at Walmart . Apple Mac mini (M4) for $479 ($120 off) : The latest iteration of Apples tiny desktop PC has a smaller footprint, a faster M4 chip, 16GB of RAM by default, two front-facing USB-C ports and an extra Thunderbolt 4 port. It can also drive three external displays, though it lacks USB-A ports entirely. We gave a higher-end model with Apples M4 Pro chip a score of 90 in our review. This deal on the base model with an M4 chip, 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is $10 more than the best deal we've seen but $20 less than the config's typical street price. Read more Apple coverage : The best AirPods The best Apple Watches The best MacBooks The best iPhones The best iPads Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-ipad-deals-this-week-include-the-ipad-air-m3-for-150-off-150020455.html?src=rss

The best tech gifts and cool gadgets for 2025

Engadget staffers spend the entire year poking, prodding and otherwise testing the latest tech gadgets. So weve got a pretty good handle on whats unique and interesting right now. We put together this list for anyone looking for a good gift for that tech-obsessed person on their gift list. Some of these are devices weve tested for our reviews and guides, others are items we bought for ourselves (or wish someone would buy for us). Weve got more than 35 picks here, from nearly every member of the Engadget team. Chances are, youll find a good gift or two for every tech nerd you know. Here are our favorite tech gifts and gadgets for 2025. Best tech gifts and gadgets Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-best-tech-gifts-and-cool-gadgets-for-2025-140052697.html?src=rss

Reddit sues Australia over underage social media ban

Reddit has filed a lawsuit in Australia's High Court aiming to overturn the country's under-16 social media ban , Reuters reported. The forum platform called the law contrary to Australia's constitution as it intrudes on free political discourse. It also argued that Reddit shouldn't have been included in the ban since it isn't a social media site, based on the law's definition. The action is likely to set in motion a protracted legal battle, given Reddit's resources and its popularity in Australia Australia's minimum age social media ban, the first of its kind in the world, went into effect on December 10. The ten platforms affected, including Reddit, must bar underage users or face a fine of up to A$49.5 million ($33 million). Platforms are using a variety of means to determine age, including age inference based on activity and selfies. However Reddit argued that the law comes with some serious privacy and political expression issues for users. Australian citizens under the age of 16 will, within years if not months, become electors. The choices to be made by those citizens will be informed by political communication in which they engage prior to the age of 18, it wrote in the filing. The government disagreed, noting that Reddit filed the lawsuit to protect is profits, not children's right to free expression. It is action we saw time and time again by Big Tobacco against tobacco control and we are seeing it now by some social media or big tech giants, said Health Minister Mark Butler. With a market capitalization of $44 billion, Reddit certainly has the means to sustain a long fight. It would be motivated to do so as well, given that Australia is its fourth-largest market after Canada, the UK and the United States. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reddit-sues-australia-over-underage-social-media-ban-143018208.html?src=rss

The Apple Watch Series 11 is $100 off and cheaper than ever

If you're still on the hunt for gifts, or simply good holiday deals for yourself, you can find them on the internet. Just because Black Friday and Cyber Monday have ended doesn't mean the deals have dried up. One of the best deals available that we're tracking is on the latest Apple Watch Series 11 , which you can get for a record low of $299. We gave the Apple Watch Series 11 a score of 90 when it came out in September. That's thanks, in part, to an upgraded 24 hours of battery life which lasted closer to a day and a half compared to the 18 hours promised by the Series 10. It also features a thin, light design and a wrist flick gesture for everything from dismissing a notification to ending calls. Plus, it has Apple's new hypertension tracker and comprehensive health monitoring. This deal is available for the Apple Watch Series 11 with a 42mm case and a small to medium band. Also on sale right now in the Apple Watch space is the Apple Watch SE 3, which is down to $199. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-11-is-100-off-and-cheaper-than-ever-130006005.html?src=rss

F1: The Movie now streaming on Apple TV following a long theatrical run

F1: The Movie , the cinematic love letter to Formula One and quite possibly even more so consumer products made by Apple, is finally available to stream on Apple TV if youre a subscriber. It follows the sports thrillers long theatrical run, during which it raked in more than $630 million globally, comfortably making it Apples most successful original film. Directed by Joseph Kosinski ( Top Gun: Maverick , Tron: Legacy ), F1: The Movie follows the washed-up former F1 prodigy Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt), who is convinced by an old friend (Javier Bardem) to get back in the driver's seat and help rescue his failing team. Seven-time F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton served as a producer on the film to ensure it represented the sport as authentically as possible. Engadgets Devindra Hardawar reviewed F1: The Movie when it arrived in theatres in the summer, calling it a shameless Apple ad that will blow your socks off. Should you manage to keep your eyes from rolling straight out of their sockets when a pair of AirPods Max appear on screen before anyone says a word, then a deliriously entertaining blockbuster awaits. For all of the films formulaic storytelling and generic characters, the Really Fast Car bits are so well done that they put F1: The Movie among the very best racing movies, as far as our reviewer is concerned. In truth, its the kind of film that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen you can find, but failing that, the TV in your living room should do the job just fine, too. Apple recently dropped the + from its streaming services name, so its now just called Apple TV (yes, the same name as one of its products ). If youre a new subscriber you can take advantage of a seven-day free trial, after which it costs $13 per month following a recent price hike. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/f1-the-movie-now-streaming-on-apple-tv-following-a-long-theatrical-run-133531702.html?src=rss

Engadget Podcast: Why Netflix is the best worst option for Warner Bros.

Last week, Netflix surprised us all when it announced plans for an $82.7 billion acquisition of Warner Bros., a move that would fundamentally reshape the world of streaming video and Hollywood. But Paramount isn't giving up on WB this week it launched a $108 billion hostile takeover effort. In this episode, we discuss why everyone is fighting for WB, and why Netflix may be the best worst option for the storied movie studio. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics What the Netflix bid for Warner Bros. means for at-home streamers and moviegoers 1:55 Disney characters are coming to Sora after OpenAI struck a deal 32:59 Meta may be giving up on open source for Llama 43:53 Google CEO says were just going to have to grin and bear societal disruption via AI 46:46 Around Engadget: The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is good, but is it $630 good? 49:06 The best trailers and announcements from The Game Awards Day of the Devs stream 51:28 Heres why projectors won in 2025 54:31 Working on 56:15 Pop culture picks 57:33 Credits Host: Devindra Hardawar Guest: Nathan Ingraham Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/engadget-podcast-why-netflix-is-the-best-worst-option-for-warner-bros-132156232.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Techs biggest losers of 2025

Honestly, compiling the biggest losers for Engadget is more fun than talking up the winners . While we reviewed nothing as atrocious as those ill-fated AI assistant gadgets from 2024, AI companies and services straddled both the winner and loser podiums. The losers might be you, the American consumer. (Sorry.) In the US, anyone wanting a drone will have to find something that isnt made by DJI. The company has been targeted by regulators since 2017 over concerns its products could spy on sensitive US infrastructure on behalf of China. Engadget The problem is DJI has such a high market share (over 75 percent) that its absence will effectively upend the industry. Oh, and its drones are consistently the best too. The US government hasnt yet attempted to work with DJI to assess whether its products pose a risk. DJI recently made a final plea for a security review, sending letters to five US agencies that could assess its products. If that fails, US drone options will shrink massively. In the same 12 months, EV sales across the globe are up around 25 percent this year. Germany set a record in the first half of 2025, with electric cars accounting for nearly one in five new registrations. In China, EV sales are growing so fast (over 50 percent market share) that the country is flooding the global market with gas-powered cars it cant sell at home. However remember this is about losers in the US, the Trump administration ended the EV tax credit. And shock! Sales of EVs in the US slumped, with some automakers, such as Ford, seeing a 60 percent year-over-year decline. As Sam Rutherford puts it, this policy change puts more roadblocks (his inadvertent pun, not mine) in the way of making cheaper battery-powered cars. It also affects EV investment and could mean US automakers fall even further behind their rivals elsewhere. We also point and shake our heads at Xbox, Grok and TV streaming. Check it all out right here . Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning Kindle Scribe Colorsoft review-in-progress Control Resonant steps into a larger world inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion OpenAIs house of cards seems primed to collapse Trump orders creation of litigation task force to challenge state AI laws All the winners (and everything announced) at The Game Awards 2025 News, trailers and award winners. Most of which are Clair Obscur. Remedy If you missed The Game Awards 2025, you missed a historic sweep by Sandfall Interactives Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 . The Belle Epoque saga, which was expected to win several categories, even bagged Game of the Year and eventually picked up more wins than any title in the shows 12-year history. Naturally, there were trailers and game reveals too, which were pleasantly notable. We got a first look at the Control sequel, Resonant , Star Wars: Fate of The Old Republic is coming, headed by Mass Effect veterans, while Larian Studios is returning to the Divinity series following the success of Baldurs Gate 3 . Heck, if you want a good chance of winning at The Game Awards, hire Jennifer English to voice one of your main characters she was in both BG3 and Clair Obscur. Continue reading. OpenAI signs deal to bring Disney characters to Sora and ChatGPT Slop Wars, Toy Sloppy and more! Disney announced a three-year licensing agreement with OpenAI to bring more than 200 of its characters, including those from Star Wars and Pixar, to the Sora app and ChatGPT. With the deal in place, OpenAI users will be able to prompt ChatGPT to generate images that tap into Disneys intellectual property, with costumes, props, vehicles and environments covered. Additionally, Disney will invest $1 billion in OpenAI, with the option to purchase additional equity down the road. Continue reading. MasterClass subscriptions are 40 percent off for the holiday season Learn about tennis from Serena Williams or music from John Legend. If youre struggling to find a good present for the holidays, MasterClass has discounted its subscriptions by up to 40 percent. I secured a similar deal for myself and was pleasantly surprised by the solid interface and the number of courses. I also forgot to update my subscription, whoops. Maybe this offer will get me back on board. Continue reading. Amazons AI-generated recap tool didnt watch Fallout very closely Its already getting the details wrong on its own shows. Amazons plan to offer AI-generated recaps of Prime Video shows isnt off to a great start. The companys recap of the first season of Fallout has multiple errors. First, the AI-generated recap incorrectly identifies the era of the shows Los Angeles-set flashbacks as being the 1950s theyre actually 2077. Perhaps more egregiously for a recap, it misunderstands the ending of the first season, which sets up season twos partnership between vault dweller Lucy and The Ghoul. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121506303.html?src=rss

The best E Ink tablets for 2025

E Ink tablets have always been intriguing to me because Im a longtime lover of pen and paper. Ive had probably hundreds of notebooks over the years, serving as repositories for my story ideas, to-do lists, meeting notes and everything in between. However, I turned away from physical notebooks at a certain point because it was just easier to store everything digitally so I always had my most important information at my fingertips. E Ink tablets seem to provide the best of both worlds: the tactile satisfaction of regular notebooks with many of the conveniences found in digital tools, plus easy-on-the-eyes E Ink screens. These devices have come a long way in the past few years, and were just starting to see more color E Ink tablets become more widely available. I tested out a number of different E Ink tablets to see how well they work, how convenient they really are and which are the best tablets using E Ink screens available today. Table of contents Best E Ink tablets for 2025 Are E Ink tablets worth it? What to look for in an E Ink tablet Other E Ink tablets we've tested Best E Ink tablets for 2025 Are E Ink tablets worth it? An E Ink tablet will be a worthwhile purchase to a very select group of people. If you prefer the look and feel of an e paper display to LCD panels found on traditional tablets, it makes a lot of sense. Theyre also good options for those who want a more paper-like writing experience (although you can get that kind of functionality on a regular tablet with the right screen protector) or a more distraction-free device overall. The final note is key here. Many E Ink tablets dont run on the same operating systems as regular tablets, so youre automatically going to be limited in what you can do. And even with those that do allow you to download traditional apps like Chrome, Instagram and Facebook, E Ink tablets are not designed to give you the best casual-browsing experience. This is mostly due to the nature of E Ink displays, which have noticeable refreshes, a lack of vibrant colors and lower picture quality than the panels youll find on even the cheapest iPad. Arguably the biggest reason why you wouldnt want to go with an iPad (all models of which support stylus input, a plethora of reading apps, etc) is because its much easier to get distracted by email, social media and other Internet-related temptations. What to look for in an E Ink tablet Writing and latency Arguably the most important thing to consider when looking for an E Ink tablet is the writing experience. How good it is will depend a lot on the displays refresh rate (does it refresh after every time you put pen to paper, or at a different regular interval) and the stylus latency. Most of the tablets Ive tested have little to no latency, but some are certainly better than others. Finally, you should double check before buying that your preferred E Ink tablet comes with a stylus, or if you need to purchase one separately. Reading How much will you be reading books, documents and other things on this tablet? E Ink tablets come in many sizes, but most of them tend to be larger than your standard e-reader because it makes writing much easier. Having a larger display isnt a bad thing, but it might make holding it for long periods slightly more uncomfortable. (Most e-readers are roughly the size of a paperback book, giving you a similar feeling to analog reading). The supported file types for e-books can also make a big difference. Its hard to make a blanket statement here because this varies so much among E Ink tablets. The TL;DR is that youll have a much better reading experience if you go with one made by a company that already has a history in e-book sales (i.e. Amazon or Kobo). All of the titles you bought via the Kindle or Kobo store should automatically be available to you on your Kindle or Kobo E Ink tablet. Also with Kindle titles, specifically, since they are protected by DRM, its not necessarily the best idea to try to bring those titles over to a third-party device . Unless the tablet runs an operating system like Android that supports downloads for apps like Kindle and Kobo, youll be limited to supported file types, like ePUB, PDF, MOBI, JPEG, PNG and others. Search functionality Most E Ink tablets have some on-device search features, but they can vary widely between models. Youll want to consider how important it is to you to be able to search through all your handwritten notes and markups. I noticed in my testing that Amazons and Kobos E Ink tablets made it easy to refer back to notes made in books and files because they automatically save to the specific pages on which you took notes, made highlights and more. Searching is less standardized on E Ink tablets that have different supported file types, but their features can be quite powerful in their own right. For example, a few devices I tested supported text search in handwritten notes along with handwriting recognition, the latter of which allows you to translate your scribbles into typed text. Sharing and connectivity While we established that E Ink tablets can be great distraction-free devices, most manufacturers understand that your notes and doodles arent created in a vacuum. You may want to access them elsewhere, and that requires some form of connectivity. All of the E Ink tablets I tried have Wi-Fi support, and some support cloud syncing, companion mobile apps and the ability to export notes via email so you can access them elsewhere. None of them, however, integrate directly with a digital note taking system like Evernote or OneNote, so these devices will always be somewhat supplementary if you use apps like that, too. Id argue that, if you already lean heavily on apps like OneNote, a standard tablet with a stylus and screen protector might be the best way to go. Ultimately, you should think about what you will want to do with the documents youll interact with on your E Ink tablet after the tablet portion is done. Price E Ink tablets arent known for being cheap. They generally fall into the $300-$800 price range, which is what you can expect to pay for a solid regular tablet, too. A key factor in price is size: cheaper devices with E Ink displays are likely to have smaller screens, and stylus support isnt as much of a given. Also, those types of devices are generally considered e-readers because of their size and may not be the best for note-taking, doodling and the like. E Ink tablets have gone up in price recently. Supernote and Onyx Boox increased prices, as did reMarkable. The former said it was due to increased costs, and a reMarkable representative confirmed this to Engadget and provided the following statement: We regularly review our pricing based on market conditions and operational costs. We've communicated an upcoming adjustment for the US market effective in May to provide transparency to our customers. Multiple factors influence our pricing decisions, including supply chain dynamics and overall operational costs in specific markets. As a result, the reMarkable Paper Pro jumped from $579 to $629 (that's for the bundle with the standard Marker and no Folio). This isn't great, considering the Paper Pro was already on the expensive side of the spectrum for E Ink tablets. It's also worth noting that Supernote and Onyx Boox have raised prices in the past few months as well. Other E Ink tablets we've tested Onyx Boox Tab X C The Boox Tab X C is a color-screened version of the Tab X, the companys all-purpose e-paper Android tablet. The Tab X C has a lovely 13.3-inch Kaleido 3 E Ink color display, an octa-core processor, 6GB of RAM and it runs on Android 13, making it one of the most powerful tablets in Booxs lineup. Ive used the Tab X in the past and this color version runs similarly, if not better, and at 5.3mm thick, its impressively svelte even when you pair it with its folio keyboard case. As someone who loves legal-pad sized things to write on, I also like how the Tab X C is most akin to A4-size paper. But at $820 for the bundle with the standard case (or a whopping $970 for the tablet and its keyboard case), its really only best for those who are ready to go all-in on a premium E Ink tablet. Lenovo Smart Paper Lenovo made a solid E Ink tablet in the Smart Paper , but it's too pricey and too married to the company's companion cloud service to warrant a spot on our top picks list. The hardware is great, but the software isn't as flexible as those of competitors like the reMarkable 2. It has good Google Drive integration, but you must pair it with Lenovo's cloud service to really get the most use out of it and in the UK, the service costs 9 per month for three months, which is quite expensive. Onyx Boox Tab Ultra The Boox Tab Ultra has a lot of the same features we like in the Note Air 2 Plus, but its designed to be a true, all-purpose tablet with an E Ink screen. Running Android 11 and compatible with a magnetic keyboard case, you can use it like a standard 2-in-1 laptop, albeit a low-powered one. You can browse the web, check email and even watch YouTube videos on this thing but that doesnt mean you should. A standard 2-in-1 laptop with a more responsive screen and better overall performance would be a better fit for most people who even have the slightest desire to have an all-in-one device. Like the rest of Onyxs devices, the Tab Ultra is specifically for those who put reading and eye comfort above all else. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-e-ink-tablet-130037939.html?src=rss

Everything announced and all the winners at The Game Awards 2025

This year at The Game Awards, if your game wasnt melodramatic, mechanically innovative, beautifully presented and aggressively French, it didnt stand a chance. The Game Awards 2025 wrapped up on the evening of Thursday, December 11 with a record-breaking showing by Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from Sandfall Interactive. The game received the most nominations and wins in the shows 12-year history. But, we know thats not really why youre here. Between the award presentations and musical numbers, there were heaps of new game trailers, announcements and updates, and weve collected them all for you right here. The award winners are also there. News Capcom's Pragmata is coming your way on April 24 Bradley the Badger looks like Wreck-It Ralph as a real video game Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is a new action RPG from the director of Mass Effect and KOTOR Larian Studios is returning to the Divinity series with... Divinity Coven of the Chicken Foot is the debut game from Naughty Dog alum Bruce Straley's indie studio The devs of SOMA are back with a spiritual successor called Ontos 4:LOOP is a co-op shooter from the creator of Left 4 Dead and JJ Abrams' Bad Robot Order of the Sinking Star: Ten years after The Witness, Jonathan Blow's next massive puzzle game is almost ready for primetime South of Midnight is coming to PS5 and Switch 2 next spring Exodus is delayed to early 2027 Control Resonant steps into a larger world that's inspired by Neon Genesis Evangelion Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight swoops onto PC and consoles on May 29 Lara Croft will return in Tomb Raider: Catalyst and a new remake Housemarque's Saros is delayed to April 30 Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a podracing game set for 2026 Award winners Best family game: Donkey Kong Bananza Innovation in accessibility: Doom: The Dark Ages Best esports game: Counter-Strike 2 Best esports athlete: Chovy Best esports team: Team Vitality Best mobile game: Umamasume: Pretty Derby Best indie game: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best adaptation: The Last of Us season 2 Best action game: Hades II Best performance: Jennifer English, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Games for impact: South of Midnight Best ongoing game: No Mans Sky Best audio design: Battlefield 6 Content creator of the year: MoistCr1TiKaL Best fighting game: Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves Most anticipated game: Grand Theft Auto VI Best action/adventure game: Hollow Knight: Silksong Best art direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best sim/strategy game: Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles Best debut indie game: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best score and music: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best sports/racing game: Mario Kart World Best community support: Baldurs Gate 3 Best VR/AR game: The Midnight Walk Best RPG: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Players voice: Wuthering Waves Best narrative: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Best multiplayer game: Arc Raiders Best game direction: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Game of the year: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Trailers Pragmata by Capcom Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic by Arcanaut Studios and Lucasfilm Games Divinity by Larian Studios Coven of the Chicken Foot by Wildflower Interactive ONTOS by Frictional Games 4:LOOP by Bad Robot Games Resident Evil Requiem by Capcom Order of the Sinking Star by Thekla Exodus by Archetype Entertainment WARLOCK by Invoke Studios and Wizards of the Coast Control Resonant by Remedy Enterainment Gang of Dragon by Nagoshi Studio Street Fighter movie sneak peak LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight by Warner Bros. Games Tomb Raider: Catalyst by Crystal Dynamics Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis by Crystal Dynamics and Flying Wild Hog Invincible VS by Skybound Games Diablo 4: Lord of Hatred by Blizzard Entertainment Deadpool is coming to Marvel Rivals 007 First Light Lenny Kravitz Announcement Saros by Housemarque Warframe featuring Werner Herzog for some reason Total War: Warhammer 40,000 by Creative Assembly Hitman World of Assassination by IO Interactive Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve by Bandai Namco Star Wars Galactic Racer by Fuse and Lucasfilm Games Out of Words by Kong Orange and WiredFly Phantom Blade Zero by S-GAME Mega Man Dual Override by Capcom Super Mario Galaxy movie trailer Highguard by Wildlight Entertainment Dont forget to check out our Day of the Devs: The Game Awards 2025 roundup , which included six world premieres, three release date announcements and a whole bunch of awesome indie goodness. The Women-Led Games and Latin American Games showcases tied to the awards were also downright delightful. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/everything-announced-and-all-the-winners-at-the-game-awards-2025-044101761.html?src=rss

Housemarque's Saros is delayed to April 30

PlayStation had said on X that it would have news about Saros at The Game Awards, and unfortunately, fans excited for the new Housemarque project will need to wait a little longer to get their hands on it. The game has been delayed from its planned March release. But there's only a short time until the new date of April 30, and pre-orders are open now. Star Rahul Kohli appeared at The Game Awards to introduce the newest trailer for the game. I'm glad we won't be waiting too much longer, because Saros looks very cool. Housemarque made its name on titles like Resogun and Returnal , and Saros seems like a great addition to their library. The latest trailer shows off all the golden and solar vibes in Carcosa. It also has more glimpses of the characters and story as well as the dangerous and deadly beings that will be trying very hard to kill you. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/housemarques-saros-is-delayed-to-april-30-041813989.html?src=rss

4:LOOP is a co-op shooter from the creator of Left 4 Dead and JJ Abrams' Bad Robot

The next game from Left 4 Dead designer Mike Booth is putting a sci-fi spin on his last game's co-op action, based on a trailer Booth and producer JJ Abrams shared at The Game Awards 2025. The new game is called 4:LOOP , and it's the first project entirely developed by Bad Robot Games , film production company Bad Robot's game studio. 4:LOOP combines the four-player co-op action of Left 4 Dead , with roguelike elements enabled by what seems like a time loop mechanic. Based on the trailer, players fight a mixture of aliens and robots in each mission, all in the hopes of eventually drawing the attention of an alien mothership and destroying it. Each time the four-player team succeeds in a mission, they make choices to improve their equipment, building out a unique kit to survive the epic boss battle at the end of the Act, Booth said in an interview with PlayStation Blog . If the team completes all three Acts, they defeat the Mothership and save the world. All of this is, of course, easier said than done. Sony Interactive Entertainment announced that it would be publishing 4:LOOP earlier in December, so naturally the game will be available on PS5 and PC when it launches. Players interested in trying 4:LOOP can sign up on the game's website . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/4loop-is-a-co-op-shooter-from-the-creator-of-left-4-dead-and-jj-abrams-bad-robot-035835461.html?src=rss

Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a podracing game set for 2026

Why have one Star Wars game announcement at an edition of The Game Awards when you can have two? Star Wars: Galactic Racer is a podracing (and speeder racing) game from Fuse Games , a studio established in 2023 by former Burnout and Need for Speed developers. It's scheduled to hit PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2026. The action here is set after the fall of the Empire. With the galaxy in rebuild mode after dealing with that whole mess, an unsanctioned, underground racing circuit called the Galactic League comes into being in the Outer Rim. Here, according to the game's Steam page , syndicates bankroll chaos and champions are forged. Star Wars: Galactic Racer is run-based, so if your podracer blows up, it might be game over. The action takes place across well-known Star Wars planets in addition to some new ones. The races have branching routes and you'll unlock new abilities on each run. There's a story-driven, single-player campaign, as well as PvP modes. The vehicles are customizable too. Dig it. Where do I sign up, Watto? This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/star-wars-galactic-racer-is-a-podracing-game-set-for-2026-035508891.html?src=rss

Vivo X300 Pro Review | The unbeatable camera phone of 2025

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OnePlus 15R Ace Edition announced for December 17 launch

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Foldable smartphone shipments forecast to grow 10% year-on-year in 2025 to 20.6 million units: IDC Report

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OnePlus Pad Go 2 processor, battery and display revealed

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Meta Ray-Ban Gen 2 AI glasses launch in India

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Xiaomi launches Redmi 15C 5G for budget buyers in India

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Vivo X300 Review | Industry-leading photography in a compact form factor

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Nothing to launch Phone 3a Lite Community Edition on December 9

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Apple to resist India order to preload state-run Sanchar Saathi app as political outcry builds

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Vivo focused upon evolving consumers needs with a premium push, says companys spokesperson

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Vivo X300 Pro and Vivo X300 running new OriginOS launched in India: Price, features and sale

Vivo will offer 5 OS and 7 years of security updates to the X300 series

India orders smartphone makers to preload state-owned cyber safety app

India is one of the world's largest telephone markets, with more than 1.2 billion subscribers, and government figures show the app, launched in January, has helped recover more than 700,000 lost phones, including 50,000 in October alone

MacBook Pro M5 Review: A runner working on VO2 max, not sprint speed

The Apple MacBook Pro M5 is still elite, still efficient, and still the machine almost anyone can rely on. But it is unmistakably incremental

Apple to Open Fifth India Store at Noida on December 11

Apple store will be launched in Noida at DLF Mall of India

Buying a laptop under 20,000 Heres what you need to know

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iQOO 15 Review | Stands out for what it does best

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Ai+ to start a new category of Laptab in Q1 2026

Till date, Ai+ has only launched two entry segment smartphones in India

Nothing launches Phone 3a Lite for mid segment buyers in India

Nothing Phone 3a Lite has features like Essential Key/Essential Space, Glyph light and a transparent design

Nothing starts rolling out NOS 4.0 based on Android 16 to Indian users

Nothings new OS 4.0 will arrive to Phone 3 users first and later to other Nothing and CMF devices

iPhone 17 Pro Max vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: Should you upgrade?

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Oppo unveils Dimensity 9500 running Find X9 and Find X9 Pro in global market

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iPhone 17 Review: The rise of the underdog

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