Gadgets News

2025 Christmas Day NFL games: How to watch, full streaming schedule and more

Christmas Day famously belongs to football. This Dec. 25, there are three NFL games to watch: the Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders, the Detroit Lions vs. the Minnesota Vikings, and the Denver Broncos vs. Kansas City Chiefs. Here's what you need to know about Thursday's football slate, and the rest of the Week 17 schedule. How to watch the NFL Christmas Day games: Date: Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 Start times: 1 PM ET, 4:30 PM ET, 8:15 PM ET TV channels: N/A Streaming: Netflix, Prime Video 2025 Christmas Day NFL game slate: Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 Cowboys vs. Commanders: 1 p.m. ( Netflix ) Lions vs. Vikings: 4:30 p.m. ( Netflix ) Broncos vs. Chiefs: 8:15 p.m. ( Prime Video ) Where to stream football this Christmas: NFL Week 17 schedule: All times Eastern. Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025 Cowboys vs. Commanders: 1 p.m. ( Netflix ) Lions vs. Vikings: 4:30 p.m. ( Netflix ) Broncos vs. Chiefs: 8:15 p.m. ( Prime Video ) Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025 Texans vs. Chargers: 4:30 p.m. ( NFL Net , NFL+ ) Ravens vs. Packers: 8:00 p.m. ( Peacock ) Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025 Steelers vs. Browns: 1:00 p.m. ( CBS ) Patriots vs. Jets: 1:00 p.m.( FOX ) Seahawks vs. Panthers: 1:00 p.m. ( CBS ) Cardinals vs. Bengals: 1:00 p.m. ( FOX ) Jaguars vs. Colts: 1:00 p.m. ( FOX ) Buccaneers vs. Dolphins: 1:00 p.m. ( FOX ) Saints vs. Titans: 1:00 p.m. ( CBS ) Eagles vs. Bills: 4:25 p.m. ( FOX ) Giants vs. Raiders: 4:05 p.m. ( CBS ) Bears vs. 49ers: 8:20 p.m. ( NBC ) Monday, Dec. 29, 2025 Rams vs. Falcons: 8:15 p.m. ( ESPN ) This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/2025-christmas-day-nfl-games-how-to-watch-full-streaming-schedule-and-more-233022362.html?src=rss

Steam and Valve's online games are partially down

Starting at around 1PM ET on December 24, Steam experienced an outage that impacted users ability to access the game store and play games online. Valve didnt acknowledge the outage publicly, but SteamDBs unofficial Steam Status page reported that the Steam Store, Steam Community, and Steam Web APIs were all offline. DownDetector received over 6,000 outage reports around 1:15PM ET, and Steam is also inaccessible from Valves mobile apps. The outage appears to be affecting APIs for Valves online games, like Team Fortress 2, Dota 2 and Counterstrike 2, as well. By around 4PM ET, Steam itself had begun to rebound, and as of 6PM ET, the platform had largely recovered, with the main PC, mobile and Mac clients broadly fully functional, but ocassionally erroring out. There are still parts of the service that are extremely sluggish and, according to SteamDB, many of Valves online games are down or only partially functional. Steams last major outage was in October, when the store and online services were unavailable for an hour. Earlier in September, the launch of Hollow Knight: Silksong temporarily took down Steam, the Xbox Store and Nintendos eShop due to how many people tried to download the game at the same time. Update, December 24, 6PM ET: This story has been updated to note which Valve offerings are currently functional and when they recovered. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/steam-and-valves-online-games-are-partially-down-191033988.html?src=rss

Steam and Valve's online games are down

Steam is experiencing an outage thats impacting users ability to access the game store and play games online. Valve hasnt acknowledged the outage publicly, but SteamDBs unofficial Steam Status page reports that the Steam Store, Steam Community, and Steam Web APIs are all offline. DownDetector received over 6,000 outage reports around 1:15PM ET, and Steam is also inaccessible from Valves mobile apps. The outage appears to be affecting APIs for Valves online games, like Team Fortress 2, Dota 2 and Counterstrike 2, as well. Steams last major outage was in October, when the store and online services were unavailable for an hour. Earlier in September, the launch of Hollow Knight: Silksong temporarily took down Steam, the Xbox Store and Nintendos eShop due to how many people tried to download the game at the same time. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/steam-and-valves-online-games-are-down-191033978.html?src=rss

Today's the last day to get $100 off the PS5 and PS5 Pro

Back in November, Sony started selling PS5 consoles at a $100 discount as part of a Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion. The deal officially sunsets at 3AM ET, so now is a good time to bite the bullet on a gaming console given that prices aren't likely to go down anytime soon . You can pick up a regular disc-based PS5 for $450 and a digital model for $400 . The beefy PS5 Pro is available for $650 . All of these deals are active on Amazon, but also directly from Sony . If the costs here still sound a bit high, that's because Sony raised console prices by $50 back in August. In other words, these $100 discounts are pretty much $50 discounts when factoring in that recent increase. Still, cheaper is cheaper. This puts the digital PS5 at the same price as an Xbox Series S and the disc-based version at the same price as a Switch 2. Both standard PS5 configurations won't arrive until December 28. The PS5 Pro, however, is available for same-day shipping if you're jonesing for one last holiday gift. The PS5 has a fairly large stable of exclusive titles made by Sony-owned studios. These include games like Horizon Forbidden West , Astro Bot , Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yotei . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/todays-the-last-day-to-get-100-off-the-ps5-and-ps5-pro-181454333.html?src=rss

The best VPN deals: Up to 88 percent off ProtonVPN, Surfshark, ExpressVPN, NordVPN and more

It's the night before Christmas, and holiday VPN deals are going strong. It's a great time to grab a last-minute subscription for yourself or a loved one. With access to a virtual private network (VPN) , you can stream TV shows and events from all over the world, protect your information from hackers and thwart online trackers. It might be cute that Santa sees you when you're sleeping and knows when you're awake, but Russian hacker collectives and the Amazon marketing department don't really share St. Nick's charm. Although we strongly recommend using a VPN , jumping on the first deal that comes along might get you stuck with a substandard app. Beyond that, even otherwise respectable VPNs sometimes frame their prices in misleading ways, with advertised deals not always as available as they seem to be. Even so, there are some great bargains on the table. For the holiday season, plenty of the best VPNs including our top pick, Proton VPN have end-of-year deals live that can save you anywhere from 67 to 88 percent on annual subscriptions. Most of these discounts only apply if you sign up for a year or more, but as long as you're comfortable with a service before you take the plunge, committing actually makes sense. You pay more at the start, but if you divide the cost by the months of subscription, it's much cheaper over time. Best VPN deals ExpressVPN Basic $97.72 for a two-year subscription with four months free (73 percent off): This is one of the best VPNs, especially for new users, who will find its apps and website headache-free on all platforms. In tests for my ExpressVPN review , it dropped my download speeds by less than 7 percent and successfully changed my virtual location 14 out of 15 times. In short, it's an all-around excellent service that only suffers from being a little overpriced which is why I'm so excited whenever I find it offering a decent deal. This discount, which gets you 28 months of ExpressVPN service, represents a 73 percent savings. Be aware, though, that it'll renew at the $99.95 per year price. ExpressVPN Advanced $125.72 for a two-year subscription with four months free (67 percent off): ExpressVPN recently split its pricing into multiple tiers , but they all still come with similar discounts for going long. In addition to top-tier VPN service, advanced users get two additional simultaneous connections (for a total of 12), the ExpressVPN Keys password manager, advanced ad and tracker blocking, ID protection features and a 50 percent discount on an AirCove router. As above, note that it renews at $119.95 annually. NordVPN Basic $80.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (74 percent off): NordVPN gets the most important parts of a VPN right. It's fast, it doesn't leak any of your data and it's great at changing your virtual location. I noted in my NordVPN review that it always connects quickly and includes a support page that makes it easy to get live help. NordVPN includes a lot of cool features, like servers that instantly connect you to Tor. This holiday deal gives you 74 percent off the two-year plan, which also comes with three extra months. NordVPN Plus $105.03 for a two-year subscription with three months free (74 percent off): In another holiday discount, NordVPN has also taken 74 percent off its Plus subscription. For only a little more, you get a powerful ad and tracker blocker that can also catch malware downloads, plus access to the NordPass password manager. A Plus plan also adds a data breach scanner that checks the dark web for your sensitive information. Surfshark Starter $53.73 for a two-year subscription with three months free (87 percent off): This is the asic level of Surfshark , but it includes the entire VPN; everything on Surfshark One is an extra perk. With this subscription, you'll get some of the most envelope-pushing features in the VPN world right now. Surfshark can rotate your IP constantly to help you evade detection it even lets you choose your own entry and exit nodes for a double-hop connection. That all comes with a near-invisible impact on download speeds. With this year-round deal, you can save 87 percent on 27 months of Surfshark. Surfshark One $61.83 for a two-year subscription with three months free (88 percent off): A VPN is great, but it's not enough to protect your data all on its own. Surfshark One adds several apps that boost your security beyond just VPN service, including Surfshark Antivirus (scans devices and downloads for malware) and Surfshark Alert (alerts you whenever your sensitive information shows up in a data breach), plus Surfshark Search and Alternative ID from the tier below. This extra-low deal gives you 88 percent off all those features. If you bump up to Surfshark One+, you'll also get data removal through Incogni, but the price jumps enough that it's not quite worthwhile in my eyes. CyberGhost $56.94 for a two-year subscription with two months free (83 percent off): CyberGhost has some of the best automation you'll see on any VPN. With its Smart Rules system, you can determine how its apps respond to different types of Wi-Fi networks, with exceptions for specific networks you know by name. Typically, you can set it to auto-connect, disconnect or send you a message asking what to do. CyberGhost's other best feature is its streaming servers I've found both better video quality and more consistent unblocking when I use them on streaming sites. Currently, you can get 26 months of CyberGhost for 83 percent off the usual price. hide.me $69.95 for a two-year subscription with four months free (75 percent off): Hide.me is an excellent free VPN in fact, it's my favorite on the market, even with EventVPN and the free version of Proton VPN as competition. If you do want to upgrade to its paid plan, though, the two-year subscription offers great savings. Hide.me works well as a no-frills beginner VPN, with apps and a server network it should frankly be charging more for. Private Internet Access $79 for a three-year subscription with four months free (83 percent off): With this deal, you can get 40 months of Private Internet Access (PIA) for a little bit under $2 per month an 83 percent discount on its monthly price. Despite being so cheap, PIA has plenty of features, coming with its own DNS servers, a built-in ad blocker and automation powers to rival CyberGhost. However, internet speeds can fluctuate while you're connected. What makes a good VPN deal Practically every VPN heavily discounts its long-term subscriptions year-round, with even sharper discounts around occasions like the holidays. The only noteworthy exception is Mullvad, the Costco hot dog of VPNs (that's a compliment, to be clear). When there's constantly a huge discount going on, it can be hard to tell when you're actually getting a good deal. The best way to squeeze out more savings is to look for seasonal deals, student discounts or exclusive sales like Proton VPN's coupon for Engadget readers . One trick VPNs often use is to add extra months onto an introductory deal, pushing the average monthly price even lower. When it comes time to renew, you usually can't get these extra months again. You often can't even renew for the same basic period of time for example, you may only be able to renew a two-year subscription for one year. If you're planning to hold onto a VPN indefinitely, check the fine print to see how much it will cost per month after the first renewal, and ensure that fits into your budget. 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-vpn-deals-up-to-88-percent-off-protonvpn-surfshark-expressvpn-nordvpn-and-more-120056445.html?src=rss

The best live TV streaming services to cut cable in 2026

Price hikes , media consolidation and contract disputes that turn channels dark have made live TV streaming services feel a lot more like cable. But, for most people its still a better deal to cut the cord. For sports fans and news junkies, theres still no better option than one of the best live TV streaming services. We tried all the major players and currently recommend YouTube TV for most people. But we also spelled out just what you get from other providers (along with what we think about them) so you can decide for yourself. Editors note : YouTube TV will start offering genre-specific plans in early 2026. We dont have word on the pricing or specifics yet, but will update this guide when we do. Fans looking to watch Christmas football games will need access to Netflix as well as Prime Video. Weve detailed the schedule in the NFL streaming section below. Table of contents Best live TV streaming services for 2026 How to stream live NFL games Best free live TV streaming services for 2026 What to look for in a live TV streaming service How we tested Live TV Streaming FAQs Recent updates Best live TV streaming services for 2026 Back to top How to stream live NFL games The rights to air regular-season NFL games belong to a number of networks. Around 200 games are scheduled to appear Sundays on CBS/Paramount+ and Fox/Fox One . NBC/Peacock will host one Sunday night competition each week while Prime Video will air Thursday night contests (except for Thanksgiving week) and ABC/ESPN will show Monday night matchups. A few games will be exclusive to the NFL Network and Christmas-day games will air live on Netflix . YouTube aired a single week-one game. You can see the complete NFL schedule here (the airing network appears just below the game time on the list). On many Sundays, multiple games are scheduled to air at the same time by the same broadcaster. That means Fox and CBS will broadcast regional games through the associated local affiliate station. Select national games will air through Fox One and Paramount+. To see all Sunday (daytime) matchups, youll need the NFL Sunday Ticket thats now exclusive to YouTube TV and costs between $35 and $115 per month depending on the type of subscription you choose (YouTube recently announced monthly options for the Sunday Ticket). Note that the subscription doesnt include Sunday night games for that, youll need Peacock and/or local NBC station access through YouTube TV or elsewhere. Most of the paid live TV streaming services we recommend here include the stations youll need to see most of the games. YouTube TV, Fubo TV (including the new, cheaper Fubo Sports package ), Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV (Signature packages and MySports Genre packs) offer local Fox, CBS, ABC and NBC stations in most (but not all areas). They also carry sports-focused channels from those networks, like Fox Sports, CBS Sports and ESPN. Slings Orange plan includes access to a few local channels (varying by area), and also carries ESPN, but youll need the combined Orange and Blue plan to also get the Fox Sports channel but neither plan carries CBS Sports. How to watch Christmas pro football Viewers looking to watch games on Christmas day and the weekend after will need more than just a live TV streaming service. Two games on December 25 will air on Netflix. You can catch the Dallas Cowboys play the Washington Commanders at 1PM ET, followed by the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at 4:30PM ET. The third game will air on Prime Video as part of its regular Thursday Night Football programming and will showcase the Denver Broncos versus the Kansas City Chiefs at 8:15PM ET. Friday is football-free, but the following Saturday, the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers game will air on the NFL Network which is carried by YouTube TV, Hulu+ Live TV, Fubo, DirectTV and Sling Blue and Select. How can I stream NFL games for free? If you have a digital antenna hooked up to your TV, you can grab games that are broadcast over the airways for your region by tuning into your local CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC stations. You can buy a digital antenna for between $20 and $60. Of course, that wont get you the games that are exclusive to the NFL Network, Prime Video or Netflix, and you wont be able to watch games broadcast outside your area. Nearly all paid live TV streaming services are currently offering free trials ranging from a few days to a week. You could hop from service to service, catching a few games before cancelling and not pay anything, but with 18 weeks in the regular season, youll obviously not be able to watch all games for free. Alternatively, you can check out your local sports bar and watch a game for the price of a soda and maybe some nachos. As it turns out, bars and restaurants that provide those games to customers have to pay a ton of cash to do so, so you may as well take advantage of the opportunity. Does Paramount Plus stream live NFL games? Yes. Paramount owns CBS, which has historically held the rights to air many NFL games each season. This year, NFL on CBS includes more than 100 regular-season games, most of them Sunday matchups. You can see which NFL games will air on CBS/Paramount + here . Note that to watch your local CBS station you need Paramount+ Premium (formerly Paramount+ with Showtime) for $13 per month. Can you stream live football on YouTube? September 5, 2025 marked the first time YouTube was an official live NFL broadcaster when it aired a Friday night, week-one game of the 2025 NFL season from So Paulo, Brazil. It pit the Los Angeles Chargers against the Kansas City Chiefs (LA won 21-27) and aired worldwide on YouTube for free as well as for subscribers to YouTube TV. There are no other plans for YouTube to air live NFL games for the 2025 season for free, but paid YouTube TV customers will be able to watch many live matchups on their local CBS, Fox, NBC and ABC stations as part of their subscription. Both YouTube TV subscribers and anyone with the YouTube app can subscribe to the NFL Sunday Ticket add-on for $35 to $60 monthly, depending on promotions. Through the YouTube app, you can also purchase access to other Primetime Channels including Paramount+, but it costs the same as paying for those accounts directly. Back to top Best free live TV streaming services for 2026 There are loads of ways to get free TV these days. To start, many standard streaming apps have added live components to their lineups even Netflix . Peacock Premium Plus subscriptions include regional NBC stations. Paramount+ Premium subscribers can watch on-air CBS programming . The new Fox One service includes multiple live Fox stations. True, if youre already paying for a service its not technically free but at least the live content isnt extra. The smart TV operating system (OS) you use likely provides free live content too: Amazons Fire TV, Google/Android TV, Rokus built-in Roku Channel and Samsungs TV Plus all have hundreds of live channels and original programming. Some of the paid services we recommend above have a free version namely Sling Freestream , Fubo Free (available after you cancel) and DirecTVs MyFree . But if youre looking for more, here are the best free ad-supported TV (FAST) apps with live TV that we tried: Back to top What to look for in a live TV streaming service How to stream live TV Streaming live TV is a lot like using Netflix. You get access through apps on your phone, tablet, smart TV or streaming device and the signal arrives over the internet. A faster and more stable connection tends to give you a better experience. Most live TV apps require you to sign up and pay via a web browser. After that, you can activate the app on all of your devices. Monthly Price When I started testing these cord-cutting alternatives, I was struck by the price difference between live TV and a standard video streaming app . Where the latter cost between $5 and $20 per month, most live TV services hit the $80 mark and can go higher than $200 with additional perks, channel packages and premium extras. The higher starting price is mostly due to the cost of providing multiple networks particularly sports and local stations. And, in the past year or so, every service has raised base plan prices. Local channels Only two of the services I tried dont include full local channel coverage for subscribers and one of those makes no effort to carry sports at all. That would be Philo and, as you might guess, its the cheapest. The next most affordable option, Sling, only carries three local stations and only in larger markets but it still manages to include some of the top sports channels. When you sign up with any provider that handles local TV, youll enter your zip code, ensuring you get your areas broadcast affiliates for ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC. Of course, you can also get those stations for free. Nearly all modern television sets support a radio frequency (RF) connection, also known as the coaxial port, which means if you buy an HD antenna , youll receive locally broadcast stations like ABC, CBS, PBS, FOX and NBC. And since the signal is digital, reception is much improved over the staticky rabbit-ears era. But local channel access is another area where traditional streaming services, like Netflix, are bleeding into broadcast territory. For example, you can watch your local NBC station with a Peacock subscription and you can tune into your areas CBS station through your Paramount+ subscription. Netflix is even getting into the mix with a recently announced deal with one of Frances broadcast companies, TF1. The streaming service will now air TF1's live TV channels and on-demand content inside the Netflix app. No word if the concept will expand to other regions, but its an interesting move to anyone interested in the future of streaming. Live sports coverage One reality that spun my head was the sheer number and iterations of sports networks in existence. Trying to figure out which network will carry the match-up you want to see can be tricky. I found that Google makes it a little easier for sports fans by listing out upcoming games (just swap in NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and so on in the search bar). When you click an event, the TV & streaming button will tell you which network is covering it. That just leaves figuring out if your chosen service carries the RSNs (regional sports networks) you want. Unfortunately, even with add-ons and extra packages, some providers simply dont have certain channels in their lineups. It would take a lawyer to understand the ins and outs of streaming rights negotiations , and networks leave and return to live TV carriers all the time. That said, most major sporting events in the US are covered by ESPN, Fox Sports, TNT, USA and local affiliates. I should also point out that traditional streaming services have started adding live sports to their lineups. Peacock carries live Premier League matches, Sunday Night Football games and aired the 2024 Olympic Games from Paris. Thursday Night Football as well as NBA and WNBA games are on Amazon Prime and Christmas Day Football airs on Netflix. HBO Max ( formerly , er, HBO Max) now airs select, regular season games from the NHL, MLB, NCAA and NBA with a $10-per-month add-on . You can watch MLS games with an add-on through the Apple TV app, and Apple TV+ (now just called Apple TV ) includes some MLB games . Roku users can watch the just-added free sports channel and those who subscribe to Paramount Plus can see many of the matches aired on CBS Sports, including live NFL games. In 2025, January's Super Bowl was live-streamed for free on Tubi . While all of these alternatives may not cover as much ground as live TV streamers, they could end up being cheaper avenues to the sports you want. And if sports is all youre after, there are sports-only plans that are a touch cheaper, too. The promised sports streaming service from ESPN, Fox and Warner Bros. called Venu was cancelled early this year. But on August 21, ESPN launched its own streaming service that includes all ESPN channels and costs $30 per month. Fubo Sports is $56 monthly and includes local broadcast stations from ABC, CBS and FOX plus a slew of sports networks (CBS Sport and FS1 among them) as well as all networks included with ESPN Unlimited . Fox launched its own standalone service in August as well and it includes Fox Sports and all other Fox properties (News, Business, Weather) for $20 monthly. DirecTV also has a $70-per-month , sports-only streaming package called MySports and Comcast has a sports and news bundle for that same price (as long as you're an Xfinity customer with auto-pay, otherwise it's more expensive). Traditional cable networks Dozens of linear programming networks were once only available with cable TV, like Bravo, BET, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Lifetime, SYFY and MTV. If you only subscribe to, say, Netflix or Apple TV+, you wont have access to those. But as with sports, standard streamers are starting to incorporate this content into their offerings. After the Warner Bros. merger, Max incorporated some content from HGTV, Discovery and TLC. Peacock has Bravo and Hallmark shows, and Paramount+ has material from Nickelodeon, MTV and Comedy Central. Other entertainment channels like AMC+ have stand-alone apps. The Discovery+ app gives you 15 channels ad-free for $10 per month (or with ads for $6 monthly). And a service called Frndly TV starts at a mere $7 per month and streams A&E, Lifetime, Game Show Network, Outdoor Channel and about 35 others. Of course, most live TV streaming options will deliver more sizable lists of cable networks, but just note that you may already be paying for some of them and if all you need is a certain channel, you could get it cheaper by subscribing directly. On-demand streaming Most live TV subscriptions include access to a selection of video-on-demand (VOD) content, like you would get with a traditional streaming service. Much of this content is made up of the movies and TV series that have recently aired on your subscribed networks. This typically doesnt cover live events and news programming, but I was able to watch specific episodes of ongoing shows like Top Chef or BETs Diarra from Detroit. Just search the on-demand library for the program, pick an episode and hit play. Partnerships, like Hulus relationship with Disney, and add-ons, such as bundling Max with your YouTube TV subscription or Starz with your Sling plan, will let you watch even larger libraries of on-demand content. But again, if VOD is all youre after, paying for those networks directly instead of through a live TV plan will be far cheaper. Digital video recordings (DVR) limits Every option I tried offers some cloud DVR storage without needing a separate physical device. Youll either get unlimited storage for recordings that expires after nine months or a year, or youll get a set number of hours (between 50 and 1,000) that you can keep indefinitely. Typically, all you need to do is designate what ongoing TV series you want to record and the DVR component will do all the hard work of saving subsequent episodes for you to watch later. You can do the same thing with sports events. Aside from being able to watch whenever its most convenient, you can also fast-forward through commercials in recorded content. In contrast, you cant skip them on live TV or VOD. Simultaneous streams and profiles per account Each plan gives you a certain number of simultaneous streams, aka how many screens can play content at the same time. And while most providers will let you travel with your subscription, there are usually location restrictions that require you to sign in from your home IP address periodically. Stream allowances range from one at a time to unlimited screens (or as many as your ISPs bandwidth can handle). Some plans require add-ons to get more screens. Most services also let you set up a few profiles so I was able to give different people in my family the ability to build their own watch histories and libraries, set their favorite channels and get individual recommendations. Picture-in-picture mode and multiview Picture-in-picture (PiP) usually refers to shrinking a video window on a mobile device or computer browser so you can watch it while using other apps. Sling, YouTube TV, FuboTV, Philo, DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV all have PiP modes on computers and mobile devices. Another feature, multiview, lets you view multiple (usually four) sports matches or other live content at once on your TV screen. YouTube TV, FuboTV and now DirecTV all let you do this. With YouTube TV, you can select up to four views from a few preset selection of streams. FuboTV offers the same feature, but only if you're using an Apple TV or Roku streaming device. DirecTV lets you do so through mixes which include sports, news, business and kids variants with a set four channels in each mix. 4K live streams Right now, just FuboTV, YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream offer 4K live streams but with caveats. YouTube TV requires a $20-per-month add-on , after which youll only be able to watch certain live content in 4K. DirecTV Stream has three channels that show live 4K content one with shows and original series, and two with occasional sporting events. You dont have to pay extra for these but you do need to have either DirecTVs Gemini receiver, or a device from Fire TV, Apple TV or Roku. Youll need those same streaming devices to watch the select 4K programming on Sling as well. FuboTV shows certain live events in 4K but access is limited to the Elite and Premier packages, not the base-level Pro plan. Of course, watching any 4K content also requires equipment that can handle it: a 4K smart TV or 4K streaming device paired with a cord and screen that can handle 4K resolution. Tiers, packages and add-ons Comparing price-to-offering ratios is a task for a spreadsheet. I made three. The base plans range from $28 to $85 per month. From there, you can add packages, which are usually groups of live TV channels bundled by themes like news, sports, entertainment or international content. Premium VOD extras like Max, AMC+ and Starz are also available. Add-ons cost an extra $5 to $20 each per month and simply show up in the guide where you find the rest of your live TV. This is where streaming can quickly get expensive, pushing an $80 subscription to $200 monthly, depending on what you choose. How to stream live TV for free I also downloaded and tried out a few apps that offer free ad-supported TV ( FAST ) including Freevee , Tubi , PlutoTV and Sling Freestream . These let you drop in and watch a more limited selection of live networks at zero cost. Most dont even require an email address, let alone a credit card. And if you have a Roku device, an Amazon Fire TV or Stick, a Samsung TV, a Chromecast device or a Google TV, you already have access to hundreds of live channels via the Roku Channel , the live tab in Fire TV, through the Samsung TV Plus app or through Google TV . Back to top How we tested live TV streaming services When I begin testing for a guide, I research the most popular and well-reviewed players in the category and narrow down which are worth trying. For the paid plans, just six services dominate so I tried them all. There are considerably more free live TV contenders so I tested the four most popular. After getting accounts set up using my laptop, I downloaded the apps on a Samsung smart TV running the latest version of Tizen OS. I counted the local stations and regional sports coverage, and noted how many of the top cable networks were available. I then weighed the prices, base packages and available add-ons. I then looked at how the programming was organized in each apps UI and judged how easy everything was to navigate, from the top navigation to the settings. To test the search function, I searched for the same few TV shows on BET, Food Network, HGTV and Comedy Central, since all six providers carry those channels. I noted how helpful the searches were and how quickly they got me to season 6, episode 13 of Home Town . I used DVR to record entire series and single movies and watched VOD shows, making sure to test the pause and scan functions. On each service with sports, I searched for the same four upcoming NHL, NBA, MLS and NCAA basketball matches and used the record option to save the games and play them back a day or two later. Finally, I noted any extra perks or irritating quirks. All live TV streaming services weve tested: Philo Sling YouTube TV Hulu + Live TV DirecTV Stream FuboTV Freevee Tubi PlutoTV Sling Freestream Plex Back to top Live TV Streaming FAQs What is live streaming? Streaming simply refers to video content that is delivered to your screen over the internet. Live streaming can be split into two categories: linear programming and simultaneous transmission. That first one is similar to what you get with cable or broadcast TV, with channels that play a constant flow of movies and shows (sort of what TV looked like before Netflix). Simultaneous streaming lets you watch live events (like a basketball game) or a program (like the evening news) as they happen. What is the difference between streaming and live streaming? Standard streaming, the most popular example being Netflix, lets you pick what you want to watch from a menu of choices. Its also referred to as video on demand. Live streaming refers to sports and news events that you can stream as they happen in real time. It also refers to channels that show a continuous, linear flow of programming. What streaming service is best for live TV? FuboTV does the best job of letting you organize live channels to help you find just what you want to watch. The interface is uncluttered and when you search for something, the UI clearly tells you whether something is live now or on-demand. YouTube TV also does a good job making that info clear. Both have just over 100 live channels on offer. What is the most cost effective TV streaming service? Free TV streaming services like PlutoTV, Plex, Tubi and FreeVee show plenty of ad-supported TV shows and movies without charging you anything. Of course, they wont have the same channels or content that more premium subscriptions have. Ultimately it depends on what you want to watch and finding the service that can supply that to you in the most streamlined form so youre not paying for stuff you dont need. Is it cheaper to have cable or streaming? A basic cable package used to be more expensive than the base-level live TV streaming service. But now that nearly all major providers have raised their prices to over $75 per month, thats no longer the case. And with add-ons and other premiums, you can easily pay over $200 a month for either cable or a live TV streaming service. But those who want to cut the cord will appreciate that streaming services don't have contracts. What streaming service has all the TV channels? No service that we tested had every available channel. Hulu + Live TV and DirecTV Stream carry the the highest number of the top rated channels, according to Neilsen . Hulus service also gets you Disney+ fare, which you cant get elsewhere. FuboTV has the most sports channels and YouTube TV gives you the widest selection of add-ons. What is the most popular live TV streaming platform? YouTube TV has the most paying customers. According to 2024's letter from the CEO, the service has over eight million subscribers. Disneys 2024 third quarter earnings put the Hulu + Live TV viewer count at 4.6 million. Slings customer count dipped from two million to about 1.9 million in 2024 and FuboTV grew its subscriber list to 1.6 million . How safe are free streaming services and websites? You may have heard certain sites that provide free content can be dangerous, leading to stolen info and/or exposing you to malware. Thats likely in reference to certain peer-to-peer (P2P) networks and file-sharing sites that let people download free movies and series which can come bundled with malicious code. But if youre talking about the free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) services listed here, from providers like PlutoTV, Tubi and Plex, they are just as safe as any other streaming service. Since you sometimes dont even have to provide your email address or credit card info, they can even be more anonymous for cord cutters than apps that require login credentials. Back to top Recent updates December 2025 : Included Fubo's channel and price adjustments. Confirmed pricing for all services. Back to top This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/best-live-tv-streaming-service-133000410.html?src=rss

Pro-Russian hacker group claims responsibility for DDoS attack on French postal service

A pro-Russian hacker group has come forward as the perpetrator of a DDoS attack on the French national postal service La Poste that took place on December 22, according to Reuters . The distributed denial-of-service attack took central computer systems at La Poste entirely offline and caused major disruptions in package deliveries just days before Christmas. Reuters reported that the cyberattack on La Poste was still not fully resolved as of Wednesday morning. While regular letters were not affected, postal workers were unable to track packages and online payments through La Banque Postale, the service's banking division, were also disrupted. The group, known as Noname057, has taken responsibility for or been accused of cyberattacks across the globe. Though attacks have occurred in over a dozen nations, the group has mostly targeted Ukraine as well as Ukraine-friendly nations. Europol, the EU's law enforcement agency, launched an extensive operation against the group this summer. The US Justice Department has also been involved in actions against the hacker group. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/pro-russian-hacker-group-claims-responsibility-for-ddos-attack-on-french-postal-service-140015323.html?src=rss

Toyota's Prius Prime saved me gas money but probably not the environment

Ive always wondered what it would be like to own a plug-in hybrid, and recently, fate handed me that opportunity. On a recent trip to Vancouver, I rented a 2024 Toyota Prius Prime for nearly two months the ideal scenario to try out North Americas most popular PHEV. My experience with the Prius Prime Previously, the words Prius and sexy were rarely used in the same sentence. However, I think the wedge-shaped Prius Prime introduced for 2023 is much sexier than its frumpy predecessors. The sleek shape also pierces the wind better to improve efficiency. Its lower to the ground than before, though, which can make entry tough for taller or older people. I was comfortable in the Prius Prime once seated, even though the materials and options arent quite as luxurious as other PHEVs sold in the US . On two 10-hour highway drives up to northern Canada I never felt sore (or cold) in the well-bolstered, heated seats. However, visibility wasnt the greatest due to the low seating position and thick front pillars that occasionally blocked my view of traffic. Steve Dent for Engadget With its wraparound dash and 8-inch touchscreen, the interior is reasonably high-tech but not to the standard of some EVs Ive tried recently. It came with wireless CarPlay and Android Auto support that gave me seamless streaming entertainment on long highway stretches. The driver safety features (lanekeeping, adaptive cruise, automatic braking and more) also boosted my confidence in Vancouvers gnarly traffic. The Prius Prime doesnt offer true one-pedal implementation , but it has a mode thats close to that. With a two-liter 150 HP gas motor and 161 HP electric motor (net 220 HP combined ), the 2024 (fifth generation) Prius Prime has a whopping 100 more horsepower than the previous model. The electric drivetrain is supplied by a 13.6kWh battery (10.9kWH usable) that takes four hours to charge at 240 volts, or double that with 120-volt household electricity. That means you can juice it fully overnight, but it doesnt have DC fast-charging for speedy power-ups on longer trips. The EPA electric range is 44 miles, 19 more than the fourth-gen Prius. It accelerated surprisingly well (from 0 to 60mph in 6.7 seconds) and was agile, but had a fair amount of body roll since its not designed for the race track. Still, considering the Priuss reputation as a staid hippie econobox, the new model was downright sporty. I enjoyed driving in the all-electric mode much more than the hybrid mode, though it was quieter and smoother, with lower noise levels and vibration. So, how far was I able to drive on that electric motor alone? On the highway at about 65 MPH, I eked out 30 miles and just over 40 miles in the city. On one trip, I drove from the city center to a suburb 30 miles away and made it there and partially back on a full charge. On another voyage, I was able to drive back and forth between the east- and west-most points of Vancouver (13 miles) a typical commute for many city-dwellers with about a quarter charge to spare. Steve Dent for Engadget With consistent charging, my fuel consumption over a two week period (averaging 25 miles per day) was about a quarter of a tank or around $7.50. In terms of electricity, I used nearly 70.5kWh during that time at $.085/kWh, for a total of $6. All told, I spent $13.50 for gas and electricity over 350 miles of mixed driving, so the Prius Prime was clearly cheap to operate. For longer trips, its still as inexpensive as it gets for a gasoline-powered vehicle, thanks to the efficient ICE motor and hybrid system thats among the best in the industry. With a full battery charge and tank, I set out on a 547-mile drive and travelled 470 miles before stopping for gas, with a quarter tank to spare. That fill-up cost around $25. The true savings and the problem with plug-in hybrids The timing for my test of this car was ideal. In October, I spotted a European study concluding that PHEVs arent as economical as expected over a large sample size. Engadgets article about that stirred up some passion among owners and potential buyers, so I wanted to compare my experience with points in the study. First, lets see if a PHEV is worth the extra money compared to a regular hybrid. My calculations are for the average US buyer and dont take state or federal clean air rebates into account. When I chose to rent a compact car, Avis assigned me a mid-range Prius Prime XSE a model that lists at $37,320 but typically sells for $34,590, according to Edmunds . That suited me well as it only lacked a few features of the high-end XSE Premium, notably the larger 13.2-inch infotainment display and solar roof option. A fully equipped 2026 XSE Premium model with those features costs $41,665. Steve Dent for Engadget Since Toyota also makes a regular hybrid Prius, that vehicle offers an ideal comparison. The equivalent Prius XTE model has a list price of $31,995 in a similar configuration, making it $5,325 cheaper than the Prius Prime XSE. The average US driver covers 13,662 miles per year and gasoline currently has a median $3 per gallon price. Over that distance, a non-PHEV Prius driver could expect to burn 273 gallons at 50 MPG (EPA combined) in a year, spending $819 on fuel. A Prius Prime driver, on the other hand, would use 70 to 85 percent less fuel by current EPA or WLPT estimates. If we generously take the high end of those numbers at 85 percent, that cuts fuel costs to $160. That would require using about 2,500 kWh of electricity, though, so at an average US price of $0.18/kWh, that amounts to $450, for a total of $610 (gas plus electricity). That means youd save just $209 in a year, or $2,090.00 over 10 years not enough to justify the extra price. (Fuel and electricity prices, usage and other factors vary by region and can have a big impact on those figures.) It could be even worse than that, according to a European automotive thinktank called Transport & Environment (T&E). After gathering real-world OBFCM data from 800,000 vehicles, they determined that PHEVs only run in all-electric mode 27 percent of the time, rather than 84 percent as estimated by Europes WLPT standard. As a result, plug-in hybrids in Europe emit five times more emissions and cost users 500 ($586) more per year than previously thought. Those figures are likely similar in the US. Steve Dent for Engadget How could regulators be so wrong about this key data? The first, obvious reason is that they underestimated how often people charge their vehicles. With their relatively short range, plug-in hybrids often need a full charge to get through the day in electric-only mode but many people arent doing that. Why? One reason may be a lack of easy charger access away from home. I found them to be difficult to find and use, often requiring a sign-up or app rather than just letting me tap a credit card (Im looking at you, ChargePoint, Flo and Switch Energy). It can also be more expensive than just buying gasoline, since many companies charge triple or more the market rate for electricity. Another factor is that drivers of company or fleet PHEVs charge their vehicles less often than private owners. There's one additional and especially pernicious reason: The ICE engine often kicks in when PHEVs are supposedly running in all-electric mode, particularly with heavier sedans or SUVs. Thats because the electric motors alone arent powerful enough for maneuvers like passing. Larger batteries can boost all-electric usage, but only to a point. Beyond 45 miles of range, emissions actually increase. The reason is simple: Long-range PHEVs are the heaviest in the dataset, averaging 28 percent more mass and 33 percent more engine power than the group just below, T&E wrote. Steve Dent for Engadget Overall, I enjoyed my time with the Prius Prime and found it to be fun, practical and cheap to drive. Its the most economical PHEV because it has excellent electric range and enough power that the ICE engine rarely needs to kick in. At the same time, it offers the highest EPA mileage rating of any non-EV sold in North America. If I were in the market for a new vehicle, the Prius Prime would be high on my list. However, I also learned that PHEVs arent reducing emissions or saving buyers as much as regulators and manufacturers have promised. Governments are to blame for much of that, as they overestimated all-electric use in PHEVs and failed to support the charging infrastructure needed to make them practical. Responsibility also falls to automakers and buyers. Consumers want SUVs, but manufacturers arent making the electric motors in PHEVs powerful enough to run all the time in EV mode or offering fast DC charging. At the same time, drivers are failing to charge their vehicles consistently. Until those issues are solved, in my experience plug-in hybrids are a poor substitute for EVs in terms of emissions and a less economical choice than regular hybrids. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/toyotas-prius-prime-saved-me-gas-money-but-probably-not-the-environment-133027378.html?src=rss

How to redeem game codes on the Nintendo Switch 2

Digital game codes remain one of the simplest ways to add new titles to a Nintendo library. The Nintendo Switch 2 handles code redemption in a familiar way, building on the same process used on the original Switch. You can redeem a download code directly from the eShop on the console, or through a browser on a phone or desktop. Both routes link the purchase to the same Nintendo Account so the redeemed title appears on any compatible device tied to that account. The process is quick once you know where to look. Here is how to redeem game codes on Switch 2 through the console and online. Things to know before you start A Nintendo Account is required and the Switch 2 must be connected to the internet for on-device redemption. Most codes contain sixteen characters made up of letters and numbers. The characters are displayed on a physical card, on a receipt or in a confirmation email from a retailer. The characters should be entered exactly as supplied. Each code can only be redeemed once and becomes linked to the Nintendo Account used during the process. How to redeem a game code on the Switch 2 via the eShop Redeeming a code through the Switch 2 itself is the most direct approach because the download begins as soon as the code is accepted. Start on the Switch 2 home screen and open the Nintendo eShop icon . The console will prompt you to choose the user profile that should receive the content. Each user profile has a separate eShop purchase history, so pick the correct one before moving on. Once the eShop loads, look for the Redeem Code option in the main menu. On the Switch 2, this appears in the left navigation panel alongside the stores standard browsing categories. Select Redeem Code to open a screen with an input field and the on-screen keyboard. Enter the sixteen-character code carefully. Codes may contain similar-looking characters particularly when numbers and letters appear in the same sequence. After entering the full set of characters select OK to move forward. The system checks the code and shows a confirmation page with the game or content tied to it. If the code is valid, select Redeem to finish the process. The game will appear on the home screen as soon as the redemption is complete. A progress bar shows the download status until the installation finishes. If the game includes a Switch and Switch 2 version, the system will prompt you to choose which version to download. If the game does not begin downloading head to the All Software view or the Download Management screen to confirm the status. The redeemed title should be visible with either a queued or active download. How to redeem a Switch 2 code online Nintendo also supports online redemption through its digital store, which is useful if you are away from the console or prefer to type the code on a full keyboard. The redeemed title will still appear in your accounts purchase history and can be downloaded later from the Switch 2. Open a browser on a phone, tablet or computer and go to the Nintendo Account login page . Sign in using the account linked to your Switch 2. Once logged in navigate to the code redemption page for the Nintendo eShop. This page contains a text box where you can paste or type the code. Enter the code exactly as provided and select Next . A confirmation screen appears with the game details. Select Redeem to finalize the action. The content is now tied to your account and ready to download on your console. If the console is in sleep mode and has auto downloads enabled, the game may start downloading immediately. Otherwise open the eShop on the Switch 2 later and check the Download Management section for your queued title. What to expect after redeeming a code Every redeemed game becomes part of your Nintendo Accounts digital library. This applies across devices tied to the same account, which means that games purchased on a Switch or a browser will still appear when you sign in on a Switch 2. If the game supports cloud backup through Nintendo Switch Online, save data will sync once the game is installed. Some games offer separate versions for the original Switch and Switch 2. When this applies, youll be asked to pick which version you want to download. The choice does not usually affect your ownership but it determines which software build is installed on the device. If a code fails, Nintendo advises checking that the characters are entered correctly and confirming that you are using a download code rather than a control number, which often appears on the same card. Codes for DLC downloads require the base game on the destination console. Region restrictions also apply so the code must match the region of your Nintendo Accounts eShop. Why Switch 2 uses the same redemption system as the original Switch The Switch 2 keeps the familiar eShop structure that users have relied on since the original console. Keeping this process consistent simplifies the transition for families with multiple consoles and reduces the friction of carrying existing purchases forward. Nintendo Accounts continue to serve as the backbone for digital ownership which makes it easy to claim a code on one device and access the game on another. The updated interface on the Switch 2 adds clarity to navigation but code redemption still works the same way on both platforms. This continuity ensures that retailers can distribute standard sixteen-character download codes and users can rely on simple steps to activate them. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-redeem-game-codes-on-the-nintendo-switch-2-130059847.html?src=rss

Samsung's latest Odyssey gaming monitor has a 32-inch 6K screen with glasses-free 3D

Ahead of CES 2026, Samsung has unveiled a number of impressive gaming monitors that flaunt 3D and very high refresh rates. The headliner is the 32-inch Odyssey 3D, the world's first 6K display with glasses free 3D, according to Samsung. Along with the high resolution, it offers a 165Hz refresh rate (boosted to 330Hz through Dual Mode), along with a 1ms GtG response time. Optimized 3D effects that enhance terrain, distance and object separation beyond 2D will work with featured games like Stellar Blade and The First Berserker: Khazan , according to Samsung. Another model, the 27-inch Odyssey G6, brings refresh rates to a new level. It's the world's first 1,040 Hz monitor through Dual Mode and offers native QHD support up to 600Hz to help players track targets and see fine details during high-speed movement, Samsung claims. It can provide instant performance boosts and is AMD FreeSync and NVIDIA G-Sync compatible. Samsung If it's OLED you want, Samsung has that covered as well with the 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8. It pairs a 4K QD-OLED panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, while offering glare-free viewing and VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certification, though brightness is limited to 300 nits. It's DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1 compatible with up to 80Gbps bandwidth, while supporting both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-Sync. Finally, Samsung introduced two other new high-resolution Odyssey G8 models as well. The first is the 32-inch G80HS model with 6K resolution at up to 165Hz and the other is the 5K, 27-inch Odyssey G8 with native support up to 180Hz and Dual Mode boosting that to 360Hz in QHD. There's no word on pricing yet for any of these models, but we'll likely learn that early next year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/samsungs-latest-odyssey-gaming-monitor-has-a-32-inch-6k-screen-with-glasses-free-3d-130051748.html?src=rss

US bans former EU Commissioner and others over social media rules

The Trump administration has issued travel bans that prohibit five European tech researchers, including one former EU Commissioner, from entering the United States. For far too long, ideologues in Europe have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose. The Trump Administration will no longer tolerate these egregious acts of extraterritorial censorship, said US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. That official is Thierry Breton , the former European Commissioner for Internal Markets and Digital Services, who Sarah Rogers called the mastermind of the Digital Services Act. Rogers, the Under Secretary of State, said Breton threatened Elon Musk about ongoing formal proceedings for Xs noncompliance with illegal content and disinformation under the DSA just before his meeting with President Trump. The administration has also banned Imran Ahmed from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), who apparently called for American anti-vaxxers to be deplatformed. One of those people is Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., whos now the US Secretary of Health. Clare Melford from the UK-based Global Disinformation Index has also been banned. Her group monitors online platforms for hate speech. Anna-Lena von Hodenberg and Josephine Ballon from German organization HateAid, have been banned, as well. HateAid flags hate speech online for the EU under DSA rules. As The New York Times notes, these travel bans emphasize the administrations close relationship with internet and tech companies, which would benefit from having DSA rules loosened or abolished. The Global Disinformation Index called the travel bans an authoritarian attack on free speech and an egregious act of government censorship. Meanwhile, von Hodenberg and Ballon said the bans mark a new escalation. The US government is clearly questioning European sovereignty, they said. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/us-bans-former-eu-commissioner-and-others-over-social-media-rules-121804097.html?src=rss

The best streaming deals: Get 50 percent off MasterClass subscriptions, plus save on Starz, Audible, Crunchyroll and others

If youve been shocked by how much you spend on streaming services lately, youre not alone. Companies like Netflix, Disney, HBO Max and others have been consistently raising prices to the point where you may question if streaming is even worth it anymore . We at Engadget still think it is, but we also think you should be smart with your money and thats where streaming deals come in. Yes, it is possible to get discounts on services like Peacock and Paramount+, even if those deals arent as common as a sale on AirPods. If youre looking to save money and still stream all of the content you want, Engadget can help by laying out the best streaming deals you can get right now, how you can save with bundles and everything you should know before paying for yet another streaming service. Best streaming deals True streaming deals can be hard to come by. Most often, theyll pop up during the Black Friday shopping period. On occasion, well see them sparingly throughout the year and they usually take the form of a discounted monthly or annual rate for a limited period of time. Also, true streaming deals are typically on the ad-supported versions of a service, but once in a while youll find a unicorn of a deal on a tier that has ad-free viewing. If youre able to wait for a deal before subscribing to a streaming service, we recommend doing so. Youll save money upfront and in the long run, and you also have the option to cancel your subscription before the price goes back up to the normal rate. ESPN Unlimited bundle $30/month with Disney+ and Hulu for free for one year: Sports fans can sign up for the new ESPB Unlimited bundle at the standard $30-per-month rate, but for a limited time, you can get Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) included in that price for free. The trio bundle would typically cost you $36 per month, so overall, you're saving $6 per month for one year, for a total of $72 in savings. Philo Core $25 for your first month ($8 off): Our pick for the best cheap live TV streaming service , Philo offers more than 70 channels in its Core tier, plus access to HBO Max (with ads), AMC+ and Discovery+. After your first month, the subscription will auto-renew at the standard $33-per-month rate. Audible three months for $3 : For literally $1 per month , you can get access to Audible's enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It's only three months, after which you'll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobibliophile can cram a lot of listening into 90 days. Crunchyroll $67 for one year ($13 off): Anime fans can get one year of Crunchyroll access for less right now. The Fan tier is down to $67 for the year, while the Mega Fan tier is on sale for $100 for one year. Both tiers give you ad-free access to the streaming service, but you'll get offline access and up to four simultaneous streams with the Mega Fan option. Note that this deal does not include access to Crunchyroll Manga. Starz (one year) for $12 ($58 off): Pay upfront for one year and you can get more than $40 off a Stars annual subscription. There's a month-to-month option too, which costs $3 per month for the first three months if you don't want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library with offline viewing and no ads. Spotify Premium Individual four months for free ($48 off): This is our favorite music streaming service for podcasts and social features. The Premium Individual plan lets you listen ad-free and skip songs at will. You can also organize your listening queue and download content for offline listening. Just be aware, your subscription will auto-renew at the end of the trial period. So if you don't want to be on the hook for the $12 monthly fee, set a reminder to cancel and go back to the free version. Amazon Music Unlimited three months for free ($36 off): Amazon's own music streaming service is now free for three months, for new subscribers only. With it, you get access to 100 million songs with no ads, many podcasts and some audiobooks from Audible as well. Fubo Pro for $55/month for the first month ($30 off): Fubo has introductory discounts on most of its packages, and the Pro package is the least expensive plan currently listed. It offers access to 224 channels, unlimited cloud DVR and up to 10 simultaneous streams. It even includes regional sports content from the NHL, MLB and NBA. DirecTV starting at $50/month for one month (up to $40 off): All of DirecTV's signature packages are up to $45 off right now for your first month when you sign up. If you opt for the base Entertainment package, you'll spend $50 for the first month and get access to over 90 channels, including many local stations as well as ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports 1. You'll also be able to watch on the go with the DirecTV mobile app. Streaming bundle discounts Theres more consolidation happening now than ever before in the streaming space, and that means there are more streaming bundle options. These bundles offer you access to more content with one subscription price, but those prices are typically higher than paying for a single service by itself (obviously). It may be tempting to just get the bundle, but if only one of those services in the bundle speaks to you, youll spend less overall by just paying for the single service. Speaking of a deep love for a single streaming service: if all of your favorite shows are on Peacock or the latest releases on HBO Max consistently bring you joy, consider paying for one year upfront. Subscribing with an annual plan usually saves you money in the long term over paying on a monthly basis. Unfortunately, not all streaming services (looking at you, Netflix) have an annual subscription option. Disney+ If you feel like Charlie Kelly trying to figure out who Pepe Silvia is when you look at Disney's streaming prices chart , you're not alone. The confusion comes from the fact that Disney owns, or has a hand in, many streaming services including Hulu and ESPN. Throw in a partnership with HBO Max and you have a ton of options to consider and, probably, whiplash to match. Here's a quick overview of popular Disney+ bundle pricing. Disney+ and Hulu bundle (with ads) $13/month Disney+ and Hulu bundle (without ads) $20/month Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Select (with ads) $20/month Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Select (without ads on Disney+ and Hulu only) $30/month Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max (with ads) $20/month Disney+, Hulu and HBO Max (without ads) $33/month Peacock TV Peacock doesn't have any streaming bundles available all year round, but you can save if you pay for one year upfront. Peacock Select (with ads) $8/month or $80/year Peacock Premium (with ads) $11/month or $110/year Peacock Premium Plus (without ads) $17/month or $170/year Paramount+ Paramount+ used to bill its tier with Showtime as a sort of bundle, but it has since renamed its plans and focused the Showtime inclusion in its premium tier as just another bonus of paying for the higher priced plan. Paramount+ Essential (with ads) $8/month or $60/year Paramount Premium (without ads) $13/month or $120/year Student discounts on streaming services It pays to be a student sometimes, at least. A number of streaming services have student discounts you can take advantage of as long as you're actively studying. What that translates to most of the time is being able to verify your student status and signing up with your .edu email address. HBO Max student discount subscribe for $5/month (50 percent off): HBO Max offers their ad-supported tier to students for half off the usual rate. Youll just have to verify that youre a student through Unidays , and make note that this offer is only good for up to 12 months of service. Hulu student discount subscribe for $2/month (75 percent off): Those with a valid student ID can get Hulus ad-supported tier for 75 percent off the typical rate. Theyll keep the same sale price for as long as theyre a student as well. Spotify student discount Premium + Hulu with ads for $6/month (72 percent off): Spotifys student offer continues to be one of the best around, giving you access to the Premium tier of the music streamer and Hulus ad-supported plan for only $6 monthly. Purchased separately, youd pay $22 per month for both of the services. Plus, the first month is free when you sign up. NBA League Pass student discount one year for $120 (40 percent off) : Students can get one year of League Pass for only $10 per month, which includes access to NBA TV and the ability to watch classic and archive games on-demand. On the NBA League Pass website, look for the student discount banner at the top and follow the instructions to verify your student status. Read more streaming coverage The best live TV streaming services to cut cable The best streaming services: Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max and more The best streaming devices 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-streaming-deals-get-50-percent-off-masterclass-subscriptions-plus-save-on-starz-audible-crunchyroll-and-others-133028536.html?src=rss

The best streaming services in 2026

With so many streaming platforms out there, it is easy to feel like you are constantly sorting through menus instead of watching something you enjoy. Every service has its own vibe, whether it is big cinematic releases, long documentary deep dives or shows you put on in the background while you unwind. Some people even swap cable for live TV streaming . Here, we are looking at the on-demand services that deliver the most value for everyday use. Whether you are settling in for a weekend binge, watching with family or catching up on a favorite series during your commute, these are the best streaming services to keep in your rotation. Best streaming services for 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/best-streaming-services-154527042.html?src=rss

Motorola Edge 70 Review | Meaningful innovation is not always loud

Motorola Edge 70 arrives without much fanfare, letting its design and specs do the talking. At 29,999, it comes in a segment packed with capable contenders like the OnePlus Nord 5 and Vivo V60

Engadget Podcast: Why is the Nex Playground 'AI console' such a hit?

Over the past two years, the Nex Playground has carved out a niche for itself with kids and parents alike. It's a small box that sits in front of your TV and uses a camera, along with computer vision AI processing, to track your movement for interactive games. Think of it like a simplified version of Microsoft's Kinect (RIP), with a bit of the local multiplayer we see from the original Wii. In this bonus episode, we chat with David Lee, Nex's CEO and co-founder, about how he went from building a basketball tracking app to one of the most intriguing gaming console alternatives on the market. (The Nex Playground even managed to outsell Xbox in November !) Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics What led to the development of the Nex Playground? 2:04 Who helped design and build the console? 8:36 Questions about the Nex PlayPass subscription and other ways to get new games 13:23 How did Nex convince major brands to build for Nex Playground? 19:10 Credits Host: Devindra Hardawar Guest: David Lee, CEO and co-founder of Nex Producer: Devindra Hardawar Music: Dale North This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/engadget-podcast-why-is-the-nex-playground-ai-console-such-a-hit-181151201.html?src=rss

Xbox cloud gaming comes to newer Amazon Fire TV models

Xbox has brought cloud gaming gaming to some Amazon Fire TV models . These include the Fire TV 4-Series and the Fire TV Omni QLED Series . This lets people play Xbox games directly on the television, without needing a bulky console or even something like a Fire TV stick. Gamers do need a couple of things. First and foremost, this service requires a subscription to Game Pass. Plans start at $10 a month and shoot all the way up to $30 per month. They'll also need a compatible wireless controller, though most Bluetooth-enabled gamepads should work. Amazon The feature works for every game on the Game Pass platform and will also stream many titles that people own outright via the stream your own game feature . This won't work with everything, but hundreds of titles are supported. Amazon says this is just the beginning and that more TV models will receive the functionality in the future. Xbox Game Pass became available on select Amazon streaming devices earlier this year. Today's move makes sense, given that Fire TVs and the company's streaming sticks use the same OS. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-cloud-gaming-comes-to-newer-amazon-fire-tv-models-163517432.html?src=rss

New York Times reporter files lawsuit against AI companies

Investigative reporter John Carreyrou of the New York Times filed a lawsuit against xAI, Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta and Perplexity on Monday for allegedly training their AI models on copyrighted books without permission. Carreyrou is perhaps best known for exposing the Theranos fraudulent blood test scandal. According to Reuters , the lawsuit was filed alongside five other writers who all claim big tech companies have been violating their intellectual property rights in the name of building large language models. This comes after a banner year for IP lawsuits against AI companies brought by rights holders. Just about every type of entity that deals in protected content has gone to court against AI companies this year, from movie studios like Disney and Warner Bros. to papers like the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune . Some of these cases have led to settlements in the form of partnerships, such as the licensing deal between Disney and OpenAI. It's notable that this case is being brought by a small group of individuals instead of as a class action, something the authors involved say is no accident. LLM companies should not be able to so easily extinguish thousands upon thousands of high-value claims at bargain-basement rates, the complaint reads. This is also the first case of its kind to list xAI as a defendant. A spokesperson for Perplexity told Reuters that the company doesn't index books. Anthropic, for its part, is no stranger to lawsuits from book publishers, having recently settled a class-action lawsuit brought by half a million authors for $1.5 billion. Apple was also sued earlier this year amid similar allegations. This latest complaint mentions the Anthropic settlement specifically, saying that class members in that case will only receive a tiny fraction (just 2 percent) of the Copyright Acts statutory ceiling of $150,000. Engadget has reached out to xAI, Anthropic, Google, OpenAI, Meta and Perplexity for comment and will update with any response. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/new-york-times-reporter-files-lawsuit-against-ai-companies-161624268.html?src=rss

Apple's iOS 26.3 will introduce proximity pairing to third-party devices in the EU

Apple is making it a little easier to use third-party devices with iPhones in order to comply with Europe's Digital Market Act (DMA), MacRumors reported. For iOS 26.3, Apple's devices will support third-party proximity pairing and notifications in Europe only, according to the latest beta notes. That will make it a bit easier to connect devices like Sony headphones or receive notifications from an iPhone on Wear OS smartwatches provided manufacturers support the new feature. The DMA creates new opportunities for developers to bring to market innovative products and services in Europe, an EU spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal . This is another step towards a more inter-connected digital ecosystem to the benefit of all EU citizens. The EU Commission added that the functionality will be fully available in the bloc in 2026. The new capabilities are as follows: Proximity pairing - Devices like earbuds will be able to pair with an iOS device in an AirPods-like way by bringing the accessory close to an iPhone or iPad to initiate a simple, one-tap pairing process. Pairing third-party devices will no longer require multiple steps. Notifications - Third-party accessories like smart watches will be able to receive notifications from the iPhone. Users will be able to view and react to incoming notifications, which is functionality normally limited to the Apple Watch. Notifications can only be forwarded to one connected device at a time, and turning on notifications for a third-party device disables notifications to an Apple Watch. Proximity pairing is a relatively minor quality-of-life upgrade, allowing you to connect with a tap via NFC rather than diving into the Bluetooth settings. However, there's no indication that it will allow seamless switching between devices as you can do with Apple's iPods, for instance. Notifications, however, will finally make third-party watches feasible with iOS devices. Apple's DMA compliance efforts are interesting to watch, as it appears to be doing the bare minimum required, often for what it calls privacy reasons. In some cases, the company is removing features in Europe that are available elsewhere, like iPhone mirroring on Mac meaning it doesn't have to implement the same feature on Android devices or PCs. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/apples-ios-263-will-introduce-proximity-pairing-to-third-party-devices-in-the-eu-133037696.html?src=rss

The best gifts cards to give this holiday season: Amazon, Apple, Best Buy and others

This late in the game, its not possible to ship gifts to friends and family and have them arrive before the holidays. But thats ok because its never been easier to give a digital gift that will arrive basically whenever you want it to. If youre looking for more creative digital gift ideas , weve got you covered. But right now, you may just be looking for the best gift card ideas that you can buy online and digitally send to the people you love. Weve got you covered: these are the best gift cards to send as last-minute gifts this year. Best gift cards to give for the holidays Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-gifts-cards-to-give-this-holiday-season-amazon-apple-best-buy-and-others-110032592.html?src=rss

2025 was the year Xbox died

Want to see a dead body? I present to you the Xbox. After a subdued launch at the height of the COVID pandemic in 2020, the Xbox Series X quickly lost the fight against the PlayStation 5 . Microsoft simply couldn't deliver enough compelling games, despite some huge acquisitions , while Sony leaned on its goodwill from the PS4 era and a handful of desirable exclusives. As prices rose due to supply chain issues and the Trump administration's volatile tariff scheme, there was even less of a reason to get an Xbox (even the cheaper Series S). When I re-reviewed the Series X last year , it was clear that it never lived up to its potential. Anyone in their right mind would be better off buying a PlayStation 5. Xbox didn't enter 2025 in a great state, and it's leaving the year grasping for help, like an Arc Raider player desperate for a revival after being knocked out. Microsoft cancelled the Perfect Dark reboot and Everwild , two of the most interesting games in its weak upcoming slate. The company brought titles like Forza Horizon 5 over to the PlayStation 5 , which prompted Engadget Deputy Editor Nathan Ingraham to declare he no longer needed an Xbox . Xbox Series X controller Engadget Making things worse this year, Microsoft raised prices across the board , with the Xbox Series S starting at $400 and the cheapest Series X going for a whopping $600. And slow sales prompted Costco to stop selling Xbox consoles entirely. Microsoft didn't even try to push systems during Black Friday why go through the trouble of having sales if nobody is buying the hardware in the first place? Even Game Pass, which was once renowned as one of the best deals in gaming, almost doubled in price over the last year, reaching up to $30 a month (or $360 a year) for the Ultimate tier. Sure, Microsoft tried to add more value to its cheaper Game Pass tiers, and finally upgraded its cloud streaming platform , but the lack of consistent must-play exclusive titles has devalued the service (and Xbox as a whole). Avowed and South of Midnight were among the few exclusive highlights, but the latter will hit PS5 and Switch 2 next year . There's no word on Avowed reaching other consoles yet, but given Microsoft's current trajectory (and the fact that it's a genuinely great game), I wouldn't be surprised if it becomes available elsewhere. There was a chance for Microsoft to reinvigorate the Xbox brand with the ASUS ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X gaming handhelds, but the $600 and $1,000 launch prices placed them out of reach for most gamers. It also doesn't help that Windows still isn't well-optimized for portable devices with touchscreens, and those systems also aren't compatible with older Xbox titles like the consoles. At the very least, Microsoft now has a handheld foothold. But a future portable Xbox console would need to be significantly cheaper to compete with the likes of the Steam Deck , which starts at $400 (and is often on sale for much less). And speaking of Valve, the company's recently announced Steam Machine has also stolen a lot of potential thunder from Xbox. The Steam Machine is basically a tiny gaming desktop for your TV, running the Steam Deck's SteamOS. That platform is a Linux distribution optimized for emulating Windows titles. But unlike an Xbox console, it's not closed off in any way. You're free to install whatever you'd like on a Steam Machine even Windows! While we still haven't seen the Steam Machine in action, the Steam Deck's excellent performance and game compatibility makes me think its desktop sibling could be genuinely compelling to console players looking for something new. And it will likely directly compete with the next Xbox, which is rumored to arrive in 2027 as a PC in a TV-friendly case (according to Windows Central's Jez Corden ). Microsoft's recent partnership deal with AMD also hints at a more PC-like experience Xbox President Sarah Bond noted that the Xbox team is working closely with the Windows team to ensure that Windows is the number one platform for gaming. It's worth remembering that only a single generation of the Xbox the Xbox 360 was successful enough to truly compete with Sony's PlayStation. The original Xbox reportedly cost Microsoft $4 billion over the course of four years, leading the company to quickly jump ship and move to its successor. The Xbox 360 was genuinely innovative, thanks to Xbox Live and smarter online integration, and it had a healthy amount of third-party support. In comparison, Sony's PlayStation 3 was $100 to $200 more expensive than the Xbox 360 at launch, it had far worse online support and developers found it hard to program for. Xbox Series X Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Unfortunately, Microsoft squandered most of its good will with the Xbox One . That console was first announced as an always online device with restrictive DRM features that limited how you could share and sell games; it was bundled with a Kinect camera that could potentially surveil you; and at $499, it was $100 more than the PlayStation 4. Microsoft quickly reversed many of its DRM-heavy plans for the Xbox One, but by that point the damage was done. Sony ultimately sold more than twice as many PS4 units as the entirety of the Xbox One family (which included the cheaper One S and more powerful One X ), according to data from Ampere Research . Things are looking worse this generation: The Xbox Series S and X reportedly only sold around 33 million units as of July, according to Statista estimates , while Sony confirmed it sold 84.2 million PS5s as of November. If this trend continues (and it doesnt appear as if Xbox sales will be increasing any time soon), Sony could end up selling three times as many consoles this generation, compared to Microsoft. Xbox sales have been so slow that the family-focused Nex Playground managed to outsell it in November, according to data from Circana . Given Xbox's inability to compete with the PlayStation 5, it's no wonder Microsoft could be changing things up entirely for its next system. Its partnership with AMD could easily lead to new handhelds, and it also gives Microsoft a leg up in producing a compact and powerful Xbox PC. After all, why should the company keep trying to go toe-to-toe with Sony's closed PlayStation platform? Why shouldn't Microsoft embrace its PC roots to give us a gaming desktop under our TVs? The company has already committed to bringing new Xbox games to PCs immediately, so the line between the two is already blurring. It may be a risk, but evolving into a PC proves theres still life in the Xbox brand. And crucially, its also something Sony cant easily replicate. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/2025-was-the-year-xbox-died-130000467.html?src=rss

CES 2026: Everything we're expecting from tech's biggest conference in January

As we hurtle towards the end of the year, the shadow of CES hovers on the horizon. Techs biggest annual conference is starting in just under two weeks, and we already know some of the products and announcements that could be in store. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, but the fun kicks off with events on Sunday January 4 and a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking will be happening at the Las Vegas Convention Center and other hotels all over the city. As usual, Engadget will be covering the event in-person and remotely, bringing you news and hands-ons straight from the show floor. More specific details and pre-announcements are already trickling out as CES approaches, and thanks to the CTAs schedule we also do know what companies will be hosting press conferences. Were also using our experience and expertise to predict what tech trends could rear their heads at the show. What we already know about Press conferences and show floor booths are the bread and butter of CES. The Consumer Technology Association has already published a searchable directory of who will have a presence at the show, along with a schedule of every official panel and presentation. On Sunday, January 4, Samsung will kick-off CES with The First Look, a presentation hosted by TM Roh, the CEO of Samsung's DX Division, on the company's vision for the DX (Device eXperience) Division in 2026, along with new AI-driven customer experiences. That'll be followed by multiple press conferences throughout Monday, January 5. LG is hosting its Innovation in Tune with You presentation to share its vision for elevating daily life through Affectionate Intelligence at the start of the day, Intel is launching its new Core Ultra Series 3 processors in the afternoon, Sony Honda Mobility is holding a press conference on its first car and AMD CEO Lisa Su will cover AMD's upcoming chip announcements at a keynote address that closes out the day. On the week of December 15, the CTA added a keynote by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang to its schedule . The event will take place on January 5 at 1PM PT and, according to the website, will last about 90 minutes. Based on the description on the listing, the presentation will showcase the latest NVIDIA solutions driving innovation and productivity across industries. Finally, on Tuesday, January 6, Lenovo CEO Yuanqing Yang will host Lenovo's Tech World Conference at Sphere, using the large and decidedly curved screen to share the company's commitment to delivering smarter AI for all by constantly redefining how technology can engage, inspire, and empower. Its worth noting that Lenovo is the parent company of Motorola, which still makes phones and foldables that feature AI tools, so its possible those devices feature in the presentation as well. As they typically do, some companies have already gotten a headstart on the CES news by publicly sharing their announcements in the weeks leading up to January. LG, for example, has said it will debut its first Micro RGB television at CES . While details are scarce, the companys press release for the LG Micro RGB evo did confirm it has received certifications by Intertek for 100 percent color gamut coverage in DCI-P3 an Adobe RGB, and that it has more than a thousand dimming zones for brightness control. Not to be forgotten, Samsung also announced it will be launching a whole lineup of Micro RGB TVs at CES . The company already introduced its first Micro RGB TV at CES 2025 , which was a 115-inch model available for a cool $30,000. Next year, Samsung is expanding the range with 55-, 65-, 75-, 85-, 100- and 115-inch models that use the next evolution of the companys Micro RGB technology. Outside of the formal introduction of new products and initiatives, reading the tea leaves of what was announced last year and what companies are reportedly working on, we can make some educated guesses at what we could see at CES 2026. New chips from AMD, Intel and Qualcomm CES is frequently the start of a cascade of new chip announcements for a given year, and one of the first places new silicon appears in real consumer products. AMD will likely use its keynote to introduce new versions of its Ryzen chips, including the recently spotted Ryzen 7 9850X3D , which is expected to offer better single-threaded performance, and the Ryzen 9000G series, which could be built with AMD's Zen 5 architecture. The company might also use its CES stage to go over its new FSR Redstone AI upscaling tech. Intel has already publicly announced that it'll launch its Panther Lake chips at CES 2026. The officially titled Intel Core Ultra Series 3 chips fit into Intel's overall AI PC push, but are specifically meant for premium laptops. Based on a preview from October 2025, Intel says the first chip made with its 2-nanometer 18A process will offer 50 percent more processing performance than previous generations and for the chip's Arc GPU, a 50 percent performance bump from last generation. Qualcomm is also rumored to be targeting laptops at the show, building on the work it's done moving its Snapdragon chips out of phones and tablets and into other types of computers. The company's Snapdragon X2 Elite and X2 Elite Premium chips should start appearing in laptops at CES 2026, offering a look at the improved speed and AI performance the company promised in 2025. Brighter, ruer screens Sony announced a collection of new Bravia TVs in April 2025, replacing the company's flagship, filling in its midrange options and adding a new budget model to the mix. The star of this updated Bravia lineup is the Bravia 9, which features a QD-OLED panel, but Sony appears to be prepping entirely new display tech for 2026. In March 2025, Sony introduced a new RGB LED panel that uses individual Mini LED backlights colored in red, green and blue to produce even brighter, more accurate colors. In contrast to a QD-OLED, which filters a layer of blue organic light emitting diodes through quantum dots that change color, Sony's General RGB LED Backlight Technology can get as bright as a Mini LED panel without needing an extra filter layer or worrying about OLED's problems with burn-in. The company has already trademarked the name True RGB, which could end up being what Sony calls this new flavor of display if it decides to show them off at CES. It seems entirely likely, because CES is nothing if not a TV show its a sure bet that well see new TVs from the likes of LG and Samsung in addition to Sony. If the company doesn't introduce new display tech for its TVs, it does have a new 240Hz PlayStation monitor coming in 2026 that it could show off at CES instead. Sony isn't the only company hyped on bright screens. Samsung is reportedly pushing an updated version of the HDR10 and HDR10+ standards that could be ready to demo at CES 2026. The new HDR10+ Advanced standard would be Samsung's answer to Dolby Vision 2 , which includes support for things bi-directional tone mapping and intelligent features that automatically adapt sports and gaming content. Samsung's take will reportedly offer improved brightness, genre-based tone mapping and intelligent motion smoothing options, among other improvements. Ballie Watch 2026 The ball-shaped yellow robot lovingly known as Ballie has been announced twice, first in 2020 and then again in 2024 with a projector in tow. Samsung said Ballie would go on sale in 2025 at CES last year and then shared in April 2025 that Ballie would ship this summer with Google's Gemini onboard. But it's nearly 2026, and Ballie is nowhere to be seen. It's possible Samsung could make a third attempt at announcing its robot at CES 2026, but whether or not it does, robotics will still be a big part of the show. Robot vacuums and mops were a major highlight of CES 2025, and it's safe to expect notable improvements from the new models that are announced at CES 2026. Not every company will adopt the retractable arm of the Roborock Saros Z70 , but robot vacuums with legs for rising over small ledges like the Dreame X50 seem like they could become the norm. Roborock could also show off its new Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow , the first of its robot vacuums to feature a retractable roller mop. Beyond just traversing spaces more efficiently, improving robots' navigation could also be a major concern at the show. Prominent members of the AI industry are turning their attention from large language models to world models , which aim to give AI a deep understanding of physical space. Those world models could be the key to making robots, bipedal or otherwise, competent at navigating homes and workplaces, and will likely be a significant talking point at CES 2026. Well be updating this article throughout the month as more rumors surface and new products are confirmed stay tuned for future updates! Update, December 11 2025, 11:03AM ET: This story has been updated to include detail on Lenovo being Motorolas parent company and how the latter might have a part in the Tuesday presentation. Update, December 16 2025, 1:33PM ET: This story has been updated to include the NVIDIA press conference, which was added to the CTA schedule within the last two days. Update, December 23 2025, 7:28AM ET: This story has been updated to include LG and Samsungs Micro RGB TV announcements, which were made public in the past seven days. The intro was also tweaked to reflect how soon CES is at this point. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/ces-2026-everything-were-expecting-from-techs-biggest-conference-in-january-120000106.html?src=rss

The Morning After: The best games of 2025

As many of us hunker down for the holidays, you might want to tackle some of the best games weve seen this year : the long-time-coming Silksong , the critically acclaimed (and sumptuous) Expedition 33 and the bizarre world of Baby Steps. Engadget Not to mention the Switch 2, which is slowly building out its own exclusive library with Metroid Prime 4 and Donkey Kong Bananza. Rare for me, this year, Ive played many of the new games weve picked. Brag. Id recommend both Dispatch and Blue Prince I still havent completed the latter, but, yes, Ive unlocked the secret elevator. And if you dont have access to your usual PC or console setup, there are some smartphone games worth your time, including Spooky Express, Is This Seat Taken and, well , Umamusume: Pretty Derby , a reimagined world of horse racing where the horses are anime girls with horse ears. Try explaining that to your uncle over dinner. Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning Paramount has an updated Warner Bros. Discovery bid The 12 best last-minute Christmas gifts for 2025 that will arrive by December 24 Nintendo has huge discounts on Switch 2 games in its holiday sale US bans new foreign-made drones and components Previously sold drones will not be affected. Engadget The Federal Communications Commission has assigned foreign-made drones and their critical components as prohibited to import into the US. The FCC said several national security agencies have determined that unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and their critical components produced in foreign countries pose an unacceptable risk to the United States national security. FCC Chair Brendan Carr clarified on X the ban does not affect old drones. People can continue using the devices theyve already purchased, and retailers can keep selling models already approved by the agency. One of the most well-known brands affected by the ban is Chinese company DJI, which told Engadget it was disappointed by the agencys decision. While DJI was not singled out, no information has been released regarding what information was used by the Executive Branch in reaching its determination, a spokesperson said. Continue reading. Pirate group Annas Archive says it has scraped Spotify in its entirety The group says it has over 86 million tracks. Annas Archive, the open-source search engine for shadow libraries, claims to have scraped Spotifys entire music library. The group acquired metadata for approximately 256 million tracks, including 86 million songs, and the total size is just under 300 TB. A while ago, we discovered a way to scrape Spotify at scale. We saw a role for us here to build a music archive primarily aimed at preservation, the group said in a blog post. In response, the streamer said: Spotify has identified and disabled the nefarious user accounts that engaged in unlawful scraping. Weve implemented new safeguards for these types of anti-copyright attacks and are actively monitoring for suspicious behavior. Continue reading. Foldable phone makers have solved every issue except one The only issue is price. Engadget Google and Samsung have iterated their big foldables year on year for, well, years. But in 2025, they both delivered big phones that addressed prior flaws and issues. With the Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung achieved what may be an even bigger accomplishment by creating a foldable phone of essentially the same size and weight as its own S25 Ultra. The one thing the makers of big foldables havent figured out is how to make them affordable. OnePlus came close in 2023 with the Open, which cost $1,500 after rebates. But things are actually going backwards. The launch price of the Z Fold 7 ($2,000) is $200 higher than the Z Fold 5s debut price. Continue reading. Everything you need to know about Amazons newest Echo feature: Alexa Home Theater Spatial surround is here. Amazons Alexa Home Theater feature has gradually become a legitimate surround sound option. You can link up to five Echo speakers and a subwoofer for a wireless cinematic experience. While the automatic room calibration and easy setup are great, the high price tag of a full Echo Studio array and limited EQ controls mean its best for people already juggling multiple Amazon speakers. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121545111.html?src=rss

The best SSDs in 2026

Upgrading to a good SSD can make your computer feel brand new again. Apps open faster, files move in a blink and even older machines start to feel a lot more responsive. It is one of the easiest ways to breathe life into a laptop or desktop without replacing the whole system, and the performance boost is something you notice right away. There are plenty of SSDs to choose from, though, and the naming alone can be confusing if you are not already familiar with the specs. Some drives are built for simple upgrades, while others offer speeds that benefit creators or gamers. To help you sort through it, we tested a wide mix of options and pulled together the best SSDs you can buy right now. Table of contents Best SSDs in 2026 How we test SSDs What to look for in a PC SSD What to look for in portable and USB flash drives A note on console storage SSD FAQs Best SSDs in 2026 How we test SSDs Ive either tested or personally use daily every storage drive recommended on this list. Out of our top picks, I bought four with my own money after doing about a dozen hours of research. Separately, Engadget Senior Reporter Jeff Dunn has also tested a handful of our recommendations, including the Crucial X9 Pro listed above. What to look for in a PC SSD The most affordable way to add fast storage space to a computer is with a 2.5-inch SATA drive. Its also one of the easiest if you dont want to worry about compatibility since almost every computer made in the last two decades will include a motherboard with Serial ATA connections. For that reason, the best SATA SSDs are an excellent choice if you want to extend the life of an older PC build. Installation is straightforward, too. Once youve secured the internal SSD in a drive cage, all you need to do is to connect it to your motherboard and power supply. The one downside of SATA drives is that, in terms of responsiveness, theyre slower than their high-performance NVMe counterparts, with SATA III limiting data transfers to 600MB/s. But even the slowest SSD will be significantly faster than the best mechanical drives. And with high-capacity, 1TB SATA SSDs costing about $100, theyre a good bulk-storage option. If your PC is newer, theres a good chance it includes space for one or more M.2 SSDs. The form factor represents your ticket to the fastest SSDs on the market, but the tricky part is navigating all the different standards and specs involved. M.2 drives can feature either a SATA or PCIe connection. SSDs with the latter are known as Non-Volatile Memory or NVMe drives and are significantly faster than their SATA counterparts, with Gen3 models offering sequential write speeds of up to 3,000MB/s. These drives rely on NVMe NAND technology for their superior performance and durability. You can get twice the performance with a Gen4 SSD, but youll need a motherboard and processor that supports the standard. If youre running an AMD system, that means at least a Ryzen 3000 or 5000 CPU and an X570 or B550 motherboard. With Intel, meanwhile, youll need at least an 11th or 12th Gen processor and a Z490, Z590 or Z690 motherboard. Keep in mind that Gen4 SSDs typically cost more than their Gen3 counterparts as well. More expensive still are the latest Gen5 models, which offer sequential read speeds of up to 16,000MB/s. However, even if your computer supports the standard, youre better off buying a more affordable Gen4 or Gen3 drive. At the moment, very few games and applications can take advantage of Gen3 NVMe speeds, let alone Gen4 and Gen5 speeds. Whats more, Gen5 NVMe drives can run hot, which can lead to performance and longevity issues. Your money is better spent on other components, like upgrading your GPU, for now. As for why you would buy an M.2 SATA drive over a similarly specced 2.5-inch drive, it comes down to ease of installation. You add M.2 storage to your computer by installing the SSD directly onto the motherboard. That may sound intimidating, but in practice the process involves a single screw that you first remove to connect the drive to your computer and then retighten to secure the SSD in place. As an added bonus, there arent any wires involved, making cable management easier. Note that you can install a SATA M.2 SSD into an M.2 slot with a PCIe connection, but you cant insert an NVMe M.2 SSD into a M.2 slot with a SATA connection. Unless you want to continue using an old M.2 drive, theres little reason to take advantage of that feature. Speaking of backward compatibility, its also possible to use a Gen4 drive through a PCIe 3 connection, but you wont get any of the speed benefits of the faster NVMe. One last thing to consider is that M.2 drives come in different physical sizes. From shortest to longest, the common options are 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280 and 22110. (The first two numbers represent width in millimeters and the latter denote the length.) For the most part, you dont have to worry about that since 2280 is the default for many motherboards and manufacturers. Some boards can accommodate more than one size of NVMe SSD thanks to multiple standoffs. That said, check your computers documentation or firmware before buying a drive to ensure youre picking up a compatible size. If youre buying a replacement SSD for the Steam Deck or Steam Deck OLED , things are less complicated. For Valves handheld, you will need a 2230 size NVMe. Simple. If you dont want to open your Steam Deck, its also possible to expand its storage by installing a microSD card. Engadget has a separate guide dedicated to SD card storage , so check that out for additional buying advice. I alluded to this earlier, but the best buying advice I can offer is dont get too caught up about being on the bleeding edge of storage tech. The sequential read and write speeds you see manufacturers list on their drives are theoretical and real-world performance benchmark tests vary less than you think. If your budget forces you to choose between a 1TB Gen3 NVMe and a 512GB Gen4 model, go for the higher-capacity one. From a practical standpoint, the worst thing you can do is buy a type of SSD thats too small for needs. Drives can slow dramatically as they approach capacity, and you will probably end up purchasing one with a higher gigabyte capacity in the future. What to look for in portable and USB flash drives Portable SSDs are a somewhat different beast to their internal siblings. While read and write speeds are important, they are almost secondary to how an external drive connects to your PC. You wont get the most out of a model like the SanDisk Extreme Pro V2 without a USB 3.2 Gen 2 x 2 connection. Even among newer PCs, thats something of a premium feature. For that reason, most people are best off buying a portable drive with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt connection. The former offers transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps. The best external hard drives also allow you to transfer data from your Windows PC to a Mac, or other device, if compatible. Be sure to consider this beforehand if you plan to use your portable drive across multiple devices. Additionally, if you plan to take your drive on trips and commutes, its worthwhile to buy a model with IP-certified water and dust proofing. Some companies like Samsung offer rugged versions of their most popular drives, including the Samsung SSD T7 Shield, with a high endurance rating. For additional peace of mind, 256-bit AES hardware encryption will help prevent someone from accessing your data if you ever lose or misplace your external SSD. Some of the same features contribute to a great thumbstick drive. Our favorite picks for best budget external SSD models feature USB 3.0 connections and some form of hardware encryption. A note on console storage Seagate If PC gaming isnt your thing and you own an Xbox Series X|S or PS5, outfitting your fancy new console with the fastest possible storage is far more straightforward than doing the same on PC. With a Series X or Series S, your options are limited to options from Seagate and Western Digital . The former offers 512GB, 1TB and 2TB models, with the most affordable starting at a not-so-trivial $90. Western Digitals Expansion Cards are less expensive, with pricing starting at $80 for the 512GB model. The good news is that both options are frequently on sale. Your best bet is to set an alert for the model you want by using a price tracker like CamelCamelCamel. With Sonys PlayStation 5, upgrading the consoles internal storage is slightly more involved. Instead of employing a proprietary solution, the PS5 uses NVMe storage. Thankfully, there arent as many potential configurations as you would find on a PC. Engadget maintains a comprehensive guide to the best SSDs for PS5 ; in short, your best bet is a high-capacity Gen4 drive with a built-in heatsink. Check out that guide for a full list of gaming SSD recommendations, but for a quick go-to, consider the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX I recommend above. It meets all the memory specifications for Sonys latest console and you wont run into any clearance issues with the heatsink. Corsair offers 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB versions of the drive. Expect to pay about $110 for the 1TB variant and about $200 for 2TB. For those still playing on a previous generation console, you can get slightly faster game load times from a PlayStation 4 by swapping the included hard drive to a 2.5-inch SSD, but going out of your way to do so probably isnt worth it at this point and youre better off saving your money for one of the new consoles and updating your operating system instead. SSD FAQs What size SSD is best? There is no one size fits all rule for SSDs, but we generally recommend getting at least a 1TB SSD if youre looking to upgrade PC or game console storage, or looking to add an external drive to your toolkit. A 1TB drive will be plenty for most people who need extra storage space for photos, documents and programs. If youre a hardcore gamer, you may want to invest in even more storage considering many high-profile titles today can take up a ton of space. Is a 256GB SSD better than a 1TB hard drive? The short answer is that it depends on what you need your drive for. In general, SSDs are faster and more efficient than HDDs, but HDDs are usually cheaper. We recommend springing for an SSD for most use cases today upgrading a PC, saving important photos and documents, storing games long term, etc. But if youre focused on getting the most amount of extra space possible (and sticking to a budget), an HDD could be a good option for you. Does bigger SSD mean faster? Getting a bigger SSD doesnt always translate into a faster drive overall. A bigger SSD will provide a higher storage capacity, which means more space for storing digital files and programs. To understand how fast an SSD will be, youll want to look at its read/write speeds: read speeds measure how fast a drive can access information, while write speeds measure how fast the drive can save information. Most SSDs list their approximate read/write speeds in their specs, so be sure to check out those numbers before you make a purchase. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-ssds-140014262.html?src=rss

The best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories for 2026

Whether you just got a Switch 2 or you've had yours for a while, you may want to grab some key accessories to make it fit your gaming style even more than it already does. Not only can the right accessories make it easier and more fun to play all of the games you love, but they can also make your gaming experience better in different environments, be it on the couch, in an airplane or in the car. We've got to try out some of the latest Switch 2 accessories, and some of our old favorites are also compatible with the new console. These are our current favorite Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, and we'll add to this list over time as we test out new gear. Best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories More Nintendo Switch 2 accessories Nintendo announced a bunch of new accessories when it revealed the Switch 2 earlier this year. Key among them are a new Switch 2 Pro controller, Switch 2 camera, an all-in-one carrying case and more. Our staff will be testing out a bunch of these accessories, and we'll keep our favorites list up to date as we do so. If you're interested in picking any of those new Switch 2 accessories up, you can find them at a variety of retailers: Joy-Con 2 bundle Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Hori Nintendo Switch 2 Piranha Plant Camera Best Buy Target Amazon Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Joy-Con 2 Wheels (set of 2) Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Switch 2 All-in-One Carrying Case Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon Switch 2 Carrying Case and Screen Protector Nintendo Walmart GameStop Best Buy Target Amazon This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/best-nintendo-switch-2-accessories-070011952.html?src=rss

US bans new foreign-made drones and components

The Federal Communications Commission has added foreign-made drones and their critical components to the agencys Covered List , making them prohibited to import into the US. In a public notice published by the FCC, it said several national security agencies have determined that umanned aircraft systems (UAS) and their critical components produced in foreign countries pose an unacceptable risk to the national security of the United States. UAS and UAS critical components must be produced in the United States, the agency said. UAS are inherently dual-use: they are both commercial platforms and potentially military or paramilitary sensors and weapons. UAS and UAS critical components, including data transmission devices, communications systems, flight controllers, ground control stations, controllers, navigation systems, batteries, smart batteries, and motors produced in a foreign country could enable persistent surveillance, data exfiltration, and destructive operations over U.S. territory, including over World Cup and Olympic venues and other mass gathering events. FCC Chair Brendan Carr clarified on X that the ban does not affect old drones. People can continue using the devices theyve already purchased, and retailers can keep selling models that have already been approved by the agency. The new rule only applies to upcoming models. He also said that the Department of War or the Department of Homeland Security can allow specific new models, a certain class of drones or particular components to be sold in the US. Today, based on an Executive Branch national security determination, the FCC has added foreign-produced UAS (drones) and foreign-produced UAS critical component parts to the FCCs Covered List on a going forward basis. President Trump has been clear that his Administration will pic.twitter.com/tVLlsBeOfw Brendan Carr (@BrendanCarrFCC) December 22, 2025 The FCC didnt name any manufacturers in particular, but one of the most well-known brands that will be affected by the ban is Chinese company DJI, which told Engadget that it was disappointed by the agencys decision. While DJI was not singled out, no information has been released regarding what information was used by the Executive Branch in reaching its determination, a spokesperson said.DJI has long been in the US governments crosshairs and has been trying to prove that its products arent a national security threat. DJI products are among the safest and most secure on the market, supported by years of reviews conducted by US government agencies and independent third parties, they added. Concerns about DJIs data security have not been grounded in evidence and instead reflect protectionism, contrary to the principles of an open market. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/us-bans-new-foreign-made-drones-and-components-053201854.html?src=rss

Logitech MX Master 4 Review: Should you upgrade?

If youre coming from a basic or older mouse, the MX Master 4 will likely feel like a substantial upgrade

Nintendo has huge discounts on Switch 2 games in its holiday sale

Nintendo is in a giving state of mind this season, offering some holiday deals on games in the eShop, including a few recent Switch 2 titles. For instance, the Switch 2 version of Ball x Pit , which was one of our staff's favorite games of 2025 , is 20 percent off at $12. Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is $40, down from the usual $50 on Switch 2, which is about as good a deal as youll get for a current-year game release. There are also a few older games that have gotten even steeper discounts. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition for the Nintendo Switch 2 is a whopping 75 percent off, so load it onto your new console for less than $18. At about $33, Cult of the Lamb: Unholy Edition is half off for the original Switch. No Man's Sky is also 50 percent off, so you can grab it for either Switch console for just $24. Star Wars: Outlaws is down to $40, which is $20 off, and Nier: Automata is $16, compared with its usual $40 price tag. Those are just a few that caught our eye. The discounts will run until January 4, so you can make purchases as a last-minute gift or load up your own Switch in case nobody gifts you with a game you've been eyeing. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-has-huge-discounts-on-switch-2-games-in-its-holiday-sale-220058951.html?src=rss

Pirate group Anna's Archive says it has scraped Spotify in its entirety

Anna's Archive, the open-source search engine for shadow libraries, says it scraped Spotify's entire library of music. The group acquired metadata for around 256 million tracks, with 86 million actual songs, and is just under 300TB in total size. A while ago, we discovered a way to scrape Spotify at scale. We saw a role for us here to build a music archive primarily aimed at preservation, the group said in a blog post . The pirated treasure trove of music represents over 15 million artists with over 58 million albums. The group intends to make all files available for download for anyone with the available disk space. This Spotify scrape is our humble attempt to start such a preservation archive for music. Of course Spotify doesnt have all the music in the world, but its a great start, the group wrote. The 86 million songs that the group has archived so far represent about 99.6 percent of listens on the platform. This only represents about 37 percent of the total and the group still has millions left to be archived. The open-source site is normally focused on text like books and papers, which it says offers the highest information density. The group says its goal of preserving humanity's knowledge and culture doesn't distinguish between media types. Of course none of this is exactly legal, and the sharing or downloading of all these files is flagrantly in violation of IP protection laws. Anna's Archive contends that current collections of music, both physical and digital, are over-indexed to the most popular artists or composed of unnecessarily large file sizes due to collectors' focus on fidelity. The group says that what it's amassed is by far the largest music metadata database publicly available. The music files will be released in order of popularity in stages. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/pirate-group-annas-archive-says-it-has-scraped-spotify-in-its-entirety-211914755.html?src=rss

Call of Duty co-creator Vince Zampella killed in a car crash

Game developer Vince Zampella, known for his work on many popular first-person shooter franchises, has died. According to Los Angeles news channel NBC4 , Zampella was killed in a single-vehicle car crash on Sunday along with one other unnamed person. He was 55. Zampella has helmed several well-known first-person shooter titles. He was a founder of Infinity Ward, where he was a creator of the Call of Duty series. Zampella remained at the company for the launch of the hugely popular franchise's first few installments. In 2010, he co-founded Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Titanfall , Titanfall 2 and Apex Legends . Respawn was acquired by EA, and most recently, Zampella was leading DICE's studio in Los Angeles and headed up the Battlefield franchise, another FPS series that just saw the launch of Battlefield 6 earlier this year. EA shared the following statement about Zampella's death: This is an unimaginable loss, and our hearts are with Vinces family, his loved ones and all those touched by his work. Vinces influence on the video game industry was profound and far-reaching. A friend, colleague, leader and visionary creator, his work helped shape modern interactive entertainment and inspired millions of players and developers around the world. His legacy will continue to shape how games are made and how players connect for generations to come. Update, December 22, 2025, 3:53PM ET: Added statement from EA. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/call-of-duty-co-creator-vince-zampella-killed-in-a-car-crash-204046354.html?src=rss

The Indie Game Awards snatches back two trophies from Clair Obscur over its use of generative AI

The Indie Game Awards has stripped Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 of two major awards, including Game of the Year and Debut Game. This is due to developer Sandfall Interactive's use of generative AI, as reported by Mashable . This looks to be fairly cut and dry. The awards ceremony clearly states in its FAQ that any game that uses generative AI in the development process would be strictly ineligible for nominations. It was recently revealed that Sandfall did indeed use generative AI while making Clair Obscur . Correct me if I'm wrong, but it appears as though Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 used generative AI for these textures. pic.twitter.com/V6mtdG8bUx Nyanomancer (@nyanomancer) April 26, 2025 The company says it was only for placeholder textures that were later removed, but a few squeezed past the QA process and made their way to the final game and, as such, the internet . The Indie Game Awards is clear about disallowing any use of generative AI and, so, here we are. In light of Sandfall Interactive confirming the use of gen AI art in production on the day of the Indie Game Awards 2025 premiere, this does disqualify Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from its nomination, the organization wrote. While the assets in question were patched out and it is a wonderful game, it does go against the regulations we have in place. Six One Indie, the company behind the ceremony, deserves a smidge of the blame here. These awards were initially handed out last week and we've known about the whole Clair Obscur AI thing for months. It says it didn't discover Sandfall's use of AI until December 18, the day the winners were announced. A Google search on December 17 likely would've helped. It is worth noting, however, that Sandfall did previously agree that no generative AI was used during development as part of the submission process. In any event, the second-highest scoring titles in each category now gets the award. This means that Blue Prince is now Game of the Year and Sorry We're Closed snags Debut Game. Despite this AI controversy, Clair Obscur had a record-setting night at this month's The Game Awards. It won just about everything it was put up for, including Game of the Year . It also made our list of the best games of 2025 . The developer announced that it had sold 5 million copies back in October. That number is surely much higher by now. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-indie-game-awards-snatches-back-two-trophies-from-clair-obscur-over-its-use-of-generative-ai-164730842.html?src=rss

Paramount has an updated Warner Bros. Discovery bid

Paramount Skydance isn't giving up on obtaining Warner Bros. Discovery just yet. The company has amended its $108 billion offer to include Larry Ellison's irrevocable personal guarantee equaling $40.4 billion. Ellison is the founder or Oracle and a backer of Skydance, created by his son David Ellison, Paramount Skydance's CEO. On December 17, WBD formally recommended shareholders reject Paramount's offer . WBD had already accepted an $82.7 billion offer from Netflix , set to close some time next year following regulatory approval. [The board] has unanimously determined that the tender offer launched by Paramount Skydance on December 8, 2025 is not in the best interests of WBD and its shareholders and does not meet the criteria of a 'Superior Proposal' under the terms of WBD's merger agreement with Netflix announced on December 5, 2025, WBD stated. The Paramount deal included backing by sovereign wealth funds in places like Saudi Arabia and Qatar. But the Ellisons previously said that, if the other funders dropped out, they would backstop the full amount of the bid. That wasn't enough of a guarantee for WBD. Now, Paramount has returned with the irrevocable personal guarantee and an agreement that the senior Ellison won't revoke or adversely transfer the Ellison family trust's assets while the transaction is pending. WBD had stated that a personal guarantee was the only fix to Paramount's inadequate offer. Paramount might have taken this step, but not with a smile on its face: None of these concerns, nor the demand for a personal guarantee, were raised by WBD or its advisors to Paramount in the 12-week period leading up to WBD agreeing to the inferior transaction with Netflix, Inc., the company stated about its updated offer. Our $30 per share, fully financed all-cash offer was on December 4th, and continues to be, the superior option to maximize value for WBD shareholders. Because of our commitment to investment and growth, our acquisition will be superior for all WBD stakeholders, as a catalyst for greater content production, greater theatrical output, and more consumer choice, David Ellison stated. We expect the board of directors of WBD to take the necessary steps to secure this value-enhancing transaction and preserve and strengthen an iconic Hollywood treasure for the future. Paramount's updated offer also includes publishing the trust's assets, more flexible transaction terms and an increase from $5 billion to $5.8 billion of its regulatory reverse termination fee in line with Netflix's. Paramount's offer will expire on January 21, 2026. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/paramount-has-an-updated-warner-bros-discovery-bid-144348321.html?src=rss

Instacart is ending its controversial price tests

Instacart has announced it will be ending price testing on its platform. This comes after a study published earlier this month revealed pricing experiments that led to some customers seeing higher prices than others and the FTC saying last week it would be investigating the grocery delivery app. Effective immediately, Instacart is ending all item price tests on our platform. Retailers will no longer be able to use Eversight technology to run item price tests on Instacart, an Instacart spokesperson shared with Engadget. The blog post called out misconceptions and misinformation, maintaining that these price experiments were never the result of dynamic pricing and were never based on any personal or behavioral information about shoppers. In an earlier blog post responding to the study's allegations, Instacart said pricing changes were a form of short-term, randomized A/B testing. The post referred to this process as common in the grocery industry and continued to paint the practice as a way to invest in lower prices. It also highlighted that Instacart does not set the prices on its platform, which are set by retailers listed on the app. The company made clear that its retail partners will continue to set their own prices on the platform, which may vary by location just as they do in brick-and-mortar stores, but that Instacart will no longer support any item price testing services. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/instacart-is-ending-its-controversial-price-tests-134552152.html?src=rss

The best board games to gift and play with the family for the 2025 holiday season

Once upon a time, a board game meant Monopoly or Risk . Then several brave souls dared to ask the question: What if this was fun? Thirty years later, we're blessed with tabletop games that challenge our minds, immerse us in other worlds and conjure good times with those we love sometimes all three at once. For your gift-buying needs, we've put together a list of new favorites and returning classics that run the gamuts of genre and weight. If you're ready to push beyond Pictionary , read on. Best board games to gift (and play) this holiday season Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-board-games-to-gift-and-play-with-the-family-for-the-2025-holiday-season-125529223.html?src=rss

Foldable phone makers have solved every issue except one

It might be hard to believe, but foldable phones have already been around for the better part of a decade. Granted, the first one I saw back in 2019 which actually predates Samsung's Galaxy Fold was a cobbled-together mess. But since then, phone makers have been steadily iterating and tweaking their designs, and this year, manufacturers have finally addressed all the major issues about foldable phones except one: price. Lets go back to the OG Fold. Even though it was chunky and heavy, had a tiny exterior display and suffered from a hinge that let too much detritus inside (which is probably how The Verges review unit got wrecked ), it still showed so much promise. It was a true multitasker a phone that could turn into a small tablet at a moment's notice. What's not to like? This scene would have sent shivers down my spine in previous years, but thanks to an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold isn't bothered. Sam Rutherford for Engadget From there, Samsung upgraded its foldables with water resistance and S Pen support on the Z Fold 3 , followed by eliminating the gap between the two halves of a closed Z Fold 5 . And as competition grew from OnePlus and Google (not to mention all the Chinese rivals like Oppo , Xiaomi and others ), we saw design and software improvement across the category . In 2025, two phones in particular brought major upgrades to foldables as a whole. Even though its shape didn't change much from its predecessor, Google managed to get the Pixel 10 Pro Fold an IP68 rating for dust and water resistance finally putting protection for both dirt and liquid in the same foldable for the first time. Now, for all the folks out there with regular phones, that might not sound like a big deal. But on devices with complicated hinges where you really don't want random garbage getting inside, that's a massive relief and a big improvement to the handset's general usability. If you only look at their dimensions, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between the Galaxy Z Fold 7 (right) and an S25 Ultra (left). Sam Rutherford for Engadget Meanwhile, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 , Samsung achieved what may be an even bigger accomplishment by creating a foldable phone that was essentially the same size and weight as a traditional glass brick handset with a massive 8-inch interior display no less. In fact, if you compared the Z Fold 7 to Samsung's other flagship the S25 Ultra the fold is actually a touch lighter (7.58 ounces vs 7.69 ounces) and practically just as thin (8.9mm vs 8.2mm). That's huge because one of the biggest issues with previous generations of foldables was excess bulk and heft, to the point where often I had to wear a belt just so my pants wouldn't sag when carrying one around. Unfortunately, there isn't a phone maker that has put both of these advancements into a single gadget just yet. But this is still a big deal, and based on how things are trending, I'm sure that won't be the case for long. What about the crease, you say? Yes, even the latest and greatest foldables still have a small depression that runs down the screen where the phone bends in half. Let me be clear: that's not really an issue. Sure, it would be nice if it weren't there, but getting mad about the crease is kind of like being annoyed at a convertible car that has some extra panel gaps because it has a retractable roof. Not only is the crease basically invisible when you are looking at it head-on (which is the vast majority of the time), in reality, people don't touch the dead center of their phone's display all that often especially on a screen the size of a small tablet. The Z Fold 7 has made bulky foldables a thing of the past while the Pixel 10 Pro Fold shows how these phones don't need to be afraid of dirt anymore. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Really, the one thing the makers of big foldables haven't figured out is how to make them affordable. OnePlus sort of came close in 2023 with the Open , which cost $1,500 after rebates that included trading in literally any phone (even broken ones). In fact, things are actually kind of going backwards. The launch price of the Z Fold 7 ($2,000) is $200 more than what the Z Fold 5 debuted at just a couple of years ago. Even with high prices, I've started seeing more and more foldable phones in the wild than ever before and the data backs up my sentiment. Sales of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 are up 50 percent compared to the previous generation while global foldable phone sales reached a new high in Q3 of this year , and I'm willing to bet that there are millions of others out there who would be interested in them if only they didn't cost so much. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/foldable-phone-makers-have-solved-every-issue-except-one-130000891.html?src=rss

How to pair controllers with the Nintendo Switch 2

The Nintendo Switch 2 supports a wide range of controllers, from Nintendos own Pro Controller to many Bluetooth gamepads you might already have. Whether youre setting up your new console for the first time or adding extra controllers for multiplayer games, pairing them is simple as long as you know where to look. Heres how to connect the Switch 2 Pro Controller, how to sync additional Bluetooth controllers and what to do if something doesnt pair correctly. Before you start: What youll need To pair any controller with the Switch 2 youll need the console powered on and updated to the latest system software. Navigate to System Settings , System then System Update to check. It also helps to have the controller charged, since some models need enough battery to begin pairing. On the Switch 2, all controller settings reside in the Controllers & Sensors section of System Settings . You can pair up to four controllers depending on the game and the controller type. How to pair the Switch 2 Pro Controller Nintendos Switch 2 Pro Controller is the simplest device to connect, and it can be paired in two different ways : wired and wireless. If youre setting it up for the first time, the wired method is the fastest and most reliable. To pair the Switch 2 Pro Controller using a USB cable: Connect the Pro Controller to the Switch 2 using a USB-C cable. Wake the console and open the Controllers menu from the Home screen. The console will automatically detect the controller and pair it. Once the controller is paired, you can unplug the cable and continue using it wirelessly. This method ensures an instant connection and is useful if the controller has low battery. To pair wirelessly: Turn on the Switch 2 and navigate to System Settings , Controllers & Sensors then Change Grip/Order . Press and hold the small Sync button on top of the Pro Controller until the indicator lights begin flashing. The Switch 2 will detect the controller and confirm the pairing. How to pair other Bluetooth controllers to Switch 2 The Switch 2 supports a wide range of Bluetooth controllers, including many gamepads designed for PC, Android and iOS devices. Pairing these controllers uses a similar process, but youll start by putting the controller into Bluetooth pairing mode. Each controller handles this differently. On most models, youll hold a dedicated sync button or press a combination of buttons until lights begin flashing. If youre not sure which buttons to press, check the controllers manual. On the Switch 2, navigate to the Home Menu and select Controllers then Change Grip/Order . This page is always used for wireless pairing. The console will search for available Bluetooth devices as soon as it opens. Once your controller appears on the screen, select it to finish the pairing process. The lights on the controller should stop blinking and settle into an assigned player slot. Some controllers may prompt you to confirm the button layout or adjust settings after pairing. The Switch 2 can use up to four wireless controllers at once. For local multiplayer games, each controller will automatically be assigned a player number once connected. Troubleshooting pairing issues If your controller doesnt appear in the pairing menu, make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the Switch 2 by navigating to System Settings then Controllers & Sensors . Its also worth restarting the controller and checking that it has enough battery to stay in pairing mode. Moving closer to the console can help reduce interference as well. If youre trying to connect a controller that supports multiple device profiles, verify that its set to Nintendo Switch mode or a standard Bluetooth gamepad mode. With Pro Controllers, a wired connection usually solves pairing problems. Plug the controller into the Switch 2 using a USB-C cable and allow it to sync before trying wireless mode again. Reconnecting paired controllers Once youve paired a controller, reconnecting it is as simple as pressing any button. The Switch 2 will wake and recognize it automatically as long as the controller is still linked to the console. If you pair the controller with another device later, you may need to repeat the pairing process. Pairing controllers with the Switch 2 is quick once you know where the settings live. The Pro Controller offers the most seamless experience, especially if you start with a wired connection, but the consoles Bluetooth support gives you plenty of flexibility for multiplayer games or different play styles. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/how-to-pair-controllers-with-the-nintendo-switch-2-130000126.html?src=rss

Waymo vehicles are operating again in San Francisco following a power outage

Waymo has resumed its robo-taxi service in San Francisco after a power outage stranded vehicles around the city, CNBC reported. The blackout, caused by a Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) substation fire, caused traffic light disruptions that affected Waymo's automated driving systems. Yesterdays power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions, a Waymo spokesperson told CNBC in a statement. While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events. Following the outage, which began at around 1:09 PM Saturday and peaked around two hours later, Waymo responded by suspending its ride-hailing services in the city. However, images and videos on social media showed the autonomous taxis stopped at intersections with hazard lights on. The company blamed its disruption on the size of the outage. While the Waymo Driver [automated system] is designed to treat non-functional signals as four-way stops, the sheer scale of the outage led to instances where vehicles remained stationary longer than usual to confirm the state of the affected intersections. This contributed to traffic friction during the height of the congestion, the spokesperson explained, adding that Waymo's actions were closely coordinated with San Francisco city officials. Still, the service disruption is a black mark for Waymo, as the sudden halt in service exacerbated traffic problems caused by the blackout. Elon Musk bragged on X that Tesla, Waymo's latest robo-taxi rival in the city, was unaffected by the power outage. However, Tesla's ride-hailing service is not yet fully autonomous and requires a human driver behind the wheel at all times. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymo-vehicles-are-operating-again-in-san-francisco-following-a-power-outage-112924838.html?src=rss

The best budget laptops for 2026

A tight budget does not mean you have to settle for a slow or outdated laptop. Many affordable models today offer solid performance for work, classes and everyday browsing, and some even pack in extras like bright displays or long battery life. Whether you need something for school, travel or streaming, there are plenty of budget laptops that deliver more value than you might expect. Since the options can be overwhelming, we tested a wide range of devices to find the best budget laptops that offer dependable performance without stretching your wallet. Table of contents The best cheap laptops of 2026 What to look for in a budget laptop A note about refurbished laptops The best cheap laptops of 2026 What to look for in a budget laptop First, we at Engadget consider anything under $1,000 to be budget in the laptop space. The reason for this is twofold: even the most affordable flagship laptops typically start at $1,000 or more, and if you go dramatically lower than that (say, $500 or less), thats where youll really start to see compromises in performance. Youll typically find the best cheap laptops striking a good balance between power and price in the $500 to $1,000 range. But in this guide, well cover top picks at a wide range of prices there are a number of excellent options on the low and high end of the budget spectrum. Arguably the biggest thing to look for in a cheap laptop is build quality and a decent spec sheet. You might be able to find configuration options with the latest generation CPU chipsets, or you may have to go for one that has a slightly older processor. We recommend looking for models with solid state drive (SSD) storage instead of a traditional hard drive, as SSDs provide faster performance. And if you can find a PC with the latest internals, its worth the investment. However, going with a CPU thats just one generation behind likely wont make a noticeable difference in performance. Along with processors, you should also consider the amount of memory and storage you need in a daily driver. For the former, we recommend laptops with at least 8GB of RAM; anything with less than that will have a hard time multitasking and managing all those web browsing tabs. The latter is a bit more personal: how much onboard storage you need really depends on how many apps, files, photos, documents and more you will save locally. As a general rule of thumb, try to go for a laptop that has at least a 256GB SSD (this only goes for macOS and Windows machines, as Chromebooks are a bit different). That should give you enough space for programs and files, plus room for future operating system updates. And if you need a machine for light productivity or Android emulation, some laptops even support Android apps natively, which can add extra versatility. After determining the best performance you can get while sticking to your budget, its also worth examining a few different design aspects. We recommend a laptop with an IPS display for better viewing angles and color accuracy, though premium models with OLED displays are becoming more common and can offer deeper blacks and vibrant colors. Pay attention to port selection, too many budget models offer plenty of ports, while higher-end ones tend to prioritize minimalism with fewer connections. If connectivity matters to you, look for options with USB-C, USB-A, HDMI and an audio jack. And speaking of practical features, keep an eye on GPU performance if you're shopping for a budget-friendly gaming laptop . While integrated graphics are fine for casual users, a dedicated GPU will improve gaming and creative workloads. We also recommend checking the refresh rate of the screen, as a higher rate will make a noticeable difference in both games and scrolling-heavy apps. A note about refurbished laptops Refurbished laptops are another option to consider if you need a new machine and dont want to spend a ton of money. Buying refurbished tech can be tricky if youre unfamiliar with a brands or merchants policies surrounding what they classify as refurbished. But its not impossible for laptops, we recommend going directly to the manufacturer for refurbished devices. Apple , Dell and Microsoft all have official refurbishment processes that their devices go through before theyre put back on the market that verifies the machines work properly and are in good condition. Third-party retailers like Amazon and Walmart also have their own refurbishment programs for laptops and other gadgets as well. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-budget-laptop-150038435.html?src=rss

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

Were almost out of time the holidays are just about here, and if youre still doing your holiday shopping, youre not alone. 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 shop for some gifts. And if youre going to physical stores right now, youre probably being met with half-empty shelves. But the internet remains an option, even this late in the game: 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

GuliKit's $20 mod makes the ROG Xbox Ally's joysticks drift-free

There may not be any reports of stick drift with the ROG Xbox Ally yet, but that doesn't mean there won't be. If you'd rather not end up with joysticks that have a mind of their own, GuliKit revealed its latest TMR Electromagnet Joystick Modules made specifically for your Xbox handheld. GuliKit said it worked directly with Asus to develop these joystick upgrades, which match the exact dimensions of the ROG Xbox Ally and Ally X's stock sticks. The aftermarket accessories company previously designed a Hall effect joystick upgrade kit for the ROG Ally X, but GuliKit said this mod features electromagnetic joysticks that not only address stick drift but are also more precise, durable, and power-efficient. GuliKit even made the joystick upgrades easy to install since there's no soldering required, and you can fine-tune the calibration in the handheld's system settings. It may feel excessive to spend more money on a gaming handheld that can cost up to $1,000, but neither the ROG Xbox Ally nor Ally X comes with Hall effect or electromagnetic joysticks. GuliKit's joystick upgrade is already available to US customers on its Amazon storefront for $19.99. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/gulikits-20-mod-makes-the-rog-xbox-allys-joysticks-drift-free-190521030.html?src=rss

A San Francisco power outage left Waymo's self-driving cars stranded at intersections

Several of Waymo's autonomous vehicles were seen stuck in the middle of San Francisco streets following a significant power outage that took out the city's traffic lights. Waymo responded to the power outage by suspending its ride-hailing services in the city, but images and videos on social media showed the self-driving taxis stopped at intersections with hazard lights on. We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services in the San Francisco Bay Area due to the widespread power outage, Suzanne Philion, a spokesperson for Waymo, told Engadget in an email. Our teams are working diligently and in close coordination with city officials, and we are hopeful to bring our services back online soon. The power outage was attributed to a fire at one of Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E)'s substations. The incident began sometime on Saturday morning, which PG&E said affected approximately 130,000 customers. As of Sunday morning , the Californian power company said its crews have restored power to about 110,000 of those customers, while working on the remaining 21,000 customers in the Presidio, Richmond District, Golden GateParkandsmall areasof downtownSan Francisco. Waymo hasn't provided an explanation as to why the power outage left its autonomous cars stranded in San Francisco streets, but this episode may have revealed a notable fault with the Waymo Driver system. Waymo indicates on its website that its autonomous driving system responds to signs and signals, like traffic light colors and temporary stop signs, which could indicate that the self-driving cars struggled with the out-of-order street lights. Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, also saw an opportunity to chime in on X , posting that Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/a-san-francisco-power-outage-left-waymos-self-driving-cars-stranded-at-intersections-172316970.html?src=rss

The best subscription box gifts for 2025

Subscription boxes are the rare gift that keeps its charm long after the wrapping paper is gone. You make the choice once, but the surprises keep landing on their doorstep for months after that. For anyone who loves the buzz of a delivery, these are gifts that extend the season well past December. Each box on this list combines a bit of discovery with something tangible, such as gadgets, books, collectibles, snacks or clever projects. Some appeal to hardcore hobbyists, others to the curious or the comfort seekers, but all offer that same spark of delight that comes from unboxing something unexpected. If you want a present thats part experience, part surprise and fully enjoyable, this is a solid place to start. Best subscription box gifts Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-subscription-box-gifts-for-2025-130037236.html?src=rss

The 11 best gifts under $25 for 2025

So you want to give someone a gift but you dont have a ton of cash to spare. Dont fret because first, youre not alone, and second, there are tons of options to choose from. Especially if youre looking in the tech space, it can feel especially daunting to find a gadget thats affordable but also worth gifting in other words, not a piece of junk that will eventually take up residence at the bottom of a drawer. But you dont have to drain your wallet to get someone a cool gadget that will both be useful and make their lives easier. Weve collected our favorite pieces of tech under $25 that make great gifts and help you to stick to a budget. Best gifts under $25 Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/the-11-best-gifts-under-25-for-2025-140042203.html?src=rss