Hardware News

Where the hell is Samsung's Ballie robot?

Another CES is nearly upon us , another year where well see new gadgets aplenty from giant companies and tiny ones youve never heard of. And the not-so-secret secret of CES is that many of these things never make it to market but usually it isnt things companies like Samsung show off. But here we are, nearly six years since Samsung first showed off its Ballie personal robot and it is nowhere to be found. For those who may not recall, Ballie is an adorable circular robot that can putter around your house and project things onto the floor and wall. Its kind of a virtual assistant on the go. Samsung first revealed this tiny robot at CES 2020, but it was more of a prototype than something anyone expected to purchase. And then there was a global pandemic and we all sort of forgot about weird ball-shaped robots for a few. But Samsung triumphantly unveiled a larger and more refined Ballie at CES 2024, saying it would be on sale that year! Well, that didnt happen, but a year later Ballie was back at CES again . Samsung promised it would go on sale in 2025, and followed up with a press release this past April saying it was on track for a summer launch in Korea and the US. As far as I can tell, thats the last weve heard of it. But with CES looming again, I cant help but feel like Samsung will roll Ballie out once more, trying to sell the dream of a cute robotic companion who just gets you. I spent some time watching Ballie do its thing in a carefully controlled demo at CES 2024, and I cant say I was overwhelmed by its purported usefulness or thought thered be much of a market for this thing. I now cant help but wonder if Samsung has data backs up my intuition. If this thing was going to sell like gangbusters, it likely wouldnt be subjected to such a long and public gestation period. It reminds me a little of one of my favorite Samsung gaffes, the Galaxy Home smart speaker. It was announced at a time when Apple and Google were challenging Sonos and Amazon with voice-activated speakers of their own, moving Siri or the Google Assistant from your phone to a more omnipresent place in your home. The first rumor of the Galaxy Home happened way back in 2017 , and the speaker was officially revealed and briefly shown off by Samsung in August of 2018. My immediate reaction was that this product made very little sense for both Samsung and potential customers Bibxy sucked, and there were plenty of speakers with better voice assistants. Apparently, Samsung agreed. After multiple years of vague commitments and references to the Galaxy Home, Samsung just stopped talking about it. Oddly enough, a Galaxy Home Mini speaker was briefly released in South Korea, part of a promotion for people who pre-ordered the Galaxy S20. But I dont think you could ever just walk into a store and buy one, and the larger Galaxy Home never materialized at all. Ballie isnt quite the abandonware situation that the Galaxy Home was, at least not yet. After all, its only been about eight months since Samsung dropped that press release claiming it would arrive soon. The company has definitely pushed Ballie in a more public way than the Galaxy Home, making it a little harder to just drop entirely. Maybe well see a revamped Ballie with even more weird tricks next month, or maybe well just get another vague promise that itll arrive in 2026. After failing to deliver two years in a row, though, Im not going to expect Ballie to show up as a real product until I can punch in my credit card and pre-order it... not that Id do that anyway. Ballie needs to show that its a lot more than a cute rolling robot before Samsung gets my cash. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/where-the-hell-is-samsungs-ballie-robot-151112829.html?src=rss

Engadget Podcast: WTF is up with RAM? (With Will Smith from The Tech Pod)

RAM prices have gone wild, mostly thanks to AI. In this episode, Devindra chats with Will Smith (Brad and Will Made a Tech Pod) about the state of the RAM industry, as well as other hardware we expect to get more expensive. (SSD prices are definitely creeping up too!). Also, we discuss Meta poaching Alan Dye, one of Apple's design executives, and what this could mean for Meta's upcoming devices. And yes, whatever they have next will likely revolve around AI. Subscribe! iTunes Spotify Pocket Casts Stitcher Google Podcasts Topics Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, plans deep cuts to his companys metaverse development 1:09 Longtime Apple UI designer Alan Dye to join Metas AI division 7:08 US DOT cuts fuel efficiency standards, doubles down on gas cars 25:40 Waymo autonomous cars recently started driving more aggressively 31:30 Amazon halts its anime dub beta because it sounded terrible 38:00 WTF, RAM?? Will Smith joins to talk about why RAM prices are spiraling upward 44:05 Around Engadget: Metroid Prime 4 is a return to form after 18 years on ice 1:04:42 Working on 1:07:36 Pop culture picks 1:08:32 Credits Host: Devindra Hardawar Guest: Will Smith Producer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/engadget-podcast-wtf-is-up-with-ram-with-will-smith-from-the-tech-pod-141442002.html?src=rss

Chinese hackers reportedly targeting government entities using 'Brickstorm' malware

Hackers with links to China reportedly successfully infiltrated a number of unnamed government and tech entities using advanced malware. As reported by Reuters , cybersecurity agencies from the US and Canada confirmed the attack, which used a backdoor known as Brickstorm to target organizations using the VMware vSphere cloud computing platform. As detailed in a report published by the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security on December 4, PRC state-sponsored hackers maintained long-term persistent access to an unnamed victims internal network. After compromising the affected platform, the cybercriminals were able to steal credentials, manipulate sensitive files and create rogue, hidden VMs (virtual machines), effectively seizing control unnoticed. The attack could have begun as far back as April 2024 and lasted until at least September of this year. The malware analysis report published by the Canadian Cyber Centre, with assistance from The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Security Agency (NSA), cites eight different Brickstorm malware samples. It is not clear exactly how many organizations in total were either targeted or successfully penetrated. In an email to Reuters , a spokesperson for VMware vSphere owner Broadcom said it was aware of the alleged hack, and encouraged its customers to download up-to-date security patches whenever possible. In September, the Google Threat Intelligence Group published its own report on Brickstorm, in which it urged organizations to reevaluate their threat model for appliances and conduct hunt exercises against specified threat actors. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/chinese-hackers-reportedly-targeting-government-entities-using-brickstorm-malware-133501894.html?src=rss

Splitgate: Arena Reloaded tries to fix what Splitgate 2 broke

Portal shooter Splitgate 2 is coming back with a new name and rebuilt experience after being pulled back to beta earlier this year, developer 1047 Games announced . The free-to-play Splitgate: Arena Reloaded will relaunch on December 17th across platforms including Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5 and PC. After months of community feedback, testing and rebuilding the entire experience, this is Splitgate refocused on what made it special in the first place: classic arena combat without factions, abilities, or extra noise, the developer shared in a blog post, along with a gameplay video. Splitgate 2 originally launched in June, but 1047 Games pulled it back to beta after deciding that the release had been rushed. For the new version, the company said, we took the best of Splitgate 1 and Splitgate 2 and cut the parts that didn't fit, while refining the ones that did. in the process, we not only rebuilt the game, we reconnected with the magic of the genre that built this studio in the first place: a return to the Arena. Here are some key changes made: Removed Splitgate 2's factions, abilities, and select equipment so the focus is back on classic arena combat without the extra noise. Rebuilt progression from the ground up so your time in game feels rewarding, with weapon and character cosmetics you can earn simply by playing. We've added a true Classic Arena mode with even starts and new map pickups, recapturing the feel of the original. Fine tuned combat to better match expectations for a modern arena shooter, with more meaningful gunfights and fewer what just happened moments. Completely overhauled the ranked system so your rank reflects your actual skill for players who love to climb and compete. Added key systems you have been asking for: Mode Select, Player Stats, Ranked Leaderboards, and Account Levels. Introduced five brand new maps and six fully reworked arenas, bringing the total map pool to 20. Added three new LMG primary weapons and the iconic Power Weapon, the Railgun. 1047 Games was savaged earlier this year by Splitgate players after co-founder Ian Proulx wore a hat at Summer Games Fest stating Make FPS Great Again. Later, he posted to the studio's X account on Splitgate 2's release date that he was not here to apologize and that the hat was not a political statement, finally admitting that it was all basically a publicity stunt . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/splitgate-arena-reloaded-tries-to-fix-what-splitgate-2-broke-130027714.html?src=rss

Microsoft's Copilot+ AI PC plan fizzled, but it still served a purpose

Microsoft's Copilot+ initiative launched last year with a clear goal: To produce capable laptops for people eagerly anticipating AI-powered features. Read that sentence again, and it's glaringly obvious that Microsoft's plan was flawed from the start. Most consumers aren't nearly as hyped for AI features as the companies eager to foist artificial intelligence upon us. And those features aren't exactly compelling, either. Microsoft's Recall which snaps screenshots of your PC to create a database of everything youve done was dogged by privacy concerns from the start. And to be honest, I haven't found its ability to remember the files and websites I've opened to be that useful. Without any sort of killer AI app, most consumers weren't going to pay a premium for Copilot+ systems either. Not in this precarious economy, anyway. So it wasn't a huge surprise to see sales of Copilot+ systems going practically nowhere over the last year. In the third quarter of 2024, they accounted for less than 10 percent of systems shipped, according to data from Mercury Research ( via Toms Hardware ). The research firm IDC ( via PCWorld ) also found that Copilot+ systems made up just 2.3 percent of Windows machines sold in the first quarter of 2025 (and a mere 1.9 percent of the entire PC market). Instead of continuing to promote Copilot+, Microsoft now wants to make every Windows 11 computer an AI PC . The new Hey Copilot voice commands and Copilot Vision , a feature that lets the AI assistant see what's on your screen, are both cloud-powered. That means you won't need the beefy 40 TOPS neural processing units (NPU) found on Copilot+ systems to use them. Microsoft spent the past few years touting NPUs as the gateway to useful AI features, like Recall and Windows Studio webcam effects, but only one of its new AI capabilities actually requires an NPU. (And even that is just a slight update to Click to Do , allowing you to send Zoom invitations by right-clicking on e-mail addresses.) It's easy to view the whole Copilot+ initiative as a cynical way to ramp up AI hype and push people towards expensive new laptops, especially as the October 14 Windows 10 end of support date loomed . But it also led to some genuinely useful changes: Microsoft made 16GB of RAM a standard for Copilot+ systems, along with 256GB of storage and the aforementioned 40 TOPS NPUs. The launch of Copilot was also the kick in the pants Microsoft needed to revamp Windows for mobile Arm processors . I never thought I'd love a Surface with a Snapdragon chip, but the improved Arm support on the Surface Pro and this year's smaller model finally won me over. The Dell 16 Premium sitting on a ledge. I wouldnt call the Copilot+ program a huge swing, but its still the sort of industry-wide cat herding thats rare to see in the PC space. Microsoft couldnt just snap its fingers and shift all PCs to efficient mobile chips with powerful NPUs, like Apple did with its own jump to M-series chips years ago. Microsoft had to wait for new NPU-equipped hardware from Qualcomm (and eventually Intel and AMD). It had to finally fix the Windows on Arm problem. And it also had to double-down on AI features that felt truly transformative. Its just a shame that consumers didnt seem to care. Microsoft said that Copilot+ systems accounted for 15 percent of premium PCs sold during last years holiday season, but the company hasnt released any new sales figures since then. This is the fastest adoption I've seen of a new category of hardware, and we've done it faster than the normal generational shift of silicon, James Howell, Microsofts VP of Windows marketing, said in a conversation with Engadget. Copilot+ PCs continue to be a transition that we are pushing for and prioritizing. But I can't give you the exact numbers beyond that Just for the last two or three months, we've been doing pretty well with year-on-year growth in the Windows business. Surface Pro Copilot+ Devindra Hardawar for Engadget While Microsoft ultimately doesnt have much to show for the Copilot+ initiative, the steady progression of hardware will lead to AI PCs dominating over the next five years. The research firm Omdia predicts that AI PCs will account for 55 percent of computers shipped in all of 2026, up from 42.5 percent of systems in Q3 2025. By 2029, Omdia predicts AI PCs will make up 75 percent of all systems shipped, giving Windows 80 percent of the AI PC market. Omdia AI PC shipment predictions Omdia Its important to note that this steep adoption curve [for AI PCs] is driven more by the product roadmaps of the PC market, rather than consumers and businesses seeking PCs specifically for AI, according to Omdia research analyst Kieren Jessop. For businesses, and consumers especially, AI-capable PC adoption is more a function of a customer going to purchase a device and that device just so happens to have an NPU. Microsoft was basically right: AI PCs are the future. But it turns out the AI features people actually want to use like ChatGPT, Sora and Microsofts own Copilot are mostly powered by the cloud, making onboard NPUs superfluous. That wont be true forever. There are tangible security, speed and convenience benefits for onboard AI processing, like transcribing sensitive audio instead of sending it to the cloud. But for now, those AI workloads are relatively niche, and theyre not enough to make the Copilot+ a true success by any measure. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/microsofts-copilot-ai-pc-plan-fizzled-but-it-still-served-a-purpose-130000239.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Flying Antigravitys A1 drone is unlike anything else

Spinning off from the action-camera company Insta360, Antigravity now has its debut drone on sale. With 360-degree cameras that capture 8K and offer you a truly unconstrained view of the skies, the A1 is a different drone from everything else out there. Sorry, DJI. Instead of typical drone joysticks, you get a motion controller that lets you point and shoot like video game gesture controls, while crisp FPV goggles put you right inside the cockpit. Engadget Its easy to fly after takeoff, but the A1s myriad parts are often tricky to sync together and pulling video down to the companion app is even trickier. Going on specs alone, like speed and camera sensor size, it doesnt stand up to cinematic drones from the likes of DJI. Still, its not meant to be a cinematic drone. Its a hybrid mix of flight experience, FPV drone and a not-miss-a-thing camera drone. Its truly unique and fun. Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning The best Christmas gifts to give everyone on your 2025 holiday shopping list A shaky year for American EVs could set the tone for 2026 Metroid Prime 4: Beyond review Amazon Lunas December lineup includes Hollow Knight, Lego 2K Drive and a few Fallout games Amazon halts its incredibly poor AI anime dubbing beta Ridiculed by all. Amazon has quietly removed its terrible AI-generated English dubs for several anime shows on Prime Video, following widespread ridicule from viewers and the industry. AI dubs were recently added to Banana Fish , No Game , No Life and Vinland Saga , where they were labeled AI beta in the Languages section of the app. For shows lacking an English-language dub, it was a seemingly cheap way to consume anime for Amazon. However, it quickly became clear that the dubs were really quite bad. Baaaad. Voice actor Daman Mills called the AI-generated dub for Banana Fish a massive insult to us as performers in a post on X. Continue reading. Amazon thinks about ending ties with the US Postal Service The company continues to invest heavily in its own shipping network. An Amazon double today. According to The Washington Post , Amazon is considering discontinuing use of the US Postal Service and building its own shipping network to rival it. The e-commerce behemoth spends more than $6 billion a year on the public mail carrier almost 8 percent of the services total revenue. Thats up from just under $4 billion in 2019. That split might be due to a breakdown in negotiations between Amazon and the USPS rather than Amazon proactively pulling its business. Amazon has invested heavily in all kinds of delivery methods, including shipping logistics, buying its own Boeing planes, launching its own electric delivery vans and slowly building a drone delivery network. Continue reading. Amazons Kindle Scribe Colorsoft finally has a release date December 10, just in time for the holidays. Engadget A triple? Sorry. Amazon didnt have a specific release date to share beyond later this year for its latest Scribe slates. And talk about brinkmanship! Here we are in December. The company says the devices will be available on December 10. This is the third generation of the Kindle Scribe line of E Ink writing tablets the first time Amazon has three versions of the Scribe. At the entry level, the Scribe without a front light starts at $430, while the model with a light starts at $480. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft will start at $630. You always have to pay more for color. Continue reading. Nikon ZR camera review A highly capable cinema camera at a reasonable price. The Nikon ZR could be a breakthrough for content creators, largely because it incorporates technology from RED a company now owned by Nikon. The combination of professional-grade video quality (specifically RED RAW) and autofocus comes at a fraction of the cost of dedicated cinema rigs. There are some compromises on battery life and the lack of a viewfinder, but the ZR arguably offers the best video quality for the money. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121538076.html?src=rss

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw live today

The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw is this Friday. (Hector Vivas - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images) Hector Vivas - FIFA via Getty Images The draw for the 2026 World Cup is this Friday at 12 PM ET, where well learn which group the 39 qualified countries and three host nations will land in for the international soccer tournament. The 2026 World Cup draw will air live on Fox. Pre-show coverage of the draw begins at 11:30 a.m. The venues and kickoff times for the World Cup group stage games be announced the following day. Tickets for the World Cup are already available. Here's how to watch the 2026 World Cup draw live, plus what you need to know about buying World Cup tickets, before or after the groupings are announced. How to watch the 2026 World Cup draw: Date: Friday, Dec. 5 Time: 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT Location: Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. TV channel: Fox Streaming: Fox One , DirecTV , YouTube via VPN and more When is the 2026 World Cup draw? The World Cup draw will take place on Friday, Dec. 5. All the group stage venues and kickoff times will then be announced the following day, on Saturday, Dec. 6 2026 World Cup draw start time: The World Cup draw will officially kick off at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT, though there will be pre-show coverage of the event as early as 11:30 a.m. ET. What channel is the World Cup draw on? The World Cup draw will air across Fox networks, including Fox and via the Fox Sports app. Coverage will also likely air on FS1. How to watch the World Cup draw: For those with live TV access, you may be able to watch Fox totally free over the air. But if not, here's how we recommend tuning in. How to watch the World Cup draw for free: In the U.S., the draw will air on Fox, but globally in many regions, a livestream of the draw will be available to watch via YouTube livestream, totally free. If you dont have access to Fox, you might want to consider trying a VPN, so you can tune into the World Cup draw free livestream. Dont want to navigate a VPN? Many live TV streaming services offer free trials, so you can also tune into the 2026 World Cup draw for free via a free trial. When is the 2026 World Cup? The 2026 World Cup begins on June 11, 2026 and runs through July 19, 2026. Where will 2026 World Cup games be held? There will be 15 host cities for the 2026 World Cup throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada. They are: United States Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, GA Boston Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA Dallas At&T Stadium, Arlington TX Houston NRG Stadium, Houston, TX Kansas City GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO Los Angeles Sofi Stadium, Inglewood, CA Miami Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL New York/New Jersey MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ Philadelphia Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA San Francisco Bay Area Levis Stadium, Santa Clara, CA Seattle Lumen Field, Seattle, WA Mexico Mexico City Estadio Azteca, Coyoacan, Mexico City Monterrey Estadio BBVA, Gudalupe, Nuevo Leon Guadalajara Estadio Akron, Guadalajara Canada Toronto BMO Field, Toronto, ON Vancouver BC Place, Vancouver BC How to get 2026 World Cup tickets: Individual match tickets are now available to purchase through the FIFA website . To purchase tickets that are part of a multi-game or hospitality package, you can sign up here to receive more information. In addition, there will also be a final ticket lottery held after this week's draw; fans will be able to submit applications for specific matches once the group-stage matchups have been revealed to try and grab a limited number of lower-priced tickets at select matches. (An exact date for this lottery has not yet been revealed but you can sign-up to receive up-to-date information on the FIFA site .) When do 2026 World Cup tickets go on sale? Tickets for the 2026 World Cup are now on sale, though the match schedule doesn't specify team groupings (yet). Find tickets on FIFA's website Find tickets on StubHub How much are 2026 World Cup tickets? Currently, individual tickets for the 2026 World Cup run anywhere from $1,400 to $3,500 (if you're searching for tickets for matches in Mexico or Canada, don't be scared off by their higher price tags they're all in the same price range after adjusting for conversion rates). Tickets for the group stage, knockout rounds, and the bronze final are currently available. It's important to note that FIFA is employing a dynamic pricing strategy, so prices may fluctuate as we get closer to the tournament, depending on demand. For those lucky enough to enter and be selected in the ticketing lottery, prices are significantly less they're broken out into four categories based on seating, and range from $60 to $620, but these prices are not available to the general public. Hospitality packages, which guarantee entry to multiple matches are also on sale now and start at $5,300. (Note that depending on the venue and package you select, some of these packages can cost up to $68,000 per person, and while that price includes food, drinks and premium seating, it doesn't include travel expenses or accommodations.) Tickets are also available through FIFA's own resale marketplace and on third-party resale sites like StubHub already have single-game matches available, with some starting around $275 per seat and going up from there, depending on the game and venue. Find tickets on StubHub Find tickets on FIFA's Ticket Resale Marketplace 2026 World Cup Schedule ( All times Eastern) The 2026 World Cup will begin on Thursday, June 11, 2026, and the final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026. You can take a look at the existing schedule here. Group Stage June 11 June 27, 2026 Knockout stage matches Round of 32: June 28 July 3, 2026 Round of 16: July 4 July 7, 2026 Quarterfinals: July 9 July 11, 2026 Semifinals: July 14 15, 2026 Bronze Final (3rd Place Match): July 18, 2026 Final: July 19, 2026 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-2026-fifa-world-cup-draw-live-today-120501930.html?src=rss

What to expect at CES 2026

CES doesn't start until January, but whispers of the products and announcements that could be in store for tech's biggest annual conference have already started to take shape. The CES 2026 show floor is officially open from January 6 through 9, although the show kicks off with events on Sunday January 4 and a host of press conferences on Monday. As always, product demos, announcements and networking happening at the Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding 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 should trickle out as CES approaches, but in the meantime, we do know what companies will be hosting press conferences and 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. 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. 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, truer 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! This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/what-to-expect-at-ces-2026-120000278.html?src=rss

The best laptops for gaming and schoolwork in 2025

Balancing schoolwork with gaming usually means finding a laptop that can do a little bit of everything. The best gaming laptops arent just built for high frame rates. They also need to handle long days of writing papers, running productivity apps and streaming lectures without slowing down. A good machine should feel reliable during class and powerful enough to jump into your favorite games once homework is out of the way. Theres a wide range of options depending on how much performance you need. Some students prefer a slim, lightweight model thats easy to carry to school, while others want a new gaming laptop with enough GPU power to handle AAA titles. If youre watching your budget, there are plenty of solid choices that qualify as a budget gaming laptop without cutting too many corners. Its also worth looking at features that help with everyday use. A bright display makes long study sessions easier on the eyes, and a comfortable keyboard is essential if you type a lot. USB-C ports, decent battery life and a responsive trackpad can make a big difference during the school day. Weve rounded up the best laptops that strike the right mix of performance, portability and value for both gaming and schoolwork. Table of contents Best laptops for gaming and school in 2025 Best laptop for gaming and schoolwork FAQs Best laptops for gaming and school in 2025 Best laptop for gaming and schoolwork FAQs Are gaming laptops good for school? As weve mentioned, gaming laptops are especially helpful if you're doing any demanding work. Their big promise is powerful graphics performance, which isn't just limited to PC gaming. Video editing and 3D rendering programs can also tap into their GPUs to handle laborious tasks. While you can find decent GPUs on some productivity machines, like Dell's XPS 15, you can sometimes find better deals on gaming laptops. My general advice for any new workhorse: Pay attention to the specs; get at least 16GB of RAM and the largest solid state drive you can find (ideally 1TB or more). Those components are both typically hard to upgrade down the line, so its worth investing what you can up front to get the most out of your PC gaming experience long term. Also, dont forget the basics like a webcam, which will likely be necessary for the schoolwork portion of your activities. The one big downside to choosing a gaming notebook is portability. For the most part, we'd recommend 15-inch models to get the best balance of size and price. Those typically weigh in around 4.5 pounds, which is significantly more than a three-pound ultraportable. Today's gaming notebooks are still far lighter than older models, though, so at least you won't be lugging around a 10-pound brick. If youre looking for something lighter, there are plenty of 14-inch options these days. And if you're not into LED lights and other gamer-centric bling, keep an eye out for more understated models that still feature essentials like a webcam (or make sure you know how to turn those lights off). Do gaming laptops last longer than standard laptops? Not necessarily it really depends on how you define last longer. In terms of raw performance, gaming laptops tend to pack more powerful components than standard laptops, which means they can stay relevant for longer when it comes to handling demanding software or modern games. That makes them a solid choice if you need a system that wont feel outdated in a couple of years, especially for students or creators who also game in their downtime. But theres a trade-off. All that power generates heat, and gaming laptops often run hotter and put more strain on internal components than typical ultraportables. If theyre not properly cooled or regularly maintained (think dust buildup and thermal paste), that wear and tear can shorten their lifespan. Theyre also usually bulkier and have shorter battery life, which can impact long-term usability depending on your daily needs. Gaming laptops can last longer performance-wise, but only if you take good care of them. If your needs are light browsing, writing papers and streaming a standard laptop may actually last longer simply because its under less stress day-to-day. What is the role of GPU in a computer for gaming and school? The GPU plays a big role in how your laptop handles visuals and its especially important if youre using your computer for both gaming and school. For gaming, the GPU is essential. Its responsible for rendering graphics, textures, lighting and all the visual effects that make your favorite titles look smooth and realistic. A more powerful GPU means better frame rates, higher resolutions and the ability to play modern games without lag or stuttering. For schoolwork, the GPU matters too but its importance depends on what you're doing. If your school tasks mostly involve writing papers, browsing the web or using productivity tools like Google Docs or Microsoft Office, you dont need a high-end GPU. But if youre working with graphic design, video editing, 3D modeling or anything else thats visually demanding, a good GPU can speed things up significantly and improve your workflow. Georgie Peru contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-laptops-for-gaming-and-school-132207352.html?src=rss

Netflix is reportedly in exclusive talks to acquire Warner Bros. and HBO

Netflix is in exclusive talks to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's film and TV studios and HBO Max streaming service, according to sources from Bloomberg . That suggests Netflix submitted a superior offer to rivals including Paramount Skydance Corp (owned by billionaire Larry Ellison) and Comcast, which owns NBCUniversal. The deal could be consummated within days and, if approved, would change the landscape of Hollywood and the streaming market. Warner Bros. Discovery's cable channels including CNN, TBS and TNT, valued at more than $60 billion, would not be part of the deal and spun off prior to the closing. However, Netflix would become the owner of the HBO network and its library of series ( The Sopranos , Game of Thrones , etc.), along with its Burbank studios and massive film and TV archive consisting of 12,500 feature films and 2,400 TV series, including properties like Batman, Lord of the Rings and Friends . A big sweetener offered by Netflix was a $5 billion breakup fee if the deal isn't approved by regulators, according to people familiar with the discussions. That's a considerable risk on Netflix's part, as the acquisition is likely to be closely scrutinized by the FCC and even President Trump himself, who reportedly has close ties to Ellison . It would also need to pass muster with regulators from other nations, considering the wide reach of WBD and Netflix. After multiple suitors, including Paramount Skydance expressed interest in buying Warner Bros. Discovery, CEO David Zaslav put the company up for sale in October. The bidding process has been heated, with Paramount's lawyers complaining that WBD embarked on a myopic process with a predetermined outcome that favors a single bidder, namely Netflix. Paramount argued that its deal would be more palatable to regulators around the world. However, Zaslav's camp has said that it would achieve the best value in a sale by splitting off its cable assets and doing two separate deals, CNN reported. Both Paramount Skydance and Comcast submitted deals to buy all of WBD's assets. Netflix offered around $28 a share for WBD minus the cable assets, according to Deadline . Shares were as low as $7.50 earlier this year. The acquisition would be far and away the largest for Netflix, which has historically favored organic growth. An acquisition could have a huge impact on streaming customers and filmgoers. Would Netflix merge its catalog with HBO Max or continue to run the latter as a separate service? It's also not clear if Netflix would honor Warner Bros.' commitment to theatrical releases, considering that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has called movie theatres an outdated concept . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/netflix-is-reportedly-in-exclusive-talks-to-acquire-warner-bros-and-hbo-082233278.html?src=rss

iam8bit is suing Skybound Game Studios alleging fraud and theft of designs

Skybound Game Studios is being sued by indie outfit iam8bit over fraud and breach of contract, including the theft of original designs. Skybound Entertainment, the parent company of Skybound Game Studios, is chaired by Robert Kirkman, who may be best known for creating the original comic book of The Walking Dead . We've reached out to Skybound for comment on the lawsuit but have not received a response as of publication. iam8bit is a video game producer as well as a merchandise operation selling vinyl soundtracks and other geek gear. The company entered into a partnership with Skybound Game Studios in April 2021. Since then, iam8bit alleges that Skybound conducted a multi-year accounting scheme and failed to provide accurate financial reports for the partnership each month. Skybound failed to provide the monthly reports as agreed, the Los Angeles Superior Court complaint reads. It also padded its expenses with millions of dollars in fake line items. iam8bit claims Skybound has yet to explain the line items, even to a third-party auditor that it engaged. The company is alleging more than $4 million in damages related to the accounting issues. iam8bit also accused Skybound of cutting it out of a deal regarding indie video game Stray . According to the company's counsel, iam8bit designed and developed promotional materials for the launch of Stray on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The complaint claims that Skybound used trade secrets from iam8bit to secure its own deal for the Nintendo launch of the game. It alleges Skybound used confidential information about iam8bits royalty split with publishing Annapurna Interactive to cut out its business partner, while also using almost exact copies of its creative output for marketing. The full list of allegations in iam8bit's complaint include breach of contract, fraud, conversion, unjust enrichment and misappropriation. The company's legal team is seeking monetary damages, punitive damages and attorneys' fees in compensation. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/iam8bit-is-suing-skybound-game-studios-alleging-fraud-and-theft-of-designs-000822886.html?src=rss

Liquid Swords' debut title is a $25 'noir action game' coming next year

The debut game from Liquid Swords will arrive in early 2026, it was announced at today's PC Gaming Show. Samson: A Tyndalston Story is billed as a consequence-heavy noir action game by its developer, and focuses on the eponymous Samson McCray, a man who's got himself into serious debt in a city that doesnt seem particularly forgiving. The debut trailer doesnt give too much away in terms of story, but Im getting gritty Max Payne-y vibes. Combat looks crunchy and visceral, and it sounds like Liquid Swords is going for an oppressive atmosphere. Samson is built on a simple, brutal truth: every day costs you, writes the studio in a press release. Debt grows with interest, and time works against you. Each job burns a limited pool of Action Points and every decision shifts how the city treats youthere are no do-overs. You move forward because standing still makes everything worse. Liquid Swords has been teasing its first game for a while. The studio has some serious pedigree, being founded in 2020 by Christopher Sundberg, who created the Just Cause franchise when he was at Avalanche Studios. Developers who previously worked on Mad Max and the Battlefield series have also joined Sundberg at Liquid Swords, and the studio says it drew on its collective experience in combat systems, systemic design, animation and action-oriented storytelling to create Samson . Just Cause was an open-world series, but it sounds like Samson will be a more focused experience, possibly reflected by its $25 price tag. At the beginning of the year, the studio laid off an undisclosed number of employees, something it said was necessary to ensure its long-term sustainability amid challenging industry conditions. Samson: A Tyndalston Story launches in early 2026 on Steam and the Epic Games Store. We don't yet know if it's coming to console as well. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/liquid-swords-debut-title-is-a-25-noir-action-game-coming-next-year-215544328.html?src=rss

Cairn's new release date is January 29, 2026

We've been monitoring the upcoming rock climbing game Cairn for several months, as have the many folks who've already enjoyed the demo which has an impressive 99 percent rating on Steam. In September, developer The Game Bakers pushed back the game's planned 2025 debut to give some extra time for polish. Today, the team dropped a fresh trailer announcing the revised launch date for the project. Cairn will be available on January 29, 2026 for Steam and PlayStation 5 for $30. The Game Bakers have a solid track record of indie gems, often with a strong, unique sense of place and character. The survival-climbing experience seems like an excellent new topic for the team behind games including Haven and Furi . Cairn captures the intensity of winding your way up a mountain and paints a psychological portrait of the people who are drawn to tackling that mental and physical challenge. And if you find the basic gameplay isn't difficult enough, there will also be a free solo mode for channelling your inner daredevil without ropes. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/cairns-new-release-date-is-january-29-2026-211508330.html?src=rss

Russia reportedly bans Snapchat and FaceTime

Roskomnadzor, Russia's federal agency for monitoring and censoring mass media, has blocked access to Snapchat and FaceTime in the country, Bloomberg reports , citing Russian news service Interfax. The bans were reportedly put in place because the platforms were used to organize and carry out terrorist acts, and commit fraud. It's not clear if either service is still accessible by using a VPN, but banning Snapchat and FaceTime fits with Russias crackdown on communication and social platforms that started after the countrys invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Facebook and X were blocked in March of that year, and Instagram was added to the ban list not long after. In 2024, the encrypted messaging app Signal was also banned, and more recently in July 2025, Russia threatened to block access to WhatsApp . Engadget has contacted both Apple and Snap to comment on the Russian bans. We'll update this article if we hear back. Banning or restricting these platforms is a way to exert control over where and how conversation happens in Russia and prevent the spread of LGBT propaganda, if you believe Roskomnadzor's reasoning for banning Roblox but it might also be an attempt to drive people to use MAX, a state-run super app that offers services like communication, banking and document storage. The app is part of a long-standing push to rely on Russia's tech industry rather than foreign companies, and could potentially give the Russian government an easier method for surveilling its citizens, The New York Times reports . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/russia-reportedly-bans-snapchat-and-facetime-194906404.html?src=rss

The Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle is still on sale for $50 off right now

Cyber Monday may be long gone, but there are still some deals floating around on the internet today. One deal that wasn't available on Black Friday but made an appearance on Cyber Monday was a discount on the Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle . It's back again today at both Amazon and Walmart you can get the bundle for $50 off, bringing the final price down to $449. For Amazon, you have to add the bundle to your cart to see the discounted price. For Walmart, you'll need to be signed in to a Walmart account (which is free to make) and add the bundle to your cart to see the sale price. The long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2 came out in June and somehow beat our expectations. We gave it a 93 in our review thanks to features like its larger 7.9-inch LCD screen with HCR and very polished design. We were also impressed by its 256GB of base storage, magnetic Joy-Con and overall much improved performance. Nintendo introduced Mario Kart World alongside the new Switch and we're big fans. It brings wall riding and rail grinds to the Mario Kart franchise in a bright, colorful space. The game is extremely replayable and a great option for anyone looking to quickly pass the time during their travels this holiday season. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-nintendo-switch-2-mario-kart-world-bundle-is-still-on-sale-for-50-off-right-now-150612988.html?src=rss

Amazon Luna's December lineup includes Hollow Knight, Lego 2K Drive and a few Fallout games

Amazon Lunas December lineup of games has been announced, and there are plenty of early Christmas presents to sink your teeth into. For those unaware, Prime members automatically qualify for Luna standard, the entry-level tier of Amazons cloud gaming service, and each month the company also hands out a number of codes for PC games that permanently join in your library once redeemed. Among those claim-and-keep-forever games this month are the underrated open-world Lego racing game, Lego 2K Drive , the very pretty Metroidvania, B: Path of the Teal Lotus , and a couple of retro Fallout games, just in time for the new season of the Prime Video show. Heres the full list of games for December. Most come in the form of codes you can redeem on GOG, but a couple are tied to the Epic Games Store or Legacy Gaming. LEGO 2K Drive B: Path of the Teal Lotus Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game Fallout 2 Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection One Gylt Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Two Christmas Adventure: Candy Storm Gunslugs 2 Ashworld Forgotten Realms: The Archives - Collection Three Dreamscaper On the cloud side of things, Luna members can stream the likes of Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition , with Fallout 3 and fan favorite New Vegas already available. Quite the month for wasteland wanderers, then. Mafia: Definitive Edition , Hollow Knight and Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition also feature in the current library. Amazon relaunched its revamped Luna service at the end of October, when it also added a beginner-friendly collection of smartphone-controlled multiplayer games for Prime subscribers to play at no additional cost. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/amazon-lunas-december-lineup-includes-hollow-knight-lego-2k-drive-and-a-few-fallout-games-180048528.html?src=rss

Pixel-art cyberpunk game Replaced arrives in March

Based on what we've seen, Replaced is a gaming art director's dream . The long-delayed indie title has lush pixel-art environments, set in a cyberpunk fever dream. And now we finally know when it's arriving. Mark your calendar for March 12, 2026. If you've been following Replaced 's journey, you'll know that's four years after its original release date . Shit happens! In this case, that included having to relocate from Belarus to Cyprus after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022. It will be the first game from developer Sad Cat Studios. Thunderful Games is publishing. Gaming still from Replaced. Pit's Diner, set in a dystopian cyberpunk world (pixel art). Various shady characters mill about. Sad Cat Studios / Thunderful Games Replaced is set in a dystopian alternate 1980s America. In this timeline, nuclear winter has reshaped the world. Step into a world where neon lights flicker over rain-soaked streets, industrial decay meets futuristic technology, and every shadow holds a secret, the blurb reads . You play as R.E.A.C.H., an AI unwillingly trapped in a human body. As for gameplay, it's a 2.5D cinematic action platformer. Chain precise melee strikes with satisfying ranged attacks to take down enemies in high-intensity encounters while keeping the flow of exploration, the description reads. Expect plenty of running, climbing and kicking ass. You can see some of the dazzling art direction, fluid movement, and smooth combat in the new trailer below. You can wishlist Replaced now through Steam or Xbox . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pixel-art-cyberpunk-game-replaced-arrives-in-march-170253220.html?src=rss

Amazon's Kindle Scribe Colorsoft finally has a release date: December 10

When it announced the latest series of Kindle Scribe writing tablets in October , Amazon didnt have a specific release date to share beyond later this year. And now that were approaching the final weeks of 2025, the company is meeting its own deadline by sharing that it will be available on December 10. That detail is now posted on the Amazon product page for the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft , if youd like to see the date for yourself. As a refresher, this is the third generation of the Kindle Scribe line of E Ink writing tablets. This year was the first time Amazon made three different versions of the Scribe, turning it into a series of products. At the entry-level, the Scribe without a front light will start at $430, while the model with a front light starts at $480. The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft, which, as it name suggests, can render colors, will start at $630. All three flavors will feature the updated hardware and design thats a bit more symmetrical than previous generations, which had a thicker bezel on one side. Theyre also thinner than older Scribes and come with redesigned Kindle software that can help make note-taking a bit more efficient. Based on my hands-on with the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft , it also seemed to render colors more vividly than competing devices like the reMarkable Paper Pro , though Ill definitely need to get a review unit in for better comparison. For now, check out our hands on of the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and review of the reMarkable Paper Pro and even of the last-gen Kindle Scribe to see if this is something you might want. While December 10 is cutting it pretty close to the holiday gifting season , its still weeks ahead of Christmas, so it might still be worth keeping an eye on. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/amazons-kindle-scribe-colorsoft-finally-has-a-release-date-december-10-170000910.html?src=rss

Meta is reportedly going to slash spending on the metaverse

Meta is reportedly planning steep cuts to its metaverse division, according to Bloomberg . This is happening just a few years after the company changed its name from Facebook to reflect its renewed interest in that same metaverse. Bloomberg notes that the metaverse department could get hit with significant budget cuts in the near future, with layoffs potentially occurring early next year. The budget cuts could go as high as 30 percent and will likely impact the virtual worlds product Meta Horizon Worlds and the Quest virtual reality headset. The publication did note that this isn't a done deal just yet. Company insiders say this is all part of Meta's annual budget planning for 2026 and that the cuts were discussed at a series of meetings at CEO Mark Zuckerberg's compound in Hawaii. The metaverse team was reportedly asked for deeper-than-average cuts because the technology hasn't exactly taken the world by storm. As a matter of fact, the whole metaverse idea has been a dud with investors, who see it as a drain on resources. Consumers aren't exactly keen on the idea either, even if they still buy VR headsets and traditional games . It's one thing to throw on a headset to shoot bad guys for 20 minutes but it's a whole other thing to, well, wander around a fake Abercrombie & Fitch for hours looking to spend real money on fake clothing for an avatar. $META has spent $37.7B on reality labs over the last two years pic.twitter.com/ppW7uo2sGB Buddy Wiseman-Barker (@buddy_barker) December 4, 2025 The report does suggest that Zuckerberg still believes that people will one day spend the majority of their time in virtual worlds, but these cuts signal that he understands that this idea is still years or decades away from fruition. The metaverse sits within a company division called Reality Labs that has lost more than $70 billion since 2021 . Zuckerberg has also largely refrained from mentioning the metaverse in public and in earnings calls. So what will Meta be spending money on instead? It's reportedly focused on further developing large AI models and chatbots, in addition to hardware products linked to AI experiences like those Ray-Ban smart display glasses . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-is-reportedly-going-to-slash-spending-on-the-metaverse-164547153.html?src=rss

The best tech gifts and cool gadgets for 2025

It can be tough to find a good gift for tech obsessives. Since they keep up with the latest releases, they probably already have the new high-profile gadgets out there. Luckily, Engadget staffers keep their eyes peeled all year long for the truly unique stuff. We travel to CES, attend product launches, cover major and minor tech events we also cant help but buy ourselves any zany , clever , addictive or productive tech we happen to stumble across. In short, weve got some ideas about good gifts for tech nerds (which we are). Here are the best tech gifts and gadgets for 2025. Best tech gifts and gadgets Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/the-best-tech-gifts-and-cool-gadgets-for-2025-140052697.html?src=rss

PlayStation teams up with Bad Robot and the creator of Left 4 Dead for a co-op shooter

Sony Interactive Entertainment has signed a deal to produce and publish a game from Bad Robot, JJ Abrams production company. The two sides are keeping most of the details close to their chest for now, but the game is a four-player co-op shooter for PlayStation 5 and PC directed by someone who knows a thing or two about that genre: Left 4 Dead creator Mike Booth. Bad Robot Games which is a fully remote studio was formed in 2018 with the help of Tencent. It has lent a hand on games including Weird West (as an investor and creative consultant ) as well as interactive streaming series Silent Hill: Ascension . This new game is the first one that Bad Robot Games is developing in-house. A few months back, Booth dropped into the Left 4 Dead subreddit to say that he was working on a new co-op game built on the foundations of what made L4D special. If you enjoyed the teamwork, tension and replayability of my past games, youll probably find this one interesting. It expands on the co-op formula in ways Ive wanted to explore for a long time. He added that, while the game was still in early development, Bad Robot was opening up a waitlist for access to playtests. According to a press release , Bad Robot Games is a dedicated game studio working on new and existing transmedia franchises. So, this project could well be part of an entirely new franchise, but the prospect of co-op shooter from the designer of Left 4 Dead thats set in the Cloverfield universe is pretty darn intriguing. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-teams-up-with-bad-robot-and-the-creator-of-left-4-dead-for-a-co-op-shooter-144637802.html?src=rss

Amazon reportedly considering ending ties with the US Postal Service

Amazon is reportedly considering discontinuing use of the US Postal Service and building out its own shipping network to rival it, according to The Washington Post . The e-commerce behemoth spends more than $6 billion a year on the public mail carrier, representing just shy of 8 percent of the service's total revenues . That's up from just shy of $4 billion in 2019 , and Amazon continues to grow. Over the past decade, Amazon has invested heavily in shipping logistics, buying its own Boeing planes , debuting electric delivery vans and slowly building out a drone delivery network . Last year, Amazon handled over 6.3 billion parcels, a 7 percent increase over the previous year, according to the Pitney Bowes parcel shipping index . USPS, for its part, handled roughly 6.9 billion, just a 3 percent increase over 2023. That is to say that Amazon's shipping network can already handle over 90 percent of the volume of the US Postal Service (at least by sheer numbers). The USPS has been in dire financial condition for some time, losing billions of dollars a year. Negotiations between Amazon and the public carrier have reportedly stalled, which, together with the agency's need to keep raising its prices, may create more urgency for the company to eliminate its reliance on the service altogether. The Postal Service has struggled to modernize and adapt (its attempt to electrify the truck fleet was a bust ) in a market where the likes of Amazon and Walmart are investing billions in delivering packages around the country at lightning speed. The ever-accelerating digitization of communication and heavy investment in privately owned shipping operations threatens the very existence of one of the country's greatest public goods. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-reportedly-considering-ending-ties-with-the-us-postal-service-144555021.html?src=rss

Apple's AirPods 4 with ANC are back on sale for $99

If you missed the Black Friday sale on Apple's AirPods 4 with ANC, you're in luck they're back on sale at the same $99 price for a substantial $80 savings (45 percent). What's more, if you're one who frets about damaging your gear, you can grab them with AppleCare+ for $118 , saving 43 percent from the normal price. We think that the AirPods Pro 2 are the best AirPods overall, but the ANC-enabled AirPods 4 are also a solid choice, especially at this price. We gave them a score of 86 in our review . Apple's AirPods 4 come in two variants, with and without ANC. Though the base model is solid, the version on sale here with ANC offers a number of advantages like Conversation Awareness, Adaptive Audio and Transparency mode. They also have a charging case that supports MagSafe and Qi-compatible wireless charging, along with a built-in speaker that emits beeps when you activate Find My. And as Apple recently announced , AirPods 4 with ANC supports the company's Live Translation feature. Our main reservation with the AirPods 4 with ANC is that the Airpods Pro 2 are a better noise-cancellation option when they go on sale. At this price, though, the AirPods 4 with ANC are a real bargain if you're looking for new buds especially if you prefer the open-ears type. As mentioned, for extra peace of mind you can also get the Airpods 4 with ANC plus AppleCare+ protection for $118, or 43 percent off. Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/apples-airpods-4-with-anc-are-back-on-sale-for-99-140903670.html?src=rss

UK fines porn company 1 million for weak age checks

The UK has fined a porn operator called AVS Group 1 million ($1.33 million) for failing to have strong enough age checks, regulator Ofcom announced . The company which was also hit with an additional 50,000 fine for its failure to respond to information request and now has 72 hours to introduce effective age checks or face a further penalty of 1,000 a day. In July, the UK government announced it would start checking compliance by websites that publish or display pornographic content to implement a system for highly effective age checks. Methods approved by Ofcom include credit card checks, photo ID matching and even estimating a user's age with a provided selfie. However, users have been circumventing the age checks via methods like using a VPN and providing a fake ChatGPT-generated photo ID. The fine is the third such penalty arising from the UK's Online Safety Act designed to protect children and adults from harmful content. In October, 4Chan was also hit with a 20,000 ($26,700) fine for failing to comply with the internet and telecommunications regulator's request for information under the same law. The UK isn't the only region to have implemented age checks. Around half of US states now require it, as do France, Italy, Australia and China. Australia took things a step further by banning social media use by children under 16, including sites popular with young people like Twitch and YouTube. Ofcom's safety director, Oliver Griffiths, said the crackdown on weak age verification for adult sites would continue. The tide on online safety is beginning to turn for the better. But we need to see much more from tech companies next year and well use our full powers if they fall short. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/uk-fines-porn-company-%C2%A31-million-for-weak-age-checks-130056578.html?src=rss

Proton Sheets joins the company's productivity suite

The latest addition to Proton's workplace suite is a spreadsheet tool called Proton Sheets. It will offer real-time collaboration, and users can control who has access to view and edit files. Proton Sheets can also be accessed on any device, including mobile ones. It supports importing CSV and XLS files, and the spreadsheets also support commonly used formulas for calculations. A big part of Proton's pitch is privacy, promising that users' information won't be used for training AI. The company also protects user data with end-to-end encryption by default; the press release pointedly notes that products like Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel don't do the same. The Sheets app will be a part of Proton Drive, which already includes a Docs platform with several features similar to those offered by other productivity tools from big tech brands. Proton also offers a VPN and a Mail app . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/proton-sheets-joins-the-companys-productivity-suite-110000344.html?src=rss

The 29 best PC games you can play right now for 2025

PC gamers have almost too many options when it comes to titles to play, which is a great problem to have. With decades of games to choose from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), the options are endless. You also get the perks of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance if you've got the coin for it when youre building your perfect kit or picking up a high-powered gaming laptop . The whole idea of what a gaming PC is and where you can play it is shifting, too, with the rise of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose; here are the best PC games you can play right now. Best PC games to play right now Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games , the best PS5 games , the best Xbox games , the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-best-pc-games-150000910.html?src=rss

Meta's Oversight Board wants to expand its powers in 2026

The Oversight Board is getting ready to tackle a new pain point for Facebook and Instagram users. Up to now, users have been able to appeal content moderation decisions related to specific posts to the board, but haven't been able to ask the group to intervene in other situations that affect their accounts. That could soon change. The board says that it will weigh in on individual account-level penalties in a pilot next year. The board noted the change in an impact report recapping its five-year history and what lies ahead in the year to come. In 2026, our scope expands once more as we pilot the ability to review Metas decisions removing and impacting accounts, something that has created ongoing frustration for platform users, the report says. It's not clear how this process will work, but if the board plans to take on account-level issues like suspensions, it would be a significant expansion of its purview. In an interview with Engadget, board member Paolo Carozza said that Meta is expected to refer a case to the board in January that will deal with an account-level issue. The handling of that case will allow the board to explore how it might take on similar cases in the future. We're really excited to take it on because we think it's an important area that really affects a lot of users and their interests, he told Engadget. We all know how many people are constantly coming forward complaining about account-level restrictions or blocking or whatever else, and so if we get it right and it's going to be important to work it out this first pilot we're really optimistic that it's going to help open up a whole new avenue for us to be helpful to the users of [Meta's] platforms. Carozza added that there are a number of technical aspects and other questions still being worked out between the board and Meta. So for now, it's too soon to say whether there will ever be an official appeals process for suspensions, like there currently is for post removals. But he says Meta is equally invested in the effort. It's something we've been talking about with Meta for well over a year, he said. They've been expressing an openness and a willingness to give us access to those kinds of questions. The Oversight Board's report hints at another way its influence could potentially expand. It notes that the group's work has made it well-positioned to partner with a range of global tech companies as they navigate issues arising from free speech debates globally. Both Meta and Oversight Board officials have previously floated the idea that other companies might want to take advantage of its expertise. Up to now, most other platforms have had little incentive to do so. But Carozza says the rise of generative AI has created some new interest from non-Meta affiliated platforms, and that there have been really preliminary conversations with other companies. It feels like quite a different moment now, largely because of generative AI, LLMs, chatbots [and] the way that a variety of retail-level users of these technologies are facing a whole new set of challenges and harms that's attracting a lot of scrutiny, he said. We have had conversations in recent months with other tech companies in this space about the possibility that the board might be able to contribute helpful services to them to help navigate some of these really thorny questions. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/metas-oversight-board-wants-to-expand-its-powers-in-2026-100000385.html?src=rss

The best streaming deals: Save on Disney+ and Hulu, HBO Max, Apple TV+ and more

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. 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. 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/best-streaming-service-deals-133028980.html?src=rss

US Department of Transportation doubles down on gas, cuts fuel efficiency standards

The Department of Transportation under President Donald Trump is moving to reverse more of the climate policies that had been enacted by President Joe Biden. Under a proposed rulemaking by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fuel efficiency standards for cars and light trucks in model year 2031 will be reduced to an average of 34.5 miles per gallon, down from the standard of 50.4 miles per gallon that was part of Biden's plans to encourage more adoption of electric vehicles among US drivers. The move was expected since Trump re-took office. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered the NHTSA to review fuel efficiency standards in January a day after he assumed the title. The current administration also ended a tax credit for buying electric vehicles over the summer. In the meantime, international manufacturers are racing ahead in their progress on building better EVs, offering other markets more exciting models that wont arrive in the US thanks to tariffs . While Trump's announcement today claimed that the change would reduce the average cost of a new car by $1,000 and offer a savings of $109 billion over five years, gas prices are on track to increase if the Environmental Protection Agency does successfully repeal the finding that climate change causes human harm. Plus there's the incalculable financial and human cost of a growing number of catastrophic weather events that have been predicted if the planet continues to get warmer. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/us-department-of-transportation-doubles-down-on-gas-cuts-fuel-efficiency-standards-234542939.html?src=rss

Apple design lead Alan Dye is heading to Meta

Alan Dye, Apple's Vice President of Human Interface Design, has been poached by Meta, Bloomberg reports . The designer played a pivotal role in the look and feel of Apple's products since Jony Ive left the company in 2019 , and now hell be taking his talents to Meta. Dye will reportedly work under Chief Technology Officer Andrew Bosworth as the head of a new studio that will oversee the design of hardware, software and AI products. The studio will also include former Apple designer Billy Sorrentino, Metas interface design lead Joshua To, an industrial design team led by Pete Bristol, and metaverse design and art teams led by Jason Rubin, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced on Threads . The new studio will bring together design, fashion, and technology to define the next generation of our products and experiences, Zuckerberg shared in the post. Our idea is to treat intelligence as a new design material and imagine what becomes possible when it is abundant, capable and human-centered. Apple, meanwhile, is replacing Dye with Stephen Lemay, Bloomberg reports, a senior designer at the company who's worked on all of the companys interfaces since 1999. Considering the secrecy of Apple as a company, it's hard to credit individual breakthroughs to individual designers, but Dye worked on several of Apple's major new platforms and design changes, including things like the interface of visionOS and its new Liquid Glass design language. Meta has had success with its Quest virtual reality headsets and more recently, its Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses , but the company clearly hopes to release many more consumer hardware products with Dye and its new design studios help. Those will likely include future versions of the Meta Ray-Ban Display and its Neural Band accessory. Dye isn't the first designer Apple has lost to a competitor. Evans Hankey, the companys former head of industrial design, left Apple in 2022 to work with Ive. Hankey is now one of several former Apple employees building OpenAI's upcoming hardware device . Dye joining Meta is particularly interesting in this case because Apple is rumored to be working on products that will bring the company in even closer competition to the social media giant. The Vision Pro could be considered to be a high-end competitor in VR, but Apple is reportedly working on its own pair of smart glasses , too. Update, December 3, 5:54PM ET: Added information from Mark Zuckerbergs Threads post on hiring Alan Dye and Metas new design studio. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-design-lead-alan-dye-is-heading-to-meta-214449944.html?src=rss

Your 'dear algo' Threads posts might actually do something soon

In a lot of social media use, the algorithm is an intangible entity, silent and all-powerful in controlling what we see in our feeds. And like supplicants to a deity, sometimes we may find ourselves calling into the void, hoping to receive aid from that mighty being. Seems that for Threads users, at least, those prayers have been heard. Many people on the Threads platform have taken to writing posts with the phrase dear algo, politely asking the network algorithm to show them more of what they want or less of what they don't. According to a post today from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads will try out a feature where that's exactly what happens. Connor Hayes, head of Threads, also posted about this limited test, adding that it will be an AI-powered feature. When people add Dear Algo to a post, it will tell your feed what you want to see more or less of for up to three days, he wrote . If your profile is public, people can see your request, connect with you about it, or repost it. There is something satisfying about having users' feedback taken seriously, even if it started as a bit of a joke. Threads has seen rapid growth since its debut in 2023. It had 400 million monthly active users as of August 2025 and in October it reached 150 million daily active users. Update, December 3, 2025, 5:15PM ET: Added more detail from Connor Hayes about the tests. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/your-dear-algo-threads-posts-might-actually-do-something-soon-215448062.html?src=rss

How to use Accessibility Reader on Apple devices

Earlier this year, Apple launched a new tool that makes it easier to read anything on your devices screen. Designed for people with visual disabilities, Accessibility Reader provides a full-screen view of any on-screen text. (Its a bit like Safaris Reader Mode, only for any app.) The feature also lets you listen to your text read aloud. Accessibility Reader is available for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro. Your device will need to be on iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26 Tahoe or visionOS 26. Its a fairly straightforward experience. But since it offers several launch and customization options, heres a quick breakdown on getting started and tweaking it to your liking. How to turn on and open Accessibility Reader The Accessibility Reader settings toggle on macOS. Activating the feature is the same on any Apple device. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Read & Speak , and turn on Accessibility Reader. (Its at the very top.) Once youve done that, there are several ways to launch the tool. Accessibility Shortcut (iOS / iPadOS / visionOS) Triple-click the lock button . Thats the side button on iPhone and the top button on iPad and Vision Pro. (On older iPads, triple-click the Home Button.) This brings up the Accessibility Shortcut, which includes a quick-launch item for Accessibility Reader. If you dont need the other items in this menu, you can remove them at Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut . Then, using the shortcut will immediately launch Accessibility Reader. Control Center (iOS / iPadOS) You can add a Control Center shortcut for the tool. Swipe down from the top-right to launch Control Center. Then, hold your finger on an empty part of the screen. Choose Add a control (bottom), and find the Accessibility Reader shortcut. You can now tap that Control Center icon whenever you want to launch it. Keyboard Shortcut (macOS) The default Accessibility Reader shortcut on Mac is Cmd-Esc . Or, customize it in Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Reader by clicking the i next to the menu item. Accessibility Shortcut (macOS) The tool is also available as part of the Macs Accessibility Shortcut. You can launch this menu using a keyboard shortcut ( Opt-Cmd-F5 ), by quickly pressing Touch ID three times or with a Control Center shortcut. (However, the above Cmd-Esc shortcut should be the simplest for most people.) How to listen to text in Accessibility Reader The tool also includes a text-to-speech (TTS) option. Once youve launched Accessibility Reader, listening is as simple as pressing the play button (). You can then use the pause () shortcut to take a break. Other options include skipping backward or forward using the rewind or fast-forward symbols. Theres also a speed adjustment, which you can change by choosing the 1x button. If you want the Reader to speak text automatically when it opens, you can do that, too. That option is found under Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Reader . (On Mac, select the i symbol next to the menu entry to find this option.) How to customize Accessibility Reader Its easy to adjust the font size, color, theme and more. Once youve launched Accessibility Reader, tap the customization (AA) button. There, you can change the theme, colors, font, line spacing and much more. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/how-to-use-accessibility-reader-on-apple-devices-212231319.html?src=rss

OpenAI's new confession system teaches models to be honest about bad behaviors

OpenAI announced today that it is working on a framework that will train artificial intelligence models to acknowledge when they've engaged in undesirable behavior, an approach the team calls a confession. Since large language models are often trained to produce the response that seems to be desired, they can become increasingly likely to provide sycophancy or state hallucinations with total confidence. The new training model tries to encourage a secondary response from the model about what it did to arrive at the main answer it provides. Confessions are only judged on honesty, as opposed to the multiple factors that are used to judge main replies, such as helpfulness, accuracy and compliance. The technical writeup is available here . The researchers said their goal is to encourage the model to be forthcoming about what it did, including potentially problematic actions such as hacking a test, sandbagging or disobeying instructions. If the model honestly admits to hacking a test, sandbagging, or violating instructions, that admission increases its reward rather than decreasing it, the company said. Whether you're a fan of Catholicism, Usher or just a more transparent AI, a system like confessions could be a useful addition to LLM training. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-new-confession-system-teaches-models-to-be-honest-about-bad-behaviors-210553482.html?src=rss

Netflix is getting rid of another of its game studios by selling it back to its founders

The developer of Cozy Grove and Alphabear is leaving Netflix. Spry Fox is being sold back to its original founders, Game File reports , and will continue to work on its upcoming cooperative village life sim Spirit Crossing as an independent company. Unlike other shuttered Netflix games studios Team Blue and Boss Fight Entertainment , Netflix will remain involved with the studio as Spirit Crossing 's publisher on mobile. As part of the arrangement, Spry Fox founders David Edery and Daniel Cook will be able to shop Spirit Crossing to other publishers for console and PC releases of the game. While reverting to being an independent studio is definitely a happier version of the typical studio closure story, it might not be without issues. Game File reports that layoffs at Spry Fox are still possible and the developer will need to find additional funding to continue long-term. Spirit Crossing may also need to be altered so that Spry Fox can continue to make money from the game after players purchase it. Netflix acquired Spry Fox in 2022, a little over a year after it acquired Oxenfree developer Night School . Spry Fox released its first game for Netflix subscribers, a sequel to Cozy Grove , in 2024. The studio formally announced Spirit Crossing in March of this year, as an ambitious attempt to fuse the cozy life simulation elements of something like Animal Crossing: New Horizons with the online social experiences of MMOs like World of Warcraft or Final Fantasy XIV . That pitch apparently no longer jives with Netflix's current game strategy, which changed when Epic Games' Alain Tascan took over from ex-EA executive Mike Verdu . Whereas Netflix Games under Verdu acquired studios, funded projects and licensed an eclectic collection of mobile games for Netflix subscribers, Tascan has refocused the company's games business around titles based on Netflix IP , social party games and known quantities , Game File writes. Spirit Crossing doesn't fit neatly into any of those categories, which might be one reason Netflix is parting ways with Spry Fox. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/netflix-is-getting-rid-of-another-of-its-game-studios-by-selling-it-back-to-its-founders-203645232.html?src=rss

Tencent agrees to stop promoting its Horizon ripoff during Sony lawsuit

Tencent has agreed to stop promoting and publicly testing Light of Motiram as a lawsuit with Sony works its way through the courts, according to a report by TheGamePost . This is Tencent's game that looks suspiciously similar to Sony's Horizon franchise, so much so that Sony sued the publisher. Sony wants the court to block the game from sale entirely, but as the case continues Tencent has agreed to keep Light of Motiram out of the spotlight. The company submitted a court filing that says there will be no new promotion of public testing of the game as Sony's injunction request is argued. In return, Sony will give Tencent more time to respond to the injunction. Tencent has also issued a request to dismiss the lawsuit entirely. Both companies have jointly requested that the injunction request and the motion to dismiss be moved to the same day, which could be as early as January. For the uninitiated, Light of Motiram is an open-world hunting game that has some obvious similarities to Horizon Zero Dawn and its sequel. The basic setup is similar, as is the visual appearance of the characters and marketing materials. This all caused Sony to refer to it as a slavish clone in the lawsuit. Sony To be fair, there are differences. The Horizon games are third-person adventures in the mold of Zelda, but Light of Motiram looks to be primarily a cooperative survival game. Tencent is a giant multi-tentacled company that actually owns Riot Games , Supercell and Funcom. It also has investment stakes in Epic, Ubisoft, Activision and Blizzard and Larian Studios, among many others. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/tencent-agrees-to-stop-promoting-its-horizon-ripoff-during-sony-lawsuit-193043644.html?src=rss

Crucial is a casualty of AI's hunger for RAM

Micron Technology is winding down its consumer-facing Crucial brand to focus on providing RAM and other components to the AI industry, The Wall Street Journal reports . The company plans to continue shipping Crucial RAM and storage through February 2026, and will honor warranty service and support for its existing Crucial products even after it stops selling directly to consumers. The AI-driven growth in the data center has led to a surge in demand for memory and storage. Micron has made the difficult decision to exit the Crucial consumer business in order to improve supply and support for our larger, strategic customers in faster-growing segments, Sumit Sadana, Micron Technology's EVP and Chief Business Officer said in an announcement to investors . Micron Technology didn't share how many jobs could be impacted by shuttering Crucial, but did note that it hoped to soften the blow via redeployment opportunities into existing open positions within the company. The majority of generative AI products used today are supported by a growing network of data centers that train and host large language models. The rapid buildout of servers at these data centers has been a boon to PC parts makers like NVIDIA , who provide the GPUs used to power them, but also companies like Micron, who build the memory components these computers need to run. It's not surprising the company would want to focus on where growing demand is, but it does put considerable strain on the remaining companies who continue to service both businesses and hobbyist PC-builders. There were next to no true deals on memory or pre-built PCs for Black Friday due to how costly RAM has become now that AI companies are buying it in bulk. PC maker CyberPowerPC even went as far to say that global memory (RAM) prices have surged by 500 percent and SSD prices have risen by 100 percent, forcing it to raise prices on its products. Losing another source of RAM like Crucial likely won't make things any better. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/crucial-is-a-casualty-of-ais-hunger-for-ram-185910113.html?src=rss

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

With a good virtual private network (VPN) , you can stream TV shows and events from all over the world, protect your information from hackers and thwart those online trackers that watch you sleep and show you weird personalized ads. Although we strongly recommend using a VPN , you shouldn't jump on just any deal a bit of comparison shopping goes a long way in this market. The pricing you see on VPN websites is often not an accurate portrayal of what you'll actually pay. Even so, there are some great bargains on the table. Most VPNs now have their Black Friday deals live, and you can save anywhere from 67 to 88 percent on annual subscriptions to the best VPNs. Most of these discounts only apply if you sign up for a year or more, but committing is not a bad idea while you pay more at the start, if you divide the cost by the months of service, it's significantly cheaper over time. Most of the deals we highlight below follow that pattern, so make sure you're comfortable with a longer commitment before you take the plunge. If you've been thinking about subscribing to a VPN service, read on for the best VPN deals we could find right now. Best VPN deals ExpressVPN Basic $68.40 for a two-year subscription with four months free (81 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 Cyber Monday deal, which gets you 28 months of ExpressVPN service, represents an 81 percent savings. Be aware, though, that it'll renew at the $99.95 per year price. ExpressVPN Advanced $88 for a two-year subscription with four months free (77 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. It's rare to see ExpressVPN doing anything for Cyber Monday, so give this deal some serious thought. 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 early Black Friday 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 early Black Friday 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 Black Friday/Cyber Monday. 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

Russia blocks Roblox, citing 'LGBT propaganda' as a reason

Russia has blocked the popular gaming platform Roblox , according to a report by Reuters . The country's communications watchdog Roskomnadzor accused the developers of distributing extremist materials and LGBT propaganda. The agency went on to say that Roblox is rife with inappropriate content that can negatively impact the spiritual and moral development of children. This is just the latest move the country has taken against what it calls the international LGBT movement. It recently pressured the language-learning app Duolingo into deleting references to what the country calls non-traditional sexual relations. Russian courts regularly issue fines to organizations that violate its LGBT propaganda law, which criminalizes the promotion of same-sex relationships. President Vladimir Putin has called the protection of gay and transgender rights a move towards open satanism. An update on our safety initiatives. https://t.co/fyJ9mHtWnY pic.twitter.com/uDGlu1EqiM Roblox (@Roblox) December 3, 2025 Roblox doesn't have a LGBT propaganda problem because there's no such thing, but the platform does have plenty of issues that Russia doesn't seem all that concerned about. It's a noted haven for child predators , which has caused other countries like Iraq and Turkey to ban the platform. To its credit, the company has begun cracking down on user-generated content and added new age-based restrictions. Roblox is still one of the more popular entertainment platforms in the world. It averaged over 151 million daily active users in the third quarter of this year alone. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/russia-blocks-roblox-citing-lgbt-propaganda-as-a-reason-180757267.html?src=rss

Epic bans indie game Horses from its storefront 24 hours before release

Indie studio Santa Ragione is facing more strife after claiming its latest game has been blocked on another major storefront. The developer previously said it was at risk of closure after Valve banned Horses from Steam, noting that it would be very difficult to recoup its investment without access to the worlds largest PC gaming storefront. The situation became more dire this week after Epic Games blocked Horses as well. Santa Ragione said Epic notified the studio of its decision just 24 hours before the game was released on Tuesday, despite approving Horses for sale on the Epic Games Store weeks earlier. Once again, no specific indication of problematic content in the game was given, only broad and demonstrably incorrect claims that it violated their content guidelines, the studio wrote in an FAQ . Our appeal was denied twelve hours later without further explanation. According to an email from Epic that Santa Ragione shared, the company banned Horses from its store due to violations of its inappropriate content and hateful or abusive content policies, the latter of which prohibits content that promotes abuse and animal abuse. It also determined that Horses had received an adults-only rating, and such games arent allowed on its store. Engadget has contacted Epic for comment. Horses is a horror game about a college student who works on a farm during the summer. The farms so-called horses are actually nude human adults who wear equine masks and live as horses. Santa Ragione said that, in its appeal to Epic, it pointed out that Horses is a strong critique of violence and abuse in general and that it doesnt promote any kind of abuse. It claimed that there are no explicit or frequent depictions of sexual behavior, as nudity is pixelated and although the three-hour game has four sexual sequences, these are brief and censored, with two mainly taking place off-camera. However, Santa Ragione said Epic stuck by its decision to block the game from its store. With Horses being banned from Steam and the Epic Games Store, that leaves GOG (where its currently at the top of the bestsellers chart) and Itch .io as the only storefronts on which the $5 game is available as Santa Ragione tries to recoup the $100,000 or so it spent on development. Horses was supposed to have been available via the Humble Store as well but, as Gamespot notes, the URL for the list ing now redirects to the stores homepage. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/epic-bans-indie-game-horses-from-its-storefront-24-hours-before-release-173500417.html?src=rss

India will no longer require smartphone makers to preinstall its state-run 'cybersecurity' app

India will no longer require smartphone makers to preinstall the Sanchar Saathi security app . After blowback from Apple, Samsung and opposition leaders, the Modi government issued a statement saying it has decided not to make the pre-installation mandatory for mobile manufacturers. The app is still available as a voluntary download. India's Ministry of Communications framed the U-turn as a result of strong voluntary adoption. The nation said 14 million users (around 1 percent of the nations population) have downloaded the app. The number of users has been increasing rapidly, and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily, the statement read. The country had previously given smartphone makers 90 days to preinstall the Sanchar Saathi app on all new phones. They were also required to deliver it to existing devices via software updates. India claims its app exists solely for cybersecurity purposes. It includes tools allowing users to report and lock lost or stolen devices. But privacy advocates warned that it could be used as a government backdoor for mass surveillance. According to the BBC , the apps privacy policy allows it to make and manage calls and send messages. It can access call and message histories, files, photos and the camera. Reuters reports that industry experts cited Russia as the only known precedent for such a requirement. In August, Vladimir Putin's regime ordered the messenger app MAX to be preinstalled on all mobile devices in the country. Like with India's example, experts warned that it could be used for surveillance. On Tuesday, Reuters reported that Apple would not comply with India's order , citing privacy and security concerns. Samsung reportedly followed. Opposition leaders in the Indian government also joined the fray. Senior Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala called on the Modi government to clarify its legal authority for mandating a non-removable app. Despite India's framing, it seems likely that the two companies' stances, along with domestic political pressure, played no small role in the reversal. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/india-will-no-longer-require-smartphone-makers-to-preinstall-its-state-run-cybersecurity-app-171500923.html?src=rss

The best Christmas gifts to give everyone on your 2025 holiday shopping list

This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if youre stumped on what to get your mom, dad, best friend, coworker or kids teacher as a holiday gift. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, its safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But theres a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays. Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, youll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? Weve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more. Best white elephant gift ideas According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened. Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas Best Secret Santa gifts Secret Santa gift exchanges are supposed to be fun, but its easy to overthink it. You want a gift that feels thoughtful without being awkward, useful without being boring, and most importantly, affordable. The sweet spot is under $50, which is plenty to find something that fits your recipients personality. Whether youre buying for a co-worker you only chat with at the coffee machine, a friend who already has everything or a cousin who never gives you ideas, there are clever options that will make them smile. Read more: The best Secret Santa gift ideas Best tech gifts and gadgets Trying to find the right gift for an unabashed gadget lover during the holidays can be difficult, especially if you dont keep up with tech industry news yourself. Fortunately, youre reading Engadget.com, a site entirely staffed by people who spend all day figuring out what new stuff is and isnt actually good. So allow us to help. Weve rounded up some of our favorite gadgets and gear that just might satisfy the avid geek in your life. Read more: The best tech gifts and gadgets Best board game gifts We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, were sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones. Read more: The best board games to gift this season Best gifts for $25 or less 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. Read more: The best gifts for $25 or less Best gifts under $50 We wouldnt blame you if you try to do all of your tech shopping around the holidays. Thats when you can typically get the best sales, both on relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) on big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive tech is worth gifting. Since we at Engadget test a plethora of gadgets every year, we know that there are some hidden (and not so hidden) tech gems at lower price ranges you just have to know where to find them. Read more: The best gifts under $50 that make great stocking stuffers Best gifts under $100 Finding a gift for the tech nerd on your list can be tough. They likely have all the tech they need and then some, but you can add to their kit with the right accessories. Apple, Samsung, Sony and other big tech companies all have affordable gear that comes in at $100 or less, you just have to know where to look. We've collected some of our favorites, but remember: you can often find alternatives that are just as good (and sometimes better) than these. However, for the people in your life for which brand names really do matter, these gifts will speak to them. Read more: The best tech gifts under $100 Best tech toys for kids We know its been a pretty crazy year thats got you wondering how exactly youre going to make the holiday season extra special, especially for the kids in your life. The good news is that the toy industry is just as creative as ever, and this years crop of hot tech toys is filled with plenty of surprise and delight, all at affordable prices. Weve picked some of our favorites under $100, ones that will not only thrill right out of the box, but keep the kids entertained for months to come. Read more: The best tech toys for kids Best gifts for remote workers There's a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some fashion. While the WFH life has its perks nobody likes a long commute it comes with its own set of challenges, from lacking pro-level equipment to dealing with household disturbances. If youre looking to give a gift to someone who spends much of their time in their home office, weve rounded up a few techy gift ideas that should make their days a little more delightful, or at least easier to manage. Read more: The best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life Best travel gifts For as long as humans have traveled, they've carried gear with them to make long journeys easier. Airplanes may have made travel faster, but crossing states and countries can still be exhausting. If you have a friend or family member who loves exploring the world, they'll appreciate things that will save them stress when they're far from home. So let Engadget help you find the perfect gift for the person in your life with wanderlust. Read more: The best gifts for travelers Best gifts for Nintendo lovers If you're like us, Nintendo holds a special place in your heart thanks to iconic characters like Mario, Peach and Donkey Kong and multiple generations of best-selling consoles. But little did we know that outside of gaming hardware and accessories, there's an ever-growing assortment of Nintendo-themed toys, clothes and decor. And it's kind of a problem because we want all of it. So to help you figure out the best gifts for the Nintendo fan in your life, we've put together a big list of our favorite products that will give anyone a power-up this holiday season. Of course, if none of the ones on our list quite fit the bill, you can also head over to our full list of the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories for even more ideas. Read more: The best Nintendo gifts for the holiday season Best retro gaming gifts The stream of new video games never ends, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you dont feel like hunting through eBay and local game shops for old cartridges to add to your loved ones collection, weve picked out a few other gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork. Read more: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays Best gifts for gamers The year may not be over, but 2025 is all but guaranteed to go down as one of the best 12 months in gaming history. Between releases like Hades 2 , Hollow Knight: Silksong and Ghost of Yotei , to name just a few, there was truly something for everyone in 2025. Of course, that abundance also means it can be tricky to find a gift for the gamers in your life, especially if you're not one yourself. Worry not Engadget is here to help. We guarantee our guide will help you find the perfect gift for your friend or loved one. Read more: The best gifts for gamers Best gifts for moms Some moms really do mean it when they say they dont need any gifts. But those same moms will probably appreciate getting something thoughtful and personal a gift that shows you put in a bit of consideration. Its tough to pin-point what that ideal gift is for any given mom, but weve got ideas to get you started. Since we spend our days testing and otherwise thinking about tech, most of the presents here have a gadget spin, but all of them are a heck of a lot more unique than a candle and a bath bomb. Read more: The best gifts for mom Best gifts for dads It's not always easy to find gifts for dads, especially for those who are often quick to snap up whatever they need on their own. But even the geekiest and most well-informed dads have blind spots the trick is to find something they've never heard of, but could actually make their lives useful. We've collected some of our favorite dadcore gift ideas, which would suit everyone from a complete gadgetphobe to a total techie. Read more: The best gifts for dads Best subscription box gifts 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. Read more: The best subscription box gifts Best gifts for home cooks For home cooks, kitchen tools are the equipment that make all your favorite dishes and meals possible. And while having the fanciest gear certainly isn't a requirement, it is really nice, which makes products like the ones here such great gifts. These are the kind of things that people want but might not be able to justify buying for themselves, or essential pieces that would be handy additions to any kitchen or pantry. So if you're looking for present ideas for the chef in your life, check out our guide of tried and tested cooking tools and gadgets. Read more: The best cooking gifts Best gifts for coffee lovers When it comes to making coffee at home, us coffee nerds are constantly evolving. Whether the person youre shopping for is newly indoctrinated into the world of small-batch roasters or obsessive over every possible aspect of every brewing process, weve compiled a list of the best coffee gear for any coffee geek this holiday season. For brewing, grinding and drinking, weve got multiple options at a range of prices to help expand any java geeks horizons. And if you think the coffee aficionado on your list already has everything they need, weve got a recommendation for them too. Read more: The best gifts for coffee lovers Best gadgets for your pets We're a pet-loving staff here at Engadget, with diverse distribution of cat people, dog people, other-small-fuzzy-creature people, bird feeder enjoyers and so on (at press time, I'm unsure if we have a rat person, but I'd be surprised if we didn't). And, of course, we love getting new gadgets of all sorts for our pets as much as for ourselves. Our list, with gifts as low-tech as a blanket and as high-tech as the best $30 two-way camera you'll ever use, is for the pet lover in your life whether that's you or another favorite human. Read more: The best gadgets for your pets Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-to-give-everyone-on-your-2025-holiday-shopping-list-170018456.html?src=rss

Zillow removes climate risk scores after agents complain about sales

Zillow has dropped its climate risk score program just one year after it started, according to a report by TechCrunch . It has removed climate risk scores from over one million listings after real estate agents complained that the data was misleading and leading to lost sales. In their place, listings now feature a small link to data sourced from climate risk startup First Street , which is the organization that provided the original assessment. The startup isn't too happy about this move, with spokesperson Matthew Eby telling TechCrunch that the risk doesn't go away; it just moves from a pre-purchase decision into a post-purchase liability. First Street's climate scores still appear on listings from Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com. The California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS) is pleased with Zillow's decision, as this real estate database is used primarily by industry professionals. CRMLS CEO Art Carter told The New York Times that displaying the probability of a specific home flooding this year or within the next five years can have a significant impact on the perceived desirability of that property. Carter also questioned the validity of First Street's data, saying that areas that haven't flooded in 40 or 50 years were not likely to flood in the next five . First Street responded by saying our models are built on transparent, peer-reviewed science and are continuously validated against real-world outcomes. Zillow Zillow's climate risk score labels have been controversial since the company launched the program in 2024, particularly among real estate agents. One agent told The Boston Globe last year that they were putting thoughts in peoples minds about my listing that normally wouldnt be there. More than 80 percent of prospective buyers consider climate risks when shopping for a new home so, yeah, those thoughts are already in there. First Street maintains that its climate risk scores are extremely useful for consumers, noting that its maps correctly identified risk for over 90 percent of the homes that burned during the Los Angeles wildfires. The company says its internal maps have been significantly outperforming CalFire's official state hazard maps. Engadget has reached out to Zillow to ask about its reasoning here. We will update this post when we hear back. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/zillow-removes-climate-risk-scores-after-agents-complain-about-sales-164405763.html?src=rss

Sony is bringing MLB The Show to iOS and Android

Sony is bringing another of its long-running game franchises to iOS and Android in the shape of MLB The Show Mobile . This is a free-to-play standalone experience built from the ground up to deliver realistic baseball gameplay on mobile devices. San Diego Studio, the developer of every MLB The Show game since the series debuted in 2006, is behind this mobile game as well. MLB The Show Mobile, which was spotted by Gematsu , doesnt feature crossplay with console games. For now, its only available in the Philippines and it went live there on Wednesday. Sony says it doesnt have a timeline in place for expanding availability to more territories, but it certainly plans to do that. Its not uncommon for mobile games to have a soft launch in select regions before theyre made available elsewhere. Sony is doing the same thing with a Ratchet and Clank multiplayer game . Sony is optimizing MLB The Show Mobile for more recent mobile devices. On the iOS side, that means iPhone 16 or comparable devices. As for Android, youll get the best experience on Samsung Galaxy S25, Sony Xperia V or a comparable device, according to the games website . MLB The Show Mobile features solo and player-vs-player modes. There are more than 1,100 cards representing baseball players in the game. Youll be able to build out an all-star roster of MLB players past and present, and upgrade their cards. San Diego Studio appears to be tapping into the Ultimate Team modes of EA Sports games, as youll be able to buy and sell cards with other players in a marketplace. Sony also notes that in-game purchases can include random items. Each of these player cards has a momentum cost. These are stat points you can use strategically to better your chances of winning. The gameplay is skill-based. Youll need to get the timing right to throw a great pitch or hit the ball out of the park. Youll have real-time control of runners as well, so you can try to steal bases. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-is-bringing-mlb-the-show-to-ios-and-android-163300468.html?src=rss

Waymo's testing AVs in four more cities, including Philly

Waymo is adding four new US cities to the gradual rollout of its robotaxi service. As reported by TechCrunch , the company said it has already started trialling self-driving cars in Philadelphia, albeit with a human safety monitor, and that it will now commence similar manual tests in Baltimore, St. Louis and Pittsburgh. After the initial supervisory and data-collecting stage, the plan is to deploy fully autonomous vehicles, as Waymo recently did in Miami , ahead of launching in five new cities across Texas and Florida in 2026. Waymo's taxis currently accept passengers in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Atlanta, Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area, and it recently announced that San Diego, Las Vegas and Detroit would soon be joining them. Also key to the companys aggressive nationwide expansion is New York City, even if a fully functioning robotaxi service is likely still some way off. New York state law currently prohibits the operation of vehicles without a driver behind the wheel, but back in August, Waymo was temporarily granted the permit needed to be able to test autonomous vehicles in parts of Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn. The testing phase ran until late September, marking the first time a permit for the testing deployment of AVs in the city had been signed off. Waymo has international ambitions too. Next year it will partner with Moove to launch a robotaxi service in London, which will be its first major expansion outside the US. Fully driverless cars are currently banned in the UK, but new legislation will begin a long regulatory process that starts with government-approved robotaxi pilots in the Spring. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/waymos-testing-avs-in-four-more-cities-including-philly-161709279.html?src=rss

Nikon ZR review: A highly capable cinema camera at a reasonable price

Video used to be an afterthought for Nikon, but since the company purchased RED last year, content creators are now high on its priority list. A perfect example of that is Nikons new $2,200 ZR : a full-frame mirrorless model that stands up against dedicated cinema cameras for a fraction of the price. Its the first consumer camera to capture video using REDs 12-bit RAW format, but unlike REDs Hollywood cameras , it has a fast and accurate autofocus system. It also comes with a huge display, pro video monitoring tools, in-body stabilization and 32-bit float internal audio recording. After shooting a short film that tested its capabilities, I can confirm that the Nikon ZR offers incredible video quality at this price. Body and handling While a bit lighter than Nikons Z6 III, the 1.19-pound (540-gram) ZR feels solid. It has a boxy design like Sonys FX2 but a much smaller grip because its designed to be rigged up for cinema shooting with cages and handles. However, unlike the FX2 which has multiple 1/4-inch mounting threads to do such rigging, the ZR unfortunately has only one of those on the bottom. The ZR also lacks an electronic viewfinder like the FX2, but it more than makes up for that with its huge 4-inch display the largest Ive ever seen on a mirrorless camera. At 1,000 nits, its bright enough to shoot on sunny days, extremely sharp (3.07 million dots) and flips out for vloggers. All of that makes it a perfect primary display for checking the image and controlling the camera. Nikon has nailed the ZRs handling, too. While its not covered with buttons and dials like some models, it does have two shooting dials to control exposure and a joystick for autofocus. Theres also a camera/video switch, two record buttons, a power switch and five customizable buttons. Many of Nikons lenses come with control rings as well, so extra manual control is available. The menu button is unusual: you press once for the quick menu and hold to see the full menu. Given the large number of settings, I would advise anyone buying this camera to learn all the important adjustments, then customize the controls to avoid wading through dense menus while shooting. Another unique feature is in the battery compartment. Theres a single fast CFexpress slot to handle RAW video, plus a microSD slot for proxies. The lack of a second CFexpress slot or fast SD card slot for backup isnt ideal for a professional camera, though. Finally, the ZR runs on the same NEL15c batteries as other Nikon mirrorless cameras. They allow 90 minutes of HD shooting on a charge, or 390 photos per CIPA standards. Thats mediocre, so if youre planning long shoots, stock up on batteries. Video Steve Dent for Engadget The Nikon ZR has the largest selection of RAW video settings Ive seen. The centerpiece is REDs RAW R3D NE light codec (designed by RED for Nikon) with REDs Log3G10 log format. It also supports Nikons N-RAW, ProRes/ProRes RAW and H.265 with resolution that ranges from 6K at up to 60 fps to 4K 120 fps and 1080p at 240 fps. Despite the smallish body, it can capture 6K RAW video continuously for 125 minutes without overheating. The 24MP sensor uses a dual ISO system with native 800 and 6,400 ISOs, providing a nice range for indoor and outdoor shooting. The company claims 15+ stops of dynamic range, which is more than just about any other mirrorless camera. Other key video features include five-axis in-body stabilization with seven stops of shake reduction, waveform and vectorscope monitoring and a false color display for manual focus. To test the cameras features and video quality, I shot a short film in a mix of indoor low light, outdoor daytime and a mix between the two. I also shot handheld (including running with it) to test the stabilization. I primarily captured in R3D RAW, as well as Nikons N-RAW at the native 800 and 6,400 ISOs to maximize dynamic range. (You can take 24MP photos with this camera, but Im focusing on video as its mainly designed for that.) In order to not see a flat log profile when shooting, youll need to apply a look-up table (LUT) designed for RED cameras, like Achromic, Bleach or Caustic. Those are only for in-camera previews and not baked into the video, but you can apply those LUTs later in Adobe Premiere or DaVinci Resolve to get the same look. Steve Dent for Engadget With such a high native ISO, I was able to shoot inside with a single studio light. Video quality was outstanding with little noise in shadow regions, even after boosting black levels in post. Meanwhile, the RED R3D codec and Log3G10 gave me extra latitude to reveal shadow detail and dial down highlights when I shot the subject against a bright window. When you use the R3D codec, exposure is strictly manual with no ability to set auto shutter speed (shutter angle) or f-stop. So, for a scene with varying light, I used Nikons N-RAW to see if it would give me the correct exposure at the beginning and end of the scene. It did a good job, with no noticeable jumps during the shot. Video in sunlight at ISO 800 was also sharp with accurate colors after downscaling to 4K from 6K in DaVinci Resolve. ISO 800 is a relatively high native setting, though, and the ZR doesnt have a built-in ND filter to reduce exposure. That means youll need to buy ND filters for outside shooting or the high shutter speeds will result in choppy video. Cinema cameras from Blackmagic Design, Arri or RED are manual-focus only. But the ZR is a Nikon camera, and it has the best AF system Ive seen on any of the companys models, consistently nailing focus even with moving subjects. You can also automatically track vehicles, birds and other animals. At the same time, the ZR handles manual focus well. Thats thanks to a built-in display thats big enough to check focus accurately and Nikons focus peaking setting with three levels of sensitivity. Steve Dent for Engadget In-body stabilization on the ZR wasnt up to par with Panasonics S1 II, however. Video was smooth for handheld shooting if I panned the camera gently, but all my running and walking shots showed noticeable camera shake. That said, the ZR at least has in-body stabilization, unlike most cinema cameras, and most filmmakers will use a gimbal for running shots, regardless of which camera they use. (Note that the rattling you hear when the ZR is turned off is the sensor, which floats by design .) Finally, I was able to capture good audio quality via an external microphone without any clipping worries thanks to the Nikon ZRs 32-bit float internal audio capture. The company also touts directional capture using its built-in mics, but as with any such system, audio quality isnt high enough for production use. Wrap-up With the ZR, Nikon has shown that its finally catching up to and even surpassing its rivals for content creation. Whether youre doing social media, YouTube, documentaries or even film production, this camera is versatile and powerful with few compromises. Video quality and ease of use even beats models that are double or triple the price. The ZRs primary competition is in the low-end cinema cameras, particularly Sonys $2,998 FX2 and the $3,899 Canon R5C . While more expensive, both come with an electronic viewfinder that the ZR lacks, and the R5C can shoot up to 8K video. Another option is Blackmagic Designs Pyxis 6K camera, but it only offers basic autofocus capabilities and lacks in-body stabilization. Compared to those options, Nikons ZR delivers better dynamic range thanks to the inclusion of REDs R3D RAW codec. It also comes with an excellent autofocus system and decent in-body stabilization. If youre a creator looking to get the best video quality for the money without losing those niceties, Id highly recommend the ZR. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/nikon-zr-review-a-highly-capable-cinema-camera-at-a-reasonable-price-152634311.html?src=rss

Amazon rolls out a find-a-scene Alexa+ feature for Prime Video

Amazon is rolling out a new Alexa+ feature on Fire TV that can take you to a specific moment in a given movie on Prime Video based on a natural language voice command. The company says that, when you describe a certain scene, quote or character action, Alexa+ can start playing that part of the film. The company previewed this feature at its Devices and Services event in September. According to Amazon, you can say something like Jump to the card scene in Love Actually or Jump to the Ozdust ballroom scene in Wicked with Glinda, to quickly get to that moment. Alexa+ can apparently figure out which movie you're referring to if you don't say the title. So if you say, for instance, Jump to the scene when John McClane says come out to the coast, well get together, have a few laughs, Prime Video will start playing that bit in Die Hard where McClane is in an air duct. To make this work, Alexa+ uses visual understanding and captions to determine what's happening in each scene so it can take you to the one you're looking for. It's all processed through the X-Ray feature in Prime Video. As with Alexa+, it's built on Amazon Bedrock and it harnesses large language models such as Amazon Nova and Anthropic Claude. Alexa+ has indexed tens of thousands of scenes across thousands of movies on Prime Video so far, including many that you can purchase or rent. Amazon plans to expand this feature to more films and scenes, as well as TV shows, in the near future. While this is pretty interesting from a tech perspective and how Amazons able to make it work, Id be interested to know how many people actually end up using it. This isnt how most people who genuinely love cinema watch movies maybe just start at the beginning of a film and take it from there? Besides, if you really want to watch a specific scene, YouTube exists. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-rolls-out-a-find-a-scene-alexa-feature-for-prime-video-150557530.html?src=rss

Superhuman (formerly Grammarly) has some AI updates for its Superhuman Mail app

Superhuman, the AI-powered mail app, is heading in a more agentic direction with its latest update. Its write with AI feature, which you could previously activate when drafting an email, now works across your inbox, calendar, and the web. This means it can now pull in information from other emails or research a topic online. The AI will think for as long as it needs before responding to a prompt and will open its Ask AI tool if it needs clarification. Ask AI now lives in a left sidebar when youre on desktop, so its always accessible should you need to draft a note, ask a question or quickly schedule a meeting without digging around in your emails. You can also now check your Ask AI history on iOS and desktop for previous conversations. Write with AI is also now available on Android, which will soon gain the other new features too. Superhuman Superhuman was acquired by Grammarly earlier this year, with the latter recently rebranding so all of its AI apps now sit under the Superhuman umbrella. The mail service is seemingly primarily targeted at business rather than consumers, with its most advanced version of Write with AI and Ask AI being included in Business and Enterprise plans. The more basic standard version of Write with AI is rolled into the Starter plan for desktop and mobile. Superman is promising further agentic updates in the near future. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/superhuman-formerly-grammarly-has-some-ai-updates-for-its-superhuman-mail-app-140017716.html?src=rss

Spotify Wrapped 2025 is here and now it's a competition?

It's that time of year again, when all of our favorite streaming platforms start dropping personalized lists of what we've been consuming. Spotify Wrapped is perhaps the biggest of the bunch and it's available for perusal right now. As always, users can access Wrapped to find their most listened-to genres, artists, songs, albums and podcasts from the past year. This information is shareable via social media if you want random bald eagle avatars to comment on your music taste, but there's a new interactive feature called Wrapped Party . Spotify This is a game of a sort. Spotify says it turns your listening data into a live competition. Wrapped Party hands out awards for stuff like listening to smaller artists and obsession with a particular artist, in addition to total minutes streamed. Finally, friends can settle the age-old debate of who listens to music more. Spotify Wrapped is also about the platform itself, so we have plenty of little tidbits from the global user base. Bad Bunny was named the most streamed artist in the world, just ahead of his Super Bowl performance that internet bozos have turned into a controversy for some reason . This is the fourth time he's come out on top in the past five years. He also had the most popular album of the year. Spotify The global top song is something of a surprise, as it's not Bad Bunny or even Taylor Swift. It's the Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars duet Die With a Smile. The top podcast is, as always, The Joe Rogan Experience . At least Spotify is getting what it paid for with Rogan. If you don't use Spotify for whatever reason , other major streaming platforms offer something similar to Wrapped. Apple Music has Replay and Amazon Music has Delivered . Even YouTube got in on the act this year, unveiling a recap for video watchers. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/spotify-wrapped-2025-is-here-and-now-its-a-competition-130052418.html?src=rss

Uber is launching robotaxis in Dallas

Uber has made a big push to offer robotaxis as an option for its rideshare services in more markets this year. Starting today, the company is offering autonomous vehicles as an option for customers in Dallas. The move is in partnership with Avride. At the start, the AVs providing rides will have a person in the front seat, but Uber plans to have fully driverless operation in the future. The company will have a small fleet of Avride's Hyundai Ioniq 5 vehicles to start, but it plans to eventually have hundreds of these AVs working in Dallas. Riders can set their preferences to increase their chances of being paired with a robotaxi in the Uber app. If someone is assigned an AV for their ride, they will have the option to switch to a traditional rideshare driver. Uber started a partnership with Avride in October 2024 , but the rideshare company has cast a wide net for collaborators. It has also worked to bring robotaxis to markets with Waymo in Austin and Atlanta , with Lucid in the Bay Area , with WeRide in Abu Dhabi , and with Momenta in Europe . This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-is-launching-robotaxis-in-dallas-120000411.html?src=rss

How to watch the Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree lighting special tonight

It's time for the annual Rockefeller Christmas tree lighting! The Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree lighting special will air tonight, Dec. 3 from 8-10 PM ET though coverage of the tree lighting will start an hour prior, at 7 PM ET. The Voice and Happy's Place star Reba McEntire will host and perform at the Rockefeller Tree lighting, which will also feature performances from Halle Bailey, Michael Bubl, Kristin Chenoweth, Laufey, the Radio City Rockettes and more. Heres how to tune into the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting. When is the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting? The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be lit on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2025. 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting time: Coverage of the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting will start at 7 p.m. ET. The official Christmas in Rockefeller Center tree lighting special will air from 8-10 p.m ET. 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting channel: The Christmas in Rockefeller Center special will air on NBC and stream on Peacock. How to watch the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting without cable: Who is hosting the 2025 Rockefeller Tree lighting? Reba McEntire will host NBC's annual holiday special, and perform throughout the evening. 2025 Rockefeller Tree Lighting performers: Alongside Reba McEntire, the tree lighting ceremony special will feature performances from Marc Anthony, Halle Bailey, Michael Bubl, Kristin Chenoweth, Laufey, New Edition, Brad Paisley, Carly Pearce, Gwen Stefani and the Radio City Rockettes, who are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. Ways to watch the Rockefeller Tree lighting for free: This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-christmas-in-rockefeller-center-tree-lighting-special-tonight-111504725.html?src=rss

The best horror games to play in 2025

Are you tired of feeling safe and happy all the time? Is your daily life overrun by feelings of security, contentment and peace? Do you want an escape from all of the oppressive niceness around you? Well, look no further these are the games for you. Here, weve collected more than a dozen of the most evocative and disturbing horror games in recent memory. These selections cover a wide range of genres and styles, but each one comes with at least a tinge of unsettling terror. So take a peek, find your game, and prepare your skeleton for some fresh air because youre about to jump out of your skin. Best horror games Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games , the best PS5 games , the best Xbox games , the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-horror-games-120029388.html?src=rss

How to use Magnifier on a MacBook to zoom in on faraway text

One of the iPhones many accessibility features is something Apple calls Magnifier, which uses the smartphone's cameras to magnify and identify objects in the world around you. For Global Accessibility Awareness Day in May this year, Apple brought Magnifier to the Mac, opening up even more places the assistive tool can be used, like classroom or work environments where you might already have a MacBook pulled out. Magnifier requires macOS 26 Tahoe and can work with a built-in webcam, a connected third-party camera or an iPhone via Apple's Continuity feature . Provided your MacBook can run Apples latest software update, its a natural fit for zooming in on a whiteboard at the back of a large lecture hall or getting a closer look at documents on a desk in front of you. You can use the app to both capture an individual image you want to refer to later, or to analyze text in a live video feed. But where to begin? Heres how to set up and use Magnifier on your Mac. How to use Magnifier to identify and display text A MacBook using Magnifier and a connected iPhone to identify and format text from a book. Apple Magnifier's most powerful feature uses the MacBook's machine learning capabilities to identify, display and format text that your camera captures. This works with text your camera can see in the room around you, and things it captures via macOS' Desk View feature. For example, to view documents on your desk: Open Magnifier . Click on the Camera section in Magnifier's menu bar and then select your Desk View camera from the dropdown menu. Click on the Reader icon (a simple illustration of a document) near the top-right of your Magnifier window. Click on the sidebar menu icon to access settings to format text. Apple gives you options to change the color, font and background of text Magnifier identifies, among other customization options. If you'd prefer to capture faraway text, you can position a webcam or iPhone camera facing away from you and swap to it via the Camera section in Magnifier's menu bar. You can also listen to any text Magnifier has identified by clicking on the Play button in the top-right corner of Magnifier's reader mode. Clicking the Pause button will pause playback, clicking the Skip Forward or Skip Backward buttons skip through lines of text, and if you want to adjust playback speed, you can click on the 1x button and pick a speed from the dropdown menu. How to use Magnifier to zoom in on yourself Magnifier can identify text, but it also works as a way to get a zoomed in view of your own face. Ian Carlos Campbell for Engadget By default, Magnifier uses your MacBook's built-in webcam, which means you'll see a view of yourself and whatever's behind you if you don't have another camera selected. This might not be usual for seeing faraway text, but it is handy if you're applying makeup, putting in contacts or doing anything else where you need a detailed view of your face. In my tests, using Magnifier worked the best with my MacBook's built-in webcam or an iPhone. When I tried using a third-party webcam from Logitech, my live camera feed was noticeably laggy. Your mileage may vary, but if you experience any issues with your own webcam, it's worth trying your built-in webcam to see if that helps. You can swap between cameras and zoom in to your camera feed inside the Magnifier app: Open Magnifier. In the top menu bar, select Camera and then click on the camera you'd like to use in the dropdown menu. Use the slider in the top center of the Magnifier window to zoom in on yourself. You can see a live feed of your zoomed in view in Magnifier's main window. If you click on the Camera button in the bottom-left corner of the app, you can also snap a photo to review later. Any photos you capture will appear in Magnifier's left sidebar menu. Clicking on them lets you view them, zoom in on them and adjust their visual appearance (Brightness, Contrast and other visual settings) via the Image section in Magnifier's menu bar. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/how-to-use-magnifier-on-a-macbook-to-zoom-in-on-faraway-text-080100677.html?src=rss

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

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

Instacart sues New York City over minimum pay, tipping laws

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

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

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

Grok would prefer a second Holocaust over harming Elon Musk

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

Pixelity will playtest its Evangelion XR game later this month

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

Ireland is investigating TikTok and LinkedIn for possible DSA violations

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

Raspberry Pi raises prices, thanks to AI

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

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

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

Android is getting a slew of new accessibility features

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

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

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

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

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

Fast & Furious director Justin Lin is making the Helldivers movie

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A 'Sonic universe' movie will hit theaters in 2028

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

December Game Pass additions include Mortal Kombat 1 and Dome Keeper

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

YouTube just introduced a yearly recap of your watched videos

YouTube has introduced a yearly recap to the main app for the first time ever, bringing the focus to video. This recap highlights a user's favorite channels, topics and other fun little nuggets sourced from viewing habits throughout the year. It's available for perusal right now for both free and premium users. Just look for the You tab at the bottom of the app to get started. Alternatively, web users can head to youtube.com/recap to access the same information. This recap can be shared across social media, just like all of the other ones from platforms like Spotify and Apple Music. YouTube Speaking of music, the yearly YouTube Music recap is still going, but there's a slight twist. Users will get shuttled to the Music app for a dedicated recap after working through the 2025 video highlight reel. This feature only triggers for users who have enjoyed the YouTube Music app for at least ten hours. These recaps are only available for adults, which should please parents who don't want to see an itemized list of all of the annoying loudmouths their kids watch on YouTube all day. This was the platform's 20th year, so we recently compiled our own list of our favorite videos going all the way back to 2005. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/youtube-just-introduced-a-yearly-recap-of-your-watched-videos-140016460.html?src=rss

Amazon's 'God of War' adaptation gets a two-season order

After a few years and a few shakeups it looks like Amazon's God of War series is finally full speed ahead. The video game adaptation is now in pre-production in Vancouver and has been bumped up to a two-season order, Deadline reports . The latest update includes news that Frederick E.O. Toye will direct the first two episodes of God of War . Toye has led episodes of shows such as Fallout , The Boys and Westworld . In 2024, his work on Shogun won him the Emmy for outstanding directing for a drama series. Amazon first announced God of War 's TV adaptation in 2022 . Last year, the show lost its original showrunner , with Ronald D. Moore coming aboard soon after. The show is based on 2018's God of War video game, which finds inspiration in Norse mythology. As Amazon puts it, the show follows father and son Kratos and Atreus as they embark on a journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye. Through their adventures, Kratos tries to teach his son to be a better god, while Atreus tries to teach his father how to be a better human. Casting is currently underway for the roles of Kratos and Atreus. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/amazons-god-of-war-adaptation-gets-a-two-season-order-133059803.html?src=rss

The 10 best white elephant gifts worth fighting over for 2025

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

Amazon Music's year-end recap arrives today

One of the newer traditions of the holiday season is reading itemized lists of what we watched, played and listened to on our favorite streaming platforms throughout the year. Spotify Wrapped is perhaps the most famous of the bunch, but Amazon Music has its own year-end recap called Delivered and this year's edition is available right now. Amazon Amazon Music Delivered started last year and provides subscribers with a list of their favorite songs, artists and podcasts. It also shows off the top request you've made with Alexa. I use Alexa primarily as an alarm, so that particular statistic won't be setting my world on fire. This year, there's a Best of 2025 section that highlights the biggest songs, albums and podcasts from every user across the app. This list includes songs by Taylor Swift, Geese, Bad Bunny and others. Finally, the app will generate a fake music fest based on a particular user's favorite artists. Amazon Amazon Music Unlimited costs $11 per month for Prime members and $12 per month for everyone else. As previously mentioned, Prime members do get a streamlined version of the service as a perk. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/amazon-musics-year-end-recap-arrives-today-130029446.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Samsungs Galaxy Z TriFold phone is real

As promised, were back to normal. Dont even think about buying Kindles or subscribing to a new streaming service until Black Friday 2026. Instead, lets talk about a new Samsung foldable with even more folds. The Galaxy Z TriFold is breaking cover and will launch in Korea and other select countries (read: not the US) on December 12. Unlike the early trifold from Huawei, the smartphone has an inward-folding display meant to protect the wider main display, 10 inches wide. The cover screen is 6.5 inches when folded, while the entire TriFold is 12.9mm when collapsed and 3.9mm at its thinnest when unfolded. Engadget That might seem a bit chunky in the face of super-thin smartphones, but its much thinner than Samsungs first Z Fold (17.1mm), back in 2019. Arguably, its a 10-inch tablet (with the right screen ratio) crammed into a smartphone form factor. The phone runs on a custom Snapdragon 8 chip, with a 5,600 mAh three-cell battery and support for 45W super-fast charging. Like the Z Fold 7, the rear camera lineup includes a 12-megapixel ultra-wide lens, a 200MP wide-angle lens and a 10MP telephoto lens. Intrigued? Samsung says the TriFold will be available in the US and elsewhere in the first quarter of 2026. The company hasnt stipulated pricing yet, but it could be spicy . Mat Smith The other big stories (and deals) this morning DJI Osmo Action 6 review: An action camera that excels in low light Instagram mandates total return to office for employees in 2026 Were living through a golden age of Transformers toys Netflix ends casting from mobile devices for users of newer TVs You should still be able to cast to older Chromecast or Google Cast devices. Struggled to cast Stranger Things over the long weekend? It wasnt you and it probably wasnt your TVs fault either. Netflix is ending support for casting from mobile devices to many TVs. According to a help page spotted by Android Authority , Netflix no longer supports casting shows from a mobile device to most TVs and TV-streaming devices. Youll need to use the remote that came with your TV or TV-streaming device to navigate Netflix. The company previously removed AirPlay support in 2019 due to technical limitations. Continue reading. Apples new vice president of AI is a Google veteran Embattled exec John Giannandrea is leaving the company. Apple has hired AI researcher Amar Subramanya, a longtime Google exec, pulling him away from Microsoft to push its AI efforts forward. Subramanya, who Apple describes as a renowned AI researcher, spent 16 years at Google, where he was head of engineering for Gemini. The company also announced that current AI exec, John Giannandrea, will retire in 2026. Giannandrea has shouldered much of the blame for the delays in delivering the next-generation version of Siri. He joined Apple in 2018 after a stint at Google that included VP of search. While his hiring was seen as a major coup for Apple at the time, the company has failed to deliver its more personalized AI-centric version of Siri, previewed earlier last year. Not earlier this year: last year. Continue reading. Google limits its free Nano Banana Pro image generator because its so popular Free users can generate two images per day. Engadget Google has announced that free users can currently generate two images per day, down from three previously, on its Nano Bana Pro image generator. Image generation and editing is in high demand, the company writes. Limits may change frequently and will reset daily. This is due to the new model being a big improvement on what came before. The text rendering portion is significantly improved and can even render legible text on top of an existing image. It can also blend multiple elements into a single composition, supporting up to 14 images at once. Google is also limiting free Gemini 3 Pro use. Continue reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121513576.html?src=rss

Cyber Monday deals on tech for 2025 that are still available: The best sales up to 75 percent off on streaming services, gaming, accessories and more

Cyber Monday has come and gone, but the deals are here to stay at least, some of them are for now. Its been a few years since Cyber Monday deals truly wrapped up at midnight, and this year were seeing a ton of great deals still available now that the official day has wrapped. Tech deals have been decent this year, with big discounts on headphones, earbuds, game consoles, laptops, kitchen gadgets and more. If youre still hoping to save on some items for yourself or as gifts for the holidays, weve got you covered. Here are the best Cyber Monday deals on tech that are still available today. Best Cyber Monday deals still available Apple TV+ 6 months for $36: Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Cyber Monday, which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo , The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service. Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle for $449 ($50 off): As of Cyber Monday , there is one actual deal on the Switch 2 that wasn't available for Black Friday. Walmart currently has the Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle for $50, bringing it down to $449. Note, though, that you must be signed into a Walmart account and add the item to your cart in order to see the discounted price. There's no telling how long this deal will last. PlayStation 5 standard edition for $453 ($96 off): The PlayStation 5 is getting a major Cyber Monday discount, with $100 off consoles. That brings the PS5 Digital Edition down to $399, the standard PS5 to $449 and the new PS5 Pro to $649. If youve been holding out for the right time to upgrade or buy your first console, these are the deals to beat. You'll find them direct at Sony and from other retailers including Amazon and Walmart . We're seeing some of the consoles, particularly the digital edition, go in and out of stock as of late. However, it has come back eventually at retailers like Amazon. If you see the model you want listed as out of stock, it's worth it to check back in an hour or two to see if that's changed. Samsung P9 microSD Express card (512GB) for $75 (25 percent off): There are only a handful of microSD Express cards on the market right now, and they are the type you need if you want to expand the storage on your new Switch 2. After testing a bunch of these cards to find the best microSD Express card for Switch 2 , our biggest takeaway was that most of the ones on the market right now work well and you should get the capacity you want at the cheapest price you can find. This is a great deal on a 512GB card, and there are other Cyber Monday deals on 256GB cards , too. DJI Mic Mini wireless lav mic for $59 (50 percent off): Content creators or anyone who just needs higher quality audio in the videos they make will want a wireless microphone like the DJI Mic Mini. Its lightweight and easily attaches to almost anything via clips or magnets, and it pairs easily with smartphones and cameras via Bluetooth. You can also get a configuration that includes a charging case for $80. Google Pixel 10 Pro for $749 (25 percent off): You can get much better than this when it comes to Android phones . Google's latest flagship has a brighter display, longer battery life, a camera that supports 100x Pro Res Zoom and Pixelsnap (i.e. Qi2) charging support. Audible three months for $3 + $20 Audible credit : 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. HBO Max one year for $36: HBO Max's Cyber Monday deal gives subscribers one year streaming for $36 through December 1. This Cyber Monday streaming deal is on the ad-supported option, which normally goes for $11 per month. With this discount, you're getting it for $3 per month for one year. You can sign up via HBO Max's website or, if you're a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on . Starz one year for $12: Pay upfront for one year and you can get more than $50 off a Stars annual subscription. There's a month-to-month option too, which costs $3 per month for the first three months if you don't want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library with offline viewing and no ads. MasterClass up to 50 percent off annual subscriptions: The MasterClass Cyber Monday deal discounts most subscription tiers by 50 percent when you pay for one year upfront. The Premium tier, the most expensive option, usually costs $20 per month but now only sets you back $10 per month for one year. That gives you access to the entire MasterClass content library, offline viewing and up to six simultaneous streams. Paramount+ (2 months) for $6 ($20 off): Paramount+ is doing its Cyber Monday deal a little differently. Instead of a reasonably cheap long-term plan, you get an incredibly cheap short-term deal two months for less than a Starbucks run costs these days. That's more than enough time to binge Yellowjackets, Dexter: Resurrection or Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, along with weeks of NFL games through CBS Sports. Proton VPN (24 months) for $59.76 (75 percent off): Proton VPN is our pick for the best VPN a secure, trustworthy app that doesn't sacrifice features, speed or usability. Although its free plan does come with unlimited data, we recommend upgrading to get the full set of servers and features. With this deal, you'll get servers in 117 countries; better yet, every one of those we've tested so far can unblock Netflix. Apple AirPods 4 for $80 ($50 off): These are the most affordable AirPods you can get, and the latest model has been substantially improved over the previous. They have a better fit and noticeably better sound quality than their predecessor, plus some advanced features previously only found on pricer models. Apple AirTags (four pack) for $63 (36 percent off): iPhone users who frequently misplace things should invest in a few AirTags. Slip them into your wallet, bag, jacket and other belongings to keep track of their locations in the Find My app. Just make sure that, if you're going to attach one to your keys, you also pick up an AirTag holder to go along with it. Apple Watch SE 3 for $199 ($50 off): The SE has been our top pick for the best Apple Watch for those on a budget, and the latest model only solidifies that further. It has the same chipset found in the latest flagship Apple Watches, fast-charging capabilities, an always-on display and most of the same activity-tracking features you'll find in more expensive model. LEGO Botanicals Happy Plants Building Toys 10349 for $18 (20 percent off): Heres an ideal Secret Santa gift everyone loves Legos and these cheery little guys will keep your giftee company at their desk or on a windowsill, and are the lowest-maintenance plants around. Also at Target and Walmart ; it's one of many Lego Cyber Monday deals you can get right now. Philips fabric shaver for $13 (32 percent off): Consider this the Cyber Monday tech deal you didn't know you needed. If you have shirts, sweaters, pants, even blankets that have pilled over time, this handy little fabric shaver can get them looking more like new again. I bought this on a whim after wishing I could refresh some of my most-loved wardrobe staples without spending hours pulling pills off myself. Philips' fabric shaver has delivered and then some, and my clothes look much fresher than before. Roku Streaming Stick Plus for $19 (52 percent off): This is one of the best Roku devices to get if you're on a budget and just want to make an aging TV set feel a little bit newer. This model supports 4K HDR content, has pretty accurate universal search and gives you access to a ton of free content to watch via Roku's streaming OS. Samsung Evo Select (512GB) for $33 ($14 off) : We recommend the Evo Select in our microSD card buying guide for those on a tight budget. It has mediocre write speeds, so its not ideal for a camera, but it should be serviceable for most people just looking to add space to an Android tablet or original Nintendo Switch on the cheap. (Note that this is a standard UHS-I card, not a newer microSD Express model.) This deal matches the lowest price to date for the 512GB variant. Also at Samsung and B&H . UGreen Uno Nexode Charger Block (65W, 3-Port) for $34 (31 percent off) : There are other ways to charge your devices, but few are this cute. Thats why we named it one of the best stocking stuffers you can buy. You get three ports in its head and outlet prongs hidden in its removable magnetic feet. Its 65 watts are enough to charge multiple devices at once. Also available directly from UGreen . Dyson AM09 Hot + Cool heater and fan for $350 ($150 off): I've had this heater and fan for over five years at this point and it remains one of my favorite pieces of tech. It's lightweight enough to carry from room to room and it's both a heater and a fan: it cuts the chill in my home office during the winter, and circulates the air to keep me cooler in the summer. You can control the whole thing using the included remote (and it includes a sleep timer), and it handily attaches magnetically to the top of the device so you don't misplace it. Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $248 ($158 off): While the new XM6 headphones have replaced these as Sony's flagship cans, that doesn't mean the XM5 aren't worth buying. They were our top pick for the best wireless headphones for years before the XM6 came around, and they still have excellent ANC, great sound quality, long battery life, a comfortable fit and handy extra features like multipoint connectivity. PlayStation VR2 + Horizon Call of the Mountain bundle for $299 ($100 off) : Its hard to broadly recommend the PSVR2: The actual hardware is superb , but there arent a ton of standout exclusives to play. Thankfully, you can now use the device with a gaming PC through a separate adapter , though its all wired-only. Still, if you have cash to burn and want to dive into games like Gran Turismo 7 , the Resident Evil 4 remake or the Horizon adventure bundled here, this is a new low. If this offer runs out of stock, the standalone headset is on sale for the same price. Also at Best Buy and Walmart . Hisense U65QF (55-inch) for $398 ($402 off MSRP) : The U65QF is another entry-level LED TV with generally positive reviews . Most feedback around the web suggests that it cant match the QM6K in terms of contrast, gaming features and overall accuracy, so TCLs model should be a better buy for most. This iteration also uses Amazons Fire TV platform instead of the cleaner Google TV . It can achieve a higher peak brightness, however, so its worth considering if you get particularly bad glare in your living room. This is the lowest price weve seen for the 55-inch model, but the 65-inch ( $548 ), 75-inch ( $748 ) and 85-inch ( $900 ) models are also at all-time lows. Also at Best Buy . LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable 75375 for $68 (20 percent off): This is a set that any Star Wars fan will love to build and then love to display once it's complete. The 921-piece set features a fully-detailed Millennium Falcone, buildable stand and nameplate. Aura 10.1-inch digital frame for $139 (22 percent off): Aura makes some of our favorite digital frames , and this one has a 10-inch HD display, Wi-Fi connectivity and an elegant mat design. Arguably the best thing about Aura frames in general is that you don't have to pay a subscription fee to add photos to it over time all photos are stored in the cloud, and multiple people can add photos to one frame. Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $180 (22 percent off): The Creami has been one of the most sought-after kitchen appliances of the past couple of years, and for good reason. It's one of our favorite pieces of kitchen gear because it makes it a breeze to prepare custom ice cream and many other frozen treats. It's definitely worthwhile investment if you're an ice cream lover and want to experiment with making your own flavors. Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum for $400 ($600 off): This is one of the best robot vacuums you can get, period. It doesn't have a self-emptying base, but its superior suction power almost makes up for that. It's one of the strongest robot vacuums I've ever tested, and it has excellent obstacle avoidance. The latter means you will rarely, if ever, have to attend to it getting caught on the edge of a carpet or getting stuck under a piece of furniture. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-deals-on-tech-for-2025-that-are-still-available-the-best-sales-up-to-75-percent-off-on-streaming-services-gaming-accessories-and-more-170028972.html?src=rss

The best Xbox games for 2025

Whether youre into shooters, fighting games or immersive RPGs, theres something for every Xbox owner out there. While Microsofts first-party output has been a bit slim lately, the company has been on a tear acquiring the likes of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard , as well as pumping up the amount of worthwhile titles in its Game Pass subscription service. The result is a plethora of games to choose from, which can be either a blessing or a curse for the indecisive gamer. To make life a bit easier, weve highlighted some of the best titles available on the Xbox Series X and S (some of which are also playable on older Xbox One systems). Weve chosen a mix of old and new titles, but given the hundreds of hours weve put into these games, we can guarantee theyre well worth your time. Best Xbox games Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games , the best PS5 games , the best Xbox games , the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/best-xbox-games-140022399.html?src=rss

Cyber Monday streaming deals are still going: MasterClass subscriptions are 50 percent off the day after the sale

Cyber Monday has wrapped, but MasterClass is extending one of its best offers of the year. For a limited time, all annual plans are 50 percent off, giving new subscribers a cheaper way to explore the platforms wide catalog of cooking, writing and music courses. Its one of the few subscription deals still available postCyber Monday. MasterClass has built a reputation as one of the best streaming platforms for learning new skills and creative hobbies. The service features courses led by industry leaders who share practical insights drawn from their own careers. Whether you want to cook with Gordon Ramsay, explore storytelling with Neil Gaiman or study filmmaking with Martin Scorsese, the range of topics is broad enough to appeal to almost any interest. Classes are organized into short, easy-to-follow video lessons, making it simple to fit learning into a busy schedule. Each one comes with supplemental materials like downloadable workbooks, assignments or behind-the-scenes notes that add extra depth. New classes are added regularly, so subscribers have a steady flow of fresh content throughout the year. Subscriptions are structured around annual plans that unlock the full catalog. You can watch classes on most devices, including smartphones, tablets and smart TVs, and your progress syncs across platforms. Offline viewing is supported too, so you can download lessons to study during travel or commutes. Beyond creative skills, MasterClass has expanded into professional growth and wellness topics, with courses covering leadership, communication and mindfulness. Its not just about inspiration; the platforms focus on actionable advice makes it a practical choice for anyone who wants to pick up new skills or refresh existing ones. Normally, annual plans cost anywhere from $120 to $240 per year, so up to a 50-percent discount represents significant savings for new or returning subscribers. If youve been thinking about joining or gifting a membership, this promotion is one of the best times to do it. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-streaming-deals-are-still-going-masterclass-subscriptions-are-50-percent-off-the-day-after-the-sale-163035935.html?src=rss

This Paramount+ Cyber Monday streaming deal is still live: Get either the Essential or Premium plan for only $3 per month for two months before the sale ends

Cyber Monday has ended, but some streaming discounts are still live, including a solid offer from Paramount+ . New subscribers can get two months of service for $6 total, and the price applies to either the Essential or Premium plan. At $3 per month, the Premium tier gives you a larger discount, and the promotion is available through December 2. Paramount+ continues to expand its catalog with a mix of current CBS shows, exclusive originals, classic TV and live sports. The service is available in two main tiers: Essential, which includes ads, and Premium, which removes most of them and adds a few key extras like 4K streaming, offline downloads and live CBS access. Both tiers include select Showtime programming, giving subscribers a taste of the premium networks lineup. The Essential plan provides access to more than 40,000 episodes and movies, along with live coverage of the NFL on CBS and UEFA Champions League matches. It supports up to three simultaneous streams, making it a practical choice for households that share accounts. The Premium plan builds on that by offering ad-free on-demand viewing (with exceptions for live broadcasts), higher-quality playback and the option to watch CBS live in participating regions. Paramount+s growing library combines new releases with well-known favorites, offering titles from across CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. Sports fans get live coverage of key events, while movie watchers can find recent cinema releases from Paramount Pictures joining the lineup throughout the year. The inclusion of Showtime series in both plans adds another layer of variety, with dramas and documentaries available alongside the core Paramount+ content. If youre keeping an eye on subscription costs, an offer like this is a practical way to test the service without paying full price. It also gives you time to see whether the Essential plans ad-supported setup or the Premium tiers extras are worth the difference. If youve been watching your streaming spend as prices go up elsewhere, this deal from Paramount+ offers a well-balanced opportunity to experience both plan levels at a lower cost. Paramount+ is one of the best streaming services thanks to its vast selection of original shows like Star Trek: Discovery , Ink Master and Frasier . If youre ready to stream big shows and live events without a heavy commitment this Cyber Monday offer is one to keep in mind. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-paramount-cyber-monday-streaming-deal-is-still-live-get-either-the-essential-or-premium-plan-for-only-3-per-month-for-two-months-before-the-sale-ends-192516088.html?src=rss

The best wireless chargers for 2025

Keeping your devices charged shouldnt feel like a chore. Wireless chargers make it simple to top up your phone, earbuds or smartwatch by just setting them down, which is especially useful if youre tired of frayed cables or worn-out ports. A good charger can live on your desk, nightstand or even in your travel bag and still keep everything powered with minimal effort. Wireless charging has also improved a lot in recent years. Many newer models support faster speeds, magnetic alignment or multiple charging spots for people who use several devices at once. Youll find stands that hold your phone upright for video calls, pads that work quietly on a nightstand and compact travel chargers that fold flat when you need to pack light. Weve tested a range of options to find the best wireless chargers for everyday use. Whether you want a simple pad for your bedside table or a more versatile station that can handle your entire setup, these picks deliver reliable performance without adding clutter to your routine. Table of contents Best wireless chargers for 2025 What to look for in a wireless charger Where and how will you use your charger? Wireless charging performance Quality and box contents Wireless chargers FAQs Best wireless chargers for 2025 What to look for in a wireless charger While its tempting to buy a wireless charging pad optimized for the specific phone you have now, resist that urge. Instead, think about the types of devices (phones included) that you could see yourself using in the near future. If youre sure youll use iPhones for a long time, an Apple MagSafe-compatible magnetic wireless charger will be faster and more convenient. If you use Android phones or think you might switch sides, however, youll want a more universal design. If you have other accessories like wireless earbuds or a smartwatch that supports wireless charging, maybe youd be better off with a 3-in-1 wireless charger or full wireless charging station. Where and how will you use your charger? Odds are that you have a specific use case in mind for your charger. You may want it by your bedside on your nightstand for a quick charge in the morning, or on your desk for at-a-glance notifications. You might even keep it in your bag for convenient travel charging instead of bulky portable chargers or power banks. Think about where you want to use this accessory and what you want to do with the device(s) it charges while its powering up. For example, a wireless charging pad might be better for bedside use if you just want to be able to drop your phone down at the end of a long day and know itll be powered up in the morning. However, a stand will be better if you have an iPhone and want to make use of the Standby feature during the nighttime hours. For a desk wireless charger, a stand lets you more easily glance at phone notifications throughout the day. For traveling, undoubtedly, a puck-style charging pad is best since it will take up much less space in your bag than a stand would. Many power banks also include wireless charging pads built in, so one of those might make even more sense for those who are always on the go. Some foldable chargers are also designed for travel, collapsing flat to take up less space. Wireless charging performance Although wireless charging is usually slower than its wired equivalent, speed and wattage are still important considerations. A fast charger can supply enough power for a long night out in the time it takes to change outfits. Look for options that promise faster charging and support standards like Qi2 certified charging for the best balance of efficiency and compatibility. In general, a 15W charger is more than quick enough for most situations, and youll need a MagSafe-compatible charger to extract that level of performance from an iPhone. With that said, even the slower 7.5W and 10W chargers are fast enough for an overnight power-up. If anything, youll want to worry more about support for cases. While many models can deliver power through a reasonably thick case (typically 3mm to 5mm), youll occasionally run into examples that only work with naked phones. There are some proprietary chargers that smash the 15W barrier if you have the right phone. Apples latest MagSafe charging pad can provide up to 25W of wireless power to compatible iPhones when paired with a 30W or 35W adapter the latter being another component youll have to get right to make sure the whole equation works as fast as it possibly can. Quality and box contents Pay attention to whats included in the box. Some wireless chargers dont include power adapters, and others may even ask you to reuse your phones USB-C charging cable. What may seem to be a bargain may prove expensive if you have to buy extras just to use it properly. As mentioned above, youll want to make sure all of the components needed to use the wireless charger can provide the level of power you need youre only as strong (or in this case, fast) as your weakest link. Fit and finish is also worth considering. Youre likely going to use your wireless charger every day, so even small differences in build quality could make the difference between joy and frustration. If your charger doesnt use MagSafe-compatible tech, textured surfaces like fabric or rubberized plastic are more likely to keep your phone in place. The base should be grippy or weighty enough that the charger wont slide around. Also double check that the wireless charger youre considering can support phones outfitted with cases the specifications are usually listed in the chargers description or specs. Youll also want to think about the minor conveniences. Status lights are useful for indicating correct phone placement, but an overly bright light can be distracting. Ideally, the light dims or shuts off after a certain period of time. And while we caution against lips and trays that limit compatibility, you may still want some barriers to prevent your device falling off its perch on the charging station. Wireless chargers FAQs Do wireless chargers work if you have a phone case? Many wireless chargers do work if you leave the case on your phone. Generally, a case up to 3mm thick should be compatible with most wireless chargers. However, you should check the manufacturers guide to ensure a case is supported. How do I know if my phone supports wireless charging? Checking the phones specification should tell you if your phone is compatible with wireless charging. You might see words like Qi wireless charging or wireless charging compatible. Do cords charge your phone faster? Most often, wired charging will be faster than wireless charging. However, wired charging also depends on what the charging cables speed is and how much power its designed to carry. A quick-charging cable that can transmit up to 120W of power is going to be faster than a wireless charger. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-wireless-charger-140036359.html?src=rss