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Like many companies this year, Sonos is getting an early start to Black Friday. Beginning today, you can save up to $180 off the company's speakers and soundbars, making this a great time to buy that piece you need to complete your home theater setup. The highlight of the Black Friday promotion is the Era 100, which you can currently get for $199, or $50 off its usual $249 price. If you're in the market for a soundbar, consider the Sonos Arc. Now that the Arc Ultra is available, Sonos has discounted its previous flagship soundbar by $200 to $699. For something more affordable, the Beam 2 is currently $369, down from $499. Lastly, there's the Era 300. Right now, you can buy the Dolby Atmos-compatible speaker for $359, instead of $449 as usually priced. All of these deals are being matched by Amazon, too. More than a few of Sonos' speakers, including the Era 100, have found a spot and stayed on Engadget's list of best smart speakers. If you care about music but still want a speaker with modern features, a Sonos system is the way to go. Not only do the company's speakers sound great, but you also get access to things like AirPlay 2 that make it incredibly easy to play exactly the song you want to listen to in the moment. You may have seen that Sonos bungled the release of the latest version of its companion app. That's true, but as things stand, the company has done a lot of work in recent months to fix its software. As a daily user, I can safely say the Sonos app is in much better shape now than it was in the spring. Other than the premium price that comes with Sonos products, there's not much they don't do as well or better than the competition. With the discounts the company is offering for Black Friday, its speakers come even more highly recommended. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonos-black-friday-deals-save-up-to-200-on-speakers-and-soundbars-130038835.html?src=rss

Creators who sell assets on itch.io will now have to be a lot more upfront about using generative AI. The marketplace for independent digital creators has introduced a new rule that requires users to label their projects if they were produced using generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Midjourney. Users will see an AI generation disclosure box when they upload their projects. If they confirm that their project contains AI-generated output, they'll be required to indicate what kinds of content were made with generative AI, whether they're graphics, sounds, text and dialogue or code.If they have a public asset page, they'll see a dialog box when they access their dashboard, making it easy to bulk tag their projects. They'll be able to select multiple projects from their list and then indicate whether they contain AI-generated content or not. All assets with AI output will get the "AI Generated" tag, while those without will be tagged as "No AI." Each content type will have its own sub-tag, as well.itch.io requires all assets that used AI in any way, even if the creator had hand-edited it, to be tagged as AI Generated. And if it finds any untagged work that used artificial intelligence tool, it will make that asset ineligible for indexing so that potential buyers could no longer find it. However, it's unclear what measures the marketplace is taking to police its website. While itch.io's new policy may not be enough for those who'd rather ban AI content altogether, the tags will allow buyers who don't want AI assets in their work to filter them out.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/itchio-marketplace-now-requires-asset-creators-to-disclose-their-use-of-generative-ai-130031999.html?src=rss

Aside from Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday is the best time of year to pick up an Echo speaker, a Fire tablet or a Kindle ereader from Amazon. While the online retailer typically saves all of the best discounts on its devices for the members-only sale events, it's a safe bet that those deals will come back around for Black Friday. This year is no different: we're seeing record-low prices (or close to them) on all of Amazon's gadgets. These are the best Amazon Black Friday deals you can get right now.

As our homes (and lives) get smarter, the need for some sort of digital hub big enough to run things becomes more urgent. It's why Amazon surprise-released a new 21-inch version of its Echo Show that does everything the Show 15 did, but biggererer. It gets a built-in smart home hub with Thread, Zigbee and Matter control, Wi-Fi 6E and a better camera for video calls.I bought an Echo Show 8 on a whim to use as a screen for my Ring doorbell and found it quite underwhelming. But the idea of having a 21-inch screen that could theoretically lay out to-do lists and calendar tasks on the daily is quite appealing. Having two small kids makes being able to marshal all our schedules on one device quite desirable.- Dan CooperGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!The best Black Friday deals

It's Black Friday, and if you're in the market for a smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is $70 off. That makes it $230, a record low for the device. Our team tried out the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 at the Paris Galaxy Unpacked event earlier this year (Samsung's second Unpacked of the year, to be precise). It's one of the first smartwatches to receive Wear OS 5, the latest Google wearables operating system. Fun fact, even Google's products didn't get it until later. The Galaxy Watch 7's features include an improved heart rate tracker, an energy score calculator to determine your physical readiness for the day and suggested responses in messaging, which are powered by Galaxy AI. Galaxy AI will formulate responses based on your past conversations, but the feature only works if you allow it to read them. Additionally, Samsung's AI model can gather your sleep habits and provide useful insights. The smartwatch is even powerful enough to detect signs of sleep apnea and severe instances of breathing disruptions. While we haven't reviewed the Galaxy Watch 7, we did put the Galaxy Watch 6 through a detailed evaluation. We found it to be comfortable to wear and great for fitness enthusiasts, and it has dedicated health-tracking functions for those who need it. If anything, we take it as a good sign that Samsung has a high standard for its smartwatches. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsungs-galaxy-watch-7-drops-to-230-for-black-friday-120049385.html?src=rss

Who couldn't use a good massage right now? This Black Friday sale slashes $50 off one of our favorite gifts for moms: the compact and triangular Theragun Mini 2.0 massage gun. It can soothe aches and pains and easily slide into a small purse, backpack or gym bag. The massager is discounted to $149, down from its usual $199. It's part of a larger sale of Therabody's often coveted recovery devices both at Therabody and at Amazon. Although more forceful massage guns are available, Therabody's second-gen mini massage gun strikes a nice balance of power and portability. It's 20 percent smaller and 30 percent lighter than its predecessor, measuring 5.55 x 4.92 x 1.93 inches and weighing one pound. This 2.0 model has a slightly longer battery life than the first Theragun Mini: up to 120 minutes from a full charge (via USB-C). It has three speeds, ranging from 1,750 to 2,400 percussions per minute (PPM). Its 12mm amplitude delivers deep tissue massage to help you recover after a workout or soothe areas of habitual tension or chronic aches. Although this model lacks a screen, it has an LED speed indicator. You can also pair it via Bluetooth with the Therabody app to control the device and perform guided massage routines. This model includes three attachments: a dampener (firm but gentle), a standard ball (firmer) and a thumb (for trigger points). However, if you decide to expand its arsenal, it's compatible with all of Therabody's fourth and fifth-generation attachments. The massage gun includes a soft carrying case to protect it while bouncing around in your workout bag. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-include-the-theragun-mini-massager-for-149-150030292.html?src=rss

The Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet is on sale for just $140, which is a record low price. This early Black Friday deal brings the price down from $230, which is a savings of nearly 40 percent. That's a whole lot of tablet for not so much money. This is a fairly recent entry into Amazon's library of tablets, having just been released last year. The Fire Max 11 boasts a large 11-inch LCD screen, a slim aluminum frame and plenty of smart home controls. Of course, it integrates with Alexa for voice controls. This is the cooler and more refined sibling of the Fire 10 and Fire 8 tablets. The tablet uses an octa-core MediaTek processor and weighs just over a pound. There's a fingerprint sensor, support for WiFi 6 and 4GB of RAM. It runs Fire OS 8, which allows for split-screen and picture-in-picture features. This lets users slam some emails while, say, keeping an eye on a YouTube video. The tablet integrates with a keyboard and stylus, but those cost extra. There are some minor downsides. First of all, this is an ad-supported model that'll throw advertisements on the lock screen. In my experience, these are surprisingly unobtrusive. I hate ads and barely notice them. This sale is also for the 64GB version. That's not a whole lot of room but the tablet does come with a microSD reader for up to 1TB of additional storage. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-black-friday-deals-include-the-fire-max-11-tablet-for-a-record-low-of-140-150026096.html?src=rss

Our choice for best budget open design earbuds is currently discounted for Black Friday. Right now, you can pick up the Amazon Echo Buds for just $25, down from $50 - an all-time low price that makes an affordable option that much more accessible. Amazon released its most recent generation of Echo Buds in 2023 and impressed us with its level of quality for an open earbud option. The semi-in-ear style allows for more ambient noise and might be more comfortable depending on your ear shape. The earbuds have some solid perks such as multi-device connectivity and a solid five hours of music playback. You can increase their life by another hour if you turn wake word off. You'll get up to 20 hours of charge with the case. As an Amazon device, the Echo Buds are also equipped with Alexa, so you can ask the assistant to play music, call someone, set a reminder or one of the many other standard tasks. Plus, you can use the Alexa app to set tap controls for muting your mics and changing your music. Speaking of music, these earbuds have 12mm drivers and a crisp overall sound (though the open nature hurts the bass quality). Be careful, though, when working out as their low IPX2 water resistance rating means sweat could be a problem. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-bring-the-echo-buds-down-to-only-25-161530606.html?src=rss

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has released a 23-page document calling for the breakup of Google, including a sale of the Chrome web browser and restrictions on Android, confirming previous reports. Selling Chrome "will permanently stop Google's control of this critical search access point and allow rival search engines the ability to access the browser that for many users is a gateway to the internet," DoJ lawyers argued in the filing.The regulator said that Google must also stop favoring its own search engine in Android. If the company fails to do that, DoJ lawyers argued that it should also be required to divest its mobile device operating system. They also proposed that Google syndicate search results separately and sell its click and query data to aid rival search engines and AI startups.In a response on its Keyword blog, Google said the DoJ's "staggering proposal" would harm consumers and affect US tech leadership. "[The] DoJ chose to push a radical interventionist agenda that would harm Americans and America's global leadership," wrote Global Affairs president and chief legal officer, Kent Walker. "DoJ's wildly overbroad proposal goes miles beyond the Court's decision. It would break a range of Google products - even beyond Search - that people love and find helpful in their everyday lives."All of this started back in 2020, when the DoJ and multiple states filed a lawsuit arguing that Google paid billions to device manufacturers to secure default status for its search engine. Then in August this year, federal judge Amit Mehta ruled that Google "is a monopolist" in the industry and used its power to charge "supracompetitive prices for general search text ads." (As of last year, Google controlled around 90 percent of the search engine market, processing nearly 9 billion searches per day.)The DoJ's proposals to breakup Google are based on that ruling, but the makeup and philosophy of the department is likely to change drastically in a Trump administration. Indeed, Google's Keyword blog seems to be aimed directly at the incoming president, invoking dangers to security, required disclosure to foreign companies and the mandating of "government micromanagement." Recently, Trump himself weighed in on the matter, suggesting a breakup might be too drastic. "What you can do without breaking it up is make sure it's more fair," he said last month.All of this is still at an early stage, with many court cases and appeals likely to come. Still, it would represent a seismic shift in how Google, a company with 182,500 employees, does business. More importantly, it could drastically affect how the internet works, as over 60 percent of web interactions start with a search query - and most of those are done using Google search.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/department-of-justice-confirms-that-it-wants-google-to-sell-off-chrome-094929822.html?src=rss

Black Friday has arrived, which means Amazon's smart displays are back on sale and significantly discounted. To start, the Echo Show 8 is $70 off its regular $150 price. That's the cheapest Amazon has sold the Show 8 for since the company's Prime Day sales event in July when the device hit a record low price. Amazon has also discounted the more affordable Echo Show 5. Right now, it's on sale for $50, down from $90. Both the Echo Show 8 and Show 5 have been on Engadget's best smart displays list for years. Of the two, the former is the best pick for most people. The 8-inch screen is just large enough to make it easy to interact with the display, but not so big so as to make a device that hogs space on your bedside table. The fact the Show 8 will adapt the size of its user interface to how far away you are from it is icing on the cake. The Show 8 is also a great choice if you want a smart display that's great for video calling. Not only does its 13-megapixel camera offers great image quality, but Amazon has also included a feature that automatically frames your face and follows your movements. As you can imagine, it's a useful feature to have if you want to move around while chatting with your friends and loved ones. When you're not using the Show 8, there's a physical camera cover to protect your privacy. I should also mention that the Show 8 is one of the better-sounding smart displays Engadget has tested, thanks to the inclusion of spatial audio and a room calibration feature. As for the Echo Show 5, it's a great option if space is limited on your desk or nightstand. It's currently one of the smallest smart displays on the market. The inclusion of an ambient light sensor and tap-to-snooze features make for a great smart alarm clock. It can also work as a sunrise clock if you don't want to be jarred from bed. Either way, both the Show 8 and Show 5 are great smart display, especially when you can get them on sale like they are now. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-echo-show-8-drops-to-a-record-low-of-80-in-this-amazon-black-friday-deal-150003009.html?src=rss

Amazon only rolled out the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite last month, but it's already discounted for Black Friday. The new ereader - which has faster page turns, a bigger and better screen and longer battery life - is marked down to $130 ($30 off). That's its first discount on one of our picks for best ereader since launch. The sixth-generation Paperwhite has a seven-inch screen, noticeably bigger than the 6.8-inch one on its predecessor. Amazon also boosted the display's contrast thanks to its oxide thin-film transistor display tech, which should help reduce eyestrain. It still has a warm light that you can tune to match your room's lighting. The front light in the new model gets 25 percent brighter at its maximum level than the fifth-gen model. The new Paperwhite has 25 percent faster page turns than its predecessors, which Engadget's Amy Skorheim found makes a marked difference in the reading experience. (The review was for the more expensive Signature Edition, but it has identical page turns.) At 7.8mm thick, this is the thinnest Paperwhite to date. The ereader still has IPX8 water resistance, and the device uses a new rubberized texture that makes it easier to grip. Amazon estimates its battery will last up to 12 weeks per charge. It ships with a USB-C cable (but no power brick). You can also save on the new standard Kindle on sale for $85 (from $110). Although that model skips out on the warm light and has a smaller screen, it gives you a lighter and more compact ereader on the cheap. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-new-amazon-kindle-paperwhite-is-30-off-for-black-friday-150013311.html?src=rss

It's been over a year since Bose released its QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds but we would argue they're still the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market. Now, for Black Friday, they're also back down to their best price, dropping to $229 from $299. We gave the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds a 88 in our review thanks to features like - you guessed it - amazing active noise cancellation. We found these earbuds especially impressive when it came to blocking airplane noise so, if you have a long flight ahead, this is where to look. These earbuds also produced really great sound quality due to Immersive Audio and spatial audio technology. The clarity, detail and volume come together to create a natural sound that makes it feel as if you're not even wearing earbuds. Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds also tout an impressive battery life (though using Immersive Audio really eats into it). We did find the earbuds to be a bit large, but there are nine soft tips to choose from so hopefully one works for you. Overall, these are a very solid option - especially at the discounted price - if you want great ANC without having to wear headphones. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-earbuds-are-back-on-sale-for-229-for-black-friday-083025834.html?src=rss

Yes, Black Friday is basically here and, though we're not sure where this year went, all the sales are softening the blow. Amazon, sure to be the home of a lot of shopping this year, has already marked down some of its most wanted products. Included in the sales is our choice for best smart speaker under $50, the fifth generation Amazon Echo Dot. Right now, you can pick up the speaker for just $23 - an all-time low price. The fifth-gen Amazon Echo Dot came out in 2022 and has great features, including exceptionally loud and clear audio for its sticker price (let alone the discounted one). It has all the basics and does them well: letting you set alarm clocks and timers, streaming music and podcasts from your streamer of choice and using Alexa for all your questions. If you're unsure about the Echo Dot then check out some of Amazon's other speakers on sale for Black Friday. There's the Echo Spot, which is back to its October Prime Day all-time low price of $45, down from $80. Amazon originally released the Echo Spot in 2017, but discontinued it after two years. The new model launched earlier this year sans awkward bedside camera and plus a better quality display and sound. You can also pick up the Echo Pop for only $18, down from $40. This speaker is a great option if you want a solid device in a small room. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-echo-dot-drops-to-only-23-for-black-friday-150042813.html?src=rss

If you can't get your kids to sit through one of the five NBA games airing on Christmas Day, tune into Disney+, ESPN+ or ESPN2 for a special Disney-fied version. ESPN announced that it will air a Dunk the Halls" broadcast of the San Antonio Spurs versus the New York Knicks featuring animated Disney characters.The broadcast starts at 12PM eastern. If you just want to watch the game played by regular, boring humans, that will also air on Disney+ and ESPN+ as well as ABC and ESPN.Dunk the Halls" will use Sony's Beyond Sports technology to turn Madison Square Garden into Main Street USA from the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The game will also feature appearances from classic Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald and Daisy Duck as well as Santa and his elves from the animated Disney short Prep & Landing.This is the first time the NBA has arranged to air a game with animated characters and graphic overlays. It's also the latest game in a new trend of mixing live sports events with a network's signature cartoon characters. ESPN+, Disney+ and the NFL+ app will air an alternative version of the Bengals-Cowboys game on December 9 featuring virtual characters and scenes from The Simpsons. ESPN3's Full Court Press broadcasts use technology designed by Second Spectrum to create augmented graphics that track players movements and provide real time updates.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-nba-will-air-a-christmas-day-game-with-disney-characters-224921665.html?src=rss

Smaller battery packs are great for refiling phones and tablets, but if you need to keep a laptop juiced up while you're far from an outlet, you'll need something larger. For this guide, we tested portable chargers with at least a 20,000mAh (74Wh) capacity, but kept the upper limit below 27,000mAh (99Wh), since that's about the maximum size allowed by the TSA in carry-on luggage. Some laptop power banks sport extra features like wireless charging or an AC plug so you can power small devices such as a travel printer or an LED lamp. But what all of them have in common is a larger size and higher price tag than standard battery packs. So if you don't want to play a guessing game, these are the best laptop power banks we tested. Table of contents

The holidays are approaching, and you may be scrambling to figure out what you should get dad for the occasion. If you're shopping for a father who's into consumer tech, though, we can help. Below, we've consulted our many hours of gadget testing and put together a list of standout gift ideas, from VR headsets to pizza ovens to meat thermometers. Best gifts for dads in 2024 Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-dads-170014057.html?src=rss

If you're one of the people out there making calls with Meta's Messenger app, its latest update adds a bunch of new features for making video and audio calls, according to the official Meta blog.When you make a video call, you can add an AI-generated background to your screen by tapping on the effects icon in the sidebar and selecting Backgrounds." So instead of showing your friends and family your grungy apartment or your car that you haven't cleaned out since you bought it, you can replace the background with a field of sunflowers or an alien landscape as one of its suns is setting. That's something we've seen from basically every other video calling platform, so it's not a big surprise to see Meta add it here.Meta also added some new features for video calls including high definition video, background noise suppression and voice isolation to help you make clearer, higher-quality calls directly from Messenger," according to the blog.The HD video feature will be the default mode for Messenger calls made over W-iFi connections. HD calls can also be made on cellular data in settings by turning on Mobile data for HD video." Background noise suppression and voice isolation can also be turned on and off in Messenger's call settings section.You can also leave voice and video messages for your contacts beyond just a line of text and maybe a cheeky emoji or two. Simply tap the record message" button on the lower right side of the screen to leave a video or audio message if the person you are contacting doesn't pick up the call.Finally, if you don't have a free hand but need to make a call, iPhone users can ask Siri to make calls and messages for them on Meta's Messenger app. Simply activate Siri and say Hey Siri, send a message to [contact name] on Messenger" and dictate the message you want to send them.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/metas-latest-features-for-messenger-calling-include-ai-backgrounds-200047824.html?src=rss

The battle over who will get all of X's users now that it's an utter cesspool continues. Threads just began rolling out its own custom feeds feature to compete with rival Bluesky. Custom feeds have long been a hallmark of Bluesky and now Threads users can get in on the action. Meta announced it was testing custom feeds just last week, so those tests must have been successful. It's either that or they want to stall Bluesky's continuing momentum.Simply put, the feature allows users to pin topic-based feeds to the home screen of the app. This gives people the option to scroll through additional feeds beyond the algorithmic for you" feed. This is a very good thing, as Thread's current for you" algorithm can be easily manipulated by just posting stuff like who likes cats?" I have seen quite literally 400 posts like that in my feed, all looking for engagement. I like cats but, come on.In any event, users can create a custom feed by searching for keywords and taping the ..." menu to get started. A feed will be created based on the keyword, though the toolset allows for more granular adjustments. For instance, users can add specific profiles to customize each feed. Threads aficionados can create up to 128 custom feeds.Threads has one significant advantage over Bluesky when it comes to custom feeds. Making one on Bluesky is something of a process. It took me around two seconds to make a Star Trek feed on Threads.Lawrence Bonk / ThreadsDespite Bluesky's continued growth, it's still a minor player when compared to Threads. Bluesky just announced 20 million users, which is great, but Threads has more than 275 million users. Threads has also been growing by around a million users a day, according to a recent post from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-rolls-out-its-custom-feeds-tool-after-a-quick-testing-phase-195012720.html?src=rss

Sony offered a sneak peek at its PlayStation Black Friday deals, which start on Friday. In addition to some (currently nebulous) deals on hardware and games, the sale will include up to 30 percent off PlayStation Plus memberships. The deals will run from November 22 through December 2.PlayStation Plus subscriptions will be up to" 30 percent off for a 12-month membership. If you're already a PS Plus Essential Member, you can save 25 percent on the remainder of your plan when upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra. Or, you can shave off 30 percent if you're upping your membership from PS Plus Extra to PS Plus Premium / Deluxe.SonyLess specific (as of now) are the PlayStation Black Friday deals on hardware and games. Direct from PlayStation and through Sony's retail partners, there will be sales on PS5 gear, including the Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle. PS VR2 headsets, DualSense wireless controllers, Pulse headphones or earbuds and PS5 console covers will also be discounted. What we don't know yet is how much savings Sony will offer on any of it.Sony didn't mention the PlayStation Portal, which is about to get a lot more interesting. This week, the company said the handheld will soon run a beta test for cloud streaming. The portable device's inability to do anything but stream your local PS5 games at launch was a bit baffling, to say the least.Select" games for PS5, PS4 and PC will also see price cuts. Sony mentions digital titles like Star Wars Outlaws, Madden 25 and Hogwarts Legacy, so we at least know a few on-sale games to look out for. But similar to the hardware deals, we don't know how juicy the deals will be (or which other titles will be available). You can check back on Friday morning to learn more.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-playstation-black-friday-deals-will-cut-25-to-30-percent-off-ps-plus-subscriptions-193815734.html?src=rss

You don't have to look too hard to find Black Friday deals on Apple devices. For one thing, the Apple Watch Series 10 has dropped to a new all-time-low price on Amazon. The wearable can be yours for $330. That's $70 off, or a discount of 17 percent. That price is for the smaller 42mm model without LTE functionality. However, the 46mm variant is also $70 off at $359. The Apple Watch Series 10 is our pick for the best smartwatch overall, but it's probably best to look at other options if you're an Android user. After all, you'll need a compatible iPhone to set up the wearable and get the most out of it. We gave the Apple Watch Series 10 a score of 90 in our review. Apple redesigned the smartwatch to offer a larger screen and thinner frame, both of which were plus points in our book. The wide-angle OLED panel offers better viewing angles. The wearable has in-depth fitness and health tracking too, with new functions including sleep apnea detection. We found that there was a slight increase in battery life thanks to efficiency improvements, but some alternative smartwatches run for much longer on a single charge. Overall, this is a somewhat iterative update compared with the Series 9 and 8, but if you're upgrading from an older Apple Watch (or buying one for the first time), you may find the features, performance and charging speed to be impressive. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-apple-black-friday-deal-gets-you-70-off-the-apple-watch-series-10-on-amazon-180028764.html?src=rss

Apple's website hardly ever hosts sales of its own and they're not making an exception for 2024. So we have to rely on other retailers, like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target to discount Apple devices for Black Friday. This year, the deals are already looking pretty good - if you've been waiting for a better price before grabbing that iPad or MacBook, the wait was likely worth it.We found new all-time low prices on the Apple Watch Series 10, the 10th generation iPad and the M3 MacBook Air, as well as deals on previous generation devices that'll still serve you well. And if you'd like a little more info before plunking down your money, you can check out our reviews and buying advice beforehand - all of which is linked below. Here are the best Apple deals for Black Friday.The best Black Friday Apple iPad dealsPhoto by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget The line between Apple's tablets and laptops is a little blurry at this point, especially with the release of the iPad Pro this year, which (at the time) housed the company's most powerful chip. The iPad Air is our current pick for the best iPad you can buy and we were delighted by the iPad mini that came out just last month. The only problem is iPads are among the more expensive tablets you can buy. Hopefully these Black Friday iPad deals help out.

Microsoft has announced a long-anticipated feature for Xbox Cloud Gaming. Starting today, you'll be able to stream select games that you own on TVs and Meta Quest VR headsets, as well as supported browsers on phones, tablets and PCs in every country where Xbox Cloud Gaming is available. Microsoft plans to expand the feature to Xbox consoles and the Windows Xbox app next year.You'll still need to be an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member to use this feature, but it means that you're no longer limited to streaming only the games that are on that service. The "stream your own game" option includes support for 50 titles at the outset, with more to be added later. You can stream the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, Stray, The Witcher 3, Balatro, Animal Well, NBA 2K25, Baldur's Gate 3 and several Final Fantasy games. Just look for the "stream your own game" section on Cloud Gaming.An Xbox spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that "streaming the games you own requires a digitally purchased game." So, you won't be able to stream a physical copy of, say, Farming Simulator 25 via this feature, but if you have the disc in your Xbox Series X, remote play is still an option.Although it's broadly good that people have more ways to play their games, this move lines up with Xbox inching toward an all-digital future - one in which gamers without access to fast, reliable Internet connections may be left behind. This also lets Xbox expand its cloud gaming offerings without having to necessarily pay third-party developers and publishers big bucks to get their projects on Game Pass proper.The stream your own game initiative also ties into Microsoft's new ad campaign about all kinds of devices being an Xbox when they are, in fact, not. The rollout comes a day after Sony started publicly testing a cloud gaming option on PlayStation Portal, a feature that the device should have had from the beginning.Update November 20, 1:41PM ET: Added clarification from Xbox that only digitally purchased games, and not physical copies, are eligible to stream.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/you-can-now-stream-some-xbox-games-you-own-but-you-still-need-game-pass-ultimate-181047095.html?src=rss

William Shatner, who once sparred with Engadget over Twitter's verification policy, has finally reprised his most famous role. Captain Kirk is back in the short film 765874 - Unification. This eight-minute story is live now on YouTube and follows the events of Star Trek: Generations, which was the last time Shatner donned his Starfleet uniform.The short was made by a graphics company called OTOY, along with Paramount and Shatner himself. It technically exists to honor the 30th anniversary of Generations, but it also acts as a proper send-off to the first Star Trek captain.Now it's time to get into spoiler territory, for those who haven't seen a 30-year-old movie. Captain Kirk is dead. He died on an uninhabited planet after trying to stop Malcolm McDowell from unleashing an extra-dimensional time ribbon called the Nexus on an unwitting solar system of innocent folks. You know the drill. It's Star Trek!Anyways, the short follows Kirk after dying on that planet. Is it the after-life or maybe the residual effects of the Nexus? We don't know. There's no dialogue to help us along. Instead, a de-aged Kirk, sometimes played by Sam Witwer, wanders an otherworldly realm until he eventually finds an old friend. It's surprisingly touching, particularly for die-hard Trek fans.

Apple Black Friday deals have started popping up, and this is your chance to grab a new iPad for much less than usual. Our top pick for the best iPad for those on a budget, the 10th-gen iPad has dropped to $280, which is a record low and a $70 discount. The 10th-gen iPad is only slightly thicker and heavier than the iPad Air. It looks similar to the iPad Air, too - the tablet no longer has the Home button that its predecessor did, and it has a bigger screen with smaller bezels. The device is powered by Apple's A14 Bionic chip, which was first seen on the iPhone 12 and is powerful enough that we could edit RAW photos in Lightroom when we tested the tablet. When we ran a test for battery life, we discovered that the model could play movies continuously for 11 hours and 45 minutes on a single charge. Unlike previous models with Lightning ports, this one comes with a USB-C port for charging. Apple moved its front-facing camera to its landscape edge, as well. The company gave it a larger display, measuring 10.9 inches, so it doesn't feel as cramped as previous models even with a lot of apps. While the iPad Air does have a better display overall with its lamination and anti-reflective coating, the 10th-gen iPad's isn't bad at all seeing as it costs significantly less, especially with this discount. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-include-the-10th-gen-ipad-for-a-record-low-of-280-130005197.html?src=rss

While the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale events are arguably the best times of the year to pick up most gadgets, they're also a great time to save on subscriptions and services you may already have or that you've been wanting to try. Whether it's an audiobook service like Audible, a VPN service like ExpressVPN or an online learning subscription like Masterclass, you can typically find good subscription deals during this time of the year. Many of them also make it pretty easy to give a subscription, too, if you're considering it as a gift for a loved one this year. To make it easier to find the services you want and need this year, Engadget has curated the best subscription deals you can get for Black Friday this year.Best Black Friday subscription deals

Black Friday deals have arrived for Samsung smartphones, and now you can get a few of our favorites for a few hundred dollars less than usual. The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is currently down to $950 from $1,300. The Ultra came out in early 2024 and quickly became our choice for best premium Android phone. It scored an 89 in our review thanks to features like its long battery life - we often had over 50 percent left after 24 hours. It has a titanium frame and a 6.8-inch OLED panel that peaks at 2,600 nits, rather than the previous 1,750 nits. Plus, it has a slew of AI tools and utilizes Samsung's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for fast performance. If $950 feels (understandably) a bit steep then check out the Samsung Galaxy S24+. The 256GB model is currently marked down from $1,000 to $770 - still a solid chunk of change, but a noticeable difference. The Samsung Galaxy S24+ garnered an 87 in our review, not far off from its sister device. It comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and features like Chat Assist and Live Translate. Its battery life impressed us, though its low-light photography performance left something to be desired. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsung-black-friday-2024-deals-save-up-to-350-on-galaxy-s24-smartphones-150043358.html?src=rss

Amazon just surprise-dropped the Echo Show 21, a massive smart display with all kinds of bells and whistles. As the name suggests, this device boasts a 21-inch screen. It's also wall-mountable, just like the pre-existing Echo Show 15. The display boasts a 1080p resolution, which won't be winning any awards, but the audio quality looks to be much-improved from previous models. The Echo Show 21 should be capable of delivering immersive sound, double the bass and room adaption technology." The camera has been refreshed, with more than double the field of view and 65% more zoom than the first-generation Echo Show 15." It also looks like the auto-framing algorithm has been improved. This thing could be a beast for video calls, as the unit now offers improved methods for the reduction of unwanted ambient noise. There's a built-in smart home hub, with Wi-Fi 6E, Thread, Zigbee and Matter control capabilities. The company says the device should be able to adjust some stuff locally, like lights, switches and plugs. This function first popped up in the Echo Hub, which was first revealed last year. The panel can double as a Fire TV, which is nothing new, and works with Amazon's Fire TV remote. However, the Echo Show 21 ships with the Alexa Voice Remote, along with wall-mounting equipment. A countertop stand is sold separately. The smart display costs $400 and is available now. The Echo Show 15 has also gotten a refresh, for those with limited wall or countertop space. The new model boasts all of the features outlined above, just in a smaller form factor. This one costs $300 and is available now. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/amazon-just-launched-the-massive-echo-show-21-smart-display-174115181.html?src=rss

November is in full swing, which means Black Friday is right around the corner. But the days in which you had to wait for Black Friday proper to get good deals have long been behind us. The holiday shopping season is effectively the entire month of November now, with early Black Friday deals already popping up across the web (and in some stores). We're starting to see deep discounts on a bunch of your favorite tech we've tested this year, which means you can start crossing things off your to-buy list right now.If you're holding out for the best of the best deals, we recommend holding tight until the week of Thanksgiving to see the offerings then, but make no mistake, the sales already available are some of the best of the year. These are the best early Black Friday deals we could find; we'll be updating this post regularly throughout November, so check back for the latest discounts.Engadget's top picksApple Watch Series 10 for $330 ($70 off): The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can get thanks to its slightly thinner and lighter design, wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, watchOS 11 features and slightly improved battery life. We gave it a score of 90 in our Apple Watch Series 10 review.Apple 10th-gen iPad for $280 ($70 off): The best iPad for those on a budget, this model has a modern design, good performance, a landscape-oriented front-facing camera and a solid battery life. It has also done away with the Lightning port in favor of a more modern USB-C port.DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 ($40 off): The latest version of DJI's smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming.Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside if you wish provided you have the separate $10 weather-resistant adapter.LG 65-inch B3 OLED smart TV for $998 ($301 off): This OLED TV has a 120Hz refresh rate, LG's a7 AI processor Gen 6, and support for NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR for an even better gaming experience. A 65-inch OLED set under $1,000 is a great deal, as it's more common to see 55-inch TVs drop below that threshold during sale events.Samsung SmartTag 2 Bluetooth trackers (four-pack) for $62 (38 percent off): These trackers have a handy, built-in keyring hole, an IP67-rated design, a vast finding network and good battery life.Samsung 55-inch The Frame smart TV (2024) for $898 (40 percent off): The latest Frame TVs can show art on the screen when you're not using it, and it has a matte finish to make it look more like a picture frame on your wall. Also available at Samsung.The best early Black Friday tech dealsApple AirTags (four-pack) for $73 ($27 off): These are the Bluetooth trackers to get if you have an iPhone, and they allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings from within the Find My app. Just make sure to pick up an AirTag holder or case if you plan on using them with your keys.Apple Mac mini (M4) for $549 ($25 off with coupon): Apple's newest tiny desktop is on sale for $574, but a $25 coupon will bring it down to a record low of $549. It earned a score of 90 in our Mac mini review for its incredibly fast performance, standard 16GB of RAM, smaller design and front-facing USB-C and headphone jack.Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch) fore $849 ($250 off): The latest MacBook Air is our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in - double the previous base amount. If you're ok with getting an M2 processor, that 13-inch MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is also on sale for $749.Apple 2024 M4 iMac desktop computer for $1,150 ($148 off with coupon): Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, and now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia.Photo by Devindra Hardawar / EngadgetAnker 10K MagGo power bank for $70 ($20 off, Prime exclusive): This is one of our top picks for the best power banks you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand.Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $36 ($9 off, Prime exclusive): A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices.Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $44.25 ($35.75 off): The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen - it's only available to Prime subscribers at Amazon, but you can also grab it at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon.Bose QuietComfort headphones for $199 ($150 off): The latest version of Bose's iconic QC headphones, these cans have excellent ANC, a comfortable (if a bit dated) design, 24 hours of battery life and a quick-charge feature that will get you two hours of battery after just 15 minutes of them being plugged in.Xbox Series X (1TB) with extra controller for $490 ($110 off): This bundle includes a total of two Xbox wireless controllers with the Series X console, and the built-in 1TB SSD is a good starting point for most gamers.Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 ($160 off): Seagate's expansion card is one of the best options for expanding your Xbox Series X/S storage. A 2TB version has dropped to $200, its lowest price to date. It's one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. Also available at Seagate.Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 (20 percent off): This set recreates the scene in which Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers battled the Rebels, and it includes seven Star Wars minifigures.Lego Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos ESPA Podrace Diorama 75380 for $60 (25 percent off): You get LEGO brick models of Anakin Skywalker's podracer and his rival Sebulba's podracer in this set, and the finished product is made to be displayed.Lego Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion 71436 for $60 (20 percent off): This set opens out for more convenient play when it's all built, and it includes King Boo, Yellow Baby Yoshi, Dry Bones and Boo figures.Lego Super Mario Nabbit at Toad's Shop Expansion Set 71429 for $12 (40 percent off): This expansion set includes two brick-built characters (Yellow Toad and Nabbit), and Nabbit's bag is also buildable, too.LegoAudible Premium Plus (3-month) for $1 ($29 off): Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel.Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5.Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out.MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields.Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off): First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps.ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off): Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature.ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off): Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager.Google Pixel Watch 3 for $280 ($70 off with coupon): Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our guide to the best smartwatches and it earned an 84 in our review. It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at Best Buy and Target.Google Nest Indoor security camera (wired) for $70 ($30 off): Google's security camera can tell the difference between people, animals and vehicles while it's monitoring your home, and it supports 1080p video, night vision and two-way audio.Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for $270 ($80 off): One of our favorite air fryers, this machine does a lot more than just air fry thanks to its 11 cooking modes, and while it's larger than a typical air fryer, that means it can cook larger things like a full turkey or chicken.Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 ($27 off): Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device.Blink Outdoor 4 (6-pack) for $180 ($300 off): The Outdoor 4 is a wireless, IP65-rated outdoor security camera we highlight in our guide to the best smart home gadgets. It captures decent (if not class-leading) 1080p video, it's relatively painless to install and it supports features like night vision, motion alerts, local storage and two-way talking. The catch is that it locks things like person detection and cloud storage behind a subscription plan. Still, it's a solid value on balance, and this deal furthers that. We've seen this price on a six-camera bundle for a few weeks, but it's still an all-time low. An eight-camera pack is also on sale for $250, another low.Photo by Jeff Dunn / EngadgetHisense U8N 4K TV (55-inch) for $698 ($402 off): The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at Best Buy.Samsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off): This unique smart speaker can show art or your own photos while it plays music, and it can sync with your Samsung TV speakers. Also available at Samsung.Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $150 ($70 off): Our top pick for the best budget Android tablet sports an 11-inch 90Hz display, a microSD card slot for extra storage and a hefty battery.Samsung T9 portable SSD (4TB) for $299 ($250 off): The latest model in the T-series of Samsung's portable drives supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, and it has dynamic thermal guard to keep it cool even when you're pushing it to its limits. Also available at Samsung.Segway Ninebot Max G2 electric scooter for $775 ($225 off): The latest electric scooter from Segway can reach a maximum speed of up to 25mph, and it can run for up to 43 miles in Eco mode.Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard Bundle for $400 ($180 off): Solo Stove Black Friday deals include up to 30 percent off fit pit bundles that give you all of the necessary accessories to make the most out of your new fire pit. Alternatively, you can pick up the Bonfire fire pit with its stand over at Amazon for only $196.Ooni Black Friday deals: Get 20 percent off pizza ovens: Most pizza ovens at Ooni have been discounted, including a few of our favorites. The Karu 16 multi-fuel oven is down to $519, a whopping $280 off its normal price.Black Friday FAQsWhen is Black Friday 2024?Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 this year.When do Black Friday deals start?We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and you'll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event.When do Black Friday deals end?Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, we've seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday.Where are the best Black Friday deals?There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available - both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure you're getting the best deal before you cross things off your list.Does Apple have Black Friday deals?You typically will not find cash discounts on Apple's website for Black Friday, though it has offered various gift card bundles during Black Friday in recent years. You may be able to find local Apple store discounts on accessories, but Apple isn't a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy.Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-40-black-friday-tech-deals-worth-shopping-from-amazon-walmart-apple-anker-and-others-163039567.html?src=rss

We've tested scores of speakers over the years, and the best ones have made their way into three of our buying guides: soundbars, portable speakers and smart speakers. Right now Black Friday sales are already underway, bringing notable discounts to a few of our top picks.Amazon's says its Black Friday deals will start in earnest November 21, and we expect other retailers to follow suit. That means there will be far more Bluetooth speakers, smart speakers, and soundbars on sale at that point - and we'll update this post as soon as those new discounts go live. In the meantime, brands like JBL and Bose are already on sale. As of this writing, these are the best Black Friday deals on speakers we could find.The best Bluetooth speaker Black Friday dealsJBLPortable Bluetooth speakers make it easy for you to bring the music where plugs don't reach - a picnic, the front stoop, an aimless wander along the North Country Trail. And right now for Black Friday, we're seeing plenty of Bluetooth speaker black Friday deals. Below is the best of what's on sale, all pulled from our Bluetooth speaker guide as well as our reviews and news coverage.The best JBL speaker Black Friday dealsJBL Clip 5 for $50 ($30 off): It's tiny, portable and brings its own clip along with it. You'll get 12 hours of listening from its waterproof body and the whole thing weighs just over half a pound.JBL Flip 6 for $80 ($50 off): This is the one I bought after reading our guide and I love it. The crowler-sized speaker has great sound quality, is durable as heck and can either sit on its end or on its side. Plus it's waterproof, dustproof and packs 12 hours of playtime. Also at Amazon and Walmart.JBL Xtreme 3 for $250 ($80 off): We compare the size of the Xtreme 3 to a football, but since it weighs over four pounds JBL includes a strap for easier carrying. Like most portable speakers it's waterproof and dust-proof. The lively highs and hefty lows sound great outside, but really the speaker really shines when it can resonate indoors. Also at JBL.JBL Xtreme 4 for $300 ($80 off): The latest generation of our recommended JBL Xtreme adds around nine hours of battery life and a replaceable battery. It's also made from more recycled content and throws in some AI-powered tuning. Also at Target.JBL Go 4 for $40 ($10 off): JBL's smallest portable speaker has up to seven hours of battery life on a charge, has an IP67 waterproof rating and has a tiny built-in carry strap so you can bring it wherever you go. Also at JBL and Best Buy.The best Bose speaker Black Friday dealsBoseBose SoundLink Home for $199 ($20 off): It's a smaller speaker at just two pounds but Bose promises premium sound from the SoundLink Home. We haven't had the chance to test it ourselves just yet, but if the sleek good looks are calling to you, this discount might be a good time to invest. Just note that it's not waterproof as the Home" moniker suggests.Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd gen) for $119 ($30 off): When Bose announced the release of the SoundLink Home, the company also introduced this revamped Flex. The first generation is one of the picks from our Bluetooth speaker guide. This newer generation works with the Bose app and has a new programmable button. Also at Bose and Best Buy. The first generation model is on sale for the same price.Bose SoundLink Max for $299 ($100 off): The largest portable speaker Bose makes is part of the new SoundLink lineup which Bose announced in May. Also at Amazon and Target.Bose Smart Soundbar for $399 ($100 off): The latest Bose soundbar came out just a couple months ago and is already on sale. It's a smaller model that supports Dolby Atmos and has an AI Dialogue Mode as well as a Personal Surround feature if you happen to own a pair of the Ultra Open Earbuds. Bose says the AI smarts make voices easier to hear while retaining the audio's immersive qualities. Also at Amazon.Other Black Friday Bluetooth speaker dealsMarshall Willen for $70 ($50 or 42 percent off): This is close to an all-time low price on a tiny music box that we named one of our favorite gadgets from last year. Engadget's Sara Fielding thinks it's perfect, saying, The sound quality is great and it stays connected to my phone regardless of where I go in my little house (the range is 30 feet). Plus, the battery is great, with a playtime of over 15 hours."Sony ULT Field 1 for $98 ($32 off): Earlier this year, Sony waved goodbye to the Extra Bass and XE-Series products, folding them into the new ULT Power Series branding. This 1.4-pound unit has a 12-hour battery life and IP67 rating. This matches the all-time low. It's two dollars more at Best Buy and direct from Sony.Anker Soundcore Motion 300 for $60 ($20 off with coupon): Weighing in at less than two pounds, Anker's speaker has a bright, punchy output with a crisp high end and thumpy bass. Plus it's waterproof and goes for 13 hours on a charge. No wonder it made our list of the best speakers. Also direct from Soundcore.Black Friday smart speaker deals from SamsungSamsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off): Samsung first announced its Music Frame back in January at CES 2024. It takes its cue from the Frame TV that disguises itself as art. This wireless speaker has room for your own (physical) photo within its frame, along with two woofers, two tweeters and two mid-range drivers to spit out sound from your favorite streaming services. Also at Best Buy and directly from Samsung.Black Friday soundbar dealsFor our guide to the best soundbars, our audio expert Billy Steele picked six winners out of the dozens of home theater speakers he and other Engadget staffers have tested over the years - and one of them is on sale for Black Friday (we expect more sales to pop up closer to Black Friday so check this post again). This is a great chance to improve greatly upon the audio from your (probably thin) TV.Samsung HW-Q990C for $1,100 ($898 off): The top spot in our soundbar guide isn't cheap, but this Black Friday deal helps. And, for the price, you get a complete home theater audio setup complete with soundbar, subwoofer and two rear surround speakers. Samsung's HW-Q990C may not have the prettiest name, but the sound quality is a thing of beauty, earning it an 89 in our review.Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-speaker-deals-for-2024-include-up-to-42-percent-off-jbl-bose-marshall-sony-and-more-172645887.html?src=rss

We're still a week out from Black Friday, but several of the better TV sales we expect to see during the big day are already available. If you're looking to upgrade your living room over the holidays, we've dug through reviews and checked price histories to find the Black Friday TV deals that are actually worth checking out. Right now, those include high-end OLEDs and budget LEDs alike from Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense and TCL. As in recent years, a few of those manufacturers kicked off their Black Friday sales toward the start of November, but most of the discounts below represent all-time lows either way. We'll update this list as prices change and new discounts pop up over the next week.

Comcast is spinning out Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango and a bunch of NBCUniversal (NBCU) cable networks into a separate company. That means USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel will soon have a new home. Comcast is hanging onto other NBCU operations, namely NBC, Peacock, film and TV studios, Telemundo and theme parks. Bravo is also sticking around to help keep feeding Peacock's ever-hungry reality TV maw.Comcast says the new entity will be a tax-free spin-off" and the step is "expected to be accretive to revenue growth at Comcast and approximately neutral to Comcast's leverage position." In other words, it's to do with money - and perhaps laying the groundwork for further consolidation between major media companies. The spun-out properties pulled in around $7 billion between them over the last year or so, while their future parent will still have a partnership with NBCU. Comcast is aiming to complete the transition within the next year.In its press release, Comcast calls the spin-off company "SpinCo," which is a placeholder and surely won't be the business' actual name. After all, having "SpinCo" as their parent company's moniker wouldn't exactly be great optics for CNBC and MSNBC journalists.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/comcast-is-spinning-out-rotten-tomatoes-and-cable-networks-into-a-separate-company-151153285.html?src=rss

This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if you're 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, it's safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But there's a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays.

Black Friday is usually a good time to restock on video games and gaming gear at a discount, and this year should be no exception. If you're looking to pad out your backlog, pick up a new console or refresh your desktop with new peripherals, we're rounding up the Black Friday gaming deals that are most worth your attention below.To be candid, the selection as of Wednesday morning is fairly light - we expect tons more discounts to pop up Thursday and Friday, after Amazon, Best Buy, PlayStation and other retailers start their official Black Friday sales in earnest. That said, a number of noteworthy Switch, PS5 and Xbox games are already down to their lowest prices to date, while the Xbox Series X and a few well-reviewed accessories are cheaper than usual too. We've dug through reviews and used price history trackers to ensure each offer below is a genuine deal, and we'll update this post regularly over the next couple of weeks as additional deals become available.

If vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores, a robot vacuum can take that largely manual process and make it almost entirely automated. And unlike a few years ago, you don't have to spend a fortune to get a decent robot vacuum today. That being said, it's always advisable to wait for the Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period if you want to get the best deal on a brand new robo-vac.This year, we're seeing steep discounts on some of our favorite machines, including both robot vacuums and cordless vacuum cleaners. These are the best Black Friday vacuum deals you can get this year.Black Friday robot vacuum deals

Ooni is discounting all of its ovens and accessories by 20 percent as part of a Black Friday deal. This sweeping sale means you can snag one of our two top choices for a home pizza oven. If you're looking to splurge, the Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel pizza oven is available for $519, down from its typical price tag of $799. We appreciate that this model can use wood, charcoal or gas to sizzle up your slices, plus it has a built-in digital thermometer and can fit up to a 16-inch pie. If you'd rather not prep your pizza in the great outdoors, then the Ooni Volt 12 Electric pizza oven might be more your speed. It's on sale for $719 instead of the usual $899. This is our top choice this year for an indoor pizza oven thanks to its quick heating and flexibility for fitting pans or other baked items into its 13-inch interior. It's also flexible on location, since the weather-resistant materials mean it can be used outside too. At the scorching temperatures needed for good pie, you don't want to mess around with the wrong gear. Since Ooni is also cutting the prices on accessories, this is a good time to stock up on other essential tools, like a baking stone or pizza peel. And if you need the ingredients to kick off your pizza journey, Ooni is also taking 20 percent off orders of its dough and up to 50 percent off other grocery items. The Black Friday offer for Ooni goods will be available from today through 11:59 pm local time on December 2. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-20-percent-off-ooni-pizza-ovens-for-black-friday-150052139.html?src=rss

Strinova is a third-person hero shooter coming out this week, and its recent closed beta functioned more like an open beta despite the label. Its anime art style caught my eye, so I decided to register and try it out. While this hero shooter had much in common with others in the genre, I thoroughly enjoyed the new mechanics it introduced.This new third-person shooter from iDreamSky has elements players of Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch and Valorant will find familiar, such as game modes and Agent roles. However, the game sets itself apart by implementing a mechanic called Stringify," allowing Agents to turn from 3D into paper-thin 2D models.Stringify allows Agents to avoid gunfire, climb up walls and even glide through the air, but they can't shoot or use abilities while Stringified. This mechanic allows for possibilities like chambering sniper rifle rounds while minimizing one's hitbox and traversing walls mid-gunfight. It was incredibly entertaining to move around like this, but it isn't so over-the-top like how some Call of Duty games and Titanfall implement movement mechanics. Spamming glides or sprints won't do much good.Each Agent has unique abilities and primary weapons, while secondary weapons and grenades can be swapped out. You have many familiar roles like snipers, designated marksmen with semi-automatic rifles, mid-range assault units and close-quarters-focused brawlers armed with shotguns. The abilities range from defensive supports to lone-wolf offensive kits, though Strinova doesn't encourage engaging groups of enemies alone due to a longer time to kill.My favorite Agent from the open beta is Meredith (image below), a mid-range assault Agent who can glide in mid-air longer due to a time-slowing mechanic. Her gunplay feels almost inspired by Warframe's Zephyr, who also has extended airtime. Meredith also has area denial abilities that apply debuffs, most significantly with her Ultimate Skill that drains HP temporarily while limiting vision.Jeremy Gan for EngadgetAnother standout is Audrey, whose ability turns her into a stationary turret and lets her fire her machine gun without recoil or reloading. However, you'll want to watch out for overheating. She has a limited shield that blocks some incoming fire while aiming down the sights - but there's a catch. Despite being a bullet hose, she's vulnerable to a single sniper headshot, and a shotgun user can take her out quickly before she enters turret mode, which has a longer startup animation.There were four game modes in the open beta: team deathmatch, team arena, escort, and demolition. Escort is similar to what Overwatch offers, which has an attacking team escorting a payload to the goal. Demolition is basically competitive Counter-Strike. Team deathmatch has five teams of three fighting each other, while team arena has a 7v7 format. In the last two game modes, Ultimate Skills are disabled.Based on my experience, Strinova has a longer time to kill, which forces players to be more tactical, especially when everyone can use Stringify to move around. I was forced to ditch my highly aggressive playstyle and employ proper movement and peeking to ensure I survived gunfights. Since each Agent gets to turn 2D, glide and climb walls, there are plenty of ways to get the drop on opponents.Jeremy Gan for EngadgetStrinova ran smoothly on my gaming laptop, reaching 120FPS easily and rarely dropping many frames. However, there was a glaring bug in which my A key was perceived as being held down. The only way to fix" was to pause or unplug my keyboard. I usually had to perform the latter, and it was rather annoying to deal with, though hopefully it's something that gets worked out by release.I definitely enjoyed playing the Strinova open beta, and the game is set to come out on November 21. There are plenty of other cool things in the game, but the combat absolutely stands out. I don't play that many hero shooters, but this one is like a diamond in the rough to me.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/strinovas-2d-stringify-mechanic-breathes-some-new-life-into-hero-shooters-140043155.html?src=rss

While pretty much every TV is a smart TV these days, you might still want a dedicated streaming box to do the heavy lifting - or maybe you'd like to have one for a projector. There a number of Black Friday deals on streaming devices, including the latest Roku Ultra. That box has dropped by $20 to $80, which is an all-time low-price for the streaming box. Roku unveiled the 2024 Ultra in September. It claims that the device is at least 30 percent faster than any of its other players. As such, apps should load quickly and moving around the user interface should feel zippy. The previous version is our pick for the best set-top streaming box (we're currently testing the 2024 model). The Roku Ultra offers 4K streaming with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, as well as Dolby Atmos audio. It supports Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and you can plug in an Ethernet cable as well. This model comes with a second-gen Voice Remote Pro, which boasts backlit buttons and USB-C charging, though Roku says it should run for up to three months on a single charge. Other features include hands-free voice control and a lost remote finder function. Roku ditched the headphone jack for wired listening this time around, unfortunately, but you can still connect wireless headphones to the Roku Ultra via Bluetooth. The Roku Channel offers more than 400 free, ad-supported streaming channels, along with on-demand shows and movies. The Roku Ultra is also compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and AirPlay. In addition to the latest Ultra, you can save on a number of other Roku devices for Black Friday. The most affordable of the bunch is the Roku Express HD, which is down to only $20, and the Roku Streambar SE is on sale for $70 - only $10 more than its record low. Those keen on upgrading their entire TV set should consider this 55-inch 4K Roku Smart TV, which is on sale for $278. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-2024-roku-ultra-drops-to-80-in-this-black-friday-deal-181528897.html?src=rss

Black Friday deals have come for Blink security devices, including the new-this-year Blink Mini 2. You can snag a two pack of the updated, wired security cameras for only $35, which is half off and $5 less than you'd usually pay for just one of them. That's a record low - and cheap enough to qualify as a stocking stuffer. There are a bunch of other Blink devices on sale right now as well, including the Blink Video Doorbell, which is also half off and down to $30. The compact security camera has color night vision capabilities thanks to its built-in LED spotlight. It supports person detection, although you'll need a Blink Subscription for that. They start at $3 monthly or $30 annually for one device. (And you get a 30-day trial to see if it's worth it.) The camera supports 1080p HD live view and has a wider field of view than its predecessor (143 degrees diagonally vs. 110 in the original). It also has a low-light image sensor. The Blink Mini 2 works with Alexa and supports two-way audio. The plug-in camera works indoors and out, but you'll need a $10 weather-resistant power adapter to use it outside. However, it does include mounting screws in the box, along with a 13-ft indoor power adapter and a stand for each camera. You can order the camera in black or white. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-two-pack-of-blink-mini-2-cameras-is-on-sale-for-35-in-this-black-friday-deal-140009644.html?src=rss

A MasterClass subscription is perhaps one of the best gifts you can get for yourself if you love learning new things or honing your skills, and it will now cost you up to 50 percent off. The website is holding a pre-Black Friday sale, so this is your chance to sign up at a discount if you find its regular rates a bit steep. MasterClass' Standard subscription, which allows you to access its content on one device, will cost you $7 a month instead of $10. If you want to watch classes offline, though, your cheapest option is the Plus tier that will now set you back $9 per month instead of $15. It will also allow you to access the service's videos on two devices. But the best option available right now is the Premium tier, which you can get for $10 a month instead of $20. You'll be able to access classes on six devices if you get it, and it also comes with offline viewing. A subscription will let you view more than 200 classes across 11 categories no matter what option you choose. MasterClass offers lessons from some of the best and most well-known people in their field, such as Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Mariah Carey (using voice as an instrument), Stephen Curry (basketball), Steve Martin (comedy), Shonda Rhimes (writing for TV), John Legend (songwriting), Garry Kasparov (chess), Jane Goodall (conservation), Simone Biles (gymnastics) and Samuel L. Jackson (acting). Take note that you'll have to pay for the whole year to be able to enjoy the discounted rates, which are only available for a limited time. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-on-masterclass-subscriptions-start-at-7-per-month-150047706.html?src=rss

Bose's most recent QuietComfort headphones have dropped to $199 for Black Friday, bringing the over-ear cans down to a record-low price. With this 43-percent discount, you can get a pair of headphones with excellent active noise cancellation for a fraction of their usual price. And whether you're eyeing them for yourself or for someone else as a gift, you have seven colors to choose from. A version of these cans made our list of the best wireless headphones, so there's plenty to recommend. The battery life is fantastic, lasting around 24 hours on a single charge. There's also a quick charge feature, which can squeeze two hours of additional use with just 15 minutes at the power outlet. These are primarily wireless headphones, but can operate with an analog connection. The adjustable EQ is great and, of course, the sound is top-tier. Bose is known for making some pretty good stuff. There are touch controls built into the earcups, which is handy, and active noise cancellation. This ANC can be adjusted to create a transparency mode, so you won't walk into a truck or whatever. The headphones are also quite comfortable, thanks to plush earcups and a padded band. The only downside here is the price. It's tough to recommend these headphones at $350, especially with rival products at similar price points from companies like Apple, Sony and Sennheiser. However, it's really easy to recommend them at $200. That's a legit steal. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/boses-latest-quietcomfort-headphones-drop-to-199-in-this-black-friday-deal-174600022.html?src=rss

The UK government is expected to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the roll of social media in summer riots, particularly around the use of generative AI, The Guardian reported. As part of that, MPs (members of Parliament) wish to cross-examine X owner Elon Musk, along with senior executives from Meta and TikTok, as part of a Commons science and technology select committee social media inquiry."[Musk] has very strong views on multiple aspects of this," said Labour chair of the select committee, Chi Onwurah. "I would certainly like the opportunity to cross-examine him to see ... how he reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation. [The committee will] get to the bottom of the links between social media algorithms, generative AI, and the spread of harmful or false content."The government is looking into the use of fake images created by generative AI, often containing Islamophobic content, which were widely shared in social media posts on Facebook and X. Such posts may have inflamed riots last August that took place after three schoolgirls were murdered. MPs are also looking into big tech business models that "encourage the spread of content that can mislead and harm."Musk, who may soon have a large role in the US government under incoming president Trump, has criticized the UK government and isn't likely to attend. During the riots in August he said: Civil war is inevitable," and on Monday stated that "Britain is going full Stalin."In December, UK regulator Ofcom will publish new rules as part of the Online Safety Act. With the new regulations, it's likely that social media platforms will be forced prevent the spread of illegal materials such as CSAM and survey activities that could stir up violence. Companies like X and Facebook will then be required to remove any illegal material.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/uk-government-will-summon-elon-musk-as-part-of-social-media-inquiry-130004409.html?src=rss

The Department of Justice is reportedly planning to make Google sell its Chrome browser to address its search monopoly. It's in response to a 2020 lawsuit filed by the DOJ and several US states that was finally ruled upon in August. Google has, naturally, said such a sale would be a terrible idea and would harm American competitiveness in the tech industry. I'm more curious about how much inherent value Chrome has without the backing of its parent company.- Dan CooperGet this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!News in Brief

Uber is rolling out some new features for the holiday travel season. On Wednesday, it announced a new, super-duper-sized option with extra trunk space for airport travel. In addition, there will be a third shuttle route for NYC travelers.UberXXL is the company's new extra-spacious rideshare option. These airport-only rides offer more trunk space and plenty of comfortable" seating room for you and your group." Uber says pricing for the new jumbo-sized service will fall somewhere between UberXL and Uber Black. Upfront pricing will be available in the app.The service is launching at 40 airports in the US and Canada, including New York's Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark. Other participating UberXXL airports include (among others) LAX, SFO, Reagan National, O'Hare, DFW, Miami and Atlanta. It will be available at over 60 airports globally.UberHoliday travelers will also have new ways to save a few bucks on their trips this year. UberX Share is launching at eight US airports and two international ones. The service lets you book a trip with just one other airport traveler" to save up to 25 percent compared to UberX fares. The company says the cheaper rates will apply even if you aren't matched with a random stranger.UberX Share for flights will launch at Austin, Denver, Newark, Dulles, Miami, New Orleans and Phoenix airports.Uber Reserve, the company's schedule-ahead feature, is adding Flight Capture, which lets you enter your flight info and schedule your trip around it. The app will recommend the best time to leave and ask if you want to adjust your drop-off if your flight is delayed. In addition, Uber Reserve will now give you the option of adding multiple stops when setting up your ride.After launching in New York City last month, Uber Shuttle has added an extra stop to and from LaGuardia. The $18 shuttle service, which lets you save some money on its preset routes, will now include a third stop at the World Trade Center site at 198 Fulton St. It joins the previous two shuttle pickup and drop-off points: Midtown Manhattan (with stops at Port Authority Terminal and Grand Central) and Penn Station.Finally, the Uber app for iPhone has added a widget that could shave a few seconds off the time it takes to schedule a pickup. Starting today, the iOS app has a new Home Screen widget that lets you request a ride in as little as two taps." You can check the App Store for the update today. The company added a ride-tracking Live Activities feature last year.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/ubers-new-xxl-rides-will-have-extra-room-for-your-big-ass-suitcase-110027241.html?src=rss

What qualifies a video game as depressing?" The most obvious answer is that game you simply cannot beat no matter how hard you try, but that's not what we're talking about here. Instead, we're looking at games that just have a pall over them, whether it's directly from story beats or a more subtle vibe given off by the visuals, music or activities the player has to participate in.

Sony announced that it will run a beta test for cloud streaming on its PlayStation Portal gaming handheld. The feature will begin rolling out in an update today, with Europe due to get it starting on Wednesday. Only PlayStation Plus Premium members will be able to access cloud streaming during the beta test, but it's a promising sign that Sony is finally working on this function, even though it took a year to get here. Adding cloud gaming to the Portal addresses one of the big critiques in our review of this handheld, which didn't seem to have an obvious target audience.More than 120 titles from the PS5 Plus Game Catalog will be available in the beta test. That covers a range of games including Dave the Diver, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Monster Hunter Rise and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. No games from the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 will be supported during the beta, but maybe those will join the roster whenever the feature is more broadly available.Portal owners might also want to know that this update adds a couple tweaks to audio and volume controls. But let's be honest, cloud gaming is really the point.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html?src=rss

Twitch is now on the docket for X's lawsuit against companies that stopped advertising on the social media site. X amended its lawsuit on Monday to include Twitch as a defendant in its lawsuit in a federal court in Wichita Falls, Texas, according to Reuters.The new complaint claims that the gaming stream site owned by Amazon stopped purchasing ads on X at the end of 2022. X alleges that Twitch and other companies conspired with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) network's Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative to withhold billions of dollars in advertising revenue" from Elon Musk's social media company.The plaintiff alleges the boycott violated federal antitrust laws and is demanding a jury trial to settle the matter. GARM also announced its discontinuation two days after X filed its lawsuit.X Corp.'s joint lawsuit first filed in August also includes the WFA, the global food manufacturer Mars Incorporated, the drugstore chain CVS and the Danish energy company Orsted A/S over the advertising boycott. X also has a lawsuit against the media watchdog group Media Matters for publishing a report showing X displayed ads next to antisemitic content on the platform.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-adds-twitch-to-its-advertising-boycott-lawsuit-215540775.html?src=rss