Passkeys promise a future without passwords, where we access our accounts as easily as we unlock our phones, with a much higher level of security. Pick your big tech poison, like Apple, Google or Microsoft, and you've probably seen it announce a passkey takeover. While a full-on passkey revolution may be a bit away, you may be asked to set one up for your accounts soon.The username and password approach to logins dates back to the 1960s. Ever since then, it's been hackable. Passwords are guessable or phishable, especially if you fail to meet industry standards for a complex, strong password. For a while, the solution seemed to be multi-factor authentication, or a way to verify your identity at login via text message, app, hardware key or other methods. But passkey proponents are saying that solving login security problems means reinventing the first step, not adding on additional processes.It's the closest to something that can be scaled to get rid of passwords that we've ever seen," said Megan Shamas, senior director of marketing at industry association FIDO Alliance. A passkey is a digital authentication credential that is securely stored on your device. Instead of what Shamas called a shared secret" method of passwords, passkeys are a unique key pair for every online service you use bound to the domain. So, if you create one for your online banking account, and a spoofed website prompts you to sign in, the passkey won't work.It also prevents phishing attacks because you can't give away your passkey like you can with a password or MFA phrase. We can't call it unphishable," said Derek Hanson, vice president of solutions architecture and alliances at security authentication company Yubico, but it certainly thwarts the common attack vectors used today. At the very least, it makes it much more costly and difficult for a hacker to get in, making the hackers likely to move on to weaker targets.For the user, they're meant to be easier, too. Instead of trying to keep track of nearly 100 passwords or more, the passkey is stored on your device and connects automatically to the service. Similar to unlocking your phone, you'll need to enter a pin, fingerprint, face scan or other simple authentication to log in. It seems too good to be true, and it sort of is, because it's still a fragmented space. While the big names have made passkeys trend recently, they could also be holding back widespread use.Currently, using a passkey locks you into a certain service provider, according to Sayonnha Mandal, Ph.D., lecturer at University of Nebraska Omaha. You can't, for example, log in to websites on an Android phone with a passkey stored on a MacBook. It's the kind of lock-in these companies tend to favor because it keeps customers loyal to their brand. So, it'll take cooperation and in the absence of a government industrial standard that everybody mandatorily has to adhere to, I don't think by themselves, the companies would."But Shamas says that cross-platform accessibility is coming, as companies sign on to FIDO's industry standards for passkey development. The deep investment across the industry (including Apple, Google, and Microsoft) to develop and evangelize the passkey technology speaks to the broad belief in its promise," said a Google spokesperson. At the time of publication, Google Chrome on Mac and Windows only stores passkeys on the local device.For now, if a website offers you a passkey login option, you should probably sign up. At least for your most sensitive accounts like online banking, make the switch to passkeys as soon as it's offered for an added layer of protection on those accounts, Mandal said. But, if passkeys do take over, it will be a slow transition. Services will likely still offer password options because it's what consumers are used to, and passkeys still don't have wide enough support.In the meantime, it's a good reminder to stay on top of your security settings. If passkeys aren't available, make sure MFA is set up and your password is strong instead of just avoiding the security reminder pop-ups at log in.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/passkeys-passwords-authentication-security-133024414.html?src=rss
Watching movies and TV shows on your laptop is the easiest way to binge watch media when you're an overworked student - but we think you deserve better. A small TV will let you truly relax, and crucially, enjoy things with other people. (Watch parties around laptops are just sad, sorry.) A TV is also essential for gaming, especially if you want to take on your roommates in Street Fighter 6. And in a pinch, having a separate TV screen can be useful as a secondary monitor. Here are some of the best budget TV choices for students, along with a few accessories to make the experience even better.TVs for smaller spaces43-inch TCL 4-SeriesA television with Roku or Google TV built-in is one of the easiest ways to start streaming content, making them ideal for most students. This 4-series TCL model sports a 4K screen (with upscaling from lower-res sources) and HDR, for better dynamic range. But best of all, you can usually find it under $300. It's not the most feature-packed TCL TV (the 5-series costs around $200 more and adds Dolby Vision), but it's one of the best options at that price. And at 43 inches, it's small enough to fit in most dorm rooms, while still offering enough screen space to immerse you in a film.Vizio M-Series Quantum smart TVsA slight upgrade from Vizio's entry-level D-series TVs, the M-series sets are better suited for gamers with support for billions of colors and AMD's FreeSync (which makes gameplay smoother). It also has a sub-10ms response time - not the fastest around, but speedy enough to make most games playable without feeling laggy. It also looks fairly modern, with a 3-sided bezel-less design. Best of all, it's fairly affordable, starting under $400 for a 43-inch set. And if you want these features in a bigger screen, you can scale all the way up to 75-inches (just imagine that in a cramped dorm room.)Bigger and better TVs55-inch TCL 5-SeriesTCL's 5-series sets are available in Google TV or Roku flavors, and pack in plenty of value for their price. That includes support for Dolby Vision, a wide color gamut souped-up with Quantum Dots, and plenty of local backlighting zones to manage black levels and contrast. You'll notice a significant visual upgrade over the other budget sets mentioned, so we'd recommend upgrading to this one if you've got a discerning eye. The 5-series slim and bezel-less design also looks very modern, and it supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple's HomeKit.Must-have streaming accessoriesChromecast with Google TVIf you're a heavy Google user, there's no better streaming device than the Chromecast with Google TV. Unlike previous versions of Google's puck, it has an interface of its own, along with a suite of streaming apps to choose from. And yes, you can still cast video from Android devices or the Chrome browser. The Chromecast is a great option if you're buying a cheaper TV, but be sure to check if your set already has Chromecast streaming built in.Roku Streaming Stick 4KIf you own an older TV, or you just want something a bit zippier than your set's onboard apps, Roku's Streaming Stick 4K is worth snapping up. It's just $40 (and often less), supports 4K (with HDR and Dolby Vision), and it gives you access to Roku's entire app library. Best of all, though, it's so tiny you can easily bring it along when you're traveling. The Streaming Stick 4K also supports Apple AirPlay, giving you a way to cast video from iOS devices and Macs. Roku's bundled voice remote also makes it easy to search for things without pecking away at an onscreen keyboard.Roku StreambarThe Streambar is an unusual device. It's both a decent soundbar and a media streaming box. That's just so Roku. Honestly, if you're picking up a TV, you should really consider a soundbar of some kind. (We have a whole guide dedicated to that.) But we're recommending the Streambar here because it's a relatively simple and inexpensive solution that solves two common pain points: getting streaming apps and better sound. It's also a nice thing to have around to play a bit of music when you're not watching anything. For even bigger sound, you might also want to consider the slightly pricier Streambar Pro.Jabra Elite 45H wireless headphonesIf you're living with roommates (or in a place with thin walls), wireless headphones will definitely come in handy. We recommend Jabra's Elite 45H because they're relatively inexpensive (at just $100), sound great and have a very comfortable design. They'll pair with most TVs or set-top boxes over Bluetooth, or you can just plug in a cable to Roku's remotes. The 45H last up to 50 hours on a charge, and, of course, they're useful far beyond your living room. They're easy to wear all day, no matter where you are.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-budget-home-entertainment-streaming-devices-cheap-tvs-for-students-123020749.html?src=rss
It is 2023 and, sorry, Siri somehow still didn't catch that. Despite the tsunami of advancements generative AI systems have enjoyed in recent months, the synthetic assistants on our mobile devices remain nearly as hard of hearing as they were in 2011. A newly developed dataset from Meta AI, however, promises to improve the performance of such automatic speech recognition (ASR) tools by clustering speech at the utterance level."Meta has long sought to improve its ASRs' performance, teaching them to train without the aid of transcripts, recognize more than 4,000 spoken languages and even read lips at a higher proficiency than human experts. However, many of the datasets used to train ASR models are organized by demographic - age group, gender, nationality, English accent - which limit the variation of pronunciations that models are trained on, ultimately hindering their function in understanding a broad cross section of users.To get around this, Meta AI has developed a dataset that instead relies on an utterance clustering method. Instead of dividing a dataset based on speakers' demographic information ... our proposed algorithm clusters speech at the utterance level," the Meta AI team explained in Wednesday's blog post. A single cluster will contain similar utterances from a diverse group of speakers. We can then train our model using the various clusters and use fairness datasets to measure how the model impacts outcomes across different demographic groups."Meta's resulting dataset includes just over 27,000 command utterances collected from 595 paid US volunteers. Their utterances revolve around seven main themes - music, capture, utilities, notification control, messaging, calling and dictation - that other researchers can then use to train their own models and digital assistants on. Prompts included asking the speakers how they'd voice search for a song or make plans with friends and deciding where to meet up.To evaluate this new system, Meta first trained a model on publicly-available, English-language Facebook videos. Researchers then evaluated that model using two other datasets: Casual Conversations v1, which Meta released in 2021, and a de-identified dataset collected from a data supplier for ASR," which includes 48,000 spoken utterances from 867 individuals.The initial results proved promising, with model performance improvements on all demographic groups in our evaluation datasets, though by far the largest gains are with respect to more inclusivity of accents," per the blog. Overall, ASR performance increased by 10 percent using the clustering method, with large gains coming from the age 66-85 crowd as well, a traditionally underrepresented demographic in the voice command space.Our proposed algorithm is part of Meta's long-term focus on responsible AI and just one part of our holistic approach to address fairness issues," the researchers wrote. Looking ahead, the team is exploring adapting the system to other languages.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-new-dataset-train-speech-recognition-engine-clusters-speaker-130012841.html?src=rss
Calm is making a play for some of your time spent listening to songs and podcasts. The popular meditation app is teaming up with Spotify to offer content via the streaming service. Select Calm meditations will be available alongside existing podcasts on Spotify - no additional app required. The partnership is part of Spotify Open Access, an initiative started in 2021 that allows companies to offer their paid content on Spotify at different subscriber tiers.In this case, Calm provides a sampling of its different offers, from Sleep Stories that can help you drop off to an entire section tailored to anyone who has never meditated before. The second, Calm for Beginners, offers the company's most popular introductory meditation and gives you a few five-minute or less options to test the waters. You can access Sleep Stories through Calm for Sleep (with narrations by Harry Styles and other celebrities) and try Calm for Stress & Anxiety when you need to decompress during difficult moments. If you want to learn about how singer Camila Cabello got into mindfulness, there's an option for that too.Spotify is also hosting Calm for Kids, so you can see if your child will focus on a meditation tailored to their age group. It also has a few Sleep Stories for kids narrated by the likes of Jennifer Garner and Wanda Sykes. Existing Calm users can also benefit from the partnership, with additional content available on Spotify.Calm bills itself as the number one meditation app - in October 2022, it claimed to have over 100 million downloads and more than four million paying subscribers. But, with a range of competitors like Headspace and InsightTimer, partnerships like this one can continue to grow its reach.Enjoying the available content might not be the only reason Calm sees more subscribers come in. While some of the content is free for Spotify users, others will require you to start a Calm free trial or buy a subscription. Trials last seven days and a Calm Premium membership costs $69.99 annually or $14.99 a month.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/calm-is-bringing-sleep-meditation-and-relaxation-shows-to-spotify-130009932.html?src=rss
Handheld gaming PCs are booming. Over the last year and a half, we've seen compelling devices from Valve, Ayaneo, GPD and others, and now ASUS is entering the fray with the ROG Ally. It's sleek, it's quiet and it packs a gorgeous 1080p display. And with a new Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip from AMD, it may be the Steam Deck's most powerful rival yet. It also runs Windows 11 instead of Steam OS, so it has even better game compatibility. However, the Ally is a touch more expensive and there's a trade-off for all that extra performance, so is it really better than the device that reinvigorated the gaming handheld category back in early 2022?PriceAt $700, the Ally appears to be way more expensive than the Steam Deck, which goes for as little as $400 (or even less during a sale). But because the Ally comes with a 512GB SSD, it's not really fair to compare it to Valve's $400 base model, which only has 64GB of onboard storage. I should also mention that a cheaper version of the Ally with a non-extreme version of the Z1 chip is due out sometime later this year, but that wasn't available for review.For now, a better comparison is a fully loaded Deck, which features the same amount of storage along with Valve's upgraded anti-glare etched screen, which is what I used for all my comparisons. Still, even at its most expensive, the Steam Deck costs $650, which is $50 cheaper than the Ally. For people on a budget, Valve's machine is the better option.Another thing to consider is that unlike the Steam Deck, the Ally doesn't come with a case - which will run you an extra $40 from ASUS. And after lugging this thing around for a few weeks, I can definitely say you'll want some form of protection to prevent scratching the screen or putting too much pressure on the joysticks.Design and displayPhoto by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetMeasuring 11 inches wide and weighing 1.34 pounds, the Ally has dimensions that appear quite similar to the Steam Deck. But those figures don't fully encapsulate how much smaller the ROG really is, because at 0.83 inches, it's half as thick as the Steam Deck. You also only get two rear paddles instead of four, and ASUS doesn't include little touchpads in front like Valve does, which may be a bit of a downer for anyone hoping to play traditional mouse-and-keyboard games.That leaves you with a very familiar Xbox-style layout with two joysticks, a standard assortment of face buttons and shoulder triggers, as well as some extra shortcuts for quick settings and ASUS' Armoury Crate app. There's also a handy fingerprint sensor built into the power button, a volume rocker and a single USB-C port, which you can use on its own for data and charging, but also for hooking up ASUS' XG Mobile dock. And just like the Steam Deck, the Ally has a microSD card slot for expandable storage, which is nice.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetOverall, it's a very functional setup. All the controls are easy to reach and I haven't run into any issues with buttons getting stuck like I've heard about from other users. I also appreciate how the Ally's smaller bezels make the device feel more compact, even if its 7-inch display is the same size as the Steam Deck's. The one thing I miss though is bigger grips in the back, because while I know ASUS was going for a slimmer frame, holding the Ally just doesn't feel quite as secure or comfortable.As for its display, the Ally's screen is one of its best features. Not only is it a 120Hz panel, its 1080p resolution is also sharper than the Steam Deck's 800p. On top of that, the Ally is way more colorful and a touch brighter at around 475 nits versus closer to 400 nits on Valve's handheld. When viewed side by side, there's no competition - the Ally's screen pops with rich hues and sharper details, which really helps when you're trying to read small tooltips on a tiny screen.Sam Rutherford/EngadgetWithout getting into a protracted debate about how much resolution you really need on a portable PC, the Steam Deck's lower-res and more washed-out-looking display has been one of my biggest complaints about the system since its launch so I'm really happy with the Ally's panel, even if you can't always take full advantage of its 120Hz refresh rate in more demanding games.PerformanceAs for performance, the Ally has a significant leg up over the Steam Deck, as it sports AMD's new Z1 Extreme APU and 16GB of RAM. Unfortunately, out of the gate, the Ally's performance is pretty underwhelming. With both the Ally and the Steam Deck set to 15 watts, framerates were very similar. In Shadow of the Tomb Raider at 720p and high settings, the Ally averaged 43 fps while the Steam Deck hit 42 fps, so they were basically neck and neck. It was a nearly identical situation in Cyberpunk 2077, where both systems hit 44 fps at 720p on medium. Frankly, that's not very impressive for fancy new silicon and really far off some of the claims ASUS made the Ally pre-launch.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetBut then I updated the system to install the new drivers and firmware ASUS released two weeks after launch (which took more than a couple of install and restart cycles) and that's when the Ally started to distinguish itself. With the system fully updated, framerates jumped by 15 to 25 percent, and the Ally started to hit 54 fps in Shadow of the Tomb Raider and 50 fps in Cyberpunk 2077 at the same settings.That's a noticeable improvement, but it gets even better. While the Steam Deck tops out at 15 watts, the Ally has a Turbo mode that boosts total power draw to 25 watts, or 30 watts if you're plugged in. With the 25-watt Turbo mode activated, I was able to get 60 fps in Tomb Raider and 67 fps in Cyberpunk, which is impressive for a handheld PC. So even though the Ally doesn't even come close to offering double the performance of the Steam Deck like ASUS initially boasted, for people who want big power in a portable device, the Ally is the easy pick.Battery lifePhoto by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetOf course, with all that oomph comes diminished endurance. In general, I found that the Ally typically only lasts about an hour and a half to two hours depending on the title. Meanwhile, the Steam Deck often gives you two and a half to four hours, or even longer for less demanding fare. To put that into perspective, I played Diablo IV on both machines at medium settings, starting at 100 percent and I didn't stop until they died. The Ally conked out at one hour and 31 minutes compared to 2:07 for the Steam Deck. And let's not forget, Diablo IV doesn't have native Linux support, so the Steam Deck runs it in an emulation layer which uses some extra power. In short, if you really care about getting the longest-lasting handheld PC, the Steam Deck is it.SoundAs for audio, the Ally has some rather punchy front-firing stereo speakers, which sound a lot better than what you'd typically get on a similarly priced laptop. But to me the more impressive thing is what you don't hear: fans blaring in the background. I'm not entirely sure what kind of voodoo ASUS did, but the Ally is surprisingly quiet. It barely registers above a whisper while running benchmarks, and when compared to the whiny whir that's almost always coming out of my Steam Deck, the Ally is definitely the more family-friendly device. I can game on it while watching TV with my wife without her needing to turn up the volume (or worse, taking the console from me) and that's a small but important way to maintain a happy home.SoftwarePhoto by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetThe last major difference between the Ally and the Steam Deck is their software. Instead of going with something like Valve's Linux-based OS, ASUS went with Windows 11. The idea was to ensure that the system works with all the major online game stores like Steam, Battle.net, Epic and more, which it does. On top of that, ASUS tweaked its Armoury Crate app to serve as a game launcher, while also letting you adjust various settings or RGB lighting. One tap on the dedicated button lets you see all of your installed titles at a glance, while a push of ASUS's other shortcut key brings up a menu for quick settings like operating modes, game profiles, and more.The issue is that when you're not using Armoury Crate, Windows 11 still feels clunky. Microsoft's OS simply isn't designed for smaller devices without keyboards that often have to rely on touch controls. ASUS has included a desktop mode toggle that lets you use the right joystick to move your mouse and the right shoulder buttons to click. But that feels more like a band-aid than a real solution, which would probably be a purpose-built gaming UI.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetMore importantly, even though the Ally can run basically every Windows game ever made, the experience isn't always smooth. For example, when I tried to play Street Fighter 6, thegame booted up in Windowed mode and cut off the bottom of the UI, so I couldn't see the navigation menu. But even after I sorted that out, the game still ran poorly. At medium settings, I was getting just 20 fps which made the game run in slow-mo. I had to spend the next 10 minutes fiddling with graphics settings. Meanwhile, on the Steam Deck, I got a consistent 60 fps from the jump, which was a big surprise since I was not expecting a game that has only been out for a month to be this well-optimized on Linux.There's a flipside to this, though. While you can install games like Diablo IV that aren't available on Steam and aren't Deck Verified, it can be a real chore to get them up and running. You have to install the Battle.net launcher, manually change the Steam Deck's compatibility mode and then add it as a non-Steam Game. Then you have to install Diablo IV itself, change its compatibility mode and manually add that to Steam's library too. And that's skipping a lot of the more complicated steps in between. Granted, there are a ton of how-to's online to guide you through the process. But if this is your first time trying this on Linux, you're looking at spending 10 to 15 minutes at least. There's no just sitting down and hitting play. In contrast, getting D4 to run on the Ally is a breeze and even though the game runs relatively well on both systems, there are fewer hitches and stutters on ASUS' machine.Overall, Steam OS is generally easier to use - until you run into a game that isn't Deck Verified or just doesn't run on Linux, which is where the Ally has the advantage.Wrap-upPhoto by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetAfter testing both devices side-by-side, I've got a few takeaways. The first is that I'm even more impressed with the Steam Deck now than I was at launch. Over the past year and change, Valve has put a ton of work into polishing and optimizing it. I don't think any gadget in recent memory has gotten as many updates as this thing. And now that there are over 10,000 Steam Deck-verified games, its library ain't shabby. We're at the point where you can play new AAA titles like Street Fighter 6 on day one, while other games like Cyberpunk 2077 are getting custom graphics settings specifically for the Deck so you don't need to spend a ton of time tweaking performance. But most importantly, with a starting price of $400, the Steam Deck is the easy pick if you're on a budget.As for the ROG Ally, simply calling it a more powerful Steam Deck doesn't feel quite right. Thanks to its AMD Z1 Extreme chip, it definitely has an edge in performance. But for all that speed, there's a big trade-off in battery life. Even with both systems running at 15 watts, the Steam Deck lasted longer every time, which means the Ally isn't always the best companion on longer trips. You also don't get built-in touchpads or as many rear paddles. And while you can run basically any game ever made on it, Windows 11 just isn't as well-optimized for handheld systems as Steam OS. Valve has a big advantage thanks to being in charge of both software and hardware design for its device. However, while I like and appreciate the Steam Deck, the ROG Ally's gorgeous screen and super quiet fans would always have me looking over my shoulder like the distracted boyfriend meme.Photo by Sam Rutherford/EngadgetSo which one should you get? To answer that, you need to decide what kind of gamer you are. Thanks to Steam OS, the Steam Deck offers a simpler, more console-like experience, so long as your games have been verified to play nicely on Valve's software. Meanwhile, if you like to tinker with settings and want higher framerates and a sharper display, the Ally might be the machine for you. It's also the more portable of the two, and ASUS' XG Mobile dock lets you plug it into a monitor and other accessories so you can use it as a desktop when you want. But with prices for those starting north of $1,000, it'll cost you.The biggest unknown is how well ASUS is going to support the Ally, because as we've seen with the Steam Deck, hardware can only take you so far without regular updates. Unfortunately, there just isn't a one-size-fits-all handheld PC gaming console right now, so picking the right device depends on your preferences for OS, performance, battery life and more. But regardless of which one you pick, there's a lot to like about the latest generation of handheld PCs, and I hope this is only the beginning of a long line of compelling devices.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/asus-rog-ally-review-the-steam-decks-most-powerful-rival-specs-price-080029032.html?src=rss
Apple just launched its iOS 17 public beta, meaning you can test out the latest iPhone software if you're willing to live with a bug or two. I've been using iPhone 14 Pro with the developer beta for the last few weeks and there are plenty of features and upgrades to dig into. While some of the more exciting features weren't available until mere days ago, some nice quality-of-life improvements are here from the get-go. If you're intrigued by Apple's new Journal app, though, I'm afraid that won't arrive until later in the year.But if you want machine learning to transcribe your friends' voice notes, or turn your iPhone into a smart display, then you might be willing to dip your toe into the public beta. You can access the iOS preview by enrolling on Apple's website, which will nudge the beta to your iPhone's Software Update section. As always, remember to back up your iPhone first and ensure it's compatible. (iOS 17 will work on 2018's iPhone XS and newer devices.)A note on Developer betasThis year, instead of releasing the iOS 17 public beta in July, Apple released its developer beta for iOS, iPadOS and macOS Sonoma for anyone with free developer accounts. Normally, to access betas right after the WWDC keynote you'd have to pay $100 a year for a paid developer account. This means anyone (yes, even you) could have dabbled with this early build starting in early June. Not that we'd advise doing that. Early releases of iOS, including its public beta that's out now, are often rough around the edges, while apps are prone to restarting or not working as they should on Apple's very latest mobile OS. The developer version is that, times five.Messages and FaceTimePhoto taken by Mat Smith / EngadgetApple continues tugging me toward Messages, yet I'm stuck with WhatsApp because all of my friends and family are on it - even those with iPhones. iOS continues to make being a WhatsApp user a challenging decision to stick with.I'm already in love with audio message transcription. The next time that certain friend leaves a lengthy 12-minute monologue, the iPhone's machine learning tricks will auto-transcribe the contents of that voice note, audio quality (and accent) permitting. In my experience, it was accurate with both my British voice and my colleague Cherlynn's American accent.Photo by Mat Smith / EngadgetMost of Messages' biggest upgrades are siloed away behind the plus button, which helps keep the interface tidy. Check-In is Apple's take on automating the text me when you get home," doing half the work once your iPhone detects you've returned. If your phone detects that you're not headed in the right direction, Check In will even notify you that you might have made a mistake.Apple has integrated a lot of settings to make Check In work how you want it to. You can use it when your destination isn't your home, or even set it up for a timed period when perhaps you're home alone, but are expecting visitors. More information from your phone can be shared when you're delayed, including battery levels and signal levels.Apple has now consolidated its stickers into one drawer, encompassing live stickers, memoji, emoji and third-party stickers. Live Stickers, which you can make by tapping to lift' subjects out of photos (it can still be a person, a pet or an object, as long as it's visually distinct enough), get archived in their own sticker drawer. With iOS 17, you can also apply some sticker effects, like shiny" and puffy" that undulate when you move your phone, taking us back to pencil cases of the 90s. Or maybe that's just me. Beyond Messages, stickers can be applied directly from the sticker drawer to your photos and documents.FaceTime has received a few updates this year, but the most notable one is video voicemail. While you could send videos on Messages, you can now leave spontaneous video (or voice) messages in FaceTime when someone doesn't pick up your call. In iOS 17, thanks to further refinement of Apple's Continuity Camera, across Apple devices. You can now display your FaceTime video calls on Apple TV, tapping into the cameras already in your iPhones, iPads or MacBooks. Any recorded messages you receive will be stored in FaceTime's Recent tab, along with your missed calls. You can even take FaceTime calls - audio-only - on your Apple Watch.You can record FaceTime video messages through both the front and rear cameras and amp up the visual pizazz with Portrait mode and Studio Light. Apple has opened up these video effects to Zoom, Microsoft Teams and more. Gesture-based AR effects are along for the ride too, including fireworks (two thumbs up), confetti cannons (double peace signs) and when you make a devil horn sign? Laser beams. Of... course. I soon learned you'll have to hold these poses for a little too long in order for your iPhone to recognize and trigger the AR effect. It's a delight when they happen, though.StandByPhoto by Mat Smith / EngadgetApple hasn't launched a smart display (yet), so it's making your iPhone into one. With StandBy, you'll get a different view when your phone is horizontal and charging. This consists of widgets, calendar info, music, your photos, news, sports scores and more. If you have an iPhone 14 Pro, it'll always be visible due to the always-on display. You'll have to tap to wake it on other devices.Itl even transitions into a low-light smart display later at night so you can use it as an alarm clock. Given the strides Apple has made with its widgets on iPhones and Apple Watch, I'm intrigued to see whether this is a useful new feature for when I'm not actively using my iPhone. I've loved seeing my photos on my Nest Hub, but let's be honest - I'm looking at, and nearer to, my phone, pretty much most of the day. The iPhone will automatically separate your photos into places (and its own photography) and people recognized in your own contacts. You'll also get music and podcast controls for audio playback, which looks a lot like CarPlay.Apple has folded its Smart Stacks into these StandBy widgets, so you can swipe between smart home controls, calendars, weather and more, customizing what information is a swipe away. Incoming calls will also feature a nice landscape version of iOS 17's new Contact Posters.Contact PostersPhoto by Mat Smith / EngadgetContact Posters are the most significant visual upgrade to iOS 17. It's a new way to show your contact's incoming calls, contact profiles, FaceTime and Messages. You can edit your profile from the top left corner of most of those native apps, mixing together different fonts, photos, and color options - I like the monochrome photo filter paired with a pop of color, like it's a fictional magazine profile headshot. There are almost infinite options here, and it does help to make calls from your favorite people seem, somehow, more glamorous. You don't have to have taken photos in portrait mode either to make the cutout outline of your head and name; as long as the iPhone detects the object, like stickers, it'll do the rest.NameDropThis has been a long-time coming, right? NameDrop, using the same AirDrop transferring tech, can share your contact details (and your gorgeous new Contact Poster) just by bringing two devices close together. You can fine-tune what contact details are shared, like your work or personal email, or even choose to receive only. Photos and even links on Safari can also be shared through this method, and AirDrop will even continue transferring content even if you step away, through the internet. This is all done through the usual share button on both native and compatible third-party apps.Everything elseIf you recall from Apple's WWDC keynote last month, these are just some of the major highlights of what iOS 17 has to offer. Apple says its enhanced keyboard language model ushers in an improved Autocorrect, while any corrections should also be easier to fix. Any autocorrected words are temporarily underlined so you know what was changed. If you tap on an autocorrected word, you'll see the original version pop up and you can tap it to put it back. Duck yes.Regarding voice assistant Siri, it can now handle back-to-back commands if you want to both set a timer and turn off a smart light. Siri can also be summoned even while you're on a call with someone.The Fitness app now has a trophy case to show off your best workout runs, custom workout plans if you pay for Fitness+ and the ability to adjust the sound mix of workouts, prioritizing either music or trainers' voices. Meanwhile, News+ subscribers will now be able to tackle crosswords, while News+ audio stories will now also be available in the podcast app.Photo taken by Mat Smith / EngadgetInline predictive text, a la Gmail, is also built in, so iOS will occasionally nudge your messages along with predictive single- and multi-word additions before you even type them. Thankfully, it's a very light touch so far. Then again, maybe it's just learning how I type - I'll circle back once the OS officially launches in the fall. And you can turn it off in settings if it's not working for you.What's still to comeThe iOS 17 beta gives you a taste of what's coming to your iPhone later this year. There are a few tempting features not available to test just yet. That includes the third-party journaling app killer, Apple's own Journal app,. Where you can write about and reflect on everyday moments and special events in your life." The company says it'll tap into on-device machine learning to personalize what you might like to write about, including photos, locations, music and even workout data. I'm waiting to see how it all works in practice. And if you're going to be writing about your deepest, darkest thoughts and feelings, you will be able to lock your Journal from prying eyes.There are other features I'm still waiting to try, including new auto-generated song suggestions for your own existing playlists and Conversation Awareness, which is coming to second-generation AirPods Pro. When you start talking to someone while still wearing your buds, the device will lower playback volume and enhance the voice of people in front of you, while still minimizing background noise.Wrap-upPhoto by Mat Smith / EngadgetYes, there are still a few mysteries to iOS 17 ahead of its full launch, but plenty to test out in the beta. I'm still getting to grips with StandBy. It might not be a smart display killer, but it's possibly a free alternative. Other highlights include a revitalized FaceTime experience, a streamlined Messages app and a long-overdue solution for sharing contact details. But some of the most exciting parts are still to come, making this a less essential beta than some recent years. Most of us can wait for the fully-formed public release, arriving later this summer.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ios-17-preview-public-beta-facetime-standby-iphone-120025938.html?src=rss
One question is constant in the race to create AI: Should code be held privately or made available to everyone as "open-source"? OpenAI has kept data for projects like GPT-4 close to its chest, while Meta has allowed researchers and academics to access its language model, LLaMA. Now, Meta is allegedly set to "imminently" release a new commercial version that companies can customize, the Financial Times reports.The move could help Meta catch up to fellow AI creators OpenAI and Google, with businesses able to build tailored software with the new model. "The competitive landscape of AI is going to completely change in the coming months, in the coming weeks maybe, when there will be open source platforms that are actually as good as the ones that are not," Yann LeCun, Meta's vice-president and Chief AI scientist, said at a July conference. Meta might also create AI chatbots specific to each type of user, such as an individual or business.Open-source models certainly have a mix of benefits and negatives. Providing a wide group of people with an AI's differing capabilities can help the model learn faster, given the increased data it's receiving. Additional eyes can also spot bugs and security issues, giving developers a chance to fix these problems sooner. On the flip side, not everyone who uses the code will have good intentions, which can have dangerous consequences when using a technology that concerns many people in and outside the tech industry.Access to Meta's commercial AI model should be free at launch, but that might change sometime in the future. According to sources familiar with Meta, the company might eventually charge enterprise customers if they want to alter or tailor the model.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-could-soon-make-its-ai-model-available-for-commercial-projects-114021749.html?src=rss
The Perseverance Rover has found evidence of organic compounds in the Jezero Crater on Mars. Don't get too excited: These compounds could have also developed in nonbiological ways. But even if it's not proof of organic life on Mars, the results hint at complex organic conditions for the key building blocks for life." Organic molecules like those observed in the Jezero Crater contain carbon and often hydrogen atoms. They're the core components of life as we know it on Earth.The rover found organic materials in all ten targets it observed on the crater floor. Our results support observations by previous robotic missions to Mars that the Red Planet was once rich in organic material, compounds made primarily of carbon and hydrogen, and that some of that organic material can still be detected billions of years later," co-author Joseph Razzell Hollis, a London-based astrobiologist, told Gizmodo. Each detection, each observation, gives us a little bit more information that brings us closer to understanding the history of Mars and whether it could have supported life in the past."Hopefully, scientists can maintain this level of excitement. They'll have to wait for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, which isn't expected to launch from Earth until at least the late 2020s.- Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedApple's iOS 17 public betas are ready to downloadHow to install the iOS 17 public beta Chipotle's guacamole robot is cursed to peel and core avocados for eternitymacOS Sonoma preview: For the widget wonks Sony's 26-megapixel A6700 is its new flagship APS-C mirrorless camera iPadOS 17 preview: A smoother multitasking experienceFor those who really need it.EngadgetJust a year ago, Apple announced the biggest software update the iPad has ever seen. iPadOS 16 ushered in Stage Manager, a completely revamped multitasking mode. There were several other new features, as usual, but Stage Manager, in particular, brought the iPad closer than ever to a Mac or Windows PC experience. iPadOS 17, on the other hand, is a subtler update. We preview the beta, which is out on public release now.Continue reading.Google's Bard AI chatbot has learned to talkIt understands 40 languages and can speak its responses.Google Bard's latest round of updates includes expanded linguistic skills. It can now respond with spoken word in addition to text. It can do so in nearly four dozen languages. Users can now converse with the AI in Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi and Spanish, among others, as well as access the platform from more places on the planet, such as Brazil and "across Europe." Users will have the option to either read or listen to the AI's generated responses, as well as have more control over how friendly Bard is, with five distinct AI tones: simple, long, short, professional or casual. Those are only available for English-language requests at the moment.Continue reading.'Roblox' is coming to Meta Quest VR headsetsZuck says the beta version drops in a few weeks.RobloxThe immensely popular online game creation platform, Roblox, is coming to VR, thanks to the Meta Quest. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement, which was followed by an official Roblox blog post. A beta version of the app, according to Zuckerberg, launches in just a few weeks, via the Quest platform's dedicated App Lab. This is going to be a fully cross-platform title, so anything you interact with or make on your phone or console should be accessible in VR.Continue reading.Elon Musk's new AI company aims to understand the true nature of the universe'The team will be holding a Twitter Spaces chat on Friday.Elon Musk has a new AI company. A website has appeared for xAI, which will embark on the self-described mission to understand the true nature of the universe." The announcement comes after filing documents revealed the existence of a company called X.AI Corp earlier this year. Musk also said in April he wanted to start a venture for maximum truth-seeking AI that tries to understand the nature of the universe," which hopefully does more good than harm."Not much else is known yet about Musk's latest venture. He tweeted yesterday: Announcing formation of @xAI to understand reality." The company webpage notes the team will host a Twitter Spaces chat on Friday, July 14th.Continue reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-researchers-find-evidence-of-organic-matter-on-mars-111523432.html?src=rss
Sony plans to boost R&D spending in gaming and focus that extra money on Fortnite-style live service games and mixed reality, Nikkei has reported. It will invest $2.13 billion for the segment in fiscal 2023, accounting for about 40 percent of R&D spending company wide - over double what it spent in 2020. The aim is to better compete in cloud gaming and VR, particularly if Microsoft's Activision Blizzard acquisition goes through.Sony has traditionally relied on relied on story-led blockbuster titles like God of War and Horizon Zero Dawn, but live service games use a different model. Instead of developing one game and moving on to the next, companies build titles that can be updated over time, generating revenue with new content like seasonal maps, skins and weapons. Overwatch and League of Legends are examples of those.The company lags behind rivals in that area - it had just one live service game in 2021, but plans to have 12 in its portfolio by March 2026. To that end, it plans to spend 55 percent of PS5 game development on live service games by March 2024, and 60 percent by March 2026. It plans to use its Bungie acquisition to further that aim, according to the report.Meanwhile, Microsoft is trying to acquire Activision Blizzard, which would give it access to a powerful portfolio of live service games (World of Warcraft, Call of Duty, Destiny 2, etc.). Microsoft also holds a considerable lead in live-streamed games with Xbox Cloud Gaming, while Sony has only started testing PS5 game streaming.At the same time, Sony wants to invest more in the so-called metaverse by boosting development in extended reality (VR, AR, mixed reality etc.). To do so, it aims to combine the resources of nine overseas game studios it owns in whole or in part, including Epic Games, whose Unreal Engine helps power augmented reality apps. That's in light of the upcoming release of Apple's Vision Pro headset, and Sony's recent launch of its own PSVR2 headset.The increased investment shows the importance of gaming to Sony's overall portfolio. Its game & network services segment now makes up a large part of the company's earnings, far and above segments like imaging, movies, TVs and more. It also shows Sony recognizing that it must adapt to the reality that game development is shifting away from the traditional model - meaning it will be a lot more dependent on owning game-development studios.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-plans-to-boost-game-rd-spending-this-year-as-competition-ramps-up-110524111.html?src=rss
Apple has expanded Tap to Pay's availability and is giving businesses and merchants across the United Kingdom the option to accept contactless payments using just their iPhones. The tech giant initially released the feature in the US in mid-2022 before making it available in Taiwan and Australia. Like in those regions, merchants in the UK will be able to receive payments without having to purchase extra hardware, since the capability uses NFC. As long as they have an iPhone XS or later, they can offer contactless payment as an option for customers who use Apple Pay, contactless debit or credit cards and other digital wallets.The company unveiled the feature in early 2022 before testing the payment system at its own visitor center in Cupertino. Following Tap to Pay's rollout, big-name fintech services launched support for the feature, including PayPal, Venmo and Square.According to Apple's announcement, Revolut and Tyl by NatWest are the first payment platforms allowing their business customers in the UK to use the company's Tap to Pay technology. Adyen, Dojo, myPOS, Stripe, SumUp, Viva Wallet, Worldline and Zettle by PayPal will be the next financial services to support the feature in the region. Apple didn't mention a specific rollout date for them, only that support for Tap to Pay will be "coming soon" for their customers. In addition announcing the feature's availability, the company has revealed that Tap to Pay will be available in its retail stores across the UK in the coming weeks. That means UK customers will be easily be able to pay for purchases by bumping a card or another phone to the store's iPhone.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-tap-to-pay-expands-to-the-uk-letting-iphone-users-accept-contactless-payments-101724510.html?src=rss
Google's Bard gained a handful of new features and functions Thursday in the chatbot AI's latest round of updates, including expanded linguistic knowledge, more nuanced response controls and the ability to respond with spoken word in addition to text. In all the AI can now converse in nearly four dozen languages.Users can now converse with the AI in Arabic, Chinese, German, Hindi and Spanish, among others as well as access the platform from more places on the planet, such as Brazil and "across Europe," Jack Krawczyk, Bard Product Lead, and Amarnag Subramanya, Bard's VP of Engineering, wrote in a blog post Thursday. "As we bring Bard to more regions and languages over time, we'll continue to use our AI Principles as a guide, incorporate user feedback, and take steps to protect people's privacy and data."Bard now literally speaks. Users will have the option to either read or listen to the AI's generated responses, which Krawczyk and Subramanya believe will help immensely when users want to hear the correct pronunciation of words in those 40 newly-added languages. Users have also been afforded more robust controls over how friendly Bard will be with five distinct options for the AI's tone: simple, long, short, professional or casual. Those are only available on English-language requests for the moment but the company is already working to expand it out to more of the 40, "soon."The chatbot also has some fancy new multimodal eyes, gaining the capacity to interpret images dropped into the chat through the prompt field. Faster and easier than uploading it as a document, users can request more information about the contents of the image or generate content like captions based on it. This also is currently English-only.Getting the information and code that Bard generates out of the chat window and into the hands of collaborators is no longer quite such a slog. Starting Thursday, users will be able to export Bard-generated Python code to Replit, in addition to Colab. They'll also be able to copy and share portions of individual chats with other users. The process of organizing and revisiting old conversations being streamlined as well with the addition of pinned conversations, which are what they sound like, and the ability to rename them.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-bard-ai-chatbot-has-learned-to-talk-070111881.html?src=rss
Twitter has published an update on how its "Freedom of Speech Not Reach" moderation approach is working, and according to the company, it has seen some encouraging results. In April, the website started limiting the reach of tweets violating its hateful conduct policy and applying a label to them that reads: "Visibility limited: this tweet may violate Twitter's rules against hateful conduct." Apparently, Twitter has applied the label to more than 700,000 posts since then and has proactively prevented ads from appearing adjacent to those content.The company also said that the label reduces the reach of a post by 81 percent, thereby effectively limiting the visibility of posts that potentially exhibit hateful conduct. In addition, Twitter revealed in its update that more than one-third of users choose to delete labeled tweets themselves once they've been notified that they have violated the website's policy and only four percent of authors have appealed labels.The company charging for API access means most researchers studying hate speech can't independently verify these claims. But Twitter is clearly claiming that its approach has been effective so far. In fact, the website is pushing through with its plan to expand its labels and include more types of policy violations. According to its announcement, it will now also label and downrank posts that violate its Abusive Behavior and Violent Speech policies. Tweets that will be labeled in the coming weeks include posts with malicious content targeting individuals, those that encourage others to harass an individual or group of people, those that threaten to inflict physical harm on others, and tweets that encourage others to commit acts of violence or harm.
The Federal Trade Commission isn't giving up on its attempt to halt Microsoft's pending $68.7 billion purchase of Activision Blizzard. The agency said in a filing it's appealing Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley's denial of its request for a preliminary injunction to temporarily stop the deal from going through.The FTC has sued to prevent the merger from happening over antitrust concerns. An administrative trial is set to start in August, but the companies have a merger deadline of July 18th. The agency was concerned Microsoft and Activision would close their deal by then despite a UK regulator blocking the deal in that country.Bloomberg first reported that the agency was considering an appeal against Corley's decision. The FTC told Engadget after Tuesday's ruling that it would announce its "next step to continue our fight to preserve competition and protect consumers" in the following days.Corley ruled that, unless the FTC obtains an emergency stay from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals by 11:59PM PT on July 14th, a temporary restraining order that's currently preventing Microsoft and Activision from closing the deal will be dissolved. The restraining order was put in place until Corley made a decision on the preliminary injunction.Meanwhile, after Corley's ruling, Microsoft, Activision Blizzard and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority said they agreed to pause their legal battle and see if they could reach a compromise. The CMA later clarified that although "merging parties don't have the opportunity to put forward new remedies once a final report has been issued, they can choose to restructure a deal." It added that doing so could lead to a fresh merger investigation.
It's easy to look at every new macOS release and wonder where the upgrades actually are. Unlike iOS and iPadOS, Apple doesn't often push for bold and visible changes on the desktop (last year's Stage Manager was a surprising addition, but even that was brought over from iPadOS). Instead, most of the enhancements to the Mac experience are usually under the hood - don't forget, the company completely rebuilt macOS for its new Apple Silicon chips.So it goes with macOS Sonoma, an update that doesn't truly make itself known until you see its new high-res video screensavers (something the Apple TV has done for years), or try to drag over a widget to your desktop. If widgets are a highlight in a new OS, you know it's a slow year.This isn't a knock against Sonoma, exactly. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Apple is saving its bolder UI concepts for iPhones, iPads, and the Vision Pro. Macs are computers that don't even have touchscreens yet! Playing it safe makes the most sense.Photo by Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetSo let's talk about screensavers. While not exactly Earth shattering, Apple's new aerial footage looks great in macOS Sonoma. It adds a dose of elegance to an already refined operating system - having footage from Hawaii or Patagonia pop up in the middle of the workday is like a mini-vacation. (Don't judge me, I know it sounds sad.)I also liked being able to turn aerial screensavers into wallpapers. Doing so lets them play as videos on your lock screen, but once you log in, the video slows down and smoothly settles on a static image. I'm sure that's done to avoid motion sickness from some users, but I'm hoping Apple or some intrepid hacker unlocks the ability to let the video constantly play on your desktop. I'll risk a bit of squeamishness for more of that slick drone footage.As for the widgets, well... they're widgets. On your desktop. It's a pretty straightforward concept. I'll admit, being able to quickly see the weather or an upcoming appointment under my windows is easier than popping open the notification tray. But it's not exactly a killer feature. But hey, if you really do love these things, at least you can easily bring over your iOS widgets. And if you also have an iPad, I'm sure it'll be helpful to have all of your widgety goodness across your devices.Beyond those two features, Sonoma's upgrades are a bit more subtle. If you jump into a video chat, you can use hand gestures to kick off some fun special effects. A double thumbs up triggers fireworks behind you, while a peace sign surrounds you with floating balloons. They're certainly fun at first, but thankfully you can turn them off easily for more professional video chats.Photo by Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetThe new presenter overlay features, on the other hand, are a lot more useful. In supported screen sharing apps, like FaceTime or Zoom, you can place a small or large window of yourself on top of whatever window you're sharing. It's the sort of feature I'm surprised Apple didn't roll out sooner, as it can help to humanize boring video chats. Instead of just sharing a spreadsheet, for example, your colleagues can also see what you think of your data as you're discussing it.Here are a few other Sonoma updates to keep an eye out for:
The second half of Amazon Prime Day is here and you can still pick up a bunch of tech on sale. This year has brought a number of solid, Prime-exclusive deals on some of our favorite tech, including Apple AirPods, Google Pixel phones, and of course, Amazon's own devices like Echos, Kindles, Fire TV Sticks and more. Whether you're just getting around to shopping Amazon Prime Day deals or you're returning today to see what else you can pick up on discount, we've collected the best Prime Day deals here so you don't have to go searching for them.Apple AirPods ProApple's second-generation AirPods Pro are on sale for $199 for Prime Day. These buds are a huge improvement over their predecessors, offering improved sound quality, ANC and transparency mode. We still consider these to be the best earbuds for iPhone users thanks to their Apple-specific features like quick pairing and switching and hands-free Siri.Apple AirPods (2nd Generation)The latest AirPods might have a few extra bells and whistles, but the second-generation Apple AirPods are a great choice for $90. They're currently $39 off their sticker price of $129 for Prime Day, the lowest we've seen them in a while. This model mirrors its successor in having an H1 chip, Siri, automatic switching between devices and a lightning charging case. The biggest consideration is battery life, with these AirPods offering five hours of uninterrupted use and over 24 hours with the charging case. If you're looking for AirPods for your commute or walks, the $50 price difference makes the second-gen AirPods a solid option.Apple Watch Series 8The Apple Watch Series 8 is the brand's latest flagship wearable and usually sells for $399 for the 41mm GPS model. Prime Day brings it down to $280, which is $120 off its regular price. The Series 8 is our top pick in our guide to smartwatches because it combines detailed health and fitness tracking with seamless iPhone integration. New features include temperature sensors, ECG and blood oxygen readings, crash detection, and improved sleep metrics. The upcoming WatchOS 10 will bump the utility even more with widgets plus expanded health, fitness and mindfulness features.Apple 10.2-inch iPadApple's 9th-generation iPad is down to $249, which a record low. It's the budget pick in our guide to the best iPads, and while it doesn't have the thin bezels and as much accessory support as our top pick, it's the most affordable way to snag an iPad. It's a great couch companion that performs well for casual browsing, binge streaming and light gaming.Apple MacBook Air M1The M1 MacBook Air released back in 2020, but it remains a worthy option if you want a Mac for light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible. The entry-level configuration is now on sale for $750, which is a new low. This model's keyboard, trackpad, display and battery life continue to impress, and the quiet M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. This configuration is strictly for casual use, though, as it only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. You'll have to live with a more basic 720p webcam, too, and you'll miss out on the improved speakers and slimmer bezels of the M2 model. We gave the M1 Air a review score of 94 at launch.Apple MacBook Air (15.3-inch)The new, larger version of Apple's MacBook Air M2 is down to $1,399 for a configuration with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. That's a modest $50 drop from its usual price on Amazon, but the notebook only just arrived last month, and it's $100 less than buying from Apple directly. The M2 Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and we gave it a review score of 96 in June. It checks just about all the requisite boxes for a mainstream notebook, with a thin and light design, bright and accurate display, comfortable keyboard, long-lasting battery, and more than enough performance for everyday use. This 15-inch model has all the same benefits of the prior 13-inch model, but adds a more powerful speaker system and slightly upgraded GPU alongside the bigger screen.Sony WH-1000XM5Our current favorite pair of wireless headphones, Sony's WH-1000XM5 are down to $328 for Prime Day. It's the total package that combines great audio quality with excellent ANC and a comfy fit to make a pair of headphones you'll be able to wear all day long if you wish. It also supports multipoint connectivity and a 30-hour battery life.Bose QuietComfort 45The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones have dropped to a new low of $199 for Prime Day, which is a whopping $130 off their usual price. These cans earned a spot in our best wireless headphone guide thanks to their comfortable, if a little dated, design, excellent ANC and balanced audio.Google Pixel Buds ProGoogle's flagship wireless earbuds, the Pixel Buds Pro, are down to $133 for Prime Day, a new all-time low. Google took all of the lessons it learned when making previous earbuds and got a lot of things right with the Pixel Buds Pro. These will be great for Android users who want buds with punchy bass, good ANC, reliable touch controls and wireless charging.Anker Soundcore Space A40The Soundcore Space A40 was already our favorite pair of wireless earbuds for those on a budget, and now it's even more affordable now for Prime Day. The Space A40 provides the kind of performance and features you'd expect from true wireless earbuds that cost twice as much: strong ANC, a small and light design, a warm sound that's enjoyable out of the box but customizable through a companion app, a transparency mode, wireless charging, solid battery life around eight hours per charge and the ability to connect to two devices at once.Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3The Wonderboom 3 from Ultimate Ears is currently 30 percent off for Prime Day, dropping it down to $70 instead of the usual $100. That's the lowest price we've seen in a while, matching the all-time low it hit just before Black Friday last year. In our tests, the Wonderboom 3 delivered the biggest sound of any speakers in its size range, plus it has a cute design with a strap and comes in bright blue, hot pink or a more sedate gray (note that the black colorway isn't discounted).JBL Charge 5JBL's Charge 5 is usually $180 but is down to $120 for Prime members. It also made Engadgets speaker guide, and has a separate tweeter, and dual bass radiators for bigger sound and of course can handle a dunk in water. It's got a long, 20-hour battery life and can even share some of that juice with your phone via the USB-C port.Amazon KindleThe standard Kindle is already Amazon's most affordable ereader and Prime Day drops it down to $65 from its usual $100 price tag, which is a new all-time low. This latest model saw a lot of improvements when it was updated in 2022. Capacity was doubled to 16GB and the screen resolution jumped up to 300 ppi for much clearer text. We named it the best budget option in our ereader guide because its perfect entry point to reading and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks.Kindle PaperwhiteThe Kindle Paperwhite has a bigger screen and a few extra features over the standard Kindle and is now $90, which is $50 off its $140 MSRP. An adjustable warm front light makes it easier on your eyes at night and the waterproof feature means you can read by the pool or in the bath. The price applies to the 8GB version. If you want more storage, you can grab the 16GB-capacity model for $95.Kobo Clara 2EThe Kobo Clara 2E is now $120 instead of $140. It's our top pick in our ereader guide and doesn't often go on sale. We like the textured back, crisp text and responsive touch controls. It's also waterproof, ad-free and has a comfortable warm light for night reading. The Kobo store has millions of books and is easy to navigate and the Clara 2E makes it easy to borrow ebooks from your local library.Samsung Pro Plus microSDThe top pick in our best microSD cards guide, Samsung's Pro Plus in 256GB is on sale for $20 right now. It had some of the best overall speeds of any of the microSD cards we tested, and it has all of the important ratings that a good card should have: U3, V30 and A2. It'll be a great pick for your tablet, smartphone or Nintendo Switch, and it comes with a full-sized adapter in case you need to use it with a camera or connect it to your computer.Samsung Evo Select microSDSamsung's Evo Select microSD card has dropped to $10 for Prime Day. It's a step behind the top pick in our microSD card guide, mostly due to its slower sequential write speeds, but it's argubly the best value microSD card you can get right now.Samsung T7 ShieldThe Samsung T7 Shield SSD has been discounted to $75 for Prime Day. The T7 series as a whole includes some of our favorite SSDs, and the Shield is the most durable of the bunch. The portable drive has an IP65 rating for water and dust resistance, and it can withstand drops from up to 10 feet high. On top of that, its 1,050/1,000 MB/s read/write speeds should be enough for most people's needs.Samsung 980 ProSamsung's 980 Pro SSD has dropped to $50 for Prime Day. It's another good option for the PS5, especially since you can spring for a model with an included heatsink if you want. The 980 Pro has read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s and reliable thermal controls.Crucial MX500Crucial's MX500 internal drive has been discounted to $48 for Prime Day. It has sequential read speeds of 560MB/s and a standard 2.5-inch design that should make it easy to swap in for your desktop's or laptop's used-up drive.Tile SlimThe Tile Slim is down to $23 for Prime Day. In our tests it was louder than the other wallet-focused trackers we tried (it was even louder than the Tile Mate, which is also on sale). It works with both Android and Apple devices and its thick credit card shape nicely slides into slots of a typical wallet.Amazon Echo DotAmazon has knocked the price of the latest Echo Dot down to $23, which is more than half off its normal price. It's one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its orb-like design, surprisingly good sound quality for its size and handy Alexa integration. The newest Echo Dots can also act as Eero WiFi boosters, adding up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to your existing Eero system. If you're looking for something even more affordable, the new Echo Pop is down to $18 right now as well.Amazon Echo Show 5The latest Echo Show 5 is half off and down to a record low of $45. The Show 5 has been one of the best smart displays available for quite some time, and it'll be particularly good for anyone who wants an Alexa-capable smart display that won't take up a lot of space. It also makes for a good alarm clock thanks to its sunrise alarm and tap-to-snooze features. The newest model has a faster processor, improved sound quality and an additional microphone for better Alexa performance.Amazon Fire Max 11Amazon's recently released Fire Max 11 tablet is on sale for $150 for Prime Day. It's the best discount we've seen since the Amazon's most powerful tablet launched in May. The slab has an 11-inch 2000 x 1200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of built-in storage and up to 14 hours of battery life. It can also work with a detachable keyboard and stylus, so you could use it like a 2-in-1 laptop.Samsung S95BThe 65-inch Samsung S95B is on sale for $1,598, matching its all-time low. Typically, this highly-rated set has cost an extra $100 to $200 in recent months. The S95B's QD-OLED panel combines OLED tech with a quantum dot layer, allowing it to deliver high contrast and wide viewing angles without sacrificing as much as typical OLED TVs in terms of brightness and color saturation. This means it should provide a rich image even in brighter rooms. It can also play up to 4K 120Hz, which is handy for the PS5 or Xbox Series X, but like all Samsung TVs, it doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR.The S95B is a 2022 model, so it's on the way out in favor of the new S95C. The latter supports a faster 144Hz refresh rate and runs its ports through an external box, which makes the design thinner. Other reviewerssay it can get a bit brighter, too. But the S95 currently costs $2,298 and $2,298 for a 55- and 65-inch model, respectively, and its upgrades don't appear to be massive enough to justify that extra cost for most. If you're in the market for a premium TV, the S95B should remain the better value while it's still available.Samsung The Frame smart TVSamsung's 55-inch The Frame TV is down to $988, which is a new low and about $450 off its typical street price. The Frame is a TV for those willing to trade some picture quality for classy aesthetics, as it's designed to look like a piece of art you can mount against a wall. When you aren't watching something, you can use it to display artwork and photos. A few digital art "pieces" come included, while others are sold with a subscription. The Frame's QLED panel lacks local dimming, so its contrast and HDR performance can't really compete with the best options in its price range. It only has one HDMI 2.1 port, too. But the image is still far from poor, and its design does well to blend into a wall, as we've professed before.Roku Streaming Stick 4KRoku's Streaming Stick 4K is down to $35 for Prime Day, or $15 off its usual price. It's our favorite streaming device at the moment because it packs a ton of features into an affordable package. It streams 4K, HDR content with Dolby Vision, and it supports AirPlay 2 and private listening with headphones.Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K MaxThe Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $25, which is $30 below its list price and $10 lower than the usual sale price we've seen over the course of the year. This is Amazon's fastest streaming stick, and its remote comes with Alexa baked in. It supports the major HDR standards in Dolby Vision, HDR10 and HDR10+, and like the rest of the Fire TV lineup, it works with just about all of the necessary streaming apps. Unlike the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, it also has a WiFi 6 radio, though you'll need a compatible router and an unusually fast internet connection to ever see any advantage from that.Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K LiteWe call the Fire TV Stick Lite the best budget pick in our guide to the best streaming devices. It's essentially the same as the standard Fire TV Stick, only its remote lacks built-in volume and TV controls. It can't output Dolby Atmos audio to a compatible sound system, either. It makes up for all of this by being extremely affordable, and Prime Day has only furthered that: you can pick it up for $15, which is a 50 percent discount.Meta Quest 2 + $50 gift cardAmazon includes a free $50 gift card when you buy the Meta Quest 2 VR headset for Prime Day, so your total for the bundle will be $299. This is the best VR headset for most people right now thanks to its relatively affordable price, cordless and comfortable design, fast-switching LCD screens, 90Hz refresh rate and solid motion controllers.Google Pixel 7aThe Google Pixel 7a is on sale for $449 right now, or $50 off its usual rate and an all-time low. This is the best midrange phone you can get right now thanks to its speedy Tensor G2 chip, smooth 90Hz display and support for wireless charging. The 7a also has solid cameras and an IP67 water-resistant design.Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraSamsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra has dropped to a record-low price of $850 for Prime Day, and the rest of the lineup is on sale, too. The Ultra in particular is the best Android smartphone you can get right now thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, big, bold 120Hz display, built-in S Pen and excellent main camera.Nest WiFi Pro - 3 PackThe Google Nest WiFi Pro three-pack gives you all the same technology as the pair but with a wider range. With three routers, you can access WiFi across 6,600 square feet. At 25 percent off, the trio is $300, making each Nest WiFi Pro only $100 - it's a steal considering they typically retail for $200 each. As for color, get them all in Snow or get a mix of Snow, Fog and Linen.TP-Link Deco XE75 mesh WiFi systemThe best mesh WiFi system out right now, TP Link's Deco XE75, is down to a record low of $320 for Prime Day. While this set doesn't have one stand-out feature that puts it above the competition, it does a great job balancing power and usability. It has an easy setup process, an equally easy-to-use mobile app and it provides a stable and fast WiFi network that will cover most homes well. This is the best price we've seen on the three-pack that usually costs $450.Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuumShark's vacuum-and-mop machine has dropped to $380 for Prime Day. It's one of the best robot vacuums you can get right now because of its versatility and decent starting price, so if you can pick it up while it's on sale, that's even better. It comes with a water reservoir with a cloth attached to it that lets you mop hard floors when you need to. The standard dustbin will hold all debris during vacuuming, and the machine is smart enough to empty its clean base automatically after every vacuuming job (you'll have to empty the water reservoir on your own).TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Light BulbOur favorite budget smart light bulbs are TP-Link's Kasa Smart WiFi Bulbs, which are 32 percent off right now for the two-pack, bringing it to $17. Installation is easy, and the lights stayed reliably connected during testing, plus the companion app is simple.Blink Mini 2-packA two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras is on sale for $34 for Prime Day. That's only $4 more than we saw it during the holiday shopping season last year. While these cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless Blink cameras including 1080p video recordings and support for two-way talk and motion alerts.Fitbit Charge 5The Fitbit Charge 5 is our favorite overall tracker, and is currently $100 or $50 off its usual price. Fitness trackers aren't as fully featured as smartwatches, but that typically means they have a longer battery life and cost a little less. We like the Charge 5 for its comprehensive activity tracking and health monitoring that comes in a thin profile with a multi-day battery life. It also pairs with both Apple and Android phones.Razer Huntsman MiniThe compact Razer Huntsman Mini is down to $69 for a model with either Clicky Purple or Linear Red opto-mechanical switches. Neither deal is quite an all-time low, but the two models have usually retailed in the $80 to $100 range over the last few months. The Huntsman Mini is the top pick in our guide to the best 60 percent keyboards, as its keys are pleasant and consistently responsive for gaming. The whole thing feels well-built, with quality PBT keycaps and RGB lighting on a per-key basis. Each key can be programmed through macros as well. The switches here aren't ideal for those who like a springy and more tactile, though, and the ultracompact design won't be for everyone.8BitDo Ultimate C Wireless ControllerThis simplified version of 8BitDo's Ultimate Wireless Controller is 10 percent off. and down to $27 for Prime Day. It works on Windows, Android, Steam Deck and Raspberry Pi and it connects via 2.4G wireless or via a USB dongle that comes with it. 8BitDo controllers are some of our favorites thanks to their solid build quality and fun yet comfortable designs, and this one has a battery life of 25 hours, so you can get a lot of playtime in before it needs a recharge.Logitech Litra GlowLive-streamers or anyone who wants to look better on camera should snag Logitech's Litra Glow LED light while it's on sale for Prime members. We recommend it in our guides because the USB-powered device delivers a diffuse, soft glow without harsh shadows and comes with an extendable monitor mount.Razer Blade 15A configuration of the Razer Blade 15 with a Core i7-12800H processor, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 240Hz QHD display, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD is down to $1,923 for Prime Day. That's about $375 off its usual street price in recent months. We gave the Blade 15 a review score of 86 last year, and we currently recommend it as a premium pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. This config is a 2022 model - the latest version is largely a spec bump - but it'll still be powerful enough to play most modern games at high settings and frame rates, particularly with DLSS. The main reason to pay the premium for any Blade laptop, though, is because it packs that power in a slim and premium-feeling aluminum design. Just note that it can run hot, and that its battery life is fairly short.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-2023-day-2-the-best-deals-you-can-still-get-111813236.html?src=rss
You'll want to act quickly if you're shopping for a truly stand-out TV set. Samsung's 2023 Frame TVs are on sale at Amazon for Prime Day, and the discounts are particularly steep for some models. The line now starts at $548 for the bedroom-friendly 32-inch model, but the sweetest deal is for the 55-inch model, which has dropped to a record low of $988 - 34 percent off. You won't get an add-on bezel at those prices, but the savings are large enough that you might not mind.The appeal of Frame TVs is as clear as ever: it's a set that doubles as artwork when it's not in use. Mount it on your wall (the kit is thankfully included) and it blends into the decor using either professional images or your own. You'll usually have to subscribe to the Samsung Art Store or buy individual works if you want classics, but it could be worthwhile to have a Van Gogh or Vermeer in your living room. The 2023 models have a matte finish that cuts reflections and gives them a canvas-like appearance.These aren't Samsung's highest-end TVs, so you won't get the crispness of an 8K panel or the vivid contrast of OLED. They still offer an accurate 4K picture, however, and they're full-featured sets with voice assistant control, a game mode and a wide range of apps. At these prices, they're easy choices if you either want a wall-mounted TV or were otherwise resigned to buying an ordinary screen.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-frame-smart-tvs-drop-to-as-low-as-548-for-prime-day-2023-201921481.html?src=rss
A Congressional investigation concluded that several tax prep providers shared sensitive filing data with Meta and Google. It follows a 2022 report from The Markup highlighting the practice in which TaxSlayer, H&R Block and TaxAct used Meta's Pixel tracking tool to harvest info like filing status, approximate adjusted gross income, refund amount, names of dependents and which text-entry fields users clicked on. Meta is already facing a lawsuit connected with the initial reporting.The panel sent the conclusions to the IRS, FTC, DOJ and Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGA), urging the agencies to investigate and prosecute if applicable. Big Tax Prep has recklessly shared tens of millions of taxpayers' sensitive personal and financial data with Meta for years, without appropriately disclosing this data usage or protecting the data, and without appropriate taxpayer consent," the report reads. The findings of this report reveal a shocking breach of taxpayer privacy by tax prep companies and by Big Tech firms that appeared to violate taxpayers' rights and may have violated taxpayer privacy law."The review found the Meta Pixel tracker also gathered data about whether taxpayers had visited pages for many revealing tax situations, such as having dependents, certain types of income (such as rental income or capital gains), and certain tax credits or deductions." In addition, it transmitted the full names, email, country, state, city, zip codes, phone numbers and gender as hashed values. The information was also collected from taxpayers using TaxAct's Free File service - which is through a partnership with the IRS.Congressional investigators listed in the report include Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA).The tax prep firms were shockingly careless with their treatment of taxpayer data," the investigation concluded. They indicated that they installed the Meta and Google tools on their websites without fully understanding the extent to which they would send taxpayer data to these tech firms, without consulting with independent compliance or privacy experts, and without full knowledge of Meta's use of and disposition of the data." The panel also chided Meta and Google for acting with stunning disregard for taxpayer privacy."The report cites laws that say, a tax return preparer may not disclose or use a taxpayer's tax return information prior to obtaining a written consent from the taxpayer," while mentioning that the tax prep companies failed to do that. Although tax-filing companies can legally hand data to auxiliary service providers in connection with the preparation of a tax return," the panel said Meta and Google don't meet that definition since the tracking was used for advertising. Violations can lead to fines of up to $1,000 per instance (likely pocket change for these companies) and up to a year in prison.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/congressional-report-condemns-tax-prep-companies-for-sending-data-to-meta-google-200254131.html?src=rss
On the second day of Amazon's Prime Day sales, most Apple Watch and smartwatch deals are still going strong. So if you're swapping out an aging wearable or are getting a smartwatch for the first time, this is a time to snag a deal. The discounts extend to two of the three models in Apple's current lineup, including the flagship Apple Watch Series 8 and the more affordable Apple Watch SE - both of which are seeing their biggest discounts we've tracked. (The premium Apple Watch Ultra isn't discounted as of right now.) Options from other brands like Samsung and Fitbit are also on sale, so if you're an Android user, you're covered. We've also included discounted fitness trackers. Here are the best Prime Day deals on Apple Watches, smartwatches and fitness trackers that we could find.Apple Watch Series 8The Apple Watch Series 8 is the brand's most recent flagship and usually sells for $399 for the 41mm GPS model. Prime Day brings it down to $280, which is the best price we've seen. The Series 8 is our top pick in our guide to smartwatches because it combines detailed health and fitness tracking with seamless iPhone integration. New features include temperature sensors, ECG and blood oxygen readings, crash detection, and improved sleep metrics. The upcoming WatchOS 10 will bump the utility even more with widgets plus expanded health, fitness and mindfulness features.We spent some time with the Apple Watch 8 when it came out late last year and called it well-rounded [and] fully featured." Apple claims an 18-hour battery life with average use and the always-on display enabled. Low-power mode (which we found particularly impressive) can give you up to 36 hours. If you want to make calls, get texts and more when you don't have your phone, you may want to get the model with cellular capabilities. Those versions are down to $380 for both case sizes.Read our hands-on experience with the Apple Watch Series 8.Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS)The most affordable smartwatch in the lineup is the Apple Watch SE. While it looks like the 40mm case size has gone out of stock, the larger 44mm case is still on sale. It's usually $279 but Prime Day discounts are making it just $230. We called the SE the best smartwatch $250 can buy" in our Engadget review. It uses the same processor, matches the 50 meter water resistance and looks nearly identical to the Apple Watch 8, though the SE lacks dust resistance and the always-on display. It also can't give blood oxygen, temperature and EKG readings. But if you don't need those things, you can save money while still getting plenty of fitness and health data along with seamless integration with your iPhone.Our reviewer Cherlynn Low notes that Apple made surprisingly few sacrifices with the SE and named it the best smartwatch for the money." In fact, in the wrap up to her Apple Watch 8 coverage, she said if she were shopping for herself, the SE is the watch she'd buy.The cellular models are also on sale for Prime Day. The GPS plus cellular model lets you take calls, text and stream music even when your iPhone isn't with you. The 40mm SE with cellular is usually $299, but is now $250. And the 44mm size with cellular is $280 instead of $329.Read our full review of the Apple Watch SE.Smartwatches from other brandsNot all smartwatches are made by Apple. Here are a few smartwatches we've tested from other brands - all of which are on sale for Prime Day.Google Pixel WatchPrime Day is discounting the Google Pixel Watch to $250 for Prime members, which is a $100 off and the lowest price we've seen. Google's first smartwatch only got a 74 in our Engadget review, but it's a beautifully designed wearable with plenty of useful watch faces and speedy Assistant responses. Our main gripes were with the short battery life and software issues like awkward Fitbit integration - things that the upcoming launch of Wear OS 4 might fix.We did appreciate the variety and utility of the faces the Pixel Watch offers. After Google bought Fitbit, the company poured the wellness tracking into its new watch. While we think Fitbit offers some of the best wellness-tracking capabilities around, the integration between the watch and the Fitbit app is not as speedy as it should be just yet.Read our full review of the Google Pixel Watch.Samsung Galaxy Watch 5Of course, Apple Watches only work with iPhones. For those who prefer Android devices, the Galaxy Watch 5 is our top recommendation in our smartwatch guide. Usually $280, it's currently $151, which is a 46 percent off. Samsung's latest wearables run on Google's Wear OS and gives you plenty of health data and fitness tracking along with sleep coaching and body composition analysis.The Galaxy Watch 5 is a modest update over the previous generation, but it still earned a score of 85 in our review, since the previous generation was already pretty good. This time around, the build is stronger, the battery life is longer and the curved case back makes better contact with your wrist for more reliable readings.Read our full review of the Galaxy Watch 5.Fitbit Versa 2The Fitbit Versa 2 is the budget pick in our smartwatch guide and down to $140 for Prime Day. Fitbit devices have always been fitness-focused and the Versa 2 tracks and auto-detects a slew of different workouts giving you plenty of data. But since it's a smartwatch, it can play Spotify, has Alexa built in and brings your phone notifications and hundreds of apps to your wrist. It's also device agnostic, pairing up with either iPhones or Android devices, something that can't be said for Apple's wearables.The battery can last six days without the always-on display turned on (but only around two days with that feature enabled). Since it doesn't need a recharge every night, you can take advantage of the sleep tracking features and get a sleep score each morning. Fitbit's Premium membership is required to get a Daily Readiness score and a breakdown of your sleep score, but the subscription also includes sleep content from Calm.Read our full review of the Fitbit Versa 2.Fitness TrackersIf all you need is something to reliably track your workouts, fitness trackers are cheaper and tend to have a longer battery life than smartwatches. Here are the picks we recommend that are on sale for Prime Day.Fitbit Charge 5The Fitbit Charge 5 is our favorite overall tracker, and is currently $100 or $50 off its usual price. Fitness trackers aren't as fully featured as smartwatches, but that typically means they have a longer battery life and cost a little less. We like the Charge 5 for its comprehensive activity tracking and health monitoring that comes in a thin profile with a multi-day battery life. It also pairs with both Apple and Android phones.Built-in GPS accurately tracks runs, bike rides and hikes and the bright OLED screen has an always-on mode which may make it easier to track your progress as you work out (though that feature affects the battery life). The Charge 5 also has heart rate sensors and stress-detecting EDA monitors for deeper insights into your health.Read our full review of the Fitbit Charge 5.Fitbit Inspire 3Our favorite budget fitness tracker is Fitbit's Inspire 3 and Prime Day is making it even more affordable with a 20-percent discount that makes it just $80 rather than $100. As of now, it looks like just the model with the orange band is still available for that price. It doesn't have built-in GPS, but if you bring your phone along, its connected GPS capabilities will give you all the same data. It does offer monitoring for your heart rate, blood oxygen and skin temperature variations.The Inspire 3 hit the claimed 10-day battery life in our tests, which is particularly useful for sleep monitoring. Fitbit also makes different swappable bands to personalize the wearable to your tastes, so if that orange band doesn't fit your style, you can easily switch it up.Check out our full guide to fitness trackers.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-watch-amazon-prime-day-deals-165228101.html?src=rss
Air fryers have been having a moment for, well, a while, so it's no surprise that a number of them are on sale for Amazon Prime Day. A few of our top picks are included among the discounts, so you have plenty of options to get a good buy that fits your needs. Regardless of whether you want one for yourself to help you prepare meals for big dinner parties and family gatherings, or you're just looking for a compact machine that can crisp up leftovers, you'll likely be able to find a solid air fryer on sale today. Here are the best Amazon Prime Day air fryer deals we could find.Instant Vortex PlusThe top pick in our air fryer guide, the Instant Vortex Plus is on sale for $100 right now. Not only does this machine do a good job turning all types of food into crispy goodness, but it also has a "ClearCook" window so you can see your food while it's being prepared. It also has OdorEase technology, which does a decent job temping down cooking smells and reducing smokiness.Ninja Foodi Dual Zone air fryerThe Ninja Foodi DualZone air fryer has dropped to $180 for Prime Day. This 10-quart machine may take up a healthy amount of counter space, but it's a stellar air fryer that can cook two different foods at once. It even has a Smart Finish feature, which will let you cook two foods in different ways but have them both be ready to eat at the same time.Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer ProIf you're looking for an air fryer that can do much more than air fry, Breville's Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro is a good option, especially when it's on sale for $400 like it is for Prime Day. It has 13 cooking modes and it's big enough to fit a full turkey or a 9 x 13-inch pan, so you can prep full meals or side dishes in here. Those who love to cook, or who have large families for which to cook for, will get a ton of use out of Breville's machine.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-air-fryer-deals-150007819.html?src=rss
Microsoft is doing more to tackle toxicity in multiplayer Xbox games. The company is introducing a feature that allows Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One players to capture a 60-second video clip of abusive or inappropriate voice chat and submit it for moderators to review."This feature is purpose-built to support the broadest arena of in-game interactions between players and works across thousands of games that offer in-game multiplayer voice chat, including Xbox 360 backward-compatible titles," Xbox Player Services corporate vice-president Dave McCarthy wrote in a blog post.Microsoft designed the tool for both ease of use and to minimize the impact on gameplay. When you capture a clip for reporting, it will stay on your Xbox for "24 online hours." You'll have the option to submit it right away or wait until you finish your gaming session. You'll get a reminder before the 24 hours are up. If you opt not to report the clip, your Xbox will automatically delete it.No one else will have access to the clip unless you submit it. "Xbox is not saving or uploading any voice clips without you, the player, choosing to start the reporting process," McCarthy said. Any clips you capture through the tool will not appear in your recent captures and it won't be possible to download, share or modify them. These clips will only be used for moderation purposes. After the safety team has reviewed your report, you'll receive a notification to tell you whether it took action against an abusive player.An Xbox spokesperson told Engadget the safety team will use "a range of moderation tools that leverage AI and human moderators" to analyze the clips. Moderators will review audio and video to determine if someone has violated the community standards.At the outset, the reactive voice reporting system allows a player to report up to three individuals at once. "If a moderator cannot determine who was talking at a given time and associate it with the reported Xbox Live player, the report will be closed as unactionable, no enforcement action will be taken and the captured video will be deleted within 90 days," the spokesperson said.The advent of cross-platform play muddies the waters here too. The safety team won't take any action in cases of inappropriate voice chat from those who are on other platforms. "The announced reactive voice moderation feature is specifically for reporting Xbox players to the Xbox Safety Team," the spokesperson noted.It's encouraging to see Xbox tackle the problem of toxic voice chat at a platform-wide level. The PlayStation 5 has had a similar feature since it debuted in 2020.Several studios have adopted similar approaches in their own games. In 2021, Riot said it would record Valorant voice communications but only listen to them when a report was filed. It started testing the system last July.Ahead of Overwatch 2 going live last October, Blizzard said it would automatically transcribe a recording of a match's voice chat following a report from a player. The company's chat review tools analyze the transcription for signs of abusive behavior and both the recording and text file are deleted. (Of note, Blizzard and Overwatch 2 may soon be Microsoft properties.)To begin with, Xbox's voice reporting feature will be available for Alpha and Alpha-skip Xbox Insiders in the English-speaking markets of the US, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. Microsoft hopes that insiders will provide feedback to help improve this feature. It plans to continue investing in voice moderation and to support more languages. Xbox will share data and updates on voice chat moderation in its bi-annual transparency report.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-makes-abusive-voice-chat-reporting-a-system-wide-feature-190159915.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day is a great time to grab the little things: accessories, dongles, chargers and other tech we all need, but don't always think about until things get dire. We've reviewed and tested plenty of less-expensive tech and quite a few of our recommendations are currently seeing discounts during Amazon's big sale. We rounded up the best tech gear and devices we could find that come in under $50 with Prime Day savings. Here are the best Prime Day deals under $50 that you can get this year.Echo DotThe latest generation of Amazon's smart speaker, the Echo Dot usually retails for $50, but for Prime Day, it's down to $23, which is a 54 percent discount and its lowest price ever. We think it's the best sub-$50 smart speaker you can buy because it pumps out decent sound for its size while delivering all that Alexa can do. The Echo Dot with clock is also on sale, coming in at $30 instead of $60.Echo Dot KidsThe kids edition of the Echo Dot is on sale for $28 rather than $60. It's the same size as the standard Dot with equal audio powers. You can get it with an owl or dragon-themed exterior, and it offers parental controls and comes with a year's subscription to Amazon Kids + with kid-appropriate content.Echo PopAmazon's newest Echo is also its smallest. The half-sphere Echo Pop is now more than half off, going for just $18 for Prime Day when it usually retails for $40. It's designed to bring casual listening and Alexa's help to small spaces.Roku Streaming Stick 4KWe think Roku's Streaming Stick 4K is the best streaming device on the market and right now you can get it for $34 instead of the usual $50. It packs a lot of features into a small and affordable package and has a straightforward user interface.Anker 100W 10ft cableAnker's 100W cable is the one our reviewer used to test out the fast chargers in our guide and right now Prime members can get it for $13 instead of $16. It's rated to 100W, which can properly deliver power from a 100W USB-C power bank port or a fast charger brick.8BitDo Pro 2 controllerThis bundle with the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller and its storage case is down to $48 for Prime Day, which is a great price. We generally like 8BitDo controllers and the Pro 2 has been one of our favorites since it came out. It offers a lot at an affordable price point: adjustable stick and trigger sensitivity, vibration control and customize button mapping, just to name a few features. It also works with a bunch of different platforms including Switch, Steam Deck, PC, iOS, Mac and Android. It's part of a larger sale that includes the 8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox for $28and the Sn30 Pro Bluetooth controller for $32.Fire TV Stick LiteThe budget pick in Engadget's streaming device guide is Amazon's Fire TV Stick Lite, which is even cheaper for Prime Day as long as you're a Prime member. Typically $30 it's now half price at just $15. It supports Full HD streaming with HDR and comes with an Alexa voice remote - but keep in mind it can't control the volume or power on your TV.Fire TV Stick 4KThe Fire TV Stick 4K is down to $23, which is a considerable 54 percent savings over its $50 list price. It's capable of streaming 4K video to your TV or monitor (as long as it supports that resolution) and supports HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It also puts Amazon's Fire OS interface on your screen, which we found to be easy enough to figure out, though it does prioritize Amazon Prime Video content.Fire TV Stick 4K MaxLike the standard 4K stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max streams 4K content to your compatible screen of choice, has an Alexa remote, and supports HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It also has access to WiFi 6 and packs a faster processor. Right now, it's $25 which is 55 percent off of the typical $55.Anker PowerConf C200 2K WebcamThe runner up in our guide to the best webcams is Anker's PowerConf C200 2K. The list price is $60, but is discounted to $48 for Prime members during the sale. It's easy to set up, has a built-in lens cover for privacy and captures sharp and clear 2K resolution video with a 95-degree field of view.Amazon Echo BudsThe latest Echo Buds just arrived in May yet they're already 30 percent off at Amazon for Prime members. You can get them for $35, which is $15 off and ties the lowest price we've seen. We recommended the Echo Buds to those who prefer an open design in our best budget wireless earbuds guide.JOBY GripTightWe like Joby products and recommend them in a few of our guides. This GripTight stand will hold most any smartphone in just about any position and includes bendy, gripping legs to stand or even grab on to objects. Prime day is cutting the price almost in half, making it $18.50 instead of $35.ElevationLab GoStandWe recommend Elevation Lab's GoStand in our gift guide for people who work from home and right now it's 20 percent off. It folds into a pocket and can prop up a smartphone in either portrait or landscape orientation and adjusts to just about any viewing angle you'd like.Logitech Litra GlowLive-streamers or anyone who wants to look better on camera should snag Logitech's Litra Glow LED light while it's on sale for Prime members. We recommend it in our guides because the USB-powered device delivers a diffuse, soft glow without harsh shadows and comes with an extendable monitor mount.TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Light BulbOur favorite budget smart light bulbs are TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Bulbs, which are 32 percent off right now for the two-pack, bringing it to $17. Installation is easy, and the lights stayed reliably connected during testing, plus the companion app is simple.Tile SlimThe Tile Slim is down to $23 for Prime Day. In our tests it was louder than the other wallet-focused trackers we tried (it was even louder than the Tile Mate, which is also on sale). It works with both Android and Apple devices and its thick credit card shape nicely slides into slots of a typical wallet.SAMSUNG EVO Select microSDWe named the Samsung EVo Select microSD card the overall best value in our guide to those storage devices and the largest, 128GB capacity model is now just $10, a 50 percent discount over its typical $20 price tag. The larger capacity cards, including the 512GB model is on sale as well. It doesn't have the fastest write speeds, but is good for adding extra storage on the cheap.SAMSUNG PRO Plus microSD Memory CardEngadget's top pick overall for micro SD cards is Samsung's Pro Plus micro SD and Prime Day is bringing even the 128GB model to $14 and the largest 512GB model to under $50 after a 33 percent, Prime-only discount. It had the best sequential write performance of the cards we tested and should work well as extra storage for a camera, tablet or gaming handheld.Blink Video DoorbellThe list price on Blink's Video Doorbell is $60, but a half price discount for Prime members puts it comfortably under $50 at just $30. The unit can be used wired or on battery and will keep an eye on your front door, sending 1080p video to your phone or smart display, triggered by motion. The add-on Sync Module 2 is required for on-demand viewing, otherwise video and audio is only available when motion is sensed.Amazon Fire 7 tabletAmazon's Fire 7 tablet has an MSRP of $60, but Prime Day is discounting it to $40 after a 33 percent, Prime-member-only discount. A sub-$50 tablet is a rare thing, and the Fire 7 isn't a high-performer. But if you just need a no-frills way to check email, stream and browse social media, this won't break the bank.Echo Show 5The recently updated Echo Show 5 is half price for Prime Day, dropping it to $45. The smaller smart display can act as a bedside alarm clock (and even has a snooze button) or you can set it up in a smaller kitchen to show you recipes and provide Alexa's help.Blink Mini smart security camera (2-pack)The wired, indoor Blink mini security cam is listed at $35 most days, but Prime members can snag it for $17.50. In fact, a two pack falls beneath the $50 mark, at just $34. The smart cameras are motion-activated, sending live 1080p video to your smartphone or smart display and allowing for two-way audio to boot.Belkin Wireless Charging StandOne of our favorite wireless chargers is Belkin's Wireless Charging Stand, which is just $36 for Prime members right now, and a 20 percent discount. We like it because it's a good value, comes with a power adapter and lets you charge in either landscape or portrait orientation.Amazon Smart PlugIn Engadget's guide to smart plugs, we named Amazon's Smart Plug the best option for people who already use Alexa-enabled devices, like Echo speakers. It's easy to set up using the Alexa app and reliably controls any lamps or fans you plug into it. Right now Prime Members can snag one for just $13, which is nearly half price.Anker 735 GaN PrimeAnker's 735 GaN Prime is just $39 for Prime members and usually $60. It's the best 65W charging brick you can buy, according to our testing because it's fast, compact and offers a total of three charging ports: two USB-C and one USB-A.OtterBox Fast Charge Power BankThe stylish and fast-charging OtterBox Fast Charge Power Bank is currently just $35 for the 15,000mAh model the best medium capacity portable battery you can buy. This one has even more juice to revive your dying smartphone or tablet.Belkin Apple Watch ChargerBelkin's Apple Watch Charger is one of our favorite accessories for the smartwatch and down to $44 for Prime members. The square pad can flip up so you can use the watch in nightstand mode and uses Apple's new fast wireless-charging module to power a Series 8 from 0 to 80 percent in about 45 minutes.Anker 511 charger Nano 3Anker's 511 (Nano 3) charging brick is one of our recommendations for Apple Watch users and is now on sale for $17 instead of $23. New watches don't come with power adapters, so if you need one, this is a good option - it's compact with foldable prongs and has ActiveShield 2.0 to keep it from overheating.Kasa Smart Plug EP25 (4-pack)Prime Day is a good time to pick up the best smart plug you can buy, according to our testing. A four-pack of Kasa's Smart Plug EP25 is now $35 for Prime members, when the set is usually $50. It's reliable, relatively easy to set up and works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings and even Apple HomeKit.Logitech Signature M650Logitech's Signature M650 wireless mouse is seeing a moderate 13 percent discount for Prime Day. It's a good pick for a compact mouse you can easily take with you when you're computing on the go. It has a precision scroll wheel, clicks quietly and features two programmable buttons.Spigen ArcHybrid MagSafe Battery PackThe top MagSafe-compatible battery in our tests turned out to be Spigen's ArcHybrid MagSafe pack and Prime Day pricing brings it down to $33 after a solid 45 percent discount. It's a a little larger than Apple's own MagSafe battery and was able to fill an iPhone 14 Plus to 56 percent in about an hour and 45 minutes. Considering it's regularly $30 cheaper than Apple's battery pack, it's easy to recommend - particularly at this price.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-amazon-prime-day-deals-under-50-134515288.html?src=rss
The immensely popular online game creation platform/thingamajig Roblox is coming to VR, thanks to the Meta Quest platform. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement, which was followed by an official Roblox blog post. A beta version of the app launches in just a few weeks, according to Zuckerberg, which will be accessible via the Quest platform's dedicated App Lab.The beta will be available for the Quest 2 and Quest Pro headsets, so OG Quest owners are out of luck. The recently-announced Quest 3 wasn't mentioned, but that's likely because it won't be out in time for the beta release. A finished version of the game, however, would make for an extremely compelling launch title for the Quest 3, as Roblox boasts more than 66 million daily users across multiple platforms.To that end, this is going to be a fully cross-platform title, so anything you interact with or make on your phone or console should be accessible in VR, though it depends on the developer. The Roblox team is actively encouraging developers to make experiences in VR with a forthcoming toolset accessible via the Creator Dashboard. You'll soon see VR as a new device type on this dashboard, along with desktop, mobile, tablet and console.Meta recently lowered the minimum age to operate a Quest headset from 13 to ten, but this change will not impact Roblox. You have to be at least 13 to use the app in VR. That's probably for the best, given the addictive nature of the title and associated child safety concerns.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/roblox-is-coming-to-meta-quest-vr-headsets-181633766.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day has brought several discounts on gaming gear we like, from mice and keyboards to laptops and headsets. If you've been looking to build out your gaming rig, now's a great time to pick up a few high-performing accessories, or even a bigger investment like a discounted gaming laptop. We've compiled the best Prime Day gaming deals we can find below, including peripherals from Razer, Logitech, SteelSeries, HyperX and more.Logitech G Pro X SuperlightThe Logitech G Pro X Superlight is back down to an all-time low of $105, which is about $35 off its average going rate. This is a high-end wireless mouse whose praises we've sung in the past. It's sturdily built and wonderfully light at roughly 63g, and its mostly ambidextrous shape should be suitable for most hand sizes. Performance is exceptional across the board, and while it lacks RGB lighting, it won't look gaudy in an office setting. To be clear, the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro - which isn't notably discounted for Prime Day - remains our favorite premium model, as it lasts longer on a charge and uses USB-C instead of the microUSB port found here. Still, the G Pro X Superlight is a fine choice for enthusiasts.Logitech G305 LightspeedThe Logitech G305 Lightspeed is a budget wireless gaming mouse we highlight in our buying guide, and it's down to $30 for Prime Day. While that's a few bucks more than the lowest price we've seen, it's about $10 less than the mouse's usual going rate. The G305 is on the smaller side, but its symmetrical design doesn't feel particularly cheap and should accommodate most claw and fingertip grippers. For the money, its sensor performance is great. It does require a single AA battery for power, so it isn't the lightest option at roughly 100g, but Logitech says it can last up to 250 hours before needing a change.If you're willing spend a little bit more, the Razer Basilisk V3 is the top pick in our guide, and it's down to a new low of $40 at Best Buy. While that's not a Prime Day deal, it's a great value for an ergonomic mouse that tracks reliably and should be comfortable for most hand sizes. It has a more versatile scroll wheel that can tilt left to right and utilize a faster free-spin mode, too.Nintendo Switch gamesIf you need something new to play, a handful of popular Switch exclusives are at or near their lowest prices to date, with Super Mario Odyssey, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, Mario Golf: Super Rusheach down to $30. Outside of Amazon, Metroid Dread and Pokemon Legends: Arceusare both down to $39 at GameStop. Most of these games are a few years old, but steep discounts on Nintendo games are still fairly uncommon.Beyond the Switch, the action-RPG Horizon Forbidden Westis down to $40, the PS5 remake of Demon's Souls is on sale for $30 and the more recent Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is available for $44 with an on-page coupon. The well-reviewed RPG Octopath Traveler II, which was released earlier this year, is also on sale for $40 across the Switch, PS5 and PS4.Samsung Evo SelectThe 512GB Samsung Evo Select is available for $30, which is a new all-time low. Typically, we've seen this microSD card go for $10 or $15more in recent months. The Evo Select is the best value" pick in our guide to the best microSD cards: It's certainly not the fastest card we've tested, but it's a great buy for expanding the storage of a Steam Deck or Nintendo Switch. Both of thosesystems are limited to official UHS-I bus speeds, so game launch and load times are virtually identical across microSD cards so long as your card meets a certain threshold (which the Evo Select does). What you mainly want is lots of storage space for a little amount of money. At this price, the Evo Select provides that.The top pick in our microSD card guide, Samsung's Pro Plus, is a bit pricier but still down to all-time lows of $20 for 256GB and $40 for 512GB. While this won't be any faster to launch Switch or Steam Deck games than the Evo Select, its superior random and sequential write speeds should make it a little quicker for installing games or copying files to the card.Samsung 980 ProThe 1TB Samsung 980 Pro SSD is down to $50, which is an all-time low and about $25 off its average street price as of late. This isn't Samsung's fastest SSD - that'd be the 990 Pro - but we highlight it here because it meets Sony's requirements for expanding the PS5's storage. You'll want to grab a heatsink to go with it, but you can do that and still pay less than what it'd cost to buy the variant that comes with a heatsink pre-installed. If you do what the convenience of an integrated heatsink, however, the 980 Pro with Heatsink is down to $70 for 1TB. The 2TB 990 Pro is also on sale for $130, but that drive's performance gains border on overkill for the PS5.Backbone OneThe Backbone One is on sale for $70, a rare $30 discount. This deal now applies to the standard and PlayStation-branded models for iPhone, and both are only available as Lightning deals. Nevertheless, this is a well-built mobile gamepad that connects to your phone's charging port and works with just about any game that supports controller input, including those streamed over the cloud. It's not as luxurious as a traditional controller, but it's comfortable for its size and provides all the inputs needed to play modern games. It has a 3.5mm jack and supports pass-through charging as well. We gave the One a positive review last year and call it an honorable mention in our guide to the best gaming handhelds.Sennheiser HD 560SA good set of open-back headphones generally provides much better audio quality than a conventional gaming headset for around the same price. The Sennheiser HD 560S is one such pair we recommend in our guide to the best gaming headsets, and now it's down to $142. That's about $25 below its typical street price. There's no mic here, but the HD 560S' balanced sound profile and wide soundstage lend games a lovely sense of immersion and detail. It's great for music as well, even if it can be a smidge hot in the treble. Comfort also isn't an issue, but be aware that all open-back headphones let in and leak lots of external noise, so they won't be ideal if you play in a noisy environment.HyperX Cloud Alpha WirelessIf you want a more traditional gaming headset, the top wireless pick in our guide, the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless, is on sale for $150. That's $40 less than its traditional street price. This pair is all about the battery life, as it can last more than 300 hours on a charge. (No, that's not a typo.) The bass-boosted sound isn't as accurate or spacious as a good open-back pair, and HyperX's companion app is kind of a mess, but the design is comfortable, the mic is fine and the battery goes a long way toward minimizing the usual inconveniences of a wireless headphone. Just note that the headset only connects over a USB wireless dongle and doesn't work with Xbox.HyperX Cloud Stinger 2The HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is on sale for a new low of $35. This is the budget pick in our buying guide. It's not particularly balanced-sounding, but it gives action scenes an exciting sense of impact, and its mic quality belies the low price. The plastic frame doesn't clamp down too hard, either, but it does feel somewhat cheap.If you're willing to pay a little bit extra, the wired version of the Cloud Alpha offers better overall build quality. That one's down to $60, which is a roughly $25 discount. The original Cloud Stinger is also on sale for $20, which is a great price, though the newer model sounds better.Logitech G535The Logitech G535 is on sale for $80, which is the second-best price we've tracked outside of a very brief dip below $50 last month. Normally, it costs around $100. The G535 is an honorable mention in our buying guide: It's light and airy at 236g, and while it can make mid-range details sound thin, it has an agreeable and relatively well-balanced sound overall. The included boom mic is just OK, however, and the closed-back design doesn't block much outside noise. Still, finding a good wireless gaming headset for less than $100 is difficult, and the G535 gets close enough.SteelSeries Arctis Nova ProThe SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro is another honorable mention in our gaming headset guide, and it's down to $199 for Prime Day. This is an all-time low for both the Xbox and PlayStation/PC models; each typically goes for about $40 more on average. This is a premium, well-padded headset that's comfy to wear over long sessions. Its retractable mic is great, and it comes with a DAC that lets you adjust the headset's EQ and game/chat audio mix on the fly. It does well to reproduce bass and mid-range sounds, too, though it can be harsh in the treble, and again, it doesn't sound as spacious as an open-back pair like the Astro A40, our top pick, which isn't any cheaper than usual for Prime Day. Still, if you have money to burn on a gaming headset and prioritize comfort and mic quality, this isn't a bad choice.SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7XThe SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X, meanwhile, is available for $150, which is the lowest price we've seen and about $25 below its usual street price. We note the Arctis Nova 7X in our gaming headset guide as a worthy wireless option for Xbox owners. Its mic quality is solid, albeit worse than the pricier Nova Pro, and it's comfy to wear over time, with cloth earpads that don't clamp down too hard. It has a bass-forward sound profile, so explosions and other effects carry a real sense of oomph, though a dip in the treble can make in-game dialogue sound underemphasized. The pair can connect over Bluetooth or a 3.5mm cable in addition to its wireless dongle, though, plus it can last more than 30 hours on a charge.Seagate and WD Expansion Cards for Xbox Series X/S (1TB)For better or worse, the only way for Xbox Series X/S owners to fully expand their console's storage for current-gen games is to use a proprietary storage card. Seagate's Storage Expansion Card and WD's Black C50 are the only two official options, but right now each of their 1TB models are down to a new low of $140. While that's still pricey compared to a traditional (and PS5-compatible) SSD, it's at least a little bit of savings for those tired of uninstalling games to save space.8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth ControllerThe 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller is on sale for $63, which is an $7 discount. We briefly saw this wireless gamepad fall to $56 earlier during Prime Day, but discounts have been rare since the device arrived last year, so any price drop is welcome. We gave the Ultimate Bluetooth Controller a favorable write-up earlier this week, praising its comfort, build quality and customizability. The key feature is its Hall effect joysticks, which are much more resistant to developing drift issues over time. Just note that the controller is made for the Switch and PCs, not Xbox or PlayStation.If you want something more affordable, the 8BitDo Pro 2 is a similarly versatile gamepad that we've recommended in the past. It doesn't have those Hall effect sticks, but it's a strong value at $40, which matches the lowest price we've tracked.Razer Huntsman MiniThe compact Razer Huntsman Mini is down to $70 for a model with either Clicky Purple or Linear Red opto-mechanical switches. Neither deal is quite an all-time low, but the two models have usually retailed in the $80 to $100 range over the last few months. The Huntsman Mini is the top pick in our guide to the best 60 percent keyboards, as its keys are pleasant and consistently responsive for gaming. The whole thing feels well-built, with quality PBT keycaps and RGB lighting on a per-key basis. Each key can be programmed through macros as well. The switches here aren't ideal for those who like a springy and more tactile, though, and the ultracompact design won't be for everyone.HyperX Alloy Origins 60The HyperX Alloy Origins 60 is the runner up in our 60 percent keyboard guide, and it's on sale for $60. That's about $20 off the usual price for this model with HyperX's Aqua switches. The Aqua resembles a Cherry MX Brown (albeit slightly faster), so this deal should appeal to those who want a small gaming keyboard with a more tactile feel than the Huntsman Mini. The board itself has a sturdy aluminum chassis that should hold up well to rough keystrokes over time, plus it puts its secondary arrow keys in a natural spot at the bottom right of the deck. It offers PBT keycaps, per-key RGB lighting and macro-programmable keys as well, though the use of metal does make it relatively heavy.Corsair Scimitar RGB EliteThe Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite is down to $50 for Prime Day, which is about $20 off its street price and within $3 of the lowest price we've tracked. This is an MMO-focused mouse we highlight in our gaming mouse buying guide. It's not quite as convenient for complex games as our top MMO pick, the Logitech G600, as it lacks a third click button for accessing more in-game commands at once. If you don't need that, though, the RGB Elite has a more modern sensor and better overall build quality.SteelSeries Apex Pro TKLThe SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL is on sale for $132, which is a new low and $58off the tenkeyless gaming keyboard's list price. While we haven't reviewed the Apex Pro TKL ourselves, it has received consistentlyhighmarkselsewhere for its robust build quality, PBT keycaps, per-key backlighting and deeply adjustable OmniPoint 2.0 switches. The latter allows you to customize the actuation point of each individual key in increments of 0.1mm, within a range of 0.2mm-3.8mm. You can make each keystroke super fast for gaming or raise the travel distance and make everything less sensitive when you want to type. This is also one of the few tenkeyless keyboards that comes with a wrist rest.A few other variants of the Apex Pro are discounted, too, including the wireless TKL model for $174, the full-size Apex Pro for $134and the 60 percent Apex Pro Mini for $131. The first two of those are down to all-time lows, but note that the full-size model uses cheaper ABS keycaps. These are pricey and relatively niche keyboards either way, but if you think you'd benefit from the customization, they're at least a little more affordable now.The Asus ROG Azoth is another highlyratedcompactkeyboard with enthusiast-level features like a gasket-mounted design for softer typing and a hot-swappable PCB. It's available for $195with a $15 coupon, which is a serious chunk of change for a wireless keyboard but $50 less than usual.Logitech G915 TKLThe Logitech G915 TKL is down to $150for a model with tactile switches, which matches the keyboard's lowest price and comes in about $45 below its usual price. If you want a numpad, the full-size G915 Lightspeed with linear switches is roughly $60 off at $170. The G915 is worth considering if you specifically want a wireless keyboard with low-profile typing experience. While its flatter keys may not feel as smooth as the best full-height keyboards, they're fast, and the metal frame is noticeably slim. The cheaper ABS keycaps and limited macro functionality are disappointing at this price, but you do get dedicated media controls, per-key RGB lighting and 30 hours of battery life with the backlight at max brightness. You can read our 2020 write-up for more details.Meta Quest 2 + $50 Amazon gift cardThe Meta Quest 3 is on the horizon, but the Quest 2's totally cordless design, still-competent hardware and relatively large app library make it the best option for most people looking to get into VR today. It can also connect to a gaming PC if you want to play more complex games like Half-Life: Alyx. The headset itself isn't priced any lower than usual for Prime Day, but Amazon is throwing in a $50 gift card for no extra cost.Razer Blade laptopsA configuration of the Razer Blade 15 with a Core i7-12800H processor, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 240Hz QHD display, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD is down to $1,923 for Prime Day. That's about $375 off its usual street price in recent months. We gave the Blade 15 a review score of 86 last year, and we currently recommend it as a premium pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. This config is a 2022 model - the latest version is largely a spec bump - but it'll still be powerful enough to play most modern games at high settings and frame rates, particularly with DLSS. The main reason to pay the premium for any Blade laptop, though, is because it packs that power in a slim and premium-feeling aluminum design. Just note that it can run hot, and that its battery life is fairly short.If you want a larger 17-inch display, a version of the Blade 17 with similar specs is available for $2,000. The smaller Blade 14, meanwhile, is more modestly discounted at $2,300 for a 2022 config with a Ryzen 9 6900HX, RTX 3080 Ti and 165Hz display.Acer Nitro 5The Acer Nitro 5 is the runner up pick in our guide to the best budget gaming laptops, and right now a configuration with a Core i5-12500H, GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 144Hz 1080p display, 16GB of RAM and 512GB is available for $740. That's a new low and roughly $160 off this model's typical street price. This is a chunky plastic machine, and you'll need to ratchet down the settings in certain games to hit a decent frame rate. But getting a 144Hz display and enough power to keep up with modern games is a plus at this price. As an affordable yet competent entry point to PC gaming, it's a fine value.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-gaming-deals-132537938.html?src=rss
The Perseverance Rover has found evidence of organic compounds in the Jezero Crater on Mars. Although this isn't the smoking gun proving once and for all that Mars once hosted life - these compounds could have also developed in nonbiological ways - the results hint at surprisingly complex organic conditions for the key building blocks for life" on Earth's neighbor. The study was published in Nature.The Perseverance Rover, the first to explore the Jezero Crater, has been investigating the area since February 2021. Researchers believe the basin once housed an ancient lake, including a delta from a river that once flowed into it. It's one of the most likely regions to reveal leftover signs of life on Mars.Organic molecules like those observed in the Jezero Crater contain carbon and often hydrogen atoms. They're the core components of life as we know it on Earth, although they can also develop abiologically. They are an exciting clue for astrobiologists since they are often thought of as building blocks of life," paper co-author Joseph Razzell Hollis, a postdoctoral fellow at London's Natural History Museum, said toNewsweek. Importantly, they can be created by processes not related to life as we know it, and so organic molecules are not evidence of life on their own without sufficient extra evidence that cannot be explained by nonbiological - or abiotic - processes."The rover observed the compounds using an instrument - the Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman and Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals (SHERLOC) - that maps organic molecules and minerals on rock surfaces. Significantly, it found organic materials in all ten targets it observed on the crater floor. Our results support observations by previous robotic missions to Mars that the Red Planet was once rich in organic material, compounds made primarily of carbon and hydrogen, and that some of that organic material can still be detected billions of years later," co-author Joseph Razzell Hollis, a London-based astrobiologist, toldGizmodo. Each detection, each observation, gives us a little bit more information that brings us closer to understanding the history of Mars and whether it could have supported life in the past."Now that the researchers have observed the molecules, they'll need a better look at them in Earthbound labs to draw further conclusions about their origins. If these samples are returned to terrestrial laboratories, a more diverse suite of tools can be used to study the samples, including at higher spatial resolution and with much greater specificity and sensitivity," the authors wrote. They'll have to wait for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) mission, which isn't expected to launch from Earth until at least the late 2020s. Still, the trip should be worth the wait. So far, the only Martian rocks we've ever been able to study on Earth have been meteorites. Getting our hands on intact Mars rocks, carefully stored and protected from contamination, will be invaluable to planetary science," Razzell Hollis told Newsweek.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/researchers-find-evidence-of-organic-matter-on-mars-174950850.html?src=rss
Chipotle isn't done experimenting with robots that could make life easier for restaurant staff. The chain has teamed up with robotics company Vebu to test a prototype Autocado robot (yes, that's the name) that cuts, cores and peels avocados to be used in guacamole. Kitchen workers only have to fill the bot with up to 25lbs of ripe avocados and choose a size. After the processing is done, they collect the fruit in a bowl, add remaining ingredients and start mashing.As Autocado improves, Chipotle expects to cut guacamole prep time in half - no mean feat when it usually takes 50 minutes to make a batch. That could ensure a steady supply of guac while eliminating some of the drudgery for employees. The restaurant also believes the robot could reduce food waste (and thus costs) through more efficient processing.Autocado is currently limited to a testing center in Irvine, California. This is the start of a "long term partnership" with Vebu, Chipotle adds. The two haven't said what comes next, but the focus will be on collaborative robots that "drive efficiencies" and "ease pain points" for workers. Last year, Chipotle began testing Miso Robotics' Chippy robot to aid in making tortilla chips.Chipotle is far from alone. McDonald's and other restaurants are trying AI, robots and other automated solutions to streamline their experiences. These moves theoretically help employees concentrate on serving customers and other tasks where humans are still preferable. Of course, there are also lingering concerns among critics that restaurants might use this to automate people out of jobs. They may choose to shrink headcounts and cut costs instead of easing the workload. That isn't guaranteed to happen with Autocado when humans are still necessary, but the long-term future isn't quite so clear.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/chipotles-guacamole-robot-is-cursed-to-peel-and-core-avocados-for-eternity-174027901.html?src=rss
Just a year ago, Apple announced the biggest software update the iPad has ever seen. iPadOS 16 ushered in Stage Manager, a completely revamped multitasking mode that brought overlapping, resizable windows to the iPad, along with robust external display support (provided you had compatible hardware).There were a host of other new features, as usual, but Stage Manager in particular brought the iPad closer than ever to a Mac or Windows PC experience. iPadOS 17, on the other hand, is a more subtle update. That's usually the case, with one year bringing big new features and the next offering tweaks and stability improvements. And while there isn't one singular headline feature in iPadOS 17, the totality of myriad smaller changes definitely adds up. I've been using iPadOS 17 in beta for a few weeks, and now that the public beta is live, you can do the same.A note on stability: Even though this is a public beta, the beta" still applies. It's probably not ideal to install on a machine you rely on for daily use, as you'll surely run into some bugs and crashes. And it's always a bit of a crapshoot how well third-party apps work on a beta. All that said, I haven't run into anything particularly severe. Occasionally, an app will just toss me back to the Home Screen, or you might find some weird UI issues where apps haven't quite been optimized yet. But over the last few years, Apple has gained a reputation for releasing public betas in solid, usable states, and that's the case here as well. Just remember that downgrading" to iPadOS 16 final releases isn't exactly a simple process.Stage Manager updatesWhile Stage Manager opened up some major new multitasking features for the iPad, it was also a lot more rigid than the windows management system you'd find on a Mac. This year, Apple has tweaked things to make it easier to set up your ideal workspace. Previously, apps would snap to a handful of predetermined sizes to fit your display, and the specific placement of each individual window was up to iPadOS to decide. Now, app windows have a lot more granularity in how you can size and place them. For example, I can make the Notes app that I'm typing into right now a tiny window half of my screen's height and about a quarter of its width. From there, I can make it as tall or wide as I want; there are still specific sizes that it snaps to, but there's far more flexibility than there was last year.iPadOS 17 is also a lot more flexible about how you arrange multiple apps, something that wasn't the case last year. When you added a second app to a space, iPadOS automatically decided where the two windows should go. You could resize them both as you wanted, but it was basically impossible to show two apps side-by-side without any overlap, for example. That's no longer the case. Now, it's a simple matter of grabbing the top of a window and dropping it where you want.These basic controls have been available on Windows and macOS for decades, but it's still a new paradigm for the iPad. I'm definitely glad that Apple seems to be trusting its users more by giving them more flexibility rather than letting iPadOS make major decisions about how you lay out your screen. Stage Manager is still somewhat of a niche feature, given that lots of iPads can't run it, but people who want to push their iPads further will definitely appreciate these updates.Lock Screen and interactive widgetsProbably the most obvious user-facing update is the revamped Lock Screen. It should also be very familiar, because Apple first introduced it on the iPhone a year ago. Basically, you can now set up multiple lock screens, each with its own wallpaper, widgets and design elements (like fonts and color filters). To jump between different styles you've set up, you can just press and hold on the Lock Screen and then choose what suits you. Finally, you can also set a specific Focus setting for each Lock Screen, so you can set up a whole profile for work mode or vacation time.There's also a great new wallpaper picker - this, too, borrowed from the iPhone. There are some new styles here specifically for the iPad, though, including striking views of every planet in the solar system stem. And in a nod to the iPad's history, they brought back the original Pyramid Lake wallpaper (shot by photographer Richard Misrach) from the first iPad back in 2010. I'm a sucker for nostalgia and love the photo, so Apple won me over here.Beyond the aesthetics, having widgets on the Lock Screen makes the iPad's large display more useful - there's a ton of space, so why not show more than just the time and your notifications? But widgets are getting a big improvement beyond just being able to drop them on the Lock Screen. At long last, they're interactive. That means if you have a Reminders widget, you can tap a specific item to check it off without having to open the app. Or, with the Apple Music widget, you can automatically start playing an album or playlist.Previously, widgets let you tap specific parts to jump to that place in the app, so they weren't just static information displays, but this takes their functionality a lot further. We're going to need third-party developers to add this functionality to their widgets to really take full advantage of the feature, but I'm looking forward to seeing how apps incorporate it when iPadOS 17 is out in the wild.HealthThere aren't many Apple apps on the iPhone that you can't also get on the iPad. Health was one, but that's been remedied this year. It's just what you'd expect: Health data tracked from your iPhone and Apple Watch is available for you to review on the iPad, with a design that's better suited to the larger screen. While there's nothing revolutionary here, the Health app can include so much data that it's actually a bit easier to dig through everything here.Everything syncs from your iPhone, but so far that sync process hasn't been the most reliable. Even though the Health app on my iPad says it synced two minutes ago, it hasn't pulled in updated steps data since 7AM this morning. My activity rings from my Apple Watch are similarly hours out of date. I wager this will get settled before iPadOS 17 is finished, though.Apple announced a handful of features relating to mental health as part of the latest iPad and iOS updates, including a dedicated journaling app and mood trackers in the health app. While the journal app isn't coming until later this year," sometime after iPadOS 17 and iOS 17 officially launch, the mood tracking features are available in the Health app. I've long been in the habit of tracking my daily mood, and this isn't a bad place to do it. It's pretty simple, with a slider to pick your overall mood and a few follow-up questions, but the idea is for it to be quick and painless so you do it repeatedly. There's also a mental health questionnaire you can take that claims to assess your anxiety and depression levels that reminds me of questions I've answered from a doctor in the past. I did reach out to Apple to find out where they're sourcing this set of questions from so we can know more about their validity and approach.Safari, Messages, Notes and moreAs always, Apple's core apps are getting lots of little but potentially meaningful updates. Safari's biggest new feature is arguably the ability to set up multiple profiles. Each profile can access all your bookmarks, saved passwords and reading list, but it keeps things like logins to sites and tab groups separate. I did the basic personal and work" profiles, with logins to work-specific tools kept separate. It's also pretty easy to move things between profiles if you accidentally open windows in your personal profile that you'd rather have with your work tabs. And, of course, this all syncs via iCloud to other devices - I have the macOS Sonoma beta installed as well, and things were shared seamlessly.Messages is possibly Apple's most important app, and every year it gets usability tweaks and new features. A bunch of those are focused around audio messages, which I haven't really had a chance to check out much. One thing I do like, though, is that replying in a thread is a lot easier than it used to be. Now, swiping right on a message opens the reply interface, which is definitely quicker than holding down on a message, waiting for the menu to pop up and selecting the reply" option.The search experience has also been upgraded with filters. For example, you can first search for a specific contact, and then search just their conversation for keywords. The results naturally include specific messages as well as relevant links, images and more.But the update I've had the most fun with so far is definitely Stickers. You can now easily create your own stickers from images in your photo gallery. If you tap on a subject in a photo, you can pull it out from the background and save it as a sticker, so you can easily use it again. Live Photos can be turned into live stickers - and let me tell you, the live sticker I made of my dog laying down is adorable and I will spam everyone with it.Your own stickers can live alongside sticker packs from other apps, emoji and Memoji. And the stickers you've created will be available to use in third-party apps, as well. Basically, stickers you create as well as those from apps should be easier to share outside of just Apple's Messages app, which is a nice change from the previously walled-off approach Apple took.Notes, quietly one of Apple's most useful apps, has gotten more improvements this year too. You can now embed PDFs right into a Notes doc and they display full-width, so you can easily browse through a PDF and make notes on it below. You can also naturally mark it up with an Apple Pencil or collaborate on it in a note shared with other people.PDF support system-wide has been improved. For example, opening a PDF document from the Files app will open it in its own window, provided you're running Stage Manager. This makes it easier to put a PDF side-by-side with another app while still having full access to the Files app. Auto-filling fields in PDFs has also been improved system-wide; Apple says it's using an on-device neural network to identify documents that have fields that need to be filled in across the system, and you'll be able to AutoFill details like names and addresses the same way you can on websites.Another useful trick is the ability to link directly to a specific note in your library. Other note-taking apps like Bear have had this feature for a while, but it's undeniably handy to link related notes together so you can easily jump between them instead of having to go back to the sidebar and search for the one you're looking for.The restThis just scratches the surface of iPadOS 17. Lots of new features, like the changes to Messages, work best when other people you know are also running the new software. And other things, like the journal app, won't be available to try for months to come. Finally, there are plenty of iOS 17 features like Facetime updates and a smarter keyboard will be in iPadOS 17 as well. If you want to give this all a shot months before Apple finalizes everything, you can install the iPadOS 17 public beta now. But as always, think hard about whether you're up for some instability before you take the plunge.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ipados-17-preview-a-smoother-multitasking-experience-for-those-who-really-need-it-173022677.html?src=rss
Gone are the days when you contort yourself to try the latest iOS version before its official debut. Apple has released the iOS 17 public beta, and it's easy to install the preview on your iPhone. So long as you know what you're getting into, you can explore major features months before the finished software arrives this fall. These instructions should also work for the iPadOS 17 beta, too.Before you start: iOS 17 beta requirements and risksAppleTo begin, you'll need to be sure your hardware supports iOS 17. Apple requires at least a 2018 or newer iPhone, including the XR, XS and second-generation SE. Notably, this release ends support for the iPhone 8 and X - if you own one of these older models, you'll simply have to buy a new handset to run the updated platform.The iPadOS 17 public beta clearly has different requirements. You'll need at least a sixth-generation iPad, third-generation iPad Air, fifth-generation iPad mini, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, any 11-inch iPad Pro or the second-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro.Whatever you're installing, remember that this is pre-release code. The iOS 17 public beta is better-suited to everyday use than earlier developer versions, but you may still run into bugs, odd behavior or app compatibility issues. You'll want to wait for the finished software if your phone has apps or data you simply can't afford to lose. If you're willing to accept the risks, it's still a very good idea to backup your data through iTunes or a cloud service (such as iCloud) in case you need to restore your phone at some stage.How to install the iOS 17 public betaAppleBe sure you've updated to iOS 16.4 or newer, as you'll need it to walk through the public beta installation process. You can upgrade through the Settings app, choosing General, and then tapping Software Update. This screen will also tell you which version you're running.Once ready, you'll want to sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program using the Safari web browser on your iPhone. Membership is free; you'll need to log in using the main Apple ID you use on your phone and enroll that device in the program. Follow prompts, and be sure to read the agreement when it appears.After that, installing the iOS 17 test is almost as simple as installing ordinary updates. You just have to visit Settings, tap General, tap Software Update and then select a new Beta Updates item underneath Automatic Updates. Be sure that the Apple ID displayed at the bottom is the one you used to join the beta program. You should see the option to install iOS 17 Public Beta" from that screen. Go back one screen and you should get an offer to download and install the beta.As with any other iOS upgrade, the installation may take a few minutes to complete and will involve restarts. At the end, the beta will add a Feedback Assistant app to your home screen that helps report bugs.What you do (and don't) get with the iOS 17 public betaAppleApple revealed many of iOS 17's features at the WWDC 2023 keynote in June. However, not all of those elements will be available in the public beta.Most improvements are intact. Notably, there's a redesigned phone experience that includes custom contact cards and live voicemail transcripts. A Messages app revamp includes a new sticker interface, simpler replies, audio message transcripts and location-based check-ins. Sharing is easier as well. You can share content just by bringing iPhones close together, and you can now share contacts. The keyboard has improved autocorrection, predictions and voice dictation. You can document your mood in the Health app, and StandBy turns your iPhone into an ad hoc smart display.However, a few features won't be present until after iOS 17 arrives. The life-logging Journal app isn't in the public beta. You'll also have to wait for AirDrop transfers that continue over the internet, and collaborative Apple Music playlists aren't yet ready. We'd also expect Apple to make minor interface tweaks and additions in later revisions, and it won't be surprising if one or two iOS 17 features will only be announced alongside future iPhones that use them.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-install-the-ios-17-public-beta-172319006.html?src=rss
Elon Musk has a new AI company. A website has appeared for xAI, which will embark on the self-described mission to understand the true nature of the universe." The announcement comes after filing documents revealed the existence of a company called X.AI Corp" earlier this year. Musk also said in an April interview that he wanted to start a venture for maximum truth-seeking AI that tries to understand the nature of the universe" that hopefully does more good than harm."Not much else is known yet about Musk's latest venture. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO and Twitter Chairman tweeted today, Announcing formation of @xAI to understand reality." The company webpage notes that the team will host a Twitter Spaces chat on Friday, July 14th.
There's something exciting about trying out new versions of an operating system, especially when it's a test build. Suddenly a device you've gotten to know well becomes fresh again and useful (or at the very least entertaining) in all new ways. Now is that time for eager Apple users, with the company's iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS Sonoma public betas finally available to download.The new iOS 17 will include a slew of updates from design to practical. You can customize what people see when you call them - whether it's a cute cartoon or your favorite selfie, put the call to voicemail with a live transcription across your screen and send someone a video or audio message if they don't pick up your FaceTime call. Plus, you can mute and unmute yourself right from your AirPods. "Ducking" should also be a thing of the past on iOS 17 with an improved autocorrect and you can utilize sentence predictions for quicker responses. Additional features include automatically checking in to let your friends know you've arrived home, locating real-time charging stations along your route on Maps and the ability to say how you're feeling on the Health app (so and so is pleasant does feel very early Facebook days).iPadOS 17 is, to a degree, a catch-up release that adds a customizable lock screen, the Health app and interactive widgets. WatchOS 10 is a substantial Apple Watch revamp that revives the emphasis on widgets while overhauling core apps and improving fitness features. MacOS Sonoma, meanwhile, brings widgets to the Mac desktop while upgrading Safari, video calls and gaming.Apple first announced these upgrades at its Worldwide Developers Conference and subsequently released the iOS 17, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma betas for developers. Unlike in previous years, though, the developer betas were available free for anyone to try - developer accounts typically cost about $100 per year. The iOS 17 public beta should be a bit more polished than the developer builds, given the extra time to work out bugs and compatibility problems. The official versions will launch this fall, but you can sign up for the Apple Beta Software Program if you want to try the previews now.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-ios-17-ipad-os-17-and-watchos-10-public-betas-are-ready-to-download-172130524.html?src=rss
The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has announced this year's Emmy nominations and there's lots of good news for the team behind The Last of Us. HBO's massively successful series scored 24 nominations, more than any other show this year except Succession (27). The White Lotus (23) and Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso (21) followed closely behind.The Last of Us is the first live-action video game adaptation for film or TV to make a serious dent at a major awards ceremony (League of Legends series Arcanewon the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program last year). It's up for Outstanding Drama Series alongside Andor, Better Call Saul, House of the Dragon, Succession, The White Lotus and Yellowjackets.Pedro Pascal (who has three nods in total this year) and Bella Ramsay picked up nominations for their lead roles in The Last of Us. So did guest stars Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, Anna Torv, Murray Bartlett, Lamar Johnson, Nick Offerman and Keivonn Montreal Woodard. Craig Mazin, the show's co-creator, and Peter Hoar are, respectively, nominated for writing and directing the show's stellar third episode, "Long, Long Time."Elsewhere, reigning champ Ted Lasso will compete against Abbott Elementary, Barry, The Bear, Jury Duty, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Only Murders In The Building and Wednesday in the Outstanding Comedy Series category. On the Star Wars front, Andorscooped up eight nominations and The Mandalorian got nine. Obi-Wan Kenobisnagged five, including one for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series.Disney+ film Hocus Pocus 2(three nominations in total) and Roku's Weird: The Al Yankovic Story(eight nods overall) are up for Outstanding Television Movie. Amazon's big-budget The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Powerlanded six nominations, mostly in technical categories.Stranger Things, which isn't eligible for top honors this year, also has six nods in down-the-line categories. Meanwhile, Peacock's Poker Facesnagged four nominatons, Star Trek: Picardhas two in makeup categories and Netflix's brilliant I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson snagged a pair of nods.Perhaps unsurprisingly given how many nominations Succession, The Last of Us and The White Lotus racked up, HBO leads the pack this year with 127 nominations overall. According to Deadline's tally, Netflix has the most of any streaming-only network with 103, followed by Apple (52), Amazon (46 between Prime Video and Freevee), Hulu (42 or 64 if you include FX shows), Disney+ (40), Peacock (eight) and Paramount+ (seven). By contrast, broadcast networks earned 86 nods between them.This year's Emmy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on September 18th. However, amid the WGA writers' strike and pending action by the actors' union, reports suggest it may be delayed until November or even January.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hbos-the-last-of-us-adaptation-scoops-up-24-emmy-nominations-171117148.html?src=rss
You can typically find a bunch of monitors on sale on Amazon Prime Day for all-time-low prices - or close to them - making it one of the best times to grab a display for your desk setup. This year is no different, with monitors from Samsung, LG, Dell and others discounted for Amazon's two-day shopping event. First, you should consider the size you need - you may want a big, ultra-wide monitor, but there might not be enough space for it on your desk. Then, you should consider if you need a display with specific features like high color accuracy, fast frame rates and the like. You'll also want to be realistic about your budget; while you can pick up an external monitor for quite cheap on Prime Day, there are tempting options at higher price ranges. Here are the best monitor deals we could find for Amazon Prime Day 2023.Samsung monitor dealsA huge selection of Samsung monitors are on sale for Prime Day, including the Smart Monitor M80B for $380. That isn't a record-low price, but it's pretty close to it. This 32-inch display pulls triple duty as a monitor, smart TV and smart home hub. You can connect it to your computer just like any other external display, but it comes with Samsung's smart TV interface and a remote. It also has a built-in SmartThings hub so you can build out your IoT network from there with smart light bulbs and other compatible devices. You'll find Samsung monitors of all sizes (and at all price points) on sale for Prime Day, including some higher-end Odyssey gaming monitors - including the massive 49-inch Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor for $400 off.LG monitor dealsLG has discounted a number of its UltraFine and UltraGear monitors for Prime Day. Included among the sales is this 34-inch curved UltraWide monitor for $330, or 30 percent off its usual price. It supports 99 percent coverage of the sRGB spectrum and it has a Reader Mode that provides blue light reduction and helps eliminate on-screen flickers. You can easily find a budget-friendly monitor among LG's discounts, but there are more premium models on sale, too, like this 27-inch OLED monitor that's 15 percent off and down to $850.Acer monitor dealsPrime Day has brought steep discounts to Acer, ASUS, MSI, Sceptre and other gaming monitors. A standout is this Acer Nitro FHD gaming monitor that for $160 that supports a 240Hz refresh rate, Adaptive Sync technology and a zero-frame design. These are the monitor discounts to check out on Prime Day if you're in the market for a gaming monitor in particular and also have a tight budget to stick to; most of the displays on sale here come in at $300 or less.Dell monitor dealsIf you're just looking for an external display to use in your home office, there are a bunch of good sales on monitors from Dell, Acer, BenQ and others that fit the bill. A budget-friendly option is this 24-inch Dell FHD monitor that comes in at only $100. In addition to a 75Hz refresh rate, this display has an anti-glare coating and a relatively small footprint, so it will fit into most desk setups easily. If you're a creative professional, consider ASUS's 31.5-inch ProArt Display, which is $100 off for Prime Day and down to only $299.LePow C2S portable monitorLePow's C2S portable 15-inch screen is on sale for $152 for Prime Day, or 20 percent off its usual rate. It earned a spot on our list of best monitors thanks to its decent brightness, solid contrast and its 96.1-percent sRGB gamut coverage. This monitor even has built-in speakers and it doesn't skimp on the ports: you get one mini-DisplayPort, one mini-HDMI connector, two USB-C ports and a headphone jack.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-amazon-prime-day-monitor-deals-164410754.html?src=rss
Four round two of this week's Prime Day sales, most Kindle deals are still going strong. If you're ready to upgrade an old ereader or are just getting into ebooks for the first time, this a great day to buy yourself a new device. Many of these deals beat the lowest prices we've seen all year and we even found a couple sales on non-Kindle ereaders too. A Kindle lets you bring hundreds of books with you on a trip (or just into the backyard) while taking up less space than a single paperback. Amazon is also promoting a free three-month trial of Kindle Unlimited for Prime Day, which grants access to a selection of four million titles. Here are the best Amazon Prime Day deals on Kindles (and other ereaders) we could find.Kindle (2022)The standard Kindle is already Amazon's most affordable ereader and Prime Day drops it down to $65 from its usual $100 price tag, which is a new all-time low. This latest model saw a lot of improvements when it was updated in 2022. Capacity was doubled to 16GB and the screen resolution jumped up to 300 ppi for much clearer text. We named it the best budget option in our ereader guide because it's a perfect entry point to reading and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks.Kindle PaperwhiteThe Kindle Paperwhite has a bigger screen and a few extra features over the standard Kindle and is now $90, which is $50 off its $140 MSRP. An adjustable warm front light makes it easier on your eyes at night and the waterproof feature means you can read by the pool or in the bath. The price applies to the 8GB version. If you want more storage, you can grab the 16GB-capacity model for $95.Kindle Paperwhite SignatureWe called the Signature edition of the Kindle Paperwhite, the best ereader. Period." and Prime Day brings the price down to $125 instead of its standard $190. It has all the features of the Paperwhite, but adds wireless charging, a larger 32GB capacity and a warm front light that automatically adjusts according to the ambient lighting, which was one of our favorite features. In our review we questioned whether the $50 price bump over the non-Signature Kindle Papwerwhite was worth it, and concluded the extra features were nice to have, but not super necessary. But now that the device is $65 off, getting the upgrade might make more sense.Kindle ScribeAmazon entered the E Ink tablet scene with the Kindle Scribe late last year. It's pricey, usually selling for $340, but today's sale takes $85 off, making it just $255. This base model comes with a basic pen and 16GB of storage. We named it the best E Ink tablet that's also an ereader and gave it an 85 in our review. It lets you read, take handwritten notes and features a roomy 10.2-inch display.Kindle OasisIf you want to use physical page turn buttons as you read, you may prefer the Kindle Oasis. It's usually one of Amazon's most expensive ereaders at $250, but Prime Day deals drop it down to $165 instead. This model came out mid-2019 and features a waterproof design, an adjustable front light and a seven-inch, auto-rotating screen with two page turn buttons on the side.Kindle KidsThe Kindle Kids edition basically takes the standard Kindle and adds in a protective case, a year of Amazon Kids+ and a two-year warranty. Usually that package is $120, but now it's $75 instead. The parent dashboard lets you set time limits, add books and track your kid's reading progress.Kindle Paperwhite KidsThe Kindle Paperwhite Kids typically goes for $160, but Prime Day discounts it to $105, which is 38 percent off. Like the standard Kindle Kids, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids also comes with a case, extended warranty and a year of Amazon Kids+. The device itself features a larger 6.8-inch screen, a waterproof build and a warm front light.Kindle UnlimitedAmazon is giving Prime members three months of Kindle Unlimited for free. The subscription lets you read as much as you want from a selection of four million ebooks. Bigger new releases and some of the more popular bestsellers aren't included, but you certainly won't run out of stuff to read. The plan goes for $12 per month after the free period ends and also includes a few thousand audiobooks.Non-Kindle ereadersKobo Clara 2EThe Kobo Clara 2E is now $120 instead of $140. It's our top pick in our ereader guide and doesn't often go on sale. We like the textured back, crisp text and responsive touch controls. It's also waterproof, ad-free and has a comfortable warm light for night reading. The Kobo store has millions of books and is easy to navigate and the Clara 2E makes it easy to borrow ebooks from your local library.Kobo Libra 2Kobo's answer to the Oasis, the Kobo Libra 2 is our favorite ereader with buttons and right now it's $170 instead of $190, which is a $20 discount. It has a seven-inch screen and 32GB capacity and feels appropriately premium in your hand. The screen reorients quickly so you can use the page-turn buttons on any side and the waterproof build makes it ready for vacation.Pocketbook EraThe Pocketbook Era is on sale for $189 instead of $199. It had one of the crispest displays and the most premium design of the ereaders we tried - but the Pocketbook store isn't particularly useful. If you plan to upload your ebooks from third parties via ADE anyway, you may like the luxurious treatment your books get from the device.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-kindle-deals-073349577.html?src=rss
Tons of speakers are on sale for Prime Day this year - though not all of those speakers are winners. Luckily, many of the soundbars, smart speakers and portable options we've tested in our reviews and recommend in our guides are seeing notable discounts today. Take advantage of a discounted Bluetooth speaker so you can bring your music with you this summer, or snag a deal on a soundbar and finally clearly hear all that dialogue on your TV. Naturally, Amazon's Echo speakers are part of the sale too, so you can get Alexa's help for less as well. Here are the best Prime Day speaker deals we could find.Amazon Echo (4th gen)Compared to the similarly priced Nest Audio or HomePod mini smart speakers, Amazon's Echo is louder and pumps out better audio. We named it the best speaker under $100 in our smart speaker guide and right now it's down to a low of $55 for Prime members, which is about $5 more than it sold for on Black Friday, which was the all-time low. This is the latest generation, which came out in 2020, after a redesign put music quality front and center. It also nicely handles all Alexa duties like music streaming control and launching smart home routines.Amazon Echo DotThe smaller version is actually Amazon's best-selling Echo device. And right now the Echo Dot is down to $23 for Prime Day, which is a 54 percent discount over its usual $50 price tag and the lowest its gone since its release last year. Engadget named it the best smart speaker under $50 in our buyer's guide because it produces louder and clearer sound than you'd expect from such a small device. It also delivers Alexa's help, like answering questions, setting timers and controlling your smart home just by asking.Echo StudioThe Echo Studio is Amazon's biggest smart speaker and is currently on sale for $155, which is 23 percent off its regular price of $200 and matches its all-time low. The focus here is the quality of the audio and we gave it an 88 in our review, impressed with the hi-res sound. It's not a small speaker at nearly eight pounds and over eight inches tall, but all that space manages to pack three two-inch midrange speakers, a single one-inch tweeter and a 5.25-inch downward-facing woofer.Bose SoundLink FlexBose's SoundLink Flex is one of our recommended Bluetooth speakers under $200. Usually $150, it's down to $129 for Prime members, which is a $40 discount that matches the lowest price. It gives bright, dynamic finesse to music and delivers a significant amount of bass for its size. It's about the size of a clutch bag and even has a small loop strap to further the comparison. And of course it's IP67 rated so it can handle the elements.Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3The Wonderboom 3 from Ultimate Ears is currently 30 percent off for Prime Day, dropping it down to $70 instead of the usual $100. That's the lowest price we've seen in a while, matching the all-time low it hit just before Black Friday last year. In our tests, the Wonderboom 3 delivered the biggest sound of any speakers in its size range, plus it has a cute design with a strap and comes in bright blue, hot pink or a more sedate gray (note that the black colorway isn't discounted).Anker Soundcore Motion +Anker's Soundcore Motion + is normally $100 but is discounted to $75 for Prime members as a Lightning Deal. In our guide, we said it produces good sound for the price, which is even more true now. It's a little heavier than you'd expect, and the soft-touch exterior shows fingerprints, but if those aren't deal-breakers for you, you'll enjoy bright and bassy output, a connected app with EQ customization and IPX7 water resistance.Anker Soundcore 2With over 100k positive ratings, Anker's tiny but mighty Soundcore 2 is a great buy at its usual $40, but Prime Day savings bring it down to just $28 for Prime members. It has a IPX7 rating so it can handle an accidental dunk in water and the battery will deliver a claimed 24 hours of play time. Two Soundcore 2s can pair up for stereo sound, so if the price tempts you to get a set, you may as well go for it.JBL Charge 5JBL's Charge 5 is usually $180 but is down to $120 for Prime members. It also made Engadgets speaker guide, and has a separate tweeter, and dual bass radiators for bigger sound and of course can handle a dunk in water. It's got a long, 20-hour battery life and can even share some of that juice with your phone via the USB-C port.JBL Boombox 2JBL's Boombox 2 is $250 for Prime Day, which is $200 off the list price. We recommend the third generation of JBL's Boombox speaker in our guide because it's loud and comes in a take-anywhere package. This previous model offers 24 hours of playback, has a waterproof design and can recharge your phone. At 13 pounds, it's big but still portable.Sony SRS-XP700Sony's party-sized SRS-XP700 Bluetooth speaker is down to $398 after a $150 discount for Prime Day. It pumps out loud, thumping beats, stands over two feet tall and emits lighting effects that sync with what's playing. It weighs 37 pounds, so the grab bars on the top and bottom make a lot of sense. It can go for 25 hours on a charge and offers a bit of water-resistance to accidental splashes, but its size and build make it less rough and tumble than other portable Bluetooth speakers.Sony SRS-XB13 EXTRA BASSThe SRS-XB13 speaker stands a little over four inches tall and is going for just $35 for Prime Day, which is 43 percent off its list price. This is the previous model, which was replaced this year by the SRS-XB100. But if you don't have to live on the cutting edge, you'll get a portable unit that's rated IP67 for water and dust resistance and uses Sony's Sound Diffusion Processor which is designed to deliver rich dynamic sound." Plus you can pair two for stereo effects.Samsung HW-Q700BSamsung's HW-Q700B soundbar is currently $398 for Prime members after a steep 47 percent discount off its $698 MSRP. It's the runner-up midrange soundbar in Engadget's guide and supports Dolby Atmos and Q-Symphony, which allows you to play sound from both the soundbar and your late model Samsung TV. Other Samsung tech like SpaceFit and Adaptive Sound help automatically calibrate the speaker to sound better in your space.Vizio V21t-J8The Vizio V21t-J8 carries a list price of $160 but is presently $140 for Prime Day, which isn't an all time low and just $20 off but we think this is the best budget soundbar you can buy, even when it's full price. It doesn't take up a lot of space and supports Bluetooth, HDMI ARC/eARC, 3.5mm and optical connections (but not WiFi). It also employs DTS Virtual:X, which promises more three-dimensional sound without requiring a bunch of extra speakers.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-speaker-deals-124824558.html?src=rss
It's always a good idea to look for discounts on big-ticket items on Prime Day, and robot vacuums are no exception. These machines can be some of the most expensive gadgets you buy for your home, with high-end models costing close to (or more than) $1,000 normally. Thankfully, it is possible to save hundreds on robot vacuums during Prime Day - both on premium and affordable models. We're even seeing some great prices on combo 2-in-1 machines, which will automate both your vacuuming and mopping chores. Here are the best Prime Day vacuum deals we could find on all of our favorite machines.iRobot Roomba 694The iRobot Roomba 694 has dropped to $199 for Prime Day. It's normally our favorite budget robot vacuum, so this discount makes it an even better buy. We like its minimalist yet attractive design, strong suction power and easy-to-use companion app.iRobot Roomba s9+The premium Roomba s9+ is on sale for $600 for Prime Day. This is the most expensive robot vacuum that iRobot makes, and it's currently one of our favorite high-end models. It might be overkill for most people, but it's a robo-vac that does an excellent job of cleaning both hard and carpeted floors, and doesn't choke up at the first sign of pet hair. We also like that it comes with a clean base into which it will empty its dustbin after every job.iRobot Roomba j7+The iRobot Roomba j7+ has been discounted to $649 for Prime Day. This is one of the company's newest robot vacuums and we like that it has strong suction power and comes with a clean base. The j7+'s claim to fame, though, is its advanced obstacle avoidance, which helps it steer clear of furniture and other objects while it's cleaning. This includes a robo-vac's arch nemesis - pet poop.Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 robot vacuumShark's vacuum-and-mop machine has dropped to $380 for Prime Day. It's one of the best robot vacuums you can get right now because of its versatility and decent starting price, so if you can pick it up while it's on sale, that's even better. It comes with a water reservoir with a cloth attached to it that lets you mop hard floors when you need to. The standard dustbin will hold all debris during vacuuming, and the machine is smart enough to empty its clean base automatically after every vacuuming job (you'll have to empty the water reservoir on your own).Shark AI Ultra robot vacuumA top pick in our robot vacuum guide, Shark's AI Ultra robo-vac is on sale for $419 for Prime Day. It's just as easy to use and effective as a similar Roomba, but you can often find it at a notably cheaper price point. We found that it cleaned carpet and hard floors well, and its included clean base is bagless, which means you won't have to spend more money over time buying proprietary garbage bags for it.Anker Eufy RoboVac X8 HybridAnother vac-and-mop combo, the Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid has dropped to $300 for Prime Day. Like a lot of other Anker/Eufy devices, the RoboVac X8 Hybrid already starts out much cheaper than its competition but it works nearly just as well. It can vacuum and mop, thanks to its included water reservoir, and we were impressed by its easy set-up process, four cleaning modes, smart home mapping and handy "tap-and go" feature.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-prime-day-robot-vacuum-deals-you-can-get-112537510.html?src=rss
If you're looking for a camera (or drone) for content creation, travel photography and more, Amazon Prime Day has some great deals, including rare sales on popular models. For example, Sony's latest A7 IV model is on sale for the first time at $2,400, or $2,600 with a 28-70mm kit lens - saving you $100 on each. Meanwhile, Canon is selling its R50 creator's kit for $850 for a savings of $150, Panasonic has its full frame Lumix S5 on sale with two lenses (including a prime) for $1,700 (40 percent off) and OM System is selling the OM-D E-M1 Mark III mirrorless camera for just $1,300, for an impressive $500 discount. There are plenty of other deals as well, and if you don't find what you want at Amazon, some of the products come with the same discount elsewhere.Sony A7 IVSony's A7 IV is a successful follow-up to its popular mainstream A7 III. Resolution is up considerably to 33 megapixels, and image quality is much improved overall. Video is now on par with rivals with 4K at up to 60p with 10 bit 4:2:2 quality. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and the in-body stabilization does a good job. The biggest drawbacks are rolling shutter that limits the use of the electronic shutter and the relatively high price - but the $100 discount helps ease the latter a bit.Sony A7 IIIAt launch, I said that Sony's 24.2-megapixel A7 III was a "near-perfect all-around camera." That still applies. The already excellent 693-point hybrid phase detect autofocus system has been updated via firmware with the real-time eye and animal AF features introduced with the A6100/A6400 models. On top of that, you can shoot bursts at up to 10 fps with continuous autofocus and auto exposure. On the video side, however, it's been surpassed by the like-priced Z6 and S1 models from Nikon and Panasonic. The deals are good until July 16th, but act soon before stock runs out.Canon R50 Content Creator KitCanon's 24-megapixel EOS R50 is the company's third APS-C camera to launch in the EOS R mount ecosystem. Weighing just 375 grams and packing a built-in flash, it's extremely portable so it's great for travel, parties, street photography and more. At the same time, it can shoot images at up to 15 fps, outputting high-quality, human-friendly photos. It's capable for video as well, with 4K 30p supersampled from 6K, with 10-bit capability via HDR PQ. With features aimed at creators, you can grab it in a kit with a stereo microphone, tripod grip, wireless remote and an S18-45mm lens - saving you $150 on the kit.Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master full-frame zoom lensSony's FE 24-70mm f/2.8 G Master full-frame lens covers the standard zoom range, so it's great for all kinds of shooting. It offers incredible G Master optics, but it's currently on sale at $1,598, the lowest price we've seen to date.Panasonic Lumix S5 with two lensesWith the arrival of the Lumix S5 II, Panasonic is offering some stellar deals on its predecessor, the S5. It's smaller and costs less than the Lumix S1, but it actually delivers better video features. That includes a flip-out display, five-axis in-body stabilization and 10-bit 4K recording at up to 60 fps. The autofocus is faster and more accurate than the S1, but not as good as Sony and Canon's systems for video. Still, at this price, it's one of the best cameras currently available for content creators.OM System E-M1 Mark IIIDespite being a few years old, the 20-megapixel OM System (formerly Olympus) E-M1 III is still one of the best wildlife photography cameras available. It offers excellent image stabilization, fast shooting speeds, a compact, weather-proof body, flip out screen and accurate colors. It's also a solid choice for content creators, with 4K 30p video and OM-Log mode to boost dynamic range. Best of all, powerful telephoto lenses are relatively inexpensive compared to other brands. It's now on sale for $1,299, saving you $500 over the regular price.Sony A7CSony's 24.2-megapixel A7C is a slightly smarter version of the popular full-frame A7 III in the smaller body of the crop-sensor A6600. That means it's easy to carry around, but has worse handling than the A7 III. It has very similar image quality, shooting speeds and video specs as the A7 III, but uses Sony's latest AI smarts to improve autofocus tracking. The A7C isn't quite as capable as recent cameras like the Canon R6, but it's a bit cheaper. Overall, it's a good choice for hybrid shooters that lean to the photo side who want a lightweight, modestly priced full-frame camera.Sony A6600As Sony's flagship APS-C camera, the 24.2-megapixel A6600 has a lot to offer. It comes with features like real-time AF tracking, a pop-up screen, in-body stabilization, solid battery life and awesome photo quality. It's also a great travel camera thanks to the compact size. It is a bit old now, having come out in 2019, but it's an attractive option at this low price.Other camera dealsThese are the best deals we've found, but there are others as well. Sony in particular is active, with savings on no less than seven cameras and multiple lenses. For example, the 62-megapixel A7R IV is on sale for $2,998 (6 percent off). In addition, it's fastest prime lens, the FE 50mm f/1.2 model, is discounted $100 to $1,898. You can also grab the Panasonic S5 (body only) for $1,298 if you don't need the lenses, saving 35 percent off the regular price.There are some notable deals on accessories, too. Lexar's V60 II memory cards (250MB/s read and 120MB/s write) are up to 31 percent off, with the 128GB model priced at just $31 and the 256GB model at $62. The faster V90 II cards are marked down up to 44 percent, with the best deal on the 128GB card ($96). You can also grab deals on the company's microSDXC cards, with the best deal on the 1TB Play card ($63 or 52 percent off). And if it's a camera backpack you're looking for, LowePro's Slingshot Edge 250 AW is marked down to just $71, or 58 percent off the regular price. And one its best backpacks, the ProTactic 450 AW II is on sale for $195, for a savings of 47 percent.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-amazon-prime-day-camera-and-drone-deals-for-2023-100032590.html?src=rss
Broadcom just took a big step toward clinching its $61 billion purchase of VMware, albeit with some requirements attached. The EU's European Commission has approved the merger following a months-long investigation of the potential competitive harm. Officials found that Broadcom only had limited opportunities to abuse its power, and that some remedies could ensure healthy competition going forward.The Commission determined that Broadcom doesn't have a "strong position" that could hurt competition in network and storage adapters, and that it wouldn't have an incentive to limit a networking partnership with AMD and NVIDIA. It also couldn't bundle VMware with its own software. Broadcom would, however have the motivation to squeeze its longtime rival Marvell by limiting the compatibility of that company's Fiber Channel adapters with VMware.To address this, the EU regulator will require that Broadcom offer third parties the tools to make compatible Fiber Channel adapters. The firm will also have to provide source code for the drivers that run those adapters. Ideally, companies will know that their equipment works properly with VMware's server virtualization technology.In a statement, Broadcom says that it "continue[s] to make progress" in getting approvals for the merger, and points to similar arrangements in countries like Australia, Canada and South Africa. It's still facing reviews from the US Federal Trade Commission and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.If the deal closes, it will represent one of the largest tech acquisitions yet. Only Dell's purchase of EMC ($67 billion) and Microsoft's tentative buyout of Activision Blizzard ($68.7 billion) are larger. For Broadcom, this would also be a pivotal expansion - it would make a deep dive into enterprise software that could help it control more of the business world. To some degree, it would also help Broadcom make up for its failed takeover of Qualcomm in 2018.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/broadcom-gets-eu-approval-for-its-61-billion-merger-with-vmware-150140942.html?src=rss
After a couple years of Xbox and PlayStation stock shortages, it's now fairly easy to get your hands on a current gaming console. Now might be the ideal time to snap up the Xbox Series X, Microsoft's most powerful console, as it's on sale. You can pick up an Xbox Series X for $450, which is $50 off the regular price.When the Xbox Series X debuted in late 2020, we gave it a score of 87 in our review, though Microsoft has improved the experience since then with new features and updates. At the time, we appreciated the power of the hardware and the console's ability to run demanding games while keeping the fan quiet. With the help of a solid state drive, load times are minimal and the useful Quick Resume feature swiftly helps you keep playing from where you left off. Backward compatibility with hundreds of previous-generation Xbox games is a major plus, as is the addition of HDR to older titles.One of our key complaints at the time of our review was the lack of compelling games. That's less of a problem these days, as Microsoft has just about something for everyone on Xbox Series X/S, with titles such as Forza Horizon 5, Hi-Fi Rushand Microsoft Flight Simulatorin the lineup. The highly anticipated Starfield will arrive in September, and there are a ton of other intriguing games from both Xbox's studios and external developers in the pipeline.One of the Xbox Series X's strongest selling points is Xbox Game Pass integration. Although Microsoft just increased the price of the subscription service, it includes access to every single Xbox first-party game on the day it's released. The library includes an extensive selection of third-party games as well, meaning players have hundreds of titles at their fingertips. Grand Theft Auto V just returned to the service, for one thing.Opt for a Game Pass Ultimate membership and you'll get all of that along with access to a bunch more EA titles and the option to play the service's games via the cloud and on PC. Thanks to save data that's stored in the cloud, you'll be able to play a game on your Series X and continue where you left off on your phone, tablet or computer. You can try Game Pass Ultimate for $1 for your first month.There are some drawbacks to the Series X compared with the competition. You have limited options for expanding the storage, as Microsoft opted for a proprietary card that only two manufacturers are making. The PlayStation 5 has a more immersive controller due to features like adaptive triggers and the remarkable haptic feedback. Unless you have a PS5 as well, you'll also need to consider which of each console's exclusive games are more compelling to you before taking the plunge on a Series X.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-xbox-series-x-is-50-off-right-now-143604090.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day is looking like a good time to pick up a new phone, so long as you prefer Android. While you won't find any iPhone deals among Amazon's sales barrage, several of the Samsung Galaxy S23 and Google Pixel devices we recommend in our smartphone buying guides are down to the lowest prices we've seen. If you've been waiting to pick up a new handset (and don't mind buying unlocked), here are the best Prime Day phone deals we can find. Remember that you'll need to be an Amazon Prime subscriber to see some of the discounts.Samsung Galaxy S23 UltraThe 256GB Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is on sale for $850, which is the lowest price we've seen for this factory unlocked model and more than $200 off the phone's usual price. If you need more storage space, the 512GB model is $400 off its list price at $980.The S23 Ultra earned a review score of 89 this past February, and it's currently the top Android pick in our smartphone buying guide. It has just about everything you'd expect from a high-end handheld: a gorgeous 6.8-inch OLED display with a fast 120Hz refresh rate, a snappy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, top-notch build quality, more than all-day battery life and a powerful camera system. It comes with an S Pen stylus, and Samsung will support the device with five years of security patches and four years of OS updates. You may need to put in a little extra work to unlock the full potential of those cameras, and Samsung's software is still somewhat bloaty, but the S23 Ultra is a decidedly premium device. The biggest knock against it is that it's expensive, but this deal helps with that.Samsung Galaxy S23The base Galaxy S23 is down to $600 for a 128GB model and $660 for a 256GB unit. Both of these deals represent a roughly $140 discount and match the lowest prices we've tracked. The Galaxy S23 trails the S23 Ultra in terms of battery life, camera hardware and charging speed, but that still leaves room for a fast and vibrant device that'll receive updates for years to come. Apart from the lower cost, the biggest reason to consider it is because it's one of the smallest high-end phones on the market, with a 6.1-inch display that should be easy for many people to use with one hand.Samsung Galaxy S23+The 256GB Samsung Galaxy S23+ is available for $750, which is another all-time low for an unlocked model and about $150 off this model's typical going rate. The 512GB variant is on sale for $70 more. The S23+ is the middle child between the Galaxy S23 and S23 Ultra. It has the same processor, triple-camera system and 1080p resolution as the former, but it offers a larger 6.6-inch OLED display without adding the weight of the latter. It also supports faster charging speeds than the S23, with a maximum of 45W instead of 25W. Deputy Editor Cherlynn Low gave the Galaxy S23+ a score of 86 in her review this past February.Google Pixel 7 ProGoogle's trio of Pixel 7 phones are also discounted for Prime Day. First up, the Pixel 7 Pro is down to $649 for a 128GB model, $749 for a 256GB model and $849 for a 512GB model. Each is $250 off Google's list price and $50 below than the previous lows we've seen.We call the Pixel 7 Pro the best camera phone" in our smartphone buying guide, as it takes consistently crisp and accurate photos with less fuss than alternatives like the Galaxy S23 Ultra. It also outperforms its peers in low-light settings. Google's take on Android is generally cleaner than Samsung's One UI, and both the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro will receive security updates through late 2027. That said, the S23 Ultra's raw performance is still better for more involved tasks like gaming, and it outpaces Google's flagship in display quality and battery life. It's also worth noting that Google will almost certainly launch new Pixel 8 phones later this year. But if camera quality is your top concern, this is still a good value. Senior Writer Sam Rutherford gave the Pixel 7 Pro a review score of 92 last fall.Google Pixel 7The 128GB and 256GB versions of the unlocked Pixel 7 are down to $499 and $599, respectively. We've seen these SKUs go for $50 less in the past, but each is roughly $70 below their typical street price. While the Pixel 7 Pro has a 6.7-inch 1440p OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, the normal Pixel 7 bumps things down to a 6.3-inch 1080p panel that tops out at 90Hz. There's no 5x telephoto lens, either, so you won't get the same level of zoom for photos. That said, the device runs on the same solid Tensor G2 chip and delivers the same software experience, while its camera is still on the shortlist for the best on the market. Its battery lasts a little longer as well. We gave the Pixel 7 a score of 90 last year.Google Pixel 7aThe Pixel 7a is Google's latest midrange phone, essentially a Pixel 7 with a slightly smaller 6.1-inch display, marginally slower charging speeds (18W instead of 20W) and a back made from (nice) plastic instead of Gorilla Glass. Most of the other essentials are just about identical, plus the 7a will get an extra year of software and security updates. As of this writing, the unlocked Pixel 7a is available for $449, which is a $50 discount and a new low. If you prefer a smaller handset or just want to save $50, it's a fantastic value, though the Pixel 7 is still a bit better if you can pay a little extra. We gave the Pixel 7a a score of 90 earlier this year and call it the best midrange Android phone in our buying guide.Google Pixel 6aLast year's Pixel 6a is on sale for $249, a $100 discount that might be hard to top for those shopping in the bargain bin. Yes, the Pixel 6a can't really touch the Pixel 7a: Its Tensor G1 chip isn't as fast, it has less RAM (6GB versus 8GB) and a more basic 60Hz refresh rate, there's no wireless charging, and its camera is slightly worse. But it runs the same pleasant software as other Pixel phones, its hardware is still far from slow or cheap-feeling, and its camera runs circles around other phones in this price range. It won't last as long as some alternatives, but it's a nice upgrade over the usual budget suspects.Motorola Moto G StylusWe list the latest Moto G Stylus as an honorable mention in our guide to the best affordable smartphones, as it's one of the few budget phones to come with a built-in stylus. If you can afford to step up to even the Pixel 6a, do so; this phone lags far behind in just about every way, from camera performance to charging speed to general peppiness. But if you really can't spend more than $200 and like to jot down notes with a pen, the Moto G Stylus is a decent buy at $170, which is $30 off its typical going rate. Unlike the Pixel 6a, it also gets you a headphone jack and a microSD card slot.Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 + Galaxy Z Fold 4Both of Samsung's premier foldable phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4, are on sale for Prime Day, with the former available for $800 and the latter down to $1,100. The Flip is about $200 off, while the Fold is around $500 cheaper than usual. These are the foldables we recommend to enthusiasts in our smartphone buying guide, but consider this a PSA more than a recommendation: Samsung has already confirmed that it will unveil new foldable devices at its Unpacked event on July 26. These might be good prices if you don't care about the latest and greatest, but we advise you to wait and see what Samsung has planned before spending this much on a soon-to-be-outdated device.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-phone-deals-143039681.html?src=rss
Your phone number is generally secret in WhatsApp communities, but there's still a chance you'll let it slip if you react to messages. That might not be a problem for much longer, thankfully, as WABetaInfo has discovered that WhatsApp is more broadly testing a "phone number privacy" feature with beta users. Enable it and your digits will only be visible to community administrators and those who've saved you as a contact.The option has been in limited testing for months, but appears to be rolling out widely to beta users who've installed the latest Android and iOS updates. We've asked WhatsApp parent company Meta for more details, but WABetaInfo says the upgrade should reach more users and groups in the days ahead.The addition could prove crucial for privacy in some cases. This lets you fully participate in the community announcement group without fear that you'll reveal your number. Creeps and would-be fraudsters can't call or text you unless you accept a request to share your contact info. That, in turn, could help you feel comfortable using communities in the first place.WhatsApp has been adding a number of privacy features in recent weeks, including locked chats, automatic silencing of unknown callers and a settings review. Phone number privacy is consistent with that strategy - it's another safeguard against inadvertently sharing sensitive data with others.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/whatsapp-will-keep-your-phone-number-completely-private-in-community-chats-141536708.html?src=rss
Sony has produced numerous full-frame cameras of late, but just a single APS-C model over the last four years - the vlogging-oriented ZV-E10. Now, the company has finally rectified that with the launch of the 26-megapixel (MP) A6700, it's new flagship APS-C mirrorless camera. It's particularly strong for vlogging thanks to features like 4K 120p video, active mode stabilization and AI auto-framing - but it's not cheap, either.The A6700 looks like other Sony A6000-series models at first glance, but there are some considerable improvements. The grip is now bigger for improved handling and stability, and it introduces an assignable front dial that makes manual shooting easier. It has a vari-angle LCD (rather than a popup LCD as before), along with a low-res (2.36 million dot) but fast (120fps) electronic viewfinder. It's fairly compact, being 35 percent smaller and 21 percent lighter than Canon's $1,500 R7.EngadgetSony has also introduced a still/movie/S&Q dial with dedicated settings for each, along with a new and far more intuitive main menu and menu structure. It comes with mic and headphone ports (plus a digital audio interface via the hotshoe), USB-C 3.2 Gen1, a micro HDMI port (not full-size, unfortunately), and a single SD UHS-II card slot on the side, rather than on the bottom in the battery compartment as before. It's dust and moisture resistant if you're shooting in inclement weather and supports 4K30p webcam capture.The A6700 doesn't improve on the A6600's shooting speeds, grabbing bursts at the same 11 fps (in both mechanical and electronic shutter modes) with autofocus and auto-exposure tracking. However, it can capture far more photos at a time, with the new larger buffer letting you capture 59 compressed RAW and over 1,000 JPEGs before it stops.EngadgetThe autofocus is improved as well, thanks to a faster backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor and processor that's eight times quicker than past models. Sony promises "reliable real-time tracking" for humans, animals and birds, insects and vehicles (cars, trains and planes). Human eye AF performance is up by 60 percent from previous models, while animal/bird eye AF speeds increased by 40 percent.It should also take better photos in low light, again thanks to the BSI sensor and improved processor. Finally on the photo side, it now offers selectable RAW options including lossless and compressed, along with JPEG, HEIF and HLG still images.EngadgetWhile Sony already has a vlogging-oriented camera in the ZV-E10, the A6700 is even stronger in this regard. You can shoot 4K video at up to 120fps with 10-bit 4:2:2 quality (FHD at 240p) all with AF/AE, besting all APS-C rivals except Fujifilm's $2,000 X-H2S. Better still, it's super-sampled from 6K "resulting in high-resolution 4K with minimal moire and jaggies," Sony says.You can record in Sony's XAVC format at up to 600 Mbps with I-frame codecs that are easier to edit. It supports S-Cinetone and Sony S-Log3 mode to boost dynamic resolution up to 14+ stops (matching its Cinema line cameras), along with user-assignable LUTs so you can get a better idea of what you're shooting.EngadgetFor those who do a lot of tracking shots or walk-and-talk vlogging, the A6700 has "active mode stabilization" that uses both software and optical tricks to reduce camera shake. Video autofocus mode supports the same range of subjects (people, animals, vehicles) as photo AF, with Sony promising real-time recognition in all cases. Another nice feature borrowed from the ZV-E1 full-frame camera is AI-based auto framing that lets the subject move around while staying centered in the frame - with varying levels of cropping and tracking speeds. And like other recent Sony models, it supports digital focus breathing compensation with select lenses.We had the camera for a short time, and found that it handled much better than any previous Sony A6000-series cameras. At the same time, it's compact and light enough to take on trips. It's certainly not an impulse buy, though. The A6700 starts at $1,399 (body only), or $1,499 with a 16-50mm kit lens and $1,699 with the 18-135mm lens. Pre-orders are now open, and it's set to start shipping in early August.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-26-megapixel-a6700-is-its-new-flagship-aps-c-mirrorless-camera-140031494.html?src=rss
With the arrival of Xiaomi's Mix Fold 2 last August, it was only a matter of time before other brands would catch up with similarly impressive slimness for their next foldable phones. So far this year, we have Huawei's Mate X3 which finally broke Xiaomi's thinness record, followed by Google's Pixel Fold - it's a tad thicker, but at least it's available in western markets. Today, another Chinese brand has beaten Huawei with an even slimmer and lighter foldable phone - the Honor Magic V2. It's the first of its kind to reach a folded thickness of less than 1cm, and it weighs less than some of the top flagship candybars - namely Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max or Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra.Specifically, the Magic V2 is 9.9mm and 4.7mm thick when folded and unfolded, respectively. Only the Mate X3 and Mix Fold 2 come close in this aspect. As for weight, the Magic V2 measures just 231g (8.15oz), beating the Oppo Find N2 and Mate X3 by a few grams. As someone who has been using a 262g (9.24oz) Mix Fold 2 for 10 months, I found it surprisingly delightful while fiddling around with Honor's slimmer and lighter foldable.One of the keys to this form factor breakthrough is Honor's new hinge design, which consists of 3D-printed aerospace-grade titanium parts and proprietary steel bits. Together with the latest flexible OLED panel from China's BOE, the Magic V2 has been certified by TUV Rheinland to last for over 400,000 folds - doubling that of the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 4. As a bonus, the hinge lets the phone "hover" in a laptop-like mode, which comes in handy for taking photos, watching videos, listening to music, making video calls and more, thanks to some tweaks in MagicOS 7.2 (based on Android 13).Despite the size and weight reduction, the Magic V2 packs a generous 5,000mAh battery capacity, beating that of all existing foldable phones. This is thanks to the new silicon-carbon battery tech, which allows for a significant bump in energy density. These cells support Honor's 66W fast charging, though fans of wireless charging are out of luck here - not a surprise given the ambitious thickness reduction. The company also had to slim down essential components like the vapor cooling chamber, antenna, aluminum mid-frame, fingerprint module, USB-C connector, speakers and more to fit everything together. Much of this was done in Honor's research lab just across the street from the production line in Shenzhen.The Magic V2 offers a 6.43-inch 2,376 x 1,060 OLED screen on the outside, and its 20:9 aspect ratio is to better mimic the user experience of a conventional smartphone - which is just as well given the thickness and weight achievement here. When unfolded, you'll be greeted by a 7.92-inch 2,344 x 2,156 flexible panel with a near-invisible crease. Both displays have an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz plus HDR10+ support, and yes, you can use a stylus on them, though only the Ultimate Edition in China comes bundled with an active pen. Honor also touted its eye protection measures for both screens on the Magic V2, using features like high-speed 3,840Hz pulse wave modulation dimming technology to reduce eye fatigue, as well as "Circadian Night Display" to help the user sleep better.Photo by Richard Lai / EngadgetThe rest of the Magic V2's core specs are very much on flagship level, featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, NFC, triple mics, Bluetooth 5.3, infrared remote and more. With the preloaded MagicOS 7.2 (based on Android 13), Honor even promises 50 months of fast performance, as certified by SGS. The only glaring omission on this list of goodies is an ingress protection rating (the Mate X3, Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 4 all have an IPX8 rating), but Honor assured us that it has applied a P2i nano-coating to the device for basic water resistance.The cameras are seemingly impressive, too: the rear-facing set consist of a 50-megapixel f/1.9 main camera with optical stabilization, a 50MP f/2.0 ultra-wide camera and a 20-megapixel f/2.4 2.5x zoom camera also with optical stabilization. Both the external and internal displays have a 16-megapixel f/2.2 selfie camera each. Honor said its AI motion sensing feature can help capture constantly moving subjects like kids and pets, but we won't be able to verify this claim until we get to a review unit later.Photo by Richard Lai / EngadgetThe Honor Magic V2 is now up for pre-orders in China, with color options including black (with a vegan leather back), gold, silk purple, and silk black (with "silk" referring to the frosted glass back), with prices starting from 8,999 yuan (about $1,250) for the 256GB version, 9,999 yuan ($1,390) for double the storage, and maxing out at 11,999 yuan ($1,670) for the 1TB Ultimate Edition.Even though the demo units I played with at Honor's headquarters had Google services pre-installed, the company was hesitant on confirming a possible global rollout. Perhaps we will hear more at IFA come September, otherwise I'm sure the enthusiasts will already know how to grab one from China, anyway. Meanwhile, the pressure is on Samsung to come up with foldables of matching qualities later this month.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/honors-magic-v2-is-the-thinnest-foldable-phone-to-date-140023005.html?src=rss
Were you hoping to score a good deal on a laptop for Prime Day? Apple's 2020 MacBook Air is currently on sale for $750 - a record low for the computer, which typically goes for $999. It's powered by the company's M1 chip with an 8-core CPU, and while Apple has since come out with an M2 MacBook Air, we found the older version's performance to be impressive when we reviewed it. This MacBook Air was very responsive, and running apps built for Apple's silicon, such as Safari and GarageBand, felt as fast as launching them on an iPad. Safari also loaded sites instantly, and scrolling through them felt effortless.We gave the 2020 MacBook Air a score of 94 in our review. In addition to its impressively speedy performance, we also praised it for having the capabilities it has without the need for a fan. Its 13.3-inch Retina Display looked fantastic, with thin bezels around the high-res screen, and we found its keyboard to be excellent, with a satisfying amount of depth. The laptop ran efficiently during our tests and lasted 16 hours and 20 minutes, including periods wherein we looped HD videos.In addition, since this MacBook Air is powered by Apple's silicon, it can run iPhone and iPad apps, though not every app for your mobile device will be available for the computer. The chip gives it decent gaming performance, as well, and allows it to run some games as smoothly as on a gaming PC. You can get any of the color options - gold, silver and space gray - for $750, but due to the nature of the event, you'll have to be a Prime member to enjoy the discount. Take note that if you're not currently subscribed to Amazon Prime, you can avail of a 30-day trial for free when you check out.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-m1-macbook-air-is-on-sale-for-750-for-prime-day-2023-130034996.html?src=rss
Lots of Apple products are discounted for Amazon Prime Day, including some of the latest generation iPads, AirPods, MacBooks and Apple Watches. It's usually a toss-up whether Apple devices will be discounted during a sale event like this; unlike Black Friday, where you're bound to save some money at most retailers, Prime Day is more unpredictable when it comes to these sought-after gadgets. This year, Prime Day deals have discounted most AirPods, a number of MacBooks and a handful of iPads, and some of the latest devices are included among them. Here are the best Prime Day Apple deals you can get.AirPods Pro (2nd gen)Apple's second generation AirPods Pro are on sale for $199 during Prime Day. That's a $50 discount and the best price we've seen. They are our top pick for iPhone users in our earbuds guide and represent a big improvement over the first iteration, with better noise canceling and overall improved sound. They have an excellent transparency mode that lets you listen to music while still keeping aware of the sounds around you and they pair nicely with iPhones, iPads and Macs and make good use of Siri's assistance.We gave them an 88 in our review, noting the sound quality was both immersive and detailed, remaining clear even at lower volumes. The battery life delivered 15 minutes more than Apple's promised six hours and the case can recharge the buds three more times.Read our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)AirPods (3rd gen)Apple's updated AirPods have been discounted to $140 for Prime Day. Released in 2021, these wireless earbuds improve upon their predecessors in nearly every way. They have better sound quality, a more comfortable design and a longer battery life. They don't have ANC like the AirPods Pro do, but it's hard to beat the third-gen AirPods at this price for iPhone users.AirPods (2nd gen)The second-generation AirPods are down to $89 for Prime Day. These wireless earbuds are a bit old at this point, but if you have less than $100 to send and want a pair that work seamlessly with iPhones and other Apple devices, these are a good option. They fit similarly to Apple's EarPods and they have improved wireless range.AirPods MaxApple's over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max are on sale for $450, which is $100 off the usual $549. They earned an 84 in our review when they came out at the end of 2020. We liked the balanced sound, solid active noise cancellation and long 20-hour battery life with a unique low-power mode that leaves the headphones in standby so they're ready to play as soon as you put them on.iPad AirThe latest iteration of Apple's iPad Air is $500 after a $100 discount. We think it's the best iPad for most people. It came out in 2022 and features Apple's own M1 system-on-a-chip processor and a bright and sharp 10.9-inch display. We gave it a review score of 90, noting that the updated chip and 5G capabilities (on the cellular model) make it almost future-proof."It's great for playing games and watching shows, but when you pair it with accessories like a keyboard, the iPad Air can easily handle productivity tasks like writing, drawing, moderate photo editing and running work-related apps like Airtable and Slack. Plus it's much cheaper than the iPad Pro, which may be overkill for many users.Read our full review of the iPad Air iPad (9th gen)Apple's 9th-generation iPad is down to $250, which it's best price yet as it normally sells for $329. It's the budget pick in our guide to the best iPads. Though it doesn't have the thin bezels and as much accessory support as our favorite, the iPad Air, it's the most affordable way to snag an iPad. It's a great couch companion that performs well for casual browsing, binge streaming and light gaming.Read our full review of the 9th-gen iPadMacBook Air M1If you want a steep bargain on an Apple laptop, go for 2020's MacBook Air with the M1 chip. It's still a capable laptop and the 256GB base model is just $750 for Prime Day, which is the lowest price we've seen so far on the ultraportable. It's the budget pick in our buyer's guide to Macbooks and earned a high score of 94 in our review.The performance of the M1 chip really makes the MacBook Air M1 stand out. It's responsive, launching apps quickly and running them effortlessly. The M1 chip is also behind the MB Air's great battery life. We clocked 16 hours and 20 minutes of play time in our video rundown test, which should be more than enough to get you through a full day of work or study.Read our (rather glowing) review of the MacBook Air with the M1 chipiPad miniA smaller tablet like the iPad mini can do a lot of what your phone can while giving you more screen real estate. For Prime Day, Apple's diminutive slate is $380 for Prime members instead of its usual $499. We gave the mini an 89 in our review because of its fresh design and solid performance. It also pairs nicely with the second generation Apple Pencil, turning the mini into a portable digital notebook.The iPad mini comes with a 12MP ultra wide front camera that supports Center Stage, a feature that pans and zooms to keep you in frame during video calls. As for battery life, Apple estimates going for 10 hours on a charge, but we got two hours longer than that on our video run down test, and only had to charge it every other day with casual but regular use.Read our full review of the iPad MiniApple Pencil (2nd gen)The latest Apple Pencil is usually $129 but Prime Day is making it just $89. The second generation of the stylus works with the most recent models of the iPad mini, the iPad Air and both sizes of the iPad Pro. The standard iPad, even the latest iteration, still works with the first generation Apple Pencil, which is $79 right now. The Apple pencil lets you draw, sketch, take handwritten notes and even write in search boxes. The second gen pencil magnetically attaches to and charges from all compatible iPads.Magic KeyboardThe Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air or the 11-inch iPad Pro is now just $250 as opposed to the $300 list price. The keyboard wraps around and magnetically attaches to your iPad, acting as a case when closed, then when it's time to type, your tablet floats" above the keyboard. It's one of our favorite iPad accessories and in our review of the iPad Pro, we noted the Magic Keyboard provides the best typing experience" for Apple's tablets. The keyboard for the 12.9 inch iPad Pro is also on sale and going for $299 for Prime Day.AirTagsApple's AirTags are discounted less than $89 for the four-pack. Compared to the usual $28.50 per-tag price, that's a decent savings. We named the AirTags the best bet for iPhone users because they tap into Apple's vast Find My network, pinging off nearby Apple phones to anonymously locate the tracker if it's ever lost out in the city.Apple Watch Series 8Apple's flagship smartwatch is the Apple Watch Series 8 and Prime Day is giving it a $120 discount. Usually $399, the 41mm GPS model is now $280. The Series 8 is our favorite smartwatch thanks to its detailed health and fitness tracking along with a seamless integration with your iPhone's apps and notifications. New features like temperature sensors, ECG monitors, blood oxygen readings and improved sleep metrics give you more data than ever, while the crash detection can call for help if you're ever in an accident. The upcoming WatchOS 10 will add widgets and expanded features including ways to track your mood in the Mindfulness app.The cellular-enabled models are also on sale. Those watches can make calls, get texts and more when you don't have your phone. The 41mm GPS plus cellular Series 8 is $380 instead of $499 and it's $410 for the 45mm size as opposed to the usual $529.MacBook Pro (M2, 14-inch)The MacBook Pro offers music makers, video producers and other heavy users a lot of processing power with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. Amazon is selling the base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip, 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage for $1,799, which is $200 off the usual $1,999. The base model 16-inch MacBook Pro with the same specs is down to $2,299 instead of $2,499. When the new MacBook Pros came out in January of this year, we gave the 14-inch model a 92 review score, praising the Liquid Retina XDR display, sturdy design and plethora of ports including three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, HDMI, a headphone jack and a full-sized SD card slot.Read our full review of Apple's 14-inch MacBook ProApple Studio DisplayThe usual $1,599 for the Apple Studio Display is pretty steep. Prime Day has brought the price down to $1,499, which makes it a little more palatable, but we still think the display is ideal only for true Apple devotees. The A13 Bionic chip inside makes it a little smarter than most displays, but the 60Hz refresh rate is disappointing. Still, it's got a nice build with good speakers and a bright and accurate screen.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-amazon-prime-day-apple-deals-on-airpods-macbooks-and-more-123422037.html?src=rss
Amazon's latest Prime Day sale includes a handful of deals on notebooks we like, from MacBooks to Chromebooks to gaming laptops. Prime Day usually brings decent laptop sales, but the biggest downside is that your only options are the configurations that Amazon offers. There's usually good variety, but we still recommend going directly to your manufacturer of choice if you want to spec out your new machine precisely. But for those who are comfortable picking up a pre-configured model, here are the best Prime Day laptop deals we could find this year.Apple MacBook Air M2 (15-inch)The 15.3-inch version of Apple's MacBook Air M2 is down to $1,399 for a configuration with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. That's a modest $50 drop from its usual price on Amazon, but the notebook only just arrived last month, and it's $100 less than buying from Apple directly. The M2 Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and we gave it a review score of 96 in June. It checks just about all the requisite boxes for a mainstream notebook, with a thin and light design, bright and accurate display, comfortable keyboard, long-lasting battery, and more than enough performance for everyday use. This 15-inch model has all the same benefits of the prior 13-inch model, but adds a more powerful speaker system and slightly upgraded GPU alongside the bigger screen.Apple MacBook Air M1The M1 MacBook Air released back in 2020, but it remains a worthy option if you want a Mac for light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible. The entry-level configuration is now on sale for $750, which is a new low. Apple sells this device for $999, though we've seen it go for $799 for most of the past few months. This model's keyboard, trackpad, display and battery life continue to impress, and the quiet M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. This configuration is strictly for casual use, though, as it only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. You'll have to live with a more basic 720p webcam, too, and you'll miss out on the improved speakers and slimmer bezels of the M2 model. We gave the M1 Air a review score of 94 at launch.Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023)While the MacBook Air is more than enough laptop for most, the MacBook Pro should appeal to creatives who need more power for serious media editing. As of this writing, the 14.2-inch Pro with an M2 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD is available for $1,799. We've seen it go for $50 less in the past, but if you don't want to wait for another sale, this is still $200 cheaper than buying from Apple direct. Apart from the faster internals, the Pro's mini-LED display can get brighter than the Air for HDR content, plus it has a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother motion. There's also a wider port selection, including three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port and an SDXC card reader. There's no USB-A port, though, and the chassis is thicker and heavier. We reviewed this notebook back in January and gave it a score of 92.Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023)A similar configuration of the 16-inch MacBook Pro is available for $2,299. Again, this isn't an all-time low, but it's about $75 lower than this model's average street price in recent months and $200 off Apple's MSRP. Compared to its smaller counterpart, the 16-inch Pro is rated for a few more hours of battery life, and the base config here has a slightly beefier CPU and GPU.Acer Chromebook C423This Acer Chromebook with a Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage is down to a new low of $180 for Prime Day. Acer makes some of our favorite Chromebooks, and while you can find more powerful models, this C423 laptop should work well if you plan on using the machine for web browsing, email checking and other simple tasks. If you'd rather invest in a strong Chromebook, this Prime Day sale also includes the Acer Chromebook Spin 314 with a Pentium processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $339.Acer Nitro 5The Acer Nitro 5 is the runner up pick in our guide to the best budget gaming laptops, and right now a configuration with a Core i5-12500H, GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 144Hz 1080p display, 16GB of RAM and 512GB is available for $780. That's a new low and roughly $120 off this model's typical street price. This is a chunky plastic machine, and you'll need to ratchet down the settings in certain games to hit a decent frame rate. But getting a 144Hz display and enough power to keep up with modern games is a plus at this price. As an affordable yet competent entry point to PC gaming, it's a fine value.Razer Blade 15A configuration of the Razer Blade 15 with a Core i7-12800H processor, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 240Hz QHD display, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD is down to $1,923 for Prime Day. That's about $375 off its usual street price in recent months. We gave the Blade 15 a review score of 86 last year, and we currently recommend it as a premium pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. This config is a 2022 model - the latest version is largely a spec bump - but it'll still be powerful enough to play most modern games at high settings and frame rates, particularly with DLSS. The main reason to pay the premium for any Blade laptop, though, is because it packs that power in a slim and premium-feeling aluminum design. Just note that it can run hot, and that its battery life is fairly short.If you want a larger 17-inch display, a version of the Blade 17 with similar specs is available for $2,000. The smaller Blade 14, meanwhile, is more modestly discounted at $2,300 for a 2022 config with a Ryzen 9 6900HX, RTX 3080 Ti and 165Hz display.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-2023-laptop-deals-121617911.html?src=rss
Summer is all about relaxing, and that includes getting out of doing chores whenever possible. No, we're not saying to let your place turn into a mess, just to automate tasks anywhere you can. Prime Day deals are making it more affordable to do just that, such as the 46 percent discount on Shark's AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum - one of Engadget's best vacuums of the year. At $380, down from $700, the robovac is available at a record low price.The 2-in-1 model uses Matrix Clean to map out a detailed grid of your entire home and hit every little nook and cranny where dirt might be hiding. It also uses a brushroll to get packed in dirt out of hardwood floors and carpets. On the mop side of things, the robovac can scrub up to 100 times per minute and has an option on the app to initiate "Matrix Mop," which is 50 percent better at removing stains. The AI 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum is also self-emptying, with its base holding up to 60 days worth of debris. Think about it: You won't need to go near household dirt until September.If the Shark AI 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum isn't for you, there are a few great robot vacuums on sale for Prime Day this year. iRobot's Roomba 694 is the cheapest option, down from $275 to $199, whereas the Shark AI Ultra Voice Control model is slightly more expensive at $419, down from $599.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sharks-ai-ultra-2-in-1-robot-vacuum-and-mop-is-cheaper-than-ever-for-prime-day-120032067.html?src=rss
Proton, which is best known for its end-to-end encrypted email service, is launching its cloud-based storage solution on Windows starting today. Up until now, Proton's Drive service was available via the web and on mobile via its iOS and Android apps. The company rebranded itself last year from ProtonMail to just Proton, an indicator that it has ambitions beyond just email. Earlier this year, the company also launched a password manager.The key difference between Proton Drive and other cloud-based storage options is that it will offer free, encrypted file storage by default. The service will also offer all of the essentials such as multi-device syncing, offline downloads and version history. Proton says that it saw beta Windows users upload five times more data than its mobile and web app users combined. It says that over 65 percent of its overall users access the service from a Windows device, which probably explains why a Windows app came before a Mac one. Proton claims that all files are encrypted before they're uploaded to its servers so not even Proton can access these files."ProtonFor $12.99 per month or $119.88 per year, users gain access to unlimited email, 500GB of total storage, and access to the company's VPN, password manager and calendar services. The company also has a family sharing option for up to six users that gets you 3TB of storage for $29.99 per month or $287.88 per year. For those that don't need the extra storage or all the extra bells and whistles, Proton offers a $4.99 per month or $47.88 per year option for 200GB of storage, while a free tier that gets you up to 1GB. All paid plans have additional savings if you decide to pay for two years upfront.With today's announcement, Proton Drive now has native applications on Windows, iOS and Android. The company says that a native Mac application is coming soon, though it seems to have missed its plans to offer early access in the first half of 2023.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/proton-is-releasing-a-native-encrypted-file-syncing-app-for-windows-120002705.html?src=rss
iPads may be the most sought after tablets, but there are plenty of others on the market that are worth considering and many are on sale for Amazon Prime Day. If you've been eyeing a new iPad, you're in luck as many of Apple's tablets have been discounted for the shopping event. If you prefer Android, or simply don't want to enter the Apple ecosystem, Fire tablets, Samsung slabs and others are also on sale right now. Here are the best iPad and tablet deals for Prime Day 2023.Apple iPad (9th gen)Apple's 10.2-inch iPad is down to $250, which matches the tablet's all-time low. Apple normally sells this 64GB model for $329, though we've frequently seen it retail around $275 for most of the past few months. The 9th-gen iPad is the top budget pick in our iPad buying guide, and we gave it a review score of 86 in 2021. If you need more storage, the 256GB model is also on sale for $389.This iPad's design is dated next to newer models, as it still has a Lightning port, Home button, thick bezels and a non-laminated display. But it still gets you a huge array of apps, and its A13 Bionic chip remains fast enough for light work and casual media consumption. It's also the only current iPad to still carry a headphone jack.Apple iPad AirThe iPad Air is the iPad we recommend for most people, and right now it's available for $500. That's a price we've seen for much of the last few months, but it's $100off Apple's MSRP. The Air earned a review score of 90 last year. While it lacks the 120Hz refresh rate, 128GB of base storage and better speakers of the iPad Pro, it provides a similarly elegant design for less cash, with a faster M1 chip, superior display and wider accessory support than the 9th-gen and 10th-gen iPads.Apple iPad MiniThe iPad Mini is also down to an all-time low of $380. That's roughly $65 off the 8.3-inch tablet's typical street price and $120 off Apple's MSRP. We gave the latest Mini a score of 89 back in 2021, but it remains the best compact tablet on the market, as it's essentially a smaller version of the iPad Air. It uses Apple's A15 Bionic chip instead of the more powerful M1, but the former is still plenty quick for most needs. The big downside, as with most non-Pro iPads, is that it only has 64GB of storage by default. For more space, the 256GB variant is on sale for a new low of $529.Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inchThe 12.9-inch iPad Pro, meanwhile, is down to $1,049. That's $50off Apple's list price for the jumbo-sized tablet, though it's a deal we've seen fairly regularly in recent months. The 12.9-inch Pro has all the hardware upgrades of its 11-inch counterpart, but its Liquid Retina" display offers better brightness and contrast thanks to its Mini LED backlighting. It's the closest any iPad comes to being a full-on laptop replacement, though iPadOS still has its share of issues with multitasking and productivity. Still, if you just want the most luxurious iPad possible, or if a tablet fits better into your workflow than a traditional notebook, it's worth considering.Amazon Fire HD 10Amazon's Fire HD tablets are worth a look if all you want is a competent device for basic streaming and web browsing for as little as possible. The Fire HD 10 is the best value in the lineup for most people, and it's back down to its all-time low of $75 for Prime Day. This 32GB model usually costs around $130. The 64GB version is also on sale for $90.All Fire tablets are a step down from an iPad in terms of performance and build quality, and their OS still pushes you toward Amazon apps like Kindle or Prime Video. The app store is far less robust in general, with no official support for Google services like YouTube or Gmail. You'll also have to deal with lock screen ads unless you pay an extra fee. But the Fire HD 10's 10.1-inch 1080p display is nice enough for casual media consumption, and its processor is fast enough to not be a dealbreaker. Plus, its matte plastic design is comfortable, it gets a solid 10 or so hours of battery life, and it has a microSD slot for adding storage. This version of the Fire HD 10 released back in 2021, but it's still hard to do better at this deal price.We'll also note that the Fire HD 10 Plus is on sale for $95. This variant adds an extra gigabyte of RAM (4GB total) and wireless charging support. It might be compelling if you want to buy a charging dock and use the tablet like an Alexa smart display, but the base model should be enough for most people in need of an affordable tablet.Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids ProThe Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids Pro are each down to $120, matching their lowest prices to date. These devices have similar hardware as the base Fire HD 10, but like all of Amazon's Kids tablets, add a protective bumper case, built-in kickstands, a longer two-year warranty, and a year to Amazon's Kids+ service (which includes a variety of child-friendly books, games and apps). They ship with a simplified UI by default, and mercifully, they don't feature ads on the lock screen.Between the two, the Kids edition has a larger rubbery case, while the Kids Pro model has a slimmer hard-plastic case designed for slightly older children. If you're not comfortable giving your kid an iPad, these are decent substitutes.Amazon Fire HD 8If you're on a super tight budget, the Fire HD 8 is a decent value at $55, which again matches the best price we've seen. Normally, this tablet retails around $90. It has a smaller (8-inch) and lower-resolution (1,280x800) display than the Fire HD 10, and it's not as quick in day-to-day use, but its performance is adequate for the basics, it still gets 10-ish hours of battery life and it's light in the hand.Amazon Fire HD 8 PlusAmazon also makes a Plus model of the Fire HD 8 with 3GB of RAM (instead of two), wireless charging support and a marginally better camera. Given that the Fire HD 8 isn't all that fast, the Fire HD 8 Plus might be worth the step up if you have a little more to spend. The 32GB model is now on sale for $70, which is only $5 more than its all-time low and 42 percent off Amazon's list price.Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids and Kids ProThe Fire HD 8 Kids and Kids Pro are both available for $75. That marks a new low and comes in $55 below their average going rate. These two come with the same extra features as the Fire HD 10 Kids models above, but they use the Fire HD 8 as their base, so they aren't as fast or spacious. If you want to save some cash on a streaming and reading machine for your kid, though, they're solid values at this price.Samsung Galaxy Tab S8Samsung's Galaxy Tab S8 is on sale for $500, which matches the best price we've seen outside of trade-in deals. We've typically seen this 11-inch slate retail around $635 in recent months. The Galaxy Tab S8 line is the top Android pick in our guide to the best tablets thanks to their lively displays and robust S Pen stylus support. The base Tab S8 has an LCD panel with a fast 120Hz refresh rate and sharp 2,560 x 1,600 resolution, along with a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and 8GB of RAM. Samsung says it will supply software updates to the Tab S8 lineup through early 2026 as well.That said, you should only get this if you're deeply committed to Android. Google's OS still isn't as accommodating to productivity as iPadOS or Windows, nor does it have as many apps that are explicitly designed for large screens. But if you own a Galaxy phone or just don't want to jump into Apple land, this is still good hardware.Samsung Galaxy Tab S8+The 12.4-inch Galaxy Tab S8+ is available for $600, which is more than $200 below its usual street price and matches its all-time low. This variant has the same general strengths as the standard Tab S8, but it has a more vibrant OLED display that ranks among the best on any tablet, plus it's slightly thinner (0.22" instead of 0.25"). It also has a larger battery to make up for the bigger display. Again, though, this is a good chunk of change to spend on an Android slate. Like the standard Tab S8, it also lacks a headphone jack. We gave the Galaxy Tab S8+ a review score of 85 last year.Amazon Fire Max 11The recently released Fire Max 11 is down to $150, which is the first major discount we've seen and 35 percent off this slate's standard going rate. This is the largest and most powerful tablet Amazon sells, with an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 resolution display and a beefier octa-core processor than the one in the Fire HD 10. Its chassis is made of aluminum instead of plastic as well. The issue is that it still runs Fire OS, whose shortcomings in app support and productivity features (plus its built-in ads) are harder to swallow when you're spending more than $100 to use it. But if you're in the niche group that wants a more premium Fire tablet without spending iPad or Galaxy Tab money, it could have appeal.Amazon Fire 7Amazon's Fire 7 tablet is on sale for $40 for Prime Day. It's the cheapest device in the Fire tablet lineup, and it's really only a viable option if you have a strict budget to adhere to since other Fire tablets provide much stronger performance. The Fire 7 provides a 7-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen, up to 32GB of storage and up to 10 hours of battery life.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-2023-ipad-deals-115813193.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day may be half over, but there's still time to pick up a new TV on sale. If you've been looking to pick up a new set, we've rounded up the best Prime Day TV deals we could find below. While we don't formally review TVs at Engadget, we've pored over reviews from users and other sites we trust to ensure you don't waste your money. Prime Day has brought a number of good discounts to solid sets this year, but it's worth noting that the TV market is in a bit of a transition period at the moment. Most of the Prime Day TV deals you'll find are on 2022 sets, but the best ones we've highlighted here are close enough to their successors that they're still good buys today. And if you'd rather spruce up your current TV with a streaming device, we've included some of the best deals on those devices as well.Samsung S95BThe 65-inch Samsung S95B is on sale for $1,598, matching its all-time low. Typically, this highly-rated set has cost an extra $100 to $200 in recent months.The S95B's QD-OLED panel combines OLED tech with a quantum dot layer, allowing it to deliver high contrast and wide viewing angles without sacrificing as much as typical OLED TVs in terms of brightness and color saturation. This means it should provide a rich image even in brighter rooms. It can also play up to 4K 120Hz, which is handy for the PS5 or Xbox Series X, but like all Samsung TVs, it doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR.The S95B is a 2022 model, so it's on the way out in favor of the new S95C. The latter supports a faster 144Hz refresh rate and runs its ports through an external box, which makes the design thinner. Other reviewerssay it can get a bit brighter, too. But the S95 currently costs $2,298 and $2,998 for a 55- and 65-inch model, respectively, and its upgrades don't appear to be massive enough to justify that extra cost for most. If you're in the market for a premium TV, the S95B should remain the better value while it's still available.LG C2For a more affordable OLED TV, the LG C2 is down to $1,097 for a 55-inch model, $1,496 for a 65-inch model and $797 for a 42-inch model. None of these are record-low prices, but they're each about $140 below what they usually go for. The C2 can't match the brightness and color range of a QD-OLED set like the Samsung S95B, but it still offers excellent contrast, deep black levels and wide viewing angles. It has four HDMI 2.1 ports that can play 4K at 120Hz, it supports gaming-friendly features like VRR and ALLM, and it comes in a wider range of sizes than the S95B. It works with all the major HDR formats, too, Dolby Vision included. It's just less ideal in a brightly-lit room.LG has rolled out a new C3 model for 2023, but it's pricier, and manyreviewssuggest it's only a marginal upgrade outside of adding support for DTS audio.Sony A80KIf the LG C2 goes out of stock, the Sony A80K is another commendable OLED TV. It's down to $1,098 for a 55-inch model and $1,498 for a 65-inch model. Both deals mark new lows: The former is about $250 off its recent street price, while the latter is a roughly $300 discount. The C2 is broadly considered a better option thanks to its superior brightness levels and two extra HDMI 2.1 ports, but the A80K still gets you the core benefits of an OLED display. It also runs on Google TV, which some may prefer to LG's webOS platform. Like the C2, you'll get the most out of it if you stay away from glare.Sony's 2023 follow-up, the A80L, should be a better buy when prices come down, but right now it starts at $1,698. At that price, most should be better off with the Samsung S95B.LG B2If you want a decent OLED TV for as little as possible, the 55-inch LG B2 is a solid value at $897, which is a new low and a little over $100 off its typical street price. Again, this TV isn't as bright or color-rich as the C2 with HDR content, and it's limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports. It also runs on a slower processor. Still, the contrast and motion performance here will be a noticeable upgrade if you're coming from a more basic LCD TV and want to stay under $1,000. The 65-inch model is also on sale for $1,197.We'll also note the LG A2, which is down to $600 for a 48-inch model at Best Buy. That's a nice price if you really want an OLED display, though it's a further step down in brightness, it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and it lacks HDMI 2.1 features for gaming.Samsung QN90BThe Samsung QN90B is back down to $1,098 for a 55-inch model. That's not the best price we've seen, but it's still about $100 off its usual price. If you're looking for a smaller set, the 43-inch versionis at an all-time low of $898. The QN90B is an LCD TV, so it can't supply the near-perfect blacks and super wide viewing angles of an OLED panel, but it can get significantly brighter, and reviewssayitprovides better contrast than most non-OLED TVs thanks to its Mini LED backlight. There's still no Dolby Vision, but it gives you four full HDMI 2.1 ports, 4K/120Hz support and multiple types of VRR. If you want a high-end TV for a room plagued by glare, it's a good buy.The new QN90C is out but costs much more, so again, last year's set is still the better buy for now. If you opt for the 43-inch model, note that it has worse viewing angles than the larger variants but also supports a faster 144Hz refresh rate. That feature should be useful if you want a TV that can double as a gaming PC monitor.Samsung The Frame TVSamsung's 55-inch The Frame TV is down to $988, which is a new low and about $450 off its typical street price. The Frame is a TV for those willing to trade some picture quality for classy aesthetics, as it's designed to look like a piece of art you can mount against a wall. When you aren't watching something, you can use it to display artwork and photos. A few pieces come included, while others are sold with a subscription. The Frame's QLED panel lacks local dimming, so its contrast and HDR performance can't really compete with the best options in its price range. It only has one HDMI 2.1 port, too. But the image is still far from poor, and its design does well to blend into a wall, as we've professed before.Hisense A6HThe Hisense A6H is down to $228 for a 50-inch model and $198 for a 43-inch set, both of which match record-low prices we've seen before. The A6H is very much an entry-level 4K TV, so don't expect especially high contrast or rich colors compared to pricier options. There's no local dimming, and it's limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. But for this price, its picture is perfectly fine. The 50-inch model's VA panel should be particularly decent in a dark room, though it'll have narrower viewing angles than the 43-inch set's IPS display. And while it can be sluggish to navigate apps, its Google TV interface makes it easy to find things to watch. None of this will blow you away, but as a cheap secondary TV, the A6H should do the job.If you're looking for a mid-range option, consider the Hisense U6K. It costs $500 for a 55-inch model and offers Mini LED backlighting, which is rare to find at that price. Recentreviews say it delivers better contrast control and color volume than most TVs in its price range as a result, though it's still limited to 60Hz and doesn't have the widest viewing angles. It's not priced any lower than usual for Prime Day, either.Amazon Fire TV Omni QLED SeriesAmazon's Fire TV Omni QLED Series is on sale in several sizes for Prime Day, with the 43-, 50-, 55- and 65-inch models down to $380, $400, $430 and $600, respectively. Those match the best prices to date for the 43- and 65-inch sets; the other two are $30 more than their previous lows. You'd get the Omni QLED if you're especially fond of Amazon's Fire OS, as its useful voice remote, hands-free Alexa support and tight integration with Amazon services are like having a Fire TV Cube baked into the TV. (You can turn off the mics with a built-in switch.) Its picture quality isn't bad, either, but reviews say its brightness lags behind competing models from Hisense and TCL.Roku Streaming Stick 4KThe Roku Streaming Stick 4K is the top pick in our guide to the best media streamers, and right now it's available for $35. While that's $10 more than the lowest price we've tracked, it's $15 below Roku's list price and $5 less than the typical sale price we're used to seeing.The Streaming Stick 4K supports all the major apps and HDR standards, including Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG. Its compact design plugs directly into an HDMI port, while its remote has volume and power controls for your TV. The whole thing is quick to load apps, and for those with Apple devices, it also supports AirPlay 2. While Roku's OS is blander than rivals from Google and Amazon, its grid-style UI is dead simple to navigate, and its search function does well to present shows from across streaming services.Note that Roku also sells the Streaming Stick 4K+, which has an upgraded voice remote with a rechargeable battery, a lost remote finder and a headphone jack for private listening. (The Streaming Stick 4K can also do private listening, but only through the Roku mobile app.) The Plus model is better if you can afford it, but it's not on sale as of this writing.Roku Express 4K+If you want a more affordable 4K Roku streamer, the Roku Express 4K+ is worth considering at its Prime Day price of $27. While that's not an all-time low, it's $13 off Roku's MSRP. The Express 4K+ offers the same general experience as the Streaming Stick 4K, but it can't plug directly into a TV, it doesn't support Dolby Vision and it has slightly slower WiFi, so it may have more trouble if your internet is particularly finicky. The Streaming Stick 4K is the safer buy when both devices are on sale, but if you really want to save, this is a fine value.Roku StreambarThe Roku Streambar is a compact 2.0-channel soundbar that doubles as a 4K media streamer. It won't sound as rich as the best dedicated soundbars, and it lacks Dolby Vision HDR, but it plays clearly for its size and performs much better than the speakers built into most TVs. If you're looking to upgrade a smaller secondary TV, it should be appealing. The Streambar is currently on sale for $89, which is a $30 discount. We gave the device a score of 86 back in 2020.Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K)The Google Chromecast with Google TV is down to $40, which is a deal we've seen several times before but still comes in $10 below its list price. This is the runner-up pick in our buying guide: It's getting a bit long in the tooth, but it's worth grabbing over a Roku streamer if you want a device that's more proactive about recommending shows you might like based on your viewing history. Compared to Roku OS, Google TV is centered more on content than apps (though it's still easy to reach the latter), and it's more nuanced when it comes to voice controls and searching for content. Naturally, it also works better with Google services like YouTube TV, though it doesn't support AirPlay or Apple TV+.Google makes an HD version of the Chromecast that outputs in 1080p but otherwise works like the 4K model. It's not on sale now, but it's a good choice if you like the Google TV experience and want to add streaming functionality to an older or smaller set.Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K MaxThe Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $25, which is $30 below its list price and $10 lower than the usual sale price we've seen. This is Amazon's fastest streaming stick, and its remote comes with Alexa baked in. It supports Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG, and like the rest of the Fire TV lineup, it has just about all of the necessary streaming apps. Unlike the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, it includes a WiFi 6 radio, though you'll need a compatible router and an unusually fast internet connection to see any advantage from that.We generally prefer Roku's and Google's interfaces over Amazon's Fire TV OS, which more aggressively displays ads on its home screen and prioritizes Amazon's content throughout the UI. It lacks AirPlay support as well. But these issues might be easier to look past if you often use Alexa and Prime Video, especially when the upfront cost is this low.Amazon Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick LiteThe standard Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite are best used with older TVs, as they each top out at a 1080p resolution instead of 4K. Both lack Dolby Vision HDR - though they retain HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG - and can be more sluggish than the 4K Max when switching between apps as well. That said, the rest of the experience is similar. The main difference is that the base Fire TV Stick's voice remote has app shortcuts and TV controls for volume and power, while the Fire TV Stick Lite's remote does not.Most people who really want a Fire TV streamer should just get the 4K Max, but if you want to upgrade an office or bedroom TV on the cheap, the Fire TV Stick is down to $17, while the Fire TV Stick Lite is down to $15. Both deals represent all-time lows.Amazon Fire TV CubeThe Fire TV Cube blends a 4K media streamer with a hands-free Alexa speaker and right now it's down to $110 for Prime Day, which is $30 off and it's best price yet. This is the most powerful Fire TV device by a comfortable margin, and because it's a box instead of a stick, it has a host of ports, including an Ethernet jack and an HDMI input. The latter means you can run a game console or cable box through the Cube yet still see an Alexa overlay whenever you call on the assistant. (This passthrough is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, though.) It also supports WiFi 6E.The Cube runs the same OS as any other Fire TV streamer, so it can be hard to justify over devices with less ad-heavy UIs like the Apple TV 4K. Its lack of AirPlay or Google Cast support is harder to swallow at this price, too. But if you don't own an Echo and want the ability to use Alexa hands-free, it's the only streamer with that functionality.NVIDIA Shield TV ProThe NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is available for $170 this Prime Day, a $30 drop that matches the set-top box's all-time low. This is the most niche player we recommend in our guide, as it released in 2019, still costs a ton and uses Android TV instead of the newer Google TV platform found on the Chromecast. We highlight it for gaming specifically, as its still-speedy Tegra X1+ chip plays well with NVIDIA's GeForce Now game streaming service and various Android games. If you're looking to run a Plex media server or emulate older games, it makes sense there as well. The box itself is loaded with ports, and it uses upscaling technology to make 1080p content look crisper on 4K TVs.It's hard to call the Shield TV Pro a great value at this price in 2023, but if you're an enthusiast who has had their eye out for a sale, this is a chance to save at least a little bit.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-amazon-prime-day-2023-tv-deals-114023010.html?src=rss
Somehow it still feels complicated to schedule a meeting with someone over email, whether it will take place in person or online. It typically requires using a third-party system like Calendly or sending random times back and forth until you finally narrow it down. Well, Google is attempting to integrate an easier system into Gmail (and save us all a headache) with the addition of a calendar icon right in your outgoing message toolbar at the bottom of your draft.GoogleTwo options will appear when you click on the calendar: "Offer times you're free" and "Create an event." The first feature is entirely new and allows you to select and share specific times you're available to meet. When you click the option in your toolbar, Google will open your calendar on the right-hand side without closing out of your draft. You can then highlight specific times and days that work for you and send them right in your message. The recipient can choose one right from the email you sent, and then you'll both receive a calendar invite.The option to create an event is a smaller but potentially significant organizational change, with Google moving the prompt to generate an event from the three dot menu at the top right to directly in the main toolbar. Creating an event while drafting an email will autofill with the recipient's information and produce a summary in the body.Google is rolling out these calendar updates for Rapid Release domains over the next two weeks and to Scheduled Release domains over the first half of August. Initially, you'll only be able to utilize the "Offer times you're free" feature for your primary calendar, and if you send the blocks of time to multiple people, Google will only add the event to your first respondent's calendar.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gmails-new-tools-make-it-even-easier-to-set-up-a-meeting-113522199.html?src=rss
For anyone who's been holding out for Prime Day to buy Apple's 10.2-inch, 9th-gen iPad - hey, good decision! The 64GB WiFi model is now on sale at a record low price of $250, for a savings of $79, or 24 percent. If you need more memory or a cellular connection, the 256GB version is also on sale for $389 (19 percent off) and the cellular model is discounted by 17 percent to $389 (64GB) and 15 per cent to $520 (256GB).The 9th-generation iPad may be nearing two years old at this point, but it's still our pick for the best budget Apple tablet. With an A13 Bionic chip, it's reasonably speedy for games and casual tasks and it still carries a headphone jack or a physical home button if you prefer those things. All of that makes it a great entertainment machine, whether you're reading, listening to music or watching movies.It also offers a much better front camera for video calls, excellent battery life and more. The main downsides are a stale design compared to other iPads (it still has a Lightning port, Home button, thick bezels and a non-laminated display). The other issue is the display quality, which is good for most things but a bit lacking compared to newer models.As mentioned, other versions of the 10.2-inch iPad are also on sale, though with lesser discounts. If it's another iPad you're after, be sure to check our list of the best Prime Day iPad and tablet deals - and if you're uncertain about which one to get, see our guide to the best iPads for 2023.Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog's car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-9th-gen-ipad-drops-to-250-for-prime-day-110043601.html?src=rss
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