Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.223205/gov.uscourts.dcd.223205.1062.0.pdf">https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.223205/gov.uscourts.dcd.223205.1062.0.pdf</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42201261">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42201261</a></p> <p>Points: 15</p> <p># Comments: 1</p>

Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://thematrix1999.github.io/">https://thematrix1999.github.io/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42201117">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42201117</a></p> <p>Points: 11</p> <p># Comments: 0</p>

Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2024/11/mathematical-intuition-dirac-quantum-mechanics">https://www.aps.org/apsnews/2024/11/mathematical-intuition-dirac-quantum-mechanics</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200407">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200407</a></p> <p>Points: 10</p> <p># Comments: 3</p>

Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/mathematical-thinking-isnt-what-you-think-it-is-20241118/">https://www.quantamagazine.org/mathematical-thinking-isnt-what-you-think-it-is-20241118/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200209">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200209</a></p> <p>Points: 48</p> <p># Comments: 15</p>

Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://www.exponentialview.co/p/the-forecasters-gap">https://www.exponentialview.co/p/the-forecasters-gap</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200149">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200149</a></p> <p>Points: 11</p> <p># Comments: 4</p>

Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://github.com/gtls64/MontyHome-Hackers-Guide">https://github.com/gtls64/MontyHome-Hackers-Guide</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200099">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200099</a></p> <p>Points: 57</p> <p># Comments: 14</p>

Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://www.denormalized.io/blog/building-databases">https://www.denormalized.io/blog/building-databases</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200014">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42200014</a></p> <p>Points: 57</p> <p># Comments: 7</p>

Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/vapi/4246b127-9f69-4a57-ac70-d16041f8403b">https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/vapi/4246b127-9f69-4a57-ac70-d16041f8403b</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199938">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199938</a></p> <p>Points: 0</p> <p># Comments: 0</p>

Nov 21, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301660/apple-doj-motion-dismiss-antitrust-lawsuit">https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301660/apple-doj-motion-dismiss-antitrust-lawsuit</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199527">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199527</a></p> <p>Points: 67</p> <p># Comments: 38</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://electrobun.dev/">https://electrobun.dev/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199486">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199486</a></p> <p>Points: 83</p> <p># Comments: 20</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://www.ualberta.ca/en/folio/2024/11/weight-loss-drug-found-to-shrink-heart-muscle.html">https://www.ualberta.ca/en/folio/2024/11/weight-loss-drug-found-to-shrink-heart-muscle.html</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199447">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199447</a></p> <p>Points: 184</p> <p># Comments: 220</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://torrentfreak.com/z-library-helps-students-to-overcome-academic-poverty-study-finds-241120/">https://torrentfreak.com/z-library-helps-students-to-overcome-academic-poverty-study-finds-241120/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199301">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42199301</a></p> <p>Points: 216</p> <p># Comments: 48</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://github.com/doxx/darkflare">https://github.com/doxx/darkflare</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42198954">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42198954</a></p> <p>Points: 51</p> <p># Comments: 11</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/11/google-cracks-down-on-parasite-seo-punishing-established-publishers/">https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/11/google-cracks-down-on-parasite-seo-punishing-established-publishers/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42198115">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42198115</a></p> <p>Points: 199</p> <p># Comments: 131</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi9EW9xhqAU">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi9EW9xhqAU</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42197824">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42197824</a></p> <p>Points: 67</p> <p># Comments: 73</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Hey HN, we're Alexi and Jonas the co-founders of Autotab (<a href="https://autotab.com">https://autotab.com</a>). Autotab is a chrome-based browser you can teach to do complex tasks, with a simple API for running them from your app or backend.<p>Here is a walkthrough of how it works: <a href="https://youtu.be/63co74JHy1k" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/63co74JHy1k</a>, and you can try it for free at <a href="https://autotab.com">https://autotab.com</a> by downloading the app.<p>Why a dedicated editor?<p>The number one blocker we've found in building more flexible, agentic automations is performance quality BY FAR (<a href="https://www.langchain.com/stateofaiagents#barriers-and-challenges" rel="nofollow">https://www.langchain.com/stateofaiagents#barriers-and-chall...</a>). For all the talk of cost, latency, and safety, the fact is most people are still just struggling to get agents to work. The keys to solving reliability are better models, yes, but also intent specification. Even humans don't zero-shot these tasks from a prompt. They need to be shown how to perform them, and then refined with question-asking + feedback over time. It is also quite difficult to formulate complete requirements on the spot from memory.<p>The editor makes it easy to build the specification up as you step through your workflow, while generating successful task trajectories for the model. This is the only way we've been able to get the reliability we need for production use cases.<p>But why build a browser?<p>Autotab started as a Chrome extension (with a Show HN post! <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37943931">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37943931</a>). As we iterated with users, we realized that we needed to focus on creating the control surface for intent specification, and that being stuck in a chrome sidepanel wasn't going to work. We also knew that we needed a level of control for the model that we couldn't get without owning the browser. In Autotab, the browser becomes a canvas on which the user and the model are taking turns showing and explaining the task.<p>Key features:<p>1. Self-healing automations that don't break when sites change<p>2. Dedicated authoring tool that builds memory for the model while defining steps for the automation<p>3. Control flows and deep configurability to keep automations on track, even when navigating complex reasoning tasks<p>4. Works with any website (no site-specific APIs needed)<p>5. Runs securely in the cloud or locally<p>6. Simple REST API + client libraries for Python, Node<p>We'd love to get any early feedback from the HN community, ideas for where you'd like the product to go, or experiences in this space. We will be in the comments for the next few hours to respond!</p> <hr> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42197741">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42197741</a></p> <p>Points: 80</p> <p># Comments: 38</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/alphaqubit-quantum-error-correction/">https://blog.google/technology/google-deepmind/alphaqubit-quantum-error-correction/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42196841">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42196841</a></p> <p>Points: 100</p> <p># Comments: 41</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://labs.ripe.net/author/emileaben/does-the-internet-route-around-damage-baltic-sea-cable-cuts/">https://labs.ripe.net/author/emileaben/does-the-internet-route-around-damage-baltic-sea-cable-cuts/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42196794">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42196794</a></p> <p>Points: 57</p> <p># Comments: 11</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://cacm.acm.org/opinion/between-the-booms-ai-in-winter/">https://cacm.acm.org/opinion/between-the-booms-ai-in-winter/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42196037">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42196037</a></p> <p>Points: 60</p> <p># Comments: 38</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Article URL: <a href="https://www.philipzucker.com/sql_graph_csp/">https://www.philipzucker.com/sql_graph_csp/</a></p> <p>Comments URL: <a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42195994">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=42195994</a></p> <p>Points: 125</p> <p># Comments: 12</p>

Nov 20, 2024

Can a small machine that makes error correction easier upend the market?

Nov 20, 2024

If you've noticed strange sites on "Best" product searches, so has Google.

Nov 20, 2024

The basic mechanism relies on the Venturi effect, producing a unique rough and piercing sound.

Nov 20, 2024

Microsoft has frequently used this kind of reminder to encourage upgrades.

Nov 20, 2024

"All pertinent conditions and requirements of the prior approval have been met."

Nov 20, 2024

Training apps, AI use, and trend analysis seem to be off-limits in Strava's API.

Nov 20, 2024

Comcast to spin off USA, CNBC, MSNBC, and others, will keep Peacock streaming.

Nov 20, 2024

Where "anything you can imagine is possible—as long as what you imagine can be built out of blocks."

Nov 20, 2024

Hint: It involves finding exactly the right proteins.

Nov 20, 2024

SpaceX wasn't able to catch the Super Heavy booster, but Starship is on the cusp of orbital flight.

Nov 19, 2024

SpaceX's Starlink doesn't have enough capacity for everyone who wants it.

Nov 19, 2024

Musi doesn’t risk “extinction” over App Store removal, Apple says.

Nov 19, 2024

New work provides a good view of where the field currently stands.

Nov 19, 2024

Visual scans of the world have helped Niantic build what it calls a "Large Geospatial Model."

Nov 19, 2024

Regulators have ordered an expansion of the tech, but the auto industry says the upgrade won’t be easy.

Nov 19, 2024

Reportedly high budget has brought Apple TV+ a lot of prestige, but not a lot of viewers.

Nov 19, 2024

Data caps reflect "highly competitive environment," cable lobby tells FCC.

Nov 19, 2024

Machine learning generates the closer-up ground in this very big sequel.

Nov 19, 2024

After claims of high-temp superconductivity were retracted, Ranga Dias lost his university job.

Nov 19, 2024

Small, plastic thin client is Microsoft’s first “Cloud PC,” launches in April.

Nov 21, 2024

While the Bcachefs feature changes for Linux 6.13 were already submitted even before the Linux 6.12 stable kernel was released, merging these changes are supposedly on hold due to the kernel's Code of Conduct (CoC) board...

Nov 21, 2024

Linux 6.13 has merged support for the Secure Digital Ultra Capacity "SDUC" standard for 2TB to 128TB storage capacity SD cards...

Nov 20, 2024

Andrew Morton on Monday submitted all the memory management "MM" related patches for the Linux 6.13 merge window. As usual there's a lot of interesting performance optimizations and other low-level refinements...

Nov 20, 2024

The abundance of networking subsystem updates have been mailed in for the Linux 6.13 kernel from wired and wireless driver enhancements to core networking code improvements...

Nov 20, 2024

As I wrote about last week within the Supermicro H13SSL-N EPYC Turin motherboard review, one of the factors leading me to purchasing that EPYC 9005 series motherboard was that this board offered support for full 12 channel DDR5-6000 memory performance compared to some of the other lower-cost Socket SP5 motherboards offering just 8 memory channels. For those wanting to quantify the performance difference between eight and twelve memory channels with AMD EPYC 9005 "Turin" processors, here are some benchmarks for showing the workloads that can really benefit from all 12 memory channels and other workloads where eight memory channels can be largely sufficient if looking to minimize costs.

Nov 20, 2024

Following the initial Raspberry Pi 5 upstream support in Linux 6.12 providing basic support, an exciting Raspberry Pi addition with the in-development Linux 6.13 kernel is introducing a Raspberry Pi Camera Front-End "CFE" driver...

Nov 20, 2024

The in-development Linux 6.13 kernel is bringing a lot of exciting improvements for AMD Linux customers...

Nov 20, 2024

Intel's open-source software developers released today OpenVINO 2024.5 as the newest major feature release for this cross-platform AI toolkit...

Nov 20, 2024

The crypto subsystem updates were merged yesterday for the in-development Linux 6.13 kernel. Among other crypto improvements are new optimizations for some algorithms when running on Intel and AMD x86_64 processors...

Nov 20, 2024

Merged last year for Linux 6.6 was multi-grain(ed) timestamps to address the current coarse-grained timestamps when updating creation time and modification time that a lot of I/O activity can happen in the once-per-jiffy timestamp. Just a few weeks in the Linux 6.6 kernel, multi-grain timestamps were removed due to bugs. The multigrain code went back to be reworked and now just over one year later the code has been re-merged into the mainline Linux kernel...

Nov 20, 2024

The HID subsystem updates have been submitted for the Linux 6.13 kernel cycle...

Nov 20, 2024

All of the scheduler feature changes were merged today for the Linux 6.13 kernel, including the introduction of the lazy preemption model...

Nov 19, 2024

FLTK 1.4 is out as the newest version of the Fast Light Toolkit that has been around since the late 90's...

Nov 19, 2024

While most users frown upon the increasing number of CPU security mitigations in part due to the additional overhead commonly introduced, a new Linux kernel patch by a Google engineer would allow users/developers to opt-in to forcing CPU bugs and their mitigations even if the system in use isn't known to be vulnerable...

Nov 19, 2024

Blender 4.3 is out today as the newest feature update to this leading open-source 3D modeling software...

Nov 19, 2024

FreeCAD 1.0 was just released as a major update to this leading open-source, cross-platform 3D parametric modeler software...

Nov 19, 2024

The power management subsystem updates have been submitted for the newly opened Linux 6.13 merge window. As covered within individual articles over the past few weeks, the Linux 6.13 power management updates include some notable changes for both AMD and Intel systems...

Nov 19, 2024

The latest Linux distribution being brought to Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) with Microsoft's blessing is none other than Red Hat Enterprise Linux... Microsoft and Red Hat jointly announced today that RHEL is coming to WSL...

Nov 19, 2024

The Debian 13 "Trixie" release is slated for 2025 and with the artwork voting now underway for the default desktop theme is a reminder that the release is quickly approaching...

Nov 19, 2024

WayVNC 0.9 is out today as the newest feature release for this VNC server catering to wlroots-based Wayland compositors. WayVNC makes it easy to get a VNC server up and running on Sway and other wlroots-based compositors while with today's update is much more capable...

Nov 19, 2024

Ahead of SC24, MiTAC Computing has published their open-source firmware for their Open Compute Project (OCP) designed Capri2 AMD EPYC server. This open-source firmware stack makes use of AMD's in-development openSIL for open-source CPU silicon initialization...

Nov 19, 2024

A few weeks back I wrote about Intel engineers preparing SNC6 support with Linux for six nodes per L3 cache. That was the first time hearing of SNC6 with SNC 1/2/3/4 sub-NUMA clustering modes being more common. That support is now ready for merging with the Linux 6.13 kernel cycle...

Nov 19, 2024

Arch Linux package sources with its PKGBUILD files and similar have lacked carrying a clear license. Arch Linux developers have been working to come together to allow all Arch Linux package sources to be licensed under a BSD zero-clause "BSD0" license...

Nov 19, 2024

The GNU Linux-libre 6.12-gnu kernel is now available as the downstream of the newly-christened Linux 6.12 kernel that aims to remove code depending upon non-free microcode/firmware or relying on other elements of code deemed non-free software even with much of today's hardware requiring proprietary firmware for operation...

Nov 18, 2024

As of today the first handful of commits have landed in LLVM Git ahead of next year's LLVM 20.0 for beginning to enable the AMDGPU compiler back-end for "GFX950", the next iteration of the CDNA family for Instinct accelerators...

Nov 18, 2024

The Linux kernel Workqueue (WQ) is used for handling asynchronous process execution. For the past many years there has been an upper limit on the number of workqueue execution contexts per CPU at 512, but with Linux 6.13 that is being quadrupled to a limit of 2048...

Nov 18, 2024

Over the past year we have seen Canonical engineers focus more on optimizing the performance potential of Ubuntu Linux. With Ubuntu 25.04 they are now using the -O3 compiler optimization level by default and there has been other efforts like better performance tooling on Ubuntu and frame pointers by default. Another area they have been exploring is making use of Profile Guided Optimizations (PGO) for faster performance in certain scenarios...

Nov 18, 2024

All of the block subsystem changes were sent out today for the in-development Linux 6.13 kernel, including a prominent set of NVMe additions...

Nov 18, 2024

At the beginning of November I wrote about AMD Linux engineers posting Linux patches enabling a new "ERAPS" feature for Zen 5. ERAPS wasn't talked about by AMD at the Zen 5 launches of the Ryzen 9000 / Ryzen AI 300 series or with the more recent EPYC 9005 "Turin" launch but when enabled, the Enhanced Return Address Prediction Security feature can help deliver some additional gains on new AMD Zen 5 systems by allowing some existing software security mitigations to be avoided. Here are some preliminary comparison benchmarks showing the benefit in affected workloads for using ERAPS on Linux with AMD Zen 5.

Nov 18, 2024

GCC 15 feature development is now officially over with entering stage three development to focus on fixing compiler bugs...

Nov 18, 2024

With last month's Raspberry Pi OS update they now default to Wayland on all Raspberry Pi models alongside various other operating system improvements. Out today is the latest iteration of the Debian-based Raspberry Pi OS with software updates and other changes...

Nov 18, 2024

Following AMX-FP8 support, AMX-AVX512, and other new Intel CPU ISA features being added to the LLVM Clang 20 compiler codebase, the Intel Diamond Rapids target is now upstreamed for allowing "-march=diamondrapids" targeting for these next-generation Xeon processors...

Nov 21, 2024

<figure> <img alt="An image of Sundar Pichai in front of a Google logo" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/G1i0DLQCd9oYrzShS1_TX-ROBFs=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73737463/VRG_Illo_STK179_L_Normand_SundarPichai_Neutral.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Image: Laura Normand / The Verge</figcaption> </figure> <p id="Is4Lby">The Department of Justice says that Google must divest the Chrome web browser to restore competition to the online search market, and it left the door open to requiring the company to spin out Android, too.</p> <p id="OVAK9D">Filed late Wednesday in DC District Court, the initial proposed final judgement refines the DOJ’s <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/9/24265983/doj-google-search-remedies-monopoly">earlier high-level outline of remedies</a> after Judge Amit Mehta found Google <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/8/5/24155520/judge-rules-on-us-doj-v-google-antitrust-search-suit">maintained an illegal monopoly</a> in search and search text advertising. </p> <p id="MfbAhm">The filing includes a broad range of requirements the DOJ hopes the court will impose on Google — from restricting the company from entering certain kinds of agreements to more broadly breaking the company up. The DOJ’s latest proposal doubles down on its request to spin out Google’s Chrome...</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24300617/doj-google-search-antitrust-chrome-breakup">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 21, 2024

<figure> <img alt="Honda Saloon EV concept vehicle, shown from a read angle" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/p7Ue8wCHvXN8XEbkTsDGWeKzKPI=/581x0:5504x3282/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73737299/c_ASALOON.0.jpeg" /> <figcaption>Image: Honda</figcaption> </figure> <p id="H24kie">Honda set up a demonstration facility in Japan to show off its plans to mass-produce solid-state batteries at lower costs, which could be crucial to unlocking higher-range, longer-lasting electric vehicles for the future.</p> <p id="GsMelk">Solid-state batteries have been elusive for many companies due to the complexity of scaling up production. The technology swaps out the liquid electrolytes found in current lithium-ion batteries with dry conductive materials, promising higher energy density and longer lifespans. But it will require a whole new production process to be successful.</p> <p id="FPlLRm">Several companies are actively pursuing solid-state batteries, including Volkswagen-backed <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/3/24023803/vws-solid-state-battery-passes-its-first-endurance-test">QuantumScape</a>, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2022/4/8/23017045/nissan-ev-solid-state-battery-yokohama-plant-2028">Nissan</a>, and Factorial, which is testing <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/10/23/24277832/dodge-charger-ev-semi-solid-state-mercedes-stellantis-demo-2026">semi-solid-state batteries that...</a></p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301613/honda-solid-state-batteries-factory-demo-test-ev">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 21, 2024

<figure> <img alt="Hyundai Ioniq 9" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pcL1VkyZquLENEbhL-a3HZMlLzw=/0x2:8192x5463/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73737203/IONIQ_9_C_Studio_NA_01.0.jpg" /> <figcaption><em>The SEL trim of the Hyundai Ioniq 9.</em> | Image: Hyundai</figcaption> </figure> <p>The South Korean automaker unveiled its newest EV ahead of the LA Auto Show.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301740/hyundai-ioniq-9-three-row-electric-suv-laas">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 21, 2024

<figure> <img alt="An image showing Elon Musk on a red striped background" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/vqEzT1Xocb6LrLimLULKbyetgWo=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73737189/STK171_VRG_Illo_2_Normand_ElonMusk_02.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Illustration by Laura Normand / The Verge</figcaption> </figure> <p id="VBBZoM">Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy were officially appointed the co-leads of President-elect Donald Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) last week, and on Wednesday, the two men spelled out their plans for the advisory group in <a href="https://www.wsj.com/opinion/musk-and-ramaswamy-the-doge-plan-to-reform-government-supreme-court-guidance-end-executive-power-grab-fa51c020">a long article in <em>The Wall Street Journal</em></a>.</p> <p id="Xh1i79">Musk and Ramaswamy say they will “serve as outside volunteers” making recommendations that allow the Trump administration to “cut the federal government down to size.” Their primary focus is on cutting down federal agencies, which they view as wasteful and “antidemocratic.”</p> <p id="gDePOz">“Most legal edicts aren’t laws enacted by Congress but ‘rules and regulations’ promulgated by unelected bureaucrats,” write the two unelected men who have been tasked with cutting trillions...</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301975/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-doge-plan">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 20, 2024

<figure> <img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/dxm5xGumlr9EZ26P2dxcOJrMSks=/121x0:1741x1080/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73737088/NVIDIA_Blackwell_Architecture_Image.0.jpg" /> <figcaption><em>The Blackwell B200 GPU.</em> | Image: Nvidia</figcaption> </figure> <p id="pvOb1u">Nvidia has become <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/6/18/24181393/nvidia-most-valuable-company-microsoft-apple-google">the world’s most valuable company</a> on the back of AI chips, passing Microsoft and Apple along the way, and in today’s Q3 2025 earnings, the company suggested its record AI revenue and profits are only the beginning. </p> <p id="eqTbmF">While <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/nvidia-customers-worry-about-snag-with-new-ai-chip-servers"><em>The Information </em>recently reported</a> that its new <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/18/24105157/nvidia-blackwell-gpu-b200-ai">flagship Blackwell AI servers</a> might have cooling issues, the company didn’t address that on today’s call — instead, Nvidia assured investors that Blackwell is in “full production,” is “full steam” ahead, and that the company would continue to deliver more of the chips each quarter from here on out. </p> <p id="yAwqkt">Nvidia has already shipped 13,000 Blackwell samples to its customers this quarter, said CFO Colette Kress, and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang claimed Blackwell’s...</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301810/nvidia-blackwell-ai-b200-gb200-full-production-q3-2025-earnings">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 20, 2024

<figure> <img alt="Photo illustration of Tim Cook in front of gavels." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/F4qTELqlZYQQZNWp3wOMuLSsi-I=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73737079/STK468_APPLE_ANTITRUST_CVIRGINIA_H.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge | Photo by Bloomberg, Getty Images</figcaption> </figure> <p id="F0KSFw">Apple urged a federal judge to dismiss the Department of Justice’s antitrust case against it, saying the government’s complaint includes speculative arguments and the government doesn’t plausibly argue it has monopoly power.</p> <p id="cBbYsa">“The court is allowed to use common sense,” countered DOJ counsel Jonathan Lasken at a hearing in New Jersey on Wednesday. “We’re here today based on the idea that it’s not plausible that [Apple] has monopoly power, but instead is at the mercy of supposed global behemoths who are a fraction of its size.”</p> <p id="OfGGYj">The government and more than a dozen states <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/21/24105363/apple-doj-monopoly-lawsuit">sued Apple earlier this year for maintaining an illegal monopoly</a> in the smartphone market, ultimately driving up prices and locking consumers into its ecosystem. It pointed...</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301660/apple-doj-motion-dismiss-antitrust-lawsuit">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 20, 2024

<figure> <img alt="Illustration of location plackets dropped on a map." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8G2ulN5PGbVd7ab-6LgGYQJo7Ww=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73736974/STK476_LOCATION_DATA_CVIRGINIA_B.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty Images</figcaption> </figure> <p id="so6Lnn">SafeRent, an AI screening tool used by landlords, will no longer use AI-powered “scores” to evaluate whether someone using housing vouchers would make a good tenant. On Wednesday, US District Judge Angel Kelley <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25355973-saferent-final-approval-order-11-20-2024?responsive=1&amp;title=1">issued final approval</a> for a roughly $2.3 million settlement to prevent SafeRent from discriminating against tenants based on income and race.</p> <p id="5LC7CA">The <a href="https://www.cohenmilstein.com/case-study/louis-et-al-v-saferent-solutions-et-al/">settlement stems from a 2022 class action lawsuit filed</a> in Massachusetts. The suit alleged that SafeRent’s scoring system disproportionately harmed people using housing vouchers — specifically Black and Hispanic applicants. In addition to violating Massachusetts law, the complaint also accused SafeRent of breaking the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits housing discrimination.</p> <p id="VR2IBi">As outlined...</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24297692/ai-landlord-tool-saferent-low-income-tenants-discrimination-settlement">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 20, 2024

<figure> <img alt="A conceptual rendering of Blue Origin’s cargo lander" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/epYvSSXtXDGp1DF-Ze7W44FMPB8=/273x0:2139x1244/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73736882/nasa_blue_origin_lander.0.png" /> <figcaption><em>A conceptual rendering of Blue Origin’s cargo lander.</em> | Image: Blue Origin / NASA</figcaption> </figure> <p id="Bl6KXh">After <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esdmd/artemis-campaign-development-division/human-landing-system-program/work-underway-on-large-cargo-landers-for-nasas-artemis-moon-missions/">asking both SpaceX and Blue Origin to develop cargo landers</a> for its Artemis missions, NASA has <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-plans-to-assign-missions-for-two-future-artemis-cargo-landers/">announced plans</a><strong> </strong>to use those landers to deliver heavy equipment to the Moon. </p> <p id="eoNceh">The agency wants Elon Musk’s SpaceX to use its Starship cargo lander to deliver a pressurized rover to the Moon “no earlier” than 2032, while Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin will be tasked with delivering a lunar surface habitat no sooner than 2033. Both launches will support <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/19/20700565/nasa-artemis-moon-return-landing-trump-administration-jim-bridenstine">NASA’s Artemis missions</a>, which aim to bring humans back to the Moon for the first time in over 50 years.</p> <p id="0aXVsb">Both companies are developing human landing systems for Artemis missions — SpaceX for Artemis III and Blue Origin for Artemis V. NASA later asked both companies to <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/esdmd/artemis-campaign-development-division/human-landing-system-program/work-underway-on-large-cargo-landers-for-nasas-artemis-moon-missions/">develop cargo-hauling variants...</a></p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301744/nasa-spacex-blue-origin-cargo-mission-artemis">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 20, 2024

<figure> <img alt="An illustration of the Reddit logo." src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/VFo3e9IgjOnNa5Y3-EV4YBQkeYo=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73736808/STK115_Reddit_03.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Image: The Verge</figcaption> </figure> <p id="NInzD1">Reddit had some issues on Wednesday afternoon, as many users couldn’t get the platform to load reliably. In a statement to <em>The Verge</em>, Reddit spokesperson Tim Rathschmidt said, “There was a bug in a recent update we made, but a fix is in place and we’re ramping back up.”</p> <p id="N83GkS">Its <a href="https://www.redditstatus.com/">status page</a> now says the platform is “monitoring the results” of its fix, but that there still may be “degraded performance” on its website or mobile app. At the height of the outage, the site didn’t load at all and simply displayed the error message: “upstream connect error or disconnect/reset before headers. reset reason: connection failure.” </p> <div id="x3oYQF"> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true" align="center"> <p lang="en" dir="ltr">Yes. We're working on it. <a href="https://t.co/8MZVlusmD7">https://t.co/8MZVlusmD7</a></p>— Reddit, Inc. (@Reddit) <a href="https://twitter.com/Reddit/status/1859338440942420389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2024</a> </blockquote> </div> <p id="IvpGFF">On Reddit’s mobile app,...</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301839/reddit-issues-outage-down-degraded-performance">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 20, 2024

<figure> <img alt="Illustration of Microsoft’s Windows logo" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4wmOhAIhft29ZfB9bbkxoPRvY5c=/0x0:2040x1360/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73736771/acastro_STK109_microsoft_02.0.jpg" /> <figcaption>Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge</figcaption> </figure> <p id="847U2p">Microsoft has been trying to convince Windows 10 users to upgrade to Windows 11 for months now, ahead of the end of support date for Windows 10 in October, 2025. Earlier this year, Microsoft <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/4/11/24127497/microsoft-windows-10-upgrade-prompt-windows-11">started using fullscreen prompts</a> to warn Windows 10 users about the support cutoff, and now it’s using similar prompts to try and tempt people to buy a new Windows 11 PC instead.</p> <p id="11vD2J">Over the weekend <a href="https://x.com/femceIs/status/1858314837845229737">some</a> Windows 10 <a href="https://x.com/JustinWhang/status/1859033492367307108">users</a> have <a href="https://www.threads.net/@tc.s3/post/DCjxDuXO8AcH8ilR7kunhEgsD5EfYOIUlYZJbk0">noticed</a> these new fullscreen prompts, and Microsoft is using them to suggest you can “do more with a new Windows 11 PC” or “level up to the new Copilot Plus PCs” to get “the ultimate Windows 11 experience.” Like the prompts earlier this year, the read more link goes to a promotional site that includes links to new Windows 11 PCs.</p> <figure class="e-image"> ...</figure> <p> <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/11/20/24301768/microsoft-windows-10-upgrade-prompt-copilot-plus-pcs">Continue reading&hellip;</a> </p>

Nov 21, 2024

Despite shared concerns about Google’s power, critics of the company and former executives express little agreement on what, if anything, can really be done to increase competition.

Nov 21, 2024

Chip production delays and a rumored overheating issue haven’t slowed down Nvidia, which reported another quarter of blockbuster earnings and said Blackwells are now in the hands of Microsoft and OpenAI.

Nov 20, 2024

Brendan Carr wrote the Project 2025 chapter on the Federal Communications Commission. Now Donald Trump has tapped him to run the agency.

Nov 20, 2024

The Echo Show 21 is the largest yet, plus the Echo Show 15 gets a second generation.

Nov 20, 2024

On December 3, WIRED will be sitting down with some of the biggest names in technology, business, science, and beyond for a full day packed with in-depth conversations.

Nov 20, 2024

Brad Porter helped Amazon deploy an army of warehouse robots. His new creation—Proxie—could help other companies embrace more automation.

Nov 20, 2024

Streaming music giving you the blues? These record players will help you rock on to analog audio at home.

Nov 20, 2024

This second-generation motorized webcam makes steady improvements across the board.

Nov 20, 2024

These convenient and slim magnetic wallets stick to the back of your smartphone.

Nov 20, 2024

If you tend to wake up sweating no matter the season, hop under these cooling sheets so that you can, you know, actually sleep.

Nov 20, 2024

Linen might not be your first choice for bedsheets, but it’s got enough benefits that it’s worth a try. Here’s the linen we love sleeping on.

Nov 20, 2024

GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are injectable medications—but a strange new market has emerged selling oral “compounded” versions online, despite a lack of evidence that they work.

Nov 20, 2024

AI-generated influencers based on stolen images of real-life adult content creators are flooding social media.

Nov 20, 2024

Tailing a robotaxi for hours and hours is weird. And revelatory. And jealousy-inducing. But a driverless world is coming for all of us. So close the door and buckle up.

Nov 20, 2024

Make meal prep easier while enjoying great savings with our hand-picked Factor discount codes.

Nov 20, 2024

Save up to 50% today on Nomad Goods phone cases and browse the latest deals for November.

Nov 20, 2024

Get a 10% discount on trending makeup, skincare, perfumes, and other beauty products when you sign up for text updates at Sephora.

Nov 20, 2024

Enjoy 10% off with this Dell Coupon and enjoy the latest Dell Promo Codes and deals for this November.

Nov 20, 2024

Save an extra 25% at checkout with Design Within Reach discount code, plus up to 60% off furniture.

Nov 20, 2024

Enjoy 10% off with this Newegg Discount Code, and save with the latest Newegg coupons and deals for this November.

Nov 20, 2024

<p>If you can’t get your kids to sit through one of the five NBA games airing on Christmas Day, tune into Disney+, ESPN+ or ESPN2 for a special Disney-fied version. <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2024/11/slam-dunk-disney-espn-and-the-nba-team-up-to-present-dunk-the-halls-the-first-real-time-animated-nba-game-san-antonio-spurs-vs-new-york-knicks-on-christmas-day/"><ins>ESPN</ins></a> announced that it will air a “Dunk the Halls” broadcast of the San Antonio Spurs versus the New York Knicks featuring animated Disney characters.</p> <p>The broadcast starts at 12PM eastern. If you just want to watch the game played by regular, boring humans, that will also air on Disney+ and ESPN+ as well as ABC and ESPN.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>“Dunk the Halls” will use Sony’s Beyond Sports technology to turn Madison Square Garden into Main Street USA from the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The game will also feature appearances from classic Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald and Daisy Duck as well as Santa and his elves from the animated Disney short <em>Prep &amp; Landing</em>.</p> <div id="d85cc18fb6ba4a5c9055b806aa6096b4"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZFtaqoLJ2D0?si=Yfrbxn2PH2-8FhV2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div> <p>This is the first time the NBA has arranged to air a game with animated characters and graphic overlays. It’s also the latest game in a new trend of mixing live sports events with a network’s signature cartoon characters. ESPN+, Disney+ and the NFL+ app will air an alternative version of the Bengals-Cowboys game on December 9 featuring virtual characters and scenes from <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-simpsons-will-join-monday-night-football-on-espn-and-disney-202238589.html"><em><ins>The Simpsons</ins></em></a>. ESPN3’s <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/2019-03-01-second-spectrum-full-court-press-espn3-broadcast.html"><ins>Full Court Press</ins></a> broadcasts use technology designed by Second Spectrum to create augmented graphics that track players movements and provide real time updates.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-nba-will-air-a-christmas-day-game-with-disney-characters-224921665.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Smaller battery packs are great for <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-power-bank-143048526.html">refiling phones</a> and tablets, but if you need to keep a laptop juiced up while you’re far from an outlet, you’ll need something larger. For this guide, we tested portable chargers with at least a 20,000mAh (74Wh) capacity, but kept the upper limit below 27,000mAh (99Wh), since that’s about the maximum size <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all?combine=batteries&amp;page=1#:~:text=Lithium%20metal%20(non%2Drechargeable),person%20in%20their%20electronic%20devices.">allowed by the TSA</a> in carry-on luggage. Some laptop power banks sport extra features like wireless charging or an AC plug so you can power small devices such as a travel printer or an LED lamp. But what all of them have in common is a larger size and higher price tag than standard battery packs. So if you don’t want to play a guessing game, these are the best laptop power banks we tested.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-table-of-contents">Table of contents</h2> <ul> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-laptop-power-banks-for-2024">Best laptop power banks for 2024</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-what-to-look-for-in-a-laptop-power-bank">What to look for in a laptop power bank</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-how-we-test-portable-laptop-chargers">How we test portable laptop chargers</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-laptop-power-bank-faqs">Laptop power bank FAQs</a></p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-best-laptop-power-banks-for-2024">Best laptop power banks for 2024</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="bff4cdee9c92428c9b0f0b2950ca3889" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://lionenergy.com/products/eclipse-mag?"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="93040e801db04ff58041327bddd17697" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Baseus-Charging-Portable-Charger-20000mAh/dp/B0BZP6R4MH"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="96ab6e6143bc4b8aa07058b53ca09010" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Goal-Zero-Wireless-Portable-Generation/dp/B0BFBTR94M/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="fc64e4f9139446a1be89707185481af1" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/mophie-powerstation-pro-compatbile-integrated/dp/B0BWSDWZ96"></core-commerce></p> <h2 id="jump-link-what-to-look-for-in-a-laptop-power-bank">What to look for in a laptop power bank</h2> <h3 id="jump-link-capacity"><strong>Capacity</strong></h3> <p>If you just need to keep a smartphone from dying before you can make it home, just about any power bank will do. But if you need to revive multiple devices or the substantial battery of a laptop, you’ll want something with a high milliamp-hour​​ (mAh) capacity. A power bank capable of delivering enough power to a laptop will have a capacity between 20,000 and 27,000 mAh.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p>Go higher than 27,000mAh and you won’t be able to take it on an airplane, which is why most portable chargers top out around that number. Since the voltage for most portable power banks is around 3.7 volts, a 27,000mAh battery translates to 99.9 watt hours — which is the maximum capacity the <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/all?combine=batteries&amp;page=1#:~:text=The%20battery%20voltage%20must%20not,regulations%20for%20full%20packaging%20requirements.">TSA will allow</a> for carry-on luggage. (And note that these batteries can’t be checked, regardless of size).</p> <p>If you want something even bigger than a laptop power bank, and don’t need to fly with it, you’ll likely want to look into portable power stations. These can be the size of a car battery or larger and can potentially fuel an entire weekend away.</p> <p>Another thing to keep in mind is that the capacity listed in a power bank's specs is not what will be delivered to your devices. As I mentioned, the capacity of these banks is around 25,000mAh. Even the huge battery on a MacBook Pro has a mAh rating of around 5,000 - 6,000mAh, so you might think you’d get five full charges but in reality, you only get about a single 70-percent charge. The voltage is different (typically 3.7V for the power bank and 11.4V for a laptop) which makes the watt-hours, or the amount of energy each battery can hold, different (working out to 92Wh for the battery and 72Wh for the laptop). On top of that, in order to feed a charge from a power bank to a laptop, a voltage conversion takes place and that dissipates a decent amount of energy.</p> <p>Without turning this into a physics lesson, this all means that a power bank with a 25,000mAh (or 92Wh) capacity will typically fill a 5,000mAh (or 72Wh) laptop battery to about 75 percent. In my tests, I averaged about a 60-percent efficiency rate between a power bank’s listed capacity and the actual charge delivered.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-ports"><strong>Ports</strong></h3> <p>Every large power bank I’ve tested has at least three USB ports, with a mix of USB-C and USB-A, which should cover nearly any portable device you need to recharge — earbuds, phones, tablets, laptops, you name it. In addition to the different plug formats, some ports supply power at different wattages. For example, one USB-C port might be rated for 60 watts, while the one next to it is rated for 100 watts. So if you’ve got a device that’s capable of 70W fast charging, such as the new MacBook Air, you’d want to opt for the 100W port to get the best charging speeds possible. Note that devices with a smaller wattage draw won’t be negatively affected by connecting to ports with high ratings. For example, a Galaxy S24 Ultra, capable of 45W super fast charging, can happily plug into the 100W port. A device will only draw what it can take, regardless of what a port can supply. Just remember that the port, device <em>and</em> cable need to be at or above the desired wattage rating to achieve maximum charging rates.</p> <p>Some of these larger batteries also have AC ports. It might seem like a natural fit to plug in your laptop’s power adapter for a recharge. But really, the AC port should only be for devices that can’t use USB — such as a lamp or a printer. Plugging a power adapter into the AC port only wastes energy through conversion. First, the battery converts its DC power to supply the port with AC power, then the power adapter converts that AC power back to DC so your laptop can take it in. And as you’ll remember from physics class, each time energy is converted, some is lost to heat and other dissipations. Better to cut out the middleman and just send that DC power straight from the battery to the device.</p> <p>Also, you can use more than one port at a time with these devices; just remember that the speed of whatever you’re charging will likely go down, and of course, the battery is going to drain proportionally to what you’re refilling.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-wireless-charging"><strong>Wireless charging</strong></h3> <p>Just in the last year and a half that I’ve been testing portable power banks, wireless charging capabilities have noticeably improved. The first few I tried were painfully slow and not worth recommending. Now the wireless pads built into power banks are impressively fast — particularly, in my experience, when charging Samsung Galaxy phones (though the lack of a stabilizing magnetic connection like Apple’s MagSafe means they only work when rested flat on a pad). Most wireless charging connections can be used while other ports are also being employed, making them convenient for some mobile battlestation setups.</p> <p>Of course, wireless charging is always less efficient than wired, and recharging from an external battery is less efficient in general. If you want to waste as little energy as possible, you’re better off sticking to wired connections.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-design"><strong>Design</strong></h3> <p>All power banks are designed to be portable, but there’s a big difference between a pocket-friendly 5,000mAh battery and one of these laptop-compatible bruisers. Most of the latter weigh between a pound and a half to two pounds, which is a considerable addition to a backpack. Many of the options listed here have a display to tell you how much charge remains in the battery, which is helpful when you’re trying to judiciously meet out charges to your devices. If a bank has a wireless connection, the pad is usually on the flat top and any available AC connection is usually at one end. Both may require you to engage those charging methods. Don’t be like me and grumble loudly that you got a bum unit without pressing (and sometimes double pressing) all the buttons first.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-how-we-test-portable-laptop-chargers">How we test portable laptop chargers</h2> <p>For the past year and a half, I’ve been testing and using dozens of portable batteries for our other battery guide. Some of those batteries include the higher-capacity power banks you see here. I also got a hold of a few extra banks just for this guide to make sure we covered what’s available. I went for brands I’m already familiar with, as well as battery packs from well-received manufacturers I hadn’t tried before (like UGREEN and Lion Energy). I only considered banks with at least a 20,000mAh capacity and mostly stuck with those that rated 25,000mAh and higher.</p> <p>Here’s everything we tested:</p> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:;elmt:;cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Bvd2VyYmFuay56ZW5kdXJlLmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0cy9zdXBlcnRhbmstcHJvIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjODAzZDJjNC1iY2ZlLTRmNGEtOGI3ZC0xZjM5MGM0ZTNjM2QiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vcG93ZXJiYW5rLnplbmR1cmUuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL3N1cGVydGFuay1wcm8ifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAdu_SNmknXBTpERGXGdbhNfqYKplqh9gDsaU8Ny2g9xf&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fpowerbank.zendure.com%2Fproducts%2Fsupertank-pro" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://powerbank.zendure.com/products/supertank-pro">Zendure Supertank Pro</a></p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Zagg;elmt:;cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=6391fb09-49b1-4860-b92a-12edb53cb14e&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Zagg&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy56YWdnLmNvbS9wb3dlcnN0YXRpb24tcHJvLXhsLWFwcGxlIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjODAzZDJjNC1iY2ZlLTRmNGEtOGI3ZC0xZjM5MGM0ZTNjM2QiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnphZ2cuY29tL3Bvd2Vyc3RhdGlvbi1wcm8teGwtYXBwbGUifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXrOF05QR4kQOWABHiI-Ck8W6rvP7ws8IAPU4ztGDKDW&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zagg.com%2Fpowerstation-pro-xl-apple" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.zagg.com/powerstation-pro-xl-apple">Mophie Powerstation Pro XL</a></p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Zagg;elmt:;cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=6391fb09-49b1-4860-b92a-12edb53cb14e&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Zagg&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy56YWdnLmNvbS9wb3dlcnN0YXRpb24tcHJvLWFjIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjODAzZDJjNC1iY2ZlLTRmNGEtOGI3ZC0xZjM5MGM0ZTNjM2QiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnphZ2cuY29tL3Bvd2Vyc3RhdGlvbi1wcm8tYWMifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAeLNeHvIclIiNomXZf_bjChhbzEYsDFtpeKA9phWmDsQ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.zagg.com%2Fpowerstation-pro-ac" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.zagg.com/powerstation-pro-ac">Mophie Powerstation Pro AC</a></p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Lion Energy;elmt:;cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=505e6441-84a9-431b-93cc-93ce98b82234&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Lion+Energy&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2xpb25lbmVyZ3kuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL2VjbGlwc2UtbWFnIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjODAzZDJjNC1iY2ZlLTRmNGEtOGI3ZC0xZjM5MGM0ZTNjM2QiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbGlvbmVuZXJneS5jb20vcHJvZHVjdHMvZWNsaXBzZS1tYWcifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAdH4oiuEIZqvFaKBv3A28byGUU5RQsCR4Tqyyu4HfZJR&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Flionenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Feclipse-mag" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://lionenergy.com/products/eclipse-mag">Lion Energy Eclipse Mag </a></p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Lion Energy;elmt:;cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=505e6441-84a9-431b-93cc-93ce98b82234&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Lion+Energy&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2xpb25lbmVyZ3kuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL2xpb24tdHJlayIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzgwM2QyYzQtYmNmZS00ZjRhLThiN2QtMWYzOTBjNGUzYzNkIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2xpb25lbmVyZ3kuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL2xpb24tdHJlayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAZEbdwumRB3Z-1UuMz9X1bdRxwKAyXXRjyt-m_H4lEeW&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Flionenergy.com%2Fproducts%2Flion-trek" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://lionenergy.com/products/lion-trek">Lion Energy Trek</a></p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Baseus;elmt:;cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=562e5a62-023a-4a3e-ad15-a14b419ed86e&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Baseus&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iYXNldXMuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL2JsYWRlLWxhcHRvcC1wb3dlci1iYW5rLTEwMHctMjAwMDBtYWgiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImM4MDNkMmM0LWJjZmUtNGY0YS04YjdkLTFmMzkwYzRlM2MzZCIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmFzZXVzLmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0cy9ibGFkZS1sYXB0b3AtcG93ZXItYmFuay0xMDB3LTIwMDAwbWFoIn0&amp;signature=AQAAATY0fyBHaDNG2QSlU_Z5PYwqRlxtW_GUakMoO0a0dOJe&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.baseus.com%2Fproducts%2Fblade-laptop-power-bank-100w-20000mah" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.baseus.com/products/blade-laptop-power-bank-100w-20000mah">Baseus Blade Laptop</a></p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Anker;elmt:;cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=aac3354f-048f-410b-ae8a-eb1da43ee6cf&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Anker&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbmtlci5jb20vcHJvZHVjdHMvYTEzNDAtMjUwdy1wb3dlci1iYW5rIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjODAzZDJjNC1iY2ZlLTRmNGEtOGI3ZC0xZjM5MGM0ZTNjM2QiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFua2VyLmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0cy9hMTM0MC0yNTB3LXBvd2VyLWJhbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZxGG9M7oLZKL5uAEzIJrlzhsvVUjAsH2guCEudx85j6&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.anker.com%2Fproducts%2Fa1340-250w-power-bank" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.anker.com/products/a1340-250w-power-bank">Anker Prime 27,650mAh</a></p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Goal Zero;elmt:;cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=30d072b7-7973-41b4-a737-1ec377f5fbf6&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Goal+Zero&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvYWx6ZXJvLmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0cy9uZXctc2hlcnBhLTEwMGFjLXdpcmVsZXNzLXBvd2VyLWJhbmsiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImM4MDNkMmM0LWJjZmUtNGY0YS04YjdkLTFmMzkwYzRlM2MzZCIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9nb2FsemVyby5jb20vcHJvZHVjdHMvbmV3LXNoZXJwYS0xMDBhYy13aXJlbGVzcy1wb3dlci1iYW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAea8E8mdfyGKb5pSCZ2lJlrdaEHpf-XBPJsEqmdf1tBK&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fgoalzero.com%2Fproducts%2Fnew-sherpa-100ac-wireless-power-bank" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://goalzero.com/products/new-sherpa-100ac-wireless-power-bank">Goal Zero Sherpa 100 AC</a></p></li> </ul> <p>Due to shipping and travel issues, I wasn’t able to test two of the batteries I had slated: the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Hyper;elmt:;cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=2c93a509-c37a-4798-b978-795281692d23&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Hyper&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5oeXBlcnNob3AuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL2h5cGVyanVpY2UtMjQ1dy11c2ItYy1iYXR0ZXJ5LXBhY2siLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImM4MDNkMmM0LWJjZmUtNGY0YS04YjdkLTFmMzkwYzRlM2MzZCIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaHlwZXJzaG9wLmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0cy9oeXBlcmp1aWNlLTI0NXctdXNiLWMtYmF0dGVyeS1wYWNrIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAaz3PR-XqcBdnqO82nXy1rrlde5SZd2vCx9OZRQD-8m2&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hypershop.com%2Fproducts%2Fhyperjuice-245w-usb-c-battery-pack" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.hypershop.com/products/hyperjuice-245w-usb-c-battery-pack">HyperJuice 245W</a> and the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1VHUkVFTi0yNTAwMG1BaC1Qb3J0YWJsZS1DaGFyZ2luZy1Db21wYXRpYmxlL2RwL0IwQkpRN0YxNlQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzgwM2QyYzQtYmNmZS00ZjRhLThiN2QtMWYzOTBjNGUzYzNkIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1VHUkVFTi0yNTAwMG1BaC1Qb3J0YWJsZS1DaGFyZ2luZy1Db21wYXRpYmxlL2RwL0IwQkpRN0YxNlQiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAATL10mr4tbsAz-s3GYpi3UljeDz1nxabQQM6V-3WCET1&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FUGREEN-25000mAh-Portable-Charging-Compatible%2Fdp%2FB0BJQ7F16T" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-25000mAh-Portable-Charging-Compatible/dp/B0BJQ7F16T?ref_=ast_sto_dp">UGREEN Power Bank 25,000mAh</a>. Once I’ve had a chance to see how these two perform — as well as any new worthy contenders that hit the market — I’ll update this guide accordingly.</p> <p>I tested each power bank with an iPhone 15, a Galaxy S23 Ultra, an iPad Air (M1) and a 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip. Even though these banks can charge multiple devices at once, I refilled one at a time, to make side-by-side comparisons more straightforward. I drained the batteries of the phones and tablets to between zero and five percent and then didn’t use any device as it refilled.</p> <p>For the MacBook, I let it run down to 10 percent before plugging in the power bank. That's when most laptops give display a “connect to power” warning, as draining any battery to empty will compromise the battery life. I then used it as one might in a mobile office, with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, while connected to Wi-Fi and a VPN.</p> <p>For each test, I noted how long a completely charged battery took to get a device back to full and how much of the battery’s capacity was used up in one charge. I also noted things like portability, apparent durability, helpful features and overall design.</p> <p>For reference, here are the battery capacities of the devices I used:</p> <ul> <li><p>iPhone 15: 3,349mAh</p></li> <li><p>Galaxy S23 Ultra: 4,855mAh</p></li> <li><p>iPad Air (5th gen): 7,729mAh</p></li> <li><p>16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro: 27,027mAh</p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-laptop-power-bank-faqs">Laptop power bank FAQs</h2> <h3 id="jump-link-how-do-laptop-power-banks-differ-from-phone-power-banks"><strong>How do laptop power banks differ from phone power banks?</strong></h3> <p>The main difference is size. Phone power banks tend to have a capacity ranging from 5,000mAh to 20,000mAh and laptop powerbanks are typically rated between 20,000mAh and 27,000mAh. There’s no official definition, however. Laptop batteries are simply larger and need a bigger supply of power to give them a meaningful charge.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-how-do-you-fast-charge-a-power-bank"><strong>How do you fast charge a power bank?</strong></h3> <p>You can charge a power bank exactly as fast as the power bank’s internal mechanisms will allow. Most batteries are limited in how quickly they can accept and deliver a charge to avoid dangerously overheating. But to make sure you’re charging a bank as quickly as possible, make sure the wall adapter and the USB-C cable you are using have a high wattage rating — using a 5W power brick and a 10W cable will take a lot longer to refill your bank than a 65W wall charger and a 100W cord.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-what-size-power-bank-do-i-need-for-a-laptop"><strong>What size power bank do I need for a laptop?</strong></h3> <p>Look for a power bank with a rating of at least 20,000mAh. Slightly smaller batteries may work, but they won’t deliver a significant charge to your laptop.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-how-many-mah-to-charge-a-laptop"><strong>How many mAh to charge a laptop?</strong></h3> <p>A milliamp hour (mAh) is how much a battery can hold, and most portable batteries list their capacity using mAh. If you get a battery rated at 20,000mAh or above, it should be able to charge your laptop.</p> <p>Using mAh to discuss laptop batteries can be confusing. Due to differing voltages, you can’t directly compare the mAh ratings of a power bank battery to a laptop battery. Using watt-hours is a better gauge, as <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Goal Zero;elmt:;cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=30d072b7-7973-41b4-a737-1ec377f5fbf6&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c803d2c4-bcfe-4f4a-8b7d-1f390c4e3c3d&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Goal+Zero&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvYWx6ZXJvLmNvbS9wYWdlcy93YXR0YWdlLWNhbGN1bGF0b3IiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImM4MDNkMmM0LWJjZmUtNGY0YS04YjdkLTFmMzkwYzRlM2MzZCIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9nb2FsemVyby5jb20vcGFnZXMvd2F0dGFnZS1jYWxjdWxhdG9yIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAZAoNSNAK2PEx3aooXTpsHfiMd2Y4p7JIDJ0pgc2xQFm&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fgoalzero.com%2Fpages%2Fwattage-calculator" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://goalzero.com/pages/wattage-calculator">that calculation</a> takes voltage into account.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-laptop-power-bank-120040388.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>The holidays are approaching, and you may be scrambling to figure out what you should get dad for the occasion. If you’re shopping for a father who’s into consumer tech, though, we can help. Below, we’ve consulted our many hours of gadget testing and put together a list of standout gift ideas, from VR headsets to pizza ovens to meat thermometers.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-dads-in-2024">Best gifts for dads in 2024</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="f106b755b01045cd8648401ef1aa74de" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Meta-Quest-3S-128GB-All-One/dp/B0DDK1WM9K"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="ef1ba78d9ef148019f0d6417d0f3ac90" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/New-MEATER-Plus-Thermometer-Lab-Certified/dp/B0CP8BPXKR/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="68c40b0923744da0b1c832b1206082f4" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Foldable-Connector-Portable-Charger/dp/B0C6XK6DDL"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="a21aeb17c88547579d82bb7169834f6f" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/DJI-Stabilization-Rotatable-Touchscreen-Photography/dp/B0CG19QXWD/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="bb583ecd18eb4330aff4cb72251531c4" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/iFixit-Pro-Tech-Toolkit-Electronics/dp/B01GF0KV6G"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="35d372e12ee4462c8eabe738524b47d0" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07K36NX46/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="c4192369d0b24e01b77ca3887fe007ff" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Mini-2-Camera-Black/dp/B0CRZB1TW5/?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="9b898fbb8d7f462db84b6f1011b42413" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Dremel-8220-1-28-12-Volt-Cordless/dp/B008DRY5AI?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="45294e4fd4df442899ffbe8168273bab" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.steamdeck.com/en/oled"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="8b0111987fc24359887ee6ca38a1aa07" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Keychron-Keyboard-Programmable-Backlight-Mechanical/dp/B0CBWJ9SKX"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="8d5c9d89e8c240e994a40726b3d25462" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Twelve-South-Transmitter-Headphones-Airplanes/dp/B07Z13G1P5?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="aa3c10b840c749a7a8a12d4359bf07cb" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Google-Nest-WiFi-Pro-Reliable/dp/B0BCQSYPZB/?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="4679ae7ebd27417cae0773e46a445cb8" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.withings.com/us/en/scanwatch-nova?"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="983fc706cdef4ff2a6d5171906168773" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Technica-AT-LP120XBT-USB-BK-Wireless-Direct-Drive-Turntable/dp/B089T77WK2?"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="29d639fa45cb474699247109562e0769" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.solostove.com/en-us/p/pi-prime"></core-commerce></p> <p><em>Check out the rest of our </em><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gifts/"><em>gift ideas</em></a><em> here.</em></p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-dads-170014057.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>If you’re one of the people out there making calls with Meta’s Messenger app, its latest update adds a bunch of new features for making video and audio calls, according to <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://about.fb.com/news/2024/11/introducing-ai-backgrounds-noise-suppression-and-more-messenger-calling/"><ins>the official Meta blog</ins></a>.</p> <p>When you make a video call, you can add an AI-generated background to your screen by tapping on the effects icon in the sidebar and selecting “Backgrounds.” So instead of showing your friends and family your grungy apartment or your car that you haven’t cleaned out since you bought it, you can replace the background with a field of sunflowers or an alien landscape as one of its suns is setting. That’s something we’ve seen from basically every other video calling platform, so it’s not a big surprise to see Meta add it here.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>Meta also added some new features for video calls including high definition video, background noise suppression and voice isolation “to help you make clearer, higher-quality calls directly from Messenger,” according to the blog.</p> <p>The HD video feature will be the default mode for Messenger calls made over W-iFi connections. HD calls can also be made on cellular data in settings by turning on “Mobile data for HD video.” Background noise suppression and voice isolation can also be turned on and off in Messenger’s call settings section.</p> <p>You can also leave voice and video messages for your contacts beyond just a line of text and maybe a cheeky emoji or two. Simply tap the “record message” button on the lower right side of the screen to leave a video or audio message if the person you are contacting doesn’t pick up the call.</p> <p>Finally, if you don’t have a free hand but need to make a call, iPhone users can ask Siri to make calls and messages for them on Meta’s Messenger app. Simply activate Siri and say “Hey Siri, send a message to [contact name] on Messenger” and dictate the message you want to send them.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/metas-latest-features-for-messenger-calling-include-ai-backgrounds-200047824.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>The battle over who will get all of X’s users now that it’s an utter cesspool continues. Threads <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.threads.net/@threads/post/DCmWZGGO229?xmt=AQGzpwRLdz_RW4IemEKLKx66KW-2bfzMri5WyhjruyVOgg">just began rolling out its own custom feeds feature</a> to compete with rival Bluesky. Custom feeds <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/bluesky-now-lets-you-choose-your-own-algorithm-183824105.html">have long been a hallmark of Bluesky</a> and now Threads users can get in on the action. Meta announced <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-testing-custom-feeds-for-threads-183948414.html">it was testing custom feeds just last week</a>, so those tests must have been successful. It’s either that or they want to stall <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-hits-20-million-users-143920955.html">Bluesky’s continuing momentum</a>.</p> <p>Simply put, the feature allows users to pin topic-based feeds to the home screen of the app. This gives people the option to scroll through additional feeds beyond the algorithmic “for you” feed. This is a very good thing, as Thread’s current “for you” algorithm can be easily manipulated by just posting stuff like “who likes cats?” I have seen quite literally 400 posts like that in my feed, all looking for engagement. I like cats but, come on.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>In any event, users can create a custom feed by searching for keywords and taping the “...” menu to get started. A feed will be created based on the keyword, though the toolset allows for more granular adjustments. For instance, users can add specific profiles to customize each feed. Threads aficionados can create up to 128 custom feeds.</p> <p>Threads has one significant advantage over Bluesky when it comes to custom feeds. Making one on Bluesky <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://docs.bsky.app/docs/starter-templates/custom-feeds">is something of a process</a>. It took me around two seconds to make a Star Trek feed on Threads.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/f08812c0-a770-11ef-bb9f-6435b7e30325" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/f08812c0-a770-11ef-bb9f-6435b7e30325" style="height:640px;width:399px;" alt="Threads feed." data-uuid="872ccfc6-bfa5-3ed2-92a8-28c272458f9e"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Lawrence Bonk / Threads</div></figure> <p>Despite Bluesky’s continued growth, it’s still a minor player when compared to Threads. Bluesky just announced 20 million users, which is great, but Threads has more than 275 million users. Threads has also been growing by around a million users a day, according to a <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.threads.net/@mosseri/post/DCWz7LSvA36">recent post from Instagram chief Adam Mosseri</a>.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/threads-rolls-out-its-custom-feeds-tool-after-a-quick-testing-phase-195012720.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Sony offered a sneak peek at its PlayStation <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/">Black Friday</a> deals, which start on Friday. In addition to some (currently nebulous) deals on hardware and games, <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:2;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://blog.playstation.com/2024/11/20/playstations-black-friday-deals-2024/?sf275510273=1" data-original-link="https://blog.playstation.com/2024/11/20/playstations-black-friday-deals-2024/?sf275510273=1">the sale</a> will include up to 30 percent off <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/novembers-ps-plus-monthly-games-include-ghostwire-tokyo-and-hot-wheels-unleashed-2-174051803.html">PlayStation Plus</a> memberships. The deals will run from November 22 through December 2.</p> <p>PlayStation Plus subscriptions will be “up to” 30 percent off for a 12-month membership. If you’re already a PS Plus Essential Member, you can save 25 percent on the remainder of your plan when upgrading to PlayStation Plus Extra. Or, you can shave off 30 percent if you’re upping your membership from PS Plus Extra to PS Plus Premium / Deluxe.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/68465760-a774-11ef-b7df-1da0161cff33" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/68465760-a774-11ef-b7df-1da0161cff33" style="height:1080px;width:1920px;" alt="Promo image for Sony’s PlayStation Black Friday deals. A PS VR2 box with " data-uuid="ad8fbeda-5307-3516-8abc-f2c432dcdc73"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Sony</div></figure> <p>Less specific (as of now) are the PlayStation Black Friday deals on hardware and games. Direct from PlayStation and through Sony’s retail partners, there will be sales on PS5 gear, including the Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle. <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/playstation-vr2-review-great-headset-should-be-cheaper-130032254.html">PS VR2 headsets</a>, DualSense wireless controllers, Pulse headphones or earbuds and PS5 console covers will also be discounted. What we don’t know yet is how much savings Sony will offer on any of it.</p> <p>Sony didn’t mention the PlayStation Portal, which is about to get a lot more interesting. This week, the company said the handheld will soon <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html">run a beta test for cloud streaming</a>. The portable device’s inability to do anything but stream your local PS5 games at launch was <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/playstation-portal-review-a-baffling-handheld-for-no-one-but-sony-diehards-201558485.html">a bit baffling</a>, to say the least.</p> <p>“Select” games for PS5, PS4 and PC will also see price cuts. Sony mentions digital titles like <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/i-really-want-to-like-star-wars-outlaws-160032476.html"><em>Star Wars Outlaws</em></a>, <em>Madden ‘25</em> and <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/hogwarts-legacy-review-170041713.html"><em>Hogwarts Legacy</em></a>, so we at least know a few on-sale games to look out for. But similar to the hardware deals, we don’t know how juicy the deals will be (or which other titles will be available). You can check back on Friday morning to learn more.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/the-playstation-black-friday-deals-will-cut-25-to-30-percent-off-ps-plus-subscriptions-193815734.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>You don't have to look too hard to find<a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"> Black Friday deals</a> on Apple devices. For one thing, the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=957adb68-1741-466b-8199-e4dc222af616&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAZsjYgS9fvLD5uhiiZhhp4zPRDmRDChPElq1kDTdq5bS&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always%2Fdp%2FB0DGJ5KQL7" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always/dp/B0DGJ5KQL7">Apple Watch Series 10</a> has dropped to a new all-time-low price on Amazon. The wearable can be yours for $330. That's $70 off, or a discount of 17 percent. That price is for the smaller 42mm model without LTE functionality. However, the 46mm variant is also <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=957adb68-1741-466b-8199-e4dc222af616&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAV3UPRYOWbKyvFK7alz9JEFdGETduzrrLg6W7x1Eeb5E&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always%2Fdp%2FB0DGHNXP5Y" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always/dp/B0DGHNXP5Y">$70 off at $359</a>.</p> <p>The Apple Watch Series 10 is our pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-smartwatches-153013118.html">best smartwatch</a> overall, but it's probably best to look at other options if you're an Android user. After all, you'll need a compatible iPhone to set up the wearable and get the most out of it.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p> <core-commerce id="cd8d7f97b53b4f5ba2364acee94072e5" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always/dp/B0DGJ5KQL7/?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>We gave the Apple Watch Series 10 a <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apple-watch-series-10-review-legacy-and-sequel-in-equal-measure-120021405.html">score of 90 in our review</a>. Apple redesigned the smartwatch to offer a larger screen and thinner frame, both of which were plus points in our book. The wide-angle OLED panel offers better viewing angles. The wearable has in-depth fitness and health tracking too, with new functions including sleep apnea detection.</p> <p>We found that there was a slight increase in battery life thanks to efficiency improvements, but some alternative smartwatches <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-apple-watch-series-10-deserves-more-than-18-hour-battery-life-170410297.html">run for much longer on a single charge</a>. Overall, this is a somewhat iterative update compared with the Series 9 and 8, but if you're upgrading from an older Apple Watch (or buying one for the first time), you may find the features, performance and charging speed to be impressive.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-apple-black-friday-deal-gets-you-70-off-the-apple-watch-series-10-on-amazon-180028764.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Apple’s website hardly ever hosts sales of its own and they're not making an exception for 2024. So we have to rely on other retailers, like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and Target to discount Apple devices for Black Friday. This year, the deals are already looking pretty good — if you’ve been waiting for a better price before grabbing that iPad or MacBook, the wait was likely worth it.&nbsp;</p> <p>We found new all-time low prices on the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAdsyq7yS-f6m7YQxpnimiEPmf_3WxPL-E5EwRI2_Z-JK&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always%2Fdp%2FB0DGJ5KQL7" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always/dp/B0DGJ5KQL7?th=1">Apple Watch Series 10</a>, the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAV7HpvjiLSQptgcoqMVPyJ9k8mi2LxZXvglnVgJ4k57S&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi%2Fdp%2FB0BJLXMVMVhttps%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi%2Fdp%2FB0BJLXMVMV" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi/dp/B0BJLXMVMVhttps://www.amazon.com/Apple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi/dp/B0BJLXMVMV">10th generation iPad</a> and the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIWTE5TjM_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIWTE5TjMiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAATTBHyOOo7_ZLZoO_CZpJWOooQnBrI26u-WA5mA4yvJv&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHY19N3" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHY19N3?th=1">M3 MacBook Air</a>, as well as deals on previous generation devices that’ll still serve you well. And if you’d like a little more info before plunking down your money, you can check out our reviews and buying advice beforehand — all of which is linked below. Here are the best Apple deals for Black Friday.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><h2 id="jump-link-the-best-black-friday-apple-ipad-deals">The best Black Friday Apple iPad deals</h2> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/6b630300-a38a-11ef-b8f2-95aa1627da67" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/6b630300-a38a-11ef-b8f2-95aa1627da67" style="height:640px;width:960px;" alt="The tenth generation ipad sits on a pile of books. it looks pretty in the dapled afternoon sun. " data-uuid="a4130a29-d4a8-36cf-99ac-8af0e9e23498"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget </div></figure> <p>The line between Apple’s tablets and laptops is a little blurry at this point, especially with the release of the <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/ipad-pro-2024-review-so-very-nice-and-so-very-expensive-210012937.html">iPad Pro this year</a>, which (at the time) housed the company’s most powerful chip. The iPad Air is our current pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html">best iPad</a> you can buy and we were delighted by the <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-mini-7-review-safe-boring-and-everything-i-want-in-a-small-tablet-130039378.html">iPad mini</a> that came out just last month. The only problem is iPads are among the more expensive tablets you can buy. Hopefully these Black Friday iPad deals help out.</p> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLTIwMjItMTAtOS1pbmNoLWlQYWQtV2ktRmkvZHAvQjBCSkxYTVZNVj90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJmNGY2MWZmMS1hNDA4LTQ1NmUtYjI1Yy1lYWFiZDg3MWQ2YzciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vQXBwbGUtMjAyMi0xMC05LWluY2gtaVBhZC1XaS1GaS9kcC9CMEJKTFhNVk1WIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAZZ9gpv_x6VsJhbuntP5-5KOhMEd6Du3gA4hbi2UzIeI&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi%2Fdp%2FB0BJLXMVMV" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi/dp/B0BJLXMVMV"><strong><ins>Apple iPad (2022, 10th gen) for $280 ($69 off)</ins></strong></a>: This is a <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-10th-gen-ipad-is-50-off-for-black-friday-130005703.html">new all-time low pric</a>e on the base model iPad. It didn’t get an upgrade during Apple’s <a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/everything-announced-at-apples-let-loose-ipad-event-161005007.html"><ins>Let Loose</ins></a> event back in May, though it did get a <a data-i13n="cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-quietly-gives-the-10th-generation-ipad-a-100-price-drop-150256714.html"><ins>quiet</ins></a> price reduction by $100 to $349. Now Black Friday sales are bringing down the price even more. This is our current <a data-i13n="cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html"><ins>favorite budget iPad</ins></a> because it’s a capable tablet that’s great for casual browsing, streaming and gaming. It can even handle everyday productivity tasks well.&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL05ldy1BcHBsZS1pUGFkLU1pbmktQTE3L2RwL0IwREszWUYzOEc_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL05ldy1BcHBsZS1pUGFkLU1pbmktQTE3L2RwL0IwREszWUYzOEciLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAX2lvczce3DE2gt9bxsvWoOo3l3hPIzYvZk7MWpDU93L&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FNew-Apple-iPad-Mini-A17%2Fdp%2FB0DK3YF38G" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/New-Apple-iPad-Mini-A17/dp/B0DK3YF38G"><strong>Apple iPad mini (2024, 7th gen) for $450 ($49 off with coupon)</strong></a>: Click the coupon to save nearly $50 on Apple’s newest iPad overall. The iPad mini was just released this October right before the <a data-i13n="cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/everything-apple-announced-during-its-unofficial-mac-week-210115997.html">announcement of a few new Macs</a> (the new Pro and Air tablet came out <a data-i13n="cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/everything-announced-at-apples-let-loose-ipad-event-161005007.html">back in May</a>). In his review, Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham called the mini a “necessary update to the best small tablet on the market.”</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvYXBwbGUtaXBhZC0xMC0yLWluY2gtd2ktZmktNjRnYi0yMDIxLTl0aC1nZW5lcmF0aW9uLXNwYWNlLWdyYXkvLS9BLTU0MTg0MTg3PyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvYXBwbGUtaXBhZC0xMC0yLWluY2gtd2ktZmktNjRnYi0yMDIxLTl0aC1nZW5lcmF0aW9uLXNwYWNlLWdyYXkvLS9BLTU0MTg0MTg3PyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAc208o1G6GPkXuLby3Px9WrmYRMRveDGHN4YADcCpT7S&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fapple-ipad-10-2-inch-wi-fi-64gb-2021-9th-generation-space-gray%2F-%2FA-54184187%3F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/apple-ipad-10-2-inch-wi-fi-64gb-2021-9th-generation-space-gray/-/A-54184187?"><strong>Apple iPad (2021, 9th gen) for $200 ($129 off)</strong></a>: Apple <a data-i13n="cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-quietly-gives-the-10th-generation-ipad-a-100-price-drop-150256714.html">discontinued</a> this model with the release of the new <a data-i13n="cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apples-thinner-new-ipad-pros-feature-the-m4-chip-and-tandem-oled-displays-142031520.html">iPad Pro and Air</a> models earlier this year. In what's likely an effort to get rid of current stock, the price is down to a new <a data-i13n="cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-include-the-9th-gen-ipad-for-a-record-low-of-200-161404147.html">record low</a>. The 9th generation iPad is the former budget pick in our guide to the<a data-i13n="cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html"> best Apple tablets</a> and will <a data-i13n="cpos:20;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-ipad-9th-generation-review-143045685-143045335.html">serve well</a> as a casual browsing, streaming and game playing machine.&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODI2NzY3LVJFRy9hcHBsZV9tdnY4M2xsX2FfMTFfaXBhZF9wcm9fd2lmaS5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJmNGY2MWZmMS1hNDA4LTQ1NmUtYjI1Yy1lYWFiZDg3MWQ2YzciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJocGhvdG92aWRlby5jb20vYy9wcm9kdWN0LzE4MjY3NjctUkVHL2FwcGxlX212djgzbGxfYV8xMV9pcGFkX3Byb193aWZpLmh0bWwifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAdL3uYgt1b6RibWahndGSJWfh232ia629T4Hj0RvQqE_&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1826767-REG%2Fapple_mvv83ll_a_11_ipad_pro_wifi.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1826767-REG/apple_mvv83ll_a_11_ipad_pro_wifi.html"><strong>Apple iPad Pro (2024, 7th gen, 11-inch) for $899 ($100 off)</strong></a>: The latest iPad Pro came out back in May and, notably, was the first Apple device to sport the <a data-i13n="cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apples-thinner-new-ipad-pros-feature-the-m4-chip-and-tandem-oled-displays-142031520.html">M4 system-on-a-chip</a>. We gave it an 84 <a data-i13n="cpos:23;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/ipad-pro-2024-review-so-very-nice-and-so-very-expensive-210012937.html">in our review</a> calling it an engineering marvel and the best screen our reviewer had ever seen. It’s also our pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:24;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html">best iPad for power users</a>. The only problem is it’s <em>very</em> expensive, but this sale helps a little. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:25;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDNKNkwyWkMvP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImY0ZjYxZmYxLWE0MDgtNDU2ZS1iMjVjLWVhYWJkODcxZDZjNyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9kcC9CMEQzSjZMMlpDLyIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAASUHz8_4bWsr9BoXtwSBkruWed7R8i3mAOxH0wOdPxC1&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0D3J6L2ZC%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3J6L2ZC/">Amazon</a>.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:26;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLWlQYWQtQWlyLTExLWluY2gtSW50ZWxsaWdlbmNlL2RwL0IwRDNKNVZGWVE_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLWlQYWQtQWlyLTExLWluY2gtSW50ZWxsaWdlbmNlL2RwL0IwRDNKNVZGWVEiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAa4RejjHIskFl3_hKyXe1n52uXvfLPWwrfNURXAgXoot&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-iPad-Air-11-inch-Intelligence%2Fdp%2FB0D3J5VFYQ" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-iPad-Air-11-inch-Intelligence/dp/B0D3J5VFYQ"><strong>Apple iPad Air (2024, 6th gen, 11-inch) for $499 ($100 off)</strong></a>: The iPad Air is the Apple tablet we recommend for most people <a data-i13n="cpos:27;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html">in our buying guide</a> and it earned a <a data-i13n="cpos:28;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/ipad-air-2024-review-of-course-this-is-the-ipad-to-get-210019225.html">high score of 91</a> in our review. It strikes the best balance between performance, price and features of all slabs in the lineup. It has an M2 chip which is really overkill for casual browsing and gaming, but will ensure that your tablet is compatible with the latest <a data-i13n="cpos:29;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-intelligence-what-devices-and-features-will-actually-be-supported-185850732.html">Apple Intelligence</a> tricks and <a data-i13n="cpos:30;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/death-stranding-is-coming-to-select-apple-devices-on-january-30-173544260.html">demanding games</a>. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:31;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvYXBwbGUtaXBhZC1haXItbTItd2ktZmkvLS9BLTkzODcwNDM4IiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJmNGY2MWZmMS1hNDA4LTQ1NmUtYjI1Yy1lYWFiZDg3MWQ2YzciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRhcmdldC5jb20vcC9hcHBsZS1pcGFkLWFpci1tMi13aS1maS8tL0EtOTM4NzA0MzgifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAfOqN8Pft1t4KGSPfdKEcklWlWzBX6dt34C92FD42ujB&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fapple-ipad-air-m2-wi-fi%2F-%2FA-93870438" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/apple-ipad-air-m2-wi-fi/-/A-93870438">Target</a>.&nbsp;</p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-the-best-black-friday-apple-airpods-deals">The best Black Friday Apple AirPods deals</h2> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-09/a37b56c2-7397-11ef-8b2b-b793deedd180" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-09/a37b56c2-7397-11ef-8b2b-b793deedd180" style="height:1333px;width:2000px;" alt="Apple refined the shape on the AirPods 4 for a better fit." data-uuid="3f2b1716-60a4-3760-9fce-3922a2563f7c"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Billy Steele for Engadget</div></figure> <p>Apple has four models of AirPods right now: The AirPods Pro 2, the over-ear AirPods Max and two AirPods 4, one with active noise cancellation and one without. Apple has been doing <a data-i13n="cpos:32;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/weve-got-to-make-it-happen-how-apple-designed-airpods-4-for-effective-anc-130008844.html">a lot </a>of <a data-i13n="cpos:33;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/apples-airpods-pro-hearing-health-tools-could-normalize-wearing-earbuds-everywhere-140054858.html">interesting</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:34;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/why-the-airpods-pros-new-hearing-aid-features-are-a-bigger-deal-than-you-think-111543985.html">things</a> with their headphones lately, making this a good time to dive in. Though the discounts for Black Friday look to be minor, it's better than paying full price.&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:35;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAcfU6ZAkRAKimI1zp5C8-TMXIYtrmGJpL-28KRpT2a48&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHeadphones-Cancelling-Transparency-Bluetooth-Headphones%2Fdp%2FB0DGJBQSJY" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Headphones-Cancelling-Transparency-Bluetooth-Headphones/dp/B0DGJBQSJY?th=1"><strong>Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) for $539 ($10 off)</strong></a>: Apple’s only over-ear headphones haven’t had a full revamp in a few years. When the iPhone 16 came out, Apple swapped out the lightning port for a USB-C connector and <a data-i13n="cpos:36;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/apple-refreshes-its-airpods-max-with-new-colors-and-usb-c-174330979.html">introduced new colors</a>. While the overall design and build is a bit old at this point, they still deliver balanced sound in a premium package. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:37;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODUyNDUxLVJFRy9hcHBsZV9td3c3M2FtX2FfYWlycG9kc19tYXhfb3JhbmdlLmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImY0ZjYxZmYxLWE0MDgtNDU2ZS1iMjVjLWVhYWJkODcxZDZjNyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmhwaG90b3ZpZGVvLmNvbS9jL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTg1MjQ1MS1SRUcvYXBwbGVfbXd3NzNhbV9hX2FpcnBvZHNfbWF4X29yYW5nZS5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAASAhjgcD9Jy7meV5Bn5RKAS6_wENKTfSOWzOSj-9AVyd&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1852451-REG%2Fapple_mww73am_a_airpods_max_orange.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1852451-REG/apple_mww73am_a_airpods_max_orange.html">B&amp;H Photo</a>.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:38;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLUJsdWV0b290aC1IZWFkcGhvbmVzLVBlcnNvbmFsaXplZC1FZmZvcnRsZXNzL2RwL0IwREdITU5RNVo_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLUJsdWV0b290aC1IZWFkcGhvbmVzLVBlcnNvbmFsaXplZC1FZmZvcnRsZXNzL2RwL0IwREdITU5RNVoiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAdYozDL5nzbAWuvRvdumPal18_lVVgODj-tJqusUBr_S&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-Bluetooth-Headphones-Personalized-Effortless%2Fdp%2FB0DGHMNQ5Z" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Bluetooth-Headphones-Personalized-Effortless/dp/B0DGHMNQ5Z?th=1"><strong>Apple AirPods 4 (standard) for $119 ($10 off)</strong></a>: Here's a minor discount on Apple’s newest personal audio device. They were announced <a data-i13n="cpos:39;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/everything-apple-revealed-at-the-iphone-16-launch-event-apple-watch-series-10-airpods-4-ios-18-and-more-170346723.html">alongside the iPhone 16</a> back in September. There are two versions of the AirPods 4, this is the standard version without active noise cancellation. Both have a redesigned shape for a better fit and offer an open ear design (as opposed to the closed-ear shape of the Pro model). We gave them an <a data-i13n="cpos:40;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/apple-airpods-4-review-pro-features-for-everyone-120032046.html">88 in our review</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:41;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLUJsdWV0b290aC1IZWFkcGhvbmVzLVBlcnNvbmFsaXplZC1FZmZvcnRsZXNzL2RwL0IwREdKN0hZRzE_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLUJsdWV0b290aC1IZWFkcGhvbmVzLVBlcnNvbmFsaXplZC1FZmZvcnRsZXNzL2RwL0IwREdKN0hZRzEiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAVyvm1otU9YOGpbGl3GMazK1ceAX8LgONceOhwKdze3E&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-Bluetooth-Headphones-Personalized-Effortless%2Fdp%2FB0DGJ7HYG1" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Bluetooth-Headphones-Personalized-Effortless/dp/B0DGJ7HYG1?th=1"><strong>Apple AirPods 4 (ANC) for $169 ($10 off)</strong></a>: The new buds with ANC got a respectable 86 in that same review. We noted they had pro-level features like letting you nod or shake your head to respond to Siri’s questions and Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking.&nbsp;</p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-the-best-black-friday-apple-watch-deals">The best Black Friday Apple Watch deals</h2> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-09/f25874c0-75d2-11ef-8fbb-069a53fdd12f" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-09/f25874c0-75d2-11ef-8fbb-069a53fdd12f" style="height:2160px;width:3840px;" alt="A person wears the Apple Watch Series 10 on their wrist. It shows a blue screen with the time and other widgets. " data-uuid="3eb12cdf-a370-391d-b962-7896af004b6c"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget</div></figure> <p>If you take steps or do a workout and you’re not wearing a smartwatch, does it really count? Of course, the Apple Watch is more than a fitness tracker, it’s also a shortcut to your iPhone notifications, a handy Siri portal and an always-on weather forecast. Plus it tells time. While they’re not cheap, these Black Friday Apple Watch discounts should help.</p> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:42;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAdsyq7yS-f6m7YQxpnimiEPmf_3WxPL-E5EwRI2_Z-JK&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always%2Fdp%2FB0DGJ5KQL7" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always/dp/B0DGJ5KQL7"><strong>Apple Watch Series 10 for $330 ($69 off)</strong>:</a> This is the lowest price <a data-i13n="cpos:43;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-apple-black-friday-deal-gets-you-50-off-the-apple-watch-series-10-on-amazon-180028187.html">we've seen yet</a> on an Apple Watch Series 10. It is our top pick for <a data-i13n="cpos:44;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-smartwatches-153013118.html">the best smartwatch</a> you can buy and has a slightly thinner and lighter design, a wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, plus all of the <a data-i13n="cpos:45;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/watchos-11-includes-a-new-vitals-app-to-see-all-your-key-health-metrics-175600647.html">watchOS 11 features</a> that Apple recently released. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:46;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9BcHBsZS1XYXRjaC1TZXJpZXMtMTAtR1BTLTQybW0tSmV0LUJsYWNrLUFsdW1pbnVtLUNhc2Utd2l0aC1CbGFjay1TcG9ydC1CYW5kLU0tTC8xMTM5OTA2MDM2MCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9BcHBsZS1XYXRjaC1TZXJpZXMtMTAtR1BTLTQybW0tSmV0LUJsYWNrLUFsdW1pbnVtLUNhc2Utd2l0aC1CbGFjay1TcG9ydC1CYW5kLU0tTC8xMTM5OTA2MDM2MCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAX4v1XSvojd4VMa9fCJu_1GLDdLK1XZsvG-q_nnP4FwP&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FApple-Watch-Series-10-GPS-42mm-Jet-Black-Aluminum-Case-with-Black-Sport-Band-M-L%2F11399060360" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Apple-Watch-Series-10-GPS-42mm-Jet-Black-Aluminum-Case-with-Black-Sport-Band-M-L/11399060360">Walmart</a>.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:47;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwREdKNzNDRlMvP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImY0ZjYxZmYxLWE0MDgtNDU2ZS1iMjVjLWVhYWJkODcxZDZjNyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9kcC9CMERHSjczQ0ZTLyIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAATnuqL-hkz-hYU1V6ixTVEtbEZVqVYbvVYnU03n_qTm-&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DGJ73CFS%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGJ73CFS/?th=1"><strong>Apple Watch SE for $189 ($60 off)</strong></a>: Apple’s <a data-i13n="cpos:48;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/wearables/best-apple-watch-160005462.html">budget smartwatch</a> hasn’t had an update since <a data-i13n="cpos:49;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-watch-se-2022-review-battery-life-workout-health-tracking-144551799-144551820.html">2022</a>. There were <a data-i13n="cpos:50;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/apple-event-2024-all-the-iphone-16-apple-watch-and-airpods-news-expected-today-192347434.html">rumblings</a> that we’d see an update with the launch of the Apple Watch Series 10 but that didn’t happen. But if you just need a reliable wrist companion for your iPhone and an accurate fitness and workout tracker, this will serve. It went as low as $170 for October Prime Day, so this isn't an all-time low.&nbsp;</p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-the-best-black-friday-mac-and-macbook-deals">The best Black Friday Mac and MacBook deals</h2> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/ffc2f350-a38c-11ef-9dfd-fe4ad3bf3d19" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/ffc2f350-a38c-11ef-9dfd-fe4ad3bf3d19" style="height:640px;width:960px;" alt="the 2024 macbook air m3 sits on a wooden table outside bear a fence and some trees. " data-uuid="e4b7ef48-10d4-374a-b241-7883c48f5736"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget</div></figure> <p>Apple held a quiet <a data-i13n="cpos:51;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/everything-apple-announced-during-its-unofficial-mac-week-210115997.html">Mac Week</a> at the tail end of October in which it announced the new desktop M4 Mac mini, the all-in-one M4 iMac and the M4 MacBook Pro laptop. The MacBook Air from back in March is still the model <a data-i13n="cpos:52;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-macbook-140032524.html">we recommend</a> for most people</p> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:53;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIWTE5TjM_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIWTE5TjMiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAATTBHyOOo7_ZLZoO_CZpJWOooQnBrI26u-WA5mA4yvJv&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHY19N3" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHY19N3"><strong>Apple MacBook Air (2024, M3, 13-inch) for $849 ($250 off)</strong>:</a> Here's a <a data-i13n="cpos:54;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-discount-the-m3-macbook-air-with-16gb-of-ram-to-the-lowest-price-weve-seen-180617828.html">new all-time low</a> on the latest MacBook Air. It's our top pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:55;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-laptops-120008636.html">best laptop</a> for most people, and <a data-i13n="cpos:56;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-discount-the-m3-macbook-air-with-16gb-of-ram-to-899-180617913.html">this model</a> has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount so it can tackle the demands of the burgeoning <a data-i13n="cpos:57;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-starts-rolling-out-with-ios-181-and-macos-151-151023619.html">Apple Intelligence</a>. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:58;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODE0OTc3LVJFRy9hcHBsZV9tcnh2M2xsX2FfMTNfNl9tYWNib29rX2Fpcl9tMy5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJmNGY2MWZmMS1hNDA4LTQ1NmUtYjI1Yy1lYWFiZDg3MWQ2YzciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJocGhvdG92aWRlby5jb20vYy9wcm9kdWN0LzE4MTQ5NzctUkVHL2FwcGxlX21yeHYzbGxfYV8xM182X21hY2Jvb2tfYWlyX20zLmh0bWwifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUzt6tCGWcTOfXWNcDFrBJhe0T4B8x6i60t7V6rXa5Gd&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1814977-REG%2Fapple_mrxv3ll_a_13_6_macbook_air_m3.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1814977-REG/apple_mrxv3ll_a_13_6_macbook_air_m3.html">B&amp;H Photo</a> for $200 off.&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:59;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIQ1dINTU_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIQ1dINTUiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAcCfFlgVJ_5OgWLjWA0Dj_xMiL3wy3tMvOLMB_2E4t4o&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHCWH55" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHCWH55"><strong>Apple MacBook Air (2022, M2, 13-inch) for $800 ($200 off with coupon)</strong></a>: The previous MacBook Air has a (still very fast) M2 processor and it’s our previous pick for the best overall laptop for most people. This is the 13-inch model with 16GB of RAM. It's previously gone as low as $749, so this isn't an all-time low.&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:60;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwREw3NTUzMUc_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwREw3NTUzMUciLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAWtXNbb60IfAnaQhL21U7g1kKHCT-1t-2QslRfiVCX77&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DL75531G" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DL75531G?th=1"><strong>Apple iMac (2024, M4, 24-inch) for $1,150 ($148 off with coupon)</strong></a>: Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, but now the silver model is <a data-i13n="cpos:61;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m4-imac-is-already-on-sale-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-110029171.html">already on sale</a>. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new <a data-i13n="cpos:62;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-intelligence-what-devices-and-features-will-actually-be-supported-185850732.html">Apple Intelligence</a> features in <a data-i13n="cpos:63;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/macos-sequoia-review-iphone-mirroring-is-more-useful-than-you-think-140008463.html">macOS Sequoia</a>. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:64;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODU4OTI0LVJFRy9hcHBsZV9td3VjM2xsX2FfaW1hY184X2NvcmVfMTZnYl8yNTZnYl9zaWx2ZXJfMjQuaHRtbCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODU4OTI0LVJFRy9hcHBsZV9td3VjM2xsX2FfaW1hY184X2NvcmVfMTZnYl8yNTZnYl9zaWx2ZXJfMjQuaHRtbCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAQqioEfobDzOJSiz9MRs-T-0TqW5012qySqMGPny4Z04&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1858924-REG%2Fapple_mwuc3ll_a_imac_8_core_16gb_256gb_silver_24.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1858924-REG/apple_mwuc3ll_a_imac_8_core_16gb_256gb_silver_24.html">B&amp;H Photo</a> for $100 off.&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:65;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExCVFBEQ1M_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExCVFBEQ1MiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAaDOYywqY89WBK6Z6OevAhYdBReJBzOtuZjPh7_jacX2&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLBTPDCS" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLBTPDCS?th=1"><strong>Apple Mac mini (2024, M4) for $549 ($50 off with coupon)</strong></a>: Use the coupon to get the full deal as this is a <a data-i13n="cpos:66;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m4-mac-mini-drops-to-a-record-low-of-549-for-black-friday-144307916.html">first-time low</a> on Apple’s $599 example of good things, small packages. The five-inch by five-inch box can tackle some serious workloads and remains the most affordable entry point to accessing Apple’s latest silicon. We gave it a solid score of 90<a data-i13n="cpos:67;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/apple-mac-mini-review-m4-pro-2024-shockingly-small-incredibly-powerful-140042432.html"> in our review</a>, praising the incredibly fast M4 chip and useful ports. Also at<a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:68;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODU5MjU4LVJFRy9hcHBsZV9tdTlkM2xsX2FfbWFjX21pbmlfbTRfMTBjXzEwY2dwdV8xNmdiXzI1NmdiLmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImY0ZjYxZmYxLWE0MDgtNDU2ZS1iMjVjLWVhYWJkODcxZDZjNyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmhwaG90b3ZpZGVvLmNvbS9jL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTg1OTI1OC1SRUcvYXBwbGVfbXU5ZDNsbF9hX21hY19taW5pX200XzEwY18xMGNncHVfMTZnYl8yNTZnYi5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAehoanlqRkgJQ1ecNO3iL8RMbUJrzzBqHacCXvBwiiAR&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1859258-REG%2Fapple_mu9d3ll_a_mac_mini_m4_10c_10cgpu_16gb_256gb.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1859258-REG/apple_mu9d3ll_a_mac_mini_m4_10c_10cgpu_16gb_256gb.html"> B&amp;H Photo</a>, no coupon required.&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:69;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIV001RkI_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIV001RkIiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAYKWSM33uLnd6POmJeI4hl5M3HuL9R4qBjENBheNcTrU&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHWM5FB" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHWM5FB?th=1"><strong>Apple MacBook Pro (2024, M4 Pro, 14-inch) for $1,400 ($199 off with coupon)</strong></a>: The main update Apple gave to its most powerful laptops is the <a data-i13n="cpos:70;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/apple-macbook-pro-14-inch-and-16-inch-review-2024-brace-yourself-for-m4-speed-140057584.html">faster than ever M4 chip</a>. Not much else changed, but that’s not a bad thing as the Pros are excellent machines that <a data-i13n="cpos:71;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-macbook-140032524.html">we recommend to pro users</a>. They have enough power to handle even the most demanding video, audio and any other productivity tasks you can throw at it.</p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-the-best-black-friday-deals-on-apple-gear">The best Black Friday deals on Apple gear</h2> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/d1aaecd0-a05c-11ef-bdfe-3e7223198169" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/d1aaecd0-a05c-11ef-bdfe-3e7223198169" style="height:594px;width:876px;" alt="An AirTag in a bag." data-uuid="e07e0051-44a0-32bb-8f50-71dd7db1deff"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Apple</div></figure> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:72;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLU1YNTQyTEwtQS1BaXJUYWctUGFjay9kcC9CMEQ1NEpaVEhZP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImY0ZjYxZmYxLWE0MDgtNDU2ZS1iMjVjLWVhYWJkODcxZDZjNyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9BcHBsZS1NWDU0MkxMLUEtQWlyVGFnLVBhY2svZHAvQjBENTRKWlRIWSIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAbQB_RQNGVXUdjTO9G2d-YYGt7gCiX1NzGkFlzViUL2E&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-MX542LL-A-AirTag-Pack%2Fdp%2FB0D54JZTHY" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MX542LL-A-AirTag-Pack/dp/B0D54JZTHY"><strong>Apple AirTags (four-pack) for $73 ($27 off)</strong>:</a> These are the <a data-i13n="cpos:73;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-bluetooth-tracker-140028377.html">Bluetooth trackers</a> we recommend if you have an iPhone. They allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings using the Find My app and nearly every other nearby iPhone. Note that you’ll need an <a data-i13n="cpos:74;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-apple-airtag-cases-holders-accessories-123036404.html">AirTag holder or case</a> to use them with your keys and a new generation is <a data-i13n="cpos:75;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apples-next-airtag-is-coming-in-2025-with-privacy-improvements-173028439.html">rumored for next year</a>. The <a data-i13n="cpos:76;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-include-a-four-pack-of-apple-airtags-for-a-record-low-of-70-191040376.html">record low</a> for the four pack was $70 which we saw earlier this month, this deal is a few dollars more. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:77;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9BcHBsZS1BaXJUYWctNC1QYWNrLzUzOTUyNzc1NTciLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImY0ZjYxZmYxLWE0MDgtNDU2ZS1iMjVjLWVhYWJkODcxZDZjNyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FsbWFydC5jb20vaXAvQXBwbGUtQWlyVGFnLTQtUGFjay81Mzk1Mjc3NTU3In0&amp;signature=AQAAAQBPN36k-TS2EiLLlwWUb75UdE6zzadVsDMABtUWjSVw&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FApple-AirTag-4-Pack%2F5395277557" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Apple-AirTag-4-Pack/5395277557">Walmart</a>.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:78;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLVBlbmNpbC1Qcm8tUGl4ZWwtUGVyZmVjdC1JbmR1c3RyeS1MZWFkaW5nL2RwL0IwRDNKNzFSTTc_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLVBlbmNpbC1Qcm8tUGl4ZWwtUGVyZmVjdC1JbmR1c3RyeS1MZWFkaW5nL2RwL0IwRDNKNzFSTTciLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUN-HZwW8o12hO9xw5sEMYOxeB9_JCUKoRvgGoCBaLDu&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-Pencil-Pro-Pixel-Perfect-Industry-Leading%2Fdp%2FB0D3J71RM7" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Pencil-Pro-Pixel-Perfect-Industry-Leading/dp/B0D3J71RM7"><strong>Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off)</strong></a>: It’s true that you may <a data-i13n="cpos:79;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-pencil-lineup-is-a-mess-so-heres-a-guide-to-which-one-you-should-buy-190040913.html">need a roadmap</a> to help you figure out which stylus is compatible with which iPad. The Pro is the <a data-i13n="cpos:80;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-pencil-pro-adds-squeeze-roll-and-haptic-feedback-to-its-bag-of-tricks-144712885.html">newest Apple Pencil</a> and it’ll work with the newest iPad Air and Pro models and adds haptic feedback, squeeze and barrel roll movements to the mix of features. The all-time low was $90, but this is still a decent deal. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:81;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvYXBwbGUtcGVuY2lsLXByby8tL0EtODk1NjQ0NDIiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImY0ZjYxZmYxLWE0MDgtNDU2ZS1iMjVjLWVhYWJkODcxZDZjNyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGFyZ2V0LmNvbS9wL2FwcGxlLXBlbmNpbC1wcm8vLS9BLTg5NTY0NDQyIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAU4F1xXxNoZmcN1zOslfYMVcoU6ETZSt9Gn9sIhApL6z&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fapple-pencil-pro%2F-%2FA-89564442" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/apple-pencil-pro/-/A-89564442">Target</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:82;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0w3SjEyWUs_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0w3SjEyWUsiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAfEuTSNmVJfQMOSzKgEFtDwuFo_JzMlV_4cY2aFDHlxd&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CL7J12YK" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CL7J12YK"><strong>Apple Pencil (2nd gen, USB-C) for $69 ($10 off)</strong></a>: The USB-C Apple Pencil was <a data-i13n="cpos:83;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-new-79-apple-pencil-has-a-usb-c-charging-port-141732710.html">released late last year</a> and effectively serves as Apple's "budget" stylus. It works with the widest range of Apple tablets, though not all of them so <a data-i13n="cpos:84;pos:1" href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/108937">check</a> before you buy. This is about $4 more than the all-time low. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:85;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=f4f61ff1-a408-456e-b25c-eaabd871d6c7&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9BcHBsZS1QZW5jaWwtVVNCLUMvNTEyNzAxNTE0MyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZjRmNjFmZjEtYTQwOC00NTZlLWIyNWMtZWFhYmQ4NzFkNmM3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9BcHBsZS1QZW5jaWwtVVNCLUMvNTEyNzAxNTE0MyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAd7EbjvT2txi6QniisMjG2E3gkDZ45TUy5Npvr0JDCEb&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FApple-Pencil-USB-C%2F5127015143" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Apple-Pencil-USB-C/5127015143">Walmart</a>.</p></li> </ul> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:86;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:87;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-2024-the-best-apple-sales-on-ipads-airpods-apple-watches-and-macbooks-165143887.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Microsoft has announced <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-cloud-gaming-may-finally-let-you-stream-your-non-game-pass-purchases-soon-212759959.html">a long-anticipated feature</a> for Xbox Cloud Gaming. Starting today, you'll be able to stream select games that you own on TVs and Meta Quest VR headsets, as well as supported browsers on phones, tablets and PCs in every country where Xbox Cloud Gaming is available. Microsoft plans to expand the feature to Xbox consoles and the Windows Xbox app next year.</p> <p>You'll still need to be an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate member to use this feature, but it means that you're no longer limited to streaming only the games that are on that service. The "stream your own game" option <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2024/11/20/stream-your-own-game-xbox-cloud-gaming-beta/">includes support for 50 titles at the outset</a>, with more to be added later. You can stream the likes of <em>Cyberpunk 2077, Stray, The Witcher 3, Balatro, Animal Well, NBA 2K25, Baldur’s Gate 3 </em>and several Final Fantasy games. Just look for the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=cbb6ab2f-36e2-4491-be8e-f0e7e0ff5d7f&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9wbGF5L2dhbGxlcnkvYnV5LWFuZC1zdHJlYW0iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImNiYjZhYjJmLTM2ZTItNDQ5MS1iZThlLWYwZTdlMGZmNWQ3ZiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueGJveC5jb20vZW4tVVMvcGxheS9nYWxsZXJ5L2J1eS1hbmQtc3RyZWFtIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAUFTHbN0a9HJBN9qTIAuPC9hQlRXE6Kh733np6hZr02T&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-US%2Fplay%2Fgallery%2Fbuy-and-stream" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/play/gallery/buy-and-stream">"stream your own game" section</a> on Cloud Gaming.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><div id="95cf9f583b0e433cb59623d4a6c90ff7"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/79Rza5taYAM?rel=0" style="top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;border:0;" allowfullscreen scrolling="no" data-embed-domain="www.youtube.com"></iframe></div> <p>An Xbox spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that "streaming the games you own requires a digitally purchased game." So, you won't be able to stream a physical copy of, say, <em>Farming Simulator 25 </em>via this feature, but if you have the disc in your Xbox Series X, remote play is still an option.&nbsp;</p> <p>Although it's broadly good that people have more ways to play their games, this move lines up with Xbox <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/an-all-digital-xbox-series-x-is-coming-this-holiday-season-184539660.html">inching toward an all-digital future</a> — one in which gamers without access to fast, reliable Internet connections may be left behind. This also lets Xbox expand its cloud gaming offerings without having to necessarily pay third-party developers and publishers big bucks to get their projects on Game Pass proper.&nbsp;</p> <p>The stream your own game initiative also ties into <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-new-xbox-ad-campaign-is-confused-about-what-an-xbox-is-231013374.html">Microsoft's new ad campaign</a> about all kinds of devices being an Xbox when they are, in fact, not. The rollout comes a day after Sony started publicly <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html">testing a cloud gaming option</a> on PlayStation Portal, a feature that the device should have had from the beginning.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Update November 20, 1:41PM ET: </strong>Added clarification from Xbox that only digitally purchased games, and not physical copies, are eligible to stream.&nbsp;</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/you-can-now-stream-some-xbox-games-you-own-but-you-still-need-game-pass-ultimate-181047095.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>William Shatner, who once sparred with Engadget <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/2014-07-31-the-perks-of-being-somebody-online.html"><ins>over Twitter’s verification policy</ins></a>, has finally reprised his most famous role. Captain Kirk <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://home.otoy.com/unification/">is back in the short film <em>765874 - Unification</em></a>. This eight-minute story is live now on YouTube and follows the events of <em>Star Trek: Generations</em>, which was the last time Shatner donned his Starfleet uniform.</p> <p>The short was made by a graphics company called OTOY, along with Paramount and Shatner himself. It technically exists to honor the 30th anniversary of <em>Generations</em>, but it also acts as a proper send-off to the first Star Trek captain.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><div id="6ede89333d81449ca396e6882430cbf6"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mgOZFny7F50?si=UC6bh6Apg2Q7JxfL" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div> <p>Now it’s time to get into spoiler territory, for those who haven’t seen a 30-year-old movie. Captain Kirk is dead. He died on an uninhabited planet after trying to stop Malcolm McDowell from unleashing an extra-dimensional time ribbon called the Nexus on an unwitting solar system of innocent folks. You know the drill. It’s Star Trek!</p> <p>Anyways, the short follows Kirk after dying on that planet. Is it the after-life or maybe the residual effects of the Nexus? We don’t know. There’s no dialogue to help us along. Instead, a de-aged Kirk, sometimes played by Sam Witwer, wanders an otherworldly realm until he eventually finds an old friend. It’s surprisingly touching, particularly for die-hard Trek fans.</p> <div id="663dee2108eb4c3d9804e28c613f3f68"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">My eternal gratitude to <a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WilliamShatner</a> for, well, giving us the word.<br><br>The word is given.<br>Warp Speed.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LLAP?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LLAP</a><a href="https://t.co/BSsKZmMQFI">https://t.co/BSsKZmMQFI</a></p>— Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) <a href="https://twitter.com/SamWitwer/status/1858578440405880854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2024</a></blockquote> </div> <p>The emotional depth is enhanced by the soundtrack, which is helmed by veteran Star Trek composer and MCU director Michael Giacchino. I knew it was him in like five seconds. The music reminded me of <em>Lost</em>, which was another show scored by Giacchino.</p> <p>Barring some new life extension technology, this is likely the last time we’ll see Shatner’s Kirk. The man is 93 years old. Paul Wesley has stepped into Shatner’s space boots to portray a younger version of the captain on <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/nine-thoughts-about-star-trek-strange-new-worlds-blockbuster-finale-130046409.html"><em><ins>Star Trek: Strange New Worlds</ins></em></a>. Despite his advanced age, Shatner <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/william-shatner-blue-origin-spaceflight-successful-145444763.html"><ins>did manage to go to space a few years back</ins></a>.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/youtube/william-shatners-captain-kirk-returns-one-last-time-in-an-eight-minute-short-film-180607202.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-2024-the-best-apple-sales-on-ipads-airpods-apple-watches-and-macbooks-165143887.html">Apple Black Friday deals</a> have started <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-m2-macbook-air-with-16gb-of-ram-drops-to-749-ahead-of-black-friday-161500053.html">popping up</a>, and this is your chance to grab a new iPad for much less than usual. Our top pick for the best iPad for those on a budget, the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=6f96280e-1f9c-4f49-bf9d-0dfe5ae70be6&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLTIwMjItMTAtOS1pbmNoLWlQYWQtV2ktRmkvZHAvQjBCSkxYTVZNVi8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiNmY5NjI4MGUtMWY5Yy00ZjQ5LWJmOWQtMGRmZTVhZTcwYmU2Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLTIwMjItMTAtOS1pbmNoLWlQYWQtV2ktRmkvZHAvQjBCSkxYTVZNVi8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAetvjXjlbJjsqx3E2bYfO_dlXnnsIIFqAS7H6vEut2_i&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi%2Fdp%2FB0BJLXMVMV%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi/dp/B0BJLXMVMV/">10th-gen iPad</a> has dropped to $280, which is a record low and a $70 discount.</p> <p>The 10th-gen iPad is only slightly thicker and heavier than the iPad Air. It looks similar to the iPad Air, too — the tablet no longer has the Home button that its predecessor did, and it has a bigger screen with smaller bezels.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p> <core-commerce id="cbeac44dacbd4151abccc5332f385490" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi/dp/B0BJLXMVMV/"></core-commerce></p> <p>The device is powered by Apple's A14 Bionic chip, which was first seen on the iPhone 12 and is powerful enough that we could edit RAW photos in Lightroom when we tested the tablet. When we ran a test for battery life, we discovered that the model could play movies continuously for 11 hours and 45 minutes on a single charge.&nbsp;</p> <p>Unlike previous models with Lightning ports, this one comes with a USB-C port for charging. Apple moved its front-facing camera to its landscape edge, as well. The company gave it a larger display, measuring 10.9 inches, so it doesn't feel as cramped as previous models even with a lot of apps. While the iPad Air does have a better display overall with its lamination and anti-reflective coating, the 10th-gen iPad's isn't bad at all seeing as it costs significantly less, especially with this discount.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-include-the-10th-gen-ipad-for-a-record-low-of-280-130005197.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>While the <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/">Black Friday</a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/">Cyber Monday</a> sale events are arguably the best times of the year to pick up most gadgets, they’re also a great time to save on subscriptions and services you may already have or that you’ve been wanting to try. Whether it’s an audiobook service like Audible, a VPN service like ExpressVPN or an online learning subscription like Masterclass, you can typically find good subscription deals during this time of the year. Many of them also make it pretty easy to give a subscription, too, if you’re considering it as a <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gifts/">gift</a> for a loved one this year. To make it easier to find the services you want and need this year, Engadget has curated the best subscription deals you can get for Black Friday this year.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-black-friday-subscription-deals">Best Black Friday subscription deals</h2> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAeY9dyM_tXUL1hgik0ZGIZ70Eo1bAt--OVP4W0P2ahtJ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FAudible-Books-and-Originals%2Fb%3Fnode%3D18145289011" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Books-and-Originals/b?ie=UTF8&amp;node=18145289011"><strong>Audible Premium Plus for $0.99 for three months ($44 off):</strong></a> This deal gives you one title for each of the three months you're subscribed, plus unlimited access to the Premium Plus library of books, podcasts and other. Anyone who's not already subscribed to Audible can get this deal.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2tpbmRsZS1kYnMvaHovc3Vic2NyaWJlL2t1P3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijg1MGE3OWVjLThkNjgtNGUyYi1hNjkyLThiYzFmZDEyOWZhYyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9raW5kbGUtZGJzL2h6L3N1YnNjcmliZS9rdSIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAfZCmOQdf07e2n37Qu_knspQlapZqBTu4bcmKUmdES08&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fkindle-dbs%2Fhz%2Fsubscribe%2Fku" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/hz/subscribe/ku"><strong>Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off):</strong></a> Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Headspace;elmt:;cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=e3494264-16cf-476b-92a8-2dfe2c12bfa0&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Headspace&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5oZWFkc3BhY2UuY29tLyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiODUwYTc5ZWMtOGQ2OC00ZTJiLWE2OTItOGJjMWZkMTI5ZmFjIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5oZWFkc3BhY2UuY29tLyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAVJgd7lGDWyhvc4zHiRgEvlooPoBIAFgh1WhD9P7UbBa&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.headspace.com%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.headspace.com/"><strong>Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off):</strong></a> Our top pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-meditation-app-140047993.html">best meditation app</a> has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Calm;elmt:;cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=24276d51-4266-4a76-881b-db487de4d719&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Calm&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jYWxtLmNvbS9uZXctbWVtYmVyLW9mZmVyP2NvdXBvbj1ob2wyMDI0X1dlYl9hbm51YWw1MF9CYW5uZXIiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijg1MGE3OWVjLThkNjgtNGUyYi1hNjkyLThiYzFmZDEyOWZhYyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2FsbS5jb20vbmV3LW1lbWJlci1vZmZlcj9jb3Vwb249aG9sMjAyNF9XZWJfYW5udWFsNTBfQmFubmVyIn0&amp;signature=AQAAARlWJtK7qqrSr96Qedy7exhI0lb_cAoZ-Dh0zfW7PDQf&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.calm.com%2Fnew-member-offer%3Fcoupon%3Dhol2024_Web_annual50_Banner" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.calm.com/new-member-offer?coupon=hol2024_Web_annual50_Banner"><strong>Calm annual plan for $35 ($35 off):</strong></a> Another one of our top pocks for the <a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-meditation-app-140047993.html">best meditation apps</a> is a great option for anyone new to meditation thanks in part to the many short and focused sessions it includes. There's also a dedicated kids section and subscribers get access to a soothing music library.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:MasterClass;elmt:;cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=ece2db60-ed2b-4433-8be0-79f90b069400&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=MasterClass&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5tYXN0ZXJjbGFzcy5jb20vIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI4NTBhNzllYy04ZDY4LTRlMmItYTY5Mi04YmMxZmQxMjlmYWMiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm1hc3RlcmNsYXNzLmNvbS8ifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAdMz9ahe33KHC-NlsHRKbvtTGyhYA_f3OVexRy_wdUzE&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masterclass.com%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.masterclass.com/"><strong>MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off):</strong></a> Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Rosetta Stone;elmt:;cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=a6d0d440-77e8-4130-a7d2-3d2b1024fae5&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Rosetta+Stone&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5yb3NldHRhc3RvbmUuY29tL2J1eS9sZWFybi1hbGwtbGFuZ3VhZ2VzLyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiODUwYTc5ZWMtOGQ2OC00ZTJiLWE2OTItOGJjMWZkMTI5ZmFjIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5yb3NldHRhc3RvbmUuY29tL2J1eS9sZWFybi1hbGwtbGFuZ3VhZ2VzLyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAW3QE0ksBbE_LV62ibrKnTMDZ4c3bYdPGlU9_IYWixCV&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rosettastone.com%2Fbuy%2Flearn-all-languages%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.rosettastone.com/buy/learn-all-languages/"><strong>Rosetta Stone lifetime access for $149 ($250 off):</strong></a> Those eager to learn a new language (or two) can get full lifetime access to Rosetta Stone for less for Black Friday. The one-time payment gives you access to the company's Dynamic Immersion courses, TruAccent speech recognition technology to help improve your pronunciation and the ability to learn on mobile and desktop.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Adobe;elmt:;cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=73e6d253-5a10-4f58-b539-815233e32f36&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Adobe&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hZG9iZS5jb20vcHJvZHVjdHMvc3BlY2lhbC1vZmZlcnMuaHRtbD8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijg1MGE3OWVjLThkNjgtNGUyYi1hNjkyLThiYzFmZDEyOWZhYyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYWRvYmUuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL3NwZWNpYWwtb2ZmZXJzLmh0bWw_In0&amp;signature=AQAAAfFZfACgMGFgRQgfHJ9Z-ea95G9TBBCGZ3_sCU2853XW&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adobe.com%2Fproducts%2Fspecial-offers.html%3F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.adobe.com/products/special-offers.html?"><strong>Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off):</strong></a> First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:ProtonVPN;elmt:;cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=06a20697-4135-4e83-a421-f326eee937ed&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=ProtonVPN&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Byb3RvbnZwbi5jb20vbC9iZi12cG4tZGVhbHM_I3ByaWNpbmciLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijg1MGE3OWVjLThkNjgtNGUyYi1hNjkyLThiYzFmZDEyOWZhYyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm90b252cG4uY29tL2wvYmYtdnBuLWRlYWxzPyNwcmljaW5nIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAQ0-Omwg_YvflRhPZ_0ftHAzYauSKOKrqj9t3UAIDfrv&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fprotonvpn.com%2Fl%2Fbf-vpn-deals%3F%23pricing" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://protonvpn.com/l/bf-vpn-deals?#pricing"><strong>ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off):</strong></a> Our top pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-vpn-130004396.html">best VPN</a> is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:ExpressVPN;elmt:;cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=4255ebf1-6185-403e-9be2-91ab47ad1ac3&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=ExpressVPN&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5leHByZXNzdnBuLmNvbS9vcmRlci1hZGRvbnMiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6Ijg1MGE3OWVjLThkNjgtNGUyYi1hNjkyLThiYzFmZDEyOWZhYyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzc3Zwbi5jb20vb3JkZXItYWRkb25zIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAZkRebT65a_FuClMxy1h9iIvE6UUIDe3w8ruTwW-wmeU&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Forder-addons" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.expressvpn.com/order-addons"><strong>ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off):</strong></a> Our top pick for <a data-i13n="cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-vpn-130004396.html">best VPN</a> for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:NordVPN;elmt:;cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=c52a3d27-2d9a-44d8-8cf2-6f6387b122a0&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=850a79ec-8d68-4e2b-a692-8bc1fd129fac&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=NordVPN&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL25vcmR2cG4uY29tL3ByaWNpbmcvIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI4NTBhNzllYy04ZDY4LTRlMmItYTY5Mi04YmMxZmQxMjlmYWMiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vbm9yZHZwbi5jb20vcHJpY2luZy8ifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAdjI-49R3ODh_kQvTV4prTFqMCAtYQ_R-ggUyDeUp368&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fnordvpn.com%2Fpricing%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://nordvpn.com/pricing/"><strong>NordVPN Plus two-year plan plus three extra months for $121 (70 percent off):</strong></a> In addition to VPN access, NordVPN's Plus plan gives you a password manager, ad blocker, anti-malware protection and more.</p></li> </ul> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-black-friday-subscription-deals-for-2024-audible-kindle-unlimited-masterclass-protonvpn-and-more-173037965.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Black Friday deals have arrived for Samsung smartphones, and now you can get a few of our favorites for a few hundred dollars less than usual. The<a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=b05b24e1-80da-4807-b24a-e57b4ed73eb9&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ01SNTNOU1k_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYjA1YjI0ZTEtODBkYS00ODA3LWIyNGEtZTU3YjRlZDczZWI5Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ01SNTNOU1kiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAARR3F4P0UjKq3McrvmVknZcqji8KVuexCV7K3u14WgOJ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CMR53NSY" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMR53NSY?th=1"> Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra</a> is currently down to $950 from $1,300. The Ultra came out in early 2024 and quickly became our choice for <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-android-phone-130030805.html">best premium Android phone</a>. It scored an <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/galaxy-s24-ultra-review-samsungs-ai-reinforcements-have-arrived-specs-price-191508062.html">89 in our review</a> thanks to features like its long battery life — we often had over 50 percent left after 24 hours.</p> <p>It has a titanium frame and a 6.8-inch OLED panel that peaks at 2,600 nits, rather than the previous 1,750 nits. Plus, it has a slew of AI tools and utilizes Samsung's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for fast performance.&nbsp;</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p> <core-commerce id="ccf8c9b8a52843a6b396b9cff0bc2e6a" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMR53NSY?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>If $950 feels (understandably) a bit steep then check out the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=b05b24e1-80da-4807-b24a-e57b4ed73eb9&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ01ETDNIM1Y_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYjA1YjI0ZTEtODBkYS00ODA3LWIyNGEtZTU3YjRlZDczZWI5Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ01ETDNIM1YiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAASfNLEHK-uVWCHr174QOxaa5rSAxKWfjgjdSjdnUGm3-&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CMDL3H3V" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CMDL3H3V?th=1">Samsung Galaxy S24+</a>. The 256GB model is currently marked down from $1,000 to $770 — still a solid chunk of change, but a noticeable difference. The Samsung Galaxy S24+ garnered an <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-s24-and-s24-review-a-taste-of-generative-ai-in-everyday-use-160041639.html">87 in our review</a>, not far off from its sister device. It comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and features like Chat Assist and Live Translate. Its battery life impressed us, though its low-light photography performance left something to be desired.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsung-black-friday-2024-deals-save-up-to-350-on-galaxy-s24-smartphones-150043358.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Amazon just <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/echo-show-21-amazon-smart-tv"><ins>surprise-dropped the Echo Show 21</ins></a>, a massive smart display with all kinds of bells and whistles. As the name suggests, this device boasts a 21-inch screen. It’s also wall-mountable, <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/amazon-echo-show-15-review-163035555-170035151.html"><ins>just like the pre-existing Echo Show 15</ins></a>.</p> <p>The display boasts a 1080p resolution, which won’t be winning any awards, but the audio quality looks to be much-improved from previous models. The Echo Show 21 should be capable of “delivering immersive sound, double the bass and room adaption technology."</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p>The camera has been refreshed, with “more than double the field of view and 65% more zoom than the first-generation Echo Show 15.” It also looks like the auto-framing algorithm has been improved. This thing could be a beast for video calls, as the unit now offers improved methods for the reduction of unwanted ambient noise.</p> <div id="b6b4e74a37054c2eb2b0babebbfec900"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RqlTje5alTI?si=pmSDnNTQRZY8MmzZ" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p>There’s a built-in smart home hub, with Wi-Fi 6E, Thread, Zigbee and Matter control capabilities. The company says the device should be able to adjust some stuff locally, like lights, switches and plugs. This function <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/amazons-180-echo-hub-is-a-smart-home-control-panel-for-your-wall-163231567.html"><ins>first popped up in the Echo Hub</ins></a>, which was first revealed last year.</p> <p>The panel can double as a Fire TV, <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/amazon-echo-show-15-fire-tv-update-available-140034899.html"><ins>which is nothing new</ins></a>, and works with Amazon’s Fire TV remote. However, the Echo Show 21 ships with the Alexa Voice Remote, along with wall-mounting equipment. A countertop stand is sold separately. The smart display costs $400 and is available now.</p> <p>The Echo Show 15 has also gotten a refresh, for those with limited wall or countertop space. The new model boasts all of the features outlined above, just in a smaller form factor. This one costs $300 and is available now.</p> <p> <core-commerce id="41de0ed654b444a1a192f24f9f1d5974" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Echo-Show-21-Smart-Display/dp/B0CDWWS127"></core-commerce></p> <p></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/amazon-just-launched-the-massive-echo-show-21-smart-display-174115181.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>November is in full swing, which means <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/">Black Friday</a> is right around the corner. But the days in which you had to wait for Black Friday proper to get good deals have long been behind us. The holiday shopping season is effectively the entire month of November now, with early Black Friday deals already popping up across the web (and in some stores). We’re starting to see deep discounts on a bunch of your favorite tech we’ve tested this year, which means you can start crossing things off your to-buy list right now.</p> <p>If you’re holding out for the best of the best deals, we recommend holding tight until the week of Thanksgiving to see the offerings then, but make no mistake, the sales already available are some of the best of the year. These are the best early Black Friday deals we could find; we’ll be updating this post regularly throughout November, so check back for the latest discounts.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><h2 id="jump-link-engadgets-top-picks">Engadget's top picks</h2> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAc4N_FxU_dohQuZcVdWha-YnjBBge-oHH4BBm3dKx1sq&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always%2Fdp%2FB0DGJ5KQL7%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Watch-Smartwatch-Aluminium-Always/dp/B0DGJ5KQL7/?th=1"><strong>Apple Watch Series 10 for $330 ($70 off):</strong></a> The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-smartwatches-153013118.html">best smartwatch</a> you can get thanks to its slightly thinner and lighter design, wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, watchOS 11 features and slightly improved battery life. We gave it a score of 90 in our <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apple-watch-series-10-review-legacy-and-sequel-in-equal-measure-120021405.html">Apple Watch Series 10 review</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLTIwMjItMTAtOS1pbmNoLWlQYWQtV2ktRmkvZHAvQjBCSkxYTVZNVj90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vQXBwbGUtMjAyMi0xMC05LWluY2gtaVBhZC1XaS1GaS9kcC9CMEJKTFhNVk1WIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAASunMs2W-QTNoDxYeFXbIhgFv8foQO447vLGG8QQX1Oz&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi%2Fdp%2FB0BJLXMVMV" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-2022-10-9-inch-iPad-Wi-Fi/dp/B0BJLXMVMV?th=1"><strong>Apple 10th-gen iPad for $280 ($70 off):</strong></a> The <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html">best iPad</a> for those on a budget, this model has a modern design, good performance, a landscape-oriented front-facing camera and a solid battery life. It has also done away with the Lightning port in favor of a more modern USB-C port.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQzVKNE04SEQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQzVKNE04SEQiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAATYoinm-v5MHxGcDJ77goslO8yfs3F6qDTDCjPDb49gu&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0C5J4M8HD" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5J4M8HD?th=1"><strong>DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 ($40 off):</strong></a> The <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/dji-osmo-mobile-6-gimbal-enhanced-tracking-quick-launch-for-iphone-130019549.html">latest version</a> of DJI's smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0JsaW5rLU1pbmktMi1DYW1lcmEtV2hpdGUvZHAvQjBCV1gxRDJEVz90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vQmxpbmstTWluaS0yLUNhbWVyYS1XaGl0ZS9kcC9CMEJXWDFEMkRXIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAATm-j1a7tPBeHaR0_9EeqyeIrMq9-b7oiQCqjSqJU3tK&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBlink-Mini-2-Camera-White%2Fdp%2FB0BWX1D2DW" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Mini-2-Camera-White/dp/B0BWX1D2DW?"><strong>Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off):</strong></a> The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside if you wish provided you have the separate <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0JsaW5rLS1NaW5pLTItUG93ZXItQWRwYXRlci9kcC9CMENCTDcySFlELz90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vQmxpbmstLU1pbmktMi1Qb3dlci1BZHBhdGVyL2RwL0IwQ0JMNzJIWUQvIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAYB5y0Qnk5treYWaBG75EXf7TO7ypnOq9BfGJmOs3eh1&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBlink--Mini-2-Power-Adpater%2Fdp%2FB0CBL72HYD%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Blink--Mini-2-Power-Adpater/dp/B0CBL72HYD/?">$10 weather-resistant adapter</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvQjBDQ0JQM1hOOC8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvQjBDQ0JQM1hOOC8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAVZyNeQDY6ax--i7IJUPpCgoS5bi4nNPs5_Ey9yFYcri&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB0CCBP3XN8%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CCBP3XN8/?th=1"><strong>Samsung SmartTag 2 Bluetooth trackers (four-pack) for $62 (38 percent off):</strong></a> These trackers have a handy, built-in keyring hole, an IP67-rated design, a vast finding network and good battery life.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAATmUBxWdtT1Qf61R2S-gOhSE6Lm6zJI6vzD0so8VfTkX&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSAMSUNG-55-Inch-Anti-Reflection-Customizable-QN55LS03D%2Fdp%2FB0CV9F2Q5V" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-55-Inch-Anti-Reflection-Customizable-QN55LS03D/dp/B0CV9F2Q5V?th=1"><strong>Samsung 55-inch The Frame smart TV (2024) for $898 (40 percent off):</strong></a> The latest Frame TVs can show art on the screen when you're not using it, and it has a matte finish to make it look more like a picture frame on your wall. Also available at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvdHZzL3RoZS1mcmFtZS81NS1jbGFzcy10aGUtZnJhbWUtcWxlZC00ay1sczAzZC1xbjU1bHMwM2RhZnh6YS8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Ftc3VuZy5jb20vdXMvdGVsZXZpc2lvbnMtaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL3R2cy90aGUtZnJhbWUvNTUtY2xhc3MtdGhlLWZyYW1lLXFsZWQtNGstbHMwM2QtcW41NWxzMDNkYWZ4emEvIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAewulky1-7tSEpv4uZhn4xC5Lfu5MRKbLvWPyWPCDOZ0&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Ftelevisions-home-theater%2Ftvs%2Fthe-frame%2F55-class-the-frame-qled-4k-ls03d-qn55ls03dafxza%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/the-frame/55-class-the-frame-qled-4k-ls03d-qn55ls03dafxza/">Samsung</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwODVGVEJMQzY_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwODVGVEJMQzYiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAd5Q95ZYZCnNq4hjFPZ0jXn4T_2I5L7AHu3_EpDEXi11&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB085FTBLC6" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085FTBLC6?th=1"><strong>Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for $270 ($80 off):</strong></a> One of our favorite air fryers, this machine does a lot more than just air fry thanks to its 11 cooking modes, and while it's larger than a typical air fryer, that means it can cook larger things like a full turkey or chicken.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-the-best-early-black-friday-tech-deals"><strong>The best early Black Friday tech deals</strong></h2> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0FwcGxlLU1YNTQyTEwtQS1BaXJUYWctUGFjay9kcC9CMEQ1NEpaVEhZP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9BcHBsZS1NWDU0MkxMLUEtQWlyVGFnLVBhY2svZHAvQjBENTRKWlRIWSIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAYtA7lrFrtLQK2oUAEI3zo_0ioH6Vk1ihQXQ9ia2okLb&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FApple-MX542LL-A-AirTag-Pack%2Fdp%2FB0D54JZTHY" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Apple-MX542LL-A-AirTag-Pack/dp/B0D54JZTHY?ref_=ast_sto_dp"><strong>Apple AirTags (four-pack) for $73 ($27 off):</strong></a> These are the<a data-i13n="cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-bluetooth-tracker-140028377.html"> Bluetooth trackers</a> to get if you have an iPhone, and they allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings from within the Find My app. Just make sure to pick up an<a data-i13n="cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-apple-airtag-cases-holders-accessories-123036404.html"> AirTag holder or case</a> if you plan on using them with your keys.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExCVFBEQ1M_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExCVFBEQ1MiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAcdAV_DSFcsDiLW8K869kc9g3TgxRc9TNnohK0GljGG2&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLBTPDCS" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLBTPDCS?"><strong>Apple Mac mini (M4) for $549 ($25 off with coupon):</strong></a> Apple's newest tiny desktop is on sale for $574, but a $25 coupon will bring it down to a record low of $549. It earned a score of 90 in our <a data-i13n="cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/apple-mac-mini-review-m4-pro-2024-shockingly-small-incredibly-powerful-140042432.html">Mac mini review</a> for its incredibly fast performance, standard 16GB of RAM, smaller design and front-facing USB-C and headphone jack.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:20;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIRzFITUw_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIRzFITUwiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAbcRZXmArEtUd4A03YXoj22gmLrL0HlQ1-kHii3UwWw9&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHG1HML" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHG1HML?th=1"><strong>Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch) fore $849 ($250 off):</strong></a> The latest MacBook Air is our top pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-laptops-120008636.html">best laptop</a> for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount. If you're ok with getting an M2 processor, that 13-inch MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is also on sale for <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIQ1dINTU_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIQ1dINTUiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUu8v70oo4RXn4yBHOzEHFlNqY8VAoeUyPc-o_JqoZb0&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHCWH55" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHCWH55?th=1">$749</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:23;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwREw3NTUzMUcvP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9kcC9CMERMNzU1MzFHLyIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAVJYNKKhic2YIVKis-oopBIbCGTYEfmzO7-Dk69WjJZZ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DL75531G%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DL75531G/?th=1"><strong>Apple 2024 M4 iMac desktop computer for $1,150 ($148 off with coupon)</strong></a>: Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, and now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new <a data-i13n="cpos:24;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-intelligence-what-devices-and-features-will-actually-be-supported-185850732.html">Apple Intelligence</a> features in <a data-i13n="cpos:25;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/macos-sequoia-review-iphone-mirroring-is-more-useful-than-you-think-140008463.html">macOS Sequoia</a>.&nbsp;</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/f549c820-a681-11ef-a9ef-f2e9bd212b01" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/f549c820-a681-11ef-a9ef-f2e9bd212b01" style="height:3362px;width:5063px;" alt="Apple Mac mini M4" data-uuid="aceca442-d9da-3182-b823-44e579735afe"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget</div></figure> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:26;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAcUOHkXmDzDJo-gQgQXZKKXO3ZHOhoQ6EoQ6xBgGt7Tp&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FAnker-Certified-Ultra-Fast-MagSafe-Compatible-Portable%2Fdp%2FB0CFDQ9QH5" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Certified-Ultra-Fast-MagSafe-Compatible-Portable/dp/B0CFDQ9QH5?th=1"><strong>Anker 10K MagGo power bank for $70 ($20 off, Prime exclusive):</strong></a> This is one of our top picks for the <a data-i13n="cpos:27;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-power-bank-143048526.html">best power banks</a> you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:28;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAATVd-Zjeje9ahqBmkT2WWJsqAmwZlc8TD3NxXBG1OXcn&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FAnker-Portable-Charger-Foldable-Essentials%2Fdp%2FB0CX4992Z8" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Charger-Foldable-Essentials/dp/B0CX4992Z8?ref_=ast_sto_dp&amp;th=1"><strong>Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $36 ($9 off, Prime exclusive):</strong></a> A top pick in our <a data-i13n="cpos:29;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-power-bank-143048526.html">best power banks</a> guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:30;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQjFMUE5ER0Y_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQjFMUE5ER0YiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZ9bRQiQ_lZI8C2bH-OjO5T9hEJsIpigesRcTRc8DiUe&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0B1LPNDGF" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B1LPNDGF?th=1"><strong>Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $44.25 ($35.75 off)</strong></a>: The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the <a data-i13n="cpos:31;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-budget-wireless-earbuds-130028735.html">best budget earbuds</a>, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen — it's only available to Prime subscribers at Amazon, but you can also grab it at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Soundcore UK;elmt:;cpos:32;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=5f8af95c-5faa-4f72-a4d8-1070ea36d376&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Soundcore+UK&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zb3VuZGNvcmUuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL3NwYWNlLWE0MC1hMzkzNjAxMT92YXJpYW50PTQxOTU2MTAzNDg3Njc4IiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNvdW5kY29yZS5jb20vcHJvZHVjdHMvc3BhY2UtYTQwLWEzOTM2MDExP3ZhcmlhbnQ9NDE5NTYxMDM0ODc2NzgifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZeWZzZBX9CCuRABvRp5meKu_SHotqweuUQUty4e8KW5&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.soundcore.com%2Fproducts%2Fspace-a40-a3936011%3Fvariant%3D41956103487678" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.soundcore.com/products/space-a40-a3936011?variant=41956103487678">Anker's online store</a> with an on-page coupon.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:33;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0NaMVNROEc_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0NaMVNROEciLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQi1T7XCA65qjsyu1aW8ov27usQDJMXPXrOaHUzrKFro&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CCZ1SQ8G" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCZ1SQ8G?th=1"><strong>Bose QuietComfort headphones for $199 ($150 off):</strong></a> The latest version of Bose's iconic QC headphones, these cans have excellent ANC, a comfortable (if a bit dated) design, 24 hours of battery life and a quick-charge feature that will get you two hours of battery after just 15 minutes of them being plugged in.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:34;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=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_In0&amp;signature=AQAAAetTqeexklaSYfn37m9xAWy5WxkdIQ3fzQn0hD2BjU7o&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FXbox-Series-X-1TB-Digital-Edition-Robot-White-Wireless-Controller-Includes-2-Controllers-Up-120-frames-per-second-16-GB-RAM-Memory-1-TB-SSD-Storage-E%2F13244064652%3F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Xbox-Series-X-1TB-Digital-Edition-Robot-White-Wireless-Controller-Includes-2-Controllers-Up-120-frames-per-second-16-GB-RAM-Memory-1-TB-SSD-Storage-E/13244064652?"><strong>Xbox Series X (1TB) with extra controller for $490 ($110 off):</strong></a> This bundle includes a total of two Xbox wireless controllers with the Series X console, and the built-in 1TB SSD is a good starting point for most gamers.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:35;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NlYWdhdGUtU3RvcmFnZS1FeHBhbnNpb24tU29saWQtU3RhdGUvZHAvQjA5QkpZWE1EVy8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NlYWdhdGUtU3RvcmFnZS1FeHBhbnNpb24tU29saWQtU3RhdGUvZHAvQjA5QkpZWE1EVy8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAATI525Ua9vMLkcMzwoRmkp2R5ON5EPQFL8TroPYs6hLh&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSeagate-Storage-Expansion-Solid-State%2Fdp%2FB09BJYXMDW%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Storage-Expansion-Solid-State/dp/B09BJYXMDW/?th=1"><strong>Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 ($160 off)</strong></a>: Seagate's expansion card is one of the best options for expanding your Xbox Series X/S storage. A 2TB version has dropped to $200, its lowest price to date. It's one of our picks for the <a data-i13n="cpos:36;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-xbox-series-x-series-s-accessories-140035165.html">best Xbox Series X/S accessories</a>. Also available at <a data-i13n="cpos:37;pos:1" href="https://www.seagate.com/products/gaming-drives/xbox-gaming/storage-expansion-for-xbox-series-x/">Seagate</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:38;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAATg5Iw-_TENpnVMHWV3l-aHtJJA91VEC1YFMsd1jdiAl&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLEGO-Star-Wars-Collectible-Anniversary%2Fdp%2FB0CGY4QJTC%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Star-Wars-Collectible-Anniversary/dp/B0CGY4QJTC/?th=1"><strong>Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44</strong> (20 percent off)</a>: This set recreates the scene in which Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers battled the Rebels, and it includes seven Star Wars minifigures.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:39;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0xFR08tU3Rhci1XYXJzLU1pY3JvLVNjYWxlLVNreXdhbGtlcnMvZHAvQjBDUFE1MlBNRy8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0xFR08tU3Rhci1XYXJzLU1pY3JvLVNjYWxlLVNreXdhbGtlcnMvZHAvQjBDUFE1MlBNRy8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXIV622xmMVWUsEFfPZNCiIEd8dpvYsBKwcvIg87nlfp&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLEGO-Star-Wars-Micro-Scale-Skywalkers%2Fdp%2FB0CPQ52PMG%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Star-Wars-Micro-Scale-Skywalkers/dp/B0CPQ52PMG/"><strong>Lego Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos ESPA Podrace Diorama 75380 for $60</strong> (25 percent off)</a>: You get LEGO brick models of Anakin Skywalker’s podracer and his rival Sebulba’s podracer in this set, and the finished product is made to be displayed.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:40;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAd1BFNDUwxUGWlfe2WFIfEOjhLVNQaoCHTZvV2XYCFqd&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLEGO-Haunted-Mansion-Nintendo-Gamers%2Fdp%2FB0CV2F99FR%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Haunted-Mansion-Nintendo-Gamers/dp/B0CV2F99FR/"><strong>Lego Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion 71436 for $60</strong> (20 percent off)</a>: This set opens out for more convenient play when it's all built, and it includes King Boo, Yellow Baby Yoshi, Dry Bones and Boo figures.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:41;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAWZJLeqz3L0lmdPhXalIJSJQmE89DZ-3TN3crvwA4RHm&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLEGO-Nabbit-Expansion-Display-Gamers%2Fdp%2FB0CHN1PLRV%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/LEGO-Nabbit-Expansion-Display-Gamers/dp/B0CHN1PLRV/?th=1"><strong>Lego Super Mario Nabbit at Toad’s Shop Expansion Set 71429 for $12 </strong>(40 percent off)</a>: This expansion set includes two brick-built characters (Yellow Toad and Nabbit), and Nabbit's bag is also buildable, too.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/a79dbab0-a383-11ef-ba7d-6eac13874efd" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/a79dbab0-a383-11ef-ba7d-6eac13874efd" style="height:1190px;width:1500px;" alt="Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy" data-uuid="3b488175-e498-33d5-8061-57f63fe4c3ad"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Lego</div></figure> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:42;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAYDp25xT4cKmmjBPvoTTgBcaTeKQmgslKBy9sn8-sH1D&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FAudible-Books-and-Originals%2Fb%3Fnode%3D18145289011" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Audible-Books-and-Originals/b?ie=UTF8&amp;node=18145289011"><strong>Audible Premium Plus (3-month) for $1 ($29 off)</strong></a>: Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Audible;elmt:;cpos:43;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=48d7033d-90c5-411b-a91f-91b092b1b53c&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Audible&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hdWRpYmxlLmNvbS9lcC9tZW1iZXJiZW5lZml0cyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hdWRpYmxlLmNvbS9lcC9tZW1iZXJiZW5lZml0cyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAATMYSYDw98aFMeZm8mZvTOSX88pMh04fsPeR02UItEFA&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.audible.com%2Fep%2Fmemberbenefits" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.audible.com/ep/memberbenefits">upper tier</a>: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:44;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2tpbmRsZS1kYnMvaHovc3Vic2NyaWJlL2t1P3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9raW5kbGUtZGJzL2h6L3N1YnNjcmliZS9rdSIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAZkkqLQzEEv5iXl3VoIgJnOqnyOvx3gnUhplgYhu0yPQ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fkindle-dbs%2Fhz%2Fsubscribe%2Fku" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/kindle-dbs/hz/subscribe/ku"><strong>Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off):</strong></a> Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Headspace;elmt:;cpos:45;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=e3494264-16cf-476b-92a8-2dfe2c12bfa0&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Headspace&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5oZWFkc3BhY2UuY29tLz8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuaGVhZHNwYWNlLmNvbS8_In0&amp;signature=AQAAAZMVKBmY7kWl2gm1a0Ia8lIrnmIWhoLfA6cEc46ht0yL&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.headspace.com%2F%3F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.headspace.com/?"><strong>Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off):</strong></a> Our top pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:46;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-meditation-app-140047993.html">best meditation app</a> has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:MasterClass;elmt:;cpos:47;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=ece2db60-ed2b-4433-8be0-79f90b069400&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=MasterClass&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5tYXN0ZXJjbGFzcy5jb20vIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm1hc3RlcmNsYXNzLmNvbS8ifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQkoLGrerp2lBuLAtZqZY0H6oZhVAFyQD2LkWNBfDTxK&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masterclass.com%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.masterclass.com/"><strong>MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off):</strong></a> Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Adobe;elmt:;cpos:48;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=73e6d253-5a10-4f58-b539-815233e32f36&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Adobe&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hZG9iZS5jb20vcHJvZHVjdHMvc3BlY2lhbC1vZmZlcnMuaHRtbD8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYWRvYmUuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL3NwZWNpYWwtb2ZmZXJzLmh0bWw_In0&amp;signature=AQAAAfZ2qVlGkEqQvKHS4UZ2_eADVtJOIH8vxGEz8mufJpr6&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adobe.com%2Fproducts%2Fspecial-offers.html%3F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.adobe.com/products/special-offers.html?"><strong>Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off):</strong></a> First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:ProtonVPN;elmt:;cpos:49;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=06a20697-4135-4e83-a421-f326eee937ed&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=ProtonVPN&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Byb3RvbnZwbi5jb20vbC9iZi12cG4tZGVhbHM_I3ByaWNpbmciLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm90b252cG4uY29tL2wvYmYtdnBuLWRlYWxzPyNwcmljaW5nIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAa2-zC-OHJxEDxrR_pzBYuuvbcCfnOI1ELkl2fFwaJEX&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fprotonvpn.com%2Fl%2Fbf-vpn-deals%3F%23pricing" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://protonvpn.com/l/bf-vpn-deals?#pricing"><strong>ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off):</strong></a> Our top pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:50;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-vpn-130004396.html">best VPN</a> is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:ExpressVPN;elmt:;cpos:51;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=4255ebf1-6185-403e-9be2-91ab47ad1ac3&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=ExpressVPN&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5leHByZXNzdnBuLmNvbS9vcmRlci1hZGRvbnMiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXhwcmVzc3Zwbi5jb20vb3JkZXItYWRkb25zIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAd46FOmLsD7G5NKmSmNWS28typr-uyhwTndCNLKSlK0f&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.expressvpn.com%2Forder-addons" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.expressvpn.com/order-addons"><strong>ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off):</strong></a> Our top pick for <a data-i13n="cpos:52;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-vpn-130004396.html">best VPN</a> for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:53;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0dvb2dsZS1QaXhlbC1XYXRjaC00NW1tLVNtYXJ0d2F0Y2gvZHAvQjBEOTEzOFpYTS8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0dvb2dsZS1QaXhlbC1XYXRjaC00NW1tLVNtYXJ0d2F0Y2gvZHAvQjBEOTEzOFpYTS8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAc6pSAikSI5Upr64I8H969PiqRDASU7NlvA7LGAShrGO&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FGoogle-Pixel-Watch-45mm-Smartwatch%2Fdp%2FB0D9138ZXM%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Google-Pixel-Watch-45mm-Smartwatch/dp/B0D9138ZXM/?th=1"><strong>Google Pixel Watch 3 for $280 ($70 off with coupon)</strong></a>: Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our <a data-i13n="cpos:54;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-smartwatches-153013118.html">guide to the best smartwatches</a> and it earned an <a data-i13n="cpos:55;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/wearables/pixel-watch-3-review-google-finally-got-it-right-especially-with-the-battery-life-170005758.html">84 in our review</a>. It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at <a data-i13n="cpos:56;pos:1" href="https://sovrn.co/wni3zq4">Best Buy</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:57;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvZ29vZ2xlLXBpeGVsLXdhdGNoLTMtNDFtbS13aWZpLW1hdHRlLWJsYWNrLWFsdW1pbnVtLWNhc2Utb2JzaWRpYW4tYmFuZC8tL0EtOTI0MjQyNDkiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGFyZ2V0LmNvbS9wL2dvb2dsZS1waXhlbC13YXRjaC0zLTQxbW0td2lmaS1tYXR0ZS1ibGFjay1hbHVtaW51bS1jYXNlLW9ic2lkaWFuLWJhbmQvLS9BLTkyNDI0MjQ5In0&amp;signature=AQAAAQim3sTmBcUQjQv6cO_7WzYtI1OW8dSpVf5QDgE-EOIu&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fgoogle-pixel-watch-3-41mm-wifi-matte-black-aluminum-case-obsidian-band%2F-%2FA-92424249" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/google-pixel-watch-3-41mm-wifi-matte-black-aluminum-case-obsidian-band/-/A-92424249">Target</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:58;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOUo2WThZNzM_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOUo2WThZNzMiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUZO0kT3m8VWALjoGXmHDeOWpTFmkCNO1SHEgCwy7LVN&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB09J6Y8Y73" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09J6Y8Y73?th=1"><strong>Google Nest Indoor security camera (wired) for $70 ($30 off):</strong></a> Google's security camera can tell the difference between people, animals and vehicles while it's monitoring your home, and it supports 1080p video, night vision and two-way audio.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:59;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2FsbC1uZXctYW1hem9uLWZpcmUtdHYtc3RpY2stNGstbWF4L2RwL0IwQlA5U05WSDkvP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9hbGwtbmV3LWFtYXpvbi1maXJlLXR2LXN0aWNrLTRrLW1heC9kcC9CMEJQOVNOVkg5LyIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAASNd_L-UuTL7cN92-Of6Oan1WMOCaqoe3XfptUTt17Vm&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fall-new-amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max%2Fdp%2FB0BP9SNVH9%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/all-new-amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max/dp/B0BP9SNVH9/"><strong>Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 ($27 off):</strong></a> Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a <a data-i13n="cpos:60;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-is-better-as-a-retro-gaming-device-than-a-streamer-160022685.html">good retro gaming device</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:61;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwREdNMU03R0I_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwREdNMU03R0IiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZkct_SdYMIfbu-PdFgmwxroUOpLAgPMhtIcApo7b7bf&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DGM1M7GB" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DGM1M7GB"><strong>Blink Outdoor 4 (6-pack) for $180 ($300 off)</strong></a>: The Outdoor 4 is a wireless, <a data-i13n="cpos:62;pos:1" href="https://www.iec.ch/ip-ratings">IP65-rated</a> outdoor security camera we highlight in our guide to the <a data-i13n="cpos:63;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-smart-home-devices-154557162.html">best smart home gadgets</a>. It captures decent (if not class-leading) 1080p video, it's relatively painless to install and it supports features like night vision, motion alerts, local storage and two-way talking. The catch is that it locks things like person detection and cloud storage behind a <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:64;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAXMXWmSjQe_jcvVjdFInYlkuHHYAXq1Fi1Mx9qLYuza4&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBlink-Basic-Plan-monthly-auto-renewal%2Fdp%2FB08J5F15KG" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Basic-Plan-monthly-auto-renewal/dp/B08J5F15KG">subscription plan</a>. Still, it's a solid value on balance, and this deal furthers that. We've seen this price on a six-camera bundle for a few weeks, but it's still an all-time low. An <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:65;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0JsaW5rLU91dGRvb3ItNHRoLUdlbi1XaXJlLWZyZWUvZHAvQjBER01RWTVCOD90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vQmxpbmstT3V0ZG9vci00dGgtR2VuLVdpcmUtZnJlZS9kcC9CMERHTVFZNUI4IiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAdV9IuFyXRFql_QcObqpJxV9X6sSqJopkIKSySVoUrab&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBlink-Outdoor-4th-Gen-Wire-free%2Fdp%2FB0DGMQY5B8" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Outdoor-4th-Gen-Wire-free/dp/B0DGMQY5B8?th=1">eight-camera pack</a> is also on sale for $250, another low.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-05/c87f63c0-13a8-11ef-b6fd-c3b3d8394363" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-05/c87f63c0-13a8-11ef-b6fd-c3b3d8394363" style="height:1201px;width:2000px;" alt="Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max" data-uuid="2ee9ab70-7adf-34af-9da4-e07defdc066e"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget</div></figure> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:66;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9MRy02NS1DbGFzcy00Sy1VSEQtT0xFRC1XZWItT1MtU21hcnQtVFYtd2l0aC1Eb2xieS1WaXNpb24tQjMtU2VyaWVzLU9MRUQ2NUIzUFVBLzI3OTkzOTE3NzciLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FsbWFydC5jb20vaXAvTEctNjUtQ2xhc3MtNEstVUhELU9MRUQtV2ViLU9TLVNtYXJ0LVRWLXdpdGgtRG9sYnktVmlzaW9uLUIzLVNlcmllcy1PTEVENjVCM1BVQS8yNzk5MzkxNzc3In0&amp;signature=AQAAAVIqVlcIxKP8AofSRBzcaYP9cyKyEpK-OhB7SifDFs0b&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLG-65-Class-4K-UHD-OLED-Web-OS-Smart-TV-with-Dolby-Vision-B3-Series-OLED65B3PUA%2F2799391777" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/LG-65-Class-4K-UHD-OLED-Web-OS-Smart-TV-with-Dolby-Vision-B3-Series-OLED65B3PUA/2799391777"><strong>LG 65-inch B3 OLED smart TV for $998 ($301 off):</strong></a> This OLED TV has a 120Hz refresh rate, LG's a7 AI processor Gen 6, and support for NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR for an even better gaming experience. A 65-inch OLED set under $1,000 is a great deal, as it's more common to see 55-inch TVs drop below that threshold during sale events.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:67;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAZdjYFU_bBDkGygFZHxlUEL32F56nN_F2rUhwhsNWUDM&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHisense-55-Inch-Mini-LED-Google-55U8N%2Fdp%2FB0CY4TQ91Q" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Hisense-55-Inch-Mini-LED-Google-55U8N/dp/B0CY4TQ91Q?th=1"><strong>Hisense U8N 4K TV (55-inch) for $698 ($402 off)</strong></a>: The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at <a data-i13n="cpos:68;pos:1" href="https://sovrn.co/1nblcch">Best Buy</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:69;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NBTVNVTkctUS1TeW1waG9ueS1DdXN0b21pemFibGUtSFctTFM2MEQtWkEvZHAvQjBDVEtUODg2Sy8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NBTVNVTkctUS1TeW1waG9ueS1DdXN0b21pemFibGUtSFctTFM2MEQtWkEvZHAvQjBDVEtUODg2Sy8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAbyhKUwbkjJ9zkVc1SAqxMNg_U_uMlF7ThOfqYId8B7x&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSAMSUNG-Q-Symphony-Customizable-HW-LS60D-ZA%2Fdp%2FB0CTKT886K%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Q-Symphony-Customizable-HW-LS60D-ZA/dp/B0CTKT886K/"><strong>Samsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off):</strong></a> This unique smart speaker can show art or your own photos while it plays music, and it can sync with your Samsung TV speakers. Also available at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:70;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL3dpcmVsZXNzLXNwZWFrZXJzL211c2ljLWZyYW1lLWh3LWxzNjBkLXphLyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL3dpcmVsZXNzLXNwZWFrZXJzL211c2ljLWZyYW1lLWh3LWxzNjBkLXphLyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAATcj3d_JAWWgX6bzMSyUpLR4NRKLjzcGzePKU-cFUqXp&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Ftelevisions-home-theater%2Fhome-theater%2Fwireless-speakers%2Fmusic-frame-hw-ls60d-za%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/home-theater/wireless-speakers/music-frame-hw-ls60d-za/">Samsung</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:71;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NBTVNVTkctQW5kcm9pZC1TcGVha2Vycy1VcGdyYWRlZC1DaGlwc2V0L2RwL0IwQ0xGSDdDQ1Y_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMjAwODI5YTAtYWJiZS00OTMzLWJkYmItODIzYWJmODkxZTk3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NBTVNVTkctQW5kcm9pZC1TcGVha2Vycy1VcGdyYWRlZC1DaGlwc2V0L2RwL0IwQ0xGSDdDQ1YiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAR7SXveLUfbqJfABwIzejIIH987gMech37p8FQt53VST&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSAMSUNG-Android-Speakers-Upgraded-Chipset%2Fdp%2FB0CLFH7CCV" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Android-Speakers-Upgraded-Chipset/dp/B0CLFH7CCV?th=1"><strong>Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $150 ($70 off):</strong></a> Our top pick for the best budget <a data-i13n="cpos:72;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-android-tablet-120007530.html">Android tablet</a> sports an 11-inch 90Hz display, a microSD card slot for extra storage and a hefty battery.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:73;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAWefpsFcqL2RLBGd8-cMixU47KzeeVBZLK_sxGY5ldvm&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSAMSUNG-Portable-Professionals-MU-PG4T0B-AM%2Fdp%2FB0CHFSZX9W" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Portable-Professionals-MU-PG4T0B-AM/dp/B0CHFSZX9W?th=1"><strong>Samsung T9 portable SSD (4TB) for $299 ($250 off):</strong></a> The latest model in the T-series of Samsung's portable drives supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, and it has dynamic thermal guard to keep it cool even when you're pushing it to its limits. Also available at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:74;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAU-JjHy7RqwT0ESSK2tr75TacwOXjQRqhPok2nPcam01&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Fcomputing%2Fmemory-storage%2Fportable-solid-state-drives%2Fportable-ssd-t9-usb-3-2-4tb-black-mu-pg4t0b-am%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/computing/memory-storage/portable-solid-state-drives/portable-ssd-t9-usb-3-2-4tb-black-mu-pg4t0b-am/">Samsung</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:75;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAeAJEMyvA_T6x8FD1g8otfYpOrlr5wGIeRtjhTwAepc0&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSegway-Electric-G30LP-Long-range-Lightweight%2Fdp%2FB0C65CMKTK%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Segway-Electric-G30LP-Long-range-Lightweight/dp/B0C65CMKTK/?th=1"><strong>Segway Ninebot Max G2 electric scooter for $775 ($225 off):</strong></a> The latest electric scooter from Segway can reach a maximum speed of up to 25mph, and it can run for up to 43 miles in Eco mode.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Solo Stove;elmt:;cpos:76;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f5421854-3d3e-46b7-ba38-db91920c7f00&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Solo+Stove&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3NvbG9zdG92ZS5jb20vZW4tdXMvcC9ib25maXJlLWJhY2t5YXJkLWJ1bmRsZT9za3U9QllCLUJPTkZJUkUtMi4wLVYyIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vc29sb3N0b3ZlLmNvbS9lbi11cy9wL2JvbmZpcmUtYmFja3lhcmQtYnVuZGxlP3NrdT1CWUItQk9ORklSRS0yLjAtVjIifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXtqpane4cT0kwQ6YKGfC8Vu95oYx3hHiHOuuoTzG8PY&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fsolostove.com%2Fen-us%2Fp%2Fbonfire-backyard-bundle%3Fsku%3DBYB-BONFIRE-2.0-V2" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://solostove.com/en-us/p/bonfire-backyard-bundle?sku=BYB-BONFIRE-2.0-V2"><strong>Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard Bundle for $400 ($180 off):</strong></a> Solo Stove Black Friday deals include up to 30 percent off fit pit bundles that give you all of the necessary accessories to make the most out of your new fire pit. Alternatively, you can pick up the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:77;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NvbG8tU3RvdmUtQm9uZmlyZS0yLTAtU3RhbmQvZHAvQjBCN0JGSjVZNj90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vU29sby1TdG92ZS1Cb25maXJlLTItMC1TdGFuZC9kcC9CMEI3QkZKNVk2IiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAfVPbumsjQp3o5RJlXiHBel7oRCPzdbDK808eCli_t1l&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSolo-Stove-Bonfire-2-0-Stand%2Fdp%2FB0B7BFJ5Y6" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Solo-Stove-Bonfire-2-0-Stand/dp/B0B7BFJ5Y6?th=1">Bonfire fire pit with its stand</a> over at Amazon for only $196.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Ooni Pizza Ovens;elmt:;cpos:78;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=0de15002-ec35-49d8-b24c-3d060213cd2b&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Ooni+Pizza+Ovens&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL29vbmkuY29tL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL292ZW5zIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIyMDA4MjlhMC1hYmJlLTQ5MzMtYmRiYi04MjNhYmY4OTFlOTciLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vb29uaS5jb20vY29sbGVjdGlvbnMvb3ZlbnMifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAcA3CEkPW5651d5WVqwUEizd80PNFJ1CIAimQ9AlBK7i&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fooni.com%2Fcollections%2Fovens" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://ooni.com/collections/ovens"><strong>Ooni Black Friday deals: Get 20 percent off pizza ovens:</strong></a> Most pizza ovens at Ooni have been discounted, including a few of our favorites. The <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Ooni Pizza Ovens;elmt:;cpos:79;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=0de15002-ec35-49d8-b24c-3d060213cd2b&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=200829a0-abbe-4933-bdbb-823abf891e97&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Ooni+Pizza+Ovens&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL29vbmkuY29tL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL292ZW5zL3Byb2R1Y3RzL29vbmkta2FydS0xNj8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjIwMDgyOWEwLWFiYmUtNDkzMy1iZGJiLTgyM2FiZjg5MWU5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9vb25pLmNvbS9jb2xsZWN0aW9ucy9vdmVucy9wcm9kdWN0cy9vb25pLWthcnUtMTY_In0&amp;signature=AQAAAf7i1MENjHkm4-EJ-NqycF2LHCOeMaBIMjnu1j4wD_n2&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fooni.com%2Fcollections%2Fovens%2Fproducts%2Fooni-karu-16%3F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://ooni.com/collections/ovens/products/ooni-karu-16?">Karu 16 multi-fuel oven</a> is down to $519, a whopping $280 off its normal price.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-black-friday-faqs">Black Friday FAQs</h2> <h3 id="jump-link-when-is-black-friday-2024">When is Black Friday 2024?</h3> <p>Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 this year.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-when-do-black-friday-deals-start">When do Black Friday deals start?</h3> <p>We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and you’ll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-when-do-black-friday-deals-end">When do Black Friday deals end?</h3> <p>Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, we’ve seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-where-are-the-best-black-friday-deals">Where are the best Black Friday deals?</h3> <p>There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available — both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure you’re getting the best deal before you cross things off your list.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-does-apple-have-black-friday-deals">Does Apple have Black Friday deals?</h3> <p>You typically will not find cash discounts on Apple’s website for Black Friday, though it has offered various gift card bundles during Black Friday in recent years. You may be able to find local Apple store discounts on accessories, but Apple isn’t a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:80;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:81;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-40-black-friday-tech-deals-worth-shopping-from-amazon-walmart-apple-anker-and-others-163039567.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>We’ve tested scores of speakers over the years, and the best ones have made their way into three of our buying guides: <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-soundbars-143041791.html">soundbars</a>, <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-portable-bluetooth-speakers-133004551.html">portable speakers</a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-smart-speakers-151515264.html">smart speakers</a>. Right now <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/">Black Friday</a> sales are already underway, bringing notable discounts to a few of our top picks.&nbsp;</p> <p>Amazon's <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/when-is-black-friday-2024">says</a> its Black Friday deals will start in earnest November 21, and we expect other retailers to follow suit. That means there will be far more Bluetooth speakers, smart speakers, and soundbars on sale at that point — and we'll update this post as soon as those new discounts go live. In the meantime, brands like JBL and Bose are already on sale. As of this writing, these are the best Black Friday deals on speakers we could find.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><h2 id="jump-link-the-best-bluetooth-speaker-black-friday-deals">The best Bluetooth speaker Black Friday deals</h2> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/39fda2b0-a75f-11ef-bf5e-99d93cb5b493" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/39fda2b0-a75f-11ef-bf5e-99d93cb5b493" style="height:640px;width:960px;" alt="The JBL Flip 6 sits on the pavement on a city street at night. " data-uuid="2b2e740c-9322-365d-979c-ae5261ea9f5d"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">JBL</div></figure> <p>Portable Bluetooth speakers make it easy for you to bring the music where plugs don’t reach — a picnic, the front stoop, an aimless wander along the North Country Trail. And right now for Black Friday, we’re seeing plenty of Bluetooth speaker black Friday deals. Below is the best of what’s on sale, all pulled from our <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-portable-bluetooth-speakers-133004551.html">Bluetooth speaker guide</a> as well as our reviews and news coverage.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-the-best-jbl-speaker-black-friday-deals">The best JBL speaker Black Friday deals</h2> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1RQNTZDNVI_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1RQNTZDNVIiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAaME94MdH_9dkLm_ffwxygDMzJz-3336_SLoVeGW-VTy&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CTP56C5R" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTP56C5R?th=1"><strong>JBL Clip 5 for $50 ($30 off)</strong></a>: It’s tiny, portable and brings its own clip along with it. You’ll get 12 hours of listening from its waterproof body and the whole thing weighs just over half a pound.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:JBL;elmt:;cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f671e4c0-78f5-4be4-a1dc-bc74e91d5c55&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=JBL&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5qYmwuY29tL2JsdWV0b290aC1zcGVha2Vycy9GTElQLTYtLmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuamJsLmNvbS9ibHVldG9vdGgtc3BlYWtlcnMvRkxJUC02LS5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAUbh6ZOzDV7rcX8xmQRagD-h6UJu55XQh4kTXDn_zBnZ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jbl.com%2Fbluetooth-speakers%2FFLIP-6-.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.jbl.com/bluetooth-speakers/FLIP-6-.html"><strong>JBL Flip 6 for $80 ($50 off)</strong></a><strong>: </strong>This is the one I bought after reading our guide and I love it. The crowler-sized speaker has great sound quality, is durable as heck and can either sit on its end or on its side. Plus it’s waterproof, dustproof and packs 12 hours of playtime. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOUdKVlRSTlo_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOUdKVlRSTloiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAR7tbBh7WyYBvnacCFDRnuN7tKe2qqP48j1l1nX26RmP&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB09GJVTRNZ" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09GJVTRNZ?th=1">Amazon</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9KQkwtRmxpcC02LVBvcnRhYmxlLVdhdGVycHJvb2YtU3BlYWtlci1CbGFjay8yOTUyMzQ4MjQiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FsbWFydC5jb20vaXAvSkJMLUZsaXAtNi1Qb3J0YWJsZS1XYXRlcnByb29mLVNwZWFrZXItQmxhY2svMjk1MjM0ODI0In0&amp;signature=AQAAAaeVXLZP7dMKw-OWTjlNgfLHajMNxe73AzK50nNgbZLn&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FJBL-Flip-6-Portable-Waterproof-Speaker-Black%2F295234824" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/JBL-Flip-6-Portable-Waterproof-Speaker-Black/295234824">Walmart</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOE5MQ1c5V1k_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOE5MQ1c5V1kiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAfCx_hDMG0-GtY5Yv_z4E1wkv22QFpOjiVSbFAhwU1fN&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08NLCW9WY" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NLCW9WY?th=1"><strong>JBL Xtreme 3 for $250 ($80 off)</strong></a><strong>: </strong>We compare the size of the Xtreme 3 to a football, but since it weighs over four pounds JBL includes a strap for easier carrying. Like most portable speakers it’s waterproof and dust-proof. The lively highs and hefty lows sound great outside, but really the speaker really shines when it can resonate indoors. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:JBL;elmt:;cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f671e4c0-78f5-4be4-a1dc-bc74e91d5c55&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=JBL&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5qYmwuY29tL2JsdWV0b290aC1zcGVha2Vycy9YVFJFTUUtMy0uaHRtbCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5qYmwuY29tL2JsdWV0b290aC1zcGVha2Vycy9YVFJFTUUtMy0uaHRtbCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAW8bcOOu8g-2qgJzT1BDsXq1ifLqqjZ79VJesF-NSkli&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jbl.com%2Fbluetooth-speakers%2FXTREME-3-.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.jbl.com/bluetooth-speakers/XTREME-3-.html">JBL</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:JBL;elmt:;cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f671e4c0-78f5-4be4-a1dc-bc74e91d5c55&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=JBL&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5qYmwuY29tL2JsdWV0b290aC1zcGVha2Vycy9YVFJFTUUtNC5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjMDExZGE4OC1lZjVlLTRjODUtYTBiNy1iZTc2N2E0MzYxZDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmpibC5jb20vYmx1ZXRvb3RoLXNwZWFrZXJzL1hUUkVNRS00Lmh0bWwifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUdcuuHgpcaDZB8n5m_rk04eBhPhEjbWW7h9ddtnzQ3E&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jbl.com%2Fbluetooth-speakers%2FXTREME-4.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.jbl.com/bluetooth-speakers/XTREME-4.html"><strong>JBL Xtreme 4 for $300 ($80 off)</strong></a>: The latest generation of our recommended JBL Xtreme adds around nine hours of battery life and a <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvamJsLXh0cmVtZS00LWJsdWV0b290aC1zcGVha2VyLXdpdGgtZ3Nwb3J0LXNpbGljb25lLXNsZWV2ZS8tL0EtOTM2MjA0ODUiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGFyZ2V0LmNvbS9wL2pibC14dHJlbWUtNC1ibHVldG9vdGgtc3BlYWtlci13aXRoLWdzcG9ydC1zaWxpY29uZS1zbGVldmUvLS9BLTkzNjIwNDg1In0&amp;signature=AQAAAdKWvmHtvwTsojgt6DDtovpjBvAHLXizfk4Ez87uWdOh&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fjbl-xtreme-4-bluetooth-speaker-with-gsport-silicone-sleeve%2F-%2FA-93620485" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/jbl-xtreme-4-bluetooth-speaker-with-gsport-silicone-sleeve/-/A-93620485">replaceable battery</a>. It’s also made from more recycled content and throws in some AI-powered tuning. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvamJsLXh0cmVtZS00LWJsdWV0b290aC1zcGVha2VyLXdpdGgtZ3Nwb3J0LXNpbGljb25lLXNsZWV2ZS8tL0EtOTM2MjA0ODUiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGFyZ2V0LmNvbS9wL2pibC14dHJlbWUtNC1ibHVldG9vdGgtc3BlYWtlci13aXRoLWdzcG9ydC1zaWxpY29uZS1zbGVldmUvLS9BLTkzNjIwNDg1In0&amp;signature=AQAAAdKWvmHtvwTsojgt6DDtovpjBvAHLXizfk4Ez87uWdOh&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fjbl-xtreme-4-bluetooth-speaker-with-gsport-silicone-sleeve%2F-%2FA-93620485" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/jbl-xtreme-4-bluetooth-speaker-with-gsport-silicone-sleeve/-/A-93620485">Target</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDFKRzhDUkM_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDFKRzhDUkMiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAe9fBUB6u3PRS7RlYYnc29KuBGtZo8sva8KlWNL247iE&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0D1JG8CRC" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D1JG8CRC"><strong>JBL Go 4 for $40 ($10 off)</strong></a>: JBL’s smallest portable speaker has up to seven hours of battery life on a charge, has an IP67 waterproof rating and has a tiny built-in carry strap so you can bring it wherever you go. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:JBL;elmt:;cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f671e4c0-78f5-4be4-a1dc-bc74e91d5c55&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=JBL&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5qYmwuY29tL2JsdWV0b290aC1zcGVha2Vycy9HTy00Lmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuamJsLmNvbS9ibHVldG9vdGgtc3BlYWtlcnMvR08tNC5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAfhye3n55bh4xVK3aYkraa0MCHxfAIHTc5KXGHw5Bu-r&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jbl.com%2Fbluetooth-speakers%2FGO-4.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.jbl.com/bluetooth-speakers/GO-4.html">JBL</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:18;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/icyn4h0" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/icyn4h0">Best Buy</a>.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-the-best-bose-speaker-black-friday-deals">The best Bose speaker Black Friday deals</h2> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-10/21114000-8012-11ef-9ffd-a63317c9a4b5" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-10/21114000-8012-11ef-9ffd-a63317c9a4b5" style="height:1080px;width:1920px;" alt="The Bose SoundLink Home speaker sitting on a shelf next to a glass. Lifestyle marketing image." data-uuid="50ec3037-0093-3107-95a9-f65a7a892e12"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Bose</div></figure> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Bose;elmt:;cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=da41807c-aae5-49ff-b905-2c3f70122c64&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Bose&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5ib3NlLmNvbS9wL3NwZWFrZXJzL3NvdW5kbGluay1ob21lLWJsdWV0b290aC1zcGVha2VyL1NMSE0tU1BFQUtFUldJUkVMRVNTLmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYm9zZS5jb20vcC9zcGVha2Vycy9zb3VuZGxpbmstaG9tZS1ibHVldG9vdGgtc3BlYWtlci9TTEhNLVNQRUFLRVJXSVJFTEVTUy5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAe9LgeujC_UaTkRZ4wJZfzZP2skcjW8LfV7bN8gh8UN6&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bose.com%2Fp%2Fspeakers%2Fsoundlink-home-bluetooth-speaker%2FSLHM-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bose.com/p/speakers/soundlink-home-bluetooth-speaker/SLHM-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html"><strong>Bose SoundLink Home for $199 ($20 off)</strong></a>: It’s a smaller speaker at just two pounds but Bose <a data-i13n="cpos:20;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/the-bose-soundlink-home-brings-premium-audio-to-a-small-and-portable-package-171006213.html">promises premium sound</a> from the SoundLink Home. We haven't had the chance to test it ourselves just yet, but if the sleek good looks are calling to you, this discount might be a good time to invest. Just note that it’s not waterproof as the “Home” moniker suggests.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvQjBENldCN0JWNi9yZWY9ZXdjX3ByX2ltZ18xP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9ncC9wcm9kdWN0L0IwRDZXQjdCVjYvcmVmPWV3Y19wcl9pbWdfMSIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAV8Gb4M2hFdxqwWIcTKEOGrdWsIq3bQqdT08TUWTiOMW&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB0D6WB7BV6%2Fref%3Dewc_pr_img_1" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D6WB7BV6/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;th=1"><strong>Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd gen) for $119 ($30 off)</strong></a>: When Bose <a data-i13n="cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/the-bose-soundlink-home-brings-premium-audio-to-a-small-and-portable-package-171006213.html">announced the release</a> of the SoundLink Home, the company also introduced this revamped Flex. The first generation is one of the picks from our Bluetooth speaker <a data-i13n="cpos:23;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-portable-bluetooth-speakers-133004551.html">guide</a>. This newer generation works with the Bose app and has a new programmable button. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Bose;elmt:;cpos:24;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=da41807c-aae5-49ff-b905-2c3f70122c64&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Bose&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5ib3NlLmNvbS9wL3NwZWFrZXJzL2Jvc2Utc291bmRsaW5rLWZsZXgtcG9ydGFibGUtc3BlYWtlci0ybmQtZ2VuL1NMRkxYSUktU1BFQUtFUldJUkVMRVNTLmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYm9zZS5jb20vcC9zcGVha2Vycy9ib3NlLXNvdW5kbGluay1mbGV4LXBvcnRhYmxlLXNwZWFrZXItMm5kLWdlbi9TTEZMWElJLVNQRUFLRVJXSVJFTEVTUy5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAVvFTE-2eueioQ41wQagRu9yGs29eJoesHUgt69_RQDj&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bose.com%2Fp%2Fspeakers%2Fbose-soundlink-flex-portable-speaker-2nd-gen%2FSLFLXII-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bose.com/p/speakers/bose-soundlink-flex-portable-speaker-2nd-gen/SLFLXII-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html">Bose</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:25;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/1p4sp73" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/1p4sp73">Best Buy</a>. The <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:26;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0Jvc2UtU291bmRMaW5rLUJsdWV0b290aC1Qb3J0YWJsZS1XYXRlcnByb29mL2RwL0IwQ1BZUEdINVI_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0Jvc2UtU291bmRMaW5rLUJsdWV0b290aC1Qb3J0YWJsZS1XYXRlcnByb29mL2RwL0IwQ1BZUEdINVIiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAVrOBMEuwFLm5uHSJBXIZiHZPB9q7wiyqvibeK-LA684&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBose-SoundLink-Bluetooth-Portable-Waterproof%2Fdp%2FB0CPYPGH5R" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Bose-SoundLink-Bluetooth-Portable-Waterproof/dp/B0CPYPGH5R?th=1">first generation model</a> is on sale for the same price.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Bose;elmt:;cpos:27;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=da41807c-aae5-49ff-b905-2c3f70122c64&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Bose&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5ib3NlLmNvbS9wL3NwZWFrZXJzL2Jvc2Utc291bmRsaW5rLW1heC1wb3J0YWJsZS1zcGVha2VyL1NMTUFYLVNQRUFLRVJXSVJFTEVTUy5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjMDExZGE4OC1lZjVlLTRjODUtYTBiNy1iZTc2N2E0MzYxZDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJvc2UuY29tL3Avc3BlYWtlcnMvYm9zZS1zb3VuZGxpbmstbWF4LXBvcnRhYmxlLXNwZWFrZXIvU0xNQVgtU1BFQUtFUldJUkVMRVNTLmh0bWwifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXlfAfgba1fNiUdQLi5Boue_P9WfrRlJY2ugZPi3V6T4&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bose.com%2Fp%2Fspeakers%2Fbose-soundlink-max-portable-speaker%2FSLMAX-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bose.com/p/speakers/bose-soundlink-max-portable-speaker/SLMAX-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html"><strong>Bose SoundLink Max for $299 ($100 off)</strong></a>: The largest portable speaker Bose makes is part of the new SoundLink lineup which Bose <a data-i13n="cpos:28;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/boses-soundlink-max-is-its-largest-portable-bluetooth-speaker-with-20-hour-battery-life-130043418.html">announced in May</a>. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:29;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvQjBDVkwxSzdEWC9yZWY9ZXdjX3ByX2ltZ18xP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9ncC9wcm9kdWN0L0IwQ1ZMMUs3RFgvcmVmPWV3Y19wcl9pbWdfMSIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAYy2ZRrxSrzFvKPK-cGCX7cM5o7Mshb-dO7gqTjtj10g&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB0CVL1K7DX%2Fref%3Dewc_pr_img_1" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CVL1K7DX/ref=ewc_pr_img_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&amp;th=1">Amazon</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Bose;elmt:;cpos:30;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=da41807c-aae5-49ff-b905-2c3f70122c64&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Bose&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5ib3NlLmNvbS9wL3NwZWFrZXJzL2Jvc2Utc291bmRsaW5rLW1heC1wb3J0YWJsZS1zcGVha2VyL1NMTUFYLVNQRUFLRVJXSVJFTEVTUy5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjMDExZGE4OC1lZjVlLTRjODUtYTBiNy1iZTc2N2E0MzYxZDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJvc2UuY29tL3Avc3BlYWtlcnMvYm9zZS1zb3VuZGxpbmstbWF4LXBvcnRhYmxlLXNwZWFrZXIvU0xNQVgtU1BFQUtFUldJUkVMRVNTLmh0bWwifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXlfAfgba1fNiUdQLi5Boue_P9WfrRlJY2ugZPi3V6T4&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bose.com%2Fp%2Fspeakers%2Fbose-soundlink-max-portable-speaker%2FSLMAX-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bose.com/p/speakers/bose-soundlink-max-portable-speaker/SLMAX-SPEAKERWIRELESS.html">Target</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Bose;elmt:;cpos:31;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=da41807c-aae5-49ff-b905-2c3f70122c64&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Bose&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5ib3NlLmNvbS9wL2hvbWUtdGhlYXRlci9ib3NlLXNtYXJ0LXNvdW5kYmFyL1NTQi1TT1VOREJBUi5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjMDExZGE4OC1lZjVlLTRjODUtYTBiNy1iZTc2N2E0MzYxZDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJvc2UuY29tL3AvaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL2Jvc2Utc21hcnQtc291bmRiYXIvU1NCLVNPVU5EQkFSLmh0bWwifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQ0JvINpeY3dMlQUY6WoNJS7KM2uLlrzGZx6vv8Ce9fF&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bose.com%2Fp%2Fhome-theater%2Fbose-smart-soundbar%2FSSB-SOUNDBAR.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bose.com/p/home-theater/bose-smart-soundbar/SSB-SOUNDBAR.html"><strong>Bose Smart Soundbar for $399 ($100 off)</strong></a>: The latest Bose soundbar came out <a data-i13n="cpos:32;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/boses-latest-soundbar-can-use-the-ultra-open-earbuds-as-rear-speakers-130002782.html">just a couple months ago</a> and is already on sale. It’s a smaller model that supports Dolby Atmos and has an AI Dialogue Mode as well as a Personal Surround feature if you happen to own a pair of the <a data-i13n="cpos:33;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/bose-ultra-open-earbuds-review-function-meets-fashion-140015467.html">Ultra Open Earbuds</a>. Bose says the AI smarts make voices easier to hear while retaining the audio’s immersive qualities. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:34;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0Jvc2UtU291bmRiYXItQmx1ZXRvb3RoLUFzc2lzdGFudC1DYXBhYmlsaXRpZXMvZHAvQjBENlc4WFE2Si8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0Jvc2UtU291bmRiYXItQmx1ZXRvb3RoLUFzc2lzdGFudC1DYXBhYmlsaXRpZXMvZHAvQjBENlc4WFE2Si8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUCxAiynzzxn03g0JHafjdbuw-bQpFsKuE8VrYo2soSh&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBose-Soundbar-Bluetooth-Assistant-Capabilities%2Fdp%2FB0D6W8XQ6J%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Bose-Soundbar-Bluetooth-Assistant-Capabilities/dp/B0D6W8XQ6J/">Amazon</a>.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-other-black-friday-bluetooth-speaker-deals">Other Black Friday Bluetooth speaker deals</h2> <p><a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:35;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/mmpmzzt" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/mmpmzzt"><strong><ins>Marshall Willen for $70 ($50 or 42 percent off)</ins></strong></a>: This is close to an all-time low price on a tiny music box that we named one of our <a data-i13n="cpos:36;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/what-we-bought-our-favorite-gadgets-of-2023-140016145.html"><ins>favorite gadgets</ins></a> from last year. Engadget’s Sara Fielding thinks it’s perfect, saying, “The sound quality is great and it stays connected to my phone regardless of where I go in my little house (the range is 30 feet). Plus, the battery is great, with a playtime of over 15 hours.”</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:37;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NvbnktQmx1ZXRvb3RoLVdhdGVycHJvb2YtU2hvY2twcm9vZi1EZXRhY2hhYmxlL2RwL0IwQ1hMNUtUQkQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NvbnktQmx1ZXRvb3RoLVdhdGVycHJvb2YtU2hvY2twcm9vZi1EZXRhY2hhYmxlL2RwL0IwQ1hMNUtUQkQiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAbPj6yABS1fy1z3pgAk3WH0EfpsKEl3poQPxdnm8lRV5&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSony-Bluetooth-Waterproof-Shockproof-Detachable%2Fdp%2FB0CXL5KTBD" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Bluetooth-Waterproof-Shockproof-Detachable/dp/B0CXL5KTBD?th=1"><strong>Sony ULT Field 1 for $98 ($32 off)</strong></a>: Earlier this year, Sony waved goodbye to the Extra Bass and XE-Series products, <a data-i13n="cpos:38;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/sonys-new-ult-bluetooth-speakers-are-bringing-back-the-90s-bass-boost-button-160056401.html">folding them into</a> the new ULT Power Series branding. This 1.4-pound unit has a 12-hour battery life and IP67 rating. This matches the all-time low. It's two dollars more at <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:39;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/2o83kql" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/2o83kql">Best Buy</a> and direct from <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Sony Electronics;elmt:;cpos:40;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=15ca523d-d465-4d35-84bc-dfe76350e474&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Sony+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLnNvbnkuY29tL2F1ZGlvL3NwZWFrZXJzL2FsbC1zcGVha2Vycy9wL3Nyc3VsdDEwLWIiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9lbGVjdHJvbmljcy5zb255LmNvbS9hdWRpby9zcGVha2Vycy9hbGwtc3BlYWtlcnMvcC9zcnN1bHQxMC1iIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAQ1i_TgJ7aRbJ-ORJDE0625_EJjMvSGxnXWKHK2i03_Q&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.sony.com%2Faudio%2Fspeakers%2Fall-speakers%2Fp%2Fsrsult10-b" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://electronics.sony.com/audio/speakers/all-speakers/p/srsult10-b">Sony</a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:41;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0RKV1RXTUI_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0RKV1RXTUIiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAeqMEbO_wugusp5lcy8fvFO4lMQ2EX5XP0nFxK9SHJCL&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CDJWTWMB" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CDJWTWMB?th=1"><strong>Anker Soundcore Motion 300 for $60 ($20 off with coupon)</strong></a>: Weighing in at less than two pounds, Anker’s speaker has a bright, punchy output with a crisp high end and thumpy bass. Plus it’s waterproof and goes for 13 hours on a charge. No wonder it made our list of the best speakers. Also direct from <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Soundcore UK;elmt:;cpos:42;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=5f8af95c-5faa-4f72-a4d8-1070ea36d376&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Soundcore+UK&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zb3VuZGNvcmUuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL21vdGlvbi0zMDAtc3BlYWtlci1hMzEzNTAxMT92YXJpYW50PTQzMTIzMDc2NjI4NjcwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJjMDExZGE4OC1lZjVlLTRjODUtYTBiNy1iZTc2N2E0MzYxZDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnNvdW5kY29yZS5jb20vcHJvZHVjdHMvbW90aW9uLTMwMC1zcGVha2VyLWEzMTM1MDExP3ZhcmlhbnQ9NDMxMjMwNzY2Mjg2NzAifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUmhb7DIIudPhZwmk6-wFGnRFnheZXu7-MD0i5nFvtVQ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.soundcore.com%2Fproducts%2Fmotion-300-speaker-a3135011%3Fvariant%3D43123076628670" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.soundcore.com/products/motion-300-speaker-a3135011?variant=43123076628670">Soundcore</a>.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-black-friday-smart-speaker-deals-from-samsung">Black Friday smart speaker deals from Samsung</h2> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:43;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NBTVNVTkctUS1TeW1waG9ueS1DdXN0b21pemFibGUtSFctTFM2MEQtWkEvZHAvQjBDVEtUODg2Sy8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NBTVNVTkctUS1TeW1waG9ueS1DdXN0b21pemFibGUtSFctTFM2MEQtWkEvZHAvQjBDVEtUODg2Sy8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAbByKbOOL2eIXMmdMML7NPc_MdglTdof5rQBMCdFW8NH&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSAMSUNG-Q-Symphony-Customizable-HW-LS60D-ZA%2Fdp%2FB0CTKT886K%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-Q-Symphony-Customizable-HW-LS60D-ZA/dp/B0CTKT886K/"><strong>Samsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off)</strong></a>: Samsung first announced its Music Frame <a data-i13n="cpos:44;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-music-frame-speaker-is-now-available-for-preorder-for-400-150002344.html">back in January at CES 2024</a>. It takes its cue from the Frame TV that disguises itself as art. This wireless speaker has room for your own (physical) photo within its frame, along with two woofers, two tweeters and two mid-range drivers to spit out sound from your favorite streaming services. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:45;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/xowq9j0" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/xowq9j0">Best Buy</a> and directly from <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:46;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL3dpcmVsZXNzLXNwZWFrZXJzL211c2ljLWZyYW1lLWh3LWxzNjBkLXphLyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYzAxMWRhODgtZWY1ZS00Yzg1LWEwYjctYmU3NjdhNDM2MWQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL3dpcmVsZXNzLXNwZWFrZXJzL211c2ljLWZyYW1lLWh3LWxzNjBkLXphLyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAQ3zkch0DUgJimEI3Ft68c4Fm2_pvqLYi16K09nE1Ju9&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Ftelevisions-home-theater%2Fhome-theater%2Fwireless-speakers%2Fmusic-frame-hw-ls60d-za%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/home-theater/wireless-speakers/music-frame-hw-ls60d-za/">Samsung</a>.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-black-friday-soundbar-deals">Black Friday soundbar deals</h2> <p>For our <a data-i13n="cpos:47;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/best-soundbars-143041791.html">guide to the best soundbars</a>, our audio expert Billy Steele picked six winners out of the dozens of home theater speakers he and other Engadget staffers have tested over the years — and one of them is on sale for Black Friday (we expect more sales to pop up closer to Black Friday so check this post again). This is a great chance to improve greatly upon the audio from your (probably thin) TV.</p> <p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:48;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=c011da88-ef5e-4c85-a0b7-be767a4361d2&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9TQU1TVU5HLVEtU2VyaWVzLTExLTEtNGNoLVdpcmVsZXNzLURvbGJ5LUF0bW9zLVNvdW5kYmFyLXctUS1TeW1waG9ueS1IVy1ROTkwRC1aQS0yMDI0LzUyODQ3NDAxMzkiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImMwMTFkYTg4LWVmNWUtNGM4NS1hMGI3LWJlNzY3YTQzNjFkMiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FsbWFydC5jb20vaXAvU0FNU1VORy1RLVNlcmllcy0xMS0xLTRjaC1XaXJlbGVzcy1Eb2xieS1BdG1vcy1Tb3VuZGJhci13LVEtU3ltcGhvbnktSFctUTk5MEQtWkEtMjAyNC81Mjg0NzQwMTM5In0&amp;signature=AQAAAZ-8qkM97aYHXF3HgmQFkjHEI1VxzlpyUx_iDuc1Sdi8&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FSAMSUNG-Q-Series-11-1-4ch-Wireless-Dolby-Atmos-Soundbar-w-Q-Symphony-HW-Q990D-ZA-2024%2F5284740139" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/SAMSUNG-Q-Series-11-1-4ch-Wireless-Dolby-Atmos-Soundbar-w-Q-Symphony-HW-Q990D-ZA-2024/5284740139"><strong>Samsung HW-Q990C for $1,100 ($898 off)</strong></a>: The top spot in our soundbar guide isn’t cheap, but this Black Friday deal helps. And, for the price, you get a complete home theater audio setup complete with soundbar, subwoofer and two rear surround speakers. Samsung’s HW-Q990C may not have the prettiest name, but the sound quality is a thing of beauty, earning it an <a data-i13n="cpos:49;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/samsung-hw-q990d-soundbar-review-a-small-but-significant-update-180022782.html">89 in our review</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:50;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:51;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-speaker-deals-for-2024-include-up-to-42-percent-off-jbl-bose-marshall-sony-and-more-172645887.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Square Enix is plunging deeper into the <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-14-will-finally-hit-xbox-series-xs-on-march-21-205030097.html"><em><ins>Final Fantasy 14</ins></em></a> goldmine with a mobile spin-off. There's no release window for <em>Final Fantasy 14</em> <em>Mobile </em>as yet, but playtests will <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:2;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://ffxivmobile.com/web202409/index.html#/news/detail?lang=en&amp;id=8ed7df04-8e80-47dc-a6be-3339dc3faaf8" data-original-link="https://ffxivmobile.com/web202409/index.html#/news/detail?lang=en&amp;id=8ed7df04-8e80-47dc-a6be-3339dc3faaf8">"soon" get underway</a> in China, "followed by a global launch soon after."</p> <p><em>Final Fantasy 14</em> producer and director Naoki Yoshida said in <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1vk2A--ZbY"><ins>a video</ins></a> that developer Lightspeed Studios is working to "faithfully recreate the story, duties, battle content and other aspects of the original game." It seems that "duties" is a reference to the jobs system. A teaser trailer shows off the scope, grandeur and lived-in atmosphere of the mobile version of Eorzea, all set to typically absorbing music from <em>FF14</em> sound director Masayoshi Soken.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><div id="425d724197af42a28d41f6d83c859bf0"><div style="left:0;width:100%;height:0;position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n1vk2A--ZbY?rel=0" style="top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;border:0;" allowfullscreen scrolling="no" data-embed-domain="www.youtube.com"></iframe></div></div> <p>It's not yet clear if there will be cross-progression with the PC and console version of <em>Final Fantasy 14</em>. While the mobile game is said to provide players with a "new adventure," the story bears at least some similarities to the original.</p> <p>"You are beckoned by the Mothercrystal, carrying the light of hope to the world of Hydaelyn," according to the <em>FF14 Mobile </em>website. "Heed the Mothercrystal’s call, embrace your destiny as an adventurer, and confront the primals to deliver Eorzea from certain destruction." For what it's worth, a <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:4;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.co/wiki/The_Mothercrystal" data-original-link="https://ffxiv.consolegameswiki.co/wiki/The_Mothercrystal"><ins>Mothercrystal trial</ins></a> was added to <em>Final Fantasy 14 </em>as part of the 2021 expansion, <em>Endwalker</em>, so the plot of the mobile game may not exactly follow the one from the original title.</p> <p>Square Enix says you'll have a number of playable races to choose from. At the outset, there will be nine jobs, which you can switch between on the fly. You'll initially have access to 11 crafting and gathering classes, so you can be a miner, alchemist or, of course, a fisher.</p> <p>Combat controls are being tuned for mobile devices. Outside of battles, you can customize your home and character, race chocobos, play the Triple Triad card game and enjoy seasonal events. You'll be able to play alongside friends and strangers, while there are more than 600 different weather patterns in the game.</p> <p>Tencent's Lightspeed Studios is behind mobile hits like <em>PUBG Mobile</em>. Dragon's Dogma creator Hideaki Itsuno <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.polygon.com/gaming/477714/hideaki-itsuno-dragons-dogma-devil-may-cry-lightspeed-studios-tencent"><ins>recently joined Lightspeed</ins></a> to head up a new studio.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/final-fantasy-14-mobile-is-on-the-way-171455003.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>The stream of new video games seemingly never ends but, for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you don’t feel like hunting through eBay and local game shops for old cartridges to add to your loved one’s collection, we’ve got some other gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life — from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-retro-gaming-gifts-for-2024">Best retro gaming gifts for 2024</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="75d3a5442f4b44ada7e3bee49a3b752a" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Receiver-Windows-Compatible-Controller-PlayStation/dp/B0CCYML6M8/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="bfd4d0b246d84e9e828048b317bce76b" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Trail-Card-Game-Pressman/dp/B01JF4CHWK/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="fd700c13a0d0444cb665cb4e09474ed8" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/GameSir-G8-Galileo-Controller-Joysticks/dp/B0CM3C9HRG?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="0fd982a617914db19cca531fcd09e402" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="b9e9baeaf02b43a99ff9f0d44efb2846" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.analogue.co/products/analogue-pocket-black"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="37ca5abf0d26489fa06c373e868787e3" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.goretroid.com/collections/frontpage/products/retroid-pocket-4-handheld?variant=44459095490784"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="b19fe1013521463383fdd3ccfe1e6710" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="3b7c5236d61d49079a09d43e90cc78ba" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="d10bfd6e1c9948d0af1b06c0d103a8e3" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="381cad7ca7494cafb738a15b9888d5cc" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="db4bee6892e54443abcc95eefd7f2729" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Game-Boy-Box-Art-Collection/dp/1838019138/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="9558a81f53af4a478afd566239064a9e" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1147860/UFO_50/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="c69e472ff8fa422484e1dfddbcc42d4c" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <h2 id="jump-link-faqs">FAQs</h2> <h3 id="jump-link-why-do-people-buy-retro-games">Why do people buy retro games?</h3> <p>Because they’re fun! Or because video game companies have generally had a spotty record of preserving their own history — and (legally) saving art, even in a minuscule way, is important. Or because, deep down, collectors just want to stave off the ceaseless march of time and hang onto any way to relive their youth before it dissipates for good. Or because they’re jaded with modern game design and crave shorter, more distinct or altogether different experiences that aren’t being served by today’s market. Or because they want to flip the games they collect for a quick buck on eBay. Or because… well, you get the idea. <em>— J.D.</em></p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <h3 id="jump-link-why-is-retro-gaming-so-expensive">Why is retro gaming so expensive?</h3> <p>To put it simply: supply and demand. Companies aren’t making old games and consoles any more, yet a growing number of gaming enthusiasts want them. And as retro game collecting has grown more popular, sellers have become more acutely aware of how high they can price their goods. Not <em>every</em> retro game costs an arm and a leg, however: Popular games from relatively recent consoles are usually more affordable than lesser-selling titles for older hardware, and you can still find a good bargain every now and then by digging through local yard sales, individual eBay sellers and the like. <em>— J.D.</em></p> <h3 id="jump-link-are-retro-games-a-good-investment">Are retro games a good investment?</h3> <p>It depends on how you define “good.” Is it a good idea to buy a bunch of old games in the hopes that their value will skyrocket and make you a tidy profit? No, there’s little rhyme or reason to determining exactly which games will shoot up in value and by how much. There are much safer ways to invest if all you care about are financial returns. Is it a good idea to drop a bunch of cash on 40-year-old video games if you have pressing financial responsibilities? Probably not! But hey, it’s your life. If collecting retro games makes you happy, and you can budget for them within reason, that’s a good thing. Have fun. <em>— J.D.</em></p> <h3 id="jump-link-what-qualifies-as-a-retro-game">What qualifies as a retro game?</h3> <p>There’s no set definition for when a video game becomes “retro.” Personally, I think of it as any game that’s at least 10 years old and was originally released on a console that’s two or more generations old (or, for PC games, during that generation). But many others would stretch the timeline back farther, and the growing advent of “live service” games has complicated things. For instance, <em>Grand Theft Auto V </em>was released in 2013, while <em>World of Warcraft </em>arrived in 2004 — are those “retro games” when millions of people still play them today? Maybe not. With games from the ‘90s or earlier, though, the distinction is clearer. <em>— J.D.</em></p> <p><em>Check out the rest of our </em><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gifts/"><em>gift ideas</em></a><em> here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-13-best-retro-gaming-gifts-for-the-holidays-140016756.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>On December 12, <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/astro-bot-and-final-fantasy-7-rebirth-lead-the-2024-game-awards-nominees-175942582.html">The Game Awards</a> will reveal some of the biggest upcoming games and honor the industry&#39;s achievements yet again. The day before it&#39;s set to take place, however, a Day of the Devs event will put a spotlight on indie developers and titles in a livestream that fans everywhere can watch online. This Game Awards Edition showcase will feature quite a lengthy list of developer partners, including Heart Machine, which is best known for 2D action role-playing game <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/hyper-light-breaker-announcement-trailer-201547113.html"><em>Hyper Light Drifter</em></a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/solar-ash-release-date-ps4-ps5-epic-games-store-october-191727611.html"><em>Solar Ash</em></a>, a 3D platformer set against a neon-colored landscape.&nbsp;</p> <p>Panic, the developer behind <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/heres-what-a-tv-show-based-on-untitled-goose-game-could-have-been-like-165116660.html"><em>Untitled Goose Game</em></a>, will also participate in the event, along with Annapurna, a publisher whose games include <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/what-remains-of-edith-finch-ios-release-date-192428137.html"><em>What Remains of Edith Finch</em></a><em>. </em>There&#39;s also Riffraff Games that debuted its first title, <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/sleight-of-hand-is-a-new-noir-game-from-the-creator-of-framed-180934026.html"><em>Sleight of Hand</em></a>, a &quot;noir stealth sim&quot; game about a former occult detective who must track down and defeat her former coven earlier this year. The event will showcase 19 indie titles in all and will feature seven world premieres, title reveals and release date announcements throughout. Indie games fans can watch it on the official Game Awards <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.youtube.com/thegameawards">YouTube</a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.twitch.tv/thegameawards">Twitch</a> channels on December 11, starting at 9AM PT/12PM ET.&nbsp;</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>The Game Awards recently <a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/astro-bot-and-final-fantasy-7-rebirth-lead-the-2024-game-awards-nominees-175942582.html">announced this year&#39;s nominees</a>, with <a data-i13n="cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-review-a-whole-new-world-140018063.html"><em>Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth</em></a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/astro-bot-ps5-review-one-of-the-best-games-sony-has-ever-made-120014494.html"><em>Astro Bot</em></a> leading the pack with seven nominations each. <a data-i13n="cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/metaphor-refantazio-feels-like-a-jrpg-free-from-restraint-and-sanity-185129361.html"><em>Metaphor: ReFantazio</em></a>, a fantasy Japanese RPG from the same team behind <em>Persona 5</em>, got six noms. <a data-i13n="cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/silent-hill-2-remake-hits-ps5-and-pc-on-october-8-230731258.html"><em>Silent Hill 2</em></a> and the poker/roguelike game <a data-i13n="cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/balatro-is-coming-to-mobile-and-its-going-to-ruin-my-life-173039968.html"><em>Balatro</em></a> aren&#39;t far behind, each with five nominations. All of those games, aside from <em>Silent Hill 2</em>, are shortlisted for Game of the Year, along with <a data-i13n="cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-myth-wukong-hands-on-preview-sgf-2024-133059684.html"><em>Black Myth: Wukong</em></a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/elden-ring-expansion-shadow-of-the-erdtree-arrives-on-june-21-160953368.html"><em>Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree</em></a>.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/day-of-the-devs-livestream-will-showcase-indie-titles-a-day-before-the-game-awards-170002009.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Yesterday, at the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore, the company revealed Volume 3 of <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/star-wars-visions-anime-trailer-disney-plus-152254756.html"><em><ins>Star Wars: Visions</ins></em></a>. This anthology of nine short animations from nine separate anime studios is set to release next year. In keeping with tradition from prior volumes, each studio is allowed considerable creative freedom and will likely produce shorts with distinctive art styles that fans will recognize instantly.</p> <p>Based on the Star Wars website’s <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.starwars.com/news/star-wars-visions-season-3-announce?cmp=smc%7C15306066055"><ins>blog post</ins></a>, we can immediately see four returning studios: Kamikaze Douga, Kinema citrus Co., Production I.G and TRIGGER. These studios are responsible for anime adaptations of <em>JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure</em>, <em>Made in Abyss</em>, <em>Haikyu!!</em> and <em>Kill la Kill</em>, respectively.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>To improve the diversity of styles, Disney invited five new studios to create the remaining shorts. They are ANIMA (collaborating with Kamikaze Douga), David Production, Polygon Pictures, Project Studio Q and WIT Studio.</p> <p>ANIMA is an animation studio specializing in 3D CG movies, and you may know it as the studio behind cutscenes from <em>Xenoblade 3</em>, certain <em>Fire Emblem Heroes </em>movies and <em>Pokemon Unite</em>. David Production animated <em>Fire Force</em> and <em>Undead Unluck</em>, among many other anime. Some <em>Star Wars: The Clone Wars </em>episodes and <em>Tron: Uprising </em>were Polygon Pictures’ work.</p> <p>Project Studio Q is a less-known name, but it’s responsible for some 3D animation in <em>DARLING in the FRANXX</em> episodes. As for WIT Studio, it’s of <em>Spy x Family </em>and <em>Attack on Titan </em>(the first three seasons) fame.</p> <p>With such a stacked roster of studios, Disney is sparing no expense on this anthology. The wait might be long, but Volumes 1 and 2 are still available on Disney+.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/star-wars-visions-volume-3-is-coming-in-2025-164557738.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-2024-the-best-apple-sales-on-ipads-airpods-apple-watches-and-macbooks-165143887.html">Apple Black Friday deals</a> have arrived, at least on MacBooks. We’re seeing some decent discounts on M-series laptops right now, including the relatively budget-friendly <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=403ee579-48fa-47b1-acbe-84d340926cec&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIVDlWWFc_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiNDAzZWU1NzktNDhmYS00N2IxLWFjYmUtODRkMzQwOTI2Y2VjIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIVDlWWFciLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAdf3KpBq4mOzJqZYTvWUmzwF8Acwdu0FxpDUYE6exV9P&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHT9VXW" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHT9VXW?">M2 MacBook Air</a>. That notebook with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage has dropped to $749 thanks to various discounts and clippable coupons at Amazon. The regular price is $1,000, so this is a discount of 25 percent.</p> <p>This model easily made <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-macbook-140032524.html">our list of the best MacBooks</a>, even with the presence of the <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/macbook-air-m3-review-2024-13-15-inch-140053162.html">newer M3 MacBook Air</a>. Here are the takeaways. This laptop, obviously, includes Apple’s proprietary M2 8-core CPU, which is more than fast enough for basic tasks and fine for even many advanced tasks, like music-making. We called it "Apple's near-perfect Mac" <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/macbook-air-m2-review-2022-130040098-130040785.html">in our official review</a>.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p> <core-commerce id="09145db79e2146289329dad142b0dd3d" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHT9VXW?"></core-commerce></p> <p>This is not the bare-bones standard model, as it comes with 16GB of RAM. Most versions ship with 8GB of RAM. The multitasking bona-fides are strong with this one. The M2 MacBook Air also ships with a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display with 500 nits of brightness and support for the P3 wide color gamut.</p> <p>It’s thin and light. It’s a MacBook Air. This thing weighs around 2.7 pounds. The battery life is solid, at around 18 hours of use per charge. The four-speaker sound system can get surprisingly loud, so headphones are not a requirement when watching random YouTube videos or listening to music.</p> <p>So what’s the downside? There isn’t one. Not really. This isn’t the M3 MacBook Air, so those looking for the latest and greatest model may be let down. The model does only ship with a 256GB solid state drive, but it’s easy enough to plug in an external.</p> <div id="0ce5d99df63d4523bd95a9a1e95e518b"> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FAjCSw2ALkw?si=l5PTuWKKOgjPicAP" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-drop-the-m2-macbook-air-with-16gb-of-ram-to-749-161500357.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>The DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal<a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=a47c9617-7035-4157-aec7-2febed34dcea&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQzVKNE04SEQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYTQ3Yzk2MTctNzAzNS00MTU3LWFlYzctMmZlYmVkMzRkY2VhIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQzVKNE04SEQiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQnGW9FB1ZWL_B-4C4_x_Pawrr3aLfm-02h9GQBBBwXT&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0C5J4M8HD" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5J4M8HD?th=1"> is on sale via Amazon for just $89</a>, as part of an early Black Friday deal. This knocks 36 percent off the price and represents a record low for the camera-stabilizing device.</p> <p>For the uninitiated, this product keeps a steady lock on smartphones so as to provide smooth camera and video footage. The Osmo Mobile 6 <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/dji-osmo-mobile-6-gimbal-enhanced-tracking-quick-launch-for-iphone-130019549.html">is a step up from its predecessors</a> in nearly every way. It features a newly-designed handle that’s more comfortable to hold and a larger clamp to accommodate all of those modern giant phones. The clamp can also wrap itself around smaller phones in bulky cases.&nbsp;</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p> <core-commerce id="ec86c0db6a5240d4a5a756207c6a5fe0" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5J4M8HD?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>This model boasts a built-in extension rod, so it doubles as a selfie stick. It also features the company’s ActiveTrack software. This allows for increased stability over longer distances and will actually track subjects as they turn, spin or move. Another new feature is Quick Launch for iPhone models. This automatically forces the phone into the camera view when the gimbal is unfolded.</p> <p>There’s a built-in status panel to check battery levels, a timelapse feature, gestural controls and a whole lot more. It’s a nifty little gadget. On the downside, this is a lot of money for a smartphone clamp, even at $89. This is for people who prioritize top-tier footage.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-black-friday-deal-brings-the-dji-osmo-mobile-6-gimbal-down-to-an-all-time-low-price-161257824.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>We’re still a week out from Black Friday, but several of the better TV sales we expect to see during the big day are already available. If you’re looking to upgrade your living room over the holidays, we’ve dug through reviews and checked price histories to find the Black Friday TV deals that are actually worth checking out. Right now, those include high-end OLEDs and budget LEDs alike from Samsung, LG, Sony, Hisense and TCL. As in recent years, a few of those manufacturers kicked off their Black Friday sales toward the start of November, but most of the discounts below represent all-time lows either way. We’ll update this list as prices change and new discounts pop up over the next week.</p> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1k0WDVNOEQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1k0WDVNOEQiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAR7HYqFsLyaK_EYCqgrBVioWIiyX7TFN88p7L-BmRiQR&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CY4X5M8D" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CY4X5M8D?th=1"><strong>Hisense U6N QLED TV (55”) for $348 at Amazon ($200 off MSRP)</strong></a>: <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/hisense/u6-u6n">Reviews</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/hisense-55u6n">around</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.techradar.com/televisions/hisense-u6n-review">the</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-4k-tv/">web</a> have praised the U6N as one of the year’s best budget-level TVs. It’s one of the few options in its price range with mini-LED backlighting, quantum dots and full-array local dimming, all of which help it deliver better contrast and richer colors than most of its direct rivals. Its picture will wash out if you don’t view it straight-on, and its 60Hz refresh rate isn’t the best for gaming, but it’s a good bargain all the same. While this deal has been live for most of November, it’s still an all-time low. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:6;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/a4mf80d" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/a4mf80d">Best Buy</a>. Other sizes are similarly discounted.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAYiz9Vt1JQKkc46vmcDtwz4sfZKT0Ofji7N7Qj4NOkRY&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHisense-65-Inch-Mini-LED-Google-65U7N%2Fdp%2FB0CY4RD4KT" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Hisense-65-Inch-Mini-LED-Google-65U7N/dp/B0CY4RD4KT?th=1"><strong>Hisense U7N QLED TV (65”) for $698 at Amazon ($300 off)</strong></a>: The U7N is a standout LED TV for those who don’t want to pay for a high-end set but can still go above the budget tier. It delivers higher brightness levels and better contrast than the cheaper Hisense U6N, plus it can play at 144Hz in 4K, so it can get more out of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. Its viewing angles still aren’t ideal, though, and it’s limited to two <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-gaming-tv-131509986.html">gaming-friendly</a> HDMI 2.1 ports. This is another deal we’ve seen for the last few weeks, but it’s the lowest price to date for the 65-inch version. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:9;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/a1k5h4a" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/a1k5h4a">Best Buy</a>.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAaI3U6xS4of9FOtD_X2-pBqj8OUaPpNOnOXrdxMp6CYB&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FHisense-55-Inch-Mini-LED-Google-55U8N%2Fdp%2FB0CY4SM6P8" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Hisense-55-Inch-Mini-LED-Google-55U8N/dp/B0CY4SM6P8?th=1"><strong>Hisense U8N QLED TV (65”) for $898 at Amazon ($602 off)</strong></a>: The U8N is another well-reviewed 2024 TV from Hisense. Like the lower-cost Hisense U7N, it offers mini-LED backlighting, quantum-dot color and 4K/144Hz support, plus it runs on the handy Google TV platform. The extra cash nets you a punchier image, with superb contrast for a non-OLED TV and higher brightness across the board. This deal ties an all-time low. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:11;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/yk6idjy" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/yk6idjy">Best Buy</a>. Other sizes are discounted as well, but note that the 55-inch version isn’t as bright as the larger variants, while the 75-inch set has slightly worse contrast. Viewing angles aren’t super wide either way.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0xHLTU1LUluY2gtUHJvY2Vzc29yLUFJLVBvd2VyZWQtT0xFRDU1QjRQVUEvZHAvQjBDVlJURktGQz90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJkMjJhYzFjOS0wMGMyLTQ1ZWYtYmNlMS0xNWVjYzJhZWJiNDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vTEctNTUtSW5jaC1Qcm9jZXNzb3ItQUktUG93ZXJlZC1PTEVENTVCNFBVQS9kcC9CMENWUlRGS0ZDIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAARjADYY06edh7qxzStzczFnaIEucOn1fixo0I17d22Yn&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLG-55-Inch-Processor-AI-Powered-OLED55B4PUA%2Fdp%2FB0CVRTFKFC" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/LG-55-Inch-Processor-AI-Powered-OLED55B4PUA/dp/B0CVRTFKFC"><strong>LG B4 OLED TV (55”) for $997 at Amazon ($200 off)</strong></a>: The B4 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2024. It gets you the essential perks of any good OLED set — excellent contrast with deep black tones, wide viewing angles, fast motion, etc. — but it’s not as bright as higher-tier models, so it’s best kept in a darker room. We've seen this discount in the past, but it still marks an all-time low. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvbGctNTUtMzQtY2xhc3MtNGstb2xlZC1zbWFydC10di1vbGVkNTViNHB1YS8tL0EtOTAzODE3ODQiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImQyMmFjMWM5LTAwYzItNDVlZi1iY2UxLTE1ZWNjMmFlYmI0MiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGFyZ2V0LmNvbS9wL2xnLTU1LTM0LWNsYXNzLTRrLW9sZWQtc21hcnQtdHYtb2xlZDU1YjRwdWEvLS9BLTkwMzgxNzg0In0&amp;signature=AQAAAWt9u_brXA0SKEDwM1pvpGhiSRSFBDMq2O7g7BI2d6mB&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Flg-55-34-class-4k-oled-smart-tv-oled55b4pua%2F-%2FA-90381784" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/lg-55-34-class-4k-oled-smart-tv-oled55b4pua/-/A-90381784">Target</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODEyNjU1LVJFRy9sZ19vbGVkNTViNHB1YV9iNF81NV80a19oZHIuaHRtbCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODEyNjU1LVJFRy9sZ19vbGVkNTViNHB1YV9iNF81NV80a19oZHIuaHRtbCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAaiZKVH38tRLYL16Mkt_7ah1ZcG-gdbVRNAQ-06KksK5&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1812655-REG%2Flg_oled55b4pua_b4_55_4k_hdr.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1812655-REG/lg_oled55b4pua_b4_55_4k_hdr.html">B&amp;H</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:15;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/y7nffkc" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/y7nffkc">Best Buy</a> and others.</p></li> </ul> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2022-11/358dcde0-5a2c-11ed-b4f6-baec605cd518" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2022-11/358dcde0-5a2c-11ed-b4f6-baec605cd518" style="height:1200px;width:2000px;" alt="Samsung The Frame" data-uuid="9d930eb4-fc00-321b-80c3-b41844d06b07"><figcaption>The Samsung Frame TV.</figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Amy Skorheim</div></figure> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1Y5VkdNUFQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1Y5VkdNUFQiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAASXhzB4tBddnFk62RgTm4cbM8t-4Q7vY8pOwo2ntw9SE&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CV9VGMPT" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CV9VGMPT?th=1"><strong>Samsung S90D QD-OLED TV (65”) for $1,398 at Amazon ($800 off)</strong></a>: The Samsung S90D is a premium set that’s notable for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of a good OLED display with a layer of quantum dots. This <a data-i13n="cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://www.rtings.com/tv/learn/qd-oled-vs-woled">helps it</a> put out a wider gamut of more vibrant colors, so images tend to “pop” more than they would on more traditional OLED TVs like the LG B4 or C4. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports. Like all Samsung TVs, though, it doesn’t support the popular Dolby Vision HDR format. This discount matches the best price we've seen for the 65-inch model outside of special in-store and one-off coupon deals. The set has typically cost $200 more over the past month. Other sizes are similarly discounted, but be aware that only the 55-, 65- and 75-inch versions use the superior QD-OLED tech. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvdHZzL29sZWQtdHZzLzY1LWNsYXNzLW9sZWQtczkwZC1xbjY1czkwZGFmeHphLyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvdHZzL29sZWQtdHZzLzY1LWNsYXNzLW9sZWQtczkwZC1xbjY1czkwZGFmeHphLyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAa3Q1dOFLj2tMSM-NHnR3GCaRNNhVdcyTe_mPefMrEaC&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Ftelevisions-home-theater%2Ftvs%2Foled-tvs%2F65-class-oled-s90d-qn65s90dafxza%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/oled-tvs/65-class-oled-s90d-qn65s90dafxza/">Samsung</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODA2NDg5LVJFRy9zYW1zdW5nX3FuNjVzOTBkYWZ4emFfNjVfczkwZF9vbGVkX3R2Lmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImQyMmFjMWM5LTAwYzItNDVlZi1iY2UxLTE1ZWNjMmFlYmI0MiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmhwaG90b3ZpZGVvLmNvbS9jL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTgwNjQ4OS1SRUcvc2Ftc3VuZ19xbjY1czkwZGFmeHphXzY1X3M5MGRfb2xlZF90di5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAcb6Oc8lXw54ilHBknKHg62Jv6pJX_4oYf3ruA7IxNxz&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1806489-REG%2Fsamsung_qn65s90dafxza_65_s90d_oled_tv.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1806489-REG/samsung_qn65s90dafxza_65_s90d_oled_tv.html">B&amp;H</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:20;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/7kndnc3" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/7kndnc3">Best Buy</a>.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1Y5UldDNEI_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1Y5UldDNEIiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAASeT7GLQwJhTBltCh4XScVXZFPKT82GwUYF5DjdtjXC9&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CV9RWC4B" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CV9RWC4B?th=1"><strong>Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV (55”) for $1,898 at Amazon ($500 off)</strong></a>: The S95D is Samsung’s flagship set for 2024. Its QD-OLED panel is excellent but mainly stands out for having a matte finish, which makes it noticeably more effective at fending off glare than most OLED TVs. That said, there’s no Dolby Vision, and the matte coating can make black tones look closer to gray under direct light. In general, it’s more TV than most people need. But if you’ve got cash to burn, this deal is another all-time low. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvdHZzL29sZWQtdHZzLzU1LWNsYXNzLW9sZWQtczk1ZC1xbjU1czk1ZGFmeHphLyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvdHZzL29sZWQtdHZzLzU1LWNsYXNzLW9sZWQtczk1ZC1xbjU1czk1ZGFmeHphLyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAfldmuCFWOoA69wCAt8nB54B4CuhMoImUExavzLZJu-j&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Ftelevisions-home-theater%2Ftvs%2Foled-tvs%2F55-class-oled-s95d-qn55s95dafxza%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/oled-tvs/55-class-oled-s95d-qn55s95dafxza/">Samsung</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:23;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/wxvn68q" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/wxvn68q">Best Buy</a>, with other sizes on sale.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:24;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1Y5UlY3N1o_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1Y5UlY3N1oiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZ7gEyU1f6OtgGR2HBqky5CYN0uoTlFT8huLoqO9OPja&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CV9RV77Z" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CV9RV77Z?th=1"><strong>Samsung QN90D QLED TV (43”) for $898 at Amazon ($400 off)</strong></a>: The Samsung QN90D is another high-end LED TV for those willing to trade the deep contrast and wide viewing angles of a good OLED set for higher brightness. There’s still no Dolby Vision, and most reviewers we trust suggest that the Hisense U8N is a better value. This set comes with two more HDMI 2.1 ports, though, plus it comes in a wider range of sizes, all of which offer similar performance. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 43-inch model, though again, the deal has been available for a few weeks. Other sizes are also discounted. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:25;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvdHZzL3NhbXN1bmctbmVvLXFsZWQtNGsvNDMtY2xhc3MtcW45MGQtc2Ftc3VuZy1uZW8tcWxlZC00ay1xbjQzcW45MGRhZnh6YS8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImQyMmFjMWM5LTAwYzItNDVlZi1iY2UxLTE1ZWNjMmFlYmI0MiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Ftc3VuZy5jb20vdXMvdGVsZXZpc2lvbnMtaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL3R2cy9zYW1zdW5nLW5lby1xbGVkLTRrLzQzLWNsYXNzLXFuOTBkLXNhbXN1bmctbmVvLXFsZWQtNGstcW40M3FuOTBkYWZ4emEvIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAduVjjZnezQFWf1jyE5bevcOB95rkJb4HzpOIzFMbLgd&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Ftelevisions-home-theater%2Ftvs%2Fsamsung-neo-qled-4k%2F43-class-qn90d-samsung-neo-qled-4k-qn43qn90dafxza%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/samsung-neo-qled-4k/43-class-qn90d-samsung-neo-qled-4k-qn43qn90dafxza/">Samsung</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:26;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODA2NDYyLVJFRy9zYW1zdW5nX3FuNDNxbjkwZGFmeHphXzQzX3FuOTBkX25lb19xbGVkLmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImQyMmFjMWM5LTAwYzItNDVlZi1iY2UxLTE1ZWNjMmFlYmI0MiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmhwaG90b3ZpZGVvLmNvbS9jL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTgwNjQ2Mi1SRUcvc2Ftc3VuZ19xbjQzcW45MGRhZnh6YV80M19xbjkwZF9uZW9fcWxlZC5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAfYnxxlgkLWQ36WyekIm01mvlVuIyHyKakrsxsJtb_Gt&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1806462-REG%2Fsamsung_qn43qn90dafxza_43_qn90d_neo_qled.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1806462-REG/samsung_qn43qn90dafxza_43_qn90d_neo_qled.html">B&amp;H</a> and others.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Woot;elmt:;cpos:27;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Woot&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy9uZXctc2Ftc3VuZy1xbGVkLTRrLWxzMDNkLXRoZS1mcmFtZS1zZXJpZXMtMjAyNHotOSIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy9uZXctc2Ftc3VuZy1xbGVkLTRrLWxzMDNkLXRoZS1mcmFtZS1zZXJpZXMtMjAyNHotOSJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAfRH3ulil_r2B9uZmCkgwzaffY9DcRsVTHklQbmjKF2a&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fnew-samsung-qled-4k-ls03d-the-frame-series-2024z-9" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://electronics.woot.com/offers/new-samsung-qled-4k-ls03d-the-frame-series-2024z-9"><strong>Samsung The Frame TV (2024) QLED TV (55”) for $878 at Woot ($620 off)</strong></a>: The Frame TV lags behind other sets in its price range in terms of picture quality, as it lacks <a data-i13n="cpos:28;pos:1" href="https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/led-local-dimming-explained/">local dimming</a> to boost contrast. Instead, you’d buy it <a data-i13n="cpos:29;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/samsung-the-frame-tv-irl-153546368.html">for its style</a>, since it’s built to resemble a framed piece of wall art and you can use it to display actual artwork on-screen. Beyond that, this is one of the few TVs with a matte finish, which helps it ward off glare in bright rooms. This deal at Amazon subsidiary Woot is a new low. Other sizes are on sale, but note that the 43- and 50-inch models have a lower 60Hz refresh rate (instead of 120Hz) and lack variable refresh rate tech. Also available for $20 more at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:30;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1Y5RjJRNVY_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1Y5RjJRNVYiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAc47E1H4xKxOd_puXeSTNYh1bls80gL4a1kDKjpjY-iN&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CV9F2Q5V" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CV9F2Q5V?th=1">Amazon</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:31;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/1a6zpdj" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/1a6zpdj">Best Buy</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:32;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvdHZzL3RoZS1mcmFtZS81NS1jbGFzcy10aGUtZnJhbWUtcWxlZC00ay1sczAzZC1xbjU1bHMwM2RhZnh6YS8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImQyMmFjMWM5LTAwYzItNDVlZi1iY2UxLTE1ZWNjMmFlYmI0MiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Ftc3VuZy5jb20vdXMvdGVsZXZpc2lvbnMtaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL3R2cy90aGUtZnJhbWUvNTUtY2xhc3MtdGhlLWZyYW1lLXFsZWQtNGstbHMwM2QtcW41NWxzMDNkYWZ4emEvIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAZx4ZeEGc0lp7Jh8N9Q3FSL2RptG6Y0SjbFaO_b5r79f&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Ftelevisions-home-theater%2Ftvs%2Fthe-frame%2F55-class-the-frame-qled-4k-ls03d-qn55ls03dafxza%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/the-frame/55-class-the-frame-qled-4k-ls03d-qn55ls03dafxza/">Samsung</a>.</p></li> </ul> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/2b32cdd0-a5b8-11ef-aaf9-cf269c7f1c52" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/2b32cdd0-a5b8-11ef-aaf9-cf269c7f1c52" style="height:1199px;width:2000px;" alt="The Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV set up in a living room." data-uuid="94db3263-2080-3ea4-a3af-0c1c1acf6e4e"><figcaption>The Sony Bravia 7.</figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Sony</div></figure> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:33;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/19h23o2" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/19h23o2"><strong>TCL Q550F QLED TV (55”) for $250 at Best Buy ($200 off)</strong></a>: The TCL Q5 is a relatively basic LED TV with no local dimming or HDMI 2.1 ports and a 60Hz refresh rate. This model also uses Amazon’s Fire OS software, which isn’t quite as clean as other platforms. Most people should get the better-looking Hisense U6N instead. But if you really want to save an extra $100 or just need a cheap TV for a back room, it should do the job. This discount for the 55-inch model is the best we’ve tracked.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Woot;elmt:;cpos:34;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Woot&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy9uZXctdGNsLXE2OC1xbGVkLXByby00ay11aGQtc21hcnQtdHYtMjAyNHoiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImQyMmFjMWM5LTAwYzItNDVlZi1iY2UxLTE1ZWNjMmFlYmI0MiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9lbGVjdHJvbmljcy53b290LmNvbS9vZmZlcnMvbmV3LXRjbC1xNjgtcWxlZC1wcm8tNGstdWhkLXNtYXJ0LXR2LTIwMjR6In0&amp;signature=AQAAARIg0JvjarB3MEKB8poPp9uYQYOFATRI3LgJo6J_fru0&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fnew-tcl-q68-qled-pro-4k-uhd-smart-tv-2024z" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://electronics.woot.com/offers/new-tcl-q68-qled-pro-4k-uhd-smart-tv-2024z"><strong>TCL Q68 QLED TV (55”) for $300 at Woot ($200 off)</strong></a>: The Q68 is another cheapo LED TV that broadly falls short of the Hisense U6N’s picture quality, though it should offer better contrast than the TCL Q5 thanks to its local dimming feature. Like the Q5 and U6N, it can also play at a 120Hz refresh rate if you drop the resolution to 1080p or 1440p, which is nice for gaming. If you don’t want to spend any more than $300 for a 55-inch set, this is the lowest price we’ve found for this particular model.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:35;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAfk15RfAtPVpy_vSm5ha0bQAvKrFpK1CwzxTWRUz-Tmq&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTCL-85QM851G-Accelerator-Streaming-Television%2Fdp%2FB0CZM7LZCM" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/TCL-85QM851G-Accelerator-Streaming-Television/dp/B0CZM7LZCM?th=1"><strong>TCL QM8 QLED TV (65”) for $1,000 at Amazon ($500 off)</strong></a>: If the Hisense U8N becomes unavailable, the TCL QM8 looks to be a decent alternative. It can get even brighter, <a data-i13n="cpos:36;pos:1" href="https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/tcl-q-series-65-inch-tv-65qm851g">according</a> to <a data-i13n="cpos:37;pos:1" href="https://www.rtings.com/tv/tools/compare/hisense-u8-u8n-vs-tcl-qm8-qm851g-qled/50406/60898">reviewers</a> we <a data-i13n="cpos:38;pos:1" href="https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-lcd-led-tv/#the-competition">trust</a>, but it has slightly worse contrast. We’ve seen this discount a few times in recent months, but it ties the all-time low for the 65-inch variant. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:39;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/1qhpjug" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/1qhpjug">Best Buy</a>.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:40;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1ZOWFlZV0w_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1ZOWFlZV0wiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAe95mAwuVRrHSi6hM1r2ndJsAEi5e9aFJM4aITKKt9Yb&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CVNXYYWL" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVNXYYWL?th=1"><strong>Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55”) for $1,298 at Amazon ($402 off)</strong></a>: The Bravia 7 is a relatively premium set with mini-LED backlighting to improve contrast and quantum dots to boost colors. <a data-i13n="cpos:41;pos:1" href="https://www.rtings.com/tv/reviews/sony/bravia-7-qled">Reviews</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:42;pos:1" href="https://www.wired.com/review/sony-bravia-7-mini-led/">suggest</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:43;pos:1" href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/sony-bravia-7-tv-review-superb-brightness-color-but-reflective/">that</a> it provides accurate colors out of the box and does well to preserve details in lower-resolution content, so it’s worth considering over the Hisense U8N if those are chief concerns. It only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, however, and it’s another LED TV with mediocre viewing angles. Most people will be happier with an OLED TV at this price, though this deal is an all-time low. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:44;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9Tb255LTU1LWNsYXNzLUJSQVZJQS03LU1pbmktTEVELVFMRUQtNEstSERSLVNtYXJ0LUdvb2dsZS1UVi1LNTVYUjcwLTIwMjQtTW9kZWwvNTU1ODU2OTgxNSIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9Tb255LTU1LWNsYXNzLUJSQVZJQS03LU1pbmktTEVELVFMRUQtNEstSERSLVNtYXJ0LUdvb2dsZS1UVi1LNTVYUjcwLTIwMjQtTW9kZWwvNTU1ODU2OTgxNSJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAfMhMeOH0ZKsAf9R3HuJf8S6vo4nxbgJOZpkuGiOENYS&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FSony-55-class-BRAVIA-7-Mini-LED-QLED-4K-HDR-Smart-Google-TV-K55XR70-2024-Model%2F5558569815" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sony-55-class-BRAVIA-7-Mini-LED-QLED-4K-HDR-Smart-Google-TV-K55XR70-2024-Model/5558569815">Walmart</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:45;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODIxNDAzLVJFRy9zb255X2s1NXhyNzBfNTVfYnJhdmlhXzdfcjcwLmh0bWwiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImQyMmFjMWM5LTAwYzItNDVlZi1iY2UxLTE1ZWNjMmFlYmI0MiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmhwaG90b3ZpZGVvLmNvbS9jL3Byb2R1Y3QvMTgyMTQwMy1SRUcvc29ueV9rNTV4cjcwXzU1X2JyYXZpYV83X3I3MC5odG1sIn0&amp;signature=AQAAATgUIHgcdRI1baR-CwRRbYF17-20EoAdfK3_vY70wUoQ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1821403-REG%2Fsony_k55xr70_55_bravia_7_r70.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1821403-REG/sony_k55xr70_55_bravia_7_r70.html">B&amp;H</a>, with other sizes similarly discounted.</p></li> </ul> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-03/46c69c20-e6be-11ee-9ffd-c0f19cfc0c32" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-03/46c69c20-e6be-11ee-9ffd-c0f19cfc0c32" style="height:1200px;width:2000px;" alt="The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max rests on a brown wooden tabletop next to its included remote." data-uuid="0c3ca6a9-a2f8-32d4-8b0f-591995871f91"><figcaption>The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for Black Friday.</figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget</div></figure> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:46;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQlA5U05WSDk_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQlA5U05WSDkiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAd4o9xIkQs12bA_6RunFKTk3GfnnDqYvxJj-EqZ_Te1Z&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0BP9SNVH9" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BP9SNVH9"><strong>Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 at Amazon ($27 off)</strong></a>: This is a new low for Amazon’s top-end streaming stick, which runs fast and supports all the major streaming apps and HDR formats. We’ve found it to <a data-i13n="cpos:47;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-is-better-as-a-retro-gaming-device-than-a-streamer-160022685.html">be surprisingly flexible</a> as a <a data-i13n="cpos:48;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/xbox-cloud-gaming-is-now-available-on-some-amazon-fire-tv-sticks-181530197.html">gaming device</a>, too, though you’ll have to put up with an ad-heavy interface that promotes Prime Video and other Amazon services above everything else. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:49;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAR00PG2t8iHPMluyHuNZV8_mwkT9bbFIszIT2d18Hl9j&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Famazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-streaming-device-wi-fi-6-alexa-voice-remote-includes-tv-controls-2023%2F-%2FA-89419625" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-streaming-device-wi-fi-6-alexa-voice-remote-includes-tv-controls-2023/-/A-89419625">Target</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:50;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/15bk5tz" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/15bk5tz">Best Buy</a> and others.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:51;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0pNMUdORlE_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0pNMUdORlEiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAASVQJ7RVCR7MJHn2sY0XSjC1D1Kw92VCbRsfhOCdqKjj&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CJM1GNFQ" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJM1GNFQ"><strong>Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $22 at Amazon ($28 off)</strong></a>: The standard Fire TV Stick 4K offers the same core experience as the pricier 4K Max — for better or worse — but comes with a slightly slower processor, half as much storage (8GB) and Wi-Fi 6 instead of the technically-faster Wi-Fi 6E. Still, this is a decent value if you just want a competent 4K streamer for as little as possible. This deal is another all-time low. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:52;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvYW1hem9uLWZpcmUtdHYtc3RpY2stNGstMjAyNC8tL0EtOTE2NTEzOTQjbG5rPXNhbWV0YWIiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImQyMmFjMWM5LTAwYzItNDVlZi1iY2UxLTE1ZWNjMmFlYmI0MiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGFyZ2V0LmNvbS9wL2FtYXpvbi1maXJlLXR2LXN0aWNrLTRrLTIwMjQvLS9BLTkxNjUxMzk0I2xuaz1zYW1ldGFiIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAbmA_w4aNmpkwy8oexqxijSHNo8O7s550SuXXDwv-fup&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Famazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-2024%2F-%2FA-91651394%23lnk%3Dsametab" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/amazon-fire-tv-stick-4k-2024/-/A-91651394#lnk=sametab">Target</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:53;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/by8fjqc" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/by8fjqc">Best Buy</a> and others.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:54;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwREY0NFJUVFA_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZDIyYWMxYzktMDBjMi00NWVmLWJjZTEtMTVlY2MyYWViYjQyIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwREY0NFJUVFAiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXGOds2i3bpKt_owbYTVRCaV-Ho0CXE9j8Src1HhMZGB&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DF44RTTP" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DF44RTTP?th=1"><strong>Roku Ultra (2024) for $80 at Amazon ($20 off)</strong></a>: The Roku Ultra is overkill for most people, but it might be worthwhile if you like Roku’s simpler UI and need a full-on set-top box with built-in Ethernet and USB ports. Unlike the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, it comes bundled with a rechargeable remote that supports voice controls, a lost remote finder tool and backlit buttons. (You can <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:55;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1Jva3UtUmVjaGFyZ2VhYmxlLUNvbnRyb2wtSGFuZHMtZnJlZS1Db250cm9scy9kcC9CMENUQkQ0WDU1Lz90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJkMjJhYzFjOS0wMGMyLTQ1ZWYtYmNlMS0xNWVjYzJhZWJiNDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vUm9rdS1SZWNoYXJnZWFibGUtQ29udHJvbC1IYW5kcy1mcmVlLUNvbnRyb2xzL2RwL0IwQ1RCRDRYNTUvIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAWSAUsycpNhT1_XXtRghVgu7bzL5ss-L-zLokg6tnQSC&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRoku-Rechargeable-Control-Hands-free-Controls%2Fdp%2FB0CTBD4X55%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Roku-Rechargeable-Control-Hands-free-Controls/dp/B0CTBD4X55/?th=1">buy that separately</a>, though.) This <a data-i13n="cpos:56;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/roku-says-its-new-ultra-streaming-box-is-30-percent-faster-130038051.html">latest model</a> also has a faster processor and Wi-Fi 6 support. This discount ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Roku;elmt:;cpos:57;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f3574a52-3bcf-4a37-83ee-65836ac78115&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Roku&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5yb2t1LmNvbS9wcm9kdWN0cy9yb2t1LXVsdHJhIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJkMjJhYzFjOS0wMGMyLTQ1ZWYtYmNlMS0xNWVjYzJhZWJiNDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnJva3UuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL3Jva3UtdWx0cmEifQ&amp;signature=AQAAASvU_SNrvYdK-6q2Bj3wBqxeJuIC-6MsyzHgikdsDsIU&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.roku.com%2Fproducts%2Froku-ultra" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.roku.com/products/roku-ultra">Roku</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:B&amp;H Photo;elmt:;cpos:58;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=95276f3c-7b79-4c1e-803f-981cd9f7a968&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=d22ac1c9-00c2-45ef-bce1-15ecc2aebb42&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=B%26H+Photo&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5iaHBob3RvdmlkZW8uY29tL2MvcHJvZHVjdC8xODU1NjA3LVJFRy9yb2t1XzQ4NTByX3Jva3VfdWx0cmFfMjAyNF80ay5odG1sIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJkMjJhYzFjOS0wMGMyLTQ1ZWYtYmNlMS0xNWVjYzJhZWJiNDIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJocGhvdG92aWRlby5jb20vYy9wcm9kdWN0LzE4NTU2MDctUkVHL3Jva3VfNDg1MHJfcm9rdV91bHRyYV8yMDI0XzRrLmh0bWwifQ&amp;signature=AQAAARe357J9iBpGnj2PViJkLq7E3So99RJYBMbPvFR3X5tc&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bhphotovideo.com%2Fc%2Fproduct%2F1855607-REG%2Froku_4850r_roku_ultra_2024_4k.html" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1855607-REG/roku_4850r_roku_ultra_2024_4k.html">B&amp;H</a> and others.</p></li> </ul> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:59;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:60;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-tv-deals-for-2024-save-on-sets-from-lg-samsung-sony-and-more-161445522.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Comcast is spinning out <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/rotten-tomatoes-further-dilutes-its-utility-with-verified-hot-badge-163415420.html"><ins>Rotten Tomatoes</ins></a>, Fandango and a bunch of NBCUniversal (NBCU) cable networks into a separate company. That means USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel will soon have a new home. Comcast is hanging onto other NBCU operations, namely NBC, <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/peacock-is-raising-prices-again-just-in-time-for-the-olympics-185457098.html"><ins>Peacock</ins></a>, film and TV studios, Telemundo and theme parks. Bravo is also sticking around to help keep feeding Peacock’s ever-hungry reality TV maw.</p> <p>Comcast says the new entity will be a “tax-free spin-off” and the step is "expected to be accretive to revenue growth at Comcast and approximately neutral to Comcast’s leverage position." In other words, it's to do with money — and perhaps laying the groundwork for further consolidation between major media companies. The spun-out properties pulled in around $7 billion between them over the last year or so, while their future parent will still have a partnership with NBCU. Comcast is aiming to complete the transition within the next year.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>In its <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:3;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://corporate.comcast.com/press/releases/spin-off-select-cable-television-networks" data-original-link="https://corporate.comcast.com/press/releases/spin-off-select-cable-television-networks">press release</a>, Comcast calls the spin-off company "SpinCo," which is a placeholder and surely won't be the business' actual name. After all, having "SpinCo" as their parent company's moniker wouldn't exactly be great optics for CNBC and MSNBC journalists.&nbsp;</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/comcast-is-spinning-out-rotten-tomatoes-and-cable-networks-into-a-separate-company-151153285.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if you’re stumped on what to get your mom, dad, best friend, coworker or kids’ teacher as a holiday gift. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, it’s safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But there’s a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays.<br><br>Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, you’ll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? We’ve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more. We'll update this post as more of our gift guides hit the internet, so check back for even more gift ideas throughout the season.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-table-of-contents">Table of contents</h2> <ul> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-white-elephant-gift-ideas">Best white elephant gift ideas</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-board-game-gifts">Best board game gifts</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-gifts-under-50">Best gifts under $50</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-gifts-our-editors-want">Gifts our editors want</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-gifts-for-gamers">Best gifts for gamers</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-retro-gaming-gifts">Best retro gaming gifts</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-gifts-for-coffee-lovers">Best gifts for coffee lovers</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-gifts-for-tea-lovers">Best gifts for tea lovers</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-cooking-gifts">Best cooking gifts</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-tech-toys-for-kids">Best tech toys for kids</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-tech-toys-for-kids">Best gadgets for your pets</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-travel-gifts">Best travel gifts</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-gifts-for-remote-workers">Best gifts for remote workers</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-gifts-for-book-lovers">Best gifts for book lovers</a></p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-cyclists-140100878.html">Best gifts for cyclists</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-gifts-for-moms">Best gifts for moms</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-gifts-for-dads">Best gifts for dads</a></p></li> <li><p>More coming soon!</p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-best-white-elephant-gift-ideas">Best white elephant gift ideas</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="4a2fe64cdde34ee1afd72ca49edad715" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/KFC-Limited-Spices-Starter-Enviro-Log/dp/B08RQHMYN3/"></core-commerce></p> <p>According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/white-elephant-gift-ideas-2024-150516683.html"><strong>The best white elephant gift ideas</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-board-game-gifts">Best board game gifts</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="e6b65ba9d6b6449fbd4919c85b5ea518" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Freelancers-Crossroads-Plaid-Games-Strategy/dp/B0CBL5DYC6/"></core-commerce></p> <p>We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, we’re sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-board-games-holiday-gifts-130003702.html"><strong>The best board games to gift this season</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-under-50">Best gifts under $50</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="edf1613a41e047d1b68ea66748c5dfed" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Anker-Portable-Charger-Foldable-Essentials/dp/B0CX4992Z8/"></core-commerce></p> <p>We wouldn’t blame you if you try to do all of your tech shopping around the holidays. That’s when you can typically get the best sales, both on relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) on big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive tech is worth gifting. Since we at Engadget test a plethora of gadgets every year, we know that there are some hidden (and not so hidden) tech gems at lower price ranges — you just have to know where to find them.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:20;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-gifts-under-50-holiday-stocking-stuffers-130049028.html"><strong>The best gifts under $50 that make great stocking stuffers</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-gifts-our-editors-want">Gifts our editors want</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="228b859795a9417bb225fa0f87b0f9a8" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/NEBULA-Projector-Brightness-Enhanced-Official/dp/B0DBQ7XP2H/"></core-commerce></p> <p>We at Engadget spend a lot of time thinking about the best tech gifts for anyone and everyone in your life. But during that process, we often can’t help but think about the things <em>we’d</em> like to receive as gifts. Here, we’ve compiled a list of gadgets on our staffers’ wishlists with the hope that it may inspire you to splurge a bit on yourself this year.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-tech-gifts-on-our-editors-wishlists-130043069.html"><strong>The best tech gifts on our editors' wishlists for the holiday season</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-gamers">Best gifts for gamers</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="50ea862c4cd649de9eae87ca978337f1" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9BGJVLL?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>This year may not go down as one of the best years in gaming like 2023 did, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t a lot of great new releases. Between titles like <a data-i13n="cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/astro-bot-ps5-review-one-of-the-best-games-sony-has-ever-made-120014494.html">Astro Bot</a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:23;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/final-fantasy-7-rebirth-review-a-whole-new-world-140018063.html">Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth</a>, there were plenty of games to keep even the most dedicated of gamers busy in 2024. And if you’re shopping for one, especially as a non-gamer, it can be tricky to navigate what’s worth buying. We've got you covered with these recommendations.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:24;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-gaming-gifts-for-gamers-150008483.html"><strong>The best gifts for gamers</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-retro-gaming-gifts">Best retro gaming gifts</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="e60a9daf79394df7a046b3fb2474be47" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.analogue.co/products/analogue-pocket-black"></core-commerce></p> <p>A million new video games seem to come out every week, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you know someone who is way into retro gaming but don’t feel like hunting through eBay and local shops for gear to add to their collection, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life, from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:25;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-retro-gaming-gifts-140016502.html"><strong>The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-coffee-lovers">Best gifts for coffee lovers</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="73dbbf991f5c4f3b945903e8beb70e5f" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/AeroPress-Go-Plus-Portable-Camping/dp/B0D369CGVQ/"></core-commerce></p> <p>When it comes to making a great cup at home, coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person you’re shopping for is a newly indoctrinated pour over lover or obsessive over every brewing parameter, we’ve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee geeks that you can get this holiday season.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:26;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-gifts-for-coffee-lovers-130018731.html"><strong>The best gifts for coffee lovers</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-tea-lovers">Best gifts for tea lovers</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="3c9263399fc64a7d8d0ad6e92a946b57" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://fellowproducts.com/products/stagg-ekg-electric-pour-over-kettle"></core-commerce></p> <p>Forget coffee — for billions of people around the world, a freshly steeped cup of tea is the best part of waking up. But with so many varieties and methods of preparation out there, it can be difficult to find the right gift for the tea lover in your life. So to help you out, we’ve put together a list of our favorite products, from kettles to samplers.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:27;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-gifts-to-buy-tea-lovers-140022326.html"><strong>The best gifts to buy tea lovers</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-cooking-gifts">Best cooking gifts</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="c7702100dc7c499497baf60bece12ba4" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QV24FFZ?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>There are few things more rewarding than making good food for your friends and family. But after a while, it’s easy to get bored with the same tried and true recipes. And what better way to inject some fun into your favorite home chef’s routine than with a brand-new kitchen gadget? To help you find the right gift for the cook in your life, we’ve put together a list of our favorite kitchen gadgets across a wide range of prices and categories.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:28;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-cooking-gifts-140038552.html"><strong>The best cooking gifts</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-tech-toys-for-kids">Best tech toys for kids</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="0128ccfaa82c40178ef03fdd7a92dec1" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Toniebox-Starter-Set-Playtime-Puppy/dp/B093TMHGKD/"></core-commerce></p> <p>We’re all having a bit of a budget crunch this year, but the good news is that when it’s time to bestow presents on the young ones (or young at heart), you don’t have to break the bank. Our list of our favorite tech, science and design toys is stacked with items under $100, with plenty of reuse packed in so the fun can extend far beyond the holiday season.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:29;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-tech-toys-for-kids-140038520.html"><strong>The best tech toys for kids</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gadgets-for-your-pets">Best gadgets for your pets</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="7b8600b79be349af97fcd10c663e705e" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Petcube-Monitoring-Security-Mounting-Surveillance/dp/B088C4NHRS?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>In Engadget’s Slack rooms, our pets are high on the list of stuff we chat about — just behind work-adjacent tech stuff, insane current events, video games and food. We’ve bought plenty of high- and low-tech stuff to keep our furry friends fed, occupied, safe and happy and we’ve put together the best of what we tried here. Perhaps you’re shopping for your own very good boy or girl, or maybe you have a dutiful pet parent on your list — either way, the gadgets gathered here will make great gifts, according to the enthusiastic tail wags (or aloof meows) of our own fur babies.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:30;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-gadgets-for-pets-133024155.html"><strong>The best gadgets for your pets</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-travel-gifts">Best travel gifts</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="869f835ae8d34270a9fa76c7e3137a43" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BNVBHX4V/?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>Since the dawn of humanity, we have traveled. We’ve come a long way from on-foot journeys laden with animal hide satchels. But the goal of good travel gear is the same: Get you and your necessities to a destination in the highest level of comfort available. If you know someone who is always catching a flight, rides the train to work or is bravely embarking on a cruise, some new tech may just help them out.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:31;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-travel-gifts-for-travelers-140015772.html"><strong>The best travel gifts</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-remote-workers">Best gifts for remote workers</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="d5cfff60894e41d6aa8fe36066bbec59" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09XS7JWHH/"></core-commerce></p> <p>There's a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some fashion. While the WFH life has its perks — nobody likes a long commute — it comes with its own set of challenges, from lacking pro-level equipment to dealing with household disturbances. If you’re looking to give a gift to someone who spends much of their time in their home office, we’ve rounded up a few techy gift ideas that should make their days a little more delightful, or at least easier to manage.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:32;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-work-from-home-gifts-wfh-140037231.html"><strong>The 19 best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-book-lovers">Best gifts for book lovers</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="fee3125c88954f9c91052171717ef8e0" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/hz/audible/gift-membership-detail"></core-commerce></p> <p>There are few things better in life than getting lost in a good book — as any book lover will tell you. We have a few heavy readers on staff at Engadget and we all have opinions on the gadgets and subscriptions we think make the experience of reading even better. We've got gift ideas for those who prefer e-reading, as well as for the print-faithful — and of course, some book recommendations, too.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:33;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-book-lovers-160047468.html"><strong>The best gifts for book lovers</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-cyclists">Best gifts for cyclists</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="edb4e35131a2419caa140bf9c7016e5e" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Knog-Blinder-X-100-Lumens/dp/B084WBSDSY?ref_=ast_sto_dp"></core-commerce></p> <p>Other than a bike, helmet and a few emergency maintenance essentials, there aren’t many things a person needs to enjoy a bike ride outside. But having the right accessories can go a long way towards making the experience more fun, more safe and, ultimately, more rewarding. Our list of recommendations cover the gamut of things you can give to the cyclist in your life, from must-have safety accessories like bike lights, to more techie gadgets like bike computers.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:34;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-cyclists-140100878.html"><strong>The best gifts for cyclists</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-moms">Best gifts for moms</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="c788b551ae92423a920e654c64f8a18f" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Ember-Temperature-Control-Smart-Battery/dp/B08D3XPCZR?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>We don’t speak for all moms, but a brief and unscientific survey has confirmed one gift most moms will love across the board: Time. Unspoken for, unstructured, zero-obligation time. While we couldn’t find extra hours on sale anywhere online, we did find some gadgets and gizmos that help save time and others that make precious down time more enjoyable.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:35;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-moms-130044386.html"><strong>The 13 best gifts for moms</strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-gifts-for-dads">Best gifts for dads</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="6d264a7cfa4941bba586c8f165e2c1a6" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/New-MEATER-Plus-Thermometer-Lab-Certified/dp/B0CP8BPXKR/"></core-commerce></p> <p>Many Dads aren’t known for being forthright about what exactly they want for the holidays. (No, “peace and quiet” is not an acceptable answer in this case.) If you’re shopping for a father who likes gadgets but you aren’t sure what to get, let us help jog your brain with these gift ideas.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong><a data-i13n="cpos:36;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-dads-170014057.html"><strong>The 15 best gifts for dads</strong></a></p> <p><em>Check out the rest of our </em><a data-i13n="cpos:37;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gifts/"><em>gift ideas</em></a><em> here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-in-2024-that-everyone-on-your-holiday-list-will-love-170018888.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Black Friday is usually a good time to restock on video games and gaming gear at a discount, and this year should be no exception. If you’re looking to pad out your backlog, pick up a new console or refresh your desktop with new peripherals, we’re rounding up the Black Friday gaming deals that are most worth your attention below.</p> <p>To be candid, the selection as of Wednesday morning is fairly light — we expect tons more discounts to pop up Thursday and Friday, after <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/retail/when-is-black-friday-2024">Amazon</a>, <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://corporate.bestbuy.com/2024/black-friday-sale/">Best Buy</a>, <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://blog.playstation.com/2024/11/20/playstations-black-friday-deals-2024/">PlayStation</a> and other retailers start their official Black Friday sales in earnest. That said, a number of noteworthy Switch, PS5 and Xbox games are already down to their lowest prices to date, while the Xbox Series X and a few well-reviewed accessories are cheaper than usual too. We’ve dug through reviews and <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.dekudeals.com/">used</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://isthereanydeal.com/">price</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://keepa.com/#!">history</a> <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://psprices.com/region-us/index">trackers</a> to ensure each offer below is a genuine deal, and we’ll update this post regularly over the next couple of weeks as additional deals become available.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOEg3NVJUWjg_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOEg3NVJUWjgiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAaEUEHs7mYghM-D_9D84IGTQv52e8Ma9tvvmte78NK22&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08H75RTZ8" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08H75RTZ8?th=1"><strong>Xbox Series X (1TB) for $448 at Amazon ($52 off MSRP)</strong></a>: This is well off the lowest price we’ve seen for the higher-end Xbox, and there’s a chance we see alternative deals next week. It is Microsoft’s <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9wcm9tb3Rpb25zL3NhbGVzL2JsYWNrLWZyaWRheSIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9wcm9tb3Rpb25zL3NhbGVzL2JsYWNrLWZyaWRheSJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAVSyi2YxhOXCbIxEu_xGb1I8P_lo1yeMDcN2aCtsiHyM&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-US%2Fpromotions%2Fsales%2Fblack-friday" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/promotions/sales/black-friday">official discount</a>, though, and any chance to save $50 is still worth calling out. Whether any Xbox is a must-have is <a data-i13n="cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-should-exit-the-console-business-160023834.html">another question</a>, as Microsoft has <a data-i13n="cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://www.ign.com/articles/microsoft-gaming-boss-phil-spencer-wont-rule-out-any-xbox-exclusive-making-the-jump-to-playstation-including-halo">put less and less</a> emphasis on exclusives, but the Series X is still a <a data-i13n="cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/xbox-series-x-review-microsoft-140045437-140045623.html">nice piece of kit</a> if you’re sold on Xbox Game Pass or just have friends who use the platform. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9jb25zb2xlcy94Ym94LXNlcmllcy14IiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIzNTAyNzdkZS05ZWQwLTQ2NGUtODQzYS1mNWU3ZWEwNDAzYzUiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lnhib3guY29tL2VuLVVTL2NvbnNvbGVzL3hib3gtc2VyaWVzLXgifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQEA_qO99pJbLqcArPDM6gbPAh9FrtR1BlZIT4A3LSBz&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-US%2Fconsoles%2Fxbox-series-x" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/consoles/xbox-series-x">Xbox</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9YYm94LVNlcmllcy1YLVZpZGVvLUdhbWUtQ29uc29sZS1CbGFjay80NDM1NzQ2NDUiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjM1MDI3N2RlLTllZDAtNDY0ZS04NDNhLWY1ZTdlYTA0MDNjNSIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FsbWFydC5jb20vaXAvWGJveC1TZXJpZXMtWC1WaWRlby1HYW1lLUNvbnNvbGUtQmxhY2svNDQzNTc0NjQ1In0&amp;signature=AQAAAS9z6Xjrpp3EVXQMcOpnhEwOogbP6ehug5dB_yi_sp8A&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FXbox-Series-X-Video-Game-Console-Black%2F443574645" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Xbox-Series-X-Video-Game-Console-Black/443574645">Walmart</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AveGJveC1zZXJpZXMteC1jb25zb2xlLy0vQS04MDc5MDg0MSIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AveGJveC1zZXJpZXMteC1jb25zb2xlLy0vQS04MDc5MDg0MSJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAa16dHcYBR4YhZR9uEIM2MqWMRajH2iXdeLFrs39xcsw&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fxbox-series-x-console%2F-%2FA-80790841" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/xbox-series-x-console/-/A-80790841">Target</a> and others.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Woot;elmt:;cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Woot&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy9wYXBlci1tYXJpby10aGUtdGhvdXNhbmQteWVhci1kb29yIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIzNTAyNzdkZS05ZWQwLTQ2NGUtODQzYS1mNWU3ZWEwNDAzYzUiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZWxlY3Ryb25pY3Mud29vdC5jb20vb2ZmZXJzL3BhcGVyLW1hcmlvLXRoZS10aG91c2FuZC15ZWFyLWRvb3IifQ&amp;signature=AQAAARBA7HX4DgTvUvWsZs_dB0jD7c8zTErrhyJhmP4eJo_M&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fpaper-mario-the-thousand-year-door" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://electronics.woot.com/offers/paper-mario-the-thousand-year-door"><strong><em>Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door </em></strong><strong>for $42 at Woot ($18 off)</strong></a>: This is a new low for the recent Switch remake of the beloved GameCube RPG <em>Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door</em>. Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar was pretty straightforward <a data-i13n="cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/paper-mario-the-thousand-year-door-review-a-switch-remake-mostly-befitting-a-masterpiece-130052569.html">in his review</a>: “It’s great, you should play it.”</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Woot;elmt:;cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Woot&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy9zdXBlci1tYXJpby1ycGctMyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy9zdXBlci1tYXJpby1ycGctMyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAQH38HHXU_dobqIvdBetThUytx0vBUHi8vhoaAshzCOI&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fsuper-mario-rpg-3" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://electronics.woot.com/offers/super-mario-rpg-3"><strong><em>Super Mario RPG</em></strong><strong> for $32 at Woot ($18 off)</strong></a>: The lively and brisk <em>Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars</em> remains one of the Super Nintendo’s essential games. It didn’t necessarily need a Switch remake, but it got one last year anyway; thankfully, the new version keeps the original’s oddball spirit in tact as it spruces up the visuals for true 3D. If you’re in the market for a lighter RPG, this deal at Amazon subsidiary Woot brings the game down to a new all-time low.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/portal-companion-collection-switch/"><strong><em>Portal: Companion Collection </em></strong><strong>for $5 at Nintendo ($15 off)</strong></a>: <em>Portal </em>and <em>Portal 2</em> are two of the most fully-actualized games ever made, a pair of human-lab-rat simulators overloaded with wit and mind-opening puzzles. The second is also one of our <a data-i13n="cpos:20;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-co-op-games-for-pc-nintendo-switch-ps-4-and-more-141542259.html">favorite couch co-op games</a>. This discount ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the <em>Companion Collection</em>, which bundles both games for the Switch, and it comes as part of a wider suite of <a data-i13n="cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/games/#p=1&amp;sort=df&amp;show=0&amp;f=topLevelFilters&amp;topLevelFilters=Deals">digital game deals</a> at Nintendo’s online store.</p></li> </ul> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2023-09/8d6eca80-5e10-11ee-bfdf-7e972c9beca1" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2023-09/8d6eca80-5e10-11ee-bfdf-7e972c9beca1" style="height:1200px;width:1800px;" alt="The Xbox Series X game console lays on its side, with a black Xbox controller rested in front of it, on top of a brown wooden desk." data-uuid="5e95254c-57d9-317d-85b7-ab43a20e26a9"><figcaption>The Xbox Series X.</figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Photo by Aaron Souppouris / Engadget</div></figure> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/mass-effect-legendary-edition"><strong><em>Mass Effect Legendary Edition </em></strong><strong>for $5 at Epic ($55 off)</strong></a>: The <em>Mass Effect</em> trilogy doesn’t hold up perfectly — the original is very much a game from 2007, while the overarching “morality” system feels ancient in a post-<a data-i13n="cpos:23;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/tag/baldurs-gate-iii/"><em>Baldur’s Gate 3</em></a> world — but it remains as accessible and deeply entertaining as any action-RPG series out there. The <em>Legendary Edition</em> remasters all three titles, and this discount brings the compilation down to its lowest price to date. The deal comes as part of the <a data-i13n="cpos:24;pos:1" href="https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/sales-and-specials/black-friday-cyber-monday">Epic Games Store’s Black Friday sale</a>, which is otherwise light on standout offers.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:25;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS9oYWxvLXRoZS1tYXN0ZXItY2hpZWYtY29sbGVjdGlvbi85TVQ4UFRHVkhYMlAvMDAxMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS9oYWxvLXRoZS1tYXN0ZXItY2hpZWYtY29sbGVjdGlvbi85TVQ4UFRHVkhYMlAvMDAxMCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAARPFWwF0qhX4ibCnXcc2HJ_pmfTbP31SqhErUKJLKxpM&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-US%2Fgames%2Fstore%2Fhalo-the-master-chief-collection%2F9MT8PTGVHX2P%2F0010" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/halo-the-master-chief-collection/9MT8PTGVHX2P/0010"><strong><em>Halo: The Master Chief Collection</em></strong><strong> for $10 at Xbox ($30 off)</strong></a>: This matches the all-time low for <em>The Master Chief Collection</em>, which gathers five of the venerable FPS series’ essential games in one package. It also includes <em>Halo 4</em> (we kid).</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:26;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi11cy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS9wZW50aW1lbnQvOW54Nms5aG40ZjRrIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIzNTAyNzdkZS05ZWQwLTQ2NGUtODQzYS1mNWU3ZWEwNDAzYzUiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lnhib3guY29tL2VuLXVzL2dhbWVzL3N0b3JlL3BlbnRpbWVudC85bng2azlobjRmNGsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUzS1K-MuHboXXdFc6ScR7x6-2TwsFFMuz53SviJdJGE&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-us%2Fgames%2Fstore%2Fpentiment%2F9nx6k9hn4f4k" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/pentiment/9nx6k9hn4f4k"><strong><em>Pentiment </em></strong><strong>for $10 at Xbox ($10 off)</strong></a>: <em>Pentiment </em>remains one of <a data-i13n="cpos:27;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/best-xbox-games-140022399.html">the Xbox’s true gems</a>, a gorgeous and unusually soulful 2D adventure/visual novel that examines the nature of truth itself. This deal for the Xbox version represents an all-time low.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:28;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS9wc3ljaG9uYXV0cy0yLzlOQlIyVlhUODdTSi8wMDEwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIzNTAyNzdkZS05ZWQwLTQ2NGUtODQzYS1mNWU3ZWEwNDAzYzUiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lnhib3guY29tL2VuLVVTL2dhbWVzL3N0b3JlL3BzeWNob25hdXRzLTIvOU5CUjJWWFQ4N1NKLzAwMTAifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAaFby-J3EVmdt02wCD6Gzh_yqbT_Lc-YRK-ZZR-Atezw&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-US%2Fgames%2Fstore%2Fpsychonauts-2%2F9NBR2VXT87SJ%2F0010" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/psychonauts-2/9NBR2VXT87SJ/0010"><strong><em>Psychonauts 2 </em></strong><strong>for $12 at Xbox ($48 off)</strong></a>: Another entry on our list of the best Xbox games, <em>Psychonauts 2</em> is a distinctly eccentric, wonderfully written 3D platformer that tackles heavy themes with real warmth. This is another all-time low. Several other digital Xbox games are on sale as part of <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:29;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi11cy9nYW1lcz94cj1zaGVsbG5hdiIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi11cy9nYW1lcz94cj1zaGVsbG5hdiJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAQ6WHj4U3zP5LjLLMCDl7HPJIFpUxVHz8-XatEgMm7aN&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-us%2Fgames%3Fxr%3Dshellnav" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games?xr=shellnav">Microsoft’s Black Friday sale</a>.</p></li> </ul> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2022-12/b71d2960-71be-11ed-b6fe-308aa6f5d59b" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2022-12/b71d2960-71be-11ed-b6fe-308aa6f5d59b" style="height:1080px;width:1920px;" alt="The video game Halo: The Master Chief Collection." data-uuid="ee3e29ee-e03c-3761-a570-947f41bc5f8f"><figcaption>Halo: The Master Chief Collection.</figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Xbox Game Studios</div></figure> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:30;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDNQR0hTTTM_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDNQR0hTTTMiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAe6vabLba3x8XtbsN30xe1IfulvHvkBi5xxq8nfaV9yb&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0D3PGHSM3" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3PGHSM3"><strong><em>Madden NFL 25 </em></strong><strong>for $35 at Amazon ($35 off)</strong></a>: <em>Madden</em> could <a data-i13n="cpos:31;pos:1" href="https://opencritic.com/game/17056/madden-nfl-25">pretty badly</a> use a creative reset, but it’s ultimately still <em>Madden</em>, so there’s fun to be had if you’re in the football mood and feel like denying Patrick Mahomes a championship in at least one realm of existence. This is the best price to date for this year’s latest installment. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:32;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9NYWRkZW4tTkZMLTI1LVBsYXlTdGF0aW9uLTUvNTY3NTk4NTUwMyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9NYWRkZW4tTkZMLTI1LVBsYXlTdGF0aW9uLTUvNTY3NTk4NTUwMyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAcD0yLsD4HcroNn9ZiCd68gl-KdRh0iSAtCc23hJRFV5&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FMadden-NFL-25-PlayStation-5%2F5675985503" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/Madden-NFL-25-PlayStation-5/5675985503">Walmart</a>.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:33;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDk0UFFNVFg_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDk0UFFNVFgiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXV5KWGLGMMAhMjllC4COTv4zgXjNMqxUHMYMx3lboEf&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0D94PQMTX" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D94PQMTX?th=1"><strong><em>EA Sports FC 25 </em></strong><strong>for $35 at Amazon ($35 off)</strong></a>: We’re not going to sit here and tell you the series formerly known as <em>FIFA</em> is <em>good</em> — AI defending is still a mess, while the <a data-i13n="cpos:34;pos:1" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_Team">Ultimate Team</a> mode still blends grinding with gambling to mind-numbing effect — but we realize that many people just want to mess around as their favorite footy team. This is a new low for the PS5, PS4 and Xbox editions. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:35;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9FQS1TcG9ydHMtRkMtMjUtUGxheVN0YXRpb24tNS84MTA4NzEyMTA5IiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiIzNTAyNzdkZS05ZWQwLTQ2NGUtODQzYS1mNWU3ZWEwNDAzYzUiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LndhbG1hcnQuY29tL2lwL0VBLVNwb3J0cy1GQy0yNS1QbGF5U3RhdGlvbi01LzgxMDg3MTIxMDkifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAYXRdivCyqNitawZOAlI9NhD2k0iritZ1SUJQM66FDRp&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FEA-Sports-FC-25-PlayStation-5%2F8108712109" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/EA-Sports-FC-25-PlayStation-5/8108712109">Walmart</a>, <a data-i13n="cpos:36;pos:1" href="https://www.playstation.com/en-us/games/ea-sports-fc/">PlayStation</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:37;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS9lYS1zcG9ydHMtZmMtMjUtc3RhbmRhcmQtZWRpdGlvbi14Ym94LW9uZS14Ym94LXNlcmllcy14cy85TVZLNzhNR0Q3MzcvMDAxMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi1VUy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS9lYS1zcG9ydHMtZmMtMjUtc3RhbmRhcmQtZWRpdGlvbi14Ym94LW9uZS14Ym94LXNlcmllcy14cy85TVZLNzhNR0Q3MzcvMDAxMCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAARzK9bc8N0ojtrgMnxe4CgADxwGu5n50V5L_wbJaqhmg&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-US%2Fgames%2Fstore%2Fea-sports-fc-25-standard-edition-xbox-one-xbox-series-xs%2F9MVK78MGD737%2F0010" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/ea-sports-fc-25-standard-edition-xbox-one-xbox-series-xs/9MVK78MGD737/0010">Xbox</a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:38;pos:1" href="https://store.steampowered.com/app/2669320/EA_SPORTS_FC_25/">Steam</a>. The <a data-i13n="cpos:39;pos:1" href="https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/ea-sports-fc-25-switch/">Switch version</a> is at an all-time low of $30, too, though it won’t run as well.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:40;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1NaNkJCNDI_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1NaNkJCNDIiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAASrRyPTBQc5YX46Aka1MSApW17339nEpz0MEMwd36hEl&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CSZ6BB42" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSZ6BB42?th=1"><strong><em>WWE 2K24 </em></strong><strong>for $24 at Amazon ($11 off)</strong></a>: We <a data-i13n="cpos:41;pos:1" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYQLSkgs5vQ">acknowledge that</a> this is a new low for the physical PS5 and Xbox copies of the latest <em>WWE </em>game, which <a data-i13n="cpos:42;pos:1" href="https://opencritic.com/game/16381/wwe-2k24">should scratch</a> the itch for most people looking to do some fantasy booking and digital powerbombing. Just don’t be surprised if you run into a few bugs every now and then; this is a <em>2K</em> game, after all. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:43;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9XV0UtMksyNC1QbGF5U3RhdGlvbi01LzUyNjU1MzM3ODAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjM1MDI3N2RlLTllZDAtNDY0ZS04NDNhLWY1ZTdlYTA0MDNjNSIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FsbWFydC5jb20vaXAvV1dFLTJLMjQtUGxheVN0YXRpb24tNS81MjY1NTMzNzgwIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAa55Jr9r30R5VFvYyZyQvfmL0WPYF1pC3vk7yP1zxhxt&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FWWE-2K24-PlayStation-5%2F5265533780" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/WWE-2K24-PlayStation-5/5265533780">Walmart</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:44;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3Avd3dlLTJrMjQtcGxheXN0YXRpb24tNS8tL0EtOTEwMTk1MTkiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjM1MDI3N2RlLTllZDAtNDY0ZS04NDNhLWY1ZTdlYTA0MDNjNSIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGFyZ2V0LmNvbS9wL3d3ZS0yazI0LXBsYXlzdGF0aW9uLTUvLS9BLTkxMDE5NTE5In0&amp;signature=AQAAAT05jxFcokICLS0z2jGvjp7yIJNLOKZyD2sdo92MpFVU&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fwwe-2k24-playstation-5%2F-%2FA-91019519" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/wwe-2k24-playstation-5/-/A-91019519">Target</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:45;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/1qwfjmz" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/1qwfjmz">Best Buy</a>, or for $23 at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Microsoft;elmt:;cpos:46;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=67071605-d4df-494e-8d9c-c9c236b8bb38&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Microsoft&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi11cy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS93d2UtMmsyNC1jcm9zcy1nZW4tZGlnaXRhbC1lZGl0aW9uLzluYmZmcHd0eGJ0aiIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy54Ym94LmNvbS9lbi11cy9nYW1lcy9zdG9yZS93d2UtMmsyNC1jcm9zcy1nZW4tZGlnaXRhbC1lZGl0aW9uLzluYmZmcHd0eGJ0aiJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAV0R4qSe8cXe_ZwYHL_Onscx5Dlsrr6tLYz1M48UU_bM&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.xbox.com%2Fen-us%2Fgames%2Fstore%2Fwwe-2k24-cross-gen-digital-edition%2F9nbffpwtxbtj" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.xbox.com/en-us/games/store/wwe-2k24-cross-gen-digital-edition/9nbffpwtxbtj">Xbox</a>. The last-gen versions are on sale for a few bucks less as well.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:47;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDk2UU5aV0g_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRDk2UU5aV0giLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXIRznGLQSv9rQMwB6Y-Gt2GzpK0gSU0AsRcrrnXHPGL&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0D96QNZWH" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D96QNZWH?th=1"><strong><em>NBA 2K25</em></strong><strong> for $30 at Amazon ($40 off)</strong></a>: <em>NBA 2K</em> has its own longstanding issues with pay-to-win online modes and occasional glitchiness, but its on-court play is generally rock solid if you’re looking to play through a season or run some offline games with friends. This is a new low for the PS5 and Xbox copies of the game. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Walmart;elmt:;cpos:48;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=3719d8d4-5edd-4817-998a-91f3229e7323&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Walmart&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy53YWxtYXJ0LmNvbS9pcC9OQkEtMksyNS1QbGF5U3RhdGlvbi01Lzc2NDIzNjI5NjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjM1MDI3N2RlLTllZDAtNDY0ZS04NDNhLWY1ZTdlYTA0MDNjNSIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cud2FsbWFydC5jb20vaXAvTkJBLTJLMjUtUGxheVN0YXRpb24tNS83NjQyMzYyOTYwIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAZen43Mrix0ex8EKq-o_P6yq4gh3NTIuButn52MzgFzO&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FNBA-2K25-PlayStation-5%2F7642362960" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.walmart.com/ip/NBA-2K25-PlayStation-5/7642362960">Walmart</a>, <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Target;elmt:;cpos:49;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=827d7835-78d6-4491-ae04-c042cab1d6e7&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Target&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy50YXJnZXQuY29tL3AvbmJhLTJrMjUtcGxheXN0YXRpb24tNS8tL0EtOTI3NzExODAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjM1MDI3N2RlLTllZDAtNDY0ZS04NDNhLWY1ZTdlYTA0MDNjNSIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGFyZ2V0LmNvbS9wL25iYS0yazI1LXBsYXlzdGF0aW9uLTUvLS9BLTkyNzcxMTgwIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAQ45aAOfAKGBylL3t8Vzq02bKjhtyccOXgWIOQ98FukQ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.target.com%2Fp%2Fnba-2k25-playstation-5%2F-%2FA-92771180" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.target.com/p/nba-2k25-playstation-5/-/A-92771180">Target</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:50;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/4z1sqog" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/4z1sqog">Best Buy</a>. <a data-i13n="cpos:51;pos:1" href="https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/nba-2k25-switch/">Nintendo</a> has the Switch edition for $4 less, though that version is generally slower and more watered-down than the others.</p></li> </ul> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-05/61a163d0-07d5-11ef-bf6e-f22918aef446" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-05/61a163d0-07d5-11ef-bf6e-f22918aef446" style="height:720px;width:1280px;" alt="The WD Black C50 Xbox Storage Expansion Card slotted into the back of a white Xbox Series S console, with its cover off to the side on a black desk." data-uuid="9a17199e-7c72-3739-800a-38b889698f07"><figcaption>The WD Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S.</figcaption><div class="photo-credit">WD</div></figure> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:52;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQzQ0WFZXQ0g_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQzQ0WFZXQ0giLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAW3Pbx1CXszaWIaH-Q5grHxFLuBRKMKMiKaR-I9zp7jp&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0C44XVWCH" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C44XVWCH?th=1"><strong>WD Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox (1TB) for $100 at Amazon ($58 off)</strong></a>: It’s aggravating, but the only way to <a data-i13n="cpos:53;pos:1" href="https://support.xbox.com/en-US/help/hardware-network/storage/manage-storage">fully increase</a> the storage of an Xbox Series X/S is to use a proprietary expansion card. Only two of those currently exist, but the C50 is one, and this discount drops the 1TB model to a new low. It’s normally sold for roughly $40 more in recent months. Is this still expensive compared to a normal SSD with the same capacity? You bet. But any extra savings should be welcome. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:54;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/18qn6uf" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/18qn6uf">Best Buy</a>. A <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:55;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQzQ0QjFWU0g_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQzQ0QjFWU0giLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAROdN1nUmzY5ZazM3XQ8_I2TEpdUL_0jXoi0-NuGw0Do&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0C44B1VSH" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C44B1VSH?th=1">512GB model</a> is a couple bucks above its all-time low at $68 as well.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:56;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOUJKWVhNRFc_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwOUJKWVhNRFciLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQXZG1XsoyvsrIkYxGXK5KJOxFY0RCJBb10ljuZoNpUe&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB09BJYXMDW" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09BJYXMDW?th=1"><strong>Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S (2TB) for $200 at Amazon ($160 off)</strong></a>: Seagate makes the other official storage expansion card for the Xbox Series X/S. This discount isn’t the best we’ve ever seen, and it’s been live for most of the month, but it’s still about $30 to $50 below the 2TB model’s typical street price. There’s little performance difference between this and the C50, so which is best merely comes down to how much space you need and whatever one costs less.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Woot;elmt:;cpos:57;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Woot&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy84Yml0ZG8tcmV0cm8tbWVjaGFuaWNhbC1rZXlib2FyZC1uLWVkaXRpb24tMiIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy84Yml0ZG8tcmV0cm8tbWVjaGFuaWNhbC1rZXlib2FyZC1uLWVkaXRpb24tMiJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAfn1Ohdv4LI-0zECoA88e9rTAA5PK0Q1BHD5wpCtGk_W&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2F8bitdo-retro-mechanical-keyboard-n-edition-2" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://electronics.woot.com/offers/8bitdo-retro-mechanical-keyboard-n-edition-2"><strong>8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard (N Edition) for $60 at Woot ($40 off)</strong></a>: While not a top pick in any of our keyboard guides, the wireless 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard is still a nice value for anyone looking to give their desk a more vintage look, as its keycaps and accents are inspired by Nintendo’s old NES console. It’s comfy for typing and hot-swappable, too, though the default switches are pretty noisy. This discount matches the lowest price we’ve seen.</p></li> </ul> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-03/f910f240-e281-11ee-adfe-79d14699f048" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-03/f910f240-e281-11ee-adfe-79d14699f048" style="height:720px;width:1280px;" alt="A gray and red mechanical keyboard called the 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard rests against a well-lit pink and pastel green background. In front of the keyboard are a pair of giant red " data-uuid="6b549ae5-751d-30dc-a3c4-26a13caed01a"><figcaption>The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard.</figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Will Lipman Photography for Engadget</div></figure> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:58;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/13zcdk9" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/13zcdk9"><strong>ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) gaming laptop for $700 at Best Buy ($400 off)</strong></a>: Although it’s a 2023 model, this configuration of the A16 should do the job for value-minded buyers. It comes with a 16-inch 165Hz 1,920 x 1,200 display, an AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and an AMD Radeon RX 7700S GPU. You’ll still have to deal with the usual trade-offs of a cheaper gaming laptop — it can get warm under load, it’s bulky, the keyboard isn’t great and the screen is somewhat dim. But it’s powerful enough to run newer games in 1080p, the chassis generally feels sturdy, and the battery can reach double-digit hours when you aren’t gaming. This discount is $20 above than the config’s all-time low but ties the best price we’ve seen otherwise.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:59;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0xHLSUyNTI1RTIlMjUyNTgwJTI1MjU4RTMyR1M5NVVWLVVsdHJhZ2Vhci1EaXNwbGF5SERSLURpc3BsYXlQb3J0L2RwL0IwREg4UFQ4VEo_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0xHLSUyNUUyJTI1ODAlMjU4RTMyR1M5NVVWLVVsdHJhZ2Vhci1EaXNwbGF5SERSLURpc3BsYXlQb3J0L2RwL0IwREg4UFQ4VEoiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAWPtI08rC_Qv913eZ7Or76yp-NBeMyk5QKFq5wadqbZo&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FLG-%2525E2%252580%25258E32GS95UV-Ultragear-DisplayHDR-DisplayPort%2Fdp%2FB0DH8PT8TJ" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/LG-%E2%80%8E32GS95UV-Ultragear-DisplayHDR-DisplayPort/dp/B0DH8PT8TJ?th=1"><strong>LG 32GS95UV-W 32-inch gaming monitor for $1,000 at Amazon ($400 off)</strong></a>: This is a variant of the “no-compromise” pick in our guide to the <a data-i13n="cpos:60;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-gaming-monitor-140008940.html">best gaming monitors</a>. It’s a premium OLED panel with a sharp 4K resolution and a fast 240Hz refresh rate, though it can jump to a super-smooth 480Hz if you drop to 1080p (and own a PC that can handle that). That’s great if you spend a decent chunk of time in esports-style games like <em>Counter-Strike 2</em>. Being an OLED monitor gives it excellent contrast with deep black tones, though it’s not <em>quite</em> as vivid as the handful of high-end OLEDs that also use quantum dots to boost colors. Still, it’s well worth a look if you have cash to burn and know you’ll use the dual refresh rate modes. This deal has been live for a month but represents an all-time low. Also at <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:LG Electronics;elmt:;cpos:61;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=472a467b-5d76-4e49-b1e8-d1e77258dd8e&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=350277de-9ed0-464e-843a-f5e7ea0403c5&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=LG+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5sZy5jb20vdXMvbW9uaXRvcnMvbGctMzJnczk1dXYtdy1nYW1pbmctbW9uaXRvciIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMzUwMjc3ZGUtOWVkMC00NjRlLTg0M2EtZjVlN2VhMDQwM2M1Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5sZy5jb20vdXMvbW9uaXRvcnMvbGctMzJnczk1dXYtdy1nYW1pbmctbW9uaXRvciJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAYC05vHFejsMvDdtJr-Fdgnb7GYUiJKLC-7BDcwe0oDy&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lg.com%2Fus%2Fmonitors%2Flg-32gs95uv-w-gaming-monitor" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.lg.com/us/monitors/lg-32gs95uv-w-gaming-monitor">LG</a> and <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:62;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://sovrn.co/14uxjtl" data-original-link="https://sovrn.co/14uxjtl">Best Buy</a>. Compared to the recommendation in our guide, the only differences with this model are that it has a white finish and its built-in speakers aren’t as strong.</p></li> </ul> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:63;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:64;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-black-friday-gaming-deals-on-video-games-consoles-accessories-and-more-144605538.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>If vacuuming is one of your least favorite chores, a robot vacuum can take that largely manual process and make it almost entirely automated. And unlike a few years ago, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a decent robot vacuum today. That being said, it’s always advisable to wait for the <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/">Black Friday</a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/">Cyber Monday</a> time period if you want to get the best deal on a brand new robo-vac.</p> <p>This year, we’re seeing steep discounts on some of our favorite machines, including both robot vacuums and cordless vacuum cleaners. These are the best Black Friday vacuum deals you can get this year.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><h2 id="jump-link-black-friday-robot-vacuum-deals">Black Friday robot vacuum deals</h2> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAWnaIJUl7tgOXpjETSadw9gjvLn9QOZmWLw_zSzzugV2&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FiRobot-Roomba-Essential-Robot-Vacuum%2Fdp%2FB0CNKX4429" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/iRobot-Roomba-Essential-Robot-Vacuum/dp/B0CNKX4429?th=1"><strong>iRobot Roomba Vac robot vacuum (Q011) for $140 ($110 off):</strong></a> This entry-level robot vacuum has strong suction power with three cleaning modes and smart navigation, and you can control it and set cleaning schedules from the iRobot mobile app.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAV52YPaj9yOx832Y8fi0Wa5h7jyNmsGap10GMwgmm7R0&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FiRobot-Roomba-Combo-Essential-Vacuum%2Fdp%2FB0CNKVHSS9" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/iRobot-Roomba-Combo-Essential-Vacuum/dp/B0CNKVHSS9?th=1"><strong>iRobot Roomba Combo robot vacuum and mop (Y0110) for $160 ($115 off):</strong></a> This basic robot vacuum also comes with a mop pad and a water reservoir for cleaning hard floors like wood and tile. It also works with the iRobot mobile app so you can set cleaning schedules, and it'll automatically return to its base when it needs a recharge.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2lSb2JvdC1Sb29tYmEtU2VsZi1FbXB0eWluZy1BdXRvLUZpbGwtVmFjdXVtL2RwL0IwQzQxNUhRUFgvP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImRlMTk1MTc0LTg5ZDctNDcyYy04OTg1LTdiNDViMmMwN2RlYiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9pUm9ib3QtUm9vbWJhLVNlbGYtRW1wdHlpbmctQXV0by1GaWxsLVZhY3V1bS9kcC9CMEM0MTVIUVBYLyIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAZritWZkHVzZrPqR5o_XI4hY_fPKcyWvZOb9jO7hiEi3&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FiRobot-Roomba-Self-Emptying-Auto-Fill-Vacuum%2Fdp%2FB0C415HQPX%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/iRobot-Roomba-Self-Emptying-Auto-Fill-Vacuum/dp/B0C415HQPX/"><strong>iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $999 ($400 off):</strong></a> If you're looking to splurge, this robo vac-and mop combo machine is one of our top picks for the <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-robot-vacuums-130010426.html">best robot vacuums</a> thanks to its excellent cleaning power, good mopping capabilities, solid battery life and well-designed self-emptying base.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NoYXJrLUFWMjUxMUFFLVNlbGYtRW1wdHktQ2FwYWNpdHktTmF2aWdhdGlvbi9kcC9CMDlUNFlaR1FSLz90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJkZTE5NTE3NC04OWQ3LTQ3MmMtODk4NS03YjQ1YjJjMDdkZWIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vU2hhcmstQVYyNTExQUUtU2VsZi1FbXB0eS1DYXBhY2l0eS1OYXZpZ2F0aW9uL2RwL0IwOVQ0WVpHUVIvIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAbIFgroKM1nnMrmz3G0B9HFBynW9H7w4qjH_pVVXUlby&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FShark-AV2511AE-Self-Empty-Capacity-Navigation%2Fdp%2FB09T4YZGQR%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Shark-AV2511AE-Self-Empty-Capacity-Navigation/dp/B09T4YZGQR/"><strong>Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum with self-emptying base for $350 ($250 off):</strong></a> A version of one of our top picks, this Shark robot vacuum cleans both carpet and hard flooring well, has an easy-to-use app, a self-cleaning brushroll and a bagless self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris before you need to empty it.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NoYXJrLVNlbGYtRW1wdHlpbmctU2VsZi1SZWZpbGxpbmctVGVjaG5vbG9naWVzLVJWMjgyMFlFL2RwL0IwRERZWjRWSzQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZGUxOTUxNzQtODlkNy00NzJjLTg5ODUtN2I0NWIyYzA3ZGViIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1NoYXJrLVNlbGYtRW1wdHlpbmctU2VsZi1SZWZpbGxpbmctVGVjaG5vbG9naWVzLVJWMjgyMFlFL2RwL0IwRERZWjRWSzQiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAfhPxqiXxqiBSdu46pFebF-GdyqLpXXdJ46pS4_HSnD5&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FShark-Self-Emptying-Self-Refilling-Technologies-RV2820YE%2Fdp%2FB0DDYZ4VK4" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Shark-Self-Emptying-Self-Refilling-Technologies-RV2820YE/dp/B0DDYZ4VK4?"><strong>Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $550 ($350 off):</strong></a> This Shark combo machine automatically picks up and drops its mop pad when you program it to clean hard floors, plus its self-emptying base can hold up to 60 days of vacuumed debris and up to 30 days of cleaning liquid for mopping.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRENQWDJNOE4_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZGUxOTUxNzQtODlkNy00NzJjLTg5ODUtN2I0NWIyYzA3ZGViIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRENQWDJNOE4iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAATbZQLGgcv0RRgJDZksEs_N_7DNhWnoDUUc2_m5mf3PR&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DCPX2M8N" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCPX2M8N?"><strong>Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $900 ($200 off):</strong></a> The PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro is the most premium robot vacuum and mop that Shark sells and it has suction and mopping capabilities to match. The self-emptying base takes care of most things for you for up to 30 days, including emptying the machine's dustbin, emptying and refilling the mop reservoir and the pad-drop system that holds the mopping pad when not in use.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAbeF2rIH2vSu61guPeyQphRVmn28kAB5o9gMqr_NW2sX&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Froborock-Q5-Pro-DuoRoller-Navigation%2Fdp%2FB0C7VLHMQR" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/roborock-Q5-Pro-DuoRoller-Navigation/dp/B0C7VLHMQR?ref_=ast_sto_dp&amp;th=1"><strong>Roborock Q5 Pro robot vacuum for $180 ($70 off with coupon):</strong></a> Roborock's midrange vacuuming has 5500Pa of suction power, a 240-minute runtime and you can set no-go zones from within its companion app.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwN1IyOTVNTFM_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZGUxOTUxNzQtODlkNy00NzJjLTg5ODUtN2I0NWIyYzA3ZGViIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwN1IyOTVNTFMiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAXOZ0FMUnl_stqk5_iQTNjQu0TLgKwIb81ZZ0iSe3gxl&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB07R295MLS" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R295MLS?th=1"><strong>Eufy 11S Max robot vacuum for $130 ($120 off, Prime exclusive):</strong></a> One of our top picks for the <a data-i13n="cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-budget-robot-vacuums-133030847.html">best budget robot vacuums</a>, the 11S Max has a slim design that lets it get under furniture better than other models, good suction power for its size and a long battery life. Just remember that this robovac doesn't have Wi-Fi connectivity, but it comes with a handy remote that lets you control it, set cleaning schedules and more.</p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-black-friday-cordless-vacuum-deals">Black Friday cordless vacuum deals</h2> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Dyson;elmt:;cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8b96b196-8902-4854-bf81-2e614eba034c&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Dyson&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5keXNvbi5jb20vdmFjdXVtLWNsZWFuZXJzL2NvcmRsZXNzL2RpZ2l0YWwtc2xpbS9vcmlnaW4taXJvbiIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZGUxOTUxNzQtODlkNy00NzJjLTg5ODUtN2I0NWIyYzA3ZGViIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5keXNvbi5jb20vdmFjdXVtLWNsZWFuZXJzL2NvcmRsZXNzL2RpZ2l0YWwtc2xpbS9vcmlnaW4taXJvbiJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAR-yECQIVn2E4hjFnAQui0Ntv0JSD30LUZ9WS953D2ej&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dyson.com%2Fvacuum-cleaners%2Fcordless%2Fdigital-slim%2Forigin-iron" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/cordless/digital-slim/origin-iron"><strong>Dyson Digital Slim cordless vacuum for $250 ($250 off):</strong></a> As its name suggests, this Dyson stick vacuum is 30 percent lighter than the V11, which should make it even easier to handle and maneuver while you clean. It also has a 40-minute runtime and an LCD display that shows the amount of battery life left.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Dyson;elmt:;cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8b96b196-8902-4854-bf81-2e614eba034c&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Dyson&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5keXNvbi5jb20vdmFjdXVtLWNsZWFuZXJzL2NvcmRsZXNzL3YxNS9kZXRlY3QtYWJzb2x1dGUtaGVwYS1nb2xkIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJkZTE5NTE3NC04OWQ3LTQ3MmMtODk4NS03YjQ1YjJjMDdkZWIiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmR5c29uLmNvbS92YWN1dW0tY2xlYW5lcnMvY29yZGxlc3MvdjE1L2RldGVjdC1hYnNvbHV0ZS1oZXBhLWdvbGQifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZoH_AWmoLN-HeLPB6d1ksW7Rz3xzYeJKQayqqllmJuV&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dyson.com%2Fvacuum-cleaners%2Fcordless%2Fv15%2Fdetect-absolute-hepa-gold" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/cordless/v15/detect-absolute-hepa-gold"><strong>Dyson V15 Detect Absolute cordless vacuum for $550 ($200 off):</strong></a> This is our top pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-cordless-vacuum-130007125.html">best cordless vacuum</a> you can get right now thanks to its excellent suction power, relatively light weight and good battery life. This model comes with a Fluffy Optic cleaning head that illuminates the ground in front of you so you can see where the most debris lies, and the pack-up includes three additional cleaning head attachments.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Dyson;elmt:;cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8b96b196-8902-4854-bf81-2e614eba034c&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Dyson&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5keXNvbi5jb20vdmFjdXVtLWNsZWFuZXJzL2NvcmRsZXNzL2dlbjUvb3V0c2l6ZS1oZXBhLWFic29sdXRlLXBydXNzaWFuLWJsdWUiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImRlMTk1MTc0LTg5ZDctNDcyYy04OTg1LTdiNDViMmMwN2RlYiIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZHlzb24uY29tL3ZhY3V1bS1jbGVhbmVycy9jb3JkbGVzcy9nZW41L291dHNpemUtaGVwYS1hYnNvbHV0ZS1wcnVzc2lhbi1ibHVlIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAWGzbR5r7CtYCO0RHTOoOoNJcGlQkflKSvKEzCkr6t3_&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dyson.com%2Fvacuum-cleaners%2Fcordless%2Fgen5%2Foutsize-hepa-absolute-prussian-blue" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/cordless/gen5/outsize-hepa-absolute-prussian-blue"><strong>Dyson Gen 5 Outsize Absolute for $800 ($250 off):</strong></a> This Outsize model has 150 percent bigger bin capacity than the standard Gen 5 vacuum, making it better for those with larger homes or those who regularly have big messes to clean up. Its cleaner head is 25 percent wider as well, allowing it to cover a larger surface area in one go, and it comes with two batteries for a total of over two hours of runtime.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAa-_tLyGe5P9Z-qln1Fgc2j1zn1_IHSqby6TrwjgPZbZ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FDyson-Gen5detect-Cordless-Vacuum-Cleaner%2Fdp%2FB0C2JD5H7D" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Dyson-Gen5detect-Cordless-Vacuum-Cleaner/dp/B0C2JD5H7D?ref_=pb_hm_dp&amp;th=1"><strong>Dyson Gen 5 Detect cordless vacuum for $813 ($137 off):</strong></a> The Gen 5 Detect is another excellent Dyson machine, very similar to the V15 Detect. We like that it has a single-button start and even stronger suction power, and it's slightly newer than the V15 Detect as well.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1RpbmVjby1Db3JkbGVzcy1IYW5kaGVsZC1NdWx0aS1TdXJmYWNlLUNsZWFuaW5nL2RwL0IwOENEUTUyVEI_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZGUxOTUxNzQtODlkNy00NzJjLTg5ODUtN2I0NWIyYzA3ZGViIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL1RpbmVjby1Db3JkbGVzcy1IYW5kaGVsZC1NdWx0aS1TdXJmYWNlLUNsZWFuaW5nL2RwL0IwOENEUTUyVEIiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAATMEv-WXNbE-i9dl1XGUnmaUeAQJudtTCUr7_Ml7H7Zp&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTineco-Cordless-Handheld-Multi-Surface-Cleaning%2Fdp%2FB08CDQ52TB" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Tineco-Cordless-Handheld-Multi-Surface-Cleaning/dp/B08CDQ52TB?ref_=ast_sto_dp&amp;th=1"><strong>Tineco Pure One S11 cordless vacuum for $210 ($90 off with coupon):</strong></a> Our top budget pick in our <a data-i13n="cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/best-cordless-vacuum-130007125.html">best cordless vacuums</a> guide, the One S11 provides good suction for the price and it includes Tineco's iLoop smart sensor, which auto-adjusts suction power as you clean to account for messes big and small.&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:20;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAdvR_U2RnEYs5IoLj82Bb5oTtfFaXg87eSKVKZY2g9YS&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTineco-Station-Full-Path-Self-Cleaning-ZeroTangle%2Fdp%2FB0D8J2RPV9" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Tineco-Station-Full-Path-Self-Cleaning-ZeroTangle/dp/B0D8J2RPV9?ref_=ast_sto_dp"><strong>Tineco Pure One Station 5 cordless vacuum with self-emptying base for $400 ($60 off with coupon):</strong></a> One of Tineco's newest machines, the Station 5 stick vacuum cleans hard floors and carpets well, doesn't choke when it meets pet hair and includes a self-cleaning HEPA filter to maintain strong, consistent suction power. Plus, the bagless, self-emptying base cleans the machine's brush, tube, filter and dustbin after every time you use it.&nbsp;</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=de195174-89d7-472c-8985-7b45b2c07deb&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAVTdq2G4VVZijn2O0bRLHPphWQz9Lb4YASVIU98ztGv9&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FTineco-ONE-Station-Lightweight-ZeroTangleTM%2Fdp%2FB0C58K254K" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Tineco-ONE-Station-Lightweight-ZeroTangleTM/dp/B0C58K254K?ref_=ast_sto_dp&amp;th=1"><strong>Tineco Pure One Station Furfree cordless vacuum with self-emptying base for $500 ($200 off with coupon):</strong></a> This model has a massive 3L self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris, and it comes with cleaning attachments that can make grooming your pets easier.</p></li> </ul> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:23;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-black-friday-robot-vacuum-deals-from-irobot-shark-dyson-and-others-161528108.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Ooni is discounting all of its ovens and accessories by 20 percent as part of a Black Friday deal. This sweeping sale means you can snag one of our <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:1;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-pizza-oven-141550352.html" data-original-link="https://www.engadget.com/best-pizza-oven-141550352.html">two top choices</a> for a home pizza oven. If you're looking to splurge, the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Ooni Pizza Ovens;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=0de15002-ec35-49d8-b24c-3d060213cd2b&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=52839988-5bc0-4421-b8fa-79a9c69e8b88&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Ooni+Pizza+Ovens&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL29vbmkuY29tL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL292ZW5zL3Byb2R1Y3RzL29vbmkta2FydS0xNiIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiNTI4Mzk5ODgtNWJjMC00NDIxLWI4ZmEtNzlhOWM2OWU4Yjg4Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL29vbmkuY29tL2NvbGxlY3Rpb25zL292ZW5zL3Byb2R1Y3RzL29vbmkta2FydS0xNiJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAUEQKRVvriIN_JkyWfvOJ3Y7dQ2qzGYk1gxPU9K3Nj-Q&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fooni.com%2Fcollections%2Fovens%2Fproducts%2Fooni-karu-16" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://ooni.com/collections/ovens/products/ooni-karu-16">Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel pizza oven</a> is available for $519, down from its typical price tag of $799. We appreciate that this model can use wood, charcoal or gas to sizzle up your slices, plus it has a built-in digital thermometer and can fit up to a 16-inch pie.</p> <p> <core-commerce id="0d856526f00142128929b1d549dd3bef" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://ooni.com/collections/ovens/products/ooni-karu-16"></core-commerce></p> <p>If you'd rather not prep your pizza in the great outdoors, then the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Ooni Pizza Ovens;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=0de15002-ec35-49d8-b24c-3d060213cd2b&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=52839988-5bc0-4421-b8fa-79a9c69e8b88&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Ooni+Pizza+Ovens&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL29vbmkuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL29vbmktdm9sdCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiNTI4Mzk5ODgtNWJjMC00NDIxLWI4ZmEtNzlhOWM2OWU4Yjg4Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL29vbmkuY29tL3Byb2R1Y3RzL29vbmktdm9sdCJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAbgQYRu2dXT2kh-abYTNYjxAdTkrEJAUntwxbXGd-_Xf&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fooni.com%2Fproducts%2Fooni-volt" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://ooni.com/products/ooni-volt">Ooni Volt 12 Electric pizza oven</a> might be more your speed. It's on sale for $719 instead of the usual $899. This is our top choice this year for an indoor pizza oven thanks to its quick heating and flexibility for fitting pans or other baked items into its 13-inch interior. It's also flexible on location, since the weather-resistant materials mean it can be used outside too.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p>At the scorching temperatures needed for good pie, you don't want to mess around with the wrong gear. Since Ooni is also cutting the prices on accessories, this is a good time to stock up on other essential tools, like a baking stone or pizza peel. And if you need the ingredients to kick off your pizza journey, Ooni is also taking 20 percent off orders of its dough and up to 50 percent off other grocery items. The Black Friday offer for Ooni goods will be available from today through 11:59 pm local time on December 2.</p> <p> <core-commerce id="5979e937d9b54a39b52db924a21c679e" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://ooni.com/products/ooni-volt"></core-commerce></p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/get-20-percent-off-ooni-pizza-ovens-for-black-friday-150052139.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p><em>Strinova</em> is a third-person hero shooter coming out this week, and its recent closed beta functioned more like an open beta despite the label. Its anime art style caught my eye, so I decided to register and try it out. While this hero shooter had much in common with others in the genre, I thoroughly enjoyed the new mechanics it introduced.</p> <p>This new third-person shooter from iDreamSky has elements players of <em>Counter-Strike 2, Overwatch</em> and <em>Valorant</em> will find familiar, such as game modes and Agent roles. However, the game sets itself apart by implementing a mechanic called “Stringify,” allowing Agents to turn from 3D into paper-thin 2D models.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>Stringify allows Agents to avoid gunfire, climb up walls and even glide through the air, but they can’t shoot or use abilities while Stringified. This mechanic allows for possibilities like chambering sniper rifle rounds while minimizing one’s hitbox and traversing walls mid-gunfight. It was incredibly entertaining to move around like this, but it isn’t so over-the-top like how some Call of Duty games and Titanfall implement movement mechanics. Spamming glides or sprints won’t do much good.</p> <p>Each Agent has unique abilities and primary weapons, while secondary weapons and grenades can be swapped out. You have many familiar roles like snipers, designated marksmen with semi-automatic rifles, mid-range assault units and close-quarters-focused brawlers armed with shotguns. The abilities range from defensive supports to lone-wolf offensive kits, though Strinova doesn’t encourage engaging groups of enemies alone due to a longer time to kill.</p> <p>My favorite Agent from the open beta is Meredith (image below), a mid-range assault Agent who can glide in mid-air longer due to a time-slowing mechanic. Her gunplay feels almost inspired by <em>Warframe</em>’s Zephyr, who also has extended airtime. Meredith also has area denial abilities that apply debuffs, most significantly with her Ultimate Skill that drains HP temporarily while limiting vision.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/30e4cd50-a68f-11ef-9ff7-7f64fb910038" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/30e4cd50-a68f-11ef-9ff7-7f64fb910038" style="height:1440px;width:2560px;" alt="Meredith Strinova" data-uuid="248d0889-7fea-3f52-ac56-3b9c558c9e1c"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Jeremy Gan for Engadget</div></figure> <p>Another standout is Audrey, whose ability turns her into a stationary turret and lets her fire her machine gun without recoil or reloading. However, you’ll want to watch out for overheating. She has a limited shield that blocks some incoming fire while aiming down the sights — but there’s a catch. Despite being a bullet hose, she’s vulnerable to a single sniper headshot, and a shotgun user can take her out quickly before she enters turret mode, which has a longer startup animation.</p> <p>There were four game modes in the open beta: team deathmatch, team arena, escort, and demolition. Escort is similar to what Overwatch offers, which has an attacking team escorting a payload to the goal. Demolition is basically competitive Counter-Strike. Team deathmatch has five teams of three fighting each other, while team arena has a 7v7 format. In the last two game modes, Ultimate Skills are disabled.</p> <p>Based on my experience, <em>Strinova</em> has a longer time to kill, which forces players to be more tactical, especially when everyone can use Stringify to move around. I was forced to ditch my highly aggressive playstyle and employ proper movement and peeking to ensure I survived gunfights. Since each Agent gets to turn 2D, glide and climb walls, there are plenty of ways to get the drop on opponents.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/91fd1070-a68f-11ef-bbb3-867ff89fbd49" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/91fd1070-a68f-11ef-bbb3-867ff89fbd49" style="height:1440px;width:2560px;" alt="Weapon Upgrade Strinova" data-uuid="3c88c82b-0079-3679-912a-b272e6fdf495"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Jeremy Gan for Engadget</div></figure> <p><em>Strinova</em> ran smoothly on my gaming laptop, reaching 120FPS easily and rarely dropping many frames. However, there was a glaring bug in which my A key was perceived as being held down. The only way to “fix” was to pause or unplug my keyboard. I usually had to perform the latter, and it was rather annoying to deal with, though hopefully it’s something that gets worked out by release.</p> <p>I definitely enjoyed playing the <em>Strinova</em> open beta, and the game is set to come out on November 21. There are plenty of other cool things in the game, but the combat absolutely stands out. I don’t play that many hero shooters, but this one is like a diamond in the rough to me.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/strinovas-2d-stringify-mechanic-breathes-some-new-life-into-hero-shooters-140043155.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>While pretty much every TV is a smart TV these days, you might still want a dedicated streaming box to do the heavy lifting — or maybe you'd like to have one for a projector. There a number of <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-40-black-friday-tech-deals-worth-shopping-from-amazon-walmart-apple-anker-and-others-163039567.html">Black Friday deals</a> on streaming devices, including the latest Roku Ultra. That box has <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=b7a000c3-6583-4292-9b88-c30df8899353&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvQjBERjQ0UlRUUC8_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYjdhMDAwYzMtNjU4My00MjkyLTliODgtYzMwZGY4ODk5MzUzIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2dwL3Byb2R1Y3QvQjBERjQ0UlRUUC8iLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAVsvyBZy8LSKyxQQFxmJTENvje4H8jP99kiTsLXtS9xz&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fgp%2Fproduct%2FB0DF44RTTP%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DF44RTTP/?th=1">dropped by $20 to $80</a>, which is an all-time low-price for the streaming box.</p> <p>Roku <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/roku-says-its-new-ultra-streaming-box-is-30-percent-faster-130038051.html">unveiled the 2024 Ultra in September</a>. It claims that the device is at least 30 percent faster than any of its other players. As such, apps should load quickly and moving around the user interface should feel zippy.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p>The previous version is our pick for the <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-streaming-devices-media-players-123021395.html">best set-top streaming box</a> (we're currently testing the 2024 model). The Roku Ultra offers 4K streaming with HDR10+ and Dolby Vision, as well as Dolby Atmos audio. It supports Wi-Fi 6 connectivity and you can plug in an Ethernet cable as well.</p> <p> <core-commerce id="dab24e137f2441528c4f32408b543835" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DF44RTTP/?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>This model comes with a second-gen Voice Remote Pro, which boasts backlit buttons and USB-C charging, though Roku says it should run for up to three months on a single charge. Other features include hands-free voice control and a lost remote finder function. Roku ditched the headphone jack for wired listening this time around, unfortunately, but you can still connect wireless headphones to the Roku Ultra via Bluetooth.</p> <p>The Roku Channel offers more than 400 free, ad-supported streaming channels, along with on-demand shows and movies. The Roku Ultra is also compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and AirPlay.</p> <p>In addition to the latest Ultra, you can save on a number of other Roku devices for Black Friday. The most affordable of the bunch is the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=b7a000c3-6583-4292-9b88-c30df8899353&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAVHOjyFF8K4JNpz_mBILksy8LvhJDmWFQbwSp6NYzIJs&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRoku-Express-Streaming-High-Speed-controls%2Fdp%2FB0BCH5H2R3" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Roku-Express-Streaming-High-Speed-controls/dp/B0BCH5H2R3?ref_=automaticdeals_bs_dp&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1">Roku Express HD</a>, which is down to only $20, and the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=b7a000c3-6583-4292-9b88-c30df8899353&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAZ8AH7q1jCBc1iAgjsuhGI6rc18Dq1suDZlFscOCPofQ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRoku-Streambar-Soundbar-Streaming-Speakers%2Fdp%2FB0CTBF4MKS" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Roku-Streambar-Soundbar-Streaming-Speakers/dp/B0CTBF4MKS?ref_=automaticdeals_bs_dp&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1">Roku Streambar SE</a> is on sale for $70 — only $10 more than its record low. Those keen on upgrading their entire TV set should consider this <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=b7a000c3-6583-4292-9b88-c30df8899353&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAfgxJoleBFYYjHO9JOG6CNR2JeujJ5AH8g5O7iHhScJd&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FRoku-Brilliant-Automatic-Brightness-Streaming%2Fdp%2FB0CCBYJQ7D" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Roku-Brilliant-Automatic-Brightness-Streaming/dp/B0CCBYJQ7D?ref_=automaticdeals_bs_dp&amp;th=1">55-inch 4K Roku Smart TV</a>, which is on sale for $278.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-2024-roku-ultra-drops-to-80-in-this-black-friday-deal-181528897.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/">Black Friday</a> deals have come for Blink security devices, including the new-this-year<a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=8f252835-ebfd-4a4d-bd42-ab4d35c8b0f8&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQldXWlk4Rks_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiOGYyNTI4MzUtZWJmZC00YTRkLWJkNDItYWI0ZDM1YzhiMGY4Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQldXWlk4RksiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAez0ZPsE059U_cY6ZTk6rgXiedMIk_dJ_TEHeRhvwd8V&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0BWWZY8FK" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWWZY8FK"> Blink Mini 2</a>. You can snag a two pack of the updated, wired security cameras for only $35, which is half off and $5 less than you'd usually pay for just one of them. That’s a record low — and cheap enough to qualify as a<a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-gifts-under-50-holiday-stocking-stuffers-130049028.html"> stocking stuffer</a>. There are a bunch of other<a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=8f252835-ebfd-4a4d-bd42-ab4d35c8b0f8&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAARtwsr6MzwmMfpWGKJdivTWe6HXWYAT22IvSYYb8lub1&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fstores%2Fpage%2FF9EE26CD-862F-485B-BD36-283B665D4B9E" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/F9EE26CD-862F-485B-BD36-283B665D4B9E?ingress=2&amp;visitId=cb20e7fa-283e-46a9-b982-6d55a54b5d1f&amp;store_ref=bl_ast_dp_brandLogo_sto&amp;ref_=ast_bln"> Blink devices</a> on sale right now as well, including the<a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=8f252835-ebfd-4a4d-bd42-ab4d35c8b0f8&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0JsaW5rLVZpZGVvLURvb3JiZWxsL2RwL0IwOFNHMk1TM1Y_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiOGYyNTI4MzUtZWJmZC00YTRkLWJkNDItYWI0ZDM1YzhiMGY4Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL0JsaW5rLVZpZGVvLURvb3JiZWxsL2RwL0IwOFNHMk1TM1YiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAUQ40C86wVR0FLICed6NZqeh-An8DvetJBqmugQcdspK&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FBlink-Video-Doorbell%2Fdp%2FB08SG2MS3V" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Video-Doorbell/dp/B08SG2MS3V?ref_=ast_sto_dp&amp;th=1&amp;psc=1"> Blink Video Doorbell</a>, which is also half off and down to $30.</p> <p>The compact security camera has color night vision capabilities thanks to its built-in LED spotlight. It supports person detection, although you’ll need a <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=8f252835-ebfd-4a4d-bd42-ab4d35c8b0f8&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FtYXpvbi5jb20vZHAvQjA4SkhHODY3UD90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI4ZjI1MjgzNS1lYmZkLTRhNGQtYmQ0Mi1hYjRkMzVjOGIwZjgiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYW1hem9uLmNvbS9kcC9CMDhKSEc4NjdQIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAUKN2rNFHNfQNOrdMdCMgPgNmXeGwWDB84wL-rZyqVJn&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2Fdp%2FB08JHG867P" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://amazon.com/dp/B08JHG867P">Blink Subscription</a> for that. They start at $3 monthly or $30 annually for one device. (And you get a 30-day trial to see if it’s worth it.)</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p>The camera supports 1080p HD live view and has a wider field of view than <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/amazons-blink-mini-camera-announcement-183048551.html">its predecessor</a> (143 degrees diagonally vs. 110 in the original). It also has a low-light image sensor. The Blink Mini 2 works with Alexa and supports two-way audio.</p> <p> <core-commerce id="37dfec5e73eb457a8323bf90ab9cc179" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Blink-Mini-2-Camera-White/dp/B0BWX1D2DW?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>The plug-in camera works indoors and out, but you’ll need a $10 <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=8f252835-ebfd-4a4d-bd42-ab4d35c8b0f8&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2FtYXpvbi5jb20vQmxpbmstLU1pbmktMi1Qb3dlci1BZHBhdGVyL2RwL0IwQ0JMNzJIWUQvP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtMjAiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjhmMjUyODM1LWViZmQtNGE0ZC1iZDQyLWFiNGQzNWM4YjBmOCIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9hbWF6b24uY29tL0JsaW5rLS1NaW5pLTItUG93ZXItQWRwYXRlci9kcC9CMENCTDcySFlELyIsImR5bmFtaWNDZW50cmFsVHJhY2tpbmdJZCI6dHJ1ZSwic2l0ZUlkIjoidXMtZW5nYWRnZXQiLCJwYWdlSWQiOiIxcC1hdXRvbGluayIsImZlYXR1cmVJZCI6InRleHQtbGluayJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAaZ6zihbzLa2GVLn9c8WPOlQ5GH5da_owdhAhhD6eVnX&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Famazon.com%2FBlink--Mini-2-Power-Adpater%2Fdp%2FB0CBL72HYD%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://amazon.com/Blink--Mini-2-Power-Adpater/dp/B0CBL72HYD/">weather-resistant power adapter</a> to use it outside. However, it does include mounting screws in the box, along with a 13-ft indoor power adapter and a stand for each camera. You can order the camera in black or white.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-two-pack-of-blink-mini-2-cameras-is-on-sale-for-35-in-this-black-friday-deal-140009644.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>A<a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:MasterClass;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=ece2db60-ed2b-4433-8be0-79f90b069400&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=a2c0d691-68e3-4368-88aa-06de0e367a14&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=MasterClass&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5tYXN0ZXJjbGFzcy5jb20vIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJhMmMwZDY5MS02OGUzLTQzNjgtODhhYS0wNmRlMGUzNjdhMTQiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lm1hc3RlcmNsYXNzLmNvbS8ifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAWYV8F1e-0RLGMy0j4ssMnlCLLn2PO6cVztVcq5UzKDr&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.masterclass.com%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.masterclass.com/"> MasterClass</a> subscription is perhaps<a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-teachers-130002962.html"> one of the best gifts</a> you can get for yourself if you love learning new things or honing your skills, and it will now cost you up to 50 percent off. The website is holding a pre-Black Friday sale, so this is your chance to sign up at a discount if you find its regular rates a bit steep. MasterClass' Standard subscription, which allows you to access its content on one device, will cost you $7 a month instead of $10.</p> <p>If you want to watch classes offline, though, your cheapest option is the Plus tier that will now set you back $9 per month instead of $15. It will also allow you to access the service's videos on two devices. But the best option available right now is the Premium tier, which you can get for $10 a month instead of $20. You'll be able to access classes on six devices if you get it, and it also comes with offline viewing.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p> <core-commerce id="35fbdbee24d84a148e04de9b6ab1fbf5" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.masterclass.com/"></core-commerce></p> <p>A subscription will let you view more than 200 classes across 11 categories no matter what option you choose. MasterClass offers lessons from some of the best and most well-known people in their field, such as Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Mariah Carey (using voice as an instrument), Stephen Curry (basketball), Steve Martin (comedy), Shonda Rhimes (writing for TV), John Legend (songwriting), Garry Kasparov (chess), Jane Goodall (conservation), Simone Biles (gymnastics) and Samuel L. Jackson (acting). Take note that you'll have to pay for the whole year to be able to enjoy the discounted rates, which are only available for a limited time.&nbsp;</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-on-masterclass-subscriptions-start-at-7-per-month-150047706.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Apple has <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/121753">rolled out updates</a> for its operating systems, which come with security fixes for vulnerabilities that may have already been used to target its customers. The updates are now available for <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/macos-sequoia-review-iphone-mirroring-is-more-useful-than-you-think-140008463.html">Macs</a>, iPhones, iPads, the Vision Pro and the Safari browser. In its notes, Apple revealed that the security patches will fix bugs affecting WebKit, the rendering engine Safari uses, and JavaScriptCore, which runs JavaScript code on macOS and iOS devices.&nbsp;</p> <p>If JavaScriptCore is fooled into processing &quot;maliciously crafted web content,&quot; it could execute arbitrary codes, Apple explained. Meanwhile, WebKit could be exploited for cross site scripting attacks if it gets tricked into running malicious content. The company said it&#39;s aware of a report that the vulnerabilities could&#39;ve been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems. According to <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/19/apple-says-mac-users-targeted-in-zero-day-cyberattacks/"><em>TechCrunch</em></a>, the bugs are zero-day vulnerabilities, as Apple had no knowledge of their existence when they were exploited. Researchers from Google&#39;s Threat Analysis Group were reportedly the ones who discovered the vulnerabilities. The group is known for detecting and analyzing government-backed hacking and attacks.&nbsp;</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>Apple didn&#39;t say how many devices had been attacked using exploits taking advantage of the bugs, and it didn&#39;t say if any information was stolen from the targets. Mac, iPad and iPhones users may want to check their devices for the latest updates, though, so they can install the security fixes as soon as possible.&nbsp;</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/apple-patches-vulnerabilities-used-to-target-intel-based-macs-133027514.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-2024-deals-the-best-early-sales-we-could-find-from-amazon-best-buy-apple-samsung-and-more-163039995.html">Black Friday deals</a> are already coming in hot with some excellent discounts on MacBooks. Key among them is a sale on the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=1dc6ec2d-b82a-4e4e-82f8-cfddfa661f77&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIRzFITUw_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMWRjNmVjMmQtYjgyYS00ZTRlLTgyZjgtY2ZkZGZhNjYxZjc3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIRzFITUwiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAVSw0kq3tUPL2DhXPyn8ZOESQ2uO0bPiQx4WuAfUDM72&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHG1HML" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHG1HML?th=1">M3 MacBook Air</a>, the machine we consider to be the<a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/computing/laptops/best-laptops-120008636.html"> best laptop</a> for most people and the<a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-laptops-for-students-130054631.html"> best laptop for college students</a>. Amazon has the notebook with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $849, which is $250 off the list price.</p> <p>That's the base amount of storage, but other configurations with more storage space are on sale too. One with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is available for <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=1dc6ec2d-b82a-4e4e-82f8-cfddfa661f77&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1gyMk5DSFE_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMWRjNmVjMmQtYjgyYS00ZTRlLTgyZjgtY2ZkZGZhNjYxZjc3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ1gyMk5DSFEiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAATSiWCi5hiawlzoLA1VEj-Lfky8dWcG19iVPWKCL7pkM&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CX22NCHQ" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CX22NCHQ?th=1">$999</a>, though we'd recommend having at least 16GB of memory. It's not possible to upgrade the RAM in an Apple Silicon MacBook, but you can always add external storage if need be.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p>Apple just released its first M4-powered Macs, but it has yet to slot the latest chip into the MacBook Air. The 13-inch MBA's blend of power and portability makes it a potent choice and we gave it a <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/macbook-air-m3-review-2024-13-15-inch-140053162.html">score of 90 in our review</a>. It delivers fast performance and has a killer display. The design is sleek and sturdy and it sounds great thanks to a quad-speaker array. We like the trackpad and keyboard as well, while the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E connectivity is a definite plus.&nbsp;</p> <p> <core-commerce id="5723d88041c34a1695d151fe6bf7c6e5" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHG1HML?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>Our main quibble is that the USB-C ports are on the same side of the unit as the one for the charger — having even one USB-C on the right side would be handy. But that's a minor complaint about an otherwise terrific laptop.</p> <p>If you're willing to go with a slightly older (but no less capable) processor, the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=1dc6ec2d-b82a-4e4e-82f8-cfddfa661f77&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIVDlWWFcvcmVmPWZzX2FfbWJ0Ml91czQ_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiMWRjNmVjMmQtYjgyYS00ZTRlLTgyZjgtY2ZkZGZhNjYxZjc3Iiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwRExIVDlWWFcvcmVmPWZzX2FfbWJ0Ml91czQiLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAX0sD1veungTMWjQOEfzkLs6twqDK5kD-VYbHnAfrrVv&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0DLHT9VXW%2Fref%3Dfs_a_mbt2_us4" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLHT9VXW/ref=fs_a_mbt2_us4?th=1">M2 MacBook Air</a> with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage has dropped to $749 thanks to a clippable coupon.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apple-black-friday-deals-discount-the-m3-macbook-air-with-16gb-of-ram-to-the-lowest-price-weve-seen-180617828.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Bose’s most recent <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=b13f7e6e-d162-4263-98ba-e8cc5efd872a&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0NaMVNROEc_dGFnPWdkZ3QwYy0yMCIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiYjEzZjdlNmUtZDE2Mi00MjYzLTk4YmEtZThjYzVlZmQ4NzJhIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL2RwL0IwQ0NaMVNROEciLCJkeW5hbWljQ2VudHJhbFRyYWNraW5nSWQiOnRydWUsInNpdGVJZCI6InVzLWVuZ2FkZ2V0IiwicGFnZUlkIjoiMXAtYXV0b2xpbmsiLCJmZWF0dXJlSWQiOiJ0ZXh0LWxpbmsifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAfYpHgURgQ7wUmnQyL2TR1dRBBvbIqLiij_o47YmKukA&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB0CCZ1SQ8G" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCZ1SQ8G?th=1">QuietComfort headphones</a> have dropped to $199 for Black Friday, bringing the over-ear cans down to a record-low price. With this 43-percent discount, you can get a pair of headphones with excellent active noise cancellation for a fraction of their usual price. And whether you’re eyeing them for yourself or for someone else as a gift, you have seven colors to choose from.</p> <p>A version of these cans made our list of the <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-headphones-wireless-bluetooth-120543205.html">best wireless headphones</a>, so there’s plenty to recommend. The battery life is fantastic, lasting around 24 hours on a single charge. There’s also a quick charge feature, which can squeeze two hours of additional use with just 15 minutes at the power outlet. These are primarily wireless headphones, but can operate with an analog connection.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p> <core-commerce id="9442b0871f9e474f84f04e47b62c7f1f" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CCZ1SQ8G?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p>The adjustable EQ is great and, of course, the sound is top-tier. Bose is known for making some pretty good stuff. There are touch controls built into the earcups, which is handy, and active noise cancellation. This ANC can be adjusted to create a transparency mode, so you won’t walk into a truck or whatever. The headphones are also quite comfortable, thanks to plush earcups and a padded band.</p> <p>The only downside here is the price. It’s tough to recommend these headphones at $350, especially with rival products at similar price points from companies like Apple, Sony and Sennheiser. However, it’s really easy to recommend them at $200. That’s a legit steal.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/boses-latest-quietcomfort-headphones-drop-to-199-in-this-black-friday-deal-174600022.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Other than a bike, helmet and a few emergency maintenance essentials, there aren’t many things a person needs to enjoy a bike ride outside. But having the right accessories can go a long way towards making the experience more fun, more safe and, ultimately, more rewarding. The list of recommendations below cover the gamut of things you can give to the cyclist in your life, from must-have safety accessories like bike lights, to more techie gadgets like bike computers. However, each represents an item the staff here at Engadget have personally tested or swear by, and would make for a great holiday gift.</p> <p> <core-commerce id="18c22b15f77d4240a351014df9f979b1" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Unisex-Security-Scout-Bicycle-Parts/dp/B0BFFXR1FN/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="e3d73d20060e4dada8482128f85537a3" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZDUGHCW?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="40127343f4f34debbc71a272cf002a06" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="ca88990bcf0d4b3d89f96018900c3ae0" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="7d7a4faf31744d7e929106c52218594a" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/InvisiClean-Professional-Ultrasonic-Eyeglasses-Sunglasses/dp/B072JXQ9P5/ref=sr_1_10?sr=8-10"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="e779ff9650ad48328ed823c99cdf9df8" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Universal-Bluetooth-Intercom-Headset-Multi-Sport/dp/B092P6N95X"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="66af2a2fab1a491aa0929704cba2a452" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="db54415af5324fd1a56b9dca349678bb" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.rei.com/product/185344/outdoor-research-activeice-sun-sleeves"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="6cb1a2eaa43d4fd991601d0b2ef9d2a3" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="506ea2b943d548e2aa6c21eb3567ad80" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="6de4d61b4c4d4ad894c1da7a12bb29d9" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-houdini-windbreaker-jacket/24142.html"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="a70cb253485545baa0e75b4d3facb7c7" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="5df1fdf10d0a4d908ece596abb2ba749" data-type="product-list"></core-commerce></p> <p><em>Check out the rest of our </em><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gifts/"><em>gift ideas</em></a><em> here.</em></p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gifts-for-cyclists-140100878.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>The UK government is expected to launch a parliamentary inquiry into the roll of social media in summer riots, particularly around the use of <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-us-and-uk-are-teaming-up-to-test-the-safety-of-ai-models-063002266.html">generative AI</a>, <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.theguardian.com/media/2024/nov/20/mps-summon-elon-musk-x-role-uk-summer-riots"><em>The Guardian</em></a> reported. As part of that, MPs (members of Parliament) wish to cross-examine X owner Elon Musk, along with senior executives from Meta and TikTok, as part of a Commons science and technology select committee social media inquiry.</p> <p>&quot;[Musk] has very strong views on multiple aspects of this,&quot; said Labour chair of the select committee, Chi Onwurah. &quot;I would certainly like the opportunity to cross-examine him to see … how he reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation. [The committee will] get to the bottom of the links between social media algorithms, generative AI, and the spread of harmful or false content.&quot;</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>The government is looking into the use of fake images created by generative AI, often containing Islamophobic content, which were widely shared in social media posts on Facebook and X. Such posts may have inflamed riots last August that took place after three schoolgirls were murdered. MPs are also looking into big tech business models that &quot;encourage the spread of content that can mislead and harm.&quot;</p> <p>Musk, who may soon have a large role in the US government under incoming president Trump, has criticized the UK government and isn&#39;t likely to attend. During the riots in August he said: “Civil war is inevitable,&quot; and on Monday stated that &quot;Britain is going full Stalin.&quot;&nbsp;</p> <p>In December, UK regulator Ofcom will publish new rules as part of the <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-uk-could-require-facial-scans-or-photo-ids-to-view-online-porn-182019566.html">Online Safety Act</a>. With the new regulations, it&#39;s likely that social media platforms will be forced prevent the spread of illegal materials such as CSAM and survey activities that could stir up violence. Companies like X and Facebook will then be required to remove any illegal material.&nbsp;</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/uk-government-will-summon-elon-musk-as-part-of-social-media-inquiry-130004409.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>The Department of Justice is <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/department-of-justice-will-reportedly-push-for-google-to-sell-chrome-153612337.html"><ins>reportedly planning to make Google sell its Chrome browser to address its search monopoly</ins></a>. It’s in response to a 2020 lawsuit filed by the DOJ and several US states that was finally ruled upon in August. Google has, naturally, said such a sale would be a terrible idea and would harm American competitiveness in the tech industry. I’m more curious about how much inherent value Chrome has without the backing of its parent company.</p> <p>— Dan Cooper</p> <p><em>Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox.</em><a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/about/newsletter/"><em> Subscribe right here!</em></a></p> <p><strong>News in Brief</strong></p> <ul> <li><p><a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-oura-ring-gen-3-drops-to-a-record-low-of-249-for-black-friday-195248032.html"><ins>The Oura Ring Gen 3 drops to a record low of $249 for Black Friday</ins><br></a>It’s a good deal if you don’t wear a smartwatch.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/meta-wants-its-llama-ai-in-britains-public-healthcare-system-174119281.html"><ins>Meta wants its Llama AI in Britain’s public healthcare system</ins><br></a>How do you reduce wait times? <del>More staff members…</del> AI, somehow.</p></li> <li><p><a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-hits-20-million-users-143920955.html"><ins>Bluesky hits 20 million users</ins><br></a>It’s the new home for the soul of old Twitter.</p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-minecraft-is-getting-its-own-theme-parks"><a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/minecraft-is-getting-its-own-theme-parks-190603375.html"><ins>Minecraft is getting its own theme parks</ins></a></h2> <h3 id="jump-link-and-view-a-new-trailer-for-its-forthcoming-movie">And view a new trailer for its forthcoming movie.</h3> <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/minecraft-is-getting-its-own-theme-parks-190603375.html"><figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/2e4ff160-a72e-11ef-b3df-fb867702bfbe" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/2e4ff160-a72e-11ef-b3df-fb867702bfbe" style="height:349px;width:620px;" alt="Image of a proposed Minecraft Theme Park" data-uuid="f4ede427-bb07-34c9-808a-249b4259d859"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Merlin Entertainments</div></figure></a> <p>The company behind Legoland is teaming up with Mojang to build<em>&nbsp;</em>Minecraft theme parks in the US and UK. <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/minecraft-is-getting-its-own-theme-parks-190603375.html"><ins>Both locations will have interactive attractions based on the game, as well as rides, gift shops and restaurants designed to milk cash out of weary parents</ins></a>. The announcement came on the same day as the <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/first-trailer-for-a-minecraft-movie-delivers-on-iconic-in-game-moments-210252851.html"><ins>first full trailer for </ins><em><ins>A Minecraft Movie</ins></em></a>, another sign of the game’s growing cultural dominance. Given I can’t move in my own home without hearing famous <em>Minecraft</em> YouTuber Aphmau screech-shouting at the top of her lungs, I can’t wait to grind my teeth into powder taking my kids to enjoy both.</p> <p><a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/minecraft-is-getting-its-own-theme-parks-190603375.html"><strong><ins>Continue Reading (Theme Parks)</ins></strong></a></p> <p><a data-i13n="cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/first-trailer-for-a-minecraft-movie-delivers-on-iconic-in-game-moments-210252851.html"><strong><ins>Continue Reading (Trailer)</ins></strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal"><a data-i13n="cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html"><ins>Sony will trial cloud streaming for the PS5 Portal</ins></a></h2> <h3 id="jump-link-ie-the-thing-it-should-have-had-from-the-start">i.e. The thing it should have had from the start.</h3> <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html"><figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/65e9cc90-a72e-11ef-9fff-512ec50c5ab1" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/65e9cc90-a72e-11ef-9fff-512ec50c5ab1" style="height:342px;width:620px;" alt="Image of the PlayStation Portal held aloft." data-uuid="afef9337-eaf3-399f-b8a7-cf382ea28973"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Devindra Hardawar for Engadget</div></figure></a> <p>Someone at Sony has finally noticed the PlayStation Portal was shipped without its raison d’être: cloud streaming. <a data-i13n="cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html"><ins>The company is pushing a software update for users to test the feature with more than 120 PS5 Plus games</ins></a>. It only took them a whole damn year to get around to it.</p> <p><a data-i13n="cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html"><strong><ins>Continue Reading. </ins></strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-germany-says-cut-undersea-data-cables-were-sabotaged"><a data-i13n="cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/general/germany-says-cut-undersea-data-cables-were-sabotaged-154554172.html"><ins>Germany says cut undersea data cables were sabotaged</ins></a></h2> <h3 id="jump-link-finger-pointing-is-happening">Finger pointing is happening.</h3> <p></p> <p>Over the weekend, two undersea data cables in Europe were cut, with one German politician claiming sabotage. <a data-i13n="cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/general/germany-says-cut-undersea-data-cables-were-sabotaged-154554172.html"><ins>Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has gone public with his belief the two lines were deliberately cut, but admits he has no proof to support his claim</ins></a>. Both Germany and Finland, two of the countries affected, say a thorough investigation is in progress.</p> <p><a data-i13n="cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/general/germany-says-cut-undersea-data-cables-were-sabotaged-154554172.html"><strong><ins>Continue Reading.</ins></strong></a></p> <h2 id="jump-link-what-is-sonos-sound-motion-technology"><a data-i13n="cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/what-is-sonos-sound-motion-technology-183313680.html"><ins>What is Sonos Sound Motion technology?</ins></a></h2> <h3 id="jump-link-a-guide-for-the-perplexed">A guide for the perplexed.</h3> <a href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/what-is-sonos-sound-motion-technology-183313680.html"><figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/950b1380-a72e-11ef-b5e7-8cd097ab6265" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/950b1380-a72e-11ef-b5e7-8cd097ab6265" style="height:349px;width:620px;" alt="Sonos" data-uuid="15106f60-71db-39c8-bc7b-f89db4dad7f0"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Sonos</div></figure></a> <p>Sonos hasn’t had a great year, but one highlight has been the Arc Ultra soundbar, the first model to debut its Sound Motion technology. <a data-i13n="cpos:18;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/what-is-sonos-sound-motion-technology-183313680.html"><ins>Now, I bet you’re wondering what that tech is and what it does, which is why Engadget’s audio expert Billy Steele has cooked up this guide</ins></a>. He’ll talk you through what it’s good for, why Sonos spent $100 million to own it and what it means for the future of your home audio.</p> <p><a data-i13n="cpos:19;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/what-is-sonos-sound-motion-technology-183313680.html"><strong><ins>Continue Reading. </ins></strong></a></p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><h2 id="jump-link-i-wish-blizzard-loved-warcraft-as-much-as-i-do"><a data-i13n="cpos:20;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/i-wish-blizzard-loved-warcraft-as-much-as-i-do-141524674.html"><ins>I wish Blizzard loved Warcraft as much as I do</ins></a></h2> <h3 id="jump-link-these-games-deserve-better-than-this">These games deserve better than this.</h3> <a href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/i-wish-blizzard-loved-warcraft-as-much-as-i-do-141524674.html"><figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/c8d23bd0-a72e-11ef-abfe-da129321aa4e" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/c8d23bd0-a72e-11ef-abfe-da129321aa4e" style="height:349px;width:620px;" alt="Snippet from the cover art from Warcraft" data-uuid="126c8df7-7b06-3157-870d-a2fae46dc7c2"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Blizzard Entertainment</div></figure></a> <p>I’ve got fond memories of playing <em>Warcraft II</em> as a kid, with <em>“</em>They’re destroying our city!” a regular rallying cry in me and my friend Shane’s playground games. <a data-i13n="cpos:21;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/i-wish-blizzard-loved-warcraft-as-much-as-i-do-141524674.html"><ins>Engadget’s Igor Bonifacic has a similar love for the series and leapt in to play the recently released remaster.</ins></a> Sadly, it looks like Blizzard phoned this one in, prompting Igor to look a little closer at what’s going on.</p> <p><a data-i13n="cpos:22;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/i-wish-blizzard-loved-warcraft-as-much-as-i-do-141524674.html"><strong><ins>Continue Reading. </ins></strong></a></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121538152.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Uber is rolling out some new features for the holiday travel season. On Wednesday, it announced a new, super-duper-sized option with extra trunk space for airport travel. In addition, there will be a third shuttle route for NYC travelers.</p> <p>UberXXL is the company’s new extra-spacious rideshare option. These airport-only rides offer more trunk space and plenty of “comfortable” seating room “for you and your group.” Uber says pricing for the new jumbo-sized service will fall somewhere between <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/2014-05-13-uber-xl-san-fran-rollout.html">UberXL</a> and <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/2018-04-12-us-federal-judge-uberblack-drivers-not-employees.html">Uber Black</a>. Upfront pricing will be available in the app.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>The service is launching at 40 airports in the US and Canada, including New York’s Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark. Other participating UberXXL airports include (among others) LAX, SFO, Reagan National, O’Hare, DFW, Miami and Atlanta. It will be available at over 60 airports globally.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/0a8d52a0-a6b5-11ef-bdfe-8a726bdf9c4d" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/0a8d52a0-a6b5-11ef-bdfe-8a726bdf9c4d" style="height:1870px;width:2493px;" alt="Two Uber app screenshots show the new Flight Capture feature and airport rideshares." data-uuid="ad6236fc-512c-38d9-b6bf-44f90ba854b2"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">Uber</div></figure> <p>Holiday travelers will also have new ways to save a few bucks on their trips this year. <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/uber-x-share-carpool-nine-cities-120048209.html">UberX Share</a> is launching at eight US airports and two international ones. The service lets you book a trip with “just one other airport traveler” to save up to 25 percent compared to UberX fares. The company says the cheaper rates will apply even if you aren’t matched with a random stranger.</p> <p>UberX Share for flights will launch at Austin, Denver, Newark, Dulles, Miami, New Orleans and Phoenix airports.</p> <p>Uber Reserve, the company’s schedule-ahead feature, is adding Flight Capture, which lets you enter your flight info and schedule your trip around it. The app will recommend the best time to leave and ask if you want to adjust your drop-off if your flight is delayed. In addition, Uber Reserve will now give you the option of adding multiple stops when setting up your ride.</p> <p>After <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-starts-offering-18-shuttle-rides-between-manhattan-and-laguardia-airport-193520618.html">launching in New York City last month</a>, Uber Shuttle has added an extra stop to and from LaGuardia. The $18 shuttle service, which lets you save some money on its preset routes, will now include a third stop at the World Trade Center site at 198 Fulton St. It joins the previous two shuttle pickup and drop-off points: Midtown Manhattan (with stops at Port Authority Terminal and Grand Central) and Penn Station.</p> <p>Finally, the Uber app for iPhone has added a widget that could shave a few seconds off the time it takes to schedule a pickup. Starting today, the iOS app has a new Home Screen widget that lets you request a ride “in as little as two taps.” You can check the App Store for the update today. The company added <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/uber-ride-tracker-iphone-lock-screen-060908235.html">a ride-tracking Live Activities feature</a> last year.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/ubers-new-xxl-rides-will-have-extra-room-for-your-big-ass-suitcase-110027241.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>What qualifies a video game as “depressing?” The most obvious answer is that game you simply cannot beat no matter how hard you try, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Instead, we’re looking at games that just have a pall over them, whether it’s directly from story beats or a more subtle vibe given off by the visuals, music or activities the player has to participate in.<br><br>The games on this list don’t have a lot in common on the surface — there are big-budget action thrillers, smaller independent titles and at least one visual novel / deck-building game. But they can all put you in a somber mood, if that’s what you're looking for. Next time the rain is pouring down and you’re feeling a bit of melancholy, we have options to keep you company.</p> <p> <core-commerce id="87b602b9331045b89f20b52ebd622321" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/323190/Frostpunk/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="e5a3d71a58c04cafa2120875f177f902" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1148760/I_Was_a_Teenage_Exocolonist/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="80db61eff46d488aa1fed0a46f2de64e" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1373960/INDIKA/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="e78755a0b0af4c3799e55ab969cdf420" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1973310/Phoenix_Springs/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="32f49d50890e4b5496ffc88b512addf1" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/231200/Kentucky_Route_Zero_PC_Edition/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="1777363f82fb4b90ae3ac4e09539c3c9" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Last-Us-Part-PlayStation-5/dp/B0B3QWRQL8/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="1fffb6bf0362446c878d91f73b4e9cf1" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/1295790/The_Longest_Road_on_Earth/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="d311799e62af4c4a9e066fa9b9c1fe61" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/239030/Papers_Please/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="dfd5309116804fe0b27181e99d96c9fa" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/312520/Rain_World/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="21986a1b972345bdb8964f9e6177ba7a" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/282070/This_War_of_Mine/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="6b58810b3b15485fabbf47f7336a084c" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://store.steampowered.com/app/206440/To_the_Moon/"></core-commerce></p> <p><em>Check out our entire </em><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/tag/best-games/"><em>Best Games series</em></a><em> including the </em><a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-21-best-nintendo-switch-games-in-2024-183005073.html"><em>best Nintendo Switch games</em></a><em>, the </em><a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-best-ps5-games-for-2024-top-playstation-titles-to-play-right-now-144653417.html"><em>best PS5 games</em></a><em>, the </em><a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-xbox-games-140022399.html"><em>best Xbox games</em></a><em>, the </em><a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-best-pc-games-150000910.html"><em>best PC games</em></a><em> and the </em><a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-free-games-163045609.html"><em>best free games</em></a><em> you can play today.</em></p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-depressing-games-120013247.html?src=rss

Nov 20, 2024

<p>We’ve long considered Apple’s iPads to be <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-tablets-150026056.html">the best tablets</a> on the market, but determining exactly which model you should buy isn’t always straightforward. Do you just want a big screen for streaming and web browsing? Do you want to use it like a pseudo-laptop? Do you care about those <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/ai/apple-intelligence-starts-rolling-out-with-ios-181-and-macos-151-151023619.html">Apple Intelligence</a> features the company has been pushing so hard in recent months? If you aren’t quite sure, allow us to help. We’ve tested and reviewed just about every iPad ever made, including all six tablets in Apple’s current lineup. Below, we’ve broken down which ones are the best for most people.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-table-of-contents">Table of contents</h2> <ul> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-the-best-ipads-for-2024">The best iPads for 2024</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-ipad-faqs">iPad FAQs</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-recent-updates">Recent updates</a></p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-the-best-ipads-for-2024">The best iPads for 2024</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="6f7fa6a697e7476c8401173d875931c7" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0D3J5VFYQ/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="e9bfebf20147441e8d8794982e9013a0" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BJLXMVMV/?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="1d4e131e528846ee82f101efd3d20ce6" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0DK3W6TV6/"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="54ae789b93f3410c835991bc5cab9708" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3J6L2ZC/ref=fs_a_ipt2_us1"></core-commerce></p> <h2 id="jump-link-ipad-faqs">iPad FAQs</h2> <h3 id="jump-link-how-long-do-ipads-typically-last">How long do iPads typically last?</h3> <p>If history is any indication, expect Apple to update your iPad to the latest version of iPadOS for at least five years, if not longer. The <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Apple;elmt:;cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=4130e2f0-a14f-4c5e-bdab-cd52ac7d8e79&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=ebb3a818-66b3-46bf-98e3-16639ad8698a&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Apple&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hcHBsZS5jb20vaXBhZG9zL2lwYWRvcy0xOC1wcmV2aWV3LyIsImNvbnRlbnRVdWlkIjoiZWJiM2E4MTgtNjZiMy00NmJmLTk4ZTMtMTY2MzlhZDg2OThhIiwib3JpZ2luYWxVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hcHBsZS5jb20vaXBhZG9zL2lwYWRvcy0xOC1wcmV2aWV3LyJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAdM4XogbJXHbL1OUYwiyABxddkZBvWyN1I4hnKfURYDR&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fipados%2Fipados-18-preview%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.apple.com/ipados/ipados-18-preview/">iPadOS 18 update</a>, for example, <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.macrumors.com/2024/06/10/macos-sequoia-and-ipados-18-compatibility/">is available</a> on iPad Pros dating back to 2018 and other iPads dating back to 2019. How long your iPad’s hardware will last depends on which model you buy and how well you maintain it. (If you’re particularly clumsy, consider an <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-ipad-cases-to-protect-your-tablet-130033533.html">iPad case</a>.) A more powerful iPad Pro will feel fast for a longer time than an entry-level iPad, but each model should remain at least serviceable until Apple stops updating it, at minimum.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <h3 id="jump-link-whats-the-difference-between-the-ipad-and-the-ipad-air">What’s the difference between the iPad and the iPad Air?</h3> <p>Compared to the 10th-gen iPad, the iPad Air runs on a stronger M2 chip (instead of the A14 Bionic) and has twice as much RAM (8GB) and default storage (128GB). It’s also available in two sizes, 11 and 13 inches, whereas the 10th-gen iPad doesn't offer the larger screen option. The M-series SoC gives the Air better long-term performance, plus access to certain iPadOS features such as <a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/ipad-os-16-public-beta-preview-193037237.html">Stage Manager</a>. Its display supports a wider <a data-i13n="cpos:10;pos:1" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DCI-P3">P3</a> color gamut, has an anti-reflective coating and is fully laminated. The latter means there’s no “air gap” between the display and the glass covering it, so it feels more like you’re directly touching what’s on screen instead of interacting with an image below the glass. The Air also works with the newer Pencil Pro stylus and a more comfortable Magic Keyboard, and its USB-C port supports faster data transfer speeds. It technically supports <a data-i13n="cpos:11;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-mesh-wifi-system-130028701.html">faster Wi-Fi 6E</a> and Bluetooth 5.3 connections as well; the lower-cost iPad uses Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Starting at $349, the 10th-gen iPad is $250 less expensive than the iPad Air. It has a similarly elegant design with flat edges, thin bezels, USB-C port, and a Touch ID reader. Battery life is rated at the same 10 hours, and both devices have their front-facing camera on their long edge, which is a more natural position for video calls. The cheaper iPad works with the first-gen and <a data-i13n="cpos:12;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-new-79-apple-pencil-has-a-usb-c-charging-port-141732710.html">USB-C</a> Apple Pencils – which are <a data-i13n="cpos:13;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/apple-ipad-10th-generation-review-160014897.html">more convoluted</a> to charge – and a unique keyboard accessory called the <a data-i13n="cpos:14;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=4130e2f0-a14f-4c5e-bdab-cd52ac7d8e79&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Apple&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hcHBsZS5jb20vc2hvcC9zZWxlY3QtaXBhZC1rZXlib2FyZHMiLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6ImViYjNhODE4LTY2YjMtNDZiZi05OGUzLTE2NjM5YWQ4Njk4YSJ9&amp;signature=AQAAAYr6D5fyvVZGUJfJ0ZmRXcoXzdAGDilzRWqO1gH7O44u&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.apple.com%2Fshop%2Fselect-ipad-keyboards&amp;uuid=DiDrMtUfvQdnYxtx38705">Magic Keyboard Folio</a>.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-how-do-i-take-a-screenshot-on-an-ipad">How do I take a screenshot on an iPad?</h3> <p>As we note in our <a data-i13n="cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-any-device-163053556.html">screenshot how-to guide</a>, you can take a screenshot on your iPad by pressing the top button and either volume button at the same time. If you have an older iPad with a Home button, simultaneously press the top button and the Home button instead.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-recent-updates">Recent updates</h2> <p><strong>November 2024</strong>: We’ve lightly edited this guide for clarity. Our recommendations remain the same.</p> <p><strong>October 2024:</strong> We've updated our guide to include the new <a data-i13n="cpos:16;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-mini-7-review-safe-boring-and-everything-i-want-in-a-small-tablet-130039378.html">iPad mini 7</a>.</p> <p><strong>June 2024</strong>: We’ve touched up this guide to reflect some of the new iPadOS features Apple announced at <a data-i13n="cpos:17;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/wwdc/">WWDC</a>, though our picks remain the same.</p> <p><em>Nathan Ingraham contributed to this report.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Sony <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://blog.playstation.com/2024/11/19/the-playstation-portal-remote-player-experience-to-evolve-with-new-system-update/"><ins>announced</ins></a> that it will run a beta test for cloud streaming on its PlayStation Portal gaming handheld. The feature will begin rolling out in an update today, with Europe due to get it starting on Wednesday. Only PlayStation Plus Premium members will be able to access cloud streaming during the beta test, but it&#39;s a promising sign that Sony is finally working on this function, even though it took a year to get here. Adding cloud gaming to the Portal addresses one of the big critiques in our <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/playstation-portal-review-a-baffling-handheld-for-no-one-but-sony-diehards-201558485.html"><ins>review</ins></a> of this handheld, which didn&#39;t seem to have an obvious target audience.</p> <p>More than 120 titles from the PS5 Plus Game Catalog will be available in the beta test. That covers a range of games including <em>Dave the Diver</em>, <em>Ghost of Tsushima</em>, <em>Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales</em>, <em>Monster Hunter Rise</em> and <em>Ratchet &amp; Clank: Rift Apart</em>. No games from the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 will be supported during the beta, but maybe those will join the roster whenever the feature is more broadly available.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>Portal owners might also want to know that this update adds a couple tweaks to audio and volume controls. But let&#39;s be honest, cloud gaming is really the point.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Twitch is now on the docket for X’s lawsuit against companies that stopped advertising on the social media site. X amended its lawsuit on Monday to include Twitch as a defendant in its lawsuit in a federal court in Wichita Falls, Texas, according to <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/transactional/musks-x-adds-twitch-defendant-lawsuit-over-advertising-boycott-2024-11-19/"><em>Reuters</em></a>.</p> <p><a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://fingfx.thomsonreuters.com/gfx/legaldocs/lgvdjjgxyvo/X%20v%20World%20Federation%20of%20Advertisers%20-%20amended%20complaint.pdf">The new complaint</a> claims that the gaming stream site owned by Amazon stopped purchasing ads on X at the end of 2022. X alleges that Twitch and other companies conspired with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) network’s Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative to withhold “billions of dollars in advertising revenue” from Elon Musk’s social media company.&nbsp;</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>The plaintiff alleges the boycott violated federal antitrust laws and is demanding a jury trial to settle the matter. GARM also announced its <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/one-of-the-ad-industry-groups-being-sued-by-x-is-discontinuing-192721024.html">discontinuation</a> two days after X filed its lawsuit.</p> <p>X Corp.’s joint lawsuit <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/x-sues-advertisers-for-illegal-boycott-of-the-platform-173100888.html">first filed in August</a> also includes the WFA, the global food manufacturer Mars Incorporated, the drugstore chain CVS and the Danish energy company Ørsted A/S over the advertising boycott. X also has a lawsuit against the media watchdog group <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/x-lawsuit-accuses-media-matters-of-running-a-campaign-to-drive-advertisers-away-from-its-website-040022933.html">Media Matters</a> for publishing a report showing X displayed ads next to antisemitic content on the platform.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-adds-twitch-to-its-advertising-boycott-lawsuit-215540775.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<p><a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-tv-deals-for-2024-save-on-sets-from-samsung-sony-hisense-and-more-161445151.html">Black Friday TV deals</a> have arrived, and there are some steep discounts on Samsung’s Frame smart TV that you can snag right now. Amazon has the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=47519f8e-56ef-45db-92d3-df0128042197&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=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&amp;signature=AQAAAcBFogGX1h5LMM8zdv_q7ItgCzvOMfOukHKe2ozcFOJ6&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSAMSUNG-55-Inch-Anti-Reflection-Customizable-QN55LS03D%2Fdp%2FB0CV9F2Q5V" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-55-Inch-Anti-Reflection-Customizable-QN55LS03D/dp/B0CV9F2Q5V?">55-inch Frame TV</a> for $898, and <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Samsung Electronics;elmt:;cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=f85e63cd-e13c-4f9d-991c-9fbaadede3ac&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=47519f8e-56ef-45db-92d3-df0128042197&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Samsung+Electronics&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5zYW1zdW5nLmNvbS91cy90ZWxldmlzaW9ucy1ob21lLXRoZWF0ZXIvdHZzL3RoZS1mcmFtZS81NS1jbGFzcy10aGUtZnJhbWUtcWxlZC00ay1sczAzZC1xbjU1bHMwM2RhZnh6YS8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjQ3NTE5ZjhlLTU2ZWYtNDVkYi05MmQzLWRmMDEyODA0MjE5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Ftc3VuZy5jb20vdXMvdGVsZXZpc2lvbnMtaG9tZS10aGVhdGVyL3R2cy90aGUtZnJhbWUvNTUtY2xhc3MtdGhlLWZyYW1lLXFsZWQtNGstbHMwM2QtcW41NWxzMDNkYWZ4emEvIn0&amp;signature=AQAAAbJnygpBIevvwSnEM7xXgsglICCWdNRCAIFDtj-bkBLT&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.samsung.com%2Fus%2Ftelevisions-home-theater%2Ftvs%2Fthe-frame%2F55-class-the-frame-qled-4k-ls03d-qn55ls03dafxza%2F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.samsung.com/us/televisions-home-theater/tvs/the-frame/55-class-the-frame-qled-4k-ls03d-qn55ls03dafxza/">Samsung</a> is matching that price as well. <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Woot;elmt:;cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=8bcb408b-26bf-4ed1-b788-e3719aeef347&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=47519f8e-56ef-45db-92d3-df0128042197&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Woot&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2VsZWN0cm9uaWNzLndvb3QuY29tL29mZmVycy9uZXctc2Ftc3VuZy1xbGVkLTRrLWxzMDNkLXRoZS1mcmFtZS1zZXJpZXMtMjAyNHotOT8iLCJjb250ZW50VXVpZCI6IjQ3NTE5ZjhlLTU2ZWYtNDVkYi05MmQzLWRmMDEyODA0MjE5NyIsIm9yaWdpbmFsVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9lbGVjdHJvbmljcy53b290LmNvbS9vZmZlcnMvbmV3LXNhbXN1bmctcWxlZC00ay1sczAzZC10aGUtZnJhbWUtc2VyaWVzLTIwMjR6LTk_In0&amp;signature=AQAAAY_hXP5Gn_NJt99JC_eWY3wlgBf9XM8LkQdxD0Ks5teH&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Felectronics.woot.com%2Foffers%2Fnew-samsung-qled-4k-ls03d-the-frame-series-2024z-9%3F" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://electronics.woot.com/offers/new-samsung-qled-4k-ls03d-the-frame-series-2024z-9?">Woot</a> has the same size for slightly less, coming in at $878, but note that we typically see Woot deals like this sell out more quickly than those on Amazon or Samsung direct. The 2024 Frame is ideal if you want your TV to <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/samsung-the-frame-tv-irl-153546368.html">fade into the background</a> and look like framed art when you're not watching anything.</p> <p>The TV is slim and can be mounted to the wall to make it look like a real piece of framed art. It comes with a Connect Box into which you can plug devices like your cable box and games console so that you only need to hook up a single cable to the TV itself. The idea is to reduce clutter and make it even easier to disguise The Frame when it's not in use. You can further personalize the TV with various bezels and such.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p> <core-commerce id="6d50a6d6f0bc4ce3bd453d2fc14c5d38" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-55-Inch-Anti-Reflection-Customizable-QN55LS03D/dp/B0CV9F2Q5V?"></core-commerce></p> <p>Through the Samsung Art Store, you can choose from more than 2,500 artworks to display on The Frame when you're not watching it. The selection includes works from renowned museums and artists such as The Met, the Museum of Modern Art, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Salvador Dali. Some are free to use but many are locked behind a subscription. Meanwhile, the TV has a glare-free matte screen to make it appear as though the art is printed.</p> <p>The latest Frame lineup includes a motion sensor to activate the artwork when you enter a room, as well as a brightness sensor that helps adjust the TV's brightness automatically. In addition, you'll get access to many of the same features as other Samsung TVs, such as the free Samsung TV Plus, a streaming service with hundreds of ad-supported channels and many on-demand shows and movies. There's also the Gaming Hub, which includes access to game streaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA's <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/nvidia-will-add-a-monthly-playtime-cap-to-geforce-now-starting-next-year-160739646.html">GeForce Now</a>.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsung-frame-tvs-are-40-percent-off-for-black-friday-155241594.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<div id="f9e50ae0329b4440a24ae8f40227323f"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wJO_vIDZn-I?si=yKUANQQS_JY-S1H4" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div> <p><em>A Minecraft Movie</em> has dropped its first full-length trailer today, expanding on the blocky world hinted at by the <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/a-minecraft-movie-trailer-gives-us-our-first-look-at-jason-momoa-and-jack-black-ahead-of-its-2025-release-143741392.html"><ins>teaser</ins></a> released in September. While the game <em>Minecraft</em> gives players only the barest sense of direction, there will be a traditional story driving <em>A Minecraft Movie</em>.</p> <p>Jack Black provides a voiceover about how his character, <em>Minecraft</em> mascot and stock avatar Steve, was drawn to the mines as a child and discovered the Overworld. He teams up with four other people, seemingly from the real world we know, to protect the Overworld from &quot;dark forces&quot; with their inventiveness and creativity. This all sounds like pretty standard fare for a video game movie — rag-tag group of misfits band together and learn the power of friendship. It&#39;s unclear whether their foes will be baddies from the Nether or the End, because while those can be a pain, they canonically don&#39;t seem interested in world domination.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>But I&#39;m not here for a clever, compelling plot. The trailer is a sizzle reel of familiar in-game experiences, and that&#39;s exactly what I want. Taming a wolf with a bone, making a chicken-roasting redstone machine and nighttime coming way faster than you want it to all get their due. The team certainly did their homework on that front. The art style they&#39;ve chosen doesn&#39;t speak to me, but I&#39;m also willing to admit to some bias after hundreds of hours spent looking at the original source material. I&#39;m also not sure if they&#39;ll stick the landing on the humor and emotion or whether it&#39;ll fall flat like an elytra that&#39;s run out of juice. We&#39;ll find out when <em>A Minecraft Movie</em> releases on April 5, 2025.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/first-trailer-for-a-minecraft-movie-delivers-on-iconic-in-game-moments-210252851.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<p>If you tried to get some flight time in<em> Flight Simulator 2024</em> today only to find yourself staring at a loading screen, you’re not alone. The official X page for Microsoft’s flight sim <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://x.com/MSFS_Support/status/1858932444260421714"><ins>@MSFS_Support</ins></a> posted an update that several users are reporting “long initial loading times.” Not exactly the debut anyone was hoping for.</p> <p>The post blames the game’s slowdown on the large number of server requests trying to log into the game at once —&nbsp;maybe something Microsoft should have expected. The post also recommends rebooting your computer or console if the initial load makes it past 90 percent mark and then stalls out. If it’s under 90 percent and still loading, Microsoft advises “waiting to allow the loading to proceed as normal.” Our own <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/about/editors/kris-holt/"><ins>Kris Holt</ins></a> has been stuck looking at the very same loading screen for around 45 minutes.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>Xbox launched <em>Flight Simulator 2024</em> and added it to its <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-first-game-pass-additions-for-november-include-flight-simulator-2024-and-metal-slug-tactics-155259538.html"><ins>Game Pass Ultimate</ins></a> catalog for PC, Xbox Series X/S and the cloud today following a <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-microsoft-flight-simulator-2024-technical-alpha-happens-this-month-144231252.html"><ins>technical alpha test</ins></a> in October for the PC version. Microsoft recommends running the game on PCs with an AMD Ryzen 7 2700X CPU, a Radeon RX 5700 XT GPU, 8 GB of VRAM, 32 GB of RAM and 50 GB of storage space.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsofts-flight-simulator-2024-launch-day-users-seeing-long-loading-times-203805287.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<p>You’ve probably been tempted to jump on the air-fryer bandwagon in recent months and, if you have not yet taken the plunge, we’re here to help. Like the ubiquitous Instant Pot that came before it, air fryers have surged in popularity as of late, promising extra crispy foods of all kinds without the mess and danger of a big vat of hot oil. These small appliances come in all shapes and sizes now and they can be a versatile addition to your kitchen, so long as you know what they are (and aren’t) capable of. For those who are still deciding on which air fryer is right for them, our guide can demystify the space for you and highlight some of the best air fryers you can get right now.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-table-of-contents">Table of contents</h2> <ul> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-what-does-an-air-fryer-do">What does an air fryer do?</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-air-fryers-for-2024">Best air fryers for 2024</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-buying-guide-for-air-fryers">Buying guide for air fryers</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-air-fryer-pros-and-cons">Air fryer pros and cons</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-best-air-fryer-accessories">Best air fryer accessories</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-how-to-clean-an-air-fryer">How to clean an air fryer</a></p></li> <li><p><a href="#jump-link-how-to-find-air-fryer-recipes">How to find air fryer recipes</a></p></li> </ul> <h2 id="jump-link-what-does-an-air-fryer-do">What does an air fryer do?</h2> <p>Let’s clear one thing up first: it’s not frying. Not really. Air fryers are more like smaller convection ovens, ones that are often pod-shaped. Most work by combining a heating element and fan, which means the hot air can usually better crisp the outside of food than other methods. They often reach higher top temperatures than toaster ovens – which is part of the appeal.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p>For most recipes, a thin layer of oil (usually sprayed) helps to replicate that fried look and feel better. However, it will rarely taste precisely like the deep-fried version when it comes out of the air fryer basket. Don’t let that put you off, though, because the air fryer, in its many forms, combines some of the best parts of other cooking processes and brings them together into an energy-efficient way of cooking dinner. Or breakfast. Or lunch.</p> <p><strong>Read more: </strong>We’ve also rounded up the <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-pizza-oven-141550352.html">best pizza ovens</a> and the <a data-i13n="cpos:9;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/best-sous-vide-133025288.html">best sous vide machines</a>.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-air-fryers-for-2024">Best air fryers for 2024</h2> <p> <core-commerce id="28dfb39e21804d3ebe87226f8674bac1" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/VortexTM-Fryer-ClearCook-OdorErase-Stainless/dp/B096N28SZP?"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="a638fdafe2d942dca60333134095a980" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/COSORI-Compact-Recipes-Dehydrate-Dishwasher/dp/B0C33CHG99/?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="0bffe0c768194dffa9b195d0edc6c707" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-DZ201-2-Basket-Technology-Stainless/dp/B096X9LGJ1?"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="0e876c8e59c147449c8907ab1a9b0bc2" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Customizable-Programs-Nonstick-Dishwasher-Safe/dp/B08YS2ZZ97/?th=1"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="83f0d894151241ffb62af1a43b4dbd1f" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Breville-BOV900BSS-Convection-Brushed-Stainless/dp/B01N5UPTZS"></core-commerce></p> <p> <core-commerce id="ecdca33ba3f14f9c9e1ab37bde6de41f" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-AF150AMZ-Reheats-Dehydrates-Capacity/dp/B08QKTXT1N/"></core-commerce></p> <h2 id="jump-link-buying-guide-for-air-fryers">Buying guide for air fryers</h2> <h3 id="jump-link-convection-ovens">Convection ovens</h3> <p>You can separate most air fryers into two types and each has different pros and cons. Convection ovens are usually ovens with air fryer functions and features. They might have higher temperature settings to ensure that food crisps and cooks more like actually fried food. Most convection ovens are larger than dedicated air fryers, defeating some of the purpose of those looking to shrink cooking appliance surface area. Still, they are often more versatile with multiple cooking functions, and most have finer controls for temperatures, timings and even fan speed.</p> <p>You may never need a built-in oven if you have a decent convection oven. They often have the volume to handle roasts, entire chickens or tray bakes, and simply cook more, capacity-wise, making them more versatile than the pod-shaped competition.</p> <p>The flip side of that is that you’ll need counter space in the kitchen to house them. It also means you can use traditional oven accessories, like baking trays or cake tins, that you might already own.</p> <h3 id="jump-link-pod-shaped-air-fryers">Pod-shaped air fryers</h3> <p>Pod-shaped air fryers are what you imagine when you think “air fryer.” They look like a cool, space-age kitchen gadget, bigger than a kettle but smaller than a toaster oven. Many use a drawer to hold ingredients while cooking, usually a mesh sheet or a more solid, non-stick tray with holes to allow the hot air to circulate. With a few exceptions, most require you to open the drawer while things cook and flip or shake half-cooked items to ensure the even distribution of heat and airflow to everything.</p> <p>That’s one of a few caveats. Most pod-shaped air fryers – there are a few exceptions – don’t have a window to see how things are cooking, so you’ll need to closely scrutinize things as they cook, opening the device to check progress. Basket-style air fryers also generally use less energy – there’s less space to heat – and many have parts that can be put directly into a dishwasher.</p> <p>Some of the larger pod-shaped air fryers offer two separate compartments, which is especially useful for anyone planning to cook an entire meal with the appliance. You could cook a couple of tasty chicken wings or tenders while simultaneously rustling up enough frozen fries or veggies for everyone. Naturally, those options take up more space, and they’re usually heavy enough to stop you from storing them in cupboards or shelves elsewhere.</p> <p>As mentioned earlier, you might have to buy extra things to make these pod fryers work the way you want them to. Some of the bigger manufacturers, like Philips and Ninja, offer convenient additions, but you’ll have to pay for them.</p> <figure> <img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2022-03/fcbb58a0-a9d4-11ec-97f7-1be0d263a8a8"> <figcaption></figcaption> </figure> <h2 id="jump-link-air-fryer-pros-and-cons">Air fryer pros and cons</h2> <p>Beyond the strengths and weaknesses of individual models, air fryers are pretty easy to use from the outset. Most models come with a convenient cooking time booklet covering most of the major foods you’ll be air frying, so even beginners can master these machines.</p> <p>One of the early selling points is the ability to cook fries, wings, frozen foods and other delights with less fat than other methods like deep frying, which gets foods the crispiest. As air fryers work by circulating heated air, the trays and cooking plates have holes that can also let oil and fat drain out of meats, meaning less fat and crisper food when you finally plate things up. For most cooking situations, you will likely need to lightly spray food with vegetable oil. If you don’t, there’s the chance that things will burn or char. The oil will keep things moist on the surface, and we advise refreshing things with a dash of oil spray when you turn items during cooking.</p> <p>Most air fryers are easy to clean – especially in comparison to a shallow or deep fryer. We’ll get into cleaning guidance a little later.</p> <p>With a smaller space to heat, air fryers are generally more energy-efficient for cooking food than larger appliances like ovens. And if you don’t have an oven, air fryers are much more affordable – especially the pod options.</p> <p>There are, however, some drawbacks. While air fryers are easy enough to use, they take time to master. You will adjust cooking times for even the simplest types of food – like chicken nuggets, frozen French fries or brussels sprouts. If you’re the kind of person that loves to find inspiration from the internet, in our experience, you can pretty much throw their timings out of the window. There are a lot of air fryer options, and factors like how fast they heat and how well distributed that heat is can – and will – affect cooking.</p> <p>There’s also a space limitation to air fryers. This is not a TARDIS – there’s simply less space than most traditional ovens and many deep fat fryers. If you have a bigger family, you’ll probably want to go for a large capacity air fryer – possibly one that has multiple cooking areas. You also might want to consider a different kitchen appliance, like a multicooker, sous vide or slow cooker to meet your specific cooking needs.</p> <p>You may also struggle to cook many items through as the heat settings will cook the surface of dishes long before it’s cooked right through. If you’re planning to cook a whole chicken or a roast, please get a meat thermometer!</p> <h2 id="jump-link-best-air-fryer-accessories">Best air fryer accessories</h2> <p>Beyond official accessories from the manufacturer, try to pick up silicone-tipped tools. <a data-i13n="cpos:10;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsInN0b3JlSWQiOiI2NmVhNTY3YS1jOTg3LTRjMmUtYTJmZi0wMjkwNGVmZGU2ZWEiLCJsYW5kaW5nVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9TaWxpY29uZS1Ob24tU3RpY2stUmVzaXN0YW50LUdyaWxsaW5nLVRvcnRpbGxhcy9kcC9CMDhSSFE1Uzk1P3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtcC1vLTRhLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI4ZGZiMGUzNS0wZDU5LTQxYWMtYTZjZC1iOWFmNWE0YmRhZDgifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAed3N9FiYOffc86Osee6J_2C_kQYw6soIkNXCm5Oegqs&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FSilicone-Non-Stick-Resistant-Grilling-Tortillas%2Fdp%2FB08RHQ5S95">Tongs</a> are ideal, as is a silicon spatula to gently loosen food that might get stuck on the sides of the air fryer. These <a data-i13n="cpos:11;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsInN0b3JlSWQiOiI2NmVhNTY3YS1jOTg3LTRjMmUtYTJmZi0wMjkwNGVmZGU2ZWEiLCJsYW5kaW5nVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9kcC9CMDlDUEZRNFlEP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtcC1vLTRhLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI4ZGZiMGUzNS0wZDU5LTQxYWMtYTZjZC1iOWFmNWE0YmRhZDgifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAYNgS5wcy4fcn6uBAM9aw93W-eucDE-uD5ICTwC6BhkQ&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2Fdp%2FB09CPFQ4YD">silicone mats</a> will also help stop things from sticking to the wire racks on some air fryers. They have holes to ensure the heated air is still able to circulate around the food.</p> <p><a data-i13n="cpos:12;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsInN0b3JlSWQiOiI2NmVhNTY3YS1jOTg3LTRjMmUtYTJmZi0wMjkwNGVmZGU2ZWEiLCJsYW5kaW5nVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9Kb3loYWxvLVNpbGljb25lLVJlc2lzdGFudC1Ob24tU2xpcC1Db2FzdGVycy9kcC9CMDhGSjc1NzcxP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtcC1vLTRhLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI4ZGZiMGUzNS0wZDU5LTQxYWMtYTZjZC1iOWFmNWE0YmRhZDgifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAb89xwPa_ZnOogFhA0EVy2dB8ESiC4WCV1_WlplQoB_d&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FJoyhalo-Silicone-Resistant-Non-Slip-Coasters%2Fdp%2FB08FJ75771">Silicone trivets</a> are also useful for resting any cooked food on while you sort out the rest of the meal. And if you find yourself needing oil spray, but don’t feel like repeatedly buying tiny bottles, you can decant your favorite vegetable oil into a <a data-i13n="cpos:13;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsInN0b3JlSWQiOiI2NmVhNTY3YS1jOTg3LTRjMmUtYTJmZi0wMjkwNGVmZGU2ZWEiLCJsYW5kaW5nVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYW1hem9uLmNvbS9NYXN0ZXJDbGFzcy1TdGFpbmxlc3MtU3RlZWwtTWlzdGVyLUJvdHRsZS9kcC9CMDAwMUlYMUVJP3RhZz1nZGd0MGMtcC1vLTRhLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI4ZGZiMGUzNS0wZDU5LTQxYWMtYTZjZC1iOWFmNWE0YmRhZDgifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAZCIBvcZHmytRJWD2WelnjmHCh25m1eXEVW0v-mVQ5m7&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FMasterClass-Stainless-Steel-Mister-Bottle%2Fdp%2FB0001IX1EI%3F">permanent mister</a> like this.</p> <figure> <img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2021-11/c868fae0-507d-11ec-87ef-c140215603f6"> <figcaption></figcaption> </figure> <h2 id="jump-link-how-to-clean-an-air-fryer">How to clean an air fryer</h2> <p>We’re keeping clean up simple here. Yes, you could use power cleaners from the grocery store, they could damage the surface of your air fryer. Likewise, metal scourers or brushes could strip away the non-stick coating. Remember to unplug the device and let it cool completely.</p> <p>Remove the trays, baskets and everything else from inside. If the manufacturer says the parts are dishwasher safe – and you have a dishwasher – the job is pretty much done.</p> <p>Otherwise, hand wash each part in a mixture of warm water, with a splash of Dawn or another strong dish soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to pull away any crumbs, greasy deposits or bits of food stuck to any surfaces. Remember to rinse everything. Otherwise, your next batch of wings could have a mild Dawn aftertaste. Trust us.</p> <p>Take a microfiber cloth and tackle the outer parts and handles that might also get a little messy after repeated uses. This is especially useful for oven-style air fryers – use the cloth to wipe down the inner sides.</p> <p>If Dawn isn’t shifting oily stains, try mixing a small amount of baking soda with enough water to make a paste, and apply that so that it doesn’t seep into any electrical parts or the heating element. Leave it to work for a few seconds before using a damp cloth to pull any greasy spots away. Rinse out the cloth and wipe everything down again, and you should be ready for the next time you need to air fry.</p> <h2 id="jump-link-how-to-find-air-fryer-recipes">How to find air fryer recipes</h2> <p>Beyond fries, nuggets and – a revelation – frozen gyoza, there are a few ways to find recipes for air-fried foods. First, we found that the air fryer instruction manuals often have cooking guides and recipe suggestions for you to test out in your new kitchen gadget. The good thing with these is that they were made for your air fryer model, meaning success should be all but guaranteed. They are often a little unimaginative, however.</p> <p>Many of the top recipe sites and portals have no shortage of air fryer recipes, and there’s no harm in googling your favorite cuisine and adding the words “air fryer” on the end of the search string. We’ve picked up some reliable options from <em>Delish</em>, which also has a handy air fryer time <a data-i13n="cpos:14;pos:1" href="https://www.delish.com/kitchen-tools/cookware-reviews/a35686392/air-fryer-conversion/">converter</a> for changing oven and traditional fryer recipes. <a data-i13n="cpos:15;pos:1" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/air-fryer-recipes"><em>BBC Good Food</em></a> is also worth browsing for some simple ideas, as is <a data-i13n="cpos:16;pos:1;elm:affiliate_link;elmt:premonetized" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL2Nvb2tpbmcubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiI4ZGZiMGUzNS0wZDU5LTQxYWMtYTZjZC1iOWFmNWE0YmRhZDgifQ&amp;signature=AQAAAQlYZaY4TNa78tVAt9mFUeOlSWHXXGjsrTSZXBwIMML9&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fcooking.nytimes.com%2F">NYT Cooking</a>, with the ability to directly search for air fryer suggestions. Aside from that, you can also grab plenty of cookbooks from your local bookshop with lots of recipes that you can use in your favorite air fryer.</p> <p>And if you have a killer recipe or unique use for your air fryer, let us know in the comments. What’s the air fryer equivalent of the Instant Pot cheesecake? We’re ready to try it.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/best-air-fryers-133047180.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<p>The winter months can be a tough time for keeping up with health and wellbeing as colder, darker weather sets in. For anyone looking for a gadget to help them manage their sleep, activity and other health stats, now could be the right time to look into a wearable. The basic finishes of the <a data-i13n="elm:affiliate_link;sellerN:Amazon;elmt:;cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://shopping.yahoo.com/rdlw?merchantId=66ea567a-c987-4c2e-a2ff-02904efde6ea&amp;siteId=us-engadget&amp;pageId=1p-autolink&amp;contentUuid=dc962744-c3c3-407c-88bc-a87aaf975ac4&amp;featureId=text-link&amp;merchantName=Amazon&amp;custData=eyJzb3VyY2VOYW1lIjoiV2ViLURlc2t0b3AtVmVyaXpvbiIsImxhbmRpbmdVcmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5hbWF6b24uY29tL091cmEtUmluZy1HZW4zLUhvcml6b24tVHJhY2tpbmcvZHAvQjBDU1JGNVY3Mz90YWc9Z2RndDBjLTIwIiwiY29udGVudFV1aWQiOiJkYzk2Mjc0NC1jM2MzLTQwN2MtODhiYy1hODdhYWY5NzVhYzQiLCJvcmlnaW5hbFVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFtYXpvbi5jb20vT3VyYS1SaW5nLUdlbjMtSG9yaXpvbi1UcmFja2luZy9kcC9CMENTUkY1VjczIiwiZHluYW1pY0NlbnRyYWxUcmFja2luZ0lkIjp0cnVlLCJzaXRlSWQiOiJ1cy1lbmdhZGdldCIsInBhZ2VJZCI6IjFwLWF1dG9saW5rIiwiZmVhdHVyZUlkIjoidGV4dC1saW5rIn0&amp;signature=AQAAARGCocyjgt0No4ZOu26lWbZQ4qnSWaY4VC1gyUsvLWhI&amp;gcReferrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.amazon.com%2FOura-Ring-Gen3-Horizon-Tracking%2Fdp%2FB0CSRF5V73" class="rapid-with-clickid" data-original-link="https://www.amazon.com/Oura-Ring-Gen3-Horizon-Tracking/dp/B0CSRF5V73?th=1"><ins>Oura Ring Gen 3</ins></a> are on sale for $249 ahead of Black Friday. That's a $50 savings for the black or silver finish, which is the biggest discount we've seen to date on this wearable. You can also snag the luxe finishes for less than usual right now. The brushed titanium and stealth materials are on sale for $279, down from the usual of $349, while the gold and rose gold options are selling for $349 instead of their typical $449 price tag.</p> <p> <core-commerce id="b3d608b031ae49a5947a46706c0fe1d3" data-type="product-list" data-original-url="https://www.amazon.com/Oura-Ring-Gen3-Horizon-Tracking/dp/B0CSRLWMC9?"></core-commerce></p> <p>The company did just release the <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:2;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ouras-fourth-generation-smart-ring-gets-smaller-and-smarter-070005477.html" data-original-link="https://www.engadget.com/wearables/ouras-fourth-generation-smart-ring-gets-smaller-and-smarter-070005477.html"><ins>Oura Ring Gen 4</ins></a>, so this deal won't give you the most cutting edge developments in sensors and design. But for someone who wants a less intrusive approach to a wearable, the Gen 3 still has a lot to offer. Our <a data-i13n="elm:context_link;elmt:doNotAffiliate;cpos:3;pos:1" class="no-affiliate-link" href="https://www.engadget.com/oura-ring-version-3-150032257.html" data-original-link="https://www.engadget.com/oura-ring-version-3-150032257.html"><ins>review</ins></a> by Daniel Cooper pointed out that the Oura Ring offers impressively accurate readings even though all its sensors are packed into a much smaller form factor than a smartwatch. While he felt the design of the ring is a little bulky, in practice it was easy to forget that he had it on.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span> <p>Keep in mind that unless you're upgrading from another Oura product, you'll want to buy the size guide to make sure your new ring fits correctly. When you do buy a sizing kit for the Gen 3, you'll get $10 towards the purchase of the actual wearable.</p> <p><em>Check out all of the latest </em><a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/black-friday/"><em>Black Friday</em></a><em> and </em><a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday/"><em>Cyber Monday</em></a><em> deals here.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-oura-ring-gen-3-drops-to-a-record-low-of-249-for-black-friday-195248032.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<p>I can&#39;t stop staring at <em>Dragon Age: The Veilguard. </em>Whether I&#39;m exploring the game&#39;s home base in the dream-like Fade, or a forest shimmering with golden leaves and wild magical energy, the game simply looks gorgeous. And, if you&#39;ve got the graphical horsepower to see it, it also delivers some of the most sumptuous ray tracing I&#39;ve ever seen. There&#39;s a level of polish across every aspect of the game, including its new action-oriented approach to combat, that&#39;s simply glorious to behold.</p> <p><em>Veilguard </em>continues the story of the decade-old <em>Dragon Age Inquisition</em>, which was most notable for the shocking ending of its DLC. It turned out that Solas, one of your more cantankerous companions, was actually an Elven god hellbent on destroying the Veil, a boundary he created to separate the real world from the spirit-filled Fade. Oh, and that&#39;s where he also trapped even more evil Elven gods. Solas considered himself a hero, but then again, so did Marvel&#39;s Thanos.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><div id="588218553b8b418c8f48d779342a53c6"><div style="left:0;width:100%;height:0;position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NdtmtuzICOI?rel=0" style="top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;position:absolute;border:0;" allowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" data-embed-domain="www.youtube.com"></iframe></div></div> <p>This time around, you play as Rook, a new recruit enlisted by series regular Varric to track down Solas before he tears down the Veil. That happens sooner than you&#39;d think — your team finds him and stops his magical ritual in your first mission. But doing so unleashes two very pissed off Elven gods, who proceed to wreak havoc across Thedas.</p> <p>BioWare wastes no time showing off its new aesthetic for <em>Dragon Age</em>. The game&#39;s characters are more stylized than in <em>Inquisition</em>, but I didn&#39;t mind the slight loss in realism. If anything, it makes this entry feel more distinct from previous <em>Dragon Age </em>titles. The sense of style carries over to every environment, as well. The Lighthouse, your base of operations, is a stunning series of medieval buildings floating in the middle of a dreamy, magical storm. I’d often find myself just staring off into the distance of the Fade, imagining what else lay beyond the horizon. That’s something I found myself doing in every new location, the detail in the world hints at thousands of untold stories.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/06613620-a6aa-11ef-a7ef-fc7804dcddbf" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/06613620-a6aa-11ef-a7ef-fc7804dcddbf" style="height:819px;width:1456px;" alt="Dragon Age: The Veilguard" data-uuid="82b9f596-6e94-31e5-a8f5-8f666e1caec4"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">BioWare</div></figure> <p>For a game that was <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://kotaku.com/the-past-and-present-of-dragon-age-4-1833913351"><ins>rebooted several times</ins></a>, and suffered some <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/bioware-cuts-around-50-jobs-to-become-a-more-agile-and-focused-studio-211513365.html"><ins>notable turnover </ins></a>(including losing its original creative director, Mike Laidlaw), <em>Dragon Age: The Veilguard </em>is surprisingly well-constructed. And throughout my twenty hours with the game (so far), it’s that level of craft and quality I appreciate the most.</p> <p>While the storyline isn&#39;t exactly groundbreaking, I haven&#39;t been able to put down <em>Dragon Age: The Veilguard </em>because it&#39;s such a joy to play. The new combat system is more action-oriented than before (think of the difference between <em>Mass Effect 1 </em>and <em>2</em>), with counters and special moves reminiscent of the recent <em>God of War</em>. You can&#39;t directly control your companions, but you can have them deploy special abilities that can either aid you or attack your enemies. It&#39;s a well-balanced system that makes small encounters feel genuinely fun, and it allows for some epic boss fights (some of which have lasted nearly 10 minutes and left my controller a sweaty mess).</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/06613621-a6aa-11ef-bff3-65776502132b" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/06613621-a6aa-11ef-bff3-65776502132b" style="height:819px;width:1456px;" alt="Dragon Age: The Veilguard" data-uuid="92939266-f22a-3ce3-a7c9-5813032ea6ad"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">BioWare</div></figure> <p>As you level up, you can tweak your character to your liking with <em>Veilgaurd&#39;s </em>massive skill tree. I&#39;ve honed my Rook to be a lightning-fast dual-sword wielding Rogue who isn&#39;t afraid to whip out her bow for the occasional headshot. (You can also choose from Warrior and Mage classes early on, which should be pretty self-explanatory.) Each skill tree has three specializations: Rogues, for example, can choose to be Veil Rangers (an archery emphasis), Saboteurs (specializing in traps and poison) or Duelists. Personally, I&#39;m a sucker for the Duelist&#39;s double sword action.</p> <p>Battles can get hectic, and thankfully <em>Dragon Age: The Veilguard</em> performs well enough to keep up. While playing on a PC powered by an AMD Ryzen 9 7950X and NVIDIA RTX 4080 Super GPU, the game managed to stay well above 100fps while playing in 4K with DLSS, &quot;Ultra&quot; graphics and ray tracing settings. If you have the hardware to support it, this will likely become a new showpiece for the possibilities of ray tracing: Lighting from the sun and magical elements realistically hits characters and the environment, and shadows across the board look more natural.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/06b9b660-a6aa-11ef-9ffe-f56ec5f0a175" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/06b9b660-a6aa-11ef-9ffe-f56ec5f0a175" style="height:820px;width:1456px;" alt="Dragon Age: The Veilguard" data-uuid="9835cfdd-7cbe-3c60-a306-ce167c4fd8ca"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">BioWare</div></figure> <p>But I was also surprised to find that <em>Veilguard</em> was also still very playable on my Steam Deck, albeit with low graphics settings (definitely no ray tracing) and a basic 30-to-40fps. That&#39;s certainly not the ideal way to play, but it&#39;s helpful for dealing with side missions in bed, or on the go. Given how well it performs on a mere handheld, I&#39;d bet the game would play well on low-end and mid-range GPUs, as well as consoles, without much of a sweat. (And if you want to revel in advanced ray tracing features from your couch, there&#39;s <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://www.ea.com/games/dragon-age/dragon-age-the-veilguard/news/specifications-spotlight?isLocalized=true"><ins>also support</ins></a> for the <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/playstation-5-pro-review-a-superpowered-700-console-for-gamers-who-wont-buy-a-pc-110056410.html"><ins>PlayStation 5 Pro</ins></a>.)</p> <p>Beyond merely looking great, <em>Veilguard</em> kept me hooked because of BioWare’s attention to its characters. I enjoyed strolling through Docktown with Neve, who warmed up to my character (also a fellow Shadow Dragon) while discussing how much she loved her rundown neighborhood. I helped Davrin come to terms with his new role raising one of the last Griffons in the world, and I learned about the trauma behind Bella’s typically warm demeanor. As usual, you can romance any of your companions (how can you not love Neve?), and there’s still plenty of fun to be had trying to set up those relationships.</p> <figure><img src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/0658aaa0-a6aa-11ef-bcef-fda71789d550" data-crop-orig-src="https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-uploaded-images/2024-11/0658aaa0-a6aa-11ef-bcef-fda71789d550" style="height:671px;width:1456px;" alt="Dragon Age: The Veilguard" data-uuid="cff40969-acb4-3aed-b163-906d57d567b6"><figcaption></figcaption><div class="photo-credit">BioWare</div></figure> <p>I’ll admit, it simply felt good to pour some hours leading a group of ragtag do-gooders to save the world against relentless odds. That’s pretty much every RPG and adventure story, sure, but who can deny the pleasure of killing a few evil gods? (Bringing on the combined talents of composers Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe to score the game likely also made me a bit more emotional.)</p> <p>After <em>Baldur’s Gate 3</em> failed to grab me (I’ll get back to it, I swear!), I feared that <em>Dragon Age: The Veilguard</em> would be another letdown. But it turned out to be exactly the sort of spectacle I needed: It’s beautiful to behold, fun to play and I genuinely enjoyed the new batch of characters. It’s BioWare at its best – I’m just hoping they can do the same for the <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/mass-effect-sequel-teaser-the-game-awards-200349388.html"><ins>next </ins><em><ins>Mass Effect</ins></em></a><em>.</em></p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/dragon-age-the-veilguard-is-beautiful-in-every-way-193013807.html?src=rss

Nov 19, 2024

<p>OpenAI is paying the digital media company Dotdash Meredith at least $16 million per year to license its content, <a data-i13n="cpos:1;pos:1" href="https://www.adweek.com/media/openai-dotdash-meredith-licensing-payment/">according to public financial documents reviewed by <em>Adweek</em></a>. We already knew about <a data-i13n="cpos:2;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/openai-partners-with-people-publisher-dotdash-meredith-212832821.html">this burgeoning partnership</a>, but we didn’t have a financial figure. Now we do.</p> <p>The actual payout could rise above $16 million per year, as it only reflects the “fixed” component of the payment. The “variable” component will be calculated in the future, <a data-i13n="cpos:3;pos:1" href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/q3-2024-iac-angi-inc-045450408.html">according to a recent earnings call</a> led by the chief operating and financial officer of Dotdash Meredith’s parent company IAC.</p> <span id="end-legacy-contents"></span><p>“If you look at Q3 of 2024, licensing revenue was up about $4.1 million year over year. The lion’s share of that would be driven by the OpenAI license,” CFO Chris Halpin said. “So that’s — on a quarterly basis — a good proxy for the revenue we’re recognizing. And then the variable components will be calculated and recognized in the future.”</p> <p>Dotdash Meredith will license its content for OpenAI to train ChatGPT, but the publisher will also use the AI company’s models to boost its in-house ad-targeting tool. As part of this arrangement, ChatGPT will display content and links attributed to the various publications under the Dotdash Meredith umbrella.</p> <p>These publications include stuff you likely already read, like <em>Food &amp; Win</em>e, <em>InStyle</em>, <em>Better Homes &amp; Garden</em>s, <em>Lifewire</em> and <em>Investopedia</em>, among others. Dotdash Meredith also owns and publishes the eco-conscious site <em>Treehugger </em>and we<em>&nbsp;</em>all know <a data-i13n="cpos:4;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/googles-greenhouse-gas-emissions-climbed-nearly-50-percent-in-five-years-due-to-ai-002646115.html">how great AI is for the environment</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p>As a side note, I have written for multiple Dotdash Meredith publications throughout the years. Can a lowly copywriter get a taste of that $16 million please? Actually, never mind. Huge payouts are for overpaid executives and not for the people who actually make the thing that people click on. Silly me.</p> <p>On the plus side, at least OpenAI is paying some companies to use content now. The entity has been sued by everyone from <a data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/the-new-york-times-is-suing-openai-and-microsoft-for-copyright-infringement-181212615.html"><em>The New York Times</em></a> to <a data-i13n="cpos:6;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/sarah-silvermans-copyright-infringement-suit-against-openai-will-advance-in-pared-down-form-211456302.html">comedians like Sarah Silverman</a>, all accusing it of using content without permission or any kind of payout.</p> <p>Dotdash Meredith is just the latest publisher to offer its content to AI companies to help create our glorious shared future in which nobody makes anything except pithy messages on social media sites. The <em>Financial Times</em> <a data-i13n="cpos:7;pos:1" href="https://www.engadget.com/openai-will-train-its-ai-models-on-the-financial-times-journalism-173249177.html">entered into a similar arrangement with OpenAI</a>. Book publisher HarperCollins <a data-i13n="cpos:8;pos:1" href="https://lithub.com/harpercollins-is-selling-their-authors-work-to-ai-tech/">is also getting in on the act</a>.</p>This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openai-will-pay-dotdash-meredith-at-least-16-million-per-year-to-license-its-content-191756662.html?src=rss

Nov 21, 2024

The LWN.net Weekly Edition for November 21, 2024 is available.

Nov 20, 2024

At the <a href="https://indico.freedesktop.org/event/6/">2024 X.Org Developers Conference</a> (XDC), Lyude Paul gave a talk on the work she has been doing as part of the <a href="https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/drm/nova">Nova project</a>, which is an <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/990736/">effort build an NVIDIA GPU driver in Rust</a>. She wanted to provide an introduction to <a href="https://lwn.net/ml/all/[email protected]/">RVKMS</a>, which is being used to develop Rust kernel mode setting (KMS) bindings; RVKMS is a port of the <a href="https://docs.kernel.org/gpu/vkms.html">virtual KMS</a> (VKMS) driver to Rust. In addition, she wanted to give her opinion on Rust, and why she thinks it is a "<q>game-changer for the kernel</q>", noting that the reasons are not related to the oft-mentioned, "headline" feature of the language: memory safety.

Nov 20, 2024

<a href="https://www.blender.org/download/releases/4-3/">Version 4.3</a> of the Blender animation system has been released. "<q>Brush assets, faster sculpting, a revolutionized Grease Pencil, and more. Blender 4.3 got you covered.</q>"

Nov 20, 2024

<p> <a href="https://www.call-cc.org/"> CHICKEN Scheme</a>, a portable Scheme compiler, is gearing up for its next major release. Maintainer Felix Winkelmann has shared <a href="https://www.more-magic.net/posts/chicken-6.html"> an article</a> about what changes to expect in version 6 of the language, including better Unicode support and support for the <a href="https://r7rs.org/"> R7RS (small)</a> Scheme standard. </p> <blockquote class="bq"> Every major release is a chance of fixing long-standing problems with the codebase and address bad design decisions. CHICKEN is now nearly 25 years old and we had many major overhauls of the system. Sometimes these caused a lot of pain, but still we always try to improve things and hopefully make it more enjoyable and practical for our users. There are places in the code that are messy, too complex, or that require cleanup or rewrite, always sitting there waiting to be addressed. On the other hand CHICKEN has been relatively stable compared to many other language implementations and has a priceless community of users that help us improving it. Our users never stop reminding us of what could be better, where the shortcomings are, where things are hard to use or inefficient. </blockquote>

Nov 20, 2024

Security updates have been issued by <b>Debian</b> (guix, libmodule-scandeps-perl, needrestart, and thunderbird), <b>SUSE</b> (gh), and <b>Ubuntu</b> (kernel, linux, linux-aws, linux-aws-hwe, linux-azure, linux-azure-4.15, linux-gcp, linux-gcp-4.15, linux-hwe, linux-kvm, linux-oracle, linux, linux-aws, linux-gcp, linux-gcp-6.8, linux-gke, linux-hwe-6.8, linux-ibm, linux-nvidia, linux-nvidia-6.8, linux-nvidia-lowlatency, linux-oem-6.8, linux-oracle, linux-raspi, linux-iot, linux-lowlatency, linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8, needrestart, python2.7, python3.10, python3.12, python3.8, and Waitress).

Nov 20, 2024

<a href="https://rockylinux.org/news/rocky-linux-9-5-ga-release">Version 9.5</a> of the Rocky Linux distribution is out. As with the AlmaLinux 9.5 release, Rocky Linux 9.5 tracks the changes in upstream RHEL 9.5. See <a href="https://docs.rockylinux.org/release_notes/9_5/">the release notes</a> for details.

Nov 19, 2024

It took more than 20 years, but the FreeCAD computer-aided design project has just <a href="https://blog.freecad.org/2024/11/19/freecad-version-1-0-released/">made its 1.0 release</a>. <p> <blockquote class="bq"> Since the very beginnings, the FreeCAD community had a clear view of what 1.0 represented for us. What we wanted in it. FreeCAD matured over the years, and that list narrowed down to just two major remaining pieces: fixing the toponaming problem, and having a built-in assembly module. <p> Well, I'm very proud to say those two issues are now solved. </blockquote>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>The most common piece of advice given to users who ask about running their own mail server is <em><a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/987566/">don't</a></em>. Setting up and securing a mail server in&nbsp;2024 is not for the faint of heart, nor for anyone without copious spare time. Spammers want to flood inboxes with ads for questionable supplements, attackers want to abuse servers to send spam (or worse), and getting the big providers to accept mail from small servers is a constant uphill battle. Michael W. Lucas, however, encourages users to thumb their nose at the "<q>Email Empire</q>", and declare email independence. His self-published book, <em><a href="https://mwl.io/nonfiction/tools#ryoms">Run Your Own Mail Server</a></em>, provides a manual (and manifesto) for users who are interested in the challenge.</p>

Nov 19, 2024

Version 6.7 of the Incus container-management system (forked from LXD) has been released. "<q>This is another one of those pretty well rounded releases with new features and improvements for everyone</q>". New features include automatic cluster rebalancing, DHCP improvements, and more.

Nov 19, 2024

Security updates have been issued by <b>AlmaLinux</b> (.NET 9.0, bcc, bluez, bpftrace, bubblewrap, flatpak, buildah, cockpit, containernetworking-plugins, cups, cyrus-imapd, edk2, expat, firefox, fontforge, gnome-shell, gnome-shell-extensions, grafana, grafana-pcp, gtk3, httpd, iperf3, jose, krb5, libgcrypt, libsoup, libvirt, libvpx, lldpd, microcode_ctl, mingw-glib2, mod_auth_openidc, nano, NetworkManager, oci-seccomp-bpf-hook, openexr, osbuild-composer, pcp, podman, poppler, postfix, python-dns, python-jinja2, python-jwcrypto, python3.11, python3.11-PyMySQL, python3.11-urllib3, python3.12, python3.12-PyMySQL, python3.12-urllib3, python3.9, qemu-kvm, runc, skopeo, squid, thunderbird, toolbox, tpm2-tools, vim, webkit2gtk3, xorg-x11-server, and xorg-x11-server-Xwayland), <b>Fedora</b> (lemonldap-ng and mingw-expat), <b>SUSE</b> (bea-stax, xstream, expat, httpcomponents-client, httpcomponents-core, kernel, SUSE Manager Client Tools, SUSE Manager Proxy, Retail Branch Server 4.3, SUSE Manager Salt Bundle, SUSE Manager Server 4.3, and SUSE Manager Server 5.0), and <b>Ubuntu</b> (curl, glib2.0, and webkit2gtk).

Nov 19, 2024

Version 9.5 of the AlmaLinux enterprise-oriented distribution has been released. <p> <blockquote class="bq"> AlmaLinux 9.5 aims to improve performance, development tooling, and security. Updated module streams offer better support for web applications. New versions of compilers provide access to the latest features and optimizations that improve performance and enable better code generation. The release also introduces improvements to system performance monitoring, visualization, and system performance data collecting. </blockquote>

Nov 18, 2024

<p>The FreeBSD Foundation has <a href="https://freebsdfoundation.org/blog/strengthening-freebsd-addressing-vulnerabilities-through-synacktivs-code-audit/">announced</a> the release of a <a href="https://freebsdfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/2024_Code_Audit_Capsicum_Bhyve_FreeBSD_Foundation.pdf">security audit report</a> conducted by security firm <a href="https://www.synacktiv.com/en">Synacktiv</a>. The audit uncovered a number of vulnerabilities:</p> <blockquote class="bq"> <p>Most of these vulnerabilities have been addressed through <a href="https://www.freebsd.org/security/advisories/">official FreeBSD Project security advisories</a>, which offer detailed information about each vulnerability, its impact, and the measures implemented to improve the security of FreeBSD systems. [...]</p> <p>The audit uncovered 27 vulnerabilities and issues within various FreeBSD subsystems. 7 issues were not exploitable and were robustness or code quality improvements rather than immediate security concerns.</p> </blockquote>

Nov 18, 2024

Linus Torvalds <a href="https://lwn.net/ml/all/CAHk-=wgtGkHshfvaAe_O2ntnFBH3EprNk1juieLmjcF2HBwBgQ@mail.gmail.com/">released the 6.12 kernel</a> on November&nbsp;17, as expected. This development cycle, the last for 2024, brought 13,344 non-merge changesets into the mainline kernel; that made it a relatively slow cycle from this perspective, but 6.12 includes a long list of significant new features. The time has come to look at where those changes came from, and to look at the year-long LTS cycle as well.

Nov 18, 2024

Security updates have been issued by <b>AlmaLinux</b> (binutils, libsoup, squid:4, tigervnc, and webkit2gtk3), <b>Debian</b> (icinga2, postgresql-13, postgresql-15, smarty3, symfony, thunderbird, and waitress), <b>Fedora</b> (dotnet9.0, ghostscript, microcode_ctl, php-bartlett-PHP-CompatInfo, python-waitress, and webkitgtk), <b>Gentoo</b> (Perl, Pillow, and X.Org X server, XWayland), <b>Oracle</b> (binutils, cups-filters, giflib, squid, and webkit2gtk3), <b>Red Hat</b> (webkit2gtk3), <b>SUSE</b> (ansible-core, apache2, gio-branding-upstream, icinga2, kernel-devel, libnghttp2-14, libsoup-2_4-1, libsoup-3_0-0, libvirt, nodejs-electron, postgresql13, postgresql16, python39, rclone, thunderbird, ucode-intel-20241112, and wget), and <b>Ubuntu</b> (python-asyncssh and tomcat9).

Nov 17, 2024

Linus has <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/998490/">released the 6.12 kernel</a>. "<q>No strange surprises this last week, so we're sticking to the regular release schedule, and that obviously means that the merge window opens tomorrow.</q>". <p> Headline features in this release include: support for the <a href="https://developer.arm.com/documentation/102376/0200/Permission-indirection-and-permission-overlay-extensions">Arm permission overlay</a> extension, better compile-time control over which Spectre mitigations to employ, the <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/990985/">last pieces of realtime preemption support</a>, the realtime <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/934415/">deadline server</a> mechanism, more <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/969062/">EEVDF scheduler</a> development, the <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/974387/">extensible scheduler class</a>, the <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/979549/">device memory TCP</a> work, <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/979683/">use of static calls</a> in the security-module subsystem, the <a href="https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=a430d95c5efa">integrity policy enforcement</a> security module, the ability to handle devices with a block size larger than the system page size in the XFS filesystem, and more. See the LWN merge-window summaries (<a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/990750/">part&nbsp;1</a>, <a href="https://lwn.net/Articles/991301/">part&nbsp;2</a>) and the <a href="https://kernelnewbies.org/Linux_6.12">KernelNewbies 6.12 page</a> for more details.

Nov 20, 2024

If we plot the metrics associated with large DDoS attacks observed in the last 10 years, does it show a straight, steady increase in an exponential curve that keeps becoming steeper, or is it closer to a linear growth? Our analysis found the growth is not linear but rather is exponential, with the slope varying depending on the metric (rps, pps or bps).

Nov 20, 2024

Two recent cable cuts that occurred in the Baltic Sea resulted in little-to-no observable impact to the affected countries, in large part because of the significant redundancy and resilience of Internet infrastructure in Europe.

Nov 19, 2024

We used Cloudflare’s Developer Platform and Durable Objects to build authentication and a WebSockets API that developers can use to call AI Gateway, enabling continuous communication over a single, persistent connection.

Nov 14, 2024

Cloudflare customers can now create Account Owned Tokens , allowing more flexibility around access control for their Cloudflare services. Additionally, Zaraz Automation Actions streamlines event tracking and third-party tool integration.

Nov 8, 2024

We describe how Cloudflare uses a custom Lisp-like programming language and formal verifier (written in Racket and Rosette) to prevent logical contradictions in our authoritative DNS nameserver’s behavior.

Nov 7, 2024

NIST has standardized four post-quantum signature schemes so far, and they’re not done yet: there are fourteen new candidates in the running for standardization. In this blog post we take measure of them and discover why we ended up with so many PQ signatures.

Nov 6, 2024

Election Day 2024 in the US saw a surge in cyber activity. Cloudflare blocked several DDoS attacks on political and election sites, ensuring no impact. In this post, we analyze these attacks, as well Internet traffic increases across the US and other key trends.

Oct 31, 2024

Workers Builds, an integrated CI/CD pipeline for the Workers platform, recently launched in open beta. We walk through how we built this product on Cloudflare’s Developer Platform.

Oct 31, 2024

Post-acquisition, we migrated Baselime from AWS to the Cloudflare Developer Platform and in the process, we improved query times, simplified data ingestion, and now handle far more events, all while cutting costs. Here’s how we built a modern, high-performing observability platform on Cloudflare’s network.

Oct 30, 2024

On October 30, 2024, cloud hosting provider OVHcloud (AS16276) suffered a brief but significant outage. Within this post, we review Cloudflare’s perspective on this outage.

Oct 29, 2024

DNS records have moved to a new database, bringing improved performance and reliability to all customers.

Oct 29, 2024

The third quarter of 2024 was particularly active, with quite a few significant Internet disruptions. Underlying causes included government-directed shutdowns, power outages, hurricane damage, terrestrial and submarine cable cuts, military action, and more.

Oct 25, 2024

Hyperdrive (Cloudflare’s globally distributed SQL connection pooler and cache) recently added support for directing database traffic from Workers across Cloudflare Tunnels. We dive deep on what it took to add this feature.

Oct 24, 2024

Cloudflare Workflows is now in open beta! Workflows allows you to build reliable, repeatable, long-lived multi-step applications that can automatically retry, persist state, and scale out. Read on to learn how Workflows works, how we built it on top of Durable Objects, and how you can deploy your first Workflows application.

Oct 24, 2024

How we scaled AI Gateway to handle and store billions of requests, using Cloudflare Workers, D1, Durable Objects, and R2.

Oct 24, 2024

Learn how we built Cloudflare Queues using our own Developer Platform and how it evolved to a geographically-distributed, horizontally-scalable architecture built on Durable Objects. Our new architecture supports over 10x more throughput and over 3x lower latency compared to the previous version.

Oct 23, 2024

The number of DDoS attacks spiked in the third quarter of 2024. Cloudflare mitigated nearly 6 million DDoS attacks, representing a 49% increase QoQ and 55% increase YoY.

Oct 23, 2024

Access for Infrastructure, BastionZero’s integration into Cloudflare One, will enable organizations to apply Zero Trust controls to their servers, databases, Kubernetes clusters, and more. Today we’re announcing short-lived SSH access as the first available feature of this integration.

Oct 23, 2024

In this post we will describe how we use anomaly detection to watch for novel DDoS attacks. We’ll provide an overview of how we build models which flag unusual traffic and keep our customers safe.

Oct 22, 2024

Cloudflare’s global fleet benefits from being managed by open source firmware for the Baseboard Management Controller (BMC), OpenBMC. This has come with various challenges, some of which we discuss here with an explanation of how the open source nature of the firmware for the BMC enabled us to fix the issues and maintain a more stable fleet.

Nov 21, 2024

If a judge orders Google to sell Chrome, it could dramatically upend the multi-billion-dollar online search business.

Nov 21, 2024

One of the world's richest people has been indicted on charges he duped investors in a massive solar energy project in India by concealing that it was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme.

Nov 20, 2024

Last week British surgeon Nizam Mamode testified in front of a committee in the U.K. Parliament. Dr. Mamode had recently returned from working at a hospital in Central Gaza. <br><br>He told parliamentary members what he witnessed, including drones that would come down and "pick off civilians, children. And we had description after description. This is not, you know, an occasional thing. This was day after day after day." <br><br>For months, NPR has been collecting eyewitness accounts from Gaza that corroborate Dr. Mamode's testimony, saying the Israeli military has been using sniper drone technology and that they're not just shooting enemies, but also civilians.|<br><br>For sponsor-free episodes of <em>Consider This,</em> sign up for C<em>onsider This+</em> via Apple Podcasts or at <a href="http://plus.npr.org">plus.npr.org</a>. <br><br>Email us at <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>.

Nov 20, 2024

The federal courts say they have taken "extensive" steps to protect workers from abuse, discrimination and harassment since the rise of the #MeToo movement, but critics say many workers don't trust the internal system for reporting complaints.

Nov 20, 2024

There are at least 19,000 pieces of space debris in Earth's orbit, not including active satellites, that the U.S is monitoring.

Nov 20, 2024

A series of deadly attacks within China in recent weeks have killed dozens and left people uneasy. Those who carried out the attacks have been seemingly ordinary people who authorities say became disgruntled or unhappy. Our correspondent brings us to the site of one recent attacks and says these incidents are raising difficult questions about society and the government.

Nov 20, 2024

Former <em>Washington Post</em> executive editor Marty Baron says he thinks Trump is "salivating for the opportunity to prosecute and imprison journalists." <em>New Yorker</em> editor David Remnick agrees.

Nov 20, 2024

The U.S. House Committee on Ethics is deadlocked on whether to release its report into former Rep. Matt Gaetz, whose nomination to serve as Trump's attorney general has been plagued by controversy.

Nov 20, 2024

The case over the killing of a Georgia nursing student fueled the national debate over immigration during this year's presidential race.

Nov 20, 2024

President-elect Donald Trump tapped Matthew Whitaker as his ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which Trump has long criticized for taking advantage of U.S. defense spending.

Nov 19, 2024

<p>The post <a href="https://theonion.com/announcement-of-fourth-child-contains-conspicuous-lack-of-exclamation-points/">Announcement Of Fourth Child Contains Conspicuous Lack Of Exclamation Points</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theonion.com">The Onion</a>.</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>PALM BEACH, FL—Admitting that ever since he joined the campaign trail the billionaire tech mogul had refused to leave him alone, President-elect Donald Trump reportedly locked the bathroom door Tuesday so Elon Musk couldn&#8217;t follow him in again. &#8220;All right, Elon, out,&#8221; an audibly frustrated Trump had said moments earlier as he stood up from [&#8230;]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://theonion.com/trump-locks-bathroom-door-so-elon-musk-cant-follow-him-in/">Trump Locks Bathroom Door So Elon Musk Can’t Follow Him In</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theonion.com">The Onion</a>.</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Why did you agree to pay $300,000 over asking and sign something called an upside-down mortgage?&#160; Reference #324192</p> <p>The post <a href="https://theonion.com/overpaying-for-the-rest-of-your-fucking-life/">Overpaying For The Rest Of Your Fucking Life</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theonion.com">The Onion</a>.</p>

Nov 18, 2024

<p>NEW YORK—After being forced to eat McDonald’s on the private jet of President-elect Donald Trump, a visibly sweaty Robert F. Kennedy Jr. reportedly performed surgery on himself this weekend to extract a Big Mac from his stomach. “I have to cut the McDonald’s out before it attacks my other organs,” said the nominee for secretary [&#8230;]</p> <p>The post <a href="https://theonion.com/sweating-rfk-jr-performs-self-surgery-to-extract-big-mac-from-stomach/">Sweating RFK Jr. Performs Self-Surgery To Extract Big Mac From Stomach</a> appeared first on <a href="https://theonion.com">The Onion</a>.</p>

Nov 20, 2024

A flying robot uses its bird-like tail to maintain stability in flight – a technique that could enable more aerodynamic aircraft designs that use less fuel

Nov 20, 2024

By 2050, 70 per cent of the world's population will live in urban centres - that's just one reason why mayors will be essential to addressing the climate crisis, making vital adaptations to cities to make them more bearable in a warming world

Nov 20, 2024

Using GPT-4o, the model behind ChatGPT, researchers have replicated the personality and behaviour of more than 1000 people, in an effort to create an alternative to focus groups and polling

Nov 19, 2024

More than 20 million people have joined Bluesky, a social network that gives you fine-grained control over what you see and who you interact with. I think it is the future of social media, says Chris Stokel-Walker

Nov 20, 2024

A large planet has been spotted orbiting a dwarf star that is just 3 million years old, offering possible clues to how the worlds in our solar system came into being

Nov 20, 2024

IBM has bet big on a modular approach to building quantum computers, and now it has successfully linked two quantum chips together to operate as a single device, a key step towards that goal

Nov 20, 2024

Quantum computers could get a boost from artificial intelligence, thanks to a model created by Google DeepMind that cleans up quantum errors

Nov 20, 2024

Unbearable heat in China’s megacities reveals the future many of us face, but also suggests ways we can adapt

Nov 19, 2024

The largest number of logical qubits has been linked through quantum entanglement, which is a key step towards quantum computers that can detect and correct errors

Nov 20, 2024

Many restaurants in countries such as England and the US now print calories on their menus, but some researchers question whether this is really tackling their obesity problem

Nov 20, 2024

The best pictures we have of the sun yet have been delivered thanks to the Solar Orbiter spacecraft

Nov 20, 2024

The effects of being in space can worsen an astronaut's working memory, processing speed and attention - which could be a problem for future missions

Nov 20, 2024

Analysis of millions of galaxies upholds Albert Einstein’s ideas about gravity and also offers tantalising new hints of how dark energy may have evolved

Nov 19, 2024

The vast computational power of the El Capitan supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California will be used to support the US nuclear deterrent

Nov 19, 2024

Tiny, solid windows in the shells of heart cockles let in light for the photosynthetic algae inside them – and they could show us how to make better fibre-optic cables

Nov 19, 2024

A cataclysmic quantum fluctuation could wipe out everything at any moment. The fact that we’re still here is revealing hidden cosmic realities

Nov 19, 2024

Four southern giant hornets have been identified in northern Spain, leading to concerns that the species could harm native insects if it becomes widespread

Nov 19, 2024

Several populations of Mexican tetra fish that live in darkness have independently evolved to need hardly any sleep, but the reason why is a mystery

Nov 18, 2024

Changes to the structure of DNA within fat cells may be why it is often so hard to keep weight off after you have lost it

Nov 19, 2024

Most mathematicians have been reluctant to start working with artificial intelligence, but a new tool developed by researchers at Meta may change that

Nov 19, 2024

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing for the sixth test flight of Starship, the world's most powerful rocket. It aims to conduct the launch at 4pm Central Time (10pm UK). Here’s everything we know so far

Nov 18, 2024

A supercomputer simulation of iron and carbon atoms in Earth’s inner core may explain how a molten ball at the centre of our planet froze solid

Nov 18, 2024

The weird thermodynamics found in time crystals could be harnessed to store energy in a quantum battery-like device

Nov 18, 2024

Leading researchers warn that relying on "passive" carbon sinks such as forests to absorb ongoing carbon emissions will doom the world to continued warming

Nov 18, 2024

A study modelling the impact of melting ice suggests scientists have underestimated the risk that an important ocean current will shut down and cause climate chaos

Nov 18, 2024

The oral microbiome is increasingly being linked to head and neck cancer, but we don't yet understand its exact role

Nov 13, 2024

Palaeontologists have pieced together the brain structure of a bird that lived 80 million years ago named Navaornis hestiae, thanks to a remarkably well-preserved fossil &nbsp;

Nov 13, 2024

The moon's glare can frustrate astronomers, but Leah Crane is a big fan of the jagged, cratered details of the lunar surface these days

Nov 13, 2024

Rates of near-sightedness are rising all over the world. But solutions to the epidemic are coming into focus and could be simpler than you think

Nov 14, 2024

Readers give higher ratings to AI-generated poetry than the works of poets such as William Shakespeare, Walt Whitman and Emily Dickinson – perhaps because they often have more straightforward themes and simpler structure

Nov 14, 2024

With the help of a ruby cube and two laser beams, researchers made one ray of light cast a shadow when illuminated by the other

Nov 12, 2024

You might have heard about plans to establish a self‑sustaining city on Mars. Here&rsquo;s what life would really be like on the Red Planet

Nov 13, 2024

More than 70 exhibitions across Southern California are taking on the relationship between art and science, with compelling results

Nov 11, 2024

Never underestimate what a single gopher can achieve in a day: one of the burrowing mammals helped boost soil fungi in an area blanketed by ash from the explosive eruption of Mount St Helens in Washington state

Nov 15, 2024

Attempts to prevent Australian children from accessing social media are likely to fail, and could do more harm than good

Nov 11, 2024

Extreme weather and a growing population are driving a food security crisis. What can we do to break the vicious cycle of carbon emissions, climate change and soaring food costs – or is it already too late?

Nov 15, 2024

It has been 50 years since archaeologists discovered Lucy, perhaps the most famous ancient hominin ever found. But the scientists who have studied her say that this fossil gave us a misleading image of the nature of her species

Nov 15, 2024

Letting AI models communicate with each other in their internal mathematical language, rather than translating back and forth to English, could accelerate their task-solving abilities

Nov 15, 2024

A classic study found that people can fail to notice a gorilla when they are focusing on something else, but new experiments suggest this "inattentional blindness" might not tell the whole story

Nov 15, 2024

Governments and companies almost never take action when satellites alert them about large methane leaks coming from oil and gas infrastructure

Nov 15, 2024

Water levels in the Caspian Sea are set to fall dramatically as the climate gets hotter, posing a major threat to economic activity and ecosystems in the region

Nov 15, 2024

A genetic flaw dooms half of all crested newts to die before they hatch – now we know how this baffling evolutionary quirk came about

Nov 15, 2024

Two massive galaxies are bending light from the same distant quasar, creating a so-called Einstein zigzag lens that could help astronomers pin down how quickly the universe is expanding

Nov 13, 2024

Photographer Kadir van Lohuizen captures the food industry's attempts to meet the challenges of climate change and conflicts in his new book, Food for Thought

Nov 13, 2024

The issue of men's dangerously bottled-up emotions finds a fresh and personal voice in Silent Men, a documentary that is at its most powerful when director Duncan Cowles turns the camera on others

Nov 14, 2024

Satellite images reveal that when conditions are right, the pollution from industrial hotspots can cause snow to fall downwind and punch holes in clouds

Nov 14, 2024

Popular semaglutide-based drugs used for weight loss may reduce chronic and acute pain, which could make them a promising alternative to opioids

Nov 14, 2024

The Proba-3 mission consists of two spacecraft that will fly in close formation to study the sun, with the shadow of one creating an artificial solar eclipse from the perspective of the other

Nov 14, 2024

The mega-coral measures 34 metres by 32 metres – making it larger than a blue whale – and it is thought to be three centuries old

Nov 13, 2024

Astronomy and particle physics are no longer seen as vital by the US establishment, so funding has fallen. But our work creates a sense of wonder, and wonder matters, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

Nov 14, 2024

Driverless cars can now do doughnuts and drift like stunt drivers, skidding sideways around corners while maintaining control, which might help the cars recover from dangerous situations

Nov 13, 2024

Feedback was delighted to learn of the appearance of quantum physicist Garrett Josemans on Netflix's Love is Blind. After all, being comfortable with two opposing realities can surely help in a relationship

Nov 13, 2024

Evidence that animals mourn the death of loved ones is growing, but we should be wary of letting our biases cloud this topic, says philosopher Susana Monsó

Nov 13, 2024

In his new book, Power Metal, journalist Vince Beiser provides a balanced briefing on the race for the resources that will shape our technological future

Nov 13, 2024

Air pollution has been linked to eczema before, and now a study of more than 280,000 people has strengthened the association

Nov 13, 2024

Dozens of perforated pebbles from an archaeological site in Israel may be early examples of spindle whorls, a rotating tool used in textile making that was a step towards inventing the wheel

Nov 13, 2024

Food production is responsible for more than a third of greenhouse gas emissions. To get everyone the food they need in a warming world, governments worldwide must invest in securing our food systems

Nov 13, 2024

Selection for bigger tomatoes has made the fruits less sweet, but now it has been shown that gene editing can make them sweeter without decreasing yields

Nov 13, 2024

Researchers mapped Earth’s ionosphere, part of the upper atmosphere, using signal data from 40 million phones – a method that could improve GPS accuracy and help track space weather

Nov 13, 2024

An annual accounting of CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels and land use change finds no sign emissions will peak this year

Nov 13, 2024

Eurasian reed warblers don’t just get a sense of direction from Earth’s magnetic field – they can also calculate their coordinates on a mental map

Nov 12, 2024

Samantha Harvey has won the UK's top fiction prize for a novel that takes place over 24 hours on the International Space Station

Nov 12, 2024

AI and Google Street View have created 'digital twins' of living trees in North American cities – part of a huge simulation that could help make urban tree planting and trimming decisions

Nov 12, 2024

An analysis of crystals in lava from the 2022 eruption of Mauna Loa has revealed an unknown magma reservoir within the volcano, which could extend forecasts of eruptions from minutes to months

Nov 12, 2024

An AI-assisted robot can listen to spoken commands and assemble 3D objects such as chairs and tables out of reusable building blocks

Nov 12, 2024

Droplets of fluid have been known to hover above a hot surface, but a new experiment suggests the same can happen to tiny jets of liquid too

Nov 11, 2024

Most assessments of global warming use 1850-1900 as a baseline, but researchers have now established a new pre-industrial reference by using Antarctic ice cores to estimate the average temperature before 1700

Nov 12, 2024

Campaigners are calling for stricter controls on rodenticides after finding that birds of prey in England are increasingly being exposed to high doses of rat poison

Nov 11, 2024

Experiments show that illuminating the underside of a decoy seal reduces attacks by great white sharks, revealing a possible strategy to protect surfers and swimmers

Nov 11, 2024

Voyager 2 flew by Uranus in 1986, giving us our only up-close look at the planet – but unusual space weather just before the craft arrived has given us a misleading idea about the planet’s magnetic field

Nov 11, 2024

Seven major datasets used to train audio-generating AI models are three times more likely to use the words "man" or "men" than "woman" or "women", raising fears of bias

Nov 11, 2024

Reaching net-zero emissions is essential for halting climate change - but even after we achieve this goal, parts of the planet will continue to warm. Delaying net zero will worsen these effects

Nov 7, 2024

The controversies surrounding football’s video assistant referee (VAR) system highlight our troubled relationship with uncertainty – and point to potential solutions

Nov 6, 2024

From just listening to reframing the situation, there are a few ways you can help someone with a negative outlook, says advice columnist David Robson

Nov 6, 2024

From nuclear strikes to giant spikes, discover the systems in place to prevent a collision and test your decision-making to see if you could avoid a catastrophic impact

Nov 5, 2024

Our ancestors probably used a wide range of plant-based tools that have since been lost to history. Now we're finally getting a glimpse of this Botanic Age

Nov 6, 2024

A stellar cast play leaders of G7 countries facing an existential crisis in Rumours, a smart film about communication, diplomatic nonsense and not coping, says Simon Ings

Nov 4, 2024

From seed oils to olive oil, we now have an overwhelming choice of what to cook with. Here’s how they all stack up, according to the scientific evidence

Nov 8, 2024

Four-legged robot dogs learned to perform new tricks by practising in a virtual platform that mimics real-world obstacles – a possible shortcut for training robots faster and more accurately

Nov 8, 2024

An analysis of thousands of cognitive tests carried out by chimpanzees finds that the number of spectators influenced their performance in different ways depending on the difficulty of the task

Nov 8, 2024

Asian elephants at Berlin Zoo show impressive skill when using a hose as a tool, and even appear to sabotage each other by stopping the flow of water

Nov 8, 2024

Allowing for moves that create quantum superpositions makes a quantum version of a Rubik’s cube incredibly complex, but not impossible to solve

Nov 8, 2024

In order to figure out how something came from nothing, we first need to explore the different types of nothing

Nov 7, 2024

Genetic analysis of five individuals preserved as plaster casts in the ruins of Pompeii contradicts established beliefs about the people and their relationships

Nov 8, 2024

Dangerous radiation reaches Mars at levels we aren't exposed to on Earth, which makes the Red Planet a particularly dangerous place to be during pregnancy

Nov 6, 2024

Shortlisted for the Close-up Photographer of the Year contest, these images zoom in on animals in all their glory

Nov 6, 2024

In More and More and More, Jean-Baptiste Fressoz argues that tackling climate change means rethinking our history of energy consumption – and exposing the green transition as a fiction

Nov 7, 2024

The brain pathway that causes hairy mammals like mice and dogs to shake themselves dry appears to have more to do with pressure than temperature

Nov 7, 2024

Oil and water can be separated efficiently by pumping the mixture through thin channels between two semipermeable membranes

Nov 7, 2024

Blood tests have shown that about 7 per cent of workers on dairy farms that had H5N1 outbreaks had antibodies against the disease

Nov 7, 2024

When it comes to the survival of animals living in the wild, the characteristics of the group can matter as much as the traits of the individual, according to a study in marmots

Nov 7, 2024

The climate impact of flights taken by the super-rich rose sharply from 2019 to 2023, fuelling calls for a carbon tax on private aviation

Nov 7, 2024

Data collected by the Zhurong rover and orbiting satellites suggests the existence of an ancient shoreline in the Utopia Planitia region of Mars

Nov 6, 2024

Our Future Chronicles column explores an imagined history of inventions and developments yet to come. In our latest glimpse into the near future, Rowan Hooper tells how seaweed was a game changer when it came to getting carbon out of the atmosphere in the 2030s

Nov 6, 2024

We are living in a vaccine-hesitant moment, with conspiracy theories thriving on social media. We need to push back, says Simon Williams

Nov 6, 2024

Shapes created by vortices in water often fall apart, but an odd quantum fluid made from ultracold atoms could support vortex knots that never lose their knottiness

Nov 6, 2024

The Impossible Man by Patchen Barss salutes Roger Penrose's groundbreaking work in physics and mathematics while challenging the idea that a genius should be exempt from ordinary obligations

Nov 6, 2024

Averting an asteroid strike will need many of the same skills we must hone to tackle climate change and future pandemics

Nov 6, 2024

Chronic pain has increased among adults in the US since 2019, which could be due to a rise in sedentary lifestyles or reduced access to healthcare amid covid-19 restrictions

Nov 6, 2024

The earliest evidence of livestock with modified horns has been discovered in ancient Egypt – sheep skulls with horns that point in unnatural directions suggest humans forced them to grow that way

Nov 21, 2024

Archaeologists analyzed trees engraved by the Indigenous Sámi of Arctic Europe, revealing the significance of these rare remnants of Sámi culture and the importance of preserving them from ongoing deforestation.

Nov 20, 2024

The changes in society and the phenomena surrounding us are becoming more unexpected and interconnected than ever before. This increasing complexity challenges strategic management, making it harder to predict trends and developments. According to a new study from the University of Vaasa, Finland, increased complexity demands new approaches to strategic management.

Nov 20, 2024

The international BIOCAL expedition, led by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB), provided new evidence on the phenomenon of "atlantification" of the Arctic Ocean, a process related to climate change that involves the progressive invasion of Atlantic waters into the polar Arctic Ocean.

Nov 20, 2024

Forests with few tree species pose a considerably higher risk of being damaged, and the introduced lodgepole pine is especially vulnerable. This is the finding of a new study published in Ecosphere by researchers from Umeå University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Science in Uppsala. The results can be useful for preventing forest damage and financial losses related to the forest industry.

Nov 20, 2024

Ralstonia solanacearum is a soil-borne pathogen that devastates tomato and other Solanaceae crops globally. Traditional chemical controls have proven inadequate and environmentally damaging.

Nov 20, 2024

The human skin is home to a wide variety of bacteria. The composition of the community of bacteria—called the "skin microbiota"—has serious implications for skin health. A healthy balance between different species of bacteria on the skin often translates to healthy skin.

Nov 20, 2024

Quantitative disease resistance (QDR) is a complex but durable form of plant disease resistance that provides partial protection against a broad range of pathogens. Unlike qualitative resistance, driven by major resistance (R) genes, QDR is polygenic and manifests in various ways, such as delayed lesion development or reduced infection frequency.

Nov 20, 2024

Rice is a staple food crop for more than half the world's population, but most farmers don't grow high-yielding varieties because the seeds are too expensive. Researchers from the University of California's Davis and Berkeley campuses have identified a potential solution: activating two genes in rice egg cells that trigger their development into embryos without the need for fertilization, which would efficiently create high-yielding clonal strains of rice and other crops.

Nov 20, 2024

Noninvasive phenotyping has emerged as a vital tool in plant science, enabling the study of stress indicators without disrupting plant growth. While most studies have historically focused on analyzing stress responses in leaves, this novel research adopts a multi-organ view, assessing the dynamic interplay between leaves, stems, and roots when exposed to abiotic stress.

Nov 20, 2024

Normally found only in heavy metal bands or certain post-apocalyptic films, a "flame-throwing guitar" has now been spotted moving through space. Astronomers have captured movies of this extreme cosmic object using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope.

Nov 20, 2024

When NASA's Europa Clipper reaches its destination in 2030, the spacecraft will prepare to aim an array of powerful science instruments toward Jupiter's moon Europa during 49 flybys, looking for signs that the ocean beneath the moon's icy crust could sustain life.

Nov 20, 2024

A research team led by Dominik Schneble, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, has uncovered a novel regime, or set of conditions within a system, for cooperative radiative phenomena, casting new light on a 70-year-old problem in quantum optics.

Nov 20, 2024

Scientists from the Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences found forty new freshwater viruses infecting aquatic microorganisms this year. The first one, which they isolated and described in detail, was named Budvirus after the South Bohemian capital České Budějovice. It belongs to "Giant Viruses" and it infects unicellular algae called cryptophytes.

Nov 20, 2024

More than 4 million people in the U.S. have glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that can damage the optic nerve and lead to vision loss. It's the second-leading cause of blindness worldwide and there's currently no cure, but there's a way to help prevent vision loss through early detection and treatment.

Nov 20, 2024

After two decades in space, NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory is performing better than ever thanks to a new operational strategy implemented earlier this year. The spacecraft has made great scientific strides in the years since scientists dreamed up a new way to explore gamma-ray bursts, the most powerful explosions in the universe.

Nov 20, 2024

Mortality attributable to air pollution and extreme temperatures is a major concern, and it is expected to heighten in the future. In a new study led by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, an international research team found that, under the most probable projection, annual mortality rates linked to air pollution and extreme temperatures could reach 30 million by the end of the century.

Nov 20, 2024

In Australia, shellfish reef restoration projects are helping to recover degraded coastal systems and enhance fish habitat, but much more research is needed to support and evaluate these efforts, researchers say.

Nov 20, 2024

The patches of lichen you've probably seen growing on tree trunks and park benches might be easy to overlook, but they're actually some of the world's strangest living things. While they're sometimes mistaken for moss, lichens are miniature ecosystems made up of a fungus and algae or bacteria that can make energy from sunlight, living together in one body.

Nov 20, 2024

What appears to be evidence of the oldest alphabetic writing in human history is etched onto finger-length, clay cylinders excavated from a tomb in Syria by a team of Johns Hopkins University researchers.

Nov 20, 2024

Researchers in the UK have developed a new spray coating for greenhouses that optimizes the wavelength of light shining onto the plants, improving their growth and yield. The technology could in the future help extend the growing seasons in less sunny countries like the UK in a more sustainable way. The study is published in the journal Advanced Materials Technologies.

Nov 20, 2024

A NASA study using a series of supercomputer simulations reveals a potential new solution to a longstanding Martian mystery: How did Mars get its moons? The first step, the findings say, may have involved the destruction of an asteroid.

Nov 20, 2024

A spoonful of sugar might actually help medicine go down, according to recent research from the University of Mississippi. And it could reduce the harmful side effects of cancer treatment. Instead of a literal spoonful of sugar, however, the researchers tried using glycopolymers—polymers made with natural sugars like glucose—to coat tiny particles that deliver cancer-fighting medication directly to tumors. They found that glycopolymers help keep proteins from sticking to the nanoparticles, reducing the body's immune response to the treatment.

Nov 20, 2024

Fungal contamination of cereal grains poses a substantial threat to food security and public health while causing hundreds of millions of dollars in economic losses annually. In a new study, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign evaluated far-ultraviolet C (far-UVC) light as a safe way to alleviate fungal contamination of corn and wheat and found this technology to be effective.

Nov 20, 2024

Only one in 10 drink spiking incidents are reported to police, according to research published today by Drinkaware and Anglia Ruskin University (ARU).

Nov 20, 2024

Youth in America are experiencing a mental health crisis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC reports that an increasing number of students are experiencing symptoms of hopelessness, depression, and anxiety, along with thoughts of self-harm.

Nov 20, 2024

Sustainable rates of groundwater withdrawal in Oregon's Harney Basin were surpassed 20 years prior to the time declining groundwater levels were generally recognized, a new analysis found.

Nov 20, 2024

Tires are an indispensable part of daily life. Without them, our vehicles would just be a bunch of assembled parts—convenient to sit in, but not effective for getting where you are going.

Nov 20, 2024

People around the world associate a trilled R sound with a rough texture and a jagged shape, and an L sound with a smooth texture and a flat shape, according to the findings of a new study. Researchers believe this association may be more universal than the famous bouba/kiki effect.

Nov 20, 2024

A team of marine biologists, ecologists and evolutionary specialists from the University of Chicago, Stanford University and Duke University has found that heart cockles have windows in their shells to allow in light needed by the algae that live inside the shells.

Nov 20, 2024

Researchers from Seoul National University College of Engineering announced they have developed an optical design technology that dramatically reduces the volume of cameras with a folded lens system utilizing "metasurfaces," a next-generation nano-optical device.

Nov 20, 2024

The clearest picture yet of our “last universal common ancestor” suggests it was a relatively complex organism living 4.2 billion years ago, a time long considered too harsh for life to flourish. <p>The post <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/all-life-on-earth-today-descended-from-a-single-cell-meet-luca-20241120/" target="_blank">All Life on Earth Today Descended From a Single Cell. Meet LUCA.</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org" target="_blank">Quanta Magazine</a></p>

Nov 18, 2024

The mathematician David Bessis claims that everyone is capable of, and can benefit greatly from, mathematical thinking. <p>The post <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/mathematical-thinking-isnt-what-you-think-it-is-20241118/" target="_blank">Mathematical Thinking Isn&#8217;t What You Think It Is</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org" target="_blank">Quanta Magazine</a></p>

Nov 15, 2024

The security system that underlies the internet makes use of a curious fact: You can broadcast part of your encryption to make your information much more secure. <p>The post <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-public-key-cryptography-really-works-20241115/" target="_blank">How Public Key Cryptography Really Works, Using Only Simple Math</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org" target="_blank">Quanta Magazine</a></p>

Nov 13, 2024

Wherever astronomers look, they see life’s raw materials. <p>The post <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-cosmos-teems-with-complex-organic-molecules-20241113/" target="_blank">The Cosmos Teems with Complex Organic Molecules</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org" target="_blank">Quanta Magazine</a></p>

Nov 11, 2024

Two mathematicians have renewed a debate about the fundamental nature of some of math’s most important equations. <p>The post <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org/new-elliptic-curve-breaks-18-year-old-record-20241111/" target="_blank">New Elliptic Curve Breaks 18-Year-Old Record</a> first appeared on <a href="https://www.quantamagazine.org" target="_blank">Quanta Magazine</a></p>

Nov 21, 2024

Help with today's Wordle if you need it.

Nov 21, 2024

Even a decade and a half later in a new engine, a specific bit of jank still abides.

Nov 20, 2024

The genre mashup is attracting players at a good clip.

Nov 20, 2024

Using the Force is great, but sometimes using the DLT-19 heavy rifle is better.

Nov 20, 2024

"Whenever I'm on the road and I can't play, I'm missing it."

Nov 20, 2024

A digital plague that had real-world parallels.

Nov 20, 2024

Asset page creators are now required to tag their work, and will not be indexed for searches if they don't.

Nov 20, 2024

Though there may still be problems playing: "We are aware of additional technical issues that the team is working to address."

Nov 20, 2024

After being out for most of the afternoon, "the front page of the internet" appears to be back in action.

Nov 20, 2024

Complete with Minecraft accommodation and Minecraft restaurants.

Nov 20, 2024

"No decision has been made at this time," but a letter of intent has been received and that means the wheels are turning.

Nov 20, 2024

The rise of the Space Marine 2 mod scene is causing some technical issues for online play, but the dev team doesn't want to take your fun away—so, a compromise.

Nov 20, 2024

Naming a gaming chair after a beast from the depths of the ocean is rather prophetic in this instance.

Nov 20, 2024

That's not the kind of GeForce I ordered…

Nov 20, 2024

A guiding hand for your first hours in The Zone.

Nov 20, 2024

Will that be extra CPUs sold, or will it come at the expense of AMD and Intel?

Nov 20, 2024

We'll stick to The Sims 4's build mode.

Nov 20, 2024

Stalkers need to be prepared.

Nov 20, 2024

Graceful.

Nov 20, 2024

You'll have to see this video to believe it...

Nov 20, 2024

Where to find The Storybook Vale's new currency.

Nov 20, 2024

They didn't stop to think if they should.

Nov 20, 2024

Subs > dubs.

Nov 20, 2024

I am a patient boy, I wait I wait I wait.

Nov 20, 2024

A better alternative.

Nov 20, 2024

Get on the floor. Gimmie some more.

Nov 20, 2024

An ogre should not remind me of Stretch Armstong.

Nov 20, 2024

I'm more of a redstone fan.

Nov 20, 2024

Say it with me now: get out of here, stalker.

Nov 20, 2024

Upscaling is a must; even frame generation will be needed for many gaming PCs.

Nov 20, 2024

Know how to prep your gaming PC before it heads into the Zone.

Nov 20, 2024

Gaming laptops can be excellent, but you need to shop wisely to avoid making a mistake. Here's my advice.

Nov 20, 2024

Eorzea in the palm of your hand.

Nov 20, 2024

A Steam Controller 2 might make more sense today than it did back then.

Nov 20, 2024

Whether this is semantics or something more meaningful remains to be seen.

Nov 20, 2024

Staying power.

Nov 20, 2024

A megabucks mini-LED monitor that doesn't really make sense

Nov 20, 2024

This is an elegant chair that feels less elegant when compared to its pretty fierce competition

Nov 20, 2024

"You have chosen, or been chosen, to relocate to one of our finest remaining urban centers. And then, go to like three other cities."

Nov 20, 2024

Today's Wordle: Help with the daily puzzle.

Nov 20, 2024

The countdown starts now.

Nov 20, 2024

PC Gamer's original 2004 review of Half-Life 2.

Nov 20, 2024

More details about the early access will be revealed this Thursday.

Nov 19, 2024

The Fallout Celebration in Goodsprings, Nevada was everything great about the Fallout community.

Nov 19, 2024

Names for characters who haven't logged in since January 1 will go up for grabs when the 7.6 update goes live.

Nov 19, 2024

The film is set to debut in April 2025.

Nov 19, 2024

Kleptomania in The Sims 3 is basically boundless and I'm loving it.

Nov 19, 2024

Philips' budget projector might feel cheap but hides a decent image and great speakers.

Nov 19, 2024

The new midseason patch is full of ways to catch up.

Nov 19, 2024

That's 30% more than Farming Simulator 22 saw in the same time period.

Nov 20, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-mouse-pictured-in-front-of-line-graph-data-about-mice-s-ability-to-distinguish-odor-fluctuations.jpg?id=54523832&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C78%2C0%2C78"/><br/><br/><p> Odors are all around us, and often disperse fast—in hazardous situations like wildfires, for example, wind conditions quickly carry any smoke (and the smell of smoke) away from its origin. Sending people to check out disaster zones is always a risk, so what if a robot equipped with an electronic nose, or e-nose, could track down a hazard by “smelling” for it? </p><p> This concept motivated a recent study in <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp1764#con9" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Science Advances</em></a>, in which researchers built an e-nose that can not only detect odors at the same speed as a mouse’s olfactory system, but also distinguish between odors by the specific patterns they produce over time when interacting with the e-nose’s sensor. </p><p> “When odorants are carried away by turbulent airflow, they get chopped into smaller packets,” says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelschmuker/?originalSubdomain=de" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Michael Schmuker</a>, a professor at the University of Hertfordshire in the United Kingdom. Schmuker says that these odor packets can rapidly change, which means that an effective odor-sensing system needs to be fast to detect them. And the way in which packets change—and how frequently that happens—can give clues about how far away the odor’s source is.<strong></strong> </p><h2>How the E-nose Works</h2><p> The e-nose uses metal oxide gas sensors with a sensing surface heated and cooled to between 150 °C and 400 °C at up to 20 times per second. Redox reactions take place on the sensing surface when it comes into direct contact with an odorant. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="The electronic nose's circuitry and a microscopy image of the sensor with its housing removed." class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="71f159605c04d9be094aec5f864cfe97" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="5262b" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/the-electronic-nose-s-circuitry-and-a-microscopy-image-of-the-sensor-with-its-housing-removed.jpg?id=54836652&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption..." style="max-width: 100%;">The new electronic nose is smaller than a credit card, and includes several sensors such as the one on the right.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." style="max-width: 100%;"><a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adp1764#" target="_blank">Nik Dennler et al.</a></small> </p><p> The e-nose is smaller than a credit card, with a power consumption of only 1.2 to 1.5 watts (including the microprocessor and USB readout). The researchers built the system with off-the-shelf components, with custom-designed digital interfaces to allow odor dynamics to be probed more precisely when they encounter the heated electrodes making up the sensing surface. “Odorants flow around us in the air and some of them react with that hot surface,” says Schmuker. “How they react with it depends on their own chemical composition—they might oxidize or reduce the surface—but a chemical reaction takes place.” </p><p> As a result, the resistance of the metal oxide electrodes changes, which can be measured. The amount and dynamics of this change are different for different combinations of odorants and sensor materials. The e-nose uses two pairs of four distinct sensors to build a pattern of resistance response curves. Resistance response curves illustrate how a sensor’s resistance changes over time in response to a stimulus, such as an odor. These curves capture the sensor’s conversion of a physical interaction—like an odor molecule binding to its surface—into an electrical signal. Because each odor generates a distinct response pattern, analyzing how the electrical signal evolves over time enables the identification of specific odors. </p><h3></h3><br/><div class="rblad-ieee_in_content"></div><p> “We discovered that rapidly switching the temperature back and forth between 150°C and 400°C about 20 times per second produced distinctive data patterns that made it easier to identify specific odors,” says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikdennler/?originalSubdomain=ch" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nik Dennler</a>, a dual Ph.D. student at the University of Hertfordshire and Western Sydney University. By building up a picture of how the odorant reacts at these different temperatures, the response curves can be plugged into a machine learning algorithm to spot the patterns that relate to a specific odor. </p><p> While the e-nose does not “sniff” like a regular nose, the periodic heating cycle for detecting odors is reminiscent of the periodic sniffing that mammals perform. </p><h2>Using the E-nose in Disaster Management</h2><p> A discovery in 2021 by researchers at the Francis Crick Institute in London and the University College London showed that <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03514-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">mice can discriminate odor fluctuations</a> up to 40 times per second—contrary to a long-held belief that mammals require one or several sniffs to obtain any meaningful odor information. </p><p> In the new work—conducted in part by the same researchers behind the 2021 discovery—the researchers found that the e-nose can detect odors as quickly as a mouse can, with the ability to resolve and decode odor fluctuations up to 60 times per second. The e-nose can currently differentiate between 5 different odors when presented individually or in a mixture of two odors. The e-nose could detect additional odors if it is trained to do so. </p><p> “We found it could accurately identify odors in just 50 milliseconds and decode patterns between odors switching up to 40 times per second,” says Dennler. For comparison, recent research in humans suggests the threshold for distinguishing between two odors binding to the same olfactory receptors is about 60 ms. </p><p> The small scale and moderate power requirements could enable the e-nose to be deployed in robots used to pinpoint an odor’s source. “Other fast technologies exist, but are usually very bulky and you would need a large battery to power them,” says Schmuker. “We can put our device on a small robot and evaluate its use in applications that you use a sniffer dog for today.” </p><p> “As soon as you’re driving, walking, or flying around, you need to be really fast at sensing,” says Dennler. “With our e-nose, we can capture odor information at high speeds. Primary applications could involve odor-guided navigation tasks, or, more generally, collecting odor information while on the move.” </p><p> The researchers are looking at using these small e-nose robots in disaster management applications, including locating wildfires and gas leaks, and finding people buried in rubble after an earthquake. </p>

Nov 19, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-woman-in-a-safety-vest-operates-a-packaging-machine-at-amazon.jpg?id=54496133&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C260%2C0%2C261"/><br/><br/><p> <em>This is a sponsored article brought to you by <a href="https://amazon.jobs/content/en/teams/ftr" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.</em> </p><p> The journey of a package from the moment a customer clicks “buy” to the moment it arrives at their doorstep is one of the most complex and finely tuned processes in the world of e-commerce. At Amazon, this journey is constantly being optimized, not only for speed and efficiency, but also for sustainability. This optimization is driven by the integration of cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and robotics, which allow Amazon to streamline its operations while working towards minimizing unnecessary packaging. </p><p> The use of AI and ML in logistics and packaging is playing an increasingly vital role in transforming the way packages are handled across Amazon’s vast global network. In two interviews — one with Clay Flannigan, who leads manipulation robotics programs at Amazon, and another with Callahan Jacobs, an owner of the Sustainable Packaging team’s technology products — we gain insights into how Amazon is using AI, ML, and automation to push the boundaries of what’s possible in the world of logistics, while also making significant strides in sustainability-focused packaging. </p><h2>The Power of AI and Machine Learning in Robotics</h2><p> One of the cornerstones of Amazon’s transformation is the integration of AI and ML into its robotics systems. Flannigan’s role within the Fulfillment Technologies Robotics (FTR) team, Amazon Robotics, centers around manipulation robotics — machines that handle the individual items customers order on amazon.com. These robots, in collaboration with human employees, are responsible for picking, sorting, and packing millions of products every day. It’s an enormously complex task, given the vast diversity of items in Amazon’s inventory. </p><p> “Amazon is uniquely positioned to lead in AI and ML because of our vast data,” Flannigan explained. “We use this data to train models that enable our robots to perform highly complex tasks, like picking and packing an incredibly diverse range of products. These systems help Amazon solve logistics challenges that simply wouldn’t be possible at this scale without the deep integration of AI.” </p><div class="ieee-sidebar-small"> <p> <a href="https://amazon.jobs/content/en/teams/ftr" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Learn more about becoming part of Amazon’s Team →</a> </p> </div><p> At the core of Amazon’s robotic systems is machine learning, which allows the machines to “learn” from their environment and improve their performance over time. For example, AI-powered computer vision systems enable robots to “see” the products they are handling, allowing them to distinguish between fragile items and sturdier ones, or between products of different sizes and shapes. These systems are trained using expansive amounts of data, which Amazon can leverage due to its immense scale. </p><p> One particularly important application of machine learning is in the manipulation of unstructured environments. Traditional robotics have been used in industries where the environment is highly structured and predictable. But Amazon’s warehouses are anything but predictable. “In other industries, you’re often building the same product over and over. At Amazon, we have to handle an almost infinite variety of products — everything from books to coffee makers to fragile collectibles,” Flannigan said. </p><p class="pull-quote"> “There are so many opportunities to push the boundaries of what AI and robotics can do, and Amazon is at the forefront of that change.” <strong>—Clay Flannigan, Amazon</strong> </p><p> In these unstructured environments, robots need to be adaptable. They rely on AI and ML models to understand their surroundings and make decisions in real-time. For example, if a robot is tasked with picking a coffee mug from a bin full of diverse items, it needs to use computer vision to identify the mug, understand how to grip it without breaking it, and move it to the correct packaging station. These tasks may seem simple, but they require advanced ML algorithms and extensive data to perform them reliably at Amazon’s scale. </p><h2>Sustainability and Packaging: A Technology-Driven Approach</h2><p> While robotics and automation are central to improving efficiency in Amazon’s fulfillment centers, <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-climate-pledge-fund-investments-molg-paebble-14trees" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the company’s commitment to sustainability</a> is equally important. Callahan Jacobs, product manager on FTR’s Mechatronics & Sustainable Packaging (MSP) team, is focused on preventing waste and aims to help reduce the negative impacts of packaging materials. The company <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/how-amazon-is-reducing-packaging" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">has made significant strides</a> in this area, leveraging technology to improve the entire packaging experience. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"> <img alt="A photo of a packaging machine. " class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4bef5a77f4e08cf5c5da2522a71b8e82" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="06436" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-photo-of-a-packaging-machine.jpg?id=54496180&width=980"/> <small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Amazon</small> </p><p> “When I started, our packaging processes were predominantly manual,” Jacobs explained. “But we’ve moved toward a much more automated system, and now we use machines that custom-fit packaging to items. This has drastically reduced the amount of excess material we use, especially in terms of minimizing the cube size for each package, and frees up our teams to focus on harder problems like how to make packaging out of more conscientious materials without sacrificing quality.” </p><p> Since 2015, Amazon has decreased its average per-shipment packaging weight by 43 percent, which represents more than <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/planet/improving-packaging" target="_blank">3 million metric tons of packaging materials</a> avoided. This “size-to-fit” packaging technology is one of Amazon’s most significant innovations in packaging. By using automated machines that cut and fold boxes to fit the dimensions of the items being shipped, Amazon is able to reduce the amount of air and unused space inside packages. This not only reduces the amount of material used but also optimizes the use of space in trucks, planes, and delivery vehicles. </p><p> “By fitting packages as closely as possible to the items they contain, we’re helping to reduce both waste and shipping inefficiencies,” Jacobs explained. </p><h2>Advanced Packaging Technology: The Role of Machine Learning</h2><p> AI and ML play a critical role in Amazon’s efforts to optimize packaging. Amazon’s packaging technology doesn’t just aim to prevent waste but also ensures that items are properly protected during their journey through the fulfillment network. To achieve this balance, the company relies on advanced machine learning models that evaluate each item and determine the optimal packaging solution based on various factors, including the item’s fragility, size, and the route it needs to travel. </p><p> “We’ve moved beyond simply asking whether an item can go in a bag or a box,” said Jacobs. “Now, our AI and ML models look at each item and say, ‘What are the attributes of this product? Is it fragile? Is it a liquid? Does it have its own packaging, or does it need extra protection?’ By gathering this information, we can make smarter decisions about packaging, <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/better-packaging-happy-pets-and-a-win-for-the-environment" target="_blank">helping to result in less waste</a> or better protection for the items.” </p><p class="pull-quote"> “By fitting packages as closely as possible to the items they contain, we’re helping to reduce both waste and shipping inefficiencies.” <strong>—Callahan Jacobs, Amazon</strong> </p><p> This process begins as soon as a product enters Amazon’s inventory. Machine Learning models analyze each product’s data to determine key attributes. These models may use computer vision to assess the item’s packaging or natural language processing to analyze product descriptions and customer feedback. Once the product’s attributes have been determined, the system decides which type of packaging is most suitable, helping to prevent waste while ensuring the item’s safe arrival. </p><p> “Machine learning allows us to make these decisions dynamically,” Jacobs added. “For example, an item like a t-shirt doesn’t need to be packed in a box—it can go in a paper bag. But a fragile glass item might need additional protection. By using AI and ML, we can make these decisions at scale, ensuring that we’re always <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/better-packaging-happy-pets-and-a-win-for-the-environment" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">prioritizing for the option that aims to benefits the customer and the planet</a>.” </p><h2>Dynamic Decision-Making With Real-Time Data</h2><p> Amazon’s use of real-time data is a game-changer in its packaging operations. By continuously collecting and analyzing data from its fulfillment centers, Amazon can rapidly adjust its packaging strategies, optimizing for efficiency at scale. This dynamic approach allows Amazon to respond to changing conditions, such as new packaging materials, changes in shipping routes, or feedback from customers. </p><p> “A huge part of what we do is continuously improving the process based on what we learn,” Jacobs explained. “For example, if we find that a certain type of packaging isn’t satisfactory, we can quickly adjust our criteria and implement changes across our delivery network. This real-time feedback loop is critical in making our system more resilient and keeping it aligned with our team’s sustainability goals.” </p><p> This continuous learning process is key to Amazon’s success. The company’s AI and ML models are constantly being updated with new data, allowing them to become more accurate and effective over time. For example, if a new type of packaging material is introduced, the models can quickly assess its effectiveness and make adjustments as needed. </p><p> Jacobs also emphasized the role of feedback in this process. “We’re always monitoring the performance of our packaging,” she said. “If we receive feedback from customers that an item arrived damaged or that there was too much packaging, we can use that information to improve model outputs, which ultimately helps us continually reduce waste.” </p><h2>Robotics in Action: The Role of Gripping Technology and Automation</h2><p> One of the key innovations in Amazon’s robotic systems is the development of advanced gripping technology. As Flannigan explained, the “secret sauce” of Amazon’s robotic systems is not just in the machines themselves but in the gripping tools they use. These tools are designed to handle the immense variety of products Amazon processes every day, from small, delicate items to large, bulky packages. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="A photo of a robot." class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="b756499c73fbf674f2bf4327e26622b9" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="eb3a0" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-photo-of-a-robot.jpg?id=54496149&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." style="max-width: 100%;">Amazon</small> </p><p> “Our robots use a combination of sensors, AI, and custom-built grippers to handle different types of products,” Flannigan said. “For example, we’ve developed specialized grippers that can handle fragile items like glassware without damaging them. These grippers are powered by AI and machine learning, which allow them to plan their movements based on the item they’re picking up.” </p><p> The robotic arms in Amazon’s fulfillment centers are equipped with a range of sensors that allow them to “see” and “feel” the items they’re handling. These sensors provide real-time data to the machine learning models, which then make decisions about how to handle the item. For example, if a robot is picking up a fragile item, it will use gentler strategy, whereas it might optimize for speed when handling a sturdier item. </p><p> Flannigan also noted that the use of robotics has significantly improved the safety and efficiency of Amazon’s operations. By automating many of the repetitive and physically demanding tasks in fulfillment centers, Amazon has been able to reduce the risk of injuries among its employees while also increasing the speed and accuracy of its operations. It also provides the opportunity to focus on upskilling. “There’s always something new to learn,” Flannigan said, “there’s no shortage of training and advancement options.” </p><h2>Continuous Learning and Innovation: Amazon’s Culture of Growth</h2><p> Both Flannigan and Jacobs emphasized that Amazon’s success in implementing these technologies is not just due to the tools themselves but also the culture of innovation that drives the company. Amazon’s engineers and technologists are encouraged to constantly push the boundaries of what’s possible, experimenting with new solutions and improving existing systems. </p><p> “Amazon is a place where engineers thrive because we’re always encouraged to innovate,” Flannigan said. “The problems we’re solving here are incredibly complex, and Amazon gives us the resources and freedom to tackle them in creative ways. That’s what makes Amazon such an exciting place to work.” </p><p> Jacobs echoed this sentiment, adding that <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-discussion-on-sustainability" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the company’s commitment to sustainability</a> is one of the things that makes it an attractive place for engineers. “Every day, I learn something new, and I get to work on solutions that have a real impact at a global scale. That’s what keeps me excited about my work. That’s hard to find anywhere else.” </p><h2>The Future of AI, Robotics, and Innovation at Amazon</h2><p> Looking ahead, Amazon’s vision for the future is clear: to continue innovating in the fields of AI, ML, and robotics for maximum customer satisfaction. The company is investing heavily in <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/sustainability/amazon-sustainability-projects" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">new technologies</a> that are helping to progress its sustainability initiatives while improving the efficiency of its operations. </p><p> “We’re just getting started,” Flannigan said. “There are so many opportunities to push the boundaries of what AI and robotics can do, and Amazon is at the forefront of that change. The work we do here will have implications not just for e-commerce but for the broader world of automation and AI.” </p><p> Jacobs is equally optimistic about the future of the Sustainable Packaging team. “We’re constantly working on new materials and new ways to reduce waste,” she said. “The next few years are going to be incredibly exciting as we continue to refine our packaging innovations, making them more scalable without sacrificing quality.” </p><p> As Amazon continues to evolve, the integration of AI, ML, and robotics will be key to achieving its ambitious goals. By combining cutting-edge technology with a deep commitment to sustainability, Amazon is setting a new standard for how e-commerce companies can operate in the 21st century. For engineers, technologists, and environmental advocates, Amazon offers an unparalleled opportunity to work on some of the most challenging and impactful problems of our time. </p><p><a href="https://amazon.jobs/content/en/teams/ftr" target="_blank">Learn more about becoming part of Amazon’s Team.</a> </p>

Nov 19, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-large-tiled-room-with-rows-of-floor-to-ceiling-racks-of-servers-covered-in-art-work-of-a-mountain-and-labelled-el-capitan.jpg?id=54698099&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=298%2C0%2C299%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>In 1965, the United States and other nuclear powers committed to the <a href="https://www.ctbto.org/our-mission/the-treaty" target="_blank">Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty</a>, which prohibited nuclear tests. The <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/national-nuclear-security-administration" target="_blank">National Nuclear Security Administration</a> (NNSA), a successor to the Manhattan Project, now tests nukes only in simulation. To that end, the NNSA yesterday unveiled the world’s fastest supercomputer to air in its mission to maintain a safe, secure, and reliable nuclear stockpile. </p><p>El Capitan was announced yesterday at the <a href="https://supercomputing.org/" target="_blank">SC Conference</a> for supercomputing in Atlanta, Georgia, and it <a href="https://www.top500.org/system/180307/" target="_blank">debuted at #1</a> in the <a href="https://www.top500.org/lists/top500/2024/11/" target="_blank">newest Top500 list</a>, a twice-yearly ranking of the world’s highest performing supercomputers. El Capitan, housed at <a href="https://www.llnl.gov/" target="_blank">Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory</a> in Livermore, Calif., can perform over 2700 quadrillion operations per second at its peak. The previous record holder, <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/frontier-exascale-supercomputer" target="_blank">Frontier</a>, could do just over 2000 quadrillion peak operations per second. </p><p>Alongside El Capitan, the NNSA announced its unclassified cousin, <a href="https://www.top500.org/system/180308/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Toulumne</a>, which debuted at #10 on the Top500 list and can perform a peak of 288 quadrillion operations per second. </p><p>The NNSA—which oversees Lawrence Livermore as well as <a href="https://www.lanl.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Los Alamos National Laboratory</a> and <a href="https://www.sandia.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sandia National Laboratories</a>—plans to use El Capitan to “model and predict nuclear weapon performance, aging effects, and safety,” says <a href="https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/person/corey-hinderstein" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Corey Hinderstein</a>, acting principal deputy administrator at NNSA. Hinderstein says the 3D modeling of multiple physics processes will be significantly enhanced by the new supercomputer’s speed. The team also plans to use El Capitan to aid in its <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/inertial-confinement-fusion" target="_blank">inertial confinement fusion efforts</a>, as well as to train artificial intelligence in support of both of those efforts.</p><p>Planning for El Capitan began in 2018, and construction has been ongoing for the past four years. The system is built by <a href="https://www.hpe.com/us/en/home.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hewlett Packard Enterprise</a>, which has built all of the current top 3 supercomputers on the Top500 list. El Capitan uses <a href="https://www.amd.com/en.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AMD’</a>s <a href="https://www.amd.com/en/products/accelerators/instinct/mi300/mi300a.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MI300a</a> chip, dubbed an accelerated processing unit, which combines a CPU and GPU in one package. In total, the system boasts 44,544 MI300As, connected together by HPE’s Slingshot interconnects. <strong></strong></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"> <img alt="A hand holds a square showing AMD's MI300A chip, which has four squares that meet in the center with a rectangular chip." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="85453aa35e4b92c26f30a1c0b0901ace" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="1c03e" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-hand-holds-a-square-showing-amd-s-mi300a-chip-which-has-four-squares-that-meet-in-the-center-with-a-rectangular-chip.jpg?id=54698104&width=980"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">El Capitan uses 44,544 of AMD’s MI300A chips, which combine a CPU and GPU in one package.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Garry McLeod/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory</small></p><p>Scientists are already at work porting their code over to the new machine, and they are enthusiastic about its promise. “We’re seeing significant speed ups compared to running on old chips versus this new thing,” says <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/author/37086041112" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Luc Peterson</a>, computational physicist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. “We are at the point where our time to science is shrinking. We can do things in a few days that would have taken a few months. So we’re pretty excited about the applications.”</p><p>Yet the appetite for ever larger supercomputers lives on. “We are already working on the next [high performance computing] acquisition,” says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/thuc-hoang-b04747251/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Thuc Hoang</a>, director of the advanced simulation and computing program at NNSA. </p>

Nov 19, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-white-disc-at-the-end-of-a-curving-white-support-the-middle-of-the-disc-is-black-with-circuit-patterns-at-the-center-of-the.jpg?id=54522171&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C187%2C0%2C188"/><br/><br/><p>A year after introducing the first in-ear, silicon-based earbuds, <a href="https://xmems.com/" target="_blank"><u>xMEMS</u></a> has unveiled a prototype of the latest version of its microspeakers—this time, for use as an open-air speaker, which is a more challenging task.</p><p>The Silicon Valley-based startup’s <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/mems-speakers-xmems" target="_self"><u>previous microspeakers</u></a> brought microelectromechanical systems (<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/mems-speakers" target="_self"><u>MEMS</u></a>) to wireless earbuds and boasted <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/mems-speakers" target="_self"><u>excellent sound quality</u></a>. By modulating ultrasound signals, the speakers create high-fidelity sound in a light and compact device. The clarity of sound that the new silicon-and-piezoelectric chip, called Sycamore, produces is more like that of a smartphone speaker—decent, but far from the sound quality of in-ear alternatives. And like a smartphone speaker, Sycamore is intended for open-air audio produced by devices near or on the body. In particular, the speaker could be used in various wearable devices, like smart watches, XR glasses, or open earbuds, which clip around the ear instead of nestling within it.</p><p>For these applications, the advantage of using MEMS drivers instead of a conventional speaker is less about sound quality, and more about size. The microspeaker is about 1 millimeter thick, one-third the thickness of a coil driver, and removing the magnetic coils of conventional speakers brings its weight down by roughly 70 percent to 150 milligrams. Other speakers also require empty space behind the diaphragm, called back volume. The MEMS-based speakers significantly reduce the back volume needed.</p><p>For wearables, every millimeter and milligram matters; a heavy or bulky design could deter users, says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-housholder-3a25103/" target="_blank"><u>Mike Housholder</u></a>, xMEMS’ vice president of marketing and business development. That’s why the microspeakers are “perfect for smart watches.” Users seeking excellent audio quality would likely opt for in-ear buds or over-ear headphones. The thin, open-air microspeakers instead help deliver a sleek, “fashion-forward” product, Housholder says.</p><h2>Sound From Ultrasound</h2><p>Sycamore uses the same “sound from ultrasound” technology introduced in Cypress, xMEMS’ in-ear microspeaker. This tech produces ultrasound by vibrating robust silicon flaps coated in piezoelectric material. It then modulates the ultrasound to generate a full range of audible frequencies.</p><p>What’s new with Sycamore is a more efficient chip design. This enhanced efficiency means the speakers can deliver more decibels, making open air listening possible. The speaker also performs well in the bass frequency range, historically a weak spot for MEMS speakers. (In the first <a href="https://us.creative.com/p/headphones-headsets/creative-aurvana-ace-2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>commercial headphones</u></a> to use xMEMS technology, the silicon microspeaker was used only for the high-frequency “tweeter”; it was paired with a conventional dynamic driver “woofer” to produce mid-range and bass audio.)</p><p>In the company’s tests of its prototype speaker, Sycamore emitted similar or louder audio compared to the speaker on an Apple Watch Series 8 across most frequencies. Compared to Bose open earbuds, it lagged in mid-range but had stronger bass and treble frequencies.</p><p>The new speaker will be made with the same fabrication process as the earbud chip, Cypress. xMEMS will continue to partner with <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/tsmc" target="_self"><u>TSMC</u></a> to manufacture the speakers, though they are now also using <a href="https://www.bosch-semiconductors.com/mems-foundry-services/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Bosch</u></a>, a leading MEMS foundry.</p><p>Housholder says that by further improving the efficiency of the cell design, MEMS speakers may become loud enough for other applications, like phone or laptop speakers. But there are fundamental size limitations for the microspeakers, which are manufactured on a 300 millimeter wafer. Combining multiple chips can also bring up the volume, but it’s unlikely that your next loudspeakers will be made of MEMS.</p><p>xMEMS plans to begin sampling Sycamore in early 2025, with mass production expected in January 2026. In the meantime, the company’s full-range in-ear microspeakers will begin mass production in June 2025, followed by its all-silicon <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/xmems" target="_self"><u>fan-on-a-chip</u></a> in October of the same year.</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/colorized-close-up-of-a-circuit-board-with-two-shadowed-fingers-reaching-towards-the-computer-chip.jpg?id=54645316&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C342%2C0%2C342"/><br/><br/><p>Machine learning chips that use <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/analog-ai" target="_blank">analog circuits</a> instead of digital ones have long promised huge energy savings. But in practice they’ve mostly delivered modest savings, and only for modest-sized neural networks. Silicon Valley startup Sageance says it has the technology to bring the promised power savings to tasks suited for massive <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/generative-ai" target="_blank">generative AI</a> models<strong>.</strong> The startup claims that its systems will be able to run the large language model <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/llama-2-llm" target="_blank">Llama 2-70B</a> at one-tenth the power of an <a data-linked-post="2669810566" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-training-2669810566" target="_blank">Nvidia H100</a> GPU-based system, at one-twentieth the cost and in one-twentieth the space.</p><p>“My vision was to create a technology that was very differentiated from what was being done for AI,” says Sageance CEO and founder <a href="https://www.analog-inference.com/management-team" target="_blank">Vishal Sarin</a>. Even back when the company was founded in 2018, he “realized power consumption would be a key impediment to the mass adoption of AI…. The problem has become many, many orders of magnitude worse as generative AI has caused the models to balloon in size.”</p><p>The core power-savings prowess for <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/analog-ai" target="_blank">analog AI</a> comes from two fundamental advantages: It doesn’t have to move data around and it uses some basic physics to do machine learning’s most important math. </p><p>That math problem is multiplying vectors and then adding up the result, called <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiply%E2%80%93accumulate_operation" target="_blank">multiply and accumulate</a>.<strong> </strong>Early on, engineers realized that two foundational rules of electrical engineers did the same thing, more or less instantly. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohm%27s_law" target="_blank">Ohm’s Law</a>—voltage multiplied by conductance equals current—does the multiplication if you use the neural network’s “weight” parameters as the conductances. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirchhoff%27s_circuit_laws#Kirchhoff's_current_law" target="_blank">Kirchoff’s Current Law</a>—the sum of the currents entering and exiting a point is zero—means you can easily add up all those multiplications just by connecting them to the same wire. And finally, in analog AI, the neural network parameters don’t need to be moved from memory to the computing circuits—usually a bigger energy cost than computing itself—because they are already embedded within the computing circuits.</p><p>Sageance uses flash memory cells as the conductance values. The kind of flash cell typically used in data storage is a single transistor that can hold <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/flash-memory" target="_blank">3 or 4 bits</a>, but Sageance has developed algorithms that let cells embedded in their chips hold 8 bits, which is the key level of precision for LLMs and other so-called <a data-linked-post="2667013016" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/what-is-generative-ai" target="_blank">transformer models</a>. Storing an 8-bit number in a single transistor instead of the 48 transistors it would take in a typical digital memory cell is an important cost, area, and energy savings, says Sarin, who has been working on storing multiple bits in flash for 30 years. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="An array of blue circles with transistor symbols connected by lines to triangles" class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="389f647bf2f8d9fe6318b96783097b6d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="af754" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/an-array-of-blue-circles-with-transistor-symbols-connected-by-lines-to-triangles.jpg?id=54646159&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption..." style="max-width: 100%;">Digital data is converted to analog voltages [left]. These are effectively multiplied by flash memory cells [blue], summed, and converted back to digital data [bottom].</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." style="max-width: 100%;">Analog Inference</small></p><p>Adding to the power savings is that the flash cells are operated in a state called “deep subthreshold.” That is, they are working in a state where they are barely on at all, producing very little current. That wouldn’t do in a digital circuit, because it would slow computation to a crawl. But because the analog computation is done all at once, it doesn’t hinder the speed.</p><h2>Analog AI Issues</h2><p>If all this sounds vaguely familiar, it should. Back in 2018 a trio of <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/two-startups-use-processing-in-flash-memory-for-ai-at-the-edge" target="_self"><u>startups</u></a> went after a version of flash-based analog AI. <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/search/?q=syntiant" target="_blank">Syntiant</a> eventually abandoned the analog approach for a digital scheme that’s put six chips in mass production so far. <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/09/ai-chip-startup-mythic-rises-from-the-ashes-with-13m-new-ceo/" target="_blank">Mythic struggled</a> but stuck with it, as has <a href="https://www.anaflash.com/" target="_blank">Anaflash</a>. Others, particularly <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/analog-ai-ibm" target="_blank">IBM Research</a>, have developed chips that rely on nonvolatile memories other than flash, such as phase-change memory or resistive RAM.</p><p>Generally, analog AI has struggled to meet its potential, particularly when scaled up to a size that might be useful in datacenters. Among its main difficulties are the natural variation in the conductance cells; that might mean the same number stored in two different cells will result in two different conductances. Worse still, these conductances can drift over time and shift with temperature. This noise drowns out the signal representing the result, and the noise can be compounded stage after stage through the many layers of a deep neural network.</p><p>Sageance’s solution, Sarin explains, is a set of reference cells on the chip and a proprietary algorithm that uses them to calibrate the other cells and track temperature-related changes.</p><p>Another source of frustration for those developing analog AI has been the need to digitize the result of the multiply and accumulate process in order to deliver it to the next layer of the neural network where it must then be turned back into an analog voltage signal. Each of those steps requires analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, which take up area on the chip and soak up power.</p><p>According to Sarin, Sageance has developed low-power versions of both circuits. The power demands of the digital-to-analog converter are helped by the fact that the circuit needs to deliver a very narrow range of voltages in order to operate the flash memory in deep subthreshold mode. </p><h2> Systems and What’s Next</h2><p>Sageance’s first product, to launch in 2025, will be geared toward vision systems, which are a considerably lighter lift than server-based LLMs. “That is a leapfrog product for us, to be followed very quickly [by] generative AI,” says Sarin.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"> <img alt="Rectangles of various size and texture arranged atop a long narrow rectangle." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="efcd7221500e4f50c80d8a84ce284b19" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="c37ff" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/rectangles-of-various-size-and-texture-arranged-atop-a-long-narrow-rectangle.jpg?id=54646152&width=980"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Future systems from Sageance will be made up of 3D-stacked analog chips linked to a processor and memory through an interposer that follows the universal chiplet interconnect (UCIe) standard.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Analog Inference</small></p><p>The generative AI product would be scaled up from the vision chip mainly by vertically stacking analog AI chiplets atop a communications die. These stacks would be linked to a CPU die and to high-bandwidth memory DRAM in a single package called Delphi.</p><p>In simulations, a system made up of Delphis would run Llama2-70B at 666,000 tokens per second consuming 59 kilowatts, versus a 624 kW for an <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/h100/" target="_blank">Nvidia H100</a>-based system, Sageance claims.</p>

Nov 18, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/seven-male-students-and-one-female-student-posing-on-stairs.jpg?id=54502080&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C80%2C0%2C80"/><br/><br/><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy-ayelagbe-69151024b/?originalSubdomain=ng" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Timothy Ayelagbe</a> dreams of using technology to advance health care and make other improvements across Africa. </p><p>Ayelagbe calls microelectronics his “joy and passion” and says he wants to use the expertise he’s gaining in the field to help others.</p><p>“My ultimate goal,” he says, “is to uplift my fellow Africans.”</p><h3>Timothy Ayelagbe</h3><br/><p> <strong>Volunteer Roles: </strong> </p><p> <strong></strong>IEEE Youth Endeavors for Social Innovation Using Sustainable Technology ambassador, 2025 vice president of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society student branch chapter </p><p> <strong>University: </strong> </p><p> <strong></strong>Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria </p><p> <strong>Major:</strong> </p><p> <strong></strong>Electronics and electrical engineering </p><p><strong>Minor:</strong> </p><p>Microelectronics</p><p>He is pursuing an electronics and electrical engineering degree, specializing in microelectronics, at <a href="https://oauife.edu.ng/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Obafemi Awolowo University</a> (OAU), in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. He says he believes learning how to employ field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) is the path to mastering the hardware description languages that will let him develop affordable, sustainable medical electronics.</p><p>He says he hopes to apply his growing technical expertise and leadership abilities to address the continent’s challenges in health care, infrastructure, and natural resources management.</p><p>Ayelagbe is passionate about mentoring aspiring African engineers as well. Early this year, he became an IEEE <a href="https://ieeeyesist12.org/about-us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Youth Endeavors for Social Innovation Using Sustainable Technology</a> (YESIST) ambassador. The YESIST 12 program provides <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/collections/celebrating-young-professionals-and-students/?utm_source=feedotter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=theinstitutealert-121223&utm_content=httpsspectrumieeeorgcollectionscelebratingyoungprofessionalsandstudents&mkt_tok=NzU2LUdQSC04OTkAAAGP_Y37Sw7il0nmG5E6cgo7q0r4ECyUK4GIG1-NUp32UsnBG3HFFPvfBXR1IxmPIzuedGnimvFD9CfvUxw1zKhTwhHPPxCHO-oaXLQIBySSuN44" target="_blank">students and young professionals</a> with a platform to showcase ideas for addressing humanitarian and social issues affecting their communities.</p><p>As an ambassador, Ayelagbe made online webinar sessions in his student branch while also mentoring pre-university students through activities encouraging service-oriented engineering practice. </p><h2>A technologist right out of the gate</h2><p>Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Ayelagbe was captivated by how things worked from a young age. As a child, he would dismantle and reassemble his toys to learn how they worked.</p><p>His mother, a trader, and his father, then a quality control officer in the metal processing industry, nurtured his curiosity. While the conventional path to upward mobility in Nigeria might have led him to becoming a doctor or nurse, his parents supported his pursuit of technology.</p><p>As it turns out, he is poised to advance the state of health care in Nigeria and around the globe.</p><p>For now, he is focused on his undergraduate studies and on gaining practical experience. He recently completed a six-week student work experience program as part of his university’s engineering curriculum. He and fellow OAU students developed an angular speed measurement system using <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hall_effect" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hall effect</a> sensors, which calculates the speed when its Hall’s element moves in relation to a magnetic field. Changes in the voltage and current running through the Hall element can be used to calculate the strength of the magnetic field at different locations or to track changes in its position. One common use of Hall effect sensors is to monitor wheel speed in a vehicle’s antilock braking system.</p><p class="pull-quote">“I want to apply the things I’m learning to make Africa great.”</p><p>Like commercialized versions, the students’ device was designed to withstand harsh weather and unfavorable road conditions. But theirs is certain to have a significantly lower price point than the magnetic devices it emulates, while producing more accurate readings than traditional mechanical versions, Ayelagbe says.</p><p>“We did some data processing and manipulation via<a href="https://www.arduino.cc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Arduino</a> programming using an<a href="https://www.microchip.com/en-us/about/corporate-overview/acquisitions/atmel/atmega" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> ATmega</a> microcontroller and a liquid crystal display to show the angular speed and frequency of rotation,” he says.</p><p>Because the measurement system has potential applications in automotive and other industries, Ayelagbe’s OAU team is seeking partnerships with other researchers to further develop and commercialize it. The team also hopes to publish its findings in an IEEE journal.</p><p>“In the future, I hope to work with semiconductor giant industries like<a href="https://www.tsmc.com/english" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> TSMC</a>,<a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Nvidia</a>,<a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/homepage.html?cid=sem&source=sa360&campid=2024_ao_cbu_us_gmocoma_gmocrbu_awa_text-link_brand_exact_cd_HQ-Corp-Brand-Global_3500268603_google_b2b_is_non-pbm_intel&ad_group=Corp-Brand_Brand-Core_Core_Exact&intel_term=intel&sa360id=43700079788652491&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAudG5BhAREiwAWMlSjETkDylb2T6d5zv4vu2Bqc0MzJGB05BivzxtGKwhRnDk1eklQRpnuxoCRegQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Intel</a>,<a href="https://www.qualcomm.com/?&cmpid=pdsrc-ZckB5oEVY2&utm_medium=pdsrc&utm_source=AW&utm_campaign=FS-Qualcomm&_bt=688563537081&_bk=qualcomm&_bm=e&_bn=g&_bg=80046331601&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAudG5BhAREiwAWMlSjETFSvD1TG1bnB-K-MwMaPH66qgK3_GcEk6Fgn85vdMECDRL_cr5lxoCvu4QAvD_BwE" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> and Qualcomm</a>,” he says.</p><h2>Volunteering provides valuable experience </h2><p> Despite Ayelagbe’s academic success, he has faced challenges in finding semiconductor internships, citing some companies’ geographical inaccessibility to African students. Instead, he says, he has been gaining valuable experience through volunteering. </p><p>He serves as a social media manager for the Paris-based <a href="https://www.iglyo.org/members/hdri" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Human Development Research Initiative</a> (HDRI), an organization that works to inspire young people to help achieve the 17 <a data-linked-post="2660766059" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ieee-presidents-note-june-2023" target="_blank">sustainable U.N. development goals</a> known collectively as <a href="https://sdgs.un.org/2030agenda" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Agenda 2030</a>. He has been promoting environmental and climate action through <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/hdevri/?originalSubdomain=fr" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LinkedIn</a> posts.</p><p>Ayelagbe is an active IEEE volunteer and is involved in his student branch. He is the incoming vice president of the branch’s IEEE<a href="https://www.ieee-ras.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Robotics and Automation Society</a> chapter and says he would love to take on more roles in the course of his leadership journey. He organizes webinars, meetings, and other initiatives, including connecting fellow student members with engineering professionals for mentorship.</p><p>Through his work with HDRI and IEEE, he has the opportunity to network with students, professionals, and industry experts. The connections, he hopes, can help him achieve his ambitions.</p><p> African nations “need engineers in the leadership sector,” he says, “and I want to apply the things I’m learning to make Africa great.”</p>

Nov 16, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/illustration-of-various-sustainable-technologies-used-by-society-such-as-solar-panels-wind-turbines-and-electricity.png?id=54488023&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C14%2C0%2C14"/><br/><br/><p>It’s time to start preparing your organization and employees for the effects of artificial general intelligence, sustainability, and digital transformation. According to IEEE’s <a href="https://engage.ieee.org/FD-Megatrends-2024.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">2024 Technology Megatrends report</a>, the three technologies will change how companies, governments, and universities operate and will affect what new skills employees need.</p><p>A megatrend, which integrates multiple tendencies that evolve over two decades or so, is expected to have a substantial effect on society, technology, ecology, economics, and more.</p><p>More than 50 experts from Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the United States provided their perspectives for the report. They represent all 47 of IEEE’s fields of interest and come from academia, the public sector, and the private sector. The report includes insights and opportunities about each megatrend and how industries could benefit.</p><p>The experts compared their insights to technology predictions from <a href="https://trends.google.com/trends/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Google Trends</a>; the <a href="https://www.computer.org/resources/2024-top-technology-predictions" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Computer Society</a> and the <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/Xplore/home.jsp" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Xplore Digital Library</a>; and the <a href="https://www.uspto.gov/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">U.S. Patent and Trademark Office</a>. </p><p>“We made predictions about technology and megatrends and correlated them with other general megatrends such as economical, ecological, and sociopolitical. They’re all intertwined,” says IEEE Fellow <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dejanm/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dejan Milojicic</a>, a member of the <a href="https://cmte.ieee.org/futuredirections/tech-megatrends/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Future Directions</a> Committee and vice president at <a href="https://www.hpe.com/us/en/hewlett-packard-labs.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hewlett Packard Labs</a> in Milpitas, Calif. He is also a Hewlett Packard Enterprise Fellow. </p><h2>The benefits and drawbacks of artificial general intelligence </h2><p><a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/topic/artificial-intelligence/" target="_self">Artificial general intelligence</a> (AGI) includes ChatGPT, autonomous <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/topic/robotics/" target="_self">robots</a>, wearable and implantable technologies, and digital twins.</p><p>Education, health care, and manufacturing are some of the sectors that can benefit most from AGI, the report says. </p><p>For academia, the technology can help expand remote learning, potentially replacing physical classrooms and leading to more personalized education for students. </p><p>In health care, the technology could lead to personalized medicine, tailored patient treatment plans, and faster drug discovery. AGI also could help reduce costs and increase efficiencies, the report says.</p><p>Manufacturing can use the technology to improve quality control, reduce downtime, and increase production. The time to market could be significantly shortened, the report says.</p><p>Today’s AI systems are specialized and narrow, so to reap the benefits, experts say, the widespread adoption of curated datasets, advances in AI hardware, and new algorithms will be needed. It will require interdisciplinary collaborations across computer science, engineering, ethics, and philosophy, the report says.</p><p>The report points out drawbacks with AGI, including a lack of data privacy, ethical challenges, and misuse of content. </p><p>Another concern is job displacement and the need for employees to be retrained. AGI requires more AI programmers and data scientists but fewer support staff and system administrators, the report notes.</p><h2>Adopting digital technologies</h2><p>Digital transformation tech includes autonomous technologies, ubiquitous connectivity, and smart environments.</p><p>The areas that would benefit most from expanding their use of computers and other electronic devices, the experts say, are construction, education, health care, and manufacturing.</p><p>The construction industry could use building information modeling (BIM), which generates digital versions of office buildings, bridges, and other structures to improve safety and efficiency.</p><p>Educational institutions already use electronics such as digital whiteboards, laptops, tablets, and smartphones to enhance the learning experience. But the experts point out that schools aren’t using the tools yet for continuing education programs needed to train workers on how to use new tools and technology.</p><p>“Most education processes are the same now as they were in the last century, at a time when we need to change to lifelong learning,” the experts say.</p><p class="pull-quote">“We made predictions about technology and megatrends, but we correlated them with other general megatrends such as economical, ecological, and sociopolitical. They’re all intertwined.” <strong>—Dejan Milojicic</strong> </p><p>The report says the digital transformation will need more employees to supervise automation, as well as those with experience in analytics, but fewer operators and workers responsible for maintaining old systems.</p><p>The health field has started converting to electronic records, but more could be done, the report says, such as using computer-aided design to develop drugs and prosthetics and using BIM tools to design hospitals.</p><p>Manufacturing could benefit by using computer-aided-design data to create digital representations of product prototypes.</p><p>There are some concerns with digital transformation, the experts acknowledge. There aren’t enough chips and batteries to build all the devices and systems needed, for example, and not every organization or government can afford the digital tools. Also, people in underdeveloped areas who lack connectivity would not have access to them, leading to a widening of the digital divide. Other people might resist because of privacy, religious, or lifestyle concerns, the experts note.</p><h2>Addressing the climate crisis</h2><p>Technology can help engineer social and environmental change. <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/topic/climate-tech/" target="_self">Sustainability applications</a> include clean renewable energy, decarbonization, and energy storage. </p><p>Nearly half of organizations around the world have a company-wide sustainability strategy, but only 18 percent have well-defined goals and a timetable for how to implement them, the report says. About half of companies lack the tools or expertise to deploy sustainable solutions. Meanwhile, information and communication technologies’ energy consumption is growing, using about 10 percent of worldwide electricity.</p><p>The experts predict that transitioning to more sustainable information and communication technologies will lead to entirely new businesses. Blockchain technology could be used to optimize surplus energy produced by microgrids, for example, ultimately leading to more jobs, less-expensive energy, and energy security. Early leaders in sustainability are already applying digital technologies such as AI, big data, blockchain, computer vision, and the Internet of Things to help operationalize sustainability.</p><p>Employees familiar with those technologies will be needed, the report predicts, adding that engineers who can design systems that are more energy efficient and environmentally friendly will be in demand. </p><p>Some of the challenges that could hinder such efforts include a lack of regulations, an absence of incentives to encourage people to become eco-friendly, and the high cost of sustainable technologies.</p><h2>How organizations can work together</h2><p>All three megatrends should be considered synergistically, the experts say. For example, AGI techniques can be applied to sustainable and digitally transformed technologies. Sustainability is a key aspect of technology, including AGI. And digital transformation needs to be continually updated with AGI and sustainability features, the report says. </p><p>The report included several recommendations for how academia, governments, industries, and professional organizations can work together to advance the three technologies.</p><p>To address the need to retrain employees, for example, industry should work with colleges and universities to educate the workforce and train instructors on the technologies.</p><p>To advance the science that supports the megatrend technologies, academia needs to work more closely with industry on research projects, the experts suggest. In turn, governments should foster research by academia and not-for-profit organizations. </p><p>Companies should advise government officials on how to best regulate the technologies. To gain widespread acceptance of the technologies, the risks and the benefits should be explained to the public to avoid misinformation, the experts say. In addition, processes, practices, and educational materials need to be created to address ethical issues surrounding the technologies.</p><p>“As a whole, these megatrends should focus on helping industry,” Milojicic says. “Government and academia are important in their own ways, but if we can make industry successful, everything else will come from that. Industry will fund academia, and governments will help industry.”</p><p>Professional organizations including <a href="https://www.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE</a> will need to develop technical <a href="https://standards.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">standards</a> and road maps on the three areas, he says. A road map is a strategic look at the long-term landscape of a technology, what the trends are, and what the possibilities are.</p><p>The megatrends influence which initiatives IEEE is going to explore, Milojicic says, “which could potentially lead to future road maps and standards. In a way, we are doing the prework to prepare what they could eventually standardize.” </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"> <span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bb0558d4bded6df334b5c089b4ed2519" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gqhKM4bxP_M?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Dejan Milojicic discusses findings from IEEE’s 2024 Technology Megatrends report.</small> </p><h2>Dissemination and education are critical</h2><p>The group encourages a broad dissemination of the three megatrends to avoid widening the digital divide. </p><p>“The speed of change could be faster than most people can adapt to—which could lead to fear and aggression toward technology,” the experts say. “Broad education is critical for technology adoption.”</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/quadruped-robot-with-4-wheels-lifts-rear-two-wheels-while-moving-on-rough-terrain-and-zooms-down-slope-in-wooded-area.gif?id=54503150&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at <em>IEEE Spectrum</em> robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=Robotics%20event%20suggestion%20for%20Video%20Friday">send us your events</a> for inclusion.</p><h5><a href="https://2024.ieee-humanoids.org/">Humanoids 2024</a>: 22–24 November 2024, NANCY, FRANCE</h5><h5><a href="https://humanoidssummit.com/">Humanoids Summit</a>: 11–12 December 2024, MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA</h5><p>Enjoy today’s videos!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><div style="page-break-after: always"><span style="display:none"> </span></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="il833p0vino">Don’t get me wrong, this is super impressive, but I’m like 95% sure that there’s a human driving it. For robots like these to be useful, they’ll need to be autonomous, and high speed autonomy over unstructured terrain is still very much a work in progress.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3943480b65a8e4f8bafdd7832a10c083" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iL833P0Vino?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://deeprobotics.cn/en/">Deep Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="scldrz6n5wc"><em>Dung beetles impressively coordinate their six legs simultaneously to effectively roll large dung balls. They are also capable of rolling dung balls varying in the weight on different terrains. The mechanisms underlying how their motor commands are adapted to walk and simultaneously roll balls (multitasking behavior) under different conditions remain unknown. Therefore, this study unravels the mechanisms of how dung beetles roll dung balls and adapt their leg movements to stably roll balls over different terrains for multitasking robots.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="45d78e144d828e00c608b2dcf41aa2fe" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ScldrZ6n5Wc?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.02891">Paper</a> ] via [ <a href="https://www.advancedsciencenews.com/dung-beetles-inspire-a-new-generation-of-robot/">Advanced Science News</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="leg1rquooi8"><em>Subsurface lava tubes have been detected from orbit on both the Moon and Mars. These natural voids are potentially the best place for long-term human habitations, because they offer shelter against radiation and meteorites. This work presents the development and implementation of a novel Tether Management and Docking System (TMDS) designed to support the vertical rappel of a rover through a skylight into a lunar lava tube. The TMDS connects two rovers via a tether, enabling them to cooperate and communicate during such an operation.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8e9286158227fbdfac9772e482d638bd" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lEG1rQuOOI8?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://robotik.dfki-bremen.de/en/research/publications/15381">DFKI Robotics Innovation Center</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="wcbouuwlegu">Ad Spiers at Imperial College London writes, “We’ve developed a $80 barometric tactile sensor that, unlike past efforts, is easier to fabricate and repair. By training a machine learning model on controlled stimulation of the sensor we have been able to increase the resolution from 6mm to 0.28mm. We also implement it in one of our E-Troll robotic grippers, allowing the estimation of object position and orientation.”</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="42530e32426a89664959f1a639a407f8" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wCbOuuwleGU?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ Imperial College London ] via [ <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/ad-spiers-37228027_super-resolution-sensing-with-a-repairable-activity-7260271715379826688-Y4KB/" target="_blank">Ad Spiers</a> ]</p><p>Thanks Ad!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="c1e170xr6bm"><em>A robot, trained for the first time to perform surgical procedures by watching videos of robotic surgeries, executed the same procedures—but with considerably more precision.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="572f0c41425f7bd4c0183d7629dd29db" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/c1E170Xr6BM?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://hub.jhu.edu/2024/11/11/surgery-robots-trained-with-videos/">Johns Hopkins University</a> ]</p><p>Thanks, Dina!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="cqvkqumh2uw">This is brilliant but I’m really just in it for the satisfying noise it makes.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="048d54ad1e6a193a327ec56443352bc6" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CqvKquMh2Uw?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="http://bmr.hanyang.ac.kr/">RoCogMan Lab</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="fgnjqrvtj70"><em>Fast and accurate physics simulation is an essential component of robot learning, where robots can explore failure scenarios that are difficult to produce in the real world and learn from unlimited on-policy data. Yet, it remains challenging to incorporate RGB-color perception into the sim-to-real pipeline that matches the real world in its richness and realism. In this work, we train a robot dog in simulation for visual parkour. We propose a way to use generative models to synthesize diverse and physically accurate image sequences of the scene from the robot’s ego-centric perspective. We present demonstrations of zero-shot transfer to the RGB-only observations of the real world on a robot equipped with a low-cost, off-the-shelf color camera.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9da4df8b16fb11f855642835da5eb60c" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fgnJQrvTj70?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://lucidsim.github.io/">MIT CSAIL</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="kq2fsap1e2i"><em>WalkON Suit F1 is a powered exoskeleton designed to walk and balance independently, offering enhanced mobility and independence. Users with paraplegia can easily transfer into the suit directly from their wheelchair, ensuring exceptional usability for people with disabilities.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b81bc8a76a8abc32c7c435eaf2d2876c" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kQ2fSap1E2I?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.angel-robotics.com/en/products/suit/walkon-suit.php">Angel Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="otwhxtu09we"><em>In order to promote the development of the global embodied AI industry, the Unitree G1 robot operation data set is open sourced, adapted to a variety of open source solutions, and continuously updated.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3d6e40552b997f2d54615161d9a273f5" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OTWHXTu09wE?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://github.com/unitreerobotics/avp_teleoperate">Unitree Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="yd9eas3vrbc"><em><a data-linked-post="2661156031" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/video-friday-spot-levels-up" target="_blank">Spot</a> encounters all kinds of obstacles and environmental changes, but it still needs to safely complete its mission without getting stuck, falling, or breaking anything. While there are challenges and obstacles that we can anticipate and plan for—like stairs or forklifts—there are many more that are difficult to predict. To help tackle these edge cases, we used AI foundation models to give Spot a better semantic understanding of the world.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ce229aa45a2a85cfbbb70bb937b257e9" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YD9EaS3VRbc?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://bostondynamics.com/blog/put-it-in-context-with-visual-foundation-models/">Boston Dynamics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="z_egmc1cvl4"><em>Wing drone deliveries of NHS blood samples are now underway in London between Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospitals.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6b458a631fb6378fd230d5c737274881" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Z_EgMC1cvL4?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://blog.wing.com/2024/11/nhs-blood-delivery.html">Wing</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="wjx7svuxrnk"><em>As robotics engineers, we love the authentic sounds of robotics—the metal clinking and feet contacting the ground. That’s why we value unedited, raw footage of robots in action. Although unpolished, these candid captures let us witness the evolution of robotics technology without filters, which is truly exciting.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="da1e2c8723abc9d28badfd7d5065c39c" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Wjx7SvUXRnk?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.ucr.bot/">UCR</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="0afhg1hfhwi">Eight minutes of chill mode thanks to <a data-linked-post="2656443568" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/anymal-video-friday-ascento-pro" target="_blank">Kuka’s robot DJs</a>, which make up the supergroup the Kjays.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="758ff6ad12525cfec6513cbbe79418f7" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0AfhG1hfhwI?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><blockquote><em>A KR3 AGILUS at the drums, loops its beats and sets the beat. The KR CYBERTECH nano is our nimble DJ with rhythm in his blood. In addition, a KR AGILUS performs as a light artist and enchants with soft and expansive movements. In addition there is an LBR Med, which - mounted on the ceiling - keeps an eye on the unusual robot party.</em></blockquote><p>[ <a href="https://www.kuka.com/film-stage-robots">Kuka Robotics Corp.</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="ackgjfyeyu8">Am I the only one disappointed that this isn’t actually a little mini <a data-linked-post="2655939697" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/video-friday-ascento-pro" target="_blank">Ascento</a>?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c4486f4b7bd7a94a1614b18e5db4bd04" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aCkGjFyeYU8?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.ascento.ai/">Ascento Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="p-hn0tw8rmk"><em>This demo showcases our robot performing autonomous table wiping powered by Deep Predictive Learning developed by Ogata Lab at Waseda University. Through several dozen human teleoperation demonstrations, the robot has learned natural wiping motions.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1f5ab1ff31a572b5cc00c3f49ba5868c" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P-hn0tw8rMk?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://robotics.tokyo/">Tokyo Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="q3jezvhr8wc"><em>What’s green, bidirectional, and now driving autonomously in San Francisco and the Las Vegas Strip? The Zoox robotaxi! Give us a wave if you see us on the road!</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5f8f729f9da822cf4037d6ebf2575b2d" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Q3jeZVhR8wc?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://zoox.com/journal/zoox-robotaxi-in-san-francisco">Zoox</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="qj-uu-nbyhs"><em>Northrop Grumman has been pioneering capabilities in the undersea domain for more than 50 years. Now, we are creating a new class of uncrewed underwater vehicles (UUV) with Manta Ray. Taking its name from the massive “winged” fish, Manta Ray will operate long-duration, long-range missions in ocean environments where humans can’t go.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5b67e2406f98a5ebbf20f084f2b750b0" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qj-uu-Nbyhs?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/sea/manta-ray">Northrop Grumman</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="u9wkpmn7h2a">I was at <a data-linked-post="2669217747" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/icra40-conference" target="_blank">ICRA 2024</a> and I didn’t see most of the stuff in this video.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8df83e6a5dbd85a96fea4b793c87d73e" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/u9wkpmn7H2A?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://2024.ieee-icra.org/">ICRA 2024</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="_vlkmuo2zcs"><em>A fleet of marble-sculpting robots is carving out the future of the art world. It’s a move some artists see as cheating, but others are embracing the change.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6b01a06693a0e094d5d1089b876662a6" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_VlkMuo2Zcs?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/robot-role-marble-art-sculpting-60-minutes/">CBS</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div>

Nov 13, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-stack-of-computer-servers-with-fan-exhaust-ports.jpg?id=54490309&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C256%2C0%2C256"/><br/><br/><p> Nvidia, Oracle, Google, Dell and 13 other companies reported how long it takes their computers to train the key neural networks in use today. Among those results were the first glimpse of <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/nvidia-blackwell" target="_self">Nvidia’s next generation GPU</a>, the <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/dgx-b200/" target="_blank">B200</a>, and Google’s upcoming accelerator, called <a href="https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/compute/introducing-trillium-6th-gen-tpus" target="_blank">Trillium</a>. The B200 posted a doubling of performance on some tests versus today’s workhorse Nvidia chip, the <a data-linked-post="2664665302" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/nvidia-gpu" target="_blank">H100</a>. And <strong></strong>Trillium delivered nearly a four-fold boost over the chip Google tested in 2023. </p><p> The benchmark tests, called MLPerf v4.1, consist of six tasks: recommendation, the pre-training of the <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/large-language-models" target="_self">large language models</a> (LLM) GPT-3 and BERT-large, the fine tuning of the <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/llama-2-llm" target="_self">Llama 2</a> 70B large language model, object detection, graph node classification, and image generation. </p><p> Training <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/gpt-3" target="_self">GPT-3</a> is such a mammoth task that it’d be impractical to do the whole thing just to deliver a benchmark. Instead, the test is to train it to a point that experts have determined means it is likely to reach the goal if you kept going. For Llama 2 70B, the goal is not to train the LLM from scratch, but to take an already trained model and fine-tune it so it’s specialized in a particular expertise—in this case,<strong> </strong>government documents. Graph node classification is a type of machine learning used in fraud detection and drug discovery. </p><p> As what’s important in AI has evolved, mostly toward using <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/what-is-generative-ai" target="_self">generative AI</a>, the set of tests has changed. This latest version of MLPerf marks a complete changeover in what’s being tested since the benchmark effort began. “At this point all of the original benchmarks have been phased out,” says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kanterd/" target="_blank">David Kanter</a>, who leads the <a href="https://mlcommons.org/benchmarks/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">benchmark effort at MLCommons</a>. In the previous round it was taking mere seconds to perform some of the benchmarks. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"> <img alt="A line graph with one diagonal blue line and many colored and dashed branches rising up from that line." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="bc02837084a8408f0e6f6880a2f7b294" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="385a5" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-line-graph-with-one-diagonal-blue-line-and-many-colored-and-dashed-branches-rising-up-from-that-line.png?id=54490324&width=980"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Performance of the best machine learning systems on various benchmarks has outpaced what would be expected if gains were solely from Moore’s Law [blue line]. Solid line represent current benchmarks. Dashed lines represent benchmarks that have now been retired, because they are no longer industrially relevant.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">MLCommons</small></p><p> According to MLPerf’s calculations, AI training on the new suite of benchmarks is improving at about twice the rate one would expect from <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/stco-system-technology-cooptimization" target="_self">Moore’s Law</a>. As the years have gone on, results have plateaued more quickly than they did at the start of MLPerf’s reign. Kanter attributes this mostly to the fact that companies have figured out how to do the benchmark tests on very large systems. Over time, <a href="https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/data-center/nvlink/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nvidia</a>, <a href="https://cloud.google.com/blog/products/ai-machine-learning/introducing-cloud-tpu-v5p-and-ai-hypercomputer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Google</a>, and others have developed software and network technology that allows for near linear scaling—doubling the processors cuts training time roughly in half.</p><div class="flourish-embed flourish-scatter" data-src="visualisation/20196968?1509099"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script><noscript><img href="https:=" public.flourish.studio="" src="%E2%80%9D<a" target="_blank" thumbnail="" visualisation=""/><a href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20196.." target="_blank">https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20196..</a>.” width=”100%” alt=”scatter visualization” /></noscript></div><h2>First Nvidia Blackwell training results </h2><p> This round marked the first training tests for Nvidia’s next GPU architecture, called Blackwell. For the GPT-3 training and LLM fine-tuning, the Blackwell (B200) roughly doubled the performance of the H100 on a per-GPU basis. The gains were a little less robust but still substantial for recommender systems and image generation—64 percent and 62 percent, respectively. </p><p> The <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/nvidia-blackwell" target="_self">Blackwell architecture</a>, embodied in the Nvidia B200 GPU, continues an ongoing trend toward using less and less precise numbers to speed up AI. For certain parts of transformer neural networks such as ChatGPT, Llama2, and <a data-linked-post="2666290744" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/dall-e" target="_blank">Stable Diffusion</a>, the Nvidia <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/nvidias-next-gpu-shows-that-transformers-are-transforming-ai" target="_self">H100 and H200 use 8-bit floating point numbers</a>. The B200 brings that down to just 4 bits. </p><h2>Google debuts 6th gen hardware </h2><p> Google showed the first results for its 6^th generation of TPU, called Trillium—which it unveiled only last month—and a second round of results for its 5^th generation variant, the Cloud TPU v5p. In the 2023 edition, the search giant entered a different variant of the 5^th generation TPU, v5e, designed more for efficiency than performance. Versus the latter, Trillium delivers as much as a 3.8-fold performance boost on the GPT-3 training task. </p><p> But versus everyone’s arch-rival Nvidia, things weren’t as rosy. A system made up of 6,144 TPU v5ps reached the GPT-3 training checkpoint in 11.77 minutes, placing a distant second to an 11,616-Nvidia H100 system, which accomplished the task in about 3.44 minutes. That top TPU system was only about 25 seconds faster than an H100 computer half its size. </p><p class="pull-quote"> A Dell Technologies computer fine-tuned the Llama 2 70B large language model using about 75 cents worth of electricity.</p><p> In the closest head-to-head comparison between v5p and Trillium, with each system made up of 2048 TPUs, the upcoming Trillium shaved a solid 2 minutes off of the GPT-3 training time, nearly an 8 percent improvement on v5p’s 29.6 minutes. Another difference between the Trillium and v5p entries is that Trillium is paired with AMD Epyc CPUs instead of the v5p’s Intel Xeons. </p><p> Google also trained the image generator, Stable Diffusion, with the Cloud TPU v5p. At 2.6 billion parameters, Stable Diffusion is a light enough lift that MLPerf contestants are asked to train it to convergence instead of just to a checkpoint, as with GPT-3. A 1024 TPU system ranked second, finishing the job in 2 minutes 26 seconds, about a minute behind the same size system made up of Nvidia H100s.</p><div class="flourish-embed flourish-chart" data-src="visualisation/20251126?1509099"> <script embed.js="””””””””””””””””””””" href="%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9Dhttps:=%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D" noreferrer="””””””””””””””" public.flourish.studio="””””””””””””””””””””" rel="””””””””””noopener”””””””””" resources="””””””””””””””””””””" src="%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D%E2%80%9D<a%22%22%22%22%22%22%22%22%22%22%22" target="_blank">https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"> </script> <noscript> <img href="%E2%80%9D" src="%E2%80%9D<a" target="_blank"/><a href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20251.." target="_blank">https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20251..</a>.” target=”_blank”><a href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20251.." target="_blank">https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/20251..</a>.” width=”100%” alt=”chart visualization” /> </noscript> </div><h2>Training power is still opaque </h2><p> The steep energy cost of training neural networks has long been a source of concern. MLPerf is only beginning to measure this. Dell Technologies was the sole entrant in the energy category, with an eight-server system containing 64 Nvidia H100 GPUs and 16 Intel Xeon Platinum CPUs. The only measurement made was in the LLM fine-tuning task (Llama2 70B). The system consumed 16.4 megajoules during its 5-minute run, for an average power of 5.4 kilowatts. That means about 75 cents of electricity at the average cost in the United States. </p><p> While it doesn’t say much on its own, the result does potentially provide a ballpark for the power consumption of similar systems. Oracle, for example, reported a close performance result—4 minutes 45 seconds—using the same number and types of CPUs and GPUs. </p>

Nov 13, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-photo-collage-showing-alexander-g-bell-jj-carty-woodrow-wilson-thomas-watson-theodore-vale-michael-pupin-and-different-u.jpg?id=54487141&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C388%2C0%2C388"/><br/><br/><p>At 8:30 p.m. on 16 May 1916, John J. Carty banged his gavel at the Engineering Societies Building in New York City to call to order a meeting of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers. This was no ordinary gathering. The AIEE had decided to conduct a live national meeting connecting more than 5,000 attendees in eight cities across four time zones. More than a century before Zoom made virtual meetings a pedestrian experience, telephone lines linked auditoriums from coast to coast. AIEE members and guests in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, and San Francisco had telephone receivers at their seats so they could listen in. </p><p>The <a href="https://ethw.org/AIEE_History_1884-1963" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AIEE</a>, a predecessor to the IEEE, orchestrated this event to commemorate recent achievements in communications, transportation, light, and power. The meeting was a triumph of engineering, covered in newspapers in many of the host cities. <em><em>The Atlanta Constitution </em></em>heralded it as “a feat never before accomplished in the history of the world.” According to the Philadelphia <em><em>Evening Ledger, </em></em>the telephone connections involved traversed about 6,500 kilometers (about 4,000 miles) across 20 states, held up by more than 150,000 poles running through 5,000 switches. It’s worth noting that the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_transcontinental_telephone_call" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">first transcontinental phone call</a> had been achieved only a year earlier. </p><p>Carty, president of the AIEE, led the meeting from New York, while section chairmen directed the proceedings in the other cities. First up: roll call. Each city read off the number of members and guests in attendance—from 40 in Denver, the newest section of the institute, to 1,100 at AIEE headquarters in New York. In all, more than 5,100 members attended. </p><p>Due to limited seating in New York and Philadelphia, members were allowed only a single admission ticket, and ladies were explicitly not invited. (Boo.) In Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago, members received two tickets each, and in San Francisco members received three; women were allowed to attend in all of these cities. (The AIEE didn’t admit its first woman until 1922, and only as an associate member; <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/edith-clarke-modern-power-distribution" target="_self">Edith Clarke</a> was the first woman to publish a paper in an AIEE journal, in 1926.) </p><p>These six cities were the only ones officially participating in the meeting. But because the telephone lines ran directly through both Denver and Salt Lake City, AIEE sections in those cities opted to listen in, although they were kept muted; during the meeting, they sent telegrams to headquarters with their attendance and greetings. In a modern-day Zoom call, these notes would have been posted in the chat.</p><h2>The first virtual meeting had breakout sessions</h2><p>Once everyone had checked in and confirmed that they all could hear, Carty read a telegram from U.S. President Woodrow Wilson, congratulating the members on this unique meeting: “a most interesting evidence of the inventive genius and engineering ability represented by the Institute.” </p><p><a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/particle-physics-resurrects-alexander-graham-bells-voice" target="_self">Alexander Graham Bell</a> then gave a few words in greeting and remarked that he was glad to see how far the telephone had gone beyond his initial idea. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Newton_Vail" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Theodore Vail</a>, first president of AT&T and one of the men who was instrumental in establishing telephone service as a public utility, offered his own congratulations. <a href="https://www.iec.ch/blog/150th-anniversary-father-international-standardization" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Charles Le Maistre</a>, a British engineer who happened to be in New York to attend the AIEE Standards Committee, spoke on behalf of his country’s engineering societies. Finally, Thomas Watson, who as Bell’s assistant was the first person to hear words spoken over a telephone, welcomed all of the electrical engineers scattered across the country.</p><p>At precisely 9:00 p.m., the telephone portion of the meeting was suspended for 30 minutes so that each city could have its own local address by an invited guest. Let’s call them breakout sessions. These speakers reflected on the work and accomplishments of engineers. Overall, they conveyed an unrelentingly positive attitude toward engineering progress, with a few nuances.</p><p>In Boston, Lawrence Lowell, president of Harvard University, said the discovery and harnessing of electricity was the greatest single advancement in human history. However, he admonished engineers for failing to foresee the subordination of the individual to the factory system.</p><p>In Philadelphia, Edgar Smith, provost of the University of Pennsylvania, noted that World War I was limiting the availability of certain materials and supplies, and he urged more investment in developing the United States’ natural resources.</p><p>Charles Ferris, dean of engineering at the University of Tennessee, praised the development of long-distance power distribution and the positive effects it had on rural life, but worried about the use of fossil fuels. His chief concern was running out of coal, gas, and oil, not their negative impacts on the environment.</p><p class="pull-quote">More than a century before Zoom made virtual meetings a pedestrian experience, telephone lines linked auditoriums from coast to coast for the AIEE’s national meeting. </p><p>On the West Coast, Ray Wilbur, president of Stanford, argued for the value of dissatisfaction, struggle, and unrest on campus as spurs to growth and innovation. I suspect many university presidents then and now would disagree, but student protests remain a force for change. </p><p>After the city breakout sessions, everyone reconnected by telephone, and the host cities took turns calling out their greetings, along with some engineering boasts.</p><p>“Atlanta, located in the Piedmont section of the southern Appalachians, among their racing rivers and roaring falls, whose energy has been dragged forth and laid at her doors through high-tension transmission and in whose phenomenal development no factor has been more potent than the electrical engineers, sends greetings.”</p><p>“Boston sends warmest greetings to her sister cities. The telephone was born here and here it first spoke, but its sound has gone out into all lands and its words unto the ends of the world.”</p><p>“San Francisco hails its fellow members of the Institute…. California has by the pioneer spirit of domination created needs which the world has followed—the snow-crowned Sierras opened up the path of gold to the path of energy, which tonight makes it possible for us on the western rim of the continent of peace to be in instant touch with men who have harnessed rivers, bridled precipices, drawn from the ether that silent and unseen energy that has leveled distance and created force to move the world along lines of greater civilization by closer contacts.”</p><p>That last sentence, my editor notes, is 86 words long, but we included it for its sheer exuberance. </p><h2>Maybe all tech meetings should have musical interludes</h2><p>The meeting then paused for a musical interlude. I find this idea delightfully weird, like the ballet dream sequence in the middle of the Broadway musical <em><em>Oklahoma!</em></em> Each city played a song of their choosing on a phonograph, to be transmitted through the telephone. From the south came strains of “Dixie,” countered by “Yankee Doodle” in New England. New York and San Francisco opted for two variations on the patriotic symbolism of Columbia: “Hail Columbia” and “Columbia the Gem of the Ocean,” respectively. Philadelphia offered up the “Star-Spangled Banner,” and although it wasn’t yet the national anthem, audience members in all auditoriums stood up while it played. </p><p>For the record, the AIEE in those days took entertainment very seriously. Almost all of their conferences included a formal dinner dance, less-formal smokers, sporting competitions, and inspection field trips to local sites of engineering interest. There were even women’s committees to organize events specifically for the ladies.</p><p class="pull-quote">I suspect no one in attendance would have predicted that in the 21st century, people groan at the thought of another virtual meeting.</p><p>After the music, Michael Pupin delivered an address on “The Engineering Profession,” a topic that was commonly discussed in the <em><em>Proceedings of the AIEE</em></em> in those days. Remember that electrical engineering was still a fairly new academic discipline, only a few decades old, and working engineers were looking to more established professions, such as medical doctors, to see how they might fit into society. Pupin had made a number of advancements in the efficiency of transmission over long-distance telephone, and in 1925 he served as the <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6535859" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">president of the AIEE</a>.</p><p>The meeting concluded with resolutions, amendments, acceptances, and seconding, following Robert’s Rules of Order. (IEEE meetings still adhere to the rules.) In the last resolution, the participants patted themselves on the back for hosting this first-of-its-kind meeting and acknowledging their own genius that made it possible. </p><p>The <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?tp=&arnumber=6590357" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em><em>Proceedings of the AIEE</em></em></a> covered the meeting in great detail. Local press accounts offered less detail. I’ve found no evidence that they ever tried to replicate the meeting. They did try another experiment in which a member read the same paper at meetings in three different cities so that there could be a joint discussion about the contents. But it seems they returned to their normal schedule of annual and section meetings with technical paper sessions and discussion.</p><p>And nowhere have I found answers to some of the basic questions that I, as a historian 100 years later, have about the 1916 event. First, how much did this meeting cost in long-distance fees and who paid for it? Second, what receivers did the audience members use and did they work? And finally, what did the members and guests think of this grand experiment? (My editor would also like to know why no one took a photo of the event.) </p><p>But in the moment, rarely do people think about what later historians may want to know. And I suspect no one in attendance would have predicted that in the 21st century, people groan at the thought of another virtual meeting.</p>

Nov 12, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/it-s-a-photo-of-2-men-and-a-women.jpg?id=54415512&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=422%2C0%2C423%2C0"/><br/><br/><p> The IEEE Board of Directors shapes the future direction of IEEE and is committed to ensuring IEEE remains a strong and vibrant organization—serving the needs of its members and the engineering and technology community worldwide—while fulfilling the IEEE mission of advancing technology for the benefit of humanity. </p><p> This article features IEEE Board of Directors members ChunChe “Lance” Fung, Eric Grigorian, and Christina Schober. </p><h2>IEEE Senior Member ChunChe “Lance” Fung</h2><p> <strong>Director, Region 10: Asia Pacific</strong> </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="Photo of a man in glasses and a grey jacket." class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="61e75e67a9327931098b308eeba09b43" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="e593e" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/photo-of-a-man-in-glasses-and-a-grey-jacket.jpg?id=54415507&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." style="max-width: 100%;">Joanna Mai Yie Leung</small> </p><p> Fung has worked in academia and provided industry consultancy services for more than 40 years. His research interests include applying artificial intelligence, machine learning, computational intelligence, and other techniques to solve practical problems. He has authored more than 400 publications in the disciplines of AI, computational intelligence, and related applications. Fung currently works on the ethical applications and social impacts of AI. </p><p> A member of the <a href="https://www.ieeesmc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Systems, Man, and Cybernetics Society</a>, Fung has been an active IEEE volunteer for more than 30 years. As a member and chair of the IEEE <a href="https://ieeemce.org/planning-basics/technical-program-development-quality/tpic-process/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Technical Program Integrity</a> and <a href="https://ieeemce.org/planning-basics/technical-program-development-quality/conference-quality-committee-cqc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Conference Quality</a> committees, he oversaw the quality of technical programs presented at IEEE conferences. Fung also chaired the <a href="https://ea.ieeer10.org/#:~:text=The%20IEEE%20Region%2010%20Educational,in%20Asia%20and%20Pacific%20Region." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Region 10 Educational Activities Committee</a>. He was instrumental in translating educational materials to local languages for the IEEE Reaching Locals project. </p><p> As chair of the <a href="https://www.ieee.org/about/corporate/initiatives/initiatives-committee.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE New Initiatives Committee</a>, he established and promoted the US $1 Million Challenge Call for New Initiatives, which supports potential IEEE programs, services, or products that will significantly benefit members, the public, the technical community, or customers and could have a lasting impact on IEEE or its business processes. </p><p> Fung has left an indelible mark as a dedicated educator at <a href="https://www.sp.edu.sg/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Singapore Polytechnic</a>, <a href="https://www.curtin.edu.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Curtin University</a>, and <a href="https://www.murdoch.edu.au/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Murdoch University</a>. He was appointed in 2015 as professor emeritus at Murdoch, and he takes pride in training the next generation of volunteers, leaders, teachers, and researchers in the Western Australian community. Fung received the IEEE Third Millennium Medal and the <a href="https://www.ieeer10.org/past-recipients-of-ieee-region-10-awards/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Region 10 Outstanding Volunteer Award</a>. </p><h2>IEEE Senior Member Eric Grigorian</h2><p> <strong>Director, Region 3: Southern U.S. & Jamaica</strong> </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="A photo of a man in a suit and yellow tie." class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="cb8bed16272ea82adf88c7320f28d7e5" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="2f180" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-photo-of-a-man-in-a-suit-and-yellow-tie.jpg?id=54415526&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." style="max-width: 100%;">Sean McNeil/GTRI</small> </p><p> Grigorian has extensive experience leading international cross-domain teams that support the commercial and defense industries. His current research focuses on implementing model-based systems engineering, creating models that depict system behavior, interfaces, and architecture. His work has led to streamlined processes, reduced costs, and faster design and implementation of capabilities due to efficient modeling and verification. Grigorian holds two U.S. utility patents. </p><p> Grigorian has been an active volunteer with IEEE since his time as a student member at the <a href="https://www.ua.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">University of Alabama</a> in <a href="https://www.uah.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Huntsville</a> (UAH). He saw it as an excellent way to network and get to know people. He found his personality was suited for working within the organization and building leadership skills. During the past 43 years as an IEEE member, he has been affiliated with the <a href="http://ieee-aess.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems</a> (AESS), <a href="https://www.computer.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Computer</a>, and <a href="https://www.comsoc.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Communications</a> societies. </p><p> As Grigorian’s career has evolved, his involvement with IEEE has also increased. He has been the <a href="https://r3.ieee.org/huntsville/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Huntsville Section</a> student activities chair, as well as vice chair, and chair. He also was the section’s AESS chair. He served as <a href="https://ieeesoutheastcon.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE SoutheastCon</a> chair in 2008 and 2019, and served on the <a href="https://r3.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Region 3</a> executive committee as area chair and conference committee chair, enhancing IEEE members’ benefits, engagement, and career advancement. He has significantly contributed to initiatives within IEEE, including promoting preuniversity science, technology, engineering, and mathematics efforts in Alabama. </p><p> Grigorian’s professional achievements have been recognized with numerous awards from employers and local technical chapters, including with the 2020 <a href="https://www.uah.edu/alumni/alumni-association/alumni-of-achievement-awards" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">UAH Alumni of Achievement Award for the College of Engineering</a> and the 2006 <a href="https://r3.ieee.org/committees/awards-and-recognition/#1626909000070-7a186b49-e828" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Region 3 Outstanding Engineer of the Year Award</a>. He is a member of the <a href="https://hkn.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE–Eta Kappa Nu</a> honor society. </p><h2>IEEE Life Senior Member Christina Schober</h2><p> <strong>Director, Division V</strong> </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="A photo of a smiling woman." class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="f85cc6b80067f32b7a0eeb9629157308" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="a6e9b" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-photo-of-a-smiling-woman.jpg?id=54415539&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." style="max-width: 100%;">Katie Fears/Brio Art</small> </p><p> Schober is an innovative engineer with a diverse design and manufacturing engineering background. With more than 40 years of experience, her career has spanned research, design, and manufacturing sensors for space, commercial, and military aircraft navigation and tactical guidance systems. She was responsible for the successful transition from design to production for groundbreaking programs including an integrated flight management system, the Stinger missile’s roll frequency sensor, and the designing of three phases of the DARPA atomic clock. She holds 17 U.S. patents and 24 other patents in the aerospace and navigation fields. </p><p> Schober started her career in the 1980s, at a time when female engineers were not widely accepted. The prevailing attitude required her to “stay tough,” she says, and she credits IEEE for giving her technical and professional support. Because of her experiences, she became dedicated to making diversity and inclusion systemic in IEEE. </p><p> Schober has held many leadership roles, including IEEE Division VIII Director, <a href="https://ieee-sensors.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank">IEEE Sensors Council</a> president, and <a href="https://sagroups.ieee.org/sc-sc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank">IEEE Standards Sensors Council</a> secretary. In addition to her membership in the <a href="https://ieeephotonics.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank">IEEE Photonics Society</a>, she is active with the <a href="https://www.computer.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank">IEEE Computer Society</a>, <a href="https://ieee-sensors.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank"> IEEE Sensors Council</a>, <a href="https://standards.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank">IEEE Standards Association</a>, and <a href="https://wie.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="" target="_blank">IEEE Women in Engineering</a>. </p><p> She is also active in her local community, serving as an invited speaker on STEM for the public school system and was a volunteer at youth shelters. Schober has received numerous awards including the <a href="https://ieee-sensors.org/awards-nomination/?_sfm_award_nomination_group_award_title=Lifetime%20Contribution%20Award" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Sensors Council Lifetime Contribution Award</a> and the <a href="https://tc-ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Twin Cities Section</a>’s Young Engineer of the Year Award. She is an <a href="https://www.computer.org/volunteering/awards/golden-core" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Computer Society Gold Core member,</a> a member of the <a href="https://hkn.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE–Eta Kappa Nu</a> honor society and received the IEEE Third Millennium Medal. </p>

Nov 12, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/close-up-of-a-person-s-hand-holding-a-kindle-colorsoft-against-a-yellow-gradient-background.jpg?id=54469720&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C150%2C0%2C150"/><br/><br/><p>In physical books, yellowing pages are usually a sign of age. But brand-new users of Amazon’s Kindle Colorsofts, the tech giant’s first color e-reader, are <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/kindle/comments/1ggo0vp/colorsoft_has_yellow_tinge_to_bottom_of_display/" target="_blank">already noticing</a> yellow hues appearing at the bottoms of their displays.</p><p>Since the complaints began to trickle in, Amazon has reportedly suspended shipments and announced that it is working to fix the issue. (As of publication of this article, the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/All-New-Amazon-Kindle-Colorsoft-Signature-Edition/dp/B0CN3XR57P" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>US $280 Kindle</u></a> had an average 2.6 star rating on Amazon.) It’s not yet clear what is causing the discoloration. But while the issue is new—and unexpected—the technology is not, says <a href="https://researchdirectory.uc.edu/p/heikenjc" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Jason Heikenfeld</u></a>, an IEEE Fellow and engineering professor at the University of Cincinnati. The Kindle Colorsoft, which became available on 30 October, uses “a very old approach,” says Heikenfeld, who previously worked to develop <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-electronic-display-of-the-future">the ultimate e-paper technology</a>. “It was the first approach everybody tried.” </p><p>Amazon’s e-reader uses reflective display technology developed by <a href="https://www.eink.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>E Ink</u></a>, a company that started in the 1990s as an MIT Media Lab spin-off before developing its now-dominant electronic paper displays. E Ink is used in Kindles, as well as top e-readers from Kobo, reMarkable, Onyx, and more. E Ink first introduced <a href="https://www.eink.com/brand/detail/Kaleido#:~:text=low%20power%20attributes.-,An%20E%20Ink%20Kaleido%E2%84%A2%20Module%20is%20comprised%20of%20a,and%20brighter%20than%20previous%20generations." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Kaleido</u></a>—the basis of the Colorsoft’s display—five years ago, though the road to full-color e-paper <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/how-e-ink-developed-full-color-epaper" target="_self"><u>started well before</u></a>. </p><h2>How E-Readers Work</h2><p>Monochromatic Kindles work by applying voltages to electrodes in the screen that bring black or white pigment to the top of each pixel. Those pixels then reflect ambient light, creating a paperlike display. To create a full-color display, companies like E Ink added an array of filters just above the ink. This approach didn’t work well at first because the filters lost too much light, making the displays dark and low resolution. But with a few adjustments, Kaleido was ready for consumer products in 2019. (Other approaches—like adding colored pigments to the ink—have been developed, but these come with their own drawbacks, including a higher price tag.) </p><p>Given this design, it initially seemed to Heikenfeld that the issue would have stemmed from the software, which determines the voltages applied to each electrode. This aligned with reports from some users that the issue appeared after a software update. </p><p>But industry analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested in a <a href="https://x.com/mingchikuo/status/1854550124846067848" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>post on X</u></a> that the issue is due to the e-reader’s hardware. Amazon switched the optically clear adhesive (OCA) used in the Colorsoft to a material that may not be so optically clear. In <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/devices/kindle-color-specs-price-announce" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>its announcement</u></a> of the Colorsoft, the company boasted “custom formulated coatings” that would enhance the color display as one of the new e-reader’s innovations. </p><p>In terms of resolving the issue, Kuo’s post also stated that “While component suppliers have developed several hardware solutions, Amazon seems to be leaning toward a software-based fix.” Heikenfeld is not sure how a software fix would work, apart from blacking out the bottom of the screen. </p><p>Amazon did not reply to <em><em>IEEE Spectrum</em></em>’s request for comment. In an email to <em><em>IEEE Spectrum</em></em>, E Ink stated, “While we cannot comment on any individual partner or product, we are committed to supporting our partners in understanding and addressing any issues that arise.”</p><h2>The Future of E-Readers</h2><p>It took a long time for color Kindles to arrive, and the future of reflective e-reader displays isn’t likely to improve much, according to Heikenfeld. “I used to work a lot in this field, and it just really slowed down at some point, because it’s a tough nut to crack,” Heikenfeld says. </p><p>There are inherent limitations and inefficiencies to working with filter-based color displays that rely on ambient light, and there’s no <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/moores-law" target="_blank">Moore’s Law</a> for these displays. Instead, their improvement is asymptotic—and we may already be close to the limit. Meanwhile, displays that emit light, like LCD and OLED, continue to improve. “An iPad does a pretty damn good job with battery life now,” says Heikenfeld. </p><p>At the same time, he believes there will always be a place for reflective displays, which remain a more natural experience for our eyes. “We live in a world of reflective color,” Heikenfeld says.</p><p><em>This is story was updated on 12 November 2024 to correct that Jason Heikenfeld is an IEEE Fellow.</em><br/></p>

Nov 11, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/the-robot-helper-rosie-from-the-tv-show-the-jetsons-next-to-a-group-of-new-ai-robots-consisting-of-neo-from-1x-technologies-apo.jpg?id=54170090&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C78%2C0%2C79"/><br/><br/><p> <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-robots" target="_blank">See the interactive version of this story on our site →</a> </p>

Nov 11, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-grid-with-four-photos-of-3d-printers-working-directly-on-a-variety-of-floor-surfaces.jpg?id=54416986&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C82%2C0%2C82"/><br/><br/><p>Waiting for each part of a <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/printer-head-to-head-checking-out-two-under300-3d-printers" target="_self"><u>3D-printed</u></a> project to finish, taking it out of the printer, and then installing it on location can be tedious for multi-part projects. What if there was a way for your printer to print its creation exactly where you needed it? That’s the promise of <a href="https://makeabilitylab.cs.washington.edu/project/mobiprint/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>MobiPrint</u></a>, a new 3D printing robot that can move around a room, printing designs directly onto the floor. </p><p>MobiPrint, designed by <a href="https://makeabilitylab.cs.washington.edu/member/danielcamposzamora/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Daniel Campos Zamora</u></a> at the University of Washington, consists of a modified off-the-shelf 3D printer atop a <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/robot-vacuums" target="_self"><u>home vacuum</u></a> robot. First it autonomously <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/mapping" target="_self"><u>maps</u></a> its space—be it a room, a hallway, or an entire floor of a house. Users can then choose from a prebuilt library or upload their own design to be printed anywhere in the mapped area. The robot then traverses the room and prints the design. </p><p>It’s “a new system that combines robotics and 3D printing that could actually go and print in the real world,” Campos Zamora says. He presented MobiPrint on 15 October at the <a href="https://programs.sigchi.org/uist/2024/program/content/170934" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology</u></a>.</p><p>Campos Zamora and his team started with a <a href="https://us.roborock.com/pages/roborock-s5-max" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Roborock S5</u></a> vacuum robot and installed firmware that allowed it to communicate with the open source program <a href="https://valetudo.cloud/pages/general/newcomer-guide.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Valetudo</u></a>. Valetudo disconnects personal robots from their manufacturer’s cloud, connecting them to a local server instead. Data collected by the robot, such as environmental mapping, movement tracking, and path planning, can all be observed locally, enabling users to see the robot’s <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/lidar" target="_self"><u>LIDAR</u></a>-created map. </p><p>Campos Zamora built a layer of software that connects the robot’s perception of its environment to the 3D printer’s print commands. The printer, a modified <a href="https://www.prusa3d.com/category/original-prusa-mini/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Prusa Mini+</u></a>, can print on carpet, hardwood, and vinyl, with maximum printing dimensions of 180 by 180 by 65 millimeters. The robot has printed pet food bowls, signage, and accessibility markers as sample objects.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"> <span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1b52e4db8825ae38184a09201359950b" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SknW-Oygh3w?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span> <small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..."><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SknW-Oygh3w" target="_blank">MakeabilityLab/YouTube</a></small> </p><p>Currently, MobiPrint can only “park and print.” The robot base cannot move during printing to make large objects, like a mobility ramp. Printing designs larger than the robot is one of Campos Zamora’s goals in the future. To learn more about the team’s vision for MobiPrint, Campos Zamora answered a few questions from <em>IEEE Spectrum.</em></p><p><strong>What was the inspiration for creating your mobile 3D printer?</strong></p><p><strong>Daniel Campos Zamora: </strong>My lab is focused on building systems with an eye towards accessibility. One of the things that really inspired this project was looking at the tactile surface indicators that help blind and low vision users find their way around a space. And so we were like, what if we made something that could automatically go and deploy these things? Especially in indoor environments, which are generally a little trickier and change more frequently over time.</p><p>We had to step back and build this entirely different thing, using the environment as a design element. We asked: how do you integrate the real world environment into the design process, and then what kind of things can you print out in the world? That’s how this printer was born.</p><p><strong>What were some surprising moments in your design process?</strong></p><p><strong>Campos Zamora: </strong>When I was testing the robot on different surfaces, I was not expecting the 3D printed designs to stick extremely well to the carpet. It stuck way too well. Like, you know, just completely bonded down there.</p><p>I think there’s also just a lot of joy in seeing this printer move. When I was doing a demonstration of it at this conference last week, it almost seemed like the robot had a personality. A vacuum robot can seem to have a personality, but this printer can actually make objects in my environment, so I feel a different relationship to the machine. </p><p><strong>Where do you hope to take MobiPrint in the future?</strong></p><p><strong>Campos Zamora: </strong>There’s several directions I think we could go. Instead of controlling the robot remotely, we could have it follow someone around and print accessibility markers along a path they walk. Or we could integrate an AI system that recommends objects be printed in different locations. I also want to explore having the robot remove and recycle the objects it prints.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"> <span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="495be2b7cd68ae0e39be4f90fc081c5c" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WrIRhV079nk?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span> </p>

Nov 10, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-black-engineer-closely-examining-a-cpu-chip-she-is-working-on.jpg?id=54417273&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C121%2C0%2C121"/><br/><br/><p>Finished chips coming in from the foundry are subject to a battery of tests. For those destined for critical systems in cars, those tests are particularly extensive and can add 5 to 10 percent to the cost of a chip. But do you really need to do every single test?</p><p>Engineers at <a href="https://www.nxp.com/" target="_blank">NXP</a> have developed a <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/machine-learning" target="_blank">machine-learning</a> algorithm that learns the patterns of test results and figures out the subset of tests that are really needed and those that they could safely do without. The NXP engineers described the process at the <a href="https://www.itctestweek.org/" target="_blank">IEEE International Test Conference</a> in San Diego last week.<strong></strong></p><p>NXP makes a wide variety of chips with complex circuitry and <a data-linked-post="2667881414" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tsmc-advanced-packaging" target="_blank">advanced chip-making technology</a>, including inverters for <a data-linked-post="2667746772" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ev-motor-rare-earth-free" target="_blank">EV motors</a>, audio chips for consumer electronics, and key-fob transponders to secure your car. These chips are tested with different signals at different voltages and at different temperatures in a test process called continue-on-fail. In that process, chips are tested in groups and are all subjected to the complete battery, even if some parts fail some of the tests along the way.</p><p class="pull-quote">Chips were subject to between 41 and 164 tests, and the algorithm was able to recommend removing 42 to 74 percent of those tests.</p><p>“We have to ensure stringent quality requirements in the field, so we have to do a lot of testing,” says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mehul-shroff-17aa9b13/" target="_blank">Mehul Shroff</a>, an NXP Fellow who led the research. But with much of the actual production and packaging of chips outsourced to other companies, testing is one of the few knobs most chip companies can turn to control costs. “What we were trying to do here is come up with a way to reduce test cost in a way that was statistically rigorous and gave us good results without compromising field quality.”</p><h2>A Test Recommender System</h2><p>Shroff says the problem has certain similarities to the machine learning-based <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/deconstructing-recommender-systems" target="_blank">recommender systems</a> used in e-commerce. “We took the concept from the retail world, where a data analyst can look at receipts and see what items people are buying together,” he says. “Instead of a transaction receipt, we have a unique part identifier and instead of the items that a consumer would purchase, we have a list of failing tests.”</p><p>The NXP algorithm then discovered which tests fail together. Of course, what’s at stake for whether a purchaser of bread will want to buy butter is quite different from whether a test of an automotive part at a particular temperature means other tests don’t need to be done. “We need to have 100 percent or near 100 percent certainty,” Shroff says. “We operate in a different space with respect to statistical rigor compared to the retail world, but it’s borrowing the same concept.”</p><p>As rigorous as the results are, Shroff says that they shouldn’t be relied upon on their own. You have to “make sure it makes sense from engineering perspective and that you can understand it in technical terms,” he says. “Only then, remove the test.”</p><p>Shroff and his colleagues analyzed data obtained from testing seven microcontrollers and applications processors built using advanced chipmaking processes. Depending on which chip was involved, they were subject to between 41 and 164 tests, and the algorithm was able to recommend removing 42 to 74 percent of those tests. Extending the analysis to data from other types of chips led to an even wider range of opportunities to trim testing.</p><p>The algorithm is a pilot project for now, and the NXP team is looking to expand it to a broader set of parts, reduce the computational overhead, and make it easier to use.</p><p>“Any novel solution that helps in test-time savings without any quality hit is valuable,” says <a href="https://semiengineering.com/author/sriharsha-vinjamury/" target="_blank">Sriharsha Vinjamury</a>, a principal engineer at Arm. “Reducing test time is essential, as it reduces costs.” He suggests that the NXP algorithm could be integrated with a system that adjust the order of tests, so that failures could be spotted earlier.</p><p><em>This post was updated on 13 November 2024.</em></p>

Nov 8, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-quadruped-robot-balances-on-one-ped-hand.gif?id=54412449&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at <em>IEEE Spectrum</em> robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=Robotics%20event%20suggestion%20for%20Video%20Friday">send us your events</a> for inclusion.</p><h5><a href="https://2024.ieee-humanoids.org/">Humanoids 2024</a>: 22–24 November 2024, NANCY, FRANCE</h5><p>Enjoy today’s videos!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><div style="page-break-after: always"><span style="display:none"> </span></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="8dftc4w8wm0">Just when I thought <a data-linked-post="2667517284" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/video-friday-many-quadrupeds" target="_blank">quadrupeds</a> couldn’t impress me anymore...</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b5edf30fa4db287eb1eb9644264ee36d" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8dFTc4W8wm0?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.unitree.com/">Unitree Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="eyuzx-lcj4m"><em>Researchers at Meta FAIR are releasing several new research artifacts that advance robotics and support our goal of reaching advanced machine intelligence (AMI). These include Meta Sparsh, the first general-purpose encoder for vision-based tactile sensing that works across many tactile sensors and many tasks; Meta Digit 360, an artificial fingertip-based tactile sensor that delivers detailed touch data with human-level precision and touch-sensing; and Meta Digit Plexus, a standardized platform for robotic sensor connections and interactions that enables seamless data collection, control and analysis over a single cable.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="46b56d8df6bd7d3ef15942919b946f23" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eyUZX-lCj4M?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://ai.meta.com/blog/fair-robotics-open-source/">Meta</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="5mse6tkhy4g"><em>The first bimanual Torso created at Clone includes an actuated elbow, cervical spine (neck), and anthropomorphic shoulders with the sternoclavicular, acromioclavicular, scapulothoracic and glenohumeral joints. The valve matrix fits compactly inside the ribcage. Bimanual manipulation training is in progress.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="21a20b2a16ffe4217be2ed017af29ab4" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5mSE6Tkhy4g?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.clonerobotics.com/">Clone Inc.</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="2ncex3fzo6g"><em>Equipped with a new behavior architecture, Nadia navigates and traverses many types of doors autonomously. Nadia also demonstrates robustness to failed grasps and door opening attempts by automatically retrying and continuing. We present the robot with pull and push doors, four types of opening mechanisms, and even spring-loaded door closers. A deep neural network and door plane estimator allow Nadia to identify and track the doors.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="73e8c7a7bb66d455822fb1b23b612442" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2NcEx3FzO6g?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2411.03532">Paper</a> preprint by authors from <a href="https://www.ihmc.us/" target="_blank">Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition</a> ]</p><p>Thanks, Duncan!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="ivzp98-r_mo"><em>In this study, we integrate the musculoskeletal humanoid Musashi with the wire-driven robot CubiX, capable of connecting to the environment, to form CubiXMusashi. This combination addresses the shortcomings of traditional musculoskeletal humanoids and enables movements beyond the capabilities of other humanoids. CubiXMusashi connects to the environment with wires and drives by winding them, successfully achieving movements such as pull-up, rising from a lying pose, and mid-air kicking, which are difficult for Musashi alone.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="03c0f29f7d3d5da84d3135d02d10d644" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IvzP98-r_mo?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://shin0805.github.io/cubixmusashi/">CubiXMusashi</a>, JSK Robotics Laboratory, University of Tokyo ]</p><p>Thanks, Shintaro!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="dixwiqj6aam">An old boardwalk seems like a nightmare for any robot with flat feet.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e0bb53ee70416377d8b9333aefdcff3c" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DIXwiQj6AAM?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://agilityrobotics.com/">Agility Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="ypoabpwdxko"><em>This paper presents a novel learning-based control framework that uses keyframing to incorporate high-level objectives in natural locomotion for legged robots. These high-level objectives are specified as a variable number of partial or complete pose targets that are spaced arbitrarily in time. Our proposed framework utilizes a multi-critic reinforcement learning algorithm to effectively handle the mixture of dense and sparse rewards. In the experiments, the multi-critic method significantly reduces the effort of hyperparameter tuning compared to the standard single-critic alternative. Moreover, the proposed transformer-based architecture enables robots to anticipate future goals, which results in quantitative improvements in their ability to reach their targets.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a0169938a4b039a2d1dd55d9191147e3" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YpOABpwdxko?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://studios.disneyresearch.com/2024/11/04/robotkeyframing-learning-locomotion-with-high-level-objectives/">Disney Research</a> paper ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="pmfhriavsfo"><a data-linked-post="2650277770" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ihmc-teaches-atlas-to-walk-like-a-human" target="_blank">Human-like walking</a> where that human is the stompiest human to ever human its way through Humanville.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a7bf7fcaaade5ac08ee87873f93e9951" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PMfHRIaVSFo?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://en.engineai.com.cn/">Engineai</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="ni513ke9dyo"><em>We present the first static-obstacle avoidance method for quadrotors using just an onboard, monocular event camera. Quadrotors are capable of fast and agile flight in cluttered environments when piloted manually, but vision-based autonomous flight in unknown environments is difficult in part due to the sensor limitations of traditional onboard cameras. Event cameras, however, promise nearly zero motion blur and high dynamic range, but produce a large volume of events under significant ego-motion and further lack a continuous-time sensor model in simulation, making direct sim-to-real transfer not possible.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="1b38d7dc753ef781a4504749a312acf7" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NI513KE9DYo?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.anishbhattacharya.com/research/evfly">Paper</a> University of Pennsylvania and University of Zurich ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="wyyxjdauh9y"><em>Cross-embodiment imitation learning enables policies trained on specific embodiments to transfer across different robots, unlocking the potential for large-scale imitation learning that is both cost-effective and highly reusable. This paper presents LEGATO, a cross-embodiment imitation learning framework for visuomotor skill transfer across varied kinematic morphologies. We introduce a handheld gripper that unifies action and observation spaces, allowing tasks to be defined consistently across robots.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="6ea7291daa7d2bc55d6dbb318c301648" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wyYXjdAUH9Y?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://ut-hcrl.github.io/LEGATO/">LEGATO</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="ynwyg9wyabi"><em>The 2024 Xi’an Marathon has kicked off! STAR1, the general-purpose humanoid robot from Robot Era, joins runners in this ancient yet modern city for an exciting start!</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c4708876cdaa8d05410a6016dcd75585" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yNWYG9WYaBI?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.robotera.com/">Robot Era</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="0kfvvpxjrqg"><em>In robotics, there are valuable lessons for students and mentors alike. Watch how the CyberKnights, a FIRST robotics team champion sponsored by RTX, with the encouragement of their RTX mentor, faced challenges after a poor performance and scrapped its robot to build a new one in just nine days.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="221b0782e663ea349782c750208550de" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0KFvVPxjrQg?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://cyberknights4911.com/">CyberKnights</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="gdtmkkbs7co"><em>In this special video, PAL Robotics takes you behind the scenes of our 20th-anniversary celebration, a memorable gathering with industry leaders and visionaries from across robotics and technology. From inspiring speeches to milestone highlights, the event was a testament to our journey and the incredible partnerships that have shaped our path.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5d8c789751f29723804aca2443876c5a" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/gDtMKKbS7co?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://pal-robotics.com/">PAL Robotics</a> ]</p><p>Thanks, Rugilė!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div>

Nov 6, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/overhead-view-of-a-yellow-metal-box-attached-to-wires-that-connect-to-a-computer-motherboard.jpg?id=54185886&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C362%2C0%2C363"/><br/><br/><p><strong></strong>In <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/6g" target="_self">6G</a> telecom research today, a crucial portion of wireless spectrum has been neglected: the <a href="https://www.everythingrf.com/community/fr3-frequency-bands" target="_blank">Frequency Range 3</a>, or FR3, band. The shortcoming is partly due to a lack of viable software and hardware platforms for studying this region of spectrum, ranging from approximately 6 to 24 gigahertz. But a new, open-source wireless research kit is changing that equation. And research conducted using that kit, presented last week at a leading industry conference, offers proof of viability of this spectrum band for <a data-linked-post="2653906597" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/6g-haptic-holography" target="_blank">future 6G networks</a>.</p><p>In fact, it’s also arguably signaling a moment of telecom industry re-evaluation. The high-bandwidth 6G future, according to these folks, may not be entirely centered around <a href="https://freedomtechnologiesinc.com/5g-mmwave-patience-or-persistence/" target="_blank">difficult millimeter wave-based technologies</a>. Instead, 6G may leave plenty of room for higher-bandwidth microwave spectrum tech that is ultimately more familiar and accessible.</p><p>The FR3 band is a region of microwave spectrum just shy of millimeter-wave frequencies (30 to 300 GHz). FR3 is also already very popular today for <a data-linked-post="2650279561" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/building-an-orbiting-internet-just-for-satellites" target="_blank">satellite Internet</a> and <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/9906809" target="_blank">military communications</a>. For future 5G and 6G networks to share the FR3 band with incumbent players would require telecom networks nimble enough to perform regular, rapid-response <a data-linked-post="2650278577" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/if-darpa-has-its-way-ai-will-rule-the-wireless-spectrum" target="_blank">spectrum-hopping</a>.</p><p>Yet spectrum-hopping might still be an easier problem to solve than those posed by the <a href="https://wiki.dfrobot.com/What_is_mmWave_Millimeter_Wave" target="_blank">inherent</a> physical shortcomings of <a href="https://potsandpansbyccg.com/2019/01/24/the-physics-of-millimeter-wave-spectrum/" target="_blank">some portions</a> of <a href="https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/technical-articles/basics-of-millimeter-wave-mmwave-technology/" target="_blank">millimeter-wave spectrum</a>—shortcomings that include limited range, poor penetration, line-of-sight operations, higher power requirements, and susceptibility to weather. </p><h3>Pi-Radio’s New Face</h3><p>Earlier this year, the Brooklyn, N.Y.-based startup <a href="https://www.pi-rad.io/" target="_blank">Pi-Radio</a>—a spinoff from New York University’s <a href="https://engineering.nyu.edu/" target="_blank">Tandon School of Engineering</a>—released a wireless spectrum hardware and software kit for telecom research and development. Pi-Radio’s FR-3 is a software-defined radio system developed for the FR3 band specifically, says company co-founder <a href="https://wireless.engineering.nyu.edu/sundeep-rangan/" target="_blank">Sundeep Rangan</a>.</p><p>“Software-defined radio is basically a programmable platform to experiment and build any type of wireless technology,” says Rangan, who is also the <a href="https://engineering.nyu.edu/faculty/sundeep-rangan" target="_blank">associate director of NYU Wireless</a>. “In the early stages when developing systems, all researchers need these.”</p><p>For instance, the Pi-Radio team presented one new research finding that infers direction to an FR3 antenna from measurements taken by a mobile Pi-Radio receiver—presented at the <a href="https://signalprocessingsociety.org/" target="_blank">IEEE Signal Processing Society</a>‘s <a href="https://www.asilomarsscconf.org/" target="_blank">Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems and Computers</a> in Pacific Grove, Calif. on 30 October. </p><p>According to Pi-Radio co-founder <a href="https://www.deib.polimi.it/eng/people/details/2083580" target="_blank">Marco Mezzavilla</a>, who’s also an associate professor at the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytechnic_University_of_Milan" target="_blank">Polytechnic University of Milan</a>, the early-stage FR3 research that the team presented at Asilomar will enable researchers “to capture [signal] propagation in these frequencies and will allow us to characterize it, understand it, and model it... And this is the first stepping stone towards designing future wireless systems at these frequencies.”</p><p>There’s a good reason researchers have recently rediscovered FR3, says <a href="https://ece.northeastern.edu/wineslab/paolo.php" target="_blank">Paolo Testolina</a>, postdoctoral research fellow at Northeastern University’s <a href="https://wiot.northeastern.edu/" target="_blank">Institute for the Wireless Internet of Things</a> unaffiliated with the current research effort. “The current scarcity of spectrum for communications is driving operators and researchers to look in this band, where they believe it is possible to coexist with the current incumbents,” he says. “Spectrum sharing will be key in this band.”</p><p>Rangan notes that the work on which Pi-Radio was built has been published earlier this year both on the more foundational aspects of <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10459211" target="_blank">building networks in the FR3 band</a> as well as the <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/10694319" target="_blank">specific implementation</a> of Pi-Radio’s unique, frequency-hopping research platform for future wireless networks. (Both papers were published in IEEE journals.)</p><p>“If you have frequency hopping, that means you can get systems that are resilient to blockage,” Rangan says. “But even, potentially, if it was attacked or compromised in any other way, this could actually open up a new type of dimension that we typically haven’t had in the cellular infrastructure.” The frequency-hopping that FR3 requires for wireless communications, in other words, could introduce a layer of hack-proofing that might potentially strengthen the overall network.</p><h3>Complement, Not Replacement</h3><p>The Pi-Radio team<strong> </strong>stresses, however, that FR3 would not supplant or supersede other new segments of wireless spectrum. There are, for instance, millimeter wave 5G deployments <a href="https://www.telecoms.com/5g-6g/deutsche-telekom-looking-to-flog-5g-mmwave-to-industrial-sector" target="_blank">already underway</a> today that will no doubt <a href="https://www.ericsson.com/en/reports-and-papers/further-insights/leveraging-the-potential-of-5g-millimeter-wave" target="_blank">expand in scope and performance</a> into the 6G future. That said, the ways that FR3 expand future 5G and 6G spectrum usage is an entirely unwritten chapter: Whether FR3 as a wireless spectrum band fizzles, or takes off, or finds a comfortable place somewhere in between depends in part on how it’s researched and developed now, the Pi-Radio team says. </p><p>“We’re at this tipping point where researchers and academics actually are empowered by the combination of this cutting-edge hardware with open-source software,” Mezzavilla says. “And that will enable the testing of new features for communications in these new frequency bands.” (Mezzavilla credits the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for recognizing the potential of FR3, and for funding the group’s research.)</p><p>By contrast, millimeter-wave 5G and 6G research has to date been bolstered, the team says, by the presence of a wide range of millimeter-wave <a data-linked-post="2658479890" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/passive-radar-with-sdr" target="_blank">software-defined radio</a> (SDR) systems and other research platforms. </p><p>“Companies like Qualcomm, Samsung, Nokia, they actually had excellent millimeter wave development platforms,” Rangan says. “But they were in-house. And the effort it took to build one—an SDR at a university lab—was sort of insurmountable.”</p><p>So releasing an inexpensive<strong> </strong>open-source SDR in the FR3 band, Mezzavilla says, could jump start a whole new wave of 6G research. </p><p>“This is just the starting point,” Mezzavilla says. “From now on we’re going to build new features—new reference signals, new radio resource control signals, near-field operations... We’re ready to ship these yellow boxes to other academics around the world to test new features and test them quickly, before 6G is even remotely near us.”</p><p><em><em>This story was updated on 7 November 2024 to include detail about funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.</em></em></p>

Nov 6, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-map-of-eastern-europe-and-west-asia-with-a-red-line-spanning-the-black-sea-from-azerbaijan-to-hungary.jpg?id=54230758&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C206%2C0%2C207"/><br/><br/><p>Azerbaijan next week will garner much of the attention of the climate tech world, and not just because it will host <a href="https://cop29.az/en/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">COP29</a>, the United Nation’s giant annual climate change conference. The country is promoting a grand, multi-nation plan to generate <a data-linked-post="2650278908" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/china-gridparity" target="_blank">renewable electricity</a> in the Caucasus region and send it thousands of kilometers west, under the Black Sea, and into energy–hungry Europe.</p><p>The transcontinental connection would start with wind, solar, and hydropower generated in Azerbaijan and Georgia, and off-shore wind power generated in the Caspian Sea. Long-distance lines would carry up to 1.5 gigawatts of clean electricity to Anaklia, Georgia, at the east end of the Black Sea. An <a data-linked-post="2657464756" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/saex-hopes-to-link-the-global-south" target="_blank">undersea cable</a> would move the electricity across the Black Sea and deliver it to Constanta, Romania, where it could be distributed further into Europe.</p><p><a href="https://www.gse.com.ge/projects/international-projects/Black-Sea-Submarine-Cable-Project" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The scheme</a>’s proponents say this Caspian-Black Sea energy corridor will help decrease global carbon emissions, provide dependable power to Europe, modernize developing economies at Europe’s periphery, and stabilize a region shaken by war. Organizers hope to build the undersea cable within the next six years at an estimated cost of €3.5 billion (US $3.8 billion).</p><p>To accomplish this, the governments of the involved countries must quickly circumvent a series of technical, financial, and political obstacles. “It’s a huge project,” says <a href="https://www.gse.com.ge/about-us/management/board-of-directors/board-of-directors" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Zviad Gachechiladze</a>, a director at <a href="https://www.gse.com.ge/home" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Georgian State Electrosystem</a>, the agency that operates the country’s electrical grid, and one of the architects of the Caucasus green-energy corridor. “To put it in operation [by 2030]—that’s quite ambitious, even optimistic,” he says.</p><h2>Black Sea Cable to Link Caucasus and Europe</h2><p>The technical lynchpin of the plan falls on the successful construction of a high voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine cable in the Black Sea. It’s a formidable task, considering that it would stretch across nearly 1,200 kilometers of water, most of which is over 2 km deep, and, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-sea-naval-mine-clearance-ukraine-war-2024-9" target="_blank">littered with floating mines</a>. By contrast, the longest existing submarine power cable—the <a href="https://www.nationalgrid.com/national-grid-ventures/interconnectors-connecting-cleaner-future/north-sea-link" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">North Sea Link</a>—carries 1.4 GW across 720 km between England and Norway, at depths of up to 700 meters.</p><p>As ambitious as Azerbaijan’s plans sound, longer undersea connections have been proposed. The <a href="https://www.suncable.energy/our-projects" target="_blank">Australia-Asia PowerLink</a> project aims to produce 6 GW at a vast solar farm in Northern Australia and send about a third of it to Singapore via a 4,300-km undersea cable. The <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/underwater-power-cable" target="_self">Morocco-U.K. Power Project</a> would send 3.6 GW over 3,800 km from Morocco to England. A similar attempt by <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/desertec-taps-morocco-for-first-piece-of-sahara-solar-development" target="_self">Desertec</a> to send electricity from North Africa to Europe ultimately <a href="https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/md/hcch/ueber_uns/schmitt_2018_-__why__did_desertec_fail__localenvironment_.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">failed</a>.</p><p>Building such cables involves laying and stitching together lengths of heavy submarine power cables from specialized ships—the expertise for which lies with just two companies in the world. In an assessment of the Black Sea project’s feasibility, the Milan-based consulting and engineering firm <a href="https://www.cesi.it/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CESI</a> determined that the undersea cable could indeed be built, and estimated that it could carry up to 1.5 GW—enough to supply over 2 million European households.</p><p>But to fill that pipe, countries in the Caucasus region would have to generate much more green electricity. For Georgia, that will mostly come from hydropower, which already generates over 80 percent of the nation’s electricity. “We are a hydro country. We have a lot of untapped hydro potential,” says Gachechiladze.</p><h2>Azerbaijan and Georgia Plan Green Energy Corridor</h2><p>Generating hydropower can also generate opposition, because of the way dams alter rivers and landscapes. “There were some cases when investors were not able to construct power plants because of opposition of locals or green parties” in Georgia, says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/salomejanelidze/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Salome Janelidze</a>, a board member at the <a href="https://entc.ge/en/home" target="_blank">Energy Training Center,</a> a Georgian government agency that promotes and educates around the country’s energy sector.</p><p>“It was definitely a problem and it has not been totally solved,” says Janelidze. But “to me it seems it is doable,” she says. “You can procure and construct if you work closely with the local population and see them as allies rather than adversaries.”</p><p>For Azerbaijan, most of the electricity would be generated by wind and solar farms funded by foreign investment. <a href="https://masdar.ae/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Masdar</a>, the renewable-energy developer of the United Arab Emirates government, has been investing heavily in wind power in the country. In June, the company <a href="https://masdar.ae/en/news/newsroom/president-of-azerbaijan-breaks-ground-on-masdar-1gw-solar-and-wind-projects" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">broke ground on a trio of wind and solar projects</a> with 1 GW capacity. It intends to develop up to 9 GW more in Azerbaijan by 2030. <a href="https://www.acwapower.com/en/" target="_blank">ACWA Power</a>, a Saudi power-generation company, plans to <a href="https://www.intellinews.com/azerbaijan-builds-largest-wind-farm-in-the-caucasus-338535/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">complete a 240-MW solar plant in the Absheron and Khizi districts of Azerbaijan next year</a> and has <a href="https://minenergy.gov.az/en/xeberler-arxivi/energetika-nazirliyi-ve-acwa-power-umumi-gucu-25-qvt-olan-kulek-enerjisi-ve-enerji-saxlanc-sistemleri-layiheleri-uzre-emekdasliq-senedleri-imzalayib" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">struck a deal with the Azerbaijani Ministry of Energy</a> to install up to 2.5 GW of offshore and onshore wind.</p><p>CESI is currently running a second study to gauge the practicality of the full breadth of the proposed energy corridor—from the Caspian Sea to Europe—with a transmission capacity of 4 to 6 GW. But that beefier interconnection will likely remain out of reach in the near term. “By 2030, we can’t claim our region will provide 4 GW or 6 GW,” says Gachechiladze. “1.3 is realistic.”</p><h2>COP29: Azerbaijan’s Renewable Energy Push</h2><p>Signs of political support have surfaced. In September, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Hungary <a href="https://interfax.com/newsroom/top-stories/105614/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">created a joint venture</a>, based in Romania, to shepherd the project. Those four countries in 2022 inked a memorandum of understanding with the European Union to develop the energy corridor. </p><p>The involved countries are in the process of applying for the cable to be selected as an EU “project of mutual interest,” making it an infrastructure priority for connecting the union with its neighbors. If selected, “the project could qualify for 50 percent grant financing,” says Gachechiladze. “It’s a huge budget. It will improve drastically the financial condition of the project.” The commissioner responsible for EU enlargement policy projected that the union <a href="https://x.com/OliverVarhelyi/status/1602019537662132226" target="_blank">would pay an estimated €2.3</a> billion ($2.5 billion) toward building the cable.</p><p>Whether next week’s COP29, held in Baku, Azerbaijan, will help move the plan forward remains to be seen. In preparation for the conference, advocates of the energy corridor have been taking international journalists on tours of the country’s energy infrastructure.</p><p>Looming over the project are the security issues threaten to thwart it. Shipping routes in the Black Sea have become less dependable and safe since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. To the south, tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan remain after the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagorno-Karabakh_conflict" target="_blank">recent war and ethnic violence</a>.</p><p>In order to improve relations, many advocates of the energy corridor would like to include Armenia. “The cable project is in the interests of Georgia, it’s in the interests of Armenia, it’s in the interests of Azerbaijan,” says <a href="https://www.rug.nl/staff/a.bayramov/cv?lang=en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Agha Bayramov</a>, an energy geopolitics researcher at the University of Groningen, in the Netherlands. “It might increase the chance of them living peacefully together. Maybe they’ll say, ‘We’re responsible for European energy. Let’s put our egos aside.’”</p>

Nov 5, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/two-people-standing-on-a-dry-grassy-hill-surrounded-by-olive-trees.jpg?id=54178718&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C259%2C0%2C260"/><br/><br/><p><a href="https://epics.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EPICS in IEEE</a>, a service learning program for university students supported by <a href="https://www.ieee.org/education/index.html" target="_blank">IEEE Educational Activities</a>, offers students opportunities to engage with engineering professionals and mentors, local organizations, and technological innovation to address community-based issues.</p><p>The following two environmentally focused projects demonstrate the value of teamwork and direct involvement with project stakeholders. One uses smart biodigesters to better manage waste in Colombia’s rural areas. The other is focused on helping Turkish olive farmers protect their trees from climate change effects by providing them with a warning system that can identify growing problems.</p><h2>No time to waste in rural Colombia</h2><p>Proper waste management is critical to a community’s living conditions. In rural La Vega, Colombia, the lack of an effective system has led to contaminated soil and water, an especially concerning issue because the town’s economy relies heavily on agriculture.</p><p>The <a href="https://epics.ieee.org/project/smart-biodigesters-for-a-better-environment-in-rural-areas-colombia/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Smart Biodigesters for a Better Environment in Rural Areas</a> project brought students together to devise a solution.</p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/vivian-estefan%C3%ADa-beltr%C3%A1n-parada-4a648a10b/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vivian Estefanía Beltrán</a>, a Ph.D. student at the <a href="https://urosario.edu.co/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Universidad del Rosario</a> in Bogotá, addressed the problem by building a low-cost anaerobic digester that uses an instrumentation system to break down microorganisms into biodegradable material. It reduces the amount of solid waste, and the digesters can produce biogas, which can be used to generate electricity.</p><p>“Anaerobic digestion is a natural biological process that converts organic matter into two valuable products: biogas and nutrient-rich soil amendments in the form of digestate,” Beltrán says. “As a by-product of our digester’s operation, digestate is organic matter that can’t be transferred into biogas but can be used as a soil amendment for our farmers’ crops, such as coffee.</p><p>“While it may sound easy, the process is influenced by a lot of variables. The support we’ve received from EPICS in IEEE is important because it enables us to measure these variables, such as pH levels, temperature of the reactor, and biogas composition [methane and hydrogen sulfide]. The system allows us to make informed decisions that enhance the safety, quality, and efficiency of the process for the benefit of the community.”</p><p>The project was a collaborative effort among Universidad del Rosario students, a team of engineering students from <a href="https://etitc.edu.co/es/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Escuela Tecnológica Instituto Técnico Central</a>, Professor Carlos Felipe Vergara, and members of <a href="http://www.engativa.gov.co/mi-localidad/juntas-de-accion-comunal" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Junta de Acción Comunal (Vereda La Granja)</a>, which aims to help residents improve their community.</p><p class="pull-quote">“It’s been a great experience to see how individuals pursuing different fields of study—from engineering to electronics and computer science—can all work and learn together on a project that will have a direct positive impact on a community.” <strong>—Vivian Estefanía Beltrán</strong></p><p>Beltrán worked closely with eight undergraduate students and three instructors—Maria Fernanda Gómez, Andrés Pérez Gordillo (the instrumentation group leader), and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-felipe-vergara-ram%C3%ADrez-4a647b7b/?originalSubdomain=co" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Carlos Felipe Vergara-Ramirez</a>—as well as IEEE Graduate Student Member <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicol%C3%A1s-castiblanco-5b0666186/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Nicolás Castiblanco</a> (the instrumentation group coordinator).</p><p>The team constructed and installed their anaerobic digester system in an experimental station in La Vega, a town located roughly 53 kilometers northwest of Bogotá.</p><p> “This digester is an important innovation for the residents of La Vega, as it will hopefully offer a productive way to utilize the residual biomass they produce to improve quality of life and boost the economy,” Beltrán says. Soon, she adds, the system will be expanded to incorporate high-tech sensors that automatically monitor biogas production and the digestion process.</p><p>“For our students and team members, it’s been a great experience to see how individuals pursuing different fields of study—from engineering to electronics and computer science—can all work and learn together on a project that will have a direct positive impact on a community. It enables all of us to apply our classroom skills to reality,” she says. “The funding we’ve received from EPICS in IEEE has been crucial to designing, proving, and installing the system.”</p><p>The project also aims to support the development of a circular economy, which reuses materials to enhance the community’s sustainability and self-sufficiency.</p><h2>Protecting olive groves in Türkiye</h2><p>Türkiye is one of the world’s leading producers of olives, but the industry has been challenged in recent years by unprecedented floods, droughts, and other destructive forces of nature resulting from climate change. To help farmers in the western part of the country monitor the health of their olive trees, a team of students from <a href="https://www.itu.edu.tr/en" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Istanbul Technical University</a> developed an early-warning system to identify irregularities including abnormal growth.</p><p> “Almost no olives were produced last year using traditional methods, due to climate conditions and unusual weather patterns,” says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tayfun-akgul-9b590113/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tayfun Akgül</a>, project leader of the <a href="https://epics.ieee.org/project/smart-monitoring-of-fruit-trees-the-case-of-olive-trees-western-turkey/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Smart Monitoring of Fruit Trees in Western Türkiye</a> initiative.</p><p>“Our system will give farmers feedback from each tree so that actions can be taken in advance to improve the yield,” says Akgül, an IEEE senior member and a professor in the university’s electronics and communication engineering department.</p><p>“We’re developing deep-learning techniques to detect changes in olive trees and their fruit so that farmers and landowners can take all necessary measures to avoid a low or damaged harvest,” says project coordinator <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/meli-g-268253109/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Melike Girgin</a>, a Ph.D. student at the university and an IEEE graduate student member. </p><p>Using drones outfitted with 360-degree optical and thermal cameras, the team collects optical, thermal, and hyperspectral imaging data through aerial methods. The information is fed into a cloud-based, open-source database system.</p><p>Akgül leads the project and teaches the team skills including signal and image processing and data collection. He says regular communication with community-based stakeholders has been critical to the project’s success. </p><p>“There are several farmers in the village who have helped us direct our drone activities to the right locations,” he says. “Their involvement in the project has been instrumental in helping us refine our process for greater effectiveness. </p><p>“For students, classroom instruction is straightforward, then they take an exam at the end. But through our EPICS project, students are continuously interacting with farmers in a hands-on, practical way and can see the results of their efforts in real time.”</p><p>Looking ahead, the team is excited about expanding the project to encompass other fruits besides olives. The team also intends to apply for a travel grant from IEEE in hopes of presenting its work at a conference.</p><p>“We’re so grateful to EPICS in IEEE for this opportunity,” Girgin says. “Our project and some of the technology we required wouldn’t have been possible without the funding we received.”</p><h2>A purpose-driven partnership</h2><p>The <a href="https://standards.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Standards Association</a> sponsored both of the proactive environmental projects.</p><p>“Technical projects play a crucial role in advancing innovation and ensuring interoperability across various industries,” says <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/munir-mohammed-5632193/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Munir Mohammed</a>, IEEE SA senior manager of product development and market engagement. “These projects not only align with our technical standards but also drive technological progress, enhance global collaboration, and ultimately improve the quality of life for communities worldwide.”</p><p>For more information on the program or to participate in service-learning projects, visit <a href="https://epics.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">EPICS in IEEE</a>.</p><p><em>On 7 November, this article was updated from an earlier version.</em></p>

Nov 5, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/several-individuals-in-full-body-cleanroom-suits-work-in-a-brightly-lit-white-environment-with-computers-and-machines.jpg?id=54230006&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C360%2C0%2C360"/><br/><br/><p> Last week the organization tasked with running the the <a href="https://www.semiconductors.org/chips-rd-programs/" target="_blank">biggest chunk</a> of <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/chips-act" target="_blank">U.S. CHIPS Act’s</a> US $13 billion R&D program made some significant strides: The <a href="https://www.nist.gov/chips/research-development-programs/national-semiconductor-technology-center" target="_blank">National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC)</a> released a strategic plan and selected the sites of two of three planned facilities and released a new strategic plan. The locations of the two sites—a <a href="https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/11/biden-harris-administration-announces-sunnyvale-ca-expected-location-second" target="_blank"><u>“design and collaboration” center</u></a> in Sunnyvale, Calif., and a lab devoted to advancing the <a href="https://www.nist.gov/news-events/news/2024/10/biden-harris-administration-announces-ny-creates-albany-nanotech-complex" target="_blank"><u>leading edge of chipmaking</u></a>, in Albany, N.Y.—build on an existing ecosystem at each location, experts say. The location of the third planned center—a chip prototyping and packaging site that could be especially <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/power-electronics" target="_self"><u>critical for speeding semiconductor startups</u></a>—is still a matter of speculation. </p><p> “The NSTC represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the U.S. to accelerate the pace of innovation in semiconductor technology,” <a href="https://natcast.org/leadership" target="_blank"><u>Deirdre Hanford</u></a>, CEO of Natcast, the nonprofit that runs the NSTC centers, said in a <a href="https://natcast.org/biden-harris-announces-second-chips-flagship-facility" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>statement</u></a>. According to the strategic plan, which covers 2025 to 2027, the NSTC is meant to accomplish three goals: extend U.S. technology leadership, reduce the time and cost to prototype, and build and sustain a semiconductor workforce development ecosystem. The three centers are meant to do a mix of all three. </p><h2>New York gets extreme ultraviolet lithography</h2><p> NSTC plans to direct $825 million into the Albany project. The site will be dedicated to extreme ultraviolet lithography, a technology that’s essential to making the most advanced logic chips. The <a href="https://ny-creates.org/ny-creates-campus-complex/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Albany Nanotech Complex</u></a>, which has already seen more than $25 billion in investments from the state and industry partners over two decades, will form the heart of the future NSTC center. It already has an<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/euv" target="_self"><u> EUV lithography</u></a> machine on site and has begun an expansion to install a next-generation version, called <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/high-na-euv" target="_self"><u>high-NA EUV</u></a>, which promises to produce even finer chip features. Working with a tool recently installed in Europe, IBM, a long-time tenant of the Albany research facility, reported record yields of <a href="https://research.ibm.com/blog/new-euv-patterning-yield-benchmarks" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>copper interconnects built every 21 nanometers</u></a>, a pitch several nanometers tighter than possible with ordinary EUV. </p><p> “It’s fulfilling to see that this ecosystem can be taken to the national and global level through CHIPS Act funding,” said <a href="https://research.ibm.com/people/mukesh-khare" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Mukesh Khare</u></a>, general manager of IBM’s semiconductors division, speaking from the future site of the NSTC EUV center. “It’s the right time, and we have all the ingredients.” </p><p> While only a few companies are capable of manufacturing cutting edge logic using EUV, the impact of the NSTC center will be much broader, Khare argues. It will extend down as far as early-stage startups with ideas or materials for improving the chipmaking process “An EUV R&D center doesn’t mean just one machine,” says Khare. “It needs so many machines around it… It’s a very large ecosystem.” </p><h2>Silicon Valley lands the design center</h2><p> The design center is tasked with conducting advanced research in <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/chip-design" target="_self"><u>chip design</u></a>, electronic design automation (EDA), chip and system architectures, and<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/tag/security" target="_self"><u> hardware security</u></a>. It will also host the NSTC’s design enablement gateway—a program that provides NSTC members with a secure, cloud-based access to design tools, reference processes and designs, and shared data sets, with the goal of reducing the time and cost of design. Additionally, it will house workforce development, member convening, and administration functions. </p><p> Situating the design center in Silicon Valley, with its concentration of research universities, venture capital, and workforce, seems like the obvious choice to many experts. “I can’t think of a better place,” says Patrick Soheili, co-founder of interconnect technology startup Eliyan, which is based in Santa Clara, Calif. </p><p> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhijeet-chakraborty-1a21931/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Abhijeet Chakraborty</u></a>, vice president of engineering in the technology and product group at Silicon Valley-based <a href="https://www.synopsys.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Synopsys</u></a>, a leading maker of EDA software, sees Silicon Valley’s expansive tech ecosystem as one of its main advantages in landing the NSTC’s design center. The region concentrates companies and researchers involved in the whole spectrum of the industry from semiconductor process technology to cloud software. </p><p> Access to such a broad range of industries is increasingly important for chip design startups, he says. “To design a chip or component these days you need to go from concept to design to validation in an environment that takes care of the entire stack,” he says. It’s prohibitively expensive for a startup to do that alone, so one of Chakraborty’s hopes for the design center is that it will help startups access the design kits and other data needed to operate in this new environment. </p><h2>Packaging and prototyping still to come</h2><p> A third promised center for prototyping and packaging is still to come. “The big question is where does the packaging and prototyping go?” says Mark Granahan, cofounder and CEO of Pennsylvania-based <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/power-electronics" target="_blank">power semiconductor startup Ideal Semiconductor</a>. “To me that’s a great opportunity.” He points out that because there is so little packaging technology infrastructure in the United States, any ambitious state or region should have a shot at hosting such a center. One of the original intentions of the act, after all, was to expand the number of regions of the country that are involved in the semiconductor industry. </p><p> But that hasn’t stopped some already tech-heavy regions from wanting it. “Oregon offers the strongest ecosystem for such a facility,” a spokesperson for <a href="https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/foundry/overview.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Intel</u></a>, whose technology development is done there. “The state is uniquely positioned to contribute to the success of the NSTC and help drive technological advancements in the U.S. semiconductor industry.” </p><p> As NSTC makes progress, Granahan’s concern is that bureaucracy will expand with it and slow efforts to boost the U.S. chip industry. Already the layers of control are multiplying. The <a href="https://www.nist.gov/chips" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Chips Office</u></a> at the National Institute of Standards and Technology executes the Act. The NSTC is administered by the nonprofit <a href="https://natcast.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>Natcast</u></a>, which directs the EUV center, which is in a facility run by another nonprofit, <a href="https://ny-creates.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>NY CREATES</u></a>. “We want these things to be agile and make local decisions.” </p><div class="flourish-embed flourish-map" data-src="visualisation/17535944?1509099"><script src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js"></script><noscript><img alt="map visualization" src="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/17535944/thumbnail" width="100%"/></noscript></div>

Nov 4, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/overhead-view-of-strong-sea-waves.jpg?id=54185581&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C121%2C0%2C121"/><br/><br/><p>Research expeditions conducted at sea using a rotating gravity machine and microscope found that the Earth’s oceans may not be absorbing as much carbon as researchers have long thought. </p><p>Oceans are believed to absorb roughly <a href="https://essd.copernicus.org/articles/15/5301/2023/" target="_blank">26 percent</a><a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a> of global carbon dioxide emissions by drawing down CO₂ from the atmosphere and locking it away. In this system, CO₂ enters the ocean, where phytoplankton and other organisms consume about <a rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">70 percent</a> of it. When these organisms eventually die, their soft, small structures sink to the bottom of the ocean in what looks like an underwater snowfall. </p><p>This “marine snow” pulls carbon away from the surface of the ocean and sequesters it in the depths for millennia, which enables the surface waters to draw down more CO₂ from the air. It’s one of Earth’s best natural carbon-removal systems. It’s so effective at keeping atmospheric CO₂levels in check that many research groups are trying to enhance the process with <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/direct-ocean-carbon-capture" target="_blank">geoengineering techniques</a>.<strong></strong></p><p>But the new <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adl5767" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">study</a>, published on 11 October in <em>Science,</em> found that the sinking particles don’t fall to the ocean floor as quickly as researchers thought. Using a custom gravity machine that simulated marine snow’s native environment, the study’s authors observed that the particles produce mucus tails that act like parachutes, putting the brakes on their descent—sometimes even bringing them to a standstill.</p><p>The physical drag leaves carbon lingering in the upper hydrosphere, rather than being safely sequestered in deeper waters. Living organisms can then consume the marine snow particles and respire their carbon back into the sea. Ultimately, this impedes the rate at which the ocean draws down and sequesters additional CO₂ from the air.<strong></strong></p><p>The implications are grim: Scientists’ best estimates of how much CO₂ the Earth’s oceans sequester could be way off. “We’re talking roughly hundreds of gigatonnes of discrepancy if you don’t include these marine snow tails,” says <a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/manu-prakash" target="_blank">Manu Prakash</a>, a bioengineer at Stanford University and one of the paper’s authors. The work was conducted by researchers at Stanford, Rutgers University in New Jersey, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts.<strong></strong></p><h2></h2><h2>Oceans Absorb Less CO₂ Than Expected</h2><p>Researchers for years have been developing numerical models to estimate marine carbon sequestration. Those models will need to be adjusted for the slower sinking speed of marine snow, Prakash says.</p><p>The findings also have implications for startups in the fledgling <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ocean-geoengineering" target="_self">marine carbon geoengineering</a> field. These companies use techniques such as ocean alkalinity enhancement to augment the ocean’s ability to sequester carbon. Their success depends, in part, on using numerical models to prove to investors and the public that their techniques work. But their estimates are only as good as the models they use, and the scientific community’s confidence in them.</p><p class="pull-quote">“We’re talking roughly hundreds of gigatonnes of discrepancy if you don’t include these marine snow tails.” <strong>—Manu Prakash, Stanford University</strong></p><p>The Stanford researchers made the discovery on an expedition off the coast of Maine. There, they collected marine samples by hanging traps from their boat 80 meters deep. After pulling up a sample, the researchers quickly analyzed the contents while still on board the ship using their wheel-shaped machine and microscope.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"> <img alt="Close-up of a rotating gravity machine and microscope with labels for the circular fluidic chamber, infrared LED ring, liquid lens, dark-field camera, rotational stage, objective and x y stages." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="212a80998204a9b797aac94e2db1f5ff" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="f9fea" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/close-up-of-a-rotating-gravity-machine-and-microscope-with-labels-for-the-circular-fluidic-chamber-infrared-led-ring-liquid-le.jpg?id=54146723&width=980"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">The researchers built a microscope with a spinning wheel that simulates marine snow falling through sea water over longer distances than would otherwise be practical.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Prakash Lab/Stanford </small></p><p>The device simulates the organisms’ vertical travel over long distances. Samples go into a wheel about the size of a vintage film reel. The wheel spins constantly, allowing suspended marine-snow particles to sink while a camera captures their every move.</p><p>The apparatus adjusts for temperature, light, and pressure to emulate marine conditions. Computational tools assess flow around the sinking particles and <a href="https://github.com/rahulchajwa/PIV-Gravity-machine-on-oceans" target="_blank">custom software</a> removes noise in the data from the ship’s vibrations. To accommodate for the tilt and roll of the ship, the researchers mounted the device on a two-axis gimbal. </p><h2>Slower Marine Snow Reduces Carbon Sequestration</h2><p>With this setup, the team observed that sinking marine snow generates an invisible halo-shaped comet tail made of viscoelastic transparent exopolymer—a mucus-like parachute. They discovered the invisible tail by adding small beads to the seawater sample in the wheel, and analyzing the way they flowed around the marine snow. “We found that the beads were stuck in something invisible trailing behind the sinking particles,” says <a href="https://profiles.stanford.edu/rahul-chajwa" target="_blank">Rahul Chajwa</a>, a bioengineering postdoctoral fellow at Stanford. <strong></strong></p><p>The tail introduces drag and buoyancy, doubling the amount of time marine snow spends in the upper<strong> </strong>100 meters of the ocean, the researchers concluded. “This is the sedimentation law we should be following,” says Prakash, who hopes to get the results into climate models.</p><p>The study will likely help models project carbon export—the process of transporting CO₂ from the atmosphere to the deep ocean, says <a href="https://discover.utas.edu.au/Lennart.Bach" target="_blank">Lennart Bach</a>, a marine biochemist at the University of Tasmania in Australia, who was not involved with the research. “The methodology they developed is very exciting and it’s great to see new methods coming into this research field,” he says. </p><p>But Bach cautions against extrapolating the results too far. “I don’t think the study will change the numbers on carbon export as we know them right now,” because these numbers are derived from empirical methods that would have unknowingly included the effects of the mucus tail, he says.<br/></p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"> <img alt="Close-up of a white snowflake-like clump descending in dark water." class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f01740f699ac2b3f1c0b8b86000a38f1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="5a2d1" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/close-up-of-a-white-snowflake-like-clump-descending-in-dark-water.jpg?id=54185670&width=980"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Marine snow may be slowed by “parachutes” of mucus while sinking, potentially lowering the rate at which the global ocean can sequester carbon in the depths.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Prakash Lab/Stanford</small></p><p><span></span>Prakash and his team <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41592-020-0924-7" target="_blank">came up with the idea</a> for the microscope while conducting research on a human parasite that can travel dozens of meters. “We would make 5- to 10-meter-tall microscopes, and one day, while packing for a trip to Madagascar, I had this ‘aha’ moment,” says Prakash. “I was like: Why are we packing all these tubes? What if the two ends of these tubes were connected?”</p><p>The group turned their linear tube into a closed circular channel—a hamster wheel approach to observing microscopic particles. Over five expeditions at sea, the team further refined the microscope’s design and fluid mechanics to accommodate marine samples, often tackling the engineering while on the boat and adjusting for flooding and high seas. </p><p>In addition to the sedimentation physics of marine snow, the team also studies other plankton that may affect climate and carbon-cycle models. On a recent expedition off the coast of Northern California, the group discovered a cell with silica ballast that makes marine snow sink like a rock, Prakash says.</p><p>The crafty gravity machine is one of Prakash’s many <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/manu-prakash" target="_blank">frugal inventions</a>, which include an origami-inspired paper microscope, or “<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/foldscope-a-paper-microscope-you-can-attach-to-your-smartphone" target="_self">foldscope</a>,” that can be attached to a smartphone, and a paper-and-string biomedical centrifuge dubbed a “<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41551-016-0009" target="_blank">paperfuge</a>.” </p>

Nov 4, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/portrait-of-an-older-woman-with-short-brown-hair-wearing-a-white-button-up-shirt-and-red-and-black-checked-jacket-against-a-whit.jpg?id=54176662&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C375%2C0%2C375"/><br/><br/><p>Like many innovators, <a href="https://il.linkedin.com/in/hagit-messer-a3947762" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Hagit Messer-Yaron</a> had a life-changing idea while doing something mundane: Talking with a colleague over a cup of coffee. The IEEE Life Fellow, who in 2006 was head of <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tel Aviv University</a>’s <a href="https://english.tau.ac.il/Porter_school" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Porter School of Environmental Studies</a>, was at the school’s cafeteria with a meteorological researcher. He shared his struggles with finding high-resolution weather data for his climate models, which are used to forecast and track flash floods.</p><p>Predicting floods is crucial for quickly evacuating residents in affected areas and protecting homes and businesses against damage.</p><h3>Hagit Messer-Yaron</h3><br/><p><strong>Employer </strong>Tel Aviv University</p><p><strong>Title </strong>Professor emerita</p><p><strong>Member grade </strong>Life<strong> </strong>Fellow</p><strong>Alma mater </strong>Tel Aviv University<p>Her colleague “said researchers in the field had limited measurements because the equipment meteorologists used to collect weather data—including radar satellites—is expensive to purchase and maintain, especially in developing countries,” Messer-Yaron says.</p><p>Because of that, she says, high-resolution data about temperature, air quality, wind speed, and precipitation levels is often inconsistent—which is a problem when trying to produce accurate models and predictions.</p><p>An expert in signal processing and cellular communication, Messer-Yaron came up with the idea of using existing wireless communication signals to collect weather data, as communication networks are spread across the globe.</p><p>In 2006 she and her research team developed algorithms that process and analyze data collected by communication networks to monitor rainfall. They measure the difference in amplitude of the signals transmitted and received by the systems to extract data needed to predict flash floods.</p><p>The method was first demonstrated in Israel. Messer-Yaron is working to integrate it into communication networks worldwide.</p><p>For her work, she received this year’s <a href="https://corporate-awards.ieee.org/award/ieee-medal-for-environmental-and-safety-technologies/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies</a> for “contributions to sensing of the environment using wireless communication networks.” The award is sponsored by <a href="https://global.toyota/en/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Toyota</a>.</p><p>“Receiving an IEEE medal, which is the highest-level award you can get within the organization, was really a surprise, and I was extremely happy to [receive] it,” she says. “I was proud that IEEE was able to evaluate and see the potential in our technology for public good and to reward it.”</p><h2>A passion for teaching</h2><p>Growing up in Israel, Messer-Yaron was interested in art, literature, and science. When it came time to choose a career, she found it difficult to decide, she says. Ultimately, she chose electrical engineering, figuring it would be easier to enjoy art and literature as hobbies.</p><p>After completing her mandatory service in the <a href="https://www.idf.il/en/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Israel Defense Forces</a> in 1973, she began her undergraduate studies at Tel Aviv University, where she found her passion: Signal processing.</p><p>“Electrical engineering is a very broad topic,” she says. “As an undergrad, you learn all the parts that make up electrical engineering, including applied physics and applied mathematics. I really enjoyed applied mathematics and soon discovered signal processing. I found it quite amazing how, by using algorithms, you can direct signals to extract information.”</p><p>She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in EE in 1977 and continued her education there, earning master’s and doctoral degrees in 1979 and 1984. She moved to the United States for a postdoctoral position at <a href="https://www.yale.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Yale</a>. There she worked with IEEE Life Fellow<a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=9418587" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Peter Schultheiss</a>, who was known for his research in using sensor array systems in underwater acoustics.</p><p>Inspired by Schultheiss’s passion for teaching, Messer-Yaron decided to pursue a career in academia. She was hired by Tel Aviv University as an electrical engineering professor in 1986. She was the first woman in Israel to become a full professor in the subject.</p><p class="pull-quote">“Being a faculty member at a public university is the best job you can do. I didn’t make a lot of money, but at the end of each day, I looked back at what I did [with pride].”</p><p><span></span>For the next 14 years, she conducted research in statistical signal processing, time-delay estimation, and sensor array processing.</p><p>Her passion for teaching took her around the world as a visiting professor at Yale, the <a href="https://www.njit.edu/" target="_blank">New Jersey Institute of Technology</a>, the <a href="https://www.ip-paris.fr/en" target="_blank">Institut Polytechnique de Paris</a>, and other schools. She collaborated with colleagues from the universities on research projects.</p><p>In 1999 she was promoted to director of Tel Aviv University’s undergraduate electrical engineering program.</p><p> A year later, she was offered an opportunity she couldn’t refuse: Serving as chief scientist for the <a href="https://www.gov.il/en/departments/ministry_of_culture_and_sport/govil-landing-page" target="_blank">Israeli Ministry of Science, Culture, and Sports</a>. She took a sabbatical from teaching and for the next three years oversaw the country’s science policy.</p><p>“I believe [working in the public sector] is part of our duty as faculty members, especially in public universities, because that makes you a public intellectual,” she says. “Working for the government gave me a broad view of many things that you don’t see as a professor, even in a large university.”</p><p>When she returned to the university in 2004, Messer-Yaron was appointed as the director of the new school of environmental studies. She oversaw the allocation of research funding and spoke with researchers individually to better understand their needs. After having coffee with one researcher, she realized there was a need to develop better weather-monitoring technology.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image"> <img alt="portrait of 2 women and a man dressed up against a dark background with white writing on it " class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="9b61bf41d4e80b349799825db7603d1d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="61194" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/portrait-of-2-women-and-a-man-dressed-up-against-a-dark-background-with-white-writing-on-it.jpg?id=54176937&width=980"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Hagit Messer-Yaron proudly displays her IEEE Medal for Environmental and Safety Technologies at this year’s IEEE Honors Ceremony. She is accompanied by IEEE President-Elect Kathleen Kramer and IEEE President Tom Couglin.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Robb Cohen</small></p><h2>Using signal processing to monitor weather</h2><p>Because the planet is warming, the risk of flash floods is steadily increasing. Warmer air holds more water—which leads to heavier-than-usual rainfall and results in more flooding, according to the U.S. <a href="https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/climate-change-indicators-river-flooding" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Environmental Protection Agency</a>.</p><p> Data about rainfall is typically collected by satellite radar and ground-based rain gauges. However, radar images don’t provide researchers with precise readings of what’s happening on the ground, according to an <a href="https://ensia.com/articles/mobile-meteorology/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Ensia article</a>. Rain gauges are accurate but provide data from small areas only.</p><p>So Messer-Yaron set her sights on developing technology that connects to cellular networks close to the ground to provide more accurate measurements, she says. Using existing infrastructure eliminates the need to build new weather radars and weather stations.</p><p>Communication systems automatically record the transmitted signal level and the received signal level, but rain can alter otherwise smooth wave patterns. By measuring the difference in the amplitude, meteorologists could extract the data necessary to track rainfall using the signal processing algorithms.</p><p>In 2005 Messer-Yaron and her group successfully tested the technology. The following year, their <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.1120034" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">“Environmental Monitoring by Wireless Communication Networks”</a> paper was published in <em><em>Science</em></em>.</p><p>The algorithm is being used in Israel in partnership with all three of the country’s major cellular service providers. Messer-Yaron acknowledges, however, that negotiating deals with cellular service companies in other countries has been difficult.</p><p>To expand the technology’s use worldwide, Messer-Yaron launched a research network through the <a href="https://www.cost.eu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">European Cooperation in Science and Technology</a> (COST), called an <a href="https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA20136/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">opportunistic precipitation sensing network</a> known as OPENSENSE. The group connects researchers, meteorologists, and other experts around the world to collaborate on integrating the technology in members’ communities.</p><h2>Monitoring the effects of climate change</h2><p>Since developing the technology, Messer-Yaron has held a number of jobs including president of the <a href="https://www.openu.ac.il/en/pages/default.aspx" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Open University of Israel</a> and vice chair of the country’s <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_for_Higher_Education_in_Israel" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Council for Higher Education</a>, which accredits academic institutions.</p><p>She is maintaining her link with Tel Aviv University today as a professor emerita.</p><p>“Being a faculty member at a public university is the best job you can do,” she says. “I didn’t make a lot of money, but at the end of each day, I looked back at what I did [with pride]. Because of the academic freedom and the autonomy I had, I was able to do many things in addition to teaching, including research.”</p><p> To continue her work in developing technology to monitor weather events, in 2016, she helped found ClimaCell, now <a href="http://tomorrow.io" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tomorrow.io</a>, based in Boston. The startup aims to use wireless communication infrastructure and IoT devices to collect real-time weather data. Messer-Yaron served as its chief scientist until 2017.</p><p>She continues to update the original algorithms with her students, most recently with machine learning capabilities to extract data from physical measurements of the signal level in communication networks.</p><h2>A global engineering community</h2><p>When Messer-Yaron was an undergraduate student, she joined IEEE at the suggestion of one of her professors. </p><p>“I didn’t think much about the benefits of being a member until I became a graduate student,” she says. “I started attending conferences and publishing papers in IEEE journals, and the organization became my professional community.”</p><p>She is an active volunteer and a member of the <a href="https://signalprocessingsociety.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">IEEE Signal Processing Society</a>. From 1994 to 2010 she served on the society’s <a href="https://signalprocessingsociety.org/technical-committees/signal-processing-theory-and-methods" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Signal Processing Theory and Methods technical committee</a>. She was associate editor of <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=97" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em><em>IEEE Signal Processing Letters</em></em></a> and <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=78" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em><em>IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing</em></em></a>. She is a member of the editorial boards of the <a href="https://signalprocessingsociety.org/publications-resources/ieee-journal-selected-topics-signal-processing" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em><em>IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Signal Processing</em></em></a> and <em><em>IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing</em></em>.</p><p>In the past 10 years, she’s been involved with other IEEE committees including the <a href="https://www.ieee.org/about/ethics/conduct-review-committee.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">conduct review</a>, <a href="https://www.ieee.org/about/ethics/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">ethics and member conduct</a>, and <a href="https://globalpolicy.ieee.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">global public policy</a> bodies.</p><p>“I don’t see my career or my professional life without the IEEE,” she says</p>

Nov 4, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-silvery-humanoid-robot-squats-down-to-grasp-a-car-part-out-of-a-bin-in-a-research-environment.png?id=54170156&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Boston Dynamics is the master of dropping amazing robot videos with no warning, and last week, we got a surprise look at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_7IPm7f1vI" target="_blank">the new electric Atlas going “hands on” with a practical factory task</a>. </p><p>This video is notable because it’s the first real look we’ve had at <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/atlas-humanoid-robot" target="_blank">the new Atlas</a> doing something useful—or doing anything at all, really, as the introductory video <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/atlas-humanoid-robot-ceo-interview" target="_blank">from back in April</a> (the first time we saw the robot) was less than a minute long. And the amount of progress that Boston Dynamics has made is immediately obvious, with the video showing a blend of autonomous perception, full body motion, and manipulation in a practical task.</p><p>We sent over some quick questions as soon as we saw the video, and we’ve got some extra detail from <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-kuindersma-06a38152/" target="_blank">Scott Kuindersma</a>, senior director of Robotics Research at Boston Dynamics.</p><hr/><p>If you haven’t seen this video yet, what kind of robotics person are you, and also here you go:</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"> <span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="48250adf94326a23cb24721ed1374462" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F_7IPm7f1vI?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span> </p><blockquote><em><em>Atlas is autonomously moving engine covers between supplier containers and a mobile sequencing dolly. The robot receives as input a list of bin locations to move parts between.<br/> </em></em><br/> <em><em>Atlas uses a machine learning (ML) vision model to detect and localize the environment fixtures and individual bins [</em></em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_7IPm7f1vI&t=36s" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em><em>0:36</em></em></a><em><em>]. The robot uses a specialized grasping policy and continuously estimates the state of manipulated objects to achieve the task.<br/></em></em><br/> <em><em>There are no prescribed or teleoperated movements; all motions are generated autonomously online. The robot is able to detect and react to changes in the environment (e.g., moving fixtures) and action failures (e.g., failure to insert the cover, tripping, environment collisions [</em></em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_7IPm7f1vI&t=84s" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em><em>1:24</em></em></a><em><em>]) using a combination of vision, force, and proprioceptive sensors.</em></em></blockquote><p>Eagle-eyed viewers will have noticed that this task is very similar to what we saw hydraulic Atlas (Atlas classic?) <a href="https://youtu.be/LeeiN9smjjY?t=82" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>working on just before it retired</u></a>. We probably don’t need to read too much into the differences between how each robot performs that task, but it’s an interesting comparison to make.</p><p>For more details, here’s our Q&A with Kuindersma:</p><p><strong>How many takes did this take?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>We ran this sequence a couple times that day, but typically we’re always filming as we continue developing and testing Atlas. Today we’re able to run that engine cover demo with high reliability, and we’re working to expand the scope and duration of tasks like these. </p><p><strong>Is this a task that humans currently do?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>Yes.</p><p><strong>What kind of world knowledge does Atlas have while doing this task?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>The robot has access to a CAD model of the engine cover that is used for object pose prediction from RGB images. Fixtures are represented more abstractly using a learned keypoint prediction model. The robot builds a map of the workcell at startup which is updated on the fly when changes are detected (e.g., moving fixture).</p><p><strong>Does Atlas’s torso have a front or back in a meaningful way when it comes to how it operates?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>Its head/torso/pelvis/legs do have “forward” and “backward” directions, but the robot is able to rotate all of these relative to one another. The robot always knows which way is which, but sometimes the humans watching lose track. </p><p><strong>Are the head and torso capable of unlimited rotation?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>Yes, many of Atlas’s joints are continuous. </p><p><strong>How long did it take you folks to get used to the way Atlas moves?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>Atlas’s motions still surprise and delight the team. </p><p><strong>OSHA recommends against squatting because it can lead to workplace injuries. How does Atlas feel about that?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>As might be evident by some of Atlas’s other motions, the kinds of behaviors that might be injurious for humans might be perfectly fine for robots. </p><p><strong>Can you describe exactly what process Atlas goes through at 1:22?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>The engine cover gets caught on the fabric bins and triggers a learned failure detector on the robot. Right now this transitions into a general-purpose recovery controller, which results in a somewhat jarring motion (we will improve this). After recovery, the robot retries the insertion using visual feedback to estimate the state of both the part and fixture. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"> <span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="86f8ad43e1df453d704052f359b0c54c" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_rFqD1Np5P8?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span> </p><p><strong>Were there other costume options you considered before going with the hot dog? </strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>Yes, but marketing wants to save them for next year.</p><p><strong>How many important sensors does the hot dog costume occlude?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>None. The robot is using cameras in the head, proprioceptive sensors, IMU, and force sensors in the wrists and feet. We did have to cut the costume at the top so the head could still spin around. </p><p><strong>Why are pickles always causing problems?</strong></p><p><strong>Kuindersma: </strong>Because pickles are pesky, polarizing pests.</p>

Nov 4, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-photo-of-a-woman-holding-an-astronaut-helmet.png?id=53892510&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C642%2C0%2C643"/><br/><br/><p><em> This is a sponsored article brought to you by <a href="https://hello.besydney.com.au/l/315211/2024-10-13/n9jcj" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">BESydney</a>.</em> </p><p> In July 2024, Sydney woman Katherine Bennell-Pegg made history as the first astronaut to graduate under the Australian flag and the first female astronaut in Australia. Her journey, marked by determination and discipline, showcases Australia’s growing prominence in space exploration and research. </p><p> From her academic achievements at the University of Sydney (USYD) to her rigorous training at the European Space Agency (ESA), Bennell-Pegg’s success has paved a path forward for aspiring space and aerospace professionals in Australia and globally. </p><h2>A journey to the stars begins in Sydney</h2><p> Katherine Bennell-Pegg was born in Sydney, New South Wales, and grew up in the Northern Beaches area. Her fascination with space began at an early age.<br/> </p><p> “I always dreamed of being an astronaut,” Bennell-Pegg shared in her “Insights from an Australian Astronaut” Space Forum Speech in July 2024. “When I was young, it was for the adventure, but after more than a decade working in space, it’s now because I know the role it plays in tackling real-world problems and developing new knowledge that can benefit our society, environment and science.” </p><h3>Sydney: A Hub for Space Innovation</h3><br/><p>Sydney, the vibrant heart of the state of New South Wales (NSW), stands at the forefront of <a href="https://hello.besydney.com.au/l/315211/2024-10-15/n9n8t" target="_blank">aerospace innovation</a> in Australia. With its world-class research facilities, leading academic institutions and strategic geographic positioning, Sydney is not only Australia’s gateway to the Indo-Pacific but also a burgeoning hub for international aerospace endeavours.</p><p>NSW is home to more than 40 per cent of Australia’s aerospace industry. Substantial investments from both the state and federal governments support this concentration of capabilities, underpinning Sydney’s role as a leader in aerospace. From advanced manufacturing and cybersecurity to quantum technologies and space exploration, this progressive city is truly thriving.</p><p>Sydney’s appeal as a desirable location for hosting<a href="https://hello.besydney.com.au/l/315211/2024-10-15/n9n8t" target="_blank"> aerospace conferences and business events</a> is bolstered by its comprehensive infrastructure, vibrant startup community and strategic position as a transport hub.</p><p>Sydney’s track record of successfully hosting events highlights the city’s ability to organise impactful international gatherings, including:</p><ul><li>Australian Space Summit</li><li>New Horizons Summit</li><li>CubeSatPlus2024 - NEW SPACE: Unbounded Skies</li></ul><p>Sydney will also host the 76th International Astronautical Congress from 29 September to 3 October 2025 and the 34th Congress of the International Council for the Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS) to be held 13 to 17 September 2026. Both will take place at ICC Sydney, further solidifying Sydney’s status as a central hub for aerospace events.</p><p>Would you like to know more about Sydney’s credentials in Aerospace? Download our Aerospace <a href="https://hello.besydney.com.au/l/315211/2024-10-13/n9jcj" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eBook</a> or visit <a href="https://hello.besydney.com.au/l/315211/2024-10-15/n9n8q" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">besydney.com.au</a><em></em></p><p> Sydney proved to be the ideal location for Bennell-Pegg’s journey to begin. She studied at the University of Sydney, where she earned a Bachelor of Engineering (Honors) in Aeronautical Engineering (Space) and a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) in Physics.<br/> <br/> Sydney’s universities are at the forefront of <a href="https://www.besydney.com.au/association-conferences/industry-strengths/aerospace-defence/" target="_blank">aerospace education and research</a>. Institutions such as the University of Sydney (USYD), the University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney) and the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) attract students from around the world. UNSW Sydney, with its School of Aerospace, Mechanical, and Mechatronic Engineering, is renowned for its innovative research in space technology and satellite systems, while UTS provides cutting-edge programs in aerospace engineering and physics, emphasizing practical applications and industry partnerships. USYD excels in aeronautical engineering and space science, supported by advanced facilities and strong ties to major aerospace organisations. Together, these universities offer comprehensive programs that integrate theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience, preparing students for dynamic careers in the rapidly evolving aerospace and space sectors. </p><p> Having excelled in her studies at USYD, Bennell-Pegg was awarded the Charles Kuller Graduation Prize for her top-placed undergraduate thesis. Subsequently, her quest for knowledge took her to Europe, where she earned two Master of Science degrees: one in Astronautics and Space Engineering from Cranfield University and another in Space Technology from Luleå University of Technology. </p><p> Reflecting on her educational path, Bennell-Pegg stated, “With the encouragement of my parents, I researched what it would take to become an astronaut and worked hard at school, participating in everything from aerobatic flying lessons to amateur astronomy.” </p><h2>Inside the rigorous training regimen of an astronaut</h2><p> Bennell-Pegg’s professional career began with roles at Airbus UK, where she contributed to numerous space missions and concept studies, such as Martian in-situ resource utilisation and space debris removal. Her expertise led her to the Australian Space Agency, where she became the Director of Space Technology. </p><p> In 2021, Bennell-Pegg was invited by the European Space Agency (ESA) to undertake Basic Astronaut Training at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany. When the ESA application opened in 2021, it was the first opening in 15 years. Bennell-Pegg jumped at the opportunity to apply alongside over 22,000 others from 22 countries. She endured six knock-out rounds, including medical, psychometrics, psychology and technical tests and made it to the group of 25 who passed. </p><p> This historic invitation marked the first time an international astronaut candidate was offered training by the ESA. </p><p class="pull-quote">“The training was demanding, but it was also an incredible opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in the field and to be part of a team that is pushing the boundaries of human exploration.”<strong>—Katherine Bennell-Pegg</strong></p><p> Bennell-Pegg’s training regimen was intense, encompassing physical conditioning, complex simulations, and theoretical classes designed to prepare candidates for long-duration missions to the International Space Station (ISS) and beyond. This included: </p><ul> <li>Studies in biology, astronomy, earth sciences, meteorology, materials, medical and fluids, both in theory and in labs.</li> <li>Radiation research – an area of expertise for Australia. This will increase as humans travel back to the Moon.</li> <li>Medical operations: Astronauts need to be able to perform medical procedures on themselves and others.</li> <li>Training for expeditions: This included honing team dynamics through behavioral training, ocean and winter survival training, rescue and firefighting.</li> </ul><p> Sharing her thoughts on this transformative experience, Bennell-Pegg said, “The training was demanding, but it was also an incredible opportunity to learn from some of the best minds in the field and to be part of a team that is pushing the boundaries of human exploration.” </p><p> In April 2024, Bennell-Pegg completed her training, graduating with her ESA classmates from “The Hoppers” group. Upon graduation, she became fully qualified for assignments on long-duration missions to the ISS, making her the first Australian female astronaut and the first person to train as an astronaut under the Australian flag. </p><p> “I want to use this experience to open doors for Australian scientists and engineers to utilize space for their discoveries,” Bennell-Pegg said. “I hope to inspire the pursuit of STEM careers and show all Australians that they too can reach for the stars.” </p><h2>Elevating Australia’s role in space exploration</h2><p> Katherine Bennell-Pegg’s achievements represent a significant milestone. Her journey from the University of Sydney to the rigorous training programs at the European Astronaut Centre showcases the potential of Australian talent in the global space community. </p><p> “Being the first astronaut trained under the Australian flag is an incredible honor,” Bennell-Pegg said. “I’m grateful for the support that has fueled me through intense training and opened doors for more Australians in space exploration. Whether I fly or not, there is much to accomplish here on Earth. I’m excited to leverage this experience to inspire future generations in STEM and elevate Australia’s presence in the global space community. Becoming an astronaut is just the beginning.” </p><p> <span></span>Bennell-Pegg’s dream to become an Australian astronaut is more than just a personal triumph; it is a win for anyone who aspires to a career in space or aerospace. Sydney, with its world-class educational institutions, advanced manufacturing facilities scheduled for the Western Sydney Aerotropolis and expanding opportunities in aerospace and defence, is an ideal starting point for anyone looking to make their mark in these sectors. </p><p>Would you like to know more about Sydney’s credentials in Aerospace? Download our Aerospace <a href="https://hello.besydney.com.au/l/315211/2024-10-13/n9jcj" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">eBook</a> or visit <a href="https://hello.besydney.com.au/l/315211/2024-10-15/n9n8q" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">besydney.com.au</a></p>

Nov 3, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/close-up-angle-of-a-car-s-analog-dashboard-featuring-buttons-knobs-and-a-cd-slot.jpg?id=54089363&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C135%2C0%2C135"/><br/><br/><p>Tactile controls are back in vogue. Apple added two new buttons to the <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2024/09/apple-introduces-iphone-16-and-iphone-16-plus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>iPhone 16</u></a>, home appliances like <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/handson-with-ultrahaptics-invisible-touchable-controls" target="_blank">stoves</a> and washing machines are returning to knobs, and several car manufacturers are <a href="https://arstechnica.com/cars/2023/03/buttons-are-back-at-porsche-as-we-see-the-2024-cayenne-interior/" target="_blank">reintroducing</a> <a href="https://www.carsguide.com.au/car-news/hallelujah-hyundai-vows-to-resist-modern-trend-for-all-digital-cabins-and-keep-using" target="_blank">buttons</a> and dials to dashboards and <a href="https://www.thedrive.com/news/vw-brings-back-steering-wheel-buttons-after-many-customers-complain" target="_blank">steering wheels</a>. </p><p>With this “<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/touch-screens-are-over-even-apple-is-bringing-back-buttons-86fb9ea8" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">re-buttonization</a>,” as <em>The Wall Street Journal </em>describes it, demand for <a href="https://mediaschool.indiana.edu/people/profile.html?p=raplotni" target="_blank">Rachel Plotnick</a>’s expertise has grown. Plotnick, an associate professor of cinema and media studies at Indiana University in Bloomington, is the leading expert on buttons and how people interact with them. She studies the relationship between technology and society with a focus on everyday or overlooked technologies, and wrote the 2018 book <em><a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262551953/power-button/" target="_blank">Power Button: A History of Pleasure, Panic, and the Politics of Pushing</a> </em>(The MIT Press). Now, companies are reaching out to her to help improve their tactile controls.</p><p class="rm-anchors" id="menu"><em></em>Rachel Plotnick on...</p><ul><li><a href="#research">Researching the history of buttons</a></li><li><a href="#renaissance">The renaissance of physical controls</a></li><li><a href="#companies">Working with companies on “re-buttoning”</a></li></ul><p class="rm-anchors" id="research"><strong>You wrote <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262551953/power-button/" target="_blank">a book</a> a few years ago about the history of buttons. What inspired that book?</strong></p><p><strong>Rachel Plotnick:</strong><strong> </strong>Around 2009, I noticed there was a lot of discourse in the news about the death of the button. This was a couple years after the first iPhone had come out, and a lot of people were saying that, as touchscreens were becoming more popular, eventually we weren’t going to have any more physical buttons to push. This started to happen across a range of devices <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/microsoft-kinect-hand-gesture-control" target="_blank">like the Microsoft Kinect</a>, and after films like <em>Minority Report</em> had come out in the early 2000s, everyone thought we were moving to this kind of gesture or speech interface. I was fascinated by this idea that an entire interface could die, and that led me down this big wormhole, to try to understand how we came to be a society that pushed buttons everywhere we went. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="Portrait of Rachel Plotnick smiling outdoors." class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="0046944df6813b298576239d6085ebba" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="b2bb6" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/portrait-of-rachel-plotnick-smiling-outdoors.jpg?id=54089372&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption...">Rachel Plotnick studies the ways we use everyday technologies and how they shape our relationships with each other and the world.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit...">Rachel Plotnick</small></p><p>The more that I looked around, the more that I saw not only were we pressing digital buttons on social media and to order things from Amazon, but also to start our coffee makers and go up and down in elevators and operate our televisions. The pervasiveness of the button as a technology pitted against this idea of buttons disappearing seemed like such an interesting dichotomy to me. And so I wanted to understand an origin story, if I could come up with it, of where buttons came from.</p><p><strong>What did you find in your research?</strong></p><p><strong>Plotnick:</strong><strong> </strong>One of the biggest observations I made was that a lot of fears and fantasies around pushing buttons were the same 100 years ago as they are today. I expected to see this society that wildly transformed and used buttons in such a different way, but I saw these persistent anxieties over time about control and who gets to push the button, and also these pleasures around button pushing that we can use for advertising and to make technology simpler. That pendulum swing between fantasy and fear, pleasure and panic, and how those themes persisted over more than a century was what really interested me. I liked seeing the connections between the past and the present.</p><p><a href="#menu">[Back to top]</a></p><p class="rm-anchors" id="renaissance"><strong>We’ve experienced the rise of touchscreens, but now we might be seeing another shift—a renaissance in buttons and physical controls. What’s prompting the trend?</strong></p><p><strong>Plotnick:</strong><strong> </strong>There was this kind of touchscreen mania, where all of a sudden everything became a touchscreen. Your <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/quantum-dot-display-hyundai-mobis" target="_blank">car was a touchscreen</a>, your refrigerator was a touchscreen. Over time, people became somewhat fatigued with that. That’s not to say touchscreens aren’t a really useful interface, I think they are. But on the other hand, people seem to have a hunger for physical buttons, both because you don’t always have to look at them—you can feel your way around for them when you don’t want to directly pay attention to them—but also because they offer a greater range of tactility and feedback. </p><p>If you look at gamers playing video games, they want to push a lot of buttons on those controls. And if you look at DJs and digital musicians, they have endless amounts of buttons and joysticks and dials to make music. There seems to be this kind of richness of the tactile experience that’s afforded by pushing buttons. They’re not perfect for every situation, but I think increasingly, we’re realizing the merit that the interface offers.</p><p><strong>What else is motivating the re-buttoning of consumer devices?</strong></p><p><strong>Plotnick:</strong><strong> </strong>Maybe <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/zoom-fatigue" target="_blank">screen fatigue</a>. We spend all our days and nights on these devices, scrolling or constantly flipping through pages and videos, and there’s something tiring about that. The button may be a way to almost de-technologize our everyday existence, to a certain extent. That’s not to say buttons don’t work with screens very nicely—they’re often partners. But in a way, it’s taking away the priority of vision as a sense, and recognizing that a screen isn’t always the best way to interact with something. </p><p>When I’m driving, it’s actually unsafe for my car to be operated in that way. It’s hard to generalize and say, buttons are always easy and good, and touchscreens are difficult and bad, or vice versa. Buttons tend to offer you a really limited range of possibilities in terms of what you can do. Maybe that simplicity of limiting our field of choices offers more safety in certain situations.</p><p><strong>It also seems like there’s an accessibility issue when prioritizing vision in device interfaces, right?</strong></p><p><strong>Plotnick:</strong><strong> </strong>The blind community had to fight for years to make touchscreens more accessible. It’s always been funny to me that we call them touchscreens. We think about them as a touch modality, but a touchscreen prioritizes the visual. Over the last few years, we’re seeing Alexa and Siri and a lot of these other voice-activated systems that are making things a little bit more auditory as a way to deal with that. But the touchscreen is oriented around visuality.</p><p><strong>It sounds like, in general, having multiple interface options is the best way to move forward—not that touchscreens are going to become completely passé, just like the button never actually died. </strong></p><p><strong>Plotnick:</strong><strong> </strong>I think that’s accurate. We see paradigm shifts over time with technologies, but for the most part, we often recycle old ideas. It’s striking that if we look at the 1800s, people were sending messages via telegraph about what the future would look like if we all had this dashboard of buttons at our command where we could communicate with anyone and shop for anything. And that’s essentially what our smartphones became. We still have this dashboard menu approach. I think it means carefully considering what the right interface is for each situation. </p><p><a href="#menu">[Back to top]</a></p><p class="rm-anchors" id="companies"><strong>Several companies have reached out to you to learn from your expertise. What do they want to know?</strong></p><p><strong>Plotnick:</strong> I think there is a hunger out there from companies designing buttons or consumer technologies to try to understand the history of how we used to do things, how we might bring that to bear on the present, and what the future looks like with these interfaces. I’ve had a number of interesting discussions with companies, including one that manufactures push-button interfaces. I had a conversation with them about medical devices like CT machines and X-ray machines, trying to imagine the easiest way to push a button in that situation, to save people time and improve the patient encounter. </p><p>I’ve also talked to people about what will make someone use a defibrillator or not. Even though it’s really simple to go up to these automatic machines, if you see someone going into cardiac arrest in a mall or out on the street, a lot of people are terrified to actually push the button that would get this machine started. We had a really fascinating discussion about why someone wouldn’t push a button, and what would it take to get them to feel okay about doing that. </p><p>In all of these cases, these are design questions, but they’re also social and cultural questions. I like the idea that people who are in the humanities studying these things from a long-term perspective can also speak to engineers trying to build these devices.</p><p><strong>So these companies also want to know about the history of buttons? </strong></p><p><strong>Plotnick:</strong><strong> </strong>I’ve had some fascinating conversations around history. We all want to learn what mistakes not to make and what worked well in the past. There’s often this narrative of progress, that things are only getting better with technology over time. But if we look at these lessons, I think we can see that sometimes things were simpler or better in a past moment, and sometimes they were harder. Often with new technologies, we think we’re completely reinventing the wheel. But maybe these concepts existed a long time ago, and we haven’t paid attention to that. There’s a lot to be learned from the past. </p><p><a href="#menu">[Back to top]</a></p>

Nov 1, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-humanoid-robot-in-a-cheap-hot-dog-costume-holds-a-plastic-car-part-and-prepares-to-load-it-into-a-bin.png?id=54104188&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C0"/><br/><br/><p>Video Friday is your weekly selection of awesome robotics videos, collected by your friends at <em>IEEE Spectrum</em> robotics. We also post a weekly calendar of upcoming robotics events for the next few months. Please <a href="mailto:[email protected]?subject=Robotics%20event%20suggestion%20for%20Video%20Friday">send us your events</a> for inclusion.</p><h5><a href="https://2024.ieee-humanoids.org/">Humanoids 2024</a>: 22–24 November 2024, NANCY, FRANCE</h5><p>Enjoy today’s videos!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><div style="page-break-after: always"><span style="display:none"> </span></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="f_7ipm7f1vi">We’re hoping to get more on this from Boston Dynamics, but if you haven’t seen it yet, here’s <a data-linked-post="2667787639" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/atlas-humanoid-robot" target="_blank">electric Atlas</a> doing something productive (and autonomous!).</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="a9949f6cb9cfd781ea67ff7e2841112d" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F_7IPm7f1vI?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>And why not do it in a hot dog costume for Halloween, too?</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="296fdc351715b6194b826738da91b075" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_rFqD1Np5P8?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://bostondynamics.com/atlas/">Boston Dynamics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="xjvlztc7080">Ooh, this is exciting! Aldebaran is getting ready to release a seventh generation of NAO!</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e57285bbb6ca44df87141014f5825490" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xJvLZtc7080?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://corporate-internal-prod.aldebaran.com/en/nao">Aldebaran</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="e4xtxitwyce">Okay I found this actually somewhat scary, but Happy Halloween from ANYbotics!</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="08e63f2f87c91f85fb252d96a7ef31c8" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/e4XTXItWycE?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.anybotics.com/">ANYbotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="ep7wydp6hqq">Happy Halloween from the Clearpath!</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="df0a7fdc0d062083a53613efd89cb3e0" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EP7WyDP6HQQ?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://clearpathrobotics.com/">Clearpath Robotics Inc.</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="1lovdvaoqjc">Another genuinely freaky Happy Halloween, from Boston Dynamics!</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="372183273f8588e5ba64887fb51a3575" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1lOvdvAOQjc?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://bostondynamics.com/products/stretch/">Boston Dynamics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="1gwt18hde4w">This “urban opera” by Compagnie La Machine took place last weekend in Toulouse, featuring some truly enormous fantastical robots.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="18793ff08176bdce2d395b649fb4c3a4" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1Gwt18hde4w?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.lamachine.fr/en/spectacles/le-gardien-du-temple/">Compagnie La Machine</a> ]</p><p>Thanks, Thomas!</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="lcfyfh3mloq">Impressive dismount from Deep Robotics’ DR01.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="34476429642a777e2fcaaeddc5e82327" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lCFyfh3mLOQ?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://deeprobotics.cn/en/index/humanoid.html">Deep Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="hykltdsgks8">Cobot juggling from <a data-linked-post="2668817518" href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/video-friday-robot-baby-jetpack" target="_blank">Daniel Simu</a>.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="cf6d0c7d17cd39215b61bfc9ef890866" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HYKltDSGKs8?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://danielsimu.com/">Daniel Simu</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="srhyazukd6w"><em>Adaptive-morphology multirotors exhibit superior versatility and task-specific performance compared to traditional multirotors owing to their functional morphological adaptability. However, a notable challenge lies in the contrasting requirements of locking each morphology for flight controllability and efficiency while permitting low-energy reconfiguration. A novel design approach is proposed for reconfigurable multirotors utilizing soft multistable composite laminate airframes.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ce1bd8c6b015505d4a11e68fc7346b0b" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SrHYazUKd6w?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/aisy.202400356">Environmental Robotics Lab</a> paper ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="ikoizcevs2q"><em>This is a pitching demonstration of new Torobo. New Torobo is lighter than the older version, enabling faster motion such as throwing a ball. The new model will be available in Japan in March 2025 and overseas from October 2025 onward.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="d6e5d952ed0fd10e67501437e3b54fa7" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ikOIzCEvS2Q?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://robotics.tokyo/">Tokyo Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="sn03q30wuys">I’m not sure what makes this “the world’s best robotic hand for manipulation research,” but it seems solid enough.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="abcf502c710f053917b7900a85929892" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SN03Q30Wuys?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://www.robotera.com/xhand">Robot Era</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="kbwngqyekbq">And now, picking a micro cat.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="fb336bd504619a3a2e8d413543ece089" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KBwNGqYEKBQ?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="http://bmr.hanyang.ac.kr/">RoCogMan Lab</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="mgbsdk3cjxw"><em>When Arvato’s Louisville, Ky. staff wanted a robotics system that could unload freight with greater speed and safety, Boston Dynamics’ Stretch robot stood out. Stretch is a first of its kind mobile robot designed specifically to unload boxes from trailers and shipping containers, freeing up employees to focus on more meaningful tasks in the warehouse. Arvato acquired its first Stretch system this year and the robot’s impact was immediate.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="4567e3314613c0d46144980f8652ab0a" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MGbsDK3Cjxw?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://bostondynamics.com/case-studies/stretch-improves-safety-and-throughput-for-arvato/">Boston Dynamics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="icslw_eqqds"><em>NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover used its Mastcam-Z camera to capture the silhouette of Phobos, one of the two Martian moons, as it passed in front of the Sun on Sept. 30, 2024, the 1,285th Martian day, or sol, of the mission.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="14b42d659b23599d9062e3f21c5f81a2" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iCSLW_EQQDs?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://science.nasa.gov/mission/mars-2020-perseverance/">NASA</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="st9jh07qa6o"><em>Students from Howard University, Moorehouse College, and Berea College joined University of Michigan robotics students in online Robotics 102 courses for the fall ‘23 and winter ‘24 semesters. The class is part of the distributed teaching collaborative, a co-teaching initiative started in 2020 aimed at providing cutting edge robotics courses for students who would normally not have access to at their current university.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="21dd0651d0bce60410594f8bf2f6d745" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sT9jH07Qa6o?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://robotics.umich.edu/">University of Michigan Robotics</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><blockquote class="rm-anchors" id="ni5mxzttmqy"><em>Discover the groundbreaking projects and cutting-edge technology at the Robotics and Automation Summer School (RASS) hosted by Los Alamos National Laboratory. In this exclusive behind-the-scenes video, students from top universities work on advanced robotics in disciplines such as AI, automation, machine learning, and autonomous systems.</em></blockquote><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c1d888c321c056b625e4057400b82b74" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NI5MXzTtmqY?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><p>[ <a href="https://collaboration.lanl.gov/internships/summer-schools/robotics-automation-summer-school/">Los Alamos National Laboratory</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div><p class="rm-anchors" id="g2dwxl9bhgo">This week’s Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute Seminar is from Princeton University’s Anirudha Majumdar, on “Robots That Know When They Don’t Know.”</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-youtube"><span class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="8a2bd450da09a0442f2b4d441a706674" style="display:block;position:relative;padding-top:56.25%;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="auto" lazy-loadable="true" scrolling="no" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/g2DWXl9BhGo?rel=0" style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" width="100%"></iframe></span></p><blockquote><em>Foundation models from machine learning have enabled rapid advances in perception, planning, and natural language understanding for robots. However, current systems lack any rigorous assurances when required to generalize to novel scenarios. For example, perception systems can fail to identify or localize unfamiliar objects, and large language model (LLM)-based planners can hallucinate outputs that lead to unsafe outcomes when executed by robots. How can we rigorously quantify the uncertainty of machine learning components such that robots know when they don’t know and can act accordingly?</em></blockquote><p>[ <a href="https://www.ri.cmu.edu/event/robots-that-know-when-they-dont-know/">Carnegie Mellon University Robotics Institute</a> ]</p><div class="horizontal-rule"></div>

Nov 1, 2024

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/an-illustration-of-a-series-of-images-of-robots-building-a-mechanical-device.png?id=54023453&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C924%2C0%2C925"/><br/><br/><p> <strong>Every invention begins with</strong> a problem—and the creative act of seeing a problem where others might just see unchangeable reality. For one 5-year-old, the problem was simple: She liked to have her tummy rubbed as she fell asleep. But her mom, exhausted from working two jobs, often fell asleep herself while putting her daughter to bed. “So [the girl] invented a teddy bear that would rub her belly for her,” explains <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniecouch/" target="_blank">Stephanie Couch</a>, executive director of the <a href="https://lemelson.mit.edu/" target="_blank">Lemelson MIT Program</a>. Its mission is to nurture the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs. </p><p> Anyone can learn to be an inventor, Couch says, given the right resources and encouragement. “Invention doesn’t come from some innate genius, it’s not something that only really special people get to do,” she says. Her program creates invention-themed curricula for U.S. classrooms, ranging from kindergarten to community college. </p><div class="ieee-sidebar-small"> <p> <a href="https://wikimediadc.org/wiki/Peter_Meyer" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"></a>This article is part of our special report, “<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/special-reports/reinventing-invention/" target="_blank">Reinventing Invention: Stories from Innovation’s Edge</a>.” </p> </div><p> We’re biased, but we hope that little girl grows up to be an engineer. By the time she comes of age, the act of invention may be something entirely new—reflecting the adoption of novel tools and the guiding forces of new social structures. Engineers, with their restless curiosity and determination to optimize the world around them, are continuously in the process of reinventing invention. </p><p> In this special issue, we bring you stories of people who are in the thick of that reinvention today. <em><em>IEEE Spectrum</em></em> is marking 60 years of publication this year, and we’re celebrating by highlighting both the creative act and the grindingly hard engineering work required to turn an idea into something world changing. In these pages, we take you behind the scenes of some awe-inspiring projects to reveal how technology is being made—and remade—in our time. </p><h2>Inventors Are Everywhere</h2><p> Invention has long been a democratic process. The economist <a href="https://www.bowdoin.edu/profiles/faculty/bkhan/" target="_blank">B. Zorina Khan</a> of Bowdoin College has noted that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has always endeavored to allow essentially anyone to try their hand at invention. From the beginning, the patent examiners didn’t care who the applicants were—anyone with a novel and useful idea who could pay the filing fee was officially an inventor. </p><p> This ethos continues today. It’s still possible for an individual to launch a tech startup from a garage or go on “Shark Tank” to score investors. The Swedish inventor <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/simone-giertz" target="_blank">Simone Giertz</a>, for example, made a name for herself with YouTube videos showing off her hilariously bizarre contraptions, like an alarm clock with an arm that slapped her awake. The MIT innovation scholar <a href="https://mitsloan.mit.edu/faculty/directory/eric-arthur-von-hippel" target="_blank">Eric von Hippel</a> has spotlighted today’s vital ecosystem of “user innovation,” in which inventors such as Giertz are motivated by their own needs and desires rather than ambitions of mass manufacturing. </p><p> But that route to invention gets you only so far, and the limits of what an individual can achieve have become starker over time. To tackle some of the biggest problems facing humanity today, inventors need a deep-pocketed government sponsor or corporate largess to muster the equipment and collective human brainpower required. </p><p> When we think about the challenges of scaling up, it’s helpful to remember Alexander Graham Bell and his collaborator Thomas Watson. “They invent this cool thing that allows them to talk between two rooms—so it’s a neat invention, but it’s basically a gadget,” says <a href="https://invention.si.edu/eric-hintz" target="_blank">Eric Hintz</a>, a historian of invention at the Smithsonian Institution. “To go from that to a transcontinental long-distance telephone system, they needed a lot more innovation on top of the original invention.” To scale their invention, Hintz says, Bell and his colleagues built the infrastructure that eventually evolved into Bell Labs, which became the standard-bearer for corporate R&D. </p><p> In this issue, we see engineers grappling with challenges of scale in modern problems. Consider the semiconductor technology supported by the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act, a policy initiative aimed at bolstering domestic chip production. Beyond funding manufacturing, it also provides US $11 billion for R&D, including three national centers where companies can test and pilot new technologies. As one startup tells the tale, this infrastructure will drastically speed up the <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/power-electronics" target="_blank">lab-to-fab process</a>. </p><p> And then there are <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/optical-atomic-clocks" target="_blank">atomic clocks</a>, the epitome of precision timekeeping. When researchers decided to build a commercial version, they had to shift their perspective, taking a sprawling laboratory setup and reimagining it as a portable unit fit for mass production and the rigors of the real world. They had to stop optimizing for precision and instead choose the most robust laser, and the atom that would go along with it. </p><p> These technology efforts benefit from infrastructure, brainpower, and cutting-edge new tools. One tool that may become ubiquitous across industries is artificial intelligence—and it’s a tool that could further expand access to the invention arena. </p><p> What if you had a team of indefatigable assistants at your disposal, ready to scour the world’s technical literature for material that could spark an idea, or to iterate on a concept 100 times before breakfast? That’s the promise of today’s generative AI. The Swiss company Iprova is exploring whether its AI tools can <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-inventions" target="_blank">automate “eureka” moments</a> for its clients, corporations that are looking to beat their competitors to the next big idea. The serial entrepreneur <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/steve-blank" target="_blank">Steve Blank</a> similarly advises young startup founders to embrace AI’s potential to accelerate product development; he even imagines testing product ideas on digital twins of customers. Although it’s still early days, generative AI offers inventors tools that have never been available before. </p><h2>Measuring an Invention’s Impact</h2><p> If AI accelerates the discovery process, and many more patentable ideas come to light as a result, then what? As it is, more than a million patents are granted every year, and we struggle to identify the ones that will make a lasting impact. <a href="https://som.yale.edu/faculty-research/faculty-directory/bryan-t-kelly" target="_blank">Bryan Kelly</a>, an economist at the Yale School of Management, and his collaborators made an attempt to <a href="https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3279254" target="_blank">quantify the impact of patents</a> by doing a technology-assisted deep dive into U.S. patent records dating back to 1840. Using natural language processing, they identified patents that introduced novel phrasing that was then repeated in subsequent patents—an indicator of radical breakthroughs. For example, Elias Howe Jr.’s <a href="https://www.si.edu/object/1846-elias-howe-jrs-sewing-machine-patent-model%3Anmah_630930" target="_blank">1846 patent for a sewing machine</a> wasn’t closely related to anything that came before but quickly became the basis of future sewing-machine patents. </p><p> Another foundational patent was the one awarded to an English bricklayer in 1824 for the invention of Portland cement, which is still the key ingredient in most of the world’s concrete. As Ted C. Fishman describes in his fascinating inquiry into the <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/green-concrete" target="_blank">state of concrete today</a>, this seemingly stable industry is in upheaval because of its heavy carbon emissions. The AI boom is fueling a construction boom in data centers, and all those buildings require billions of tons of concrete. Fishman takes readers into labs and startups where researchers are experimenting with climate-friendly formulations of cement and concrete. Who knows which of those experiments will result in a patent that echoes down the ages? </p><p> Some engineers start their invention process by thinking about the impact they want to make on the world. The eminent Indian technologist <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/gandhi-engineering" target="_blank">Raghunath Anant Mashelkar</a>, who has popularized the idea of “Gandhian engineering”, advises inventors to work backward from “what we want to achieve for the betterment of humanity,” and to create problem-solving technologies that are affordable, durable, and not only for the elite. </p><p> Durability matters: Invention isn’t just about creating something brand new. It’s also about coming up with clever ways to keep an existing thing going. Such is the case with the <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/hubble-space-telescope-re-invention" target="_blank">Hubble Space Telescope</a>. Originally designed to last 15 years, it’s been in orbit for twice that long and has actually gotten better with age, because engineers designed the satellite to be fixable and upgradable in space. </p><p> For all the invention activity around the globe—the World Intellectual Property Organization says that <a href="https://www.wipo.int/en/ipfactsandfigures/patents" target="_blank">3.5 million</a> applications for patents were filed in 2022—it may be harder to invent something useful than it used to be. Not because “everything that can be invented has been invented,” as in the apocryphal quote attributed to the unfortunate head of the U.S. patent office in 1889. Rather, because so much education and experience are required before an inventor can even understand all the dimensions of the door they’re trying to crack open, much less come up with a strategy for doing so. <a href="https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/directory/jones_benjamin_f.aspx" target="_blank">Ben Jones</a>, an economist at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, has shown that the average <a href="https://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/faculty/jones-ben/htm/ageandgreatinvention.pdf" target="_blank">age of great technological innovators</a> rose by about six years over the course of the 20th century. “Great innovation is less and less the provenance of the young,” Jones concluded. </p><p> Consider designing something as complex as a nuclear fusion reactor, as Tom Clynes describes in “<a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/the-off-the-shelf-stellarator" target="_blank">An Off-the-Shelf Stellarator</a>.” Fusion researchers have spent decades trying to crack the code of commercially viable fusion—it’s more akin to a calling than a career. If they succeed, they will unlock essentially limitless clean energy with no greenhouse gas emissions or meltdown danger. That’s the dream that the physicists in a lab in Princeton, N.J., are chasing. But before they even started, they first had to gain an intimate understanding of all the <em><em>wrong</em></em> ways to build a fusion reactor. Once the team was ready to proceed, what they created was an experimental reactor that accelerates the design-build-test cycle. With new AI tools and unprecedented computational power, they’re now searching for the best ways to create the magnetic fields that will confine the plasma within the reactor. Already, two startups have spun out of the Princeton lab, both seeking a path to commercial fusion. </p><p> The stellarator story and many other articles in this issue showcase how one innovation leads to the next, and how one invention can enable many more. The legendary Dean Kamen, best known for mechanical devices like the Segway and the prosthetic “Luke” arm, is now trying to push forward the squishy world of biological manufacturing. In an interview, <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/dean-kamen" target="_blank">Kamen</a> explains how his nonprofit is working on the infrastructure—bioreactors, sensors, and controls—that will enable companies to explore the possibilities of growing replacement organs. You could say that he’s inventing the launchpad so others can invent the rockets. </p><p> Sometimes everyone in a research field knows where the breakthrough is needed, but that doesn’t make it any easier to achieve. Case in point: <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ai-robots" target="_blank">the quest for a household humanoid robot</a> that can perform domestic chores, switching effortlessly from frying an egg to folding laundry. Roboticists need better learning software that will enable their bots to navigate the uncertainties of the real world, and they also need cheaper and lighter actuators. Major advances in these two areas would unleash a torrent of creativity and may finally bring robot butlers into our homes. </p><p> And maybe the future roboticists who make those breakthroughs will have cause to thank <a href="https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/schools/lynch-school/faculty-research/faculty-directory/marina-bers.html" target="_blank">Marina Umaschi Bers</a>, a <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/scratchjr" target="_blank">technologist at Boston College</a> who cocreated the <a href="https://www.scratchjr.org/" target="_blank">ScratchJr</a> programming language and the <a href="https://kinderlabrobotics.com/" target="_blank">KIBO robotics kit</a> to teach kids the basics of coding and robotics in entertaining ways. She sees engineering as a playground, a place for children to explore and create, to be goofy or grandiose. If today’s kindergartners learn to think of themselves as inventors, who knows what they’ll create tomorrow? </p>

Feb 9, 2022

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/andrew-ng-listens-during-the-power-of-data-sooner-than-you-think-global-technology-conference-in-brooklyn-new-york-on-wednes.jpg?id=29206806&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C0%2C0%2C474"/><br/><br/><p><strong><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Ng" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Andrew Ng</a> has serious street cred</strong> in artificial intelligence. He pioneered the use of graphics processing units (GPUs) to train deep learning models in the late 2000s with his students at <a href="https://stanfordmlgroup.github.io/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Stanford University</a>, cofounded <a href="https://research.google/teams/brain/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Google Brain</a> in 2011, and then served for three years as chief scientist for <a href="https://ir.baidu.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Baidu</a>, where he helped build the Chinese tech giant’s AI group. So when he says he has identified the next big shift in artificial intelligence, people listen. And that’s what he told <em>IEEE Spectrum</em> in an exclusive Q&A.</p><hr/><p> Ng’s current efforts are focused on his company <a href="https://landing.ai/about/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Landing AI</a>, which built a platform called LandingLens to help manufacturers improve visual inspection with computer vision. <a name="top"></a>He has also become something of an evangelist for what he calls the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06-AZXmwHjo" target="_blank">data-centric AI movement</a>, which he says can yield “small data” solutions to big issues in AI, including model efficiency, accuracy, and bias. </p><p> Andrew Ng on... </p><ul> <li><a href="#big">What’s next for really big models</a></li> <li><a href="#career">The career advice he didn’t listen to</a></li> <li><a href="#defining">Defining the data-centric AI movement</a></li> <li><a href="#synthetic">Synthetic data</a></li> <li><a href="#work">Why Landing AI asks its customers to do the work</a></li> </ul><p> <a name="big"></a><strong>The great advances in deep learning over the past decade or so have been powered by ever-bigger models crunching ever-bigger amounts of data. Some people argue that that’s an <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/deep-learning-computational-cost" target="_self">unsustainable trajectory</a>. Do you agree that it can’t go on that way?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Andrew Ng: </strong>This is a big question. We’ve seen foundation models in NLP [natural language processing]. I’m excited about NLP models getting even bigger, and also about the potential of building foundation models in computer vision. I think there’s lots of signal to still be exploited in video: We have not been able to build foundation models yet for video because of compute bandwidth and the cost of processing video, as opposed to tokenized text. So I think that this engine of scaling up deep learning algorithms, which has been running for something like 15 years now, still has steam in it. Having said that, it only applies to certain problems, and there’s a set of other problems that need small data solutions. </p><p> <strong>When you say you want a foundation model for computer vision, what do you mean by that?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng:</strong> This is a term coined by <a href="https://cs.stanford.edu/~pliang/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Percy Liang</a> and <a href="https://crfm.stanford.edu/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">some of my friends at Stanford</a> to refer to very large models, trained on very large data sets, that can be tuned for specific applications. For example, <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/open-ais-powerful-text-generating-tool-is-ready-for-business" target="_self">GPT-3</a> is an example of a foundation model [for NLP]. Foundation models offer a lot of promise as a new paradigm in developing machine learning applications, but also challenges in terms of making sure that they’re reasonably fair and free from bias, especially if many of us will be building on top of them. </p><p> <strong>What needs to happen for someone to build a foundation model for video?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng:</strong> I think there is a scalability problem. The compute power needed to process the large volume of images for video is significant, and I think that’s why foundation models have arisen first in NLP. Many researchers are working on this, and I think we’re seeing early signs of such models being developed in computer vision. But I’m confident that if a semiconductor maker gave us 10 times more processor power, we could easily find 10 times more video to build such models for vision. </p><p> Having said that, a lot of what’s happened over the past decade is that deep learning has happened in consumer-facing companies that have large user bases, sometimes billions of users, and therefore very large data sets. While that paradigm of machine learning has driven a lot of economic value in consumer software, I find that that recipe of scale doesn’t work for other industries. </p><p> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><a name="career"></a> </p><p> <strong>It’s funny to hear you say that, because your early work was at a consumer-facing company with millions of users.</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>Over a decade ago, when I proposed starting the <a href="https://research.google/teams/brain/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Google Brain</a> project to use Google’s compute infrastructure to build very large neural networks, it was a controversial step. One very senior person pulled me aside and warned me that starting Google Brain would be bad for my career. I think he felt that the action couldn’t just be in scaling up, and that I should instead focus on architecture innovation. </p><p class="pull-quote"> “In many industries where giant data sets simply don’t exist, I think the focus has to shift from big data to good data. Having 50 thoughtfully engineered examples can be sufficient to explain to the neural network what you want it to learn.”<br/> —Andrew Ng, CEO & Founder, Landing AI </p><p> I remember when my students and I published the first <a href="https://nips.cc/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NeurIPS</a> workshop paper advocating using <a href="https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-zone" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">CUDA</a>, a platform for processing on GPUs, for deep learning—a different senior person in AI sat me down and said, “CUDA is really complicated to program. As a programming paradigm, this seems like too much work.” I did manage to convince him; the other person I did not convince. </p><p> <strong>I expect they’re both convinced now.</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng:</strong> I think so, yes. </p><p> Over the past year as I’ve been speaking to people about the data-centric AI movement, I’ve been getting flashbacks to when I was speaking to people about deep learning and scalability 10 or 15 years ago. In the past year, I’ve been getting the same mix of “there’s nothing new here” and “this seems like the wrong direction.” </p><p> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><a name="defining"></a> </p><p> <strong>How do you define data-centric AI, and why do you consider it a movement?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng:</strong> Data-centric AI is the discipline of systematically engineering the data needed to successfully build an AI system. For an AI system, you have to implement some algorithm, say a neural network, in code and then train it on your data set. The dominant paradigm over the last decade was to download the data set while you focus on improving the code. Thanks to that paradigm, over the last decade deep learning networks have improved significantly, to the point where for a lot of applications the code—the neural network architecture—is basically a solved problem. So for many practical applications, it’s now more productive to hold the neural network architecture fixed, and instead find ways to improve the data. </p><p> When I started speaking about this, there were many practitioners who, completely appropriately, raised their hands and said, “Yes, we’ve been doing this for 20 years.” This is the time to take the things that some individuals have been doing intuitively and make it a systematic engineering discipline. </p><p> The data-centric AI movement is much bigger than one company or group of researchers. My collaborators and I organized a <a href="https://neurips.cc/virtual/2021/workshop/21860" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">data-centric AI workshop at NeurIPS</a>, and I was really delighted at the number of authors and presenters that showed up. </p><p> <strong>You often talk about companies or institutions that have only a small amount of data to work with. How can data-centric AI help them?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>You hear a lot about vision systems built with millions of images—I once built a face recognition system using 350 million images. Architectures built for hundreds of millions of images don’t work with only 50 images. But it turns out, if you have 50 really good examples, you can build something valuable, like a defect-inspection system. In many industries where giant data sets simply don’t exist, I think the focus has to shift from big data to good data. Having 50 thoughtfully engineered examples can be sufficient to explain to the neural network what you want it to learn. </p><p> <strong>When you talk about training a model with just 50 images, does that really mean you’re taking an existing model that was trained on a very large data set and fine-tuning it? Or do you mean a brand new model that’s designed to learn only from that small data set?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>Let me describe what Landing AI does. When doing visual inspection for manufacturers, we often use our own flavor of <a href="https://developers.arcgis.com/python/guide/how-retinanet-works/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">RetinaNet</a>. It is a pretrained model. Having said that, the pretraining is a small piece of the puzzle. What’s a bigger piece of the puzzle is providing tools that enable the manufacturer to pick the right set of images [to use for fine-tuning] and label them in a consistent way. There’s a very practical problem we’ve seen spanning vision, NLP, and speech, where even human annotators don’t agree on the appropriate label. For big data applications, the common response has been: If the data is noisy, let’s just get a lot of data and the algorithm will average over it. But if you can develop tools that flag where the data’s inconsistent and give you a very targeted way to improve the consistency of the data, that turns out to be a more efficient way to get a high-performing system. </p><p class="pull-quote"> “Collecting more data often helps, but if you try to collect more data for everything, that can be a very expensive activity.”<br/> —Andrew Ng </p><p> For example, if you have 10,000 images where 30 images are of one class, and those 30 images are labeled inconsistently, one of the things we do is build tools to draw your attention to the subset of data that’s inconsistent. So you can very quickly relabel those images to be more consistent, and this leads to improvement in performance. </p><p> <strong>Could this focus on high-quality data help with bias in data sets? If you’re able to curate the data more before training?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng:</strong> Very much so. Many researchers have pointed out that biased data is one factor among many leading to biased systems. There have been many thoughtful efforts to engineer the data. At the NeurIPS workshop, <a href="https://www.cs.princeton.edu/~olgarus/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Olga Russakovsky</a> gave a really nice talk on this. At the main NeurIPS conference, I also really enjoyed <a href="https://neurips.cc/virtual/2021/invited-talk/22281" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mary Gray’s presentation,</a> which touched on how data-centric AI is one piece of the solution, but not the entire solution. New tools like <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/project/datasheets-for-datasets/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Datasheets for Datasets</a> also seem like an important piece of the puzzle. </p><p> One of the powerful tools that data-centric AI gives us is the ability to engineer a subset of the data. Imagine training a machine-learning system and finding that its performance is okay for most of the data set, but its performance is biased for just a subset of the data. If you try to change the whole neural network architecture to improve the performance on just that subset, it’s quite difficult. But if you can engineer a subset of the data you can address the problem in a much more targeted way. </p><p> <strong>When you talk about engineering the data, what do you mean exactly?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>In AI, data cleaning is important, but the way the data has been cleaned has often been in very manual ways. In computer vision, someone may visualize images through a <a href="https://jupyter.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jupyter notebook</a> and maybe spot the problem, and maybe fix it. But I’m excited about tools that allow you to have a very large data set, tools that draw your attention quickly and efficiently to the subset of data where, say, the labels are noisy. Or to quickly bring your attention to the one class among 100 classes where it would benefit you to collect more data. Collecting more data often helps, but if you try to collect more data for everything, that can be a very expensive activity. </p><p> For example, I once figured out that a speech-recognition system was performing poorly when there was car noise in the background. Knowing that allowed me to collect more data with car noise in the background, rather than trying to collect more data for everything, which would have been expensive and slow. </p><p> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><a name="synthetic"></a> </p><p> <strong>What about using synthetic data, is that often a good solution?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>I think synthetic data is an important tool in the tool chest of data-centric AI. At the NeurIPS workshop, <a href="https://tensorlab.cms.caltech.edu/users/anima/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Anima Anandkumar</a> gave a great talk that touched on synthetic data. I think there are important uses of synthetic data that go beyond just being a preprocessing step for increasing the data set for a learning algorithm. I’d love to see more tools to let developers use synthetic data generation as part of the closed loop of iterative machine learning development. </p><p> <strong>Do you mean that synthetic data would allow you to try the model on more data sets?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>Not really. Here’s an example. Let’s say you’re trying to detect defects in a smartphone casing. There are many different types of defects on smartphones. It could be a scratch, a dent, pit marks, discoloration of the material, other types of blemishes. If you train the model and then find through error analysis that it’s doing well overall but it’s performing poorly on pit marks, then synthetic data generation allows you to address the problem in a more targeted way. You could generate more data just for the pit-mark category. </p><p class="pull-quote"> “In the consumer software Internet, we could train a handful of machine-learning models to serve a billion users. In manufacturing, you might have 10,000 manufacturers building 10,000 custom AI models.”<br/> —Andrew Ng </p><p> Synthetic data generation is a very powerful tool, but there are many simpler tools that I will often try first. Such as data augmentation, improving labeling consistency, or just asking a factory to collect more data. </p><p> <a href="#top">Back to top</a><a name="work"></a> </p><p> <strong>To make these issues more concrete, can you walk me through an example? When a company approaches <a href="https://landing.ai/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Landing AI</a> and says it has a problem with visual inspection, how do you onboard them and work toward deployment?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>When a customer approaches us we usually have a conversation about their inspection problem and look at a few images to verify that the problem is feasible with computer vision. Assuming it is, we ask them to upload the data to the <a href="https://landing.ai/platform/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">LandingLens</a> platform. We often advise them on the methodology of data-centric AI and help them label the data. </p><p> One of the foci of Landing AI is to empower manufacturing companies to do the machine learning work themselves. A lot of our work is making sure the software is fast and easy to use. Through the iterative process of machine learning development, we advise customers on things like how to train models on the platform, when and how to improve the labeling of data so the performance of the model improves. Our training and software supports them all the way through deploying the trained model to an edge device in the factory. </p><p> <strong>How do you deal with changing needs? If products change or lighting conditions change in the factory, can the model keep up?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng:</strong> It varies by manufacturer. There is data drift in many contexts. But there are some manufacturers that have been running the same manufacturing line for 20 years now with few changes, so they don’t expect changes in the next five years. Those stable environments make things easier. For other manufacturers, we provide tools to flag when there’s a significant data-drift issue. I find it really important to empower manufacturing customers to correct data, retrain, and update the model. Because if something changes and it’s 3 a.m. in the United States, I want them to be able to adapt their learning algorithm right away to maintain operations. </p><p> In the consumer software Internet, we could train a handful of machine-learning models to serve a billion users. In manufacturing, you might have 10,000 manufacturers building 10,000 custom AI models. The challenge is, how do you do that without Landing AI having to hire 10,000 machine learning specialists? </p><p> <strong>So you’re saying that to make it scale, you have to empower customers to do a lot of the training and other work.</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>Yes, exactly! This is an industry-wide problem in AI, not just in manufacturing. Look at health care. Every hospital has its own slightly different format for electronic health records. How can every hospital train its own custom AI model? Expecting every hospital’s IT personnel to invent new neural-network architectures is unrealistic. The only way out of this dilemma is to build tools that empower the customers to build their own models by giving them tools to engineer the data and express their domain knowledge. That’s what Landing AI is executing in computer vision, and the field of AI needs other teams to execute this in other domains. </p><p> <strong>Is there anything else you think it’s important for people to understand about the work you’re doing or the data-centric AI movement?</strong> </p><p> <strong>Ng: </strong>In the last decade, the biggest shift in AI was a shift to deep learning. I think it’s quite possible that in this decade the biggest shift will be to data-centric AI. With the maturity of today’s neural network architectures, I think for a lot of the practical applications the bottleneck will be whether we can efficiently get the data we need to develop systems that work well. The data-centric AI movement has tremendous energy and momentum across the whole community. I hope more researchers and developers will jump in and work on it. </p><p> <a href="#top">Back to top</a> </p><p><em>This article appears in the April 2022 print issue as “Andrew Ng, AI Minimalist</em><em>.”</em></p>

Feb 8, 2022

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/layered-rendering-of-colorful-semiconductor-wafers-with-a-bright-white-light-sitting-on-one.jpg?id=29285079&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C156%2C0%2C156"/><br/><br/><p>The end of <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/on-beyond-moores-law-4-new-laws-of-computing" target="_self">Moore’s Law</a> is looming. Engineers and designers can do only so much to <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ibm-introduces-the-worlds-first-2nm-node-chip" target="_self">miniaturize transistors</a> and <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/cerebras-giant-ai-chip-now-has-a-trillions-more-transistors" target="_self">pack as many of them as possible into chips</a>. So they’re turning to other approaches to chip design, incorporating technologies like AI into the process.</p><p>Samsung, for instance, is <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/processing-in-dram-accelerates-ai" target="_self">adding AI to its memory chips</a> to enable processing in memory, thereby saving energy and speeding up machine learning. Speaking of speed, Google’s TPU V4 AI chip has <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/heres-how-googles-tpu-v4-ai-chip-stacked-up-in-training-tests" target="_self">doubled its processing power</a> compared with that of its previous version.</p><p>But AI holds still more promise and potential for the semiconductor industry. To better understand how AI is set to revolutionize chip design, we spoke with <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-gorr-phd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Heather Gorr</a>, senior product manager for <a href="https://www.mathworks.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MathWorks</a>’ MATLAB platform.</p><p><strong>How is AI currently being used to design the next generation of chips?</strong></p><p><strong>Heather Gorr:</strong> AI is such an important technology because it’s involved in most parts of the cycle, including the design and manufacturing process. There’s a lot of important applications here, even in the general process engineering where we want to optimize things. I think defect detection is a big one at all phases of the process, especially in manufacturing. But even thinking ahead in the design process, [AI now plays a significant role] when you’re designing the light and the sensors and all the different components. There’s a lot of anomaly detection and fault mitigation that you really want to consider.</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="Portrait of a woman with blonde-red hair smiling at the camera" class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="1f18a02ccaf51f5c766af2ebc4af18e1" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="2dc00" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/portrait-of-a-woman-with-blonde-red-hair-smiling-at-the-camera.jpg?id=29288554&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption..." style="max-width: 100%;">Heather Gorr</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." style="max-width: 100%;">MathWorks</small></p><p>Then, thinking about the logistical modeling that you see in any industry, there is always planned downtime that you want to mitigate; but you also end up having unplanned downtime. So, looking back at that historical data of when you’ve had those moments where maybe it took a bit longer than expected to manufacture something, you can take a look at all of that data and use AI to try to identify the proximate cause or to see something that might jump out even in the processing and design phases. We think of AI oftentimes as a predictive tool, or as a robot doing something, but a lot of times you get a lot of insight from the data through AI.</p><p><strong>What are the benefits of using AI for chip design?</strong></p><p><strong>Gorr:</strong> Historically, we’ve seen a lot of physics-based modeling, which is a very intensive process. We want to do a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_order_reduction" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">reduced order model</a>, where instead of solving such a computationally expensive and extensive model, we can do something a little cheaper. You could create a surrogate model, so to speak, of that physics-based model, use the data, and then do your <a href="https://institutefordiseasemodeling.github.io/idmtools/parameter-sweeps.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">parameter sweeps</a>, your optimizations, your <a href="https://www.ibm.com/cloud/learn/monte-carlo-simulation" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Monte Carlo simulations</a> using the surrogate model. That takes a lot less time computationally than solving the physics-based equations directly. So, we’re seeing that benefit in many ways, including the efficiency and economy that are the results of iterating quickly on the experiments and the simulations that will really help in the design.</p><p><strong>So it’s like having a digital twin in a sense?</strong></p><p><strong>Gorr:</strong> Exactly. That’s pretty much what people are doing, where you have the physical system model and the experimental data. Then, in conjunction, you have this other model that you could tweak and tune and try different parameters and experiments that let sweep through all of those different situations and come up with a better design in the end.</p><p><strong>So, it’s going to be more efficient and, as you said, cheaper?</strong></p><p><strong>Gorr:</strong> Yeah, definitely. Especially in the experimentation and design phases, where you’re trying different things. That’s obviously going to yield dramatic cost savings if you’re actually manufacturing and producing [the chips]. You want to simulate, test, experiment as much as possible without making something using the actual process engineering.</p><p><strong>We’ve talked about the benefits. How about the drawbacks?</strong></p><p><strong>Gorr: </strong>The [AI-based experimental models] tend to not be as accurate as physics-based models. Of course, that’s why you do many simulations and parameter sweeps. But that’s also the benefit of having that digital twin, where you can keep that in mind—it’s not going to be as accurate as that precise model that we’ve developed over the years.</p><p>Both chip design and manufacturing are system intensive; you have to consider every little part. And that can be really challenging. It’s a case where you might have models to predict something and different parts of it, but you still need to bring it all together.</p><p>One of the other things to think about too is that you need the data to build the models. You have to incorporate data from all sorts of different sensors and different sorts of teams, and so that heightens the challenge.</p><p><strong>How can engineers use AI to better prepare and extract insights from hardware or sensor data?</strong></p><p><strong>Gorr: </strong>We always think about using AI to predict something or do some robot task, but you can use AI to come up with patterns and pick out things you might not have noticed before on your own. People will use AI when they have high-frequency data coming from many different sensors, and a lot of times it’s useful to explore the frequency domain and things like data synchronization or resampling. Those can be really challenging if you’re not sure where to start.</p><p>One of the things I would say is, use the tools that are available. There’s a vast community of people working on these things, and you can find lots of examples [of applications and techniques] on <a href="https://github.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">GitHub</a> or <a href="https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MATLAB Central</a>, where people have shared nice examples, even little apps they’ve created. I think many of us are buried in data and just not sure what to do with it, so definitely take advantage of what’s already out there in the community. You can explore and see what makes sense to you, and bring in that balance of domain knowledge and the insight you get from the tools and AI.</p><p><strong>What should engineers and designers consider wh</strong><strong>en using AI for chip design?</strong></p><p><strong>Gorr:</strong> Think through what problems you’re trying to solve or what insights you might hope to find, and try to be clear about that. Consider all of the different components, and document and test each of those different parts. Consider all of the people involved, and explain and hand off in a way that is sensible for the whole team.</p><p><strong>How do you think AI will affect chip designers’ jobs?</strong></p><p><strong>Gorr:</strong> It’s going to free up a lot of human capital for more advanced tasks. We can use AI to reduce waste, to optimize the materials, to optimize the design, but then you still have that human involved whenever it comes to decision-making. I think it’s a great example of people and technology working hand in hand. It’s also an industry where all people involved—even on the manufacturing floor—need to have some level of understanding of what’s happening, so this is a great industry for advancing AI because of how we test things and how we think about them before we put them on the chip.</p><p><strong>How do you envision the future of AI and chip design?</strong></p><p><strong>Gorr</strong><strong>:</strong> It’s very much dependent on that human element—involving people in the process and having that interpretable model. We can do many things with the mathematical minutiae of modeling, but it comes down to how people are using it, how everybody in the process is understanding and applying it. Communication and involvement of people of all skill levels in the process are going to be really important. We’re going to see less of those superprecise predictions and more transparency of information, sharing, and that digital twin—not only using AI but also using our human knowledge and all of the work that many people have done over the years.</p>

Feb 7, 2022

<img src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/a-golden-square-package-holds-a-small-processor-sitting-on-top-is-a-metal-square-with-mit-etched-into-it.jpg?id=29281587&width=1245&height=700&coordinates=0%2C156%2C0%2C156"/><br/><br/><p>Quantum computing is a devilishly complex technology, with many technical hurdles impacting its development. Of these challenges two critical issues stand out: miniaturization and qubit quality.</p><p>IBM has adopted the superconducting qubit road map of <a href="https://spectrum.ieee.org/ibms-envisons-the-road-to-quantum-computing-like-an-apollo-mission" target="_self">reaching a 1,121-qubit processor by 2023</a>, leading to the expectation that 1,000 qubits with today’s qubit form factor is feasible. However, current approaches will require very large chips (50 millimeters on a side, or larger) at the scale of small wafers, or the use of chiplets on multichip modules. While this approach will work, the aim is to attain a better path toward scalability.</p><p>Now researchers at <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41563-021-01187-w" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MIT have been able to both reduce the size of the qubits</a> and done so in a way that reduces the interference that occurs between neighboring qubits. The MIT researchers have increased the number of superconducting qubits that can be added onto a device by a factor of 100.</p><p>“We are addressing both qubit miniaturization and quality,” said <a href="https://equs.mit.edu/william-d-oliver/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">William Oliver</a>, the director for the <a href="https://cqe.mit.edu/" target="_blank">Center for Quantum Engineering</a> at MIT. “Unlike conventional transistor scaling, where only the number really matters, for qubits, large numbers are not sufficient, they must also be high-performance. Sacrificing performance for qubit number is not a useful trade in quantum computing. They must go hand in hand.”</p><p>The key to this big increase in qubit density and reduction of interference comes down to the use of two-dimensional materials, in particular the 2D insulator hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). The MIT researchers demonstrated that a few atomic monolayers of hBN can be stacked to form the insulator in the capacitors of a superconducting qubit.</p><p>Just like other capacitors, the capacitors in these superconducting circuits take the form of a sandwich in which an insulator material is sandwiched between two metal plates. The big difference for these capacitors is that the superconducting circuits can operate only at extremely low temperatures—less than 0.02 degrees above absolute zero (-273.15 °C).</p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-rebelmouse-image rm-resized-container rm-resized-container-25 rm-float-left" data-rm-resized-container="25%" style="float: left;"> <img alt="Golden dilution refrigerator hanging vertically" class="rm-shortcode rm-resized-image" data-rm-shortcode-id="694399af8a1c345e51a695ff73909eda" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" id="6c615" loading="lazy" src="https://spectrum.ieee.org/media-library/golden-dilution-refrigerator-hanging-vertically.jpg?id=29281593&width=980" style="max-width: 100%"/> <small class="image-media media-caption" placeholder="Add Photo Caption..." style="max-width: 100%;">Superconducting qubits are measured at temperatures as low as 20 millikelvin in a dilution refrigerator.</small><small class="image-media media-photo-credit" placeholder="Add Photo Credit..." style="max-width: 100%;">Nathan Fiske/MIT</small></p><p>In that environment, insulating materials that are available for the job, such as PE-CVD silicon oxide or silicon nitride, have quite a few defects that are too lossy for quantum computing applications. To get around these material shortcomings, most superconducting circuits use what are called coplanar capacitors. In these capacitors, the plates are positioned laterally to one another, rather than on top of one another.</p><p>As a result, the intrinsic silicon substrate below the plates and to a smaller degree the vacuum above the plates serve as the capacitor dielectric. Intrinsic silicon is chemically pure and therefore has few defects, and the large size dilutes the electric field at the plate interfaces, all of which leads to a low-loss capacitor. The lateral size of each plate in this open-face design ends up being quite large (typically 100 by 100 micrometers) in order to achieve the required capacitance.</p><p>In an effort to move away from the large lateral configuration, the MIT researchers embarked on a search for an insulator that has very few defects and is compatible with superconducting capacitor plates.</p><p>“We chose to study hBN because it is the most widely used insulator in 2D material research due to its cleanliness and chemical inertness,” said colead author <a href="https://equs.mit.edu/joel-wang/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Joel Wang</a>, a research scientist in the Engineering Quantum Systems group of the MIT Research Laboratory for Electronics. </p><p>On either side of the hBN, the MIT researchers used the 2D superconducting material, niobium diselenide. One of the trickiest aspects of fabricating the capacitors was working with the niobium diselenide, which oxidizes in seconds when exposed to air, according to Wang. This necessitates that the assembly of the capacitor occur in a glove box filled with argon gas.</p><p>While this would seemingly complicate the scaling up of the production of these capacitors, Wang doesn’t regard this as a limiting factor.</p><p>“What determines the quality factor of the capacitor are the two interfaces between the two materials,” said Wang. “Once the sandwich is made, the two interfaces are “sealed” and we don’t see any noticeable degradation over time when exposed to the atmosphere.”</p><p>This lack of degradation is because around 90 percent of the electric field is contained within the sandwich structure, so the oxidation of the outer surface of the niobium diselenide does not play a significant role anymore. This ultimately makes the capacitor footprint much smaller, and it accounts for the reduction in cross talk between the neighboring qubits.</p><p>“The main challenge for scaling up the fabrication will be the wafer-scale growth of hBN and 2D superconductors like [niobium diselenide], and how one can do wafer-scale stacking of these films,” added Wang.</p><p>Wang believes that this research has shown 2D hBN to be a good insulator candidate for superconducting qubits. He says that the groundwork the MIT team has done will serve as a road map for using other hybrid 2D materials to build superconducting circuits.</p>

Nov 21, 2024

A new distro with a strange fascination with Windows looks, among other Linux stuff.

Nov 20, 2024

Let's get on the "hyp" wagon by installing Hyprland on your Linux system.

Nov 19, 2024

It is easy to benchmark your Linux system, you just need the right tools. We tell you about those here.

Nov 18, 2024

Raspberry Pi is expanding its ecosystem with official accessories. We tested the official SD card and here's what we found.

Nov 17, 2024

My struggling Raspberry Pi got a performance boost by a small change in the memory configuration.

Nov 16, 2024

Tried dual booting Windows and Linux and facing some issues? Fret not, we got solutions to some of your issues here.

Nov 14, 2024

There is a new tutorial series and you know what comes next? Hyprland.

Nov 14, 2024

Experiencing a local AI assistant in VS Code with OpenCoder LLM.

Nov 11, 2024

Let's explore the UKUI desktop environment and see what kind of customization we can perform on this sleek DE.

Nov 11, 2024

<p>One of the important steps of maintaining a computer system is to patch the system properly and timely. According to the operating system in question, the update process also varies.</p><p>openEuler, based on the CentOS distribution uses RPM packages by default and the DNF package manager. So, in this article,</p>

Nov 11, 2024

Let's get in the terminal and learn to manager packages with DNF commands in openEuler.

Nov 11, 2024

Let's get some of the very basics right after you have installed openEuler. With these things set, you'll be in a bit better position to enjoy this distro.

Nov 11, 2024

There is no desktop version of openEuler but you can still install it on desktop.

Nov 9, 2024

Get the perfect pocket-sized hacking setup by installing Kali Linux on Raspberry Pi!

Nov 8, 2024

Get the most out of the VLC media player with these tips and tricks.

Nov 21, 2024

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LEGO-pain-800.jpeg?w=800" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="A variety of LEGO and the damage they&#039;ve done to cardboard." style="margin: 0 auto; margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LEGO-pain-800.jpeg 1280w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LEGO-pain-800.jpeg?resize=250,141 250w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LEGO-pain-800.jpeg?resize=400,225 400w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LEGO-pain-800.jpeg?resize=800,450 800w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" data-attachment-id="734994" data-permalink="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/stepping-on-lego-for-science/lego-pain-800/" data-orig-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LEGO-pain-800.jpeg" data-orig-size="1280,720" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}" data-image-title="LEGO-pain-800" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LEGO-pain-800.jpeg?w=400" data-large-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/LEGO-pain-800.jpeg?w=800" tabindex="0" role="button" /></div>You might say that the worst LEGO to step on is any given piece that happens to get caught underfoot, but have you ever thought about what the worst one <a href="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/stepping-on-lego-for-science/" class="read-more">&#8230;read more</a>

Nov 21, 2024

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tube-amp-featured.jpg?w=800" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin: 0 auto; margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tube-amp-featured.jpg 800w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tube-amp-featured.jpg?resize=250,141 250w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tube-amp-featured.jpg?resize=400,225 400w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" data-attachment-id="734979" data-permalink="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/a-tube-stereo-amplifier-from-scratch/tube-amp-featured-2/" data-orig-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tube-amp-featured.jpg" data-orig-size="800,450" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="tube-amp-featured" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tube-amp-featured.jpg?w=400" data-large-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/tube-amp-featured.jpg?w=800" tabindex="0" role="button" /></div>A conventional tube amplifier has a circuit whose fundamentals were well in place around a hundred years ago, so there are few surprises to be found in building one today. <a href="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/a-tube-stereo-amplifier-from-scratch/" class="read-more">&#8230;read more</a>

Nov 20, 2024

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cyberpunk-pocketwatch.jpg?w=800" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="An image of a black carabiner-esque frame surrounding a round, yellow bezeled digital watch. A black paracord lanyard is attached to the top right of the black frame and a yellow button is visible near the top left of the frame." style="margin: 0 auto; margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cyberpunk-pocketwatch.jpg 1280w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cyberpunk-pocketwatch.jpg?resize=250,141 250w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cyberpunk-pocketwatch.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cyberpunk-pocketwatch.jpg?resize=800,450 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" data-attachment-id="734945" data-permalink="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/a-cyberpunk-pocketwatch/cyberpunk-pocketwatch/" data-orig-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cyberpunk-pocketwatch.jpg" data-orig-size="1280,720" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Cyberpunk pocketwatch" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cyberpunk-pocketwatch.jpg?w=400" data-large-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Cyberpunk-pocketwatch.jpg?w=800" tabindex="0" role="button" /></div>For a time, pocketwatches were all the rage, but they were eventually supplanted by the wristwatch. [abe] built this cyberpunk Lock&#8217;n&#8217;Watch to explore an alternate history for the once trendy <a href="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/a-cyberpunk-pocketwatch/" class="read-more">&#8230;read more</a>

Nov 20, 2024

<div><img width="800" height="484" src="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg?w=800" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin: 0 auto; margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg 3000w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg?resize=250,151 250w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg?resize=400,242 400w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg?resize=800,484 800w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg?resize=1536,929 1536w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg?resize=2048,1239 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" data-attachment-id="483960" data-permalink="https://hackaday.com/pipewire-2/" data-orig-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg" data-orig-size="3000,1815" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="Pipewire" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg?w=400" data-large-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Pipewire.jpg?w=800" tabindex="0" role="button" /></div>This week, Jonathan Bennett, Randal Schwartz, and Aaron Newcomb chat about Linux, the challenges with using system modules like the Raspberry Pi, challenges with funding development, and more! Did you <a href="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/floss-weekly-episode-810-pi4j-stable-and-boring-on-the-raspberry-pi/" class="read-more">&#8230;read more</a>

Nov 20, 2024

<div><img width="800" height="450" src="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/lemontron-1200.jpg?w=800" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="[James] and his Lemontron portable 3D printer" style="margin: 0 auto; margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/lemontron-1200.jpg 1200w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/lemontron-1200.jpg?resize=250,141 250w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/lemontron-1200.jpg?resize=400,225 400w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/lemontron-1200.jpg?resize=800,450 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" data-attachment-id="734917" data-permalink="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/if-life-gives-you-lemons-build-this-lemontron/lemontron-1200/" data-orig-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/lemontron-1200.jpg" data-orig-size="1200,675" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="lemontron-1200" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/lemontron-1200.jpg?w=400" data-large-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/lemontron-1200.jpg?w=800" tabindex="0" role="button" /></div>What if your 3D printer could fit in a box of filament but still rival the build plate size of heavyweights? Enter the Lemontron, a free and open source portable <a href="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/if-life-gives-you-lemons-build-this-lemontron/" class="read-more">&#8230;read more</a>

Nov 20, 2024

<div><img width="800" height="503" src="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coreone_feat.jpg?w=800" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin: 0 auto; margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coreone_feat.jpg 1024w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coreone_feat.jpg?resize=250,157 250w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coreone_feat.jpg?resize=400,252 400w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coreone_feat.jpg?resize=800,503 800w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" data-attachment-id="734939" data-permalink="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/with-core-one-prusas-open-source-hardware-dream-quietly-dies/coreone_feat/" data-orig-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coreone_feat.jpg" data-orig-size="1024,644" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="coreone_feat" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coreone_feat.jpg?w=400" data-large-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/coreone_feat.jpg?w=800" tabindex="0" role="button" /></div>Yesterday, Prusa Research officially unveiled their next printer, the Core ONE. Going over the features and capabilities of this new machine, it&#8217;s clear that Prusa has kept a close eye <a href="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/with-core-one-prusas-open-source-hardware-dream-quietly-dies/" class="read-more">&#8230;read more</a>

Nov 20, 2024

<div><img width="800" height="309" src="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png?w=800" class="attachment-large size-large wp-post-image" alt="" style="margin: 0 auto; margin-bottom: 15px;" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png 1747w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png?resize=250,96 250w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png?resize=400,154 400w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png?resize=800,309 800w, https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png?resize=1536,593 1536w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" data-attachment-id="708686" data-permalink="https://hackaday.com/2024/09/21/freecad-is-near-1-0/freecad-10/" data-orig-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png" data-orig-size="1747,674" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-meta="{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}" data-image-title="freecad" data-image-description="" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png?w=400" data-large-file="https://hackaday.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/freecad.png?w=800" tabindex="0" role="button" /></div>After 22 years of development, FreeCAD has at long last reached the milestone of version 1.0. On this momentous occasion, it&#8217;s good to remember what a version 1.0 is supposed <a href="https://hackaday.com/2024/11/20/freecad-version-1-0-released/" class="read-more">&#8230;read more</a>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>A winning photograph of octopus eggs reveals early organs of camouflage.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/masters-of-disguise-1161703/">Masters of Disguise</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Cathedrals, seed banks, and oaks: How to live in times of change.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/the-once-and-future-woods-1161275/">The Once and Future Woods</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Alan Lightman’s three greatest revelations while writing <i>The Miraculous from the Material</i>.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/the-power-of-small-wonderments-1161221/">The Power of Small Wonderments</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 18, 2024

<p>How a flashy opal inspired artist Tyler Thrasher's new book.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/color-makes-the-universe-1160820/">Color Makes the Universe</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 18, 2024

<p>A conversation with Issue 58 cover artist Ellen Weinstein.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/ellen-weinstein-interview-artist-1131852/">The Rituals of Art, Science, and Superstition</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>It only takes four neurons to achieve big things.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/the-power-of-small-brain-networks-1138987/">The Power of Small Brain Networks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>The internet is a series of tubes. In the ocean.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/your-datas-strange-undersea-voyage-1138554/">Your Data&#8217;s Strange Undersea Voyage</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 14, 2024

<p>Metals and minerals from industry can trigger snowfall over hundreds of miles.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/when-pollution-brings-snow-1131658/">When Pollution Brings Snow</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 13, 2024

<p>Was the Fat Catfish ever really there at all?</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/the-mystery-of-the-vanished-catfish-1124774/">The Mystery of the Vanished Catfish</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 13, 2024

<p>What Carl Linneaus can teach us about animal appetites.</p> <p>The post <a href="https://nautil.us/digging-into-the-first-work-of-modern-ecology-1124184/">Digging Into the First Work of Modern Ecology</a> appeared first on <a href="https://nautil.us">Nautilus</a>.</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Every Atlantic hurricane that formed this year had higher wind speeds because of climate change. Two likely would have remained tropical storms without its influence</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>The sixth test flight of SpaceX&rsquo;s giant rocket ended with a fiery splashdown rather than a clean &ldquo;chopstick&rdquo; catch</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Trumps retreat from climate agreements and tech funding will help China dominate global clean energy markets</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Sweeping reorganization and more research scrutiny could be on the way for the U.S. National Institutes of Health</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>A social scientist looks at the portrait of U.S. voters, and voting, in the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election that put Trump into the White House</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>Researchers directed electric current to activate targeted facial muscles and then asked study participants how they felt</p>

Nov 20, 2024

<p>A study of births in New Jersey reveals a troubling disparity between unscheduled C-sections for Black people.</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>A major windstorm and an atmospheric river are set to unleash a &ldquo;firehose&rdquo; of precipitation from California to British Columbia</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Forests absorb planet-warming pollution, but world leaders shouldn&rsquo;t include them in plans to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, a new study recommends</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Prominent vaccine skeptic RFK, Jr., is a proven menace to public health. But with a bird flu outbreak looming, he is poised to take a perch atop the federal public health enterprise</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Play this crossword inspired by the December 2024 issue of <i>Scientific American</i></p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>The far side of the moon offers grounds for compromise between advocates and opponents of lunar development</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>The fossil-fuel industry argues that we can&rsquo;t live without its deadly products. It is wrong</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Science in meter and verse</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>U.N. statistics show progress toward the goal of gender equality but a long way left to go</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Changing the ocean&rsquo;s chemical and biological makeup could force it to pull vast amounts of planet-warming carbon from the atmosphere. But is that a line we want to cross?</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Censoring what children read deprives them of reality and the chance to feed their curiosity and develop empathy</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Intense health anxiety is a true mental illness and threatens lives. The good news is that it&rsquo;s treatable</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Oil rigs around the world are habitats for marine species. When they stop producing oil, should they be removed or allowed to stay?</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Mathematicians have found a new kind of shape with connections to nature and art</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>How are these numbers organized?</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Alcohol in space; basking in the limelight</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>In <i>End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland</i>, the title is flipped, but cyberpunk pleasures remain</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Understanding curiosity can help people&mdash;and robots&mdash;learn faster</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>New diagnostic techniques can pick up these brain injuries and ensure people get help</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Archaeological and genetic discoveries topple long-standing ideas about the domestication of equines</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Oak trees have genetic flexibility that allows them to solve ecological problems. But even they will need our help to survive climate change</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Discovering weird new shapes, turning oil rigs into reefs and making the ocean absorb more greenhouse gases</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Writers, artists, photographers and researchers share the stories behind the stories</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>Letters to the editors for the July/August 2024 issue of <i>Scientific American</i></p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>The nearby star Vega, featured in the 1997 movie <i>Contact,</i> appears to have a smooth disk devoid of giant planets for reasons we can&rsquo;t explain</p>

Nov 19, 2024

<p>A unique crystalline compound soaks up CO₂ with great efficiency</p>

Nov 18, 2024

<p>Chris Wright, CEO of a fracking services company and Trump&rsquo;s nominee to lead the Department of Energy, has said &ldquo;there is no climate crisis&rdquo;</p>

Nov 18, 2024

<p>Food anxiety can peak during the holidays. Here&rsquo;s how to manage it and enjoy yourself</p>

Nov 18, 2024

<p>Lizards in France have grown lighter in color and so are many insects and birds across the globe. The effects of a changing climate are plainly visible throughout the animal kingdom</p>

Nov 18, 2024

<p>A serious bird flu infection in Canada, a troubling projection of future plastic waste and dispatches from a global climate convention.</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>Four counties in Florida that voted for Trump also voted to conserve open space, reduce flood damage and protect habitat</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>In 1974 we beamed a radio transmission into space that changed the way we think about our place in the cosmos</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>Anglerfish have invisible fangs, narwhal tusks are extra-long canines, and more facts from the weird and wonderful study of teeth will astound you</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>A genetic mutation makes some cats&rsquo; tail curl over their back, giving them something akin to an accent when they communicate with other kitties</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>The Chandra X-ray Observatory is facing closure. Shutting it down would be a loss to science as a whole</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>Finding a perfect sphere is actually pretty difficult</p>

Nov 15, 2024

<p>On the 50th anniversary of the &ldquo;Arecibo message,&rdquo; we present a reflection on humankind&rsquo;s first attempt to send a transmission to intelligent life in the cosmos.</p>

Nov 14, 2024

<p>Federal health scientists voice concern over an anticipated takeover by medical skeptics in Trump<b>&rsquo;</b>s second administration</p>

Nov 14, 2024

<p>Wastewater in several Californian cities, including San Francisco and Los Angeles, recently tested positive for bird flu. But understanding disease risk and exposure to humans isn&rsquo;t so straightforward</p>

Nov 14, 2024

<p>Visual artist Anna Von Mertens looks to astronomer Henrietta Swan Leavitt and her vision of the universe for inspiration</p>

Nov 14, 2024

<p>Generative AI could saddle the planet with heaps more hazardous waste</p> <p></p>

Nov 14, 2024

<p>Thawing ice, from the high peaks to the poles, is producing extraordinarily expensive floods, infrastructure damage and losses to tourism and fishing</p>

Nov 14, 2024

<p>Examining body camera videos at scale reveals racial differences in how police treat drivers during traffic stops&mdash;and what corrective programs really work</p>

Nov 13, 2024

<p>President-elect Donald Trump&rsquo;s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security and its disaster agency has said people aren&rsquo;t driving temperature increases and declined to accept federal climate money for disaster preparedness as governor of South Dakota</p>