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 dont want to play a guessing game, these are the best laptop power banks we tested. Table of contents Best laptop power banks for 2024 What to look for in a laptop power bank How we test portable laptop chargers Laptop power bank FAQs Best laptop power banks for 2024 What to look for in a laptop power bank Capacity 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, youll 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. Go higher than 27,000mAh and you wont 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 TSA will allow for carry-on luggage. (And note that these batteries cant be checked, regardless of size). If you want something even bigger than a laptop power bank, and dont need to fly with it, youll 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. 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 youd 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. 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 banks listed capacity and the actual charge delivered. Ports Every large power bank Ive 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 youve got a device thats capable of 70W fast charging, such as the new MacBook Air, youd want to opt for the 100W port to get the best charging speeds possible. Note that devices with a smaller wattage draw wont 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 and cable need to be at or above the desired wattage rating to achieve maximum charging rates. Some of these larger batteries also have AC ports. It might seem like a natural fit to plug in your laptops power adapter for a recharge. But really, the AC port should only be for devices that cant 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 youll 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. Also, you can use more than one port at a time with these devices; just remember that the speed of whatever youre charging will likely go down, and of course, the battery is going to drain proportionally to what youre refilling. Wireless charging Just in the last year and a half that Ive 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 Apples 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. 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, youre better off sticking to wired connections. Design All power banks are designed to be portable, but theres 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 youre 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. Dont be like me and grumble loudly that you got a bum unit without pressing (and sometimes double pressing) all the buttons first. How we test portable laptop chargers For the past year and a half, Ive 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 whats available. I went for brands Im already familiar with, as well as battery packs from well-received manufacturers I hadnt 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. Heres everything we tested: Zendure Supertank Pro Mophie Powerstation Pro XL Mophie Powerstation Pro AC Lion Energy Eclipse Mag Lion Energy Trek Baseus Blade Laptop Anker Prime 27,650mAh Goal Zero Sherpa 100 AC Due to shipping and travel issues, I wasnt able to test two of the batteries I had slated: the HyperJuice 245W and the UGREEN Power Bank 25,000mAh . Once Ive had a chance to see how these two perform as well as any new worthy contenders that hit the market Ill update this guide accordingly. 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 didnt use any device as it refilled. 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. For each test, I noted how long a completely charged battery took to get a device back to full and how much of the batterys capacity was used up in one charge. I also noted things like portability, apparent durability, helpful features and overall design. For reference, here are the battery capacities of the devices I used: iPhone 15: 3,349mAh Galaxy S23 Ultra: 4,855mAh iPad Air (5th gen): 7,729mAh 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro: 27,027mAh Laptop power bank FAQs How do laptop power banks differ from phone power banks? 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. Theres no official definition, however. Laptop batteries are simply larger and need a bigger supply of power to give them a meaningful charge. How do you fast charge a power bank? You can charge a power bank exactly as fast as the power banks 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 youre 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. What size power bank do I need for a laptop? Look for a power bank with a rating of at least 20,000mAh. Slightly smaller batteries may work, but they wont deliver a significant charge to your laptop. How many mAh to charge a laptop? 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. Using mAh to discuss laptop batteries can be confusing. Due to differing voltages, you cant directly compare the mAh ratings of a power bank battery to a laptop battery. Using watt-hours is a better gauge, as that calculation takes voltage into account. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...

background with a field of sunflowers or an alien landscape as one of its suns is setting. Thats something weve seen from basically every other video calling platform, so its not a big surprise to see Meta add it here. Meta also added some new features for video calls including high definition video, background noise suppression and voice isolation to help you make clearer, higher-quality calls directly from Messenger, according to the blog. The HD video feature will be the default mode for Messenger calls made over W-iFi connections. HD calls can also be made on cellular data in settings by turning on Mobile data for HD video. Background noise suppression and voice isolation can also be turned on and off in Messengers call settings section. You can also leave voice and video messages for your contacts beyond just a line of text and maybe a cheeky emoji or two. Simply tap the record message button on the lower right side of the screen to leave a video or audio message if the person you are contacting doesnt pick up the call. Finally, if you dont have a free hand but need to make a call, iPhone users can ask Siri to make calls and messages for them on Metas Messenger app. Simply activate Siri and say Hey Siri, send a message to [contact name] on Messenger and dictate the message you want to send them. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...ounds-200047824.html?src=rss

PlayStation Plus Extra. Or, you can shave off 30 percent if youre upping your membership from PS Plus Extra to PS Plus Premium / Deluxe. Sony Less specific (as of now) are the PlayStation Black Friday deals on hardware and games. Direct from PlayStation and through Sonys retail partners, there will be sales on PS5 gear, including the Fortnite Cobalt Star Bundle. PS VR2 headsets , DualSense wireless controllers, Pulse headphones or earbuds and PS5 console covers will also be discounted. What we dont know yet is how much savings Sony will offer on any of it. Sony didnt mention the PlayStation Portal, which is about to get a lot more interesting. This week, the company said the handheld will soon run a beta test for cloud streaming . The portable devices inability to do anything but stream your local PS5 games at launch was a bit baffling , to say the least. Select games for PS5, PS4 and PC will also see price cuts. Sony mentions digital titles like Star Wars Outlaws , Madden 25 and Hogwarts Legacy , so we at least know a few on-sale games to look out for. But similar to the hardware deals, we dont know how juicy the deals will be (or which other titles will be available). You can check back on Friday morning to learn more. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ......

an Android user. After all, you'll need a compatible iPhone to set up the wearable and get the most out of it. We gave the Apple Watch Series 10 a score of 90 in our review . Apple redesigned the smartwatch to offer a larger screen and thinner frame, both of which were plus points in our book. The wide-angle OLED panel offers better viewing angles. The wearable has in-depth fitness and health tracking too, with new functions including sleep apnea detection. We found that there was a slight increase in battery life thanks to efficiency improvements, but some alternative smartwatches run for much longer on a single charge . Overall, this is a somewhat iterative update compared with the Series 9 and 8, but if you're upgrading from an older Apple Watch (or buying one for the first time), you may find the features, performance and charging speed to be impressive. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...10-on-amazon-180028764.html?src=rss

limited to streaming only the games that are on that service. The "stream your own game" option includes support for 50 titles at the outset , with more to be added later. You can stream the likes of Cyberpunk 2077, Stray, The Witcher 3, Balatro, Animal Well, NBA 2K25, Baldurs Gate 3 and several Final Fantasy games. Just look for the "stream your own game" section on Cloud Gaming. An Xbox spokesperson confirmed to Engadget that "streaming the games you own requires a digitally purchased game." So, you won't be able to stream a physical copy of, say, Farming Simulator 25 via this feature, but if you have the disc in your Xbox Series X, remote play is still an option. Although it's broadly good that people have more ways to play their games, this move lines up with Xbox inching toward an all-digital future one in which gamers without access to fast, reliable Internet connections may be left behind. This also lets Xbox expand its cloud gaming offerings without having to necessarily pay third-party developers and publishers big bucks to get their projects on Game Pass proper. The stream your own game initiative also ties into Microsoft's new ad campaign about all kinds of devices being an Xbox when they are, in fact, not. The rollout comes a day after Sony started publicly testing a cloud gaming option on PlayStation Portal, a feature that the device should have had from the beginning. Update November 20, 1:41PM ET: Added clarification from Xbox that only digitally purchased games, and not physical copies, are eligible to stream. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...game-pass-ultimate-181047095.html?src=rss

Generations , but it also acts as a proper send-off to the first Star Trek captain. Now its time to get into spoiler territory, for those who havent 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. Its Star Trek! Anyways, the short follows Kirk after dying on that planet. Is it the after-life or maybe the residual effects of the Nexus? We dont know. Theres 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. Its surprisingly touching, particularly for die-hard Trek fans. My eternal gratitude to @WilliamShatner for, well, giving us the word. The word is given. Warp Speed. #LLAP https://t.co/BSsKZmMQFI Sam Witwer (@SamWitwer) November 18, 2024 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 Lost , which was another show scored by Giacchino. Barring some new life extension technology, this is likely the last time well see Shatners Kirk. The man is 93 years old. Paul Wesley has stepped into Shatners space boots to portray a younger version of the captain on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds . Despite his advanced age, Shatner did manage to go to space a few years back . This article originally appeared on Engadget at ......

powered by Apple's A14 Bionic chip, which was first seen on the iPhone 12 and is powerful enough that we could edit RAW photos in Lightroom when we tested the tablet. When we ran a test for battery life, we discovered that the model could play movies continuously for 11 hours and 45 minutes on a single charge. Unlike previous models with Lightning ports, this one comes with a USB-C port for charging. Apple moved its front-facing camera to its landscape edge, as well. The company gave it a larger display, measuring 10.9 inches, so it doesn't feel as cramped as previous models even with a lot of apps. While the iPad Air does have a better display overall with its lamination and anti-reflective coating, the 10th-gen iPad's isn't bad at all seeing as it costs significantly less, especially with this discount. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...of-280-130005197.html?src=rss

subscription, too, if youre considering it as a gift for a loved one this year. To make it easier to find the services you want and need this year, Engadget has curated the best subscription deals you can get for Black Friday this year. Best Black Friday subscription deals Audible Premium Plus for $0.99 for three months ($44 off): 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. Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5. Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out. Calm annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Another one of our top pocks for the best meditation apps 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. MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields. Rosetta Stone lifetime access for $149 ($250 off): 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. Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off): First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps. ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off): Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows , and some of them even include a kill-switch feature. ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off): Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager. NordVPN Plus two-year plan plus three extra months for $121 (70 percent off): In addition to VPN access, NordVPN's Plus plan gives you a password manager, ad blocker, anti-malware protection . Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ......

2,600 nits, rather than the previous 1,750 nits. Plus, it has a slew of AI tools and utilizes Samsung's Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 for fast performance. If $950 feels (understandably) a bit steep then check out the Samsung Galaxy S24+ . The 256GB model is currently marked down from $1,000 to $770 still a solid chunk of change, but a noticeable difference. The Samsung Galaxy S24+ garnered an 87 in our review , not far off from its sister device. It comes with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 and features like Chat Assist and Live Translate. Its battery life impressed us, though its low-light photography performance left something to be desired. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...ones-150043358.html?src=rss

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. Theres a built-in smart home hub, with Wi-Fi 6E, Thread, Zigbee and Matter control capabilities. The company says the device should be able to adjust some stuff locally, like lights, switches and plugs. This function first popped up in the Echo Hub , which was first revealed last year. The panel can double as a Fire TV, which is nothing new , and works with Amazons Fire TV remote. However, the Echo Show 21 ships with the Alexa Voice Remote, along with wall-mounting equipment. A countertop stand is sold separately. The smart display costs $400 and is available now. The Echo Show 15 has also gotten a refresh, for those with limited wall or countertop space. The new model boasts all of the features outlined above, just in a smaller form factor. This one costs $300 and is available now. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...y-174115181.html?src=rss

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

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 FF14 sound director Masayoshi Soken. It's not yet clear if there will be cross-progression with the PC and console version of Final Fantasy 14 . While the mobile game is said to provide players with a "new adventure," the story bears at least some similarities to the original. "You are beckoned by the Mothercrystal, carrying the light of hope to the world of Hydaelyn," according to the FF14 Mobile website. "Heed the Mothercrystals call, embrace your destiny as an adventurer, and confront the primals to deliver Eorzea from certain destruction." For what it's worth, a Mothercrystal trial was added to Final Fantasy 14 as part of the 2021 expansion, Endwalker , so the plot of the mobile game may not exactly follow the one from the original title. 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. 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. Tencent's Lightspeed Studios is behind mobile hits like PUBG Mobile . Dragon's Dogma creator Hideaki Itsuno recently joined Lightspeed to head up a new studio. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...

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 theyre jaded with modern game design and crave shorter, more distinct or altogether different experiences that arent being served by todays market. Or because they want to flip the games they collect for a quick buck on eBay. Or because well, you get the idea. J.D. Why is retro gaming so expensive? To put it simply: supply and demand. Companies arent 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 every 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. J.D. Are retro games a good investment? 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, theres 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, its your life. If collecting retro games makes you happy, and you can budget for them within reason, thats a good thing. Have fun. J.D. What qualifies as a retro game? Theres no set definition for when a video game becomes retro. Personally, I think of it as any game thats at least 10 years old and was originally released on a console thats 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, Grand Theft Auto V was released in 2013, while World of Warcraft 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. J.D. Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...rss

Solar Ash , a 3D platformer set against a neon-colored landscape. Panic, the developer behind Untitled Goose Game , will also participate in the event, along with Annapurna, a publisher whose games include What Remains of Edith Finch . There's also Riffraff Games that debuted its first title, Sleight of Hand , a "noir stealth sim" 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 YouTube and Twitch channels on December 11, starting at 9AM PT/12PM ET. The Game Awards recently announced this year's nominees , with Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and Astro Bot leading the pack with seven nominations each. Metaphor: ReFantazio , a fantasy Japanese RPG from the same team behind Persona 5 , got six noms. Silent Hill 2 and the poker/roguelike game Balatro aren't far behind, each with five nominations. All of those games, aside from Silent Hill 2 , are shortlisted for Game of the Year, along with Black Myth: Wukong and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree . This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...the-game-awards-170002009.html?src=rss

studios: Kamikaze Douga, Kinema citrus Co., Production I.G and TRIGGER. These studios are responsible for anime adaptations of JoJos Bizarre Adventure , Made in Abyss , Haikyu!! and Kill la Kill , respectively. 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. ANIMA is an animation studio specializing in 3D CG movies, and you may know it as the studio behind cutscenes from Xenoblade 3 , certain Fire Emblem Heroes movies and Pokemon Unite . David Production animated Fire Force and Undead Unluck , among many other anime. Some Star Wars: The Clone Wars episodes and Tron: Uprising were Polygon Pictures work. Project Studio Q is a less-known name, but its responsible for some 3D animation in DARLING in the FRANXX episodes. As for WIT Studio, its of Spy x Family and Attack on Titan (the first three seasons) fame. 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+. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...7738.html?src=rss

the takeaways. This laptop, obviously, includes Apples 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" in our official review . 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. Its thin and light. Its 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. So whats the downside? There isnt one. Not really. This isnt 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 its easy enough to plug in an external. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...-749-161500357.html?src=rss

all of those modern giant phones. The clamp can also wrap itself around smaller phones in bulky cases. This model boasts a built-in extension rod, so it doubles as a selfie stick. It also features the companys 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. Theres a built-in status panel to check battery levels, a timelapse feature, gestural controls and a whole lot more. Its 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. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...n-all-time-low-price-161257824.html?src=rss

Friday sales toward the start of November, but most of the discounts below represent all-time lows either way. Well update this list as prices change and new discounts pop up over the next week. Hisense U6N QLED TV (55) for $348 at Amazon ($200 off MSRP) : Reviews around the web have praised the U6N as one of the years best budget-level TVs. Its 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 dont view it straight-on, and its 60Hz refresh rate isnt the best for gaming, but its a good bargain all the same. While this deal has been live for most of November, its still an all-time low. Also at Best Buy . Other sizes are similarly discounted. Hisense U7N QLED TV (65) for $698 at Amazon ($300 off) : The U7N is a standout LED TV for those who dont 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 arent ideal, though, and its limited to two gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports. This is another deal weve seen for the last few weeks, but its the lowest price to date for the 65-inch version. Also at Best Buy . Hisense U8N QLED TV (65) for $898 at Amazon ($602 off) : 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 Best Buy . Other sizes are discounted as well, but note that the 55-inch version isnt as bright as the larger variants, while the 75-inch set has slightly worse contrast. Viewing angles arent super wide either way. LG B4 OLED TV (55) for $997 at Amazon ($200 off) : The B4 is LGs 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 its not as bright as higher-tier models, so its best kept in a darker room. We've seen this discount in the past, but it still marks an all-time low. Also at Target , B , Best Buy and others. The Samsung Frame TV. Amy Skorheim Samsung S90D QD-OLED TV (65) for $1,398 at Amazon ($800 off) : The Samsung S90D is a premium set thats notable for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of a good OLED display with a layer of quantum dots. This helps it 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 doesnt 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 Samsung , B and Best Buy . Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV (55) for $1,898 at Amazon ($500 off) : The S95D is Samsungs 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, theres no Dolby Vision, and the matte coating can make black tones look closer to gray under direct light. In general, its more TV than most people need. But if youve got cash to burn, this deal is another all-time low. Also at Samsung and Best Buy , with other sizes on sale. Samsung QN90D QLED TV (43) for $898 at Amazon ($400 off) : 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. Theres 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 weve seen for the 43-inch model, though again, the deal has been available for a few weeks. Other sizes are also discounted. Also at Samsung , B and others. Samsung The Frame TV (2024) QLED TV (55) for $878 at Woot ($620 off) : The Frame TV lags behind other sets in its price range in terms of picture quality, as it lacks local dimming to boost contrast. Instead, youd buy it for its style , since its 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 Amazon , Best Buy and Samsung . The Sony Bravia 7. Sony TCL Q550F QLED TV (55) for $250 at Best Buy ($200 off) : 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 Amazons Fire OS software, which isnt 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 weve tracked. TCL Q68 QLED TV (55) for $300 at Woot ($200 off) : The Q68 is another cheapo LED TV that broadly falls short of the Hisense U6Ns 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 dont want to spend any more than $300 for a 55-inch set, this is the lowest price weve found for this particular model. TCL QM8 QLED TV (65) for $1,000 at Amazon ($500 off) : If the Hisense U8N becomes unavailable, the TCL QM8 looks to be a decent alternative. It can get even brighter, according to reviewers we trust , but it has slightly worse contrast. Weve seen this discount a few times in recent months, but it ties the all-time low for the 65-inch variant. Also at Best Buy . Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55) for $1,298 at Amazon ($402 off) : The Bravia 7 is a relatively premium set with mini-LED backlighting to improve contrast and quantum dots to boost colors. Reviews suggest that it provides accurate colors out of the box and does well to preserve details in lower-resolution content, so its worth considering over the Hisense U8N if those are chief concerns. It only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, however, and its 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 Walmart and B , with other sizes similarly discounted. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for Black Friday. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 at Amazon ($27 off) : This is a new low for Amazons top-end streaming stick, which runs fast and supports all the major streaming apps and HDR formats. Weve found it to be surprisingly flexible as a gaming device , too, though youll have to put up with an ad-heavy interface that promotes Prime Video and other Amazon services above everything else. Also at Target , Best Buy and others. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $22 at Amazon ($28 off) : 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 Target , Best Buy and others. Roku Ultra (2024) for $80 at Amazon ($20 off) : The Roku Ultra is overkill for most people, but it might be worthwhile if you like Rokus 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 buy that separately , though.) This latest model also has a faster processor and Wi-Fi 6 support. This discount ties the lowest price weve tracked. Also at Roku , B and others. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...-more-161445522.html?src=rss

is "expected to be accretive to revenue growth at Comcast and approximately neutral to Comcasts leverage position." In other words, it's to do with money and perhaps laying the groundwork for further consolidation between major media companies. The spun-out properties pulled in around $7 billion between them over the last year or so, while their future parent will still have a partnership with NBCU. Comcast is aiming to complete the transition within the next year. In its press release , Comcast calls the spin-off company "SpinCo," which is a placeholder and surely won't be the business' actual name. After all, having "SpinCo" as their parent company's moniker wouldn't exactly be great optics for CNBC and MSNBC journalists. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...-separate-company-151153285.html?src=rss

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. Weve dug through reviews and used price history trackers to ensure each offer below is a genuine deal, and well update this post regularly over the next couple of weeks as additional deals become available. Xbox Series X (1TB) for $448 at Amazon ($52 off MSRP) : This is well off the lowest price weve seen for the higher-end Xbox, and theres a chance we see alternative deals next week. It is Microsofts official discount , though, and any chance to save $50 is still worth calling out. Whether any Xbox is a must-have is another question , as Microsoft has put less and less emphasis on exclusives, but the Series X is still a nice piece of kit if youre sold on Xbox Game Pass or just have friends who use the platform. Also at Xbox , Walmart , Target and others. Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door for $42 at Woot ($18 off) : This is a new low for the recent Switch remake of the beloved GameCube RPG Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door . Engadget Senior Editor Devindra Hardawar was pretty straightforward in his review : Its great, you should play it. Super Mario RPG for $32 at Woot ($18 off) : The lively and brisk Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars remains one of the Super Nintendos essential games. It didnt necessarily need a Switch remake, but it got one last year anyway; thankfully, the new version keeps the originals oddball spirit in tact as it spruces up the visuals for true 3D. If youre in the market for a lighter RPG, this deal at Amazon subsidiary Woot brings the game down to a new all-time low. Portal: Companion Collection for $5 at Nintendo ($15 off) : Portal and Portal 2 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 favorite couch co-op games . This discount ties the lowest price weve seen for the Companion Collection , which bundles both games for the Switch, and it comes as part of a wider suite of digital game deals at Nintendos online store. The Xbox Series X. Photo by Aaron Souppouris / Engadget Mass Effect Legendary Edition for $5 at Epic ($55 off) : The Mass Effect trilogy doesnt hold up perfectly the original is very much a game from 2007, while the overarching morality system feels ancient in a post- Baldurs Gate 3 world but it remains as accessible and deeply entertaining as any action-RPG series out there. The Legendary Edition remasters all three titles, and this discount brings the compilation down to its lowest price to date. The deal comes as part of the Epic Games Stores Black Friday sale , which is otherwise light on standout offers. Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10 at Xbox ($30 off) : This matches the all-time low for The Master Chief Collection , which gathers five of the venerable FPS series essential games in one package. It also includes Halo 4 (we kid). Pentiment for $10 at Xbox ($10 off) : Pentiment remains one of the Xboxs true gems , 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. Psychonauts 2 for $12 at Xbox ($48 off) : Another entry on our list of the best Xbox games, Psychonauts 2 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 Microsofts Black Friday sale . Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Xbox Game Studios Madden NFL 25 for $35 at Amazon ($35 off) : Madden could pretty badly use a creative reset, but its ultimately still Madden , so theres fun to be had if youre 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 years latest installment. Also at Walmart . EA Sports FC 25 for $35 at Amazon ($35 off) : Were not going to sit here and tell you the series formerly known as FIFA is good AI defending is still a mess, while the Ultimate Team 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 Walmart , PlayStation , Xbox and Steam . The Switch version is at an all-time low of $30, too, though it wont run as well. WWE 2K24 for $24 at Amazon ($11 off) : We acknowledge that this is a new low for the physical PS5 and Xbox copies of the latest WWE game, which should scratch the itch for most people looking to do some fantasy booking and digital powerbombing. Just dont be surprised if you run into a few bugs every now and then; this is a 2K game, after all. Also at Walmart , Target and Best Buy , or for $23 at Xbox . The last-gen versions are on sale for a few bucks less as well. NBA 2K25 for $30 at Amazon ($40 off) : NBA 2K has its own longstanding issues with pay-to-win online modes and occasional glitchiness, but its on-court play is generally rock solid if youre 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 Walmart , Target and Best Buy . Nintendo has the Switch edition for $4 less, though that version is generally slower watered-down than the others. The WD Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S. WD WD Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox (1TB) for $100 at Amazon ($58 off) : Its aggravating, but the only way to fully increase 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. Its 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 Best Buy . A 512GB model is a couple bucks above its all-time low at $68 as well. Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S (2TB) for $200 at Amazon ($160 off) : Seagate makes the other official storage expansion card for the Xbox Series X/S. This discount isnt the best weve ever seen, and its been live for most of the month, but its still about $30 to $50 below the 2TB models typical street price. Theres 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. 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard (N Edition) for $60 at Woot ($40 off) : 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 Nintendos old NES console. Its comfy for typing and hot-swappable, too, though the default switches are pretty noisy. This discount matches the lowest price weve seen. The 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard. Will Lipman Photography for Engadget ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) gaming laptop for $700 at Best Buy ($400 off) : Although its 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. Youll still have to deal with the usual trade-offs of a cheaper gaming laptop it can get warm under load, its bulky, the keyboard isnt great and the screen is somewhat dim. But its powerful enough to run newer games in 1080p, the chassis generally feels sturdy, and the battery can reach double-digit hours when you arent gaming. This discount is $20 above than the configs all-time low but ties the best price weve seen otherwise. LG 32GS95UV-W 32-inch gaming monitor for $1,000 at Amazon ($400 off) : This is a variant of the no-compromise pick in our guide to the best gaming monitors . Its 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). Thats great if you spend a decent chunk of time in esports-style games like Counter-Strike 2 . Being an OLED monitor gives it excellent contrast with deep black tones, though its not quite as vivid as the handful of high-end OLEDs that also use quantum dots to boost colors. Still, its well worth a look if you have cash to burn and know youll use the dual refresh rate modes. This deal has been live for a month but represents an all-time low. Also at LG and Best Buy . 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 arent as strong. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...es-and-more-144605538.html?src=rss

not prep your pizza in the great outdoors, then the Ooni Volt 12 Electric pizza oven might be more your speed. It's on sale for $719 instead of the usual $899. This is our top choice this year for an indoor pizza oven thanks to its quick heating and flexibility for fitting pans or other baked items into its 13-inch interior. It's also flexible on location, since the weather-resistant materials mean it can be used outside too. At the scorching temperatures needed for good pie, you don't want to mess around with the wrong gear. Since Ooni is also cutting the prices on accessories, this is a good time to stock up on other essential tools, like a baking stone or pizza peel. And if you need the ingredients to kick off your pizza journey, Ooni is also taking 20 percent off orders of its dough and up to 50 percent off other grocery items. The Black Friday offer for Ooni goods will be available from today through 11:59 pm local time on December 2. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...src=rss

roles. However, the game sets itself apart by implementing a mechanic called Stringify, allowing Agents to turn from 3D into paper-thin 2D models. Stringify allows Agents to avoid gunfire, climb up walls and even glide through the air, but they cant shoot or use abilities while Stringified. This mechanic allows for possibilities like chambering sniper rifle rounds while minimizing ones hitbox and traversing walls mid-gunfight. It was incredibly entertaining to move around like this, but it isnt so over-the-top like how some Call of Duty games and Titanfall implement movement mechanics. Spamming glides or sprints wont do much good. Each Agent has unique abilities and primary weapons, while secondary weapons and grenades can be swapped out. You have many familiar roles like snipers, designated marksmen with semi-automatic rifles, mid-range assault units and close-quarters-focused brawlers armed with shotguns. The abilities range from defensive supports to lone-wolf offensive kits, though Strinova doesnt encourage engaging groups of enemies alone due to a longer time to kill. My favorite Agent from the open beta is Meredith (image below), a mid-range assault Agent who can glide in mid-air longer due to a time-slowing mechanic. Her gunplay feels almost inspired by Warframe s Zephyr, who also has extended airtime. Meredith also has area denial abilities that apply debuffs, most significantly with her Ultimate Skill that drains HP temporarily while limiting vision. Jeremy Gan for Engadget Another standout is Audrey, whose ability turns her into a stationary turret and lets her fire her machine gun without recoil or reloading. However, youll want to watch out for overheating. She has a limited shield that blocks some incoming fire while aiming down the sights but theres a catch. Despite being a bullet hose, shes vulnerable to a single sniper headshot, and a shotgun user can take her out quickly before she enters turret mode, which has a longer startup animation. There were four game modes in the open beta: team deathmatch, team arena, escort, and demolition. Escort is similar to what Overwatch offers, which has an attacking team escorting a payload to the goal. Demolition is basically competitive Counter-Strike. Team deathmatch has five teams of three fighting each other, while team arena has a 7v7 format. In the last two game modes, Ultimate Skills are disabled. Based on my experience, Strinova has a longer time to kill, which forces players to be more tactical, especially when everyone can use Stringify to move around. I was forced to ditch my highly aggressive playstyle and employ proper movement and peeking to ensure I survived gunfights. Since each Agent gets to turn 2D, glide and climb walls, there are plenty of ways to get the drop on opponents. Jeremy Gan for Engadget Strinova 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 its something that gets worked out by release. I definitely enjoyed playing the Strinova open beta, and the game is set to come out on November 21. There are plenty of other cool things in the game, but the combat absolutely stands out. I dont play that many hero shooters, but this one is like a diamond in the rough to me. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...-shooters-140043155.html?src=rss

color night vision capabilities thanks to its built-in LED spotlight. It supports person detection, although youll need a Blink Subscription for that. They start at $3 monthly or $30 annually for one device. (And you get a 30-day trial to see if its worth it.) The camera supports 1080p HD live view and has a wider field of view than its predecessor (143 degrees diagonally vs. 110 in the original). It also has a low-light image sensor. The Blink Mini 2 works with Alexa and supports two-way audio. The plug-in camera works indoors and out, but youll need a $10 weather-resistant power adapter to use it outside. However, it does include mounting screws in the box, along with a 13-ft indoor power adapter and a stand for each camera. You can order the camera in black or white. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...deal-140009644.html?src=rss

though, your cheapest option is the Plus tier that will now set you back $9 per month instead of $15. It will also allow you to access the service's videos on two devices. But the best option available right now is the Premium tier, which you can get for $10 a month instead of $20. You'll be able to access classes on six devices if you get it, and it also comes with offline viewing. A subscription will let you view more than 200 classes across 11 categories no matter what option you choose. MasterClass offers lessons from some of the best and most well-known people in their field, such as Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Mariah Carey (using voice as an instrument), Stephen Curry (basketball), Steve Martin (comedy), Shonda Rhimes (writing for TV), John Legend (songwriting), Garry Kasparov (chess), Jane Goodall (conservation), Simone Biles (gymnastics) and Samuel L. Jackson (acting). Take note that you'll have to pay for the whole year to be able to enjoy the discounted rates, which are only available for a limited time. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...-150047706.html?src=rss

"maliciously crafted web content," 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's aware of a report that the vulnerabilities could've been actively exploited on Intel-based Mac systems. According to TechCrunch , the bugs are zero-day vulnerabilities, as Apple had no knowledge of their existence when they were exploited. Researchers from Google'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. Apple didn't say how many devices had been attacked using exploits taking advantage of the bugs, and it didn'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. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...s-133027514.html?src=rss

for $999 , 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. 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 score of 90 in our review . 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. 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. If you're willing to go with a slightly older (but no less capable) processor, the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage has dropped to $749 thanks to a clippable coupon. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ......

battery life is fantastic, lasting around 24 hours on a single charge. Theres also a quick charge feature, which can squeeze two hours of additional use with just 15 minutes at the power outlet. These are primarily wireless headphones, but can operate with an analog connection. The adjustable EQ is great and, of course, the sound is top-tier. Bose is known for making some pretty good stuff. There are touch controls built into the earcups, which is handy, and active noise cancellation. This ANC can be adjusted to create a transparency mode, so you wont walk into a truck or whatever. The headphones are also quite comfortable, thanks to plush earcups and a padded band. The only downside here is the price. Its tough to recommend these headphones at $350, especially with rival products at similar price points from companies like Apple, Sony and Sennheiser. However, its really easy to recommend them at $200. Thats a legit steal. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...y-deal-174600022.html?src=rss

item the staff here at Engadget have personally tested or swear by, and would make for a great holiday gift. Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...

committee, Chi Onwurah. "I would certainly like the opportunity to cross-examine him to see how he reconciles his promotion of freedom of expression with his promotion of pure disinformation. [The committee will] get to the bottom of the links between social media algorithms, generative AI, and the spread of harmful or false content." The government is looking into the use of fake images created by generative AI, often containing Islamophobic content, which were widely shared in social media posts on Facebook and X. Such posts may have inflamed riots last August that took place after three schoolgirls were murdered. MPs are also looking into big tech business models that "encourage the spread of content that can mislead and harm." Musk, who may soon have a large role in the US government under incoming president Trump, has criticized the UK government and isn't likely to attend. During the riots in August he said: Civil war is inevitable," and on Monday stated that "Britain is going full Stalin." In December, UK regulator Ofcom will publish new rules as part of the Online Safety Act . With the new regulations, it's likely that social media platforms will be forced prevent the spread of illegal materials such as CSAM and survey activities that could stir up violence. Companies like X and Facebook will then be required to remove any illegal material. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...nquiry-130004409.html?src=rss

direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! News in Brief The Oura Ring Gen 3 drops to a record low of $249 for Black Friday Its a good deal if you dont wear a smartwatch. Meta wants its Llama AI in Britains public healthcare system How do you reduce wait times? More staff members AI, somehow. Bluesky hits 20 million users Its the new home for the soul of old Twitter. Minecraft is getting its own theme parks And view a new trailer for its forthcoming movie. Merlin Entertainments The company behind Legoland is teaming up with Mojang to build Minecraft theme parks in the US and UK. 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 . The announcement came on the same day as the first full trailer for A Minecraft Movie , another sign of the games growing cultural dominance. Given I cant move in my own home without hearing famous Minecraft YouTuber Aphmau screech-shouting at the top of her lungs, I cant wait to grind my teeth into powder taking my kids to enjoy both. Continue Reading (Theme Parks) Continue Reading (Trailer) Sony will trial cloud streaming for the PS5 Portal i.e. The thing it should have had from the start. Devindra Hardawar for Engadget Someone at Sony has finally noticed the PlayStation Portal was shipped without its raison dtre: cloud streaming. The company is pushing a software update for users to test the feature with more than 120 PS5 Plus games . It only took them a whole damn year to get around to it. Continue Reading. Germany says cut undersea data cables were sabotaged Finger pointing is happening. Over the weekend, two undersea data cables in Europe were cut, with one German politician claiming sabotage. 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 . Both Germany and Finland, two of the countries affected, say a thorough investigation is in progress. Continue Reading. What is Sonos Sound Motion technology? A guide for the perplexed. Sonos Sonos hasnt had a great year, but one highlight has been the Arc Ultra soundbar, the first model to debut its Sound Motion technology. Now, I bet youre wondering what that tech is and what it does, which is why Engadgets audio expert Billy Steele has cooked up this guide . Hell talk you through what its good for, why Sonos spent $100 million to own it and what it means for the future of your home audio. Continue Reading. I wish Blizzard loved Warcraft as much as I do These games deserve better than this. Blizzard Entertainment Ive got fond memories of playing Warcraft II as a kid, with Theyre destroying our city! a regular rallying cry in me and my friend Shanes playground games. Engadgets Igor Bonifacic has a similar love for the series and leapt in to play the recently released remaster. Sadly, it looks like Blizzard phoned this one in, prompting Igor to look a little closer at whats going on. Continue Reading. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...

Uber Black . Upfront pricing will be available in the app. The service is launching at 40 airports in the US and Canada, including New Yorks Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark. Other participating UberXXL airports include (among others) LAX, SFO, Reagan National, OHare, DFW, Miami and Atlanta. It will be available at over 60 airports globally. Uber Holiday travelers will also have new ways to save a few bucks on their trips this year. UberX Share is launching at eight US airports and two international ones. The service lets you book a trip with just one other airport traveler to save up to 25 percent compared to UberX fares. The company says the cheaper rates will apply even if you arent matched with a random stranger. UberX Share for flights will launch at Austin, Denver, Newark, Dulles, Miami, New Orleans and Phoenix airports. Uber Reserve, the companys schedule-ahead feature, is adding Flight Capture, which lets you enter your flight info and schedule your trip around it. The app will recommend the best time to leave and ask if you want to adjust your drop-off if your flight is delayed. In addition, Uber Reserve will now give you the option of adding multiple stops when setting up your ride. After launching in New York City last month , Uber Shuttle has added an extra stop to and from LaGuardia. The $18 shuttle service, which lets you save some money on its preset routes, will now include a third stop at the World Trade Center site at 198 Fulton St. It joins the previous two shuttle pickup and drop-off points: Midtown Manhattan (with stops at Port Authority Terminal and Grand Central) and Penn Station. Finally, the Uber app for iPhone has added a widget that could shave a few seconds off the time it takes to schedule a pickup. Starting today, the iOS app has a new Home Screen widget that lets you request a ride in as little as two taps. You can check the App Store for the update today. The company added a ride-tracking Live Activities feature last year. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...uitcase-110027241.html?src=rss

review of this handheld, which didn't seem to have an obvious target audience. More than 120 titles from the PS5 Plus Game Catalog will be available in the beta test. That covers a range of games including Dave the Diver , Ghost of Tsushima , Marvels Spider-Man: Miles Morales , Monster Hunter Rise and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart . No games from the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 will be supported during the beta, but maybe those will join the roster whenever the feature is more broadly available. Portal owners might also want to know that this update adds a couple tweaks to audio and volume controls. But let's be honest, cloud gaming is really the point. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...17262.html?src=rss

for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative to withhold billions of dollars in advertising revenue from Elon Musks social media company. The plaintiff alleges the boycott violated federal antitrust laws and is demanding a jury trial to settle the matter. GARM also announced its discontinuation two days after X filed its lawsuit. X Corp.s joint lawsuit first filed in August also includes the WFA, the global food manufacturer Mars Incorporated, the drugstore chain CVS and the Danish energy company rsted A/S over the advertising boycott. X also has a lawsuit against the media watchdog group Media Matters for publishing a report showing X displayed ads next to antisemitic content on the platform. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...ml?src=rss

not watching anything. 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. 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. 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 GeForce Now . Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...?src=rss

real world we know, to protect the Overworld from "dark forces" 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's unclear whether their foes will be baddies from the Nether or the End, because while those can be a pain, they canonically don't seem interested in world domination. But I'm not here for a clever, compelling plot. The trailer is a sizzle reel of familiar in-game experiences, and that'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've chosen doesn't speak to me, but I'm also willing to admit to some bias after hundreds of hours spent looking at the original source material. I'm also not sure if they'll stick the landing on the humor and emotion or whether it'll fall flat like an elytra that's run out of juice. We'll find out when A Minecraft Movie releases on April 5, 2025. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...onic-in-game-moments-210252851.html?src=rss

recommends rebooting your computer or console if the initial load makes it past 90 percent mark and then stalls out. If its under 90 percent and still loading, Microsoft advises waiting to allow the loading to proceed as normal. Our own Kris Holt has been stuck looking at the very same loading screen for around 45 minutes. Xbox launched Flight Simulator 2024 and added it to its Game Pass Ultimate catalog for PC, Xbox Series X/S and the cloud today following a technical alpha test 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. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...ng-times-203805287.html?src=rss

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. Table of contents What does an air fryer do? Best air fryers for 2024 Buying guide for air fryers Air fryer pros and cons Best air fryer accessories How to clean an air fryer How to find air fryer recipes What does an air fryer do? Lets clear one thing up first: its 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. 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. Dont 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. Read more: Weve also rounded up the best pizza ovens and the best sous vide machines . Best air fryers for 2024 Buying guide for air fryers Convection ovens 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. 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. The flip side of that is that youll 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. Pod-shaped air fryers 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. Thats one of a few caveats. Most pod-shaped air fryers there are a few exceptions dont have a window to see how things are cooking, so youll need to closely scrutinize things as they cook, opening the device to check progress. Basket-style air fryers also generally use less energy theres less space to heat and many have parts that can be put directly into a dishwasher. 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 theyre usually heavy enough to stop you from storing them in cupboards or shelves elsewhere. 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 youll have to pay for them. Air fryer pros and cons 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 youll be air frying, so even beginners can master these machines. 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 dont, theres 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. Most air fryers are easy to clean especially in comparison to a shallow or deep fryer. Well get into cleaning guidance a little later. With a smaller space to heat, air fryers are generally more energy-efficient for cooking food than larger appliances like ovens. And if you dont have an oven, air fryers are much more affordable especially the pod options. 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 youre 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. Theres also a space limitation to air fryers. This is not a TARDIS theres simply less space than most traditional ovens and many deep fat fryers. If you have a bigger family, youll 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. You may also struggle to cook many items through as the heat settings will cook the surface of dishes long before its cooked right through. If youre planning to cook a whole chicken or a roast, please get a meat thermometer! Best air fryer accessories Beyond official accessories from the manufacturer, try to pick up silicone-tipped tools. Tongs are ideal, as is a silicon spatula to gently loosen food that might get stuck on the sides of the air fryer. These silicone mats 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. Silicone trivets 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 dont feel like repeatedly buying tiny bottles, you can decant your favorite vegetable oil into a permanent mister like this. How to clean an air fryer Were 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. 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. 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. 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. If Dawn isnt shifting oily stains, try mixing a small amount of baking soda with enough water to make a paste, and apply that so that it doesnt 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. How to find air fryer recipes 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. Many of the top recipe sites and portals have no shortage of air fryer recipes, and theres no harm in googling your favorite cuisine and adding the words air fryer on the end of the search string. Weve picked up some reliable options from Delish , which also has a handy air fryer time converter for changing oven and traditional fryer recipes. BBC Good Food is also worth browsing for some simple ideas, as is NYT Cooking , 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. And if you have a killer recipe or unique use for your air fryer, let us know in the comments. Whats the air fryer equivalent of the Instant Pot cheesecake? Were ready to try it. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...

started their early sales in earnest just yet, we've seen more than a few new discounts on gadgets we recommend pop up. Below are the best Black Friday tech deals we found so far. We'll continuously update this post as more Black Friday sales pop up, so if you've been eyeing something else, be sure to check back. And you can find all of our Black Friday coverage here. Engadget's top picks Apple Watch Series 10 for $349 ($50 off): The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can get thanks to its slightly thinner and lighter design, wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, watchOS 11 features and slightly improved battery life. We gave it a score of 90 in our Apple Watch Series 10 review . DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 ($40 off): The latest version of DJI's smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming. Anker MagGo 3-in-1 foldable charging station for $82.50 (25 percent off with coupon): This Qi2 charging station supports up to 15W of power output and can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and a pair of AirPods all at once. It also comes with a 40W USB-C charger and connecting cable, so you get everything you need to use it in the box. Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside if you wish provided you have the separate $10 weather-resistant adapter . LG 65-inch B3 OLED smart TV for $998 ($301 off): This OLED TV has a 120Hz refresh rate, LG's a7 AI processor Gen 6, and support for NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR for an even better gaming experience. A 65-inch OLED set under $1,000 is a great deal, as it's more common to see 55-inch TVs drop below that threshold during sale events. Samsung SmartTag 2 Bluetooth trackers (four-pack) for $62 (38 percent off): These trackers have a handy, built-in keyring hole, an IP67-rated design, a vast finding network and good battery life. Samsung 55-inch The Frame smart TV (2024) for $898 (40 percent off): The latest Frame TVs can show art on the screen when you're not using it, and it has a matte finish to make it look more like a picture frame on your wall. Also available at Samsung . The best early Black Friday tech deals Apple AirTags (four-pack) for $73 ($27 off): These are the Bluetooth trackers to get if you have an iPhone, and they allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings from within the Find My app. Just make sure to pick up an AirTag holder or case if you plan on using them with your keys. Apple Mac mini (M4) for $549 ($25 off with coupon): Apple's newest tiny desktop is on sale for $574, but a $25 coupon will bring it down to a record low of $549. It earned a score of 90 in our Mac mini review for its incredibly fast performance, standard 16GB of RAM, smaller design and front-facing USB-C and headphone jack. Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch) fore $899 ($200 off): The latest MacBook Air is our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in double the previous base amount. If you're ok with getting an M2 processor, that 13-inch MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is also on sale for $749 . Apple 2024 M4 iMac desktop computer for $1,150 ($148 off with coupon) : Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, and now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia . Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget Anker 10K MagGo power bank for $70 ($20 off, Prime exclusive): This is one of our top picks for the best power banks you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand. Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $36 ($9 off, Prime exclusive): A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices. Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $44.25 ($35.75 off) : The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds , as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen it's only available to Prime subscribers at Amazon, but you can also grab it at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon. Xbox Series X (1TB) with extra controller for $490 ($110 off): This bundle includes a total of two Xbox wireless controllers with the Series X console, and the built-in 1TB SSD is a good starting point for most gamers. Xbox Black Friday deals get up to 55 percent off games: With titles starting at $5, this is a good time to pad your digital-only Xbox console if you're eager to try some new games. A number of our top picks for the best Xbox games are included in the sale, like Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10. Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 ($160 off) : Seagate's expansion card is one of the best options for expanding your Xbox Series X/S storage. A 2TB version has dropped to $200, its lowest price to date. It's one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories . Also available at Seagate . Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 (20 percent off) : This set recreates the scene in which Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers battled the Rebels, and it includes seven Star Wars minifigures. Lego Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos ESPA Podrace Diorama 75380 for $60 (25 percent off) : You get LEGO brick models of Anakin Skywalkers podracer and his rival Sebulbas podracer in this set, and the finished product is made to be displayed. Lego Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion 71436 for $60 (20 percent off) : This set opens out for more convenient play when it's all built, and it includes King Boo, Yellow Baby Yoshi, Dry Bones and Boo figures. Lego Super Mario Nabbit at Toads Shop Expansion Set 71429 for $12 (40 percent off) : This expansion set includes two brick-built characters (Yellow Toad and Nabbit), and Nabbit's bag is also buildable, too. Lego Audible Premium Plus (3-month) for $1 ($29 off) : Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier : In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel. Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5. Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out. MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields. Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off): First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps. ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off): Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows , and some of them even include a kill-switch feature. ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off): Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager. Google Pixel Watch 3 for $280 ($70 off) : Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our guide to the best smartwatches and it earned an 84 in our review . It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at Best Buy and Target . Google Nest Indoor security camera (wired) for $70 ($30 off): Google's security camera can tell the difference between people, animals and vehicles while it's monitoring your home, and it supports 1080p video, night vision and two-way audio. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for $270 ($80 off): One of our favorite air fryers, this machine does a lot more than just air fry thanks to its 11 cooking modes, and while it's larger than a typical air fryer, that means it can cook larger things like a full turkey or chicken. Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $180 ($50 off): One of our favorite kitchen gadgets , this ice cream maker is super easy to use and makes an infinite amount of frozen treats ; you're really only limited by your imagination. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 ($27 off): Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device . Blink Outdoor 4 (6-pack) for $180 ($300 off) : The Outdoor 4 is a wireless, IP65-rated outdoor security camera we highlight in our guide to the best smart home gadgets . It captures decent (if not class-leading) 1080p video, it's relatively painless to install and it supports features like night vision, motion alerts, local storage and two-way talking. The catch is that it locks things like person detection and cloud storage behind a subscription plan . Still, it's a solid value on balance, and this deal furthers that. We've seen this price on a six-camera bundle for a few weeks, but it's still an all-time low. An eight-camera pack is also on sale for $250, another low. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Hisense U8N 4K TV (55-inch) for $698 ($402 off) : The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at Best Buy . Samsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off): This unique smart speaker can show art or your own photos while it plays music, and it can sync with your Samsung TV speakers. Also available at Samsung . Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $150 ($70 off): Our top pick for the best budget Android tablet sports an 11-inch 90Hz display, a microSD card slot for extra storage and a hefty battery. Samsung T9 portable SSD (4TB) for $299 ($250 off): The latest model in the T-series of Samsung's portable drives supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, and it has dynamic thermal guard to keep it cool even when you're pushing it to its limits. Also available at Samsung . Segway Ninebot Max G2 electric scooter for $775 ($225 off): The latest electric scooter from Segway can reach a maximum speed of up to 25mph, and it can run for up to 43 miles in Eco mode. Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard Bundle for $400 ($180 off): Solo Stove Black Friday deals include up to 30 percent off fit pit bundles that give you all of the necessary accessories to make the most out of your new fire pit. Alternatively, you can pick up the Bonfire fire pit with its stand over at Amazon for only $196. Black Friday FAQs When is Black Friday 2024? Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 this year. When do Black Friday deals start? We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and youll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event. When do Black Friday deals end? Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, weve seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday. Where are the best Black Friday deals? There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure youre getting the best deal before you cross things off your list. Does Apple have Black Friday deals? You typically will not find cash discounts on Apples 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 isnt a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...ple-anker-and-others-163039567.html?src=rss

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. The company did just release the Oura Ring Gen 4 , 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 review 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. 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. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...5248032.html?src=rss

Veilguard continues the story of the decade-old Dragon Age Inquisition , 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's where he also trapped even more evil Elven gods. Solas considered himself a hero, but then again, so did Marvel's Thanos. 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'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. BioWare wastes no time showing off its new aesthetic for Dragon Age . The game's characters are more stylized than in Inquisition , but I didn't mind the slight loss in realism. If anything, it makes this entry feel more distinct from previous Dragon Age 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. Id often find myself just staring off into the distance of the Fade, imagining what else lay beyond the horizon. Thats something I found myself doing in every new location, the detail in the world hints at thousands of untold stories. BioWare For a game that was rebooted several times , and suffered some notable turnover (including losing its original creative director, Mike Laidlaw), Dragon Age: The Veilguard is surprisingly well-constructed. And throughout my twenty hours with the game (so far), its that level of craft and quality I appreciate the most. While the storyline isn't exactly groundbreaking, I haven't been able to put down Dragon Age: The Veilguard because it's such a joy to play. The new combat system is more action-oriented than before (think of the difference between Mass Effect 1 and 2 ), with counters and special moves reminiscent of the recent God of War . You can't directly control your companions, but you can have them deploy special abilities that can either aid you or attack your enemies. It'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). BioWare As you level up, you can tweak your character to your liking with Veilgaurd's massive skill tree. I've honed my Rook to be a lightning-fast dual-sword wielding Rogue who isn'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'm a sucker for the Duelist's double sword action. Battles can get hectic, and thankfully Dragon Age: The Veilguard 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, "Ultra" 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. BioWare But I was also surprised to find that Veilguard 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's certainly not the ideal way to play, but it's helpful for dealing with side missions in bed, or on the go. Given how well it performs on a mere handheld, I'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's also support for the PlayStation 5 Pro .) Beyond merely looking great, Veilguard kept me hooked because of BioWares 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 Bellas typically warm demeanor. As usual, you can romance any of your companions (how can you not love Neve?), and theres still plenty of fun to be had trying to set up those relationships. BioWare Ill admit, it simply felt good to pour some hours leading a group of ragtag do-gooders to save the world against relentless odds. Thats 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.) After Baldurs Gate 3 failed to grab me (Ill get back to it, I swear!), I feared that Dragon Age: The Veilguard would be another letdown. But it turned out to be exactly the sort of spectacle I needed: Its beautiful to behold, fun to play and I genuinely enjoyed the new batch of characters. Its BioWare at its best Im just hoping they can do the same for the next Mass Effect . This article originally appeared on Engadget at ...rc=rss