When it comes to hot coffee, my preference is for pour-over. Sure, its a manual brewing method that takes time and attention, but I want all of the nuanced flavors and aromas that slow pouring extracts from the locally roasted coffee I resupply weekly. I can make as much or as little as I want (within the capacity of my Chemex, of course) and control all of the parameters of the process, varying them based on the characteristics of my beans. Plenty of companies have tried to offer a similar experience in a countertop drip machine, but many of them only get about halfway there.
Enter the Fellow Aiden ($369). For the first time, an automatic brewer promising pour-over quality actually delivered. The machine can accurately and precisely maintain water temperature, even offering a bloom cycle to appropriately begin the extraction process. The Aiden has both guided brewing and minutely customizable options for achieving your ideal cup whether youre a beginner or youve been a coffee snob for decades. Its this abundance of control that sets Fellows machine apart, and why it actually gives you coffee that may have you ditching your pour-over dripper for good.
Design
Fellow is well known for its design prowess when it comes to coffee gear like grinders, kettles and drinkware. The company usually takes a more mechanical looking approach, with an aesthetic that resembles lab equipment instead of coffee devices. For the Aiden though, the company went for a more minimal design, giving it a plainer cube structure thats a lot more modern than many automatic drip machines on the market. It wont appeal to everyone, but I do think its unique.
A removable water tank sits on the left, complete with volume markings for your desired quantity of coffee. You dont have to take the tank off to fill it, but if youre working from a faucet the fact that you can makes things easier. Inside the brewing chamber, theres a spray head adjustment which allows you to reconfigure the Aiden for single-cup use. The machine also comes with a second brew basket for this purpose that can deposit coffee straight into your favorite cup.
Billy Steele for Engadget
Down below, a double wall carafe provides enough heat retention to keep your coffee warm for a few hours. The lid doesnt close off the container entirely, but if you consume all of your morning joe in under three hours, youll be fine. I wouldve liked to see a second lid that would seal things to keep them at just-brewed temps, but Fellow did design the carafe so that it pours easily without a mess. I cant say the same for the 2020 model Moccamaster the Aiden replaced in my kitchen.
Instead of the typical on/off switch, the Aiden has a one-button, knob-based interface where you make all of your selections. A small, circular display sits at the top left of the front panel, and turning the knob navigates the plethora of menu options. Once you find what youre looking for, simply press the dial to make a selection. (Reviewers note: The display on my review unit was damaged before it arrived, but since the machine still performed as intended, I didnt feel the need to return it just for that reason.)
Pour-over performance
There are dozens, maybe even hundreds, of automatic or semi-automatic drip coffee makers that promise the quality youd get in a manually brewed pour-over. Sadly, almost none of them actually deliver. Ive used a Moccamaster for four years, and while theres a lot to like about the machine, the straight-line arrangement of the shower head doesnt give you the even water distribution youd want for quality pour-over simulation. Other machines dont get hot enough, and many dont allow you to adjust the bloom cycle, water ratios or brew temperature.
On the Aiden, Fellow addressed all of my gripes with machines Ive used in the past. First, the dual shower heads spouts are spaced out so that coffee grounds are evenly saturated throughout the bloom and brewing cycles. The two easily switchable modes mean you can make a full 10-cup carafe or as little as one cup with the same quality. You will have to keep two types of filters on hand for the two baskets, but those are much easier to store than a second, single-cup pod machine. This alone would be a big innovation for drip brewers, but the company didnt stop there.
An infinitely customizable brewing system
Billy Steele for Engadget
Fellow also accounted for customization, another area where coffee nerds want room to experiment. The Aiden allows you to adjust brew temperature, coffee-to-water ratio and pulse behavior as much as youd like. You can dial in the number of pulses of water, the time between them and even set each one to be a different temperature. For the bloom cycle, Fellow unlocks duration, temperature and the bloom ratio (amount of water in the initial pour).
Instead of having to live with the one setting a company programmed into its machine, youre in complete control of all of the parameters here. The degree with which you can dial in the brew cycle to your every whim is the biggest reason why the Aiden will be so attractive to serious coffee lovers. Whats more, another important piece of the machines customization abilities are brew profiles, so you dont have to start from scratch.
If youre not familiar with the term, the best way to think about brew profiles is like recipes. The Aiden offers three out of te box light roast, medium roast and dark roast so you dont need to immediately start tweaking and saving things. But if your favorite coffee roaster is like mine (Hi, Vignette Coffee Roasters), it will offer brewing guidance for things like water ratios. Of course, those companies may not always nail your preferred flavor or strength, but they provide a good starting point since theyre aware of the nuances. And with the Aiden, youre able to actually employ that advice for each single origin or custom blend you use.
Eventually, Fellow will allow roasters and coffee shops to create and share profiles so you can brew like they do in a cafe. If you subscribe to Fellow Drops, a coffee lineup curated by the company, your Aiden will be able to automatically download the profiles for the beans that are headed your way.
Dont fret if you arent at that level of coffee snobbery just yet. The Aiden provides guided brewing based on those three roast profiles and your desired number of cups for quick and easy use. These arent just helpful for beginners, but also for the times when more advanced users want a pot of joe without much thought. I found them helpful on the weekends when I wasnt sure when Id be getting out of bed and didnt want to wake up to a cold pot of coffee. During the week though, the scheduling tool is a big advantage that much of the competition lacks.
I would be remiss if I didnt discuss the Aidens heating system, since this tech is what enables to-the-degree temperature control throughout the brew cycle. Any moderate or advanced coffee lover knows that water temperature is a key aspect of brewing great coffee. Lots of automatic drip machines simply dont get hot enough to extract all of the flavor from the grounds, leaving you with a more muted flavor profile. Inside the Aiden though, Fellow designed a heating setup with single-degree precision that even lets you adjust temperatures while the machine is brewing without stalling the process. The way this machine heats water offers consistency and control that many coffee makers cant match.
Theres also an Aiden app, but it doesnt do much right now. You can connect the machine to the software for firmware updates, to set the time and to name the brewer. Eventually, Fellow plans to enable the shareable profiles I mentioned earlier, in addition to scheduling and remote control from your phone. However, those items have been listed as coming soon since the Aidens launch in September. Ive asked Fellow for the current status and Ill update this review if I hear back.
The competition
Billy Steele for Enagadget
Before I tested the Aiden, I used a Moccamaster KBT that I purchased in 2020. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to upgrade my coffee setup at home, where Id been brewing manual pour-overs via Chemex for years. I wanted something I could turn on and have it make coffee comparable to what Id been doing, and thats what I got.
Moccamaster coffee machines have a reputation for being well-built and reliable, and I found that to be true. My KBT worked well daily, providing coffee that was more akin to pour-over quality than a much cheaper auto-drip brewer. The KBT still comes with an insulated carafe, although the 2020 model didnt have a pour spout like the updated version does. This made pouring difficult and often messy. And while the machine brews at temperatures between 196 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, the straight-line design of the shower head doesnt provide the best saturation during the brewing cycle.
With all of that said, I still think Moccamaster machines are the best alternative to the Aiden. Theyre slightly cheaper, starting at $329, and will serve you well for years. Plus, there are options for glass carafes with heating elements if you prefer that to an insulated one. For many of the models though, youll have to live without an automatic drip stop when you remove the carafe during brewing. Theres a manual slider on the brew basket for most of the options, but an auto option is only available on machines like the KBGV Select. The 40-ounce Moccamaster models also brew about nine ounces less than the Aiden at max capacity (1.25 L/44 oz vs. 1.5 L/52.9 oz), so thats something else to consider. Its almost another full cup of coffee per pot.
Wrap-up
Its clear Fellow recognized all of the shortcomings of so-called pour-over simulators on the market when designing the Aiden. The company finally delivers on the promise of the smoothness and flavor of manually brewed coffee in an automatic drip machine. The Aiden gets hot enough, offers adequate saturation and segments the brew cycle just like you would for a pour-over or Chemex. Plus, theres a host of customization options, which allow you to dial in your process based on the beans youre using. Ad that means I can actually get rid of a lot of the clutter I needed for a single-cup pick-me-up.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/fellow-aiden-review-a-highly-customizable-pour-over-coffee-machine-172028575.html?src=rss
"At least give us true cloud gaming." That's what I asked for at the end of my PlayStation Portal review, a $200 device I ultimately found frustrating because it could only do one thing: Stream games from your PlayStation 5. A year later, Sony has finally answered my prayers. The company has started testing cloud streaming on the Portal for PlayStation Plus Premium members, giving them instant access to more than 120 PS5 titles. And for once, I've started to hate this thing a bit less.
After cloud streaming a bit of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Control and Demon's Souls, I have just one question for Sony: Why wasn't this on the PlayStation Portal when it launched a year ago? I was surprised to find that cloud streaming was far more reliable than the Portal's original PS5 remote play, which was (and remains) hit-or-miss. Sometimes it would work just great, giving me some precious Spider-Man 2 time on the couch, and sometimes it would just refuse to connect to the PS5 for no apparent reason. (And yes, I have a pretty solid gigabit internet setup and Wi-Fi 6 router.)
When I originally tested the PlayStation Portal, it failed my key criteria for testing consumer electronics: I simply couldn't trust it. But Sony's cloud streaming changes that. Now, I can just hit the Cloud Play button on the Portal, wait 15 to 20 seconds to launch the service, and wait another 20 seconds or so to boot up my game of choice. It's not exactly quick, but it's not too far off from the process of booting up your console and waiting for a game to load up.
While playing Control over the cloud, I was shocked by how clear and smooth it looked, with none of the latency I typically feel while streaming games. I also didn't see any of the video artifacts or lazy screen refreshing I sometimes encounter when playing cloud titles over Xbox Game Pass. Sonys Gaikai acquisition (along with OnLive) from over a decade ago may finally be paying off!
Control ran at a smooth 60 fps in 1080p in its performance mode, and I had no trouble switching over to the ray-tracing filled 30 fps fidelity mode. I was also able to swap between quality settings in Miles Morales easily. I always opt for 60 fps when I can (that's one major reason I liked the PS5 Pro so much), so it was nice to see the Portal easily keeping up with that framerate. I spent 15 minutes swinging around Manhattan and tackling a few side missions, and it didn't feel that different from playing Spider-Man 2 in its full glory on the PS5 Pro.
As with most cloud services, though, your experience will be determined by your own internet connection and the load on Sony's servers. Xbox cloud streaming got noticeably worse as more users jumped on the future, and it's unclear if Sony can handle a similar demand. The Portal's cloud streaming is also limited to the 120+ PS5 games in the PS Plus Premium service. There are some notable titles like The Last of Us: Part 1 and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, but most of the entries are older and not nearly as compelling (unless you're really excited to play Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures). And while you can normally stream digital games you own over PS Plus, Sony says that feature isnt available yet for the Portal. Still, its something that will likely pop up eventually.
While it's nice to see Sony bring over cloud streaming to the PlayStation Portal, it's a feature that will mostly appeal to people who already have the device and are PS Plus Premium members. You know, the true PlayStation loyalists. And naturally, streaming requires a decent internet connection to work properly, so I still wouldn't recommend the Portal as your best portable gaming option while traveling.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Cloud play also doesn't fix my existing issues with the Portal. When I tried to compare it to Remote Play from the PS5 Pro on the Portal (above), it took me eight minutes to connect to the console. I eventually had to run downstairs, turn on the PS5 Pro manually and login for the Portal to work. So much for the convenience of remote play! Spider-Man 2 also looked worse in that mode, versus everything i saw over cloud streaming.
Funny enough, this week Microsoft also announced a major streaming upgrade for the Xbox: The ability to play games you actually own, instead of being limited to what's in the Game Pass library. That feature doesn't work for every title, but it includes things like Baldur's Gate III and Cyberpunk 2077. I didn't have many purchased Xbox titles to stream (I'm mostly a PC player these days), but I was able to easily stream the Final Fantasy II HD Pixel Remake via XBPlay on the Steam Deck.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Forza Horizon 5 also looked decent over Xbox cloud streaming (above), but it was far from perfect. Text was fuzzy, textures weren't clear and artifacts constantly popped up as I raced around Mexico. It certainly didn't look as good as the games I saw on PlayStation Plus, or the higher-resolution streaming on services like NVIDIA's GeForce Now.
If anything, the combined news from Sony and Microsoft this week is a sign these companies should devote a bit more energy to cloud streaming. We've been hearing about this technology for more than a decade, but the console makers have been dragging their heels when it comes to deploying and promoting it. (Microsoft's recent "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign is a bit cringe, but it's also the sort of thing the company should have been shouting from the rooftops for years.)
With the rise of gaming handhelds, and the growing ambivalence towards expensive console hardware, cloud streaming has the potential to become far more useful. But to get there, Sony and Microsoft need to make more streaming leaps, instead of inconsistent steps forward.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sonys-cloud-streaming-makes-the-playstation-portal-far-more-useful-171038751.html?src=rss
Black Friday is a great time to snag stocking stuffers and tech accessories at a discount. Engadget has reviewed and tested hundreds of small-but-useful electronics including speakers, cables, smart plugs, cameras, battery packs and earbuds, and we put the best ones in our related buying guides.
Right now, many of those picks are seeing discounts that put them comfortably (and sometimes just barely) below the $50 mark. After you grab a few as gifts, dont forget to get an accessory or two for yourself. Here are the best Black Friday tech deals under $50 we could find from retailers across the web.
Black Friday tech deals under $20
Amazon
Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10 ($30 off): As part of the Xbox Black Friday sale, you can save up to 55 percent on titles (some titles are going as low as $5). A number of our top picks for the best Xbox games are included in the sale, including this Halo collection, Death Stranding: Directors Cut, Street Fighter 6 and Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred. And if youre looking for more deals on game titles, check out Jeff Dunns Black Friday gaming roundup.
Amazon Echo Pop (2023) for $18 ($22 off): Amazons smallest Echo will fit in any room in your home, so Alexa can add things to your shopping list, set a timer, or answer questions (like Whats a bomb cyclone? or Who is Penelope Cruz married to?) from anywhere.
Anker Nano Charger 30W USB-C for $13 ($7 off): This compact 30-watt wall charger is smaller than others of its wattage and can speedily juice up an iPhone or Android handset. Anker is one of Engadgets most recommended accessory brands and this is the model we picked for our fast charger guide. Get the same deal at Anker with an auto-applied code.
Anker Nano power bank with built-in USB-C connector for $16 ($4 off): Its the size of an old-timey lipstick case but packs enough juice (and its own USB-C plug) to get a dying smartphone back in service with at least a half charge. Its one of the winners in our guide to power banks. Also direct from Anker with an auto-applied code.
Glocusent Tri-head clip-on book light for $16 ($4 off): Glocusents book light can stand on a desk or clip to a book and casts a wide swath of light across the widest of pages. Its a pick in our book lovers gift guide.
Beshon European travel plug adapter (two-pack) for $13 ($6 off with Prime): If youre planning any trips abroad, take one of these, as Engadgets Valentina Palladino recommends in our gifts for travelers guide. They come in versions made for Ireland, China and Japan, too.
Audible Premium Plus (3-month) for $1 ($29 off): If you dont currently subscribe to Audible you can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. The service is usually $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. Premium Plus gives you access to the Audible Plus library, and lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month.
Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a selected catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading as well as some Audible audiobooks and magazines. Prime members can get two months for only $5.
Elden Ring (PS4,PS5, Xbox) for $20 ($40 off): One of our favorite games is down to the best price weve tracked. It feels impressively handmade despite its epic scale that feels big but never superfluous. Also at Best Buy.
Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): If you rely on Alexa as your smart home assistant, this is an affordable and reliable way to control your lamps, fans and Christmas lights. It was one of the more reliable and fuss-free plugs I tested.
Anker Nano II 713 Charger (45W) for $20 ($20 off): This 45-watt charger has a single USB-C port and will let you take advantage of the faster charging speeds newer devices offer (just make sure you have an equally robust cable). Its one of the picks in our iPad accessories guide. Also at Anker with an auto-applied code.
Chipolo ONE for $20 ($5 off with Prime): Our favorite Bluetooth tracker overall is loud, compact and readily tells you when youve left your keys (or whatever else you attach them to) behind. If youre looking for a finding network to locate things youve lost out in the wild, this isnt the one to get, but for everyday locating misplaced keys in the house, this is great. Also at Chewy without Prime.
Belkin Apple AirTag secure holder for $15 ($5 off): AirTags are great, and we recommend them for iPhone users, but they have no built-in method for attaching them. This is one of the gizmos we recommend in our guide to secure the tag to your luggage and more. Also at Amazon.
Elevation Lab TagVault (2 Pack) for $16 ($4 off with Prime): Another recommendation from our guide, Elevation Labs fabric mount is ideal for sticking an AirTag inside your coat, backpack or anything else you want to track. Also at Elevation Lab without Prime.
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 for $20 ($10 off): If you have a Samsung smartphone, this is the tracker we recommend. The finding network isnt as vast as Apples, but in our tests, the accuracy was good and the physical design is one of the best of its kind.
PopSockets Phone Grip for $15 ($15 off): You can save 50 percent on the Pop Socket we recommend in our guide to iPhone accessories. May other Pop Sockets are on sale directly from Pop Socket for Black Friday.
J-Tech Digital Ergonomic Mouse for $18 ($13 off): The best budget ergo mouse has a vertical grip thats a little wider than others of its ilk, which we found to be more comfortable. There are RGB lights, which can be fun. But which can also be turned off.
WAVLINK USB-C hub for $13 ($13 off): The budget pick in our guide to USB-C hubs has an HDMI port, three USB connections (two type-A and one type-C) plus a generous 10-inch cable to give you more options when plugging into your laptop or tablet.
Anker USB-C 240W Bio-Braided cable for $12 ($5 off): A fast charger wont do much if the cable isnt rated to handle the wattage. This 240W Anker cable is pulled from our list of the best iPhone accessories and will charge those devices (or any other rechargeable item with a USB-C port) as quickly as the brick and device will allow.
Black Friday tech deals under $30
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29 ($21 off): On our list of the best streaming devices we named the Roku Streaming Stick 4K the best pick for those wanting an ocean of free and live content. By combining Rokus own free channels with content from other FAST apps this simple stick turns any screen into a portal to a near-infinite amount of movies and shows that you wont pay a dime for. Also at Target and direct from Roku for $1 more.
Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $28 ($12 off): Ankers Soundcore brand proves the accessory brand can make some excellent electronics and we named a number of Soundcore audio devices to our buying guides. This is one of the smaller and more affordable models from Anker and its currently back to one of its lowest prices yet.
Anker Nano 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $30 ($15 off): 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. Also at Anker within an auto-applied code.
HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 gaming headset for $30 ($20 off): Though we ultimately recommend getting an external mic along with your wired headphones if you need to chat while playing, the Cloud Stinger 2 is our pick for a budget gaming headset. Also at Best Buy and direct from Hyper.
Kasa Smart Plug Mini 15A (4-pack) for $30 ($20 off): Our favorite smart plug overall connects to all the major smart home platforms, including from Apple, Google and Amazon. Its perfectly simple to set up, stays connected andmakes it easy to make your lights do what you want them to. Also at Amazon.
EarFun Free 2S wireless earbuds for $25 ($15 off): These dont sound as sharp as other budget earbuds we recommend and theres no noise cancellation or transparency mode, but if you need a pair of earbuds under $50 (or under $30 now) these are decently comfortable with a sound thats a bit richer than others in its price range.
Amazon Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): Our favorite budget earbuds with an open ear design are made by Amazon. They dont go all the way in your ear so youll hear more of whats going on around you. The sound is decently separated, though we recommend tweaking the EQ in the Alexa app to bring down the treble a touch.
Keychron C3 Pro mechanical keyboard for $38 at Amazon ($22 off, Prime only): Heres a decent mechanical keyboard thats surprisingly affordable. The C3 Pro is the budget pick in our keyboard buying guide. We found the keycaps a bit slick, but its typing feel and sound are still levels above the membrane boards you usually find in this price range.
Anker USB-C Hub 341 for $25 ($10 off): Ankers seven-port hub lets you use a range of extras with your tablet, which is why we named it one of the best accessories for an iPad. In addition to extra USB connections, you also get a microSD and standard SD card slots.
Logitech Signature M650 wireless mouse for $30 ($5 off): This portable mouse is great for anyone who changes locations when they work because it connects quickly and easily slips in a pack. Its one of the gifts we recommend in our stockingstuffer guide. Also at Staples and direct from Logitech.
Ransom Notes board game for $28 ($7 off): Engadgets Karissa Bell recommends this party board game in our gift guide thanks to its hilarity-inspiring appeal. It forces players to communicate complex concepts using a given number of word magnet tiles.
Baseus 30W Magnetic Power Bank for $25 ($20 off): An honorable mention in our battery guide, this small Baseus bank delivers a fast charge either wirelessly for MagSafe compatible iPhones or via the attached USB-C cable.
Black Friday tech deals under $40
Engadget
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 with the $10 weather-resistant adapter.
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.
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.
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.
Anker 633 Magnetic Battery for $40 ($15 off): Choose from a MagSafe option or the 20W Power Delivery port via a USB-C cable (which charges things faster). The handy kickstand means you can look at your phone while it charges and that port lets you charge non-MagSafe devices too.
Blink Outdoor 4 (2023) $38 ($52 off): Amazons latest outdoor Blink camera works well (and only) with Alexa, letting you check on your surroundings using the app or a compatible display (like an Echo Show or a Fire TV.
OtterBox Performance Fast Charge Power Bank 20,000 mAh for $32 ($23 off): This is the larger-capacity model of the mid-range battery we recommend in our guide to power banks. Not only does it look cool, its durable and charges up a phone quickly through either the USB-C or USB-A port.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth for $40 ($30 off): Engadgets Mat Smith gave this title a favorable review earlier this year. It helps if youve played its predecessor and its absolutely stuffed with things to do. This is a new low for the PS5 exclusive.
Govee Smart LED Light Bars for $35 ($15 off): We like Govees playful smart lights and recommend the brand in our guide to smart bulbs. These light bars made the list in our stocking stuffer gift guide thanks to their versatility (they can stand up, lay flat or be mounted) and theres no end to the multiple colors and sequences you can program.
Razer Basilisk V3 ergonomic gaming mouse for $40 ($30 off): This is the gaming option in our guide to the best ergonomic mice. Its super light and glides across multiple surfaces. The buttons are customizable and the thumb rest is comfortable. Also at Amazon.
UGREEN Revodok Pro 109 USB-C hub for $38 ($16 off): The top pick in our buying guide to USB-C hubs has a good array of ports, the ability to support two 4K monitors, and a nice long host cable so you can easily arrange it on your desk.
Black Friday tech deals under $50
Amazon
JBL Clip 5 for $49.95 ($30 off): JBL makes a good number of the winners in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. We didnt review this one formally for our guide, but its one of the more affordable models the brand makes and the clip plus dunkable water resistance makes it easy to bring JBLs signature dynamic range just about anywhere. Also at Walmart and direct from JBL.
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2023) for $45 ($45 off): The newest Echo Show 5 made our list of the best smart displays because it doubles as a stellar alarm clock with the auto-dimming screen, tap-to-snooze feature and a sunrise alarm. Plus the tiny, five-inch screen is perfect for a nightstand. Also, oddly, at Best Buy.
Amazon Echo Spot (2024) $45 ($35 off): The mini display just shows simple data like the time, weather or song thats playing while the other half of the circle plays music. Its an updated version of a model Amazon discontinued a couple of years ago and now its back.
Elecom Nestout power bank 15,000mAh for $48 ($12 off): For outdoor charging, this is one of the few portable batteries that can handle a dunk in water (as long as youve remembered to screw on the port covers). We recommend it in our guide and particularly like the handy accessories like a tripod stand and light that you can buy to go on it. Also at Nestout for $1 more.
8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller for $48 at Amazon ($12 off, Prime only): Engadgets Jeff Dunn raved about this wireless gamepad for Switch and PC, calling it comfortable with durable Hall effect joysticks that should avoid the drift sensation that plagues many modern controllers. Also at Best Buy.
Soundcore by Anker Space A40 wireless earbuds for $45 ($35 off): Our top budget wireless earbuds are just $5 shy of their all time low. They have outstanding active noise cancellation for the price and offer a warm and pleasant default sound.
Ultimate Ears Mini Roll for $50 ($30 off): This less-than-a-pound sound maker came out at the same time as the Everboom and is the smallest speaker in UEs lineup. Its IP67 rated to be dust- and waterproof and can crank out 85 decibels of volume impressive for something so small. Also at Amazon and B&H Photo.
Tribit StormBox Micro 2 for $42 ($38 off with coupon): This is the smallest speaker in our guide and it can go with you anywhere with the built-in strap. It pumps out impressive volume for its size and can go for 12 hours on a charge. The audio isnt the highest fidelity, but this is more about bringing the vibes than emitting flawless musical clarity. Also directly from Tribit (see price in cart).
Anker PowerConf C200 2K webcam for $48 ($12 off): The budget pick in our buying guide to webcams is back down to a low its hit a few times before. We like the excellent video clarity and easy set up and customization. Also at Anker with a coupon code.
Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-52-best-black-friday-tech-deals-under-50-164632183.html?src=rss
Hyundai is recalling around 145,235 electric vehicles in the US, according to a report by Reuters. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the recall was due to a loss of drive power. The safety regulator noted that integrated charging control units on these models are easily damaged, leading to an internal battery that wont charge.
The recall includes a whole bunch of models, including certain Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 EVs, in addition to some Genesis GV70 and Genesis G80 luxury EVs from the model years 2022 to 2025. Click here for a full list of the impacted vehicles.
Hyundai says its dealers will inspect any vehicle that could have been impacted by the issue for free. These dealers will also replace the aforementioned parts and update the software at no charge.
The companys sub-brand Kia was also impacted, adding another 62,000 EVs into the recall mix. Certain Kia EV6 models from the model years 2022 to 2024 are being recalled, and for the same reason of a potentially faulty integrated charging control unit. Just like Hyundai, Kia dealers will inspect and repair the issue for free.
Vehicle recalls happen quite regularly. In the past couple of months, weve seen Porsche recall over 27,000 Taycan EVs and Jeep recall 194,000 hybrids. Of course, Tesla products get recalled all of the time. Thats just part of the charm.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/hyundai-recalls-over-145000-evs-in-the-us-161651760.html?src=rss
Plex is getting a major rework, which includes a redesign with improved navigation and more prominent artwork. The streaming service has been working on the overhaul for almost two years. The team rewrote the apps from scratch to unify the codebase and make the Plex experience more consistent, streamlined and easier to update across platforms. Plex says this has vastly improved its development speed, so it should be able to deliver new features more efficiently.
Perhaps the first thing you'll notice is a bigger emphasis on artwork, particularly on show and movie detail pages, your personal profile and profile pages for cast and crew. You should see more title artwork for films and shows too.
Helping people navigate the app is one of the main drivers behind the overhaul. Plex says that the rework helps existing users move around the app more intuitively, while making things easier for newcomers to get to grips with. Those who use Plex to access personal media will find that their libraries are in a dedicated tab, while the Watchlist will take up prime real estate in the top navigation section. Plex says it also streamlined the user menu for quick access to things like your profile, friends and watch history.
Plex
The redesign seems long overdue. Plex looks a bit dated at the minute, especially when you hold it up against the likes of the Netflix app. Any navigation upgrades will be very welcome. Here's hoping download speeds have been improved as well as it stands, it takes me far too long to snag anything from Plex for offline viewing
To help make sure everything works as smoothly as intended across a wide range of devices and setups, Plex is offering users the chance to check out a preview of the overhauled apps in the hope that they'll provide feedback. It notes that some features are missing (such as casting and offline support) for the time being, but it will update the apps frequently to add more.
You can try out the new look on mobile starting today, though there are a limited number of preview spots on iOS. Plex plans to offer early access to the revamped TV experience very soon too, ahead of a broader rollout coming in early 2025. To check out the updated mobile experience now, head on over to the Plex forums for more details.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/plex-is-overhauling-its-apps-with-a-redesign-and-under-the-hood-upgrades-160521751.html?src=rss
Snap has accused New Mexico's attorney general of intentionally looking for adult users seeking sexually explicit content in order to make its app seem unsafe in a filing asking the court to dismiss the state's lawsuit. In the document shared by The Verge, the company questioned the veracity of the state's allegations. The attorney general's office said that while it was using a decoy account supposed to be owned by a 14-year-old girl, it was added by a user named Enzo (Nud15Ans). From that connection, the app allegedly suggested over 91 users, including adults looking for sexual content. Snap said in its motion to dismiss, however, that those "allegations are patently false."
It was the decoy account that searched for and added Enzo, the company wrote. The attorney general's operatives were also the ones who looked for and added accounts with questionable usernames, such as "nudenude_22" and "xxx_tradehot." In addition, Snap is accusing the office of "repeatedly [mischaracterizing]" its internal documents. The office apparently cited a document when it mentioned in its lawsuit that the company "consciously decided not to store child sex abuse images" and when it suggested that it doesn't report and provide those images to law enforcement. Snap denied that it was the case and clarified that it's not allowed to store child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) on its servers. It also said that it turns over such materials to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The New Mexico Department of Justice's director of communications was not impressed with the company's arguments. In a statement sent to The Verge, Lauren Rodriguez accused Snap of focusing on the minor details of the investigation in an "attempt to distract from the serious issues raised in the States case." Rodriguez also said that "Snap continues to put profits over protecting children" instead of "addressing... critical issues with real change to their algorithms and design features."
New Mexico came to the conclusion that Snapchat's features "foster the sharing of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and facilitate child sexual exploitation" after a months-long investigation. It reported that it found a "vast network of dark web sites dedicated to sharing stolen, non-consensual sexual images from Snap" and that Snapchat was "by far" the biggest source of images and videos on the dark web sites that it had seen. The attorney general's office called Snapchat "a breeding ground for predators to collect sexually explicit images of children and to find, groom and extort them." Snap employees encounter 10,000 sextortion cases each month, the office's lawsuit said, but the company allegedly doesn't warn users so as not to "strike fear" among them. The complaint accused Snap's upper management of ignoring former trust and safety employees who'd pushed for additional safety mechanisms, as well.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/snap-calls-new-mexicos-child-safety-complaint-a-sensationalist-lawsuit-140034898.html?src=rss
Spotify is expanding its audiobook selection thanks to a deal with publisher Bloomsbury, adding over 1,000 books from authors like Sarah J Maas, Alan Moore and Ann Patchett. The new titles are arriving just a day after Spotify introduced new tools for audiobooks, like playlists, visual accompaniments and a sleep timer.
Some of the new audiobooks include fantasies for adults like Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell (Susanna Clarke), award winners including Cuddy by Benjamin Myers and kids adventure books like Katherine Rundell's Impossible Creatures. The new collection also includes non-fiction titles by historians like Peter Frankopan and Want, an anthology collected by Gillian Anderson. Narration will be performed by high-end talent like Meryl Streep, Emilia Clarke, Adjoa Andoh, and Jamie Lee Curtis.
Spotify started offering audiobooks in the US a year ago, with Premium subscribers gaining access to 15 hours of content per month (that can be topped up with an additional 10 hours for $12.99). With the average audiobook being about 8-12 hours, subscribers to the $11 Premium tier will be able to listen to about a book per month. Spotify said today that it has paid "hundreds of millions of dollars to publishers on an annualized basis."
Bloomsbury already offers its audiobooks on Amazon's Audible, with many of the titles mentioned above already available on that platform (Want, Cuddy and others). Depending on the audiobook, it may be cheaper to just buy it outright than topping up your Spotify account, if want to listen to multiple titles in a month. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotify-expands-its-audiobook-library-via-a-deal-with-publisher-bloomsbury-130100585.html?src=rss
Well, the rumors were true: this week the DOJ argued that Google should sell off Chrome to make up for its monopolistic search practices. On top of that, the US government also suggested a potential sale of Android if it can't stop prioritizing its own search on Android smartphones. In this episode, Devindra and Producer Ben discuss why neither outcome seems likely under the upcoming Trump 2.0 administration, which will likely focus on defanging any sort of regulation.
Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!
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Topics
U.S. regulators want Google to sell its Chrome division (and why that probably wont happen) 1:05
Comcast spins off Rotten Tomatoes, Fandango, and a handful of cable networks into their own company 22:23
Sony is in talks to buy Kadokawa, Japanese publisher behind FromSoft games and Kill la Kill 24:38
German authorities suspect Baltic Sea data cables between Lithuania and Sweden were sabotaged 26:21
Pokémon Go devs Niantic reveal plans to create a Large Geospatial Model to power future AR and robots 32:26
Working on 45:49
Pop culture picks 51:38
Credits
Hosts: Devindra Hardawar and Ben EllmanProducer: Ben Ellman Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/engadget-podcast-why-the-doj-wants-google-to-sell-chrome-123045654.html?src=rss
Black Friday is finally upon us, willing us to purchase some much-needed tech with some degree of a discount. Our Black Friday hub has been collecting the best deals available, so you can save a bundle in the run-up to the holidays. And while there have been some tasty deals in the last few days, the real blockbusters have now dropped.
That includes $75 off the PlayStation 5 Slim, with a decent chunk sliced off the price of a PS5 wireless DualSense controller. Sony has also knocked $100 from the price of its class-leading XM5 headphones, which you can snag for $298. Not to mention, you can grab the brand-new M4 Mac Mini with 16GB RAM and 256GB storage for $500.
There are plenty more where that came from, which is why we have the Black Friday hub. So go and get all the biggest and best deals without having to lift a finger.
Dan Cooper
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News In Brief
Avowed preview: Classic Obsidian fantasy on a AAA budget From the people who made Fallout: New Vegas.
Chemists have created the worlds thinnest spaghettiFinally, science does something useful.
Threads will prioritize accounts you follow instead of randosItll probably still feel like a haunted mall full of LinkedIn power users, though.
Australia introduces a bill to ban children under 16 from social mediaWith severe penalties for infringements.
Meta says its taken down 2 million accounts linked to pig butchering scamsThese scams are huge business.
Spotify drops a bunch of new tools for audiobooks, including a sleep timerYou can also make audiobook-specific playlists.
WhatsApp adds voice message transcripts
Oh, thank [your deity of choice].
WhatsApp
Voice messages: You either love them or feel youre being forced to listen to the worlds least engaging podcast. Someone at WhatsApp must feel similarly given the platform has now added a way to transcribe the voice messages you receive. The feature is rolling out globally in the coming weeks, with more languages incoming.
Continue Reading.
Report: Amazon is likely to face an EU antitrust investigation next year
Did it promote its own products ahead of its competitors?
Amazon may face an EU antitrust investigation next year, with regulators curious if it promoted its own products at the expense of competitors. The continent has stringent rules around big tech platforms that act as both the marketplace and a player in the same space. If found to have given its own gear preferential treatment, the fines under the Digital Markets Act can be hefty.
Continue Reading.
The New York Times says OpenAI deleted evidence in its copyright lawsuit
OpenAI blamed a glitch.
The New York Times and OpenAI are battling it out in court, with the former accusing the latter of plagiarism. During the discovery phase, OpenAI created two virtual machines that the NYTs lawyers could examine to gather evidence. But after 150 hours of research, some of that data was erased, which OpenAI blamed on a glitch.
Continue Reading.
Neuralink gets approval to start human trials in Canada
Its the first country outside the US to approve trials.
Neuralink
Canada has given its blessing for Neuralink to conduct human trials of its brain implant in the country. The Elon Musk-owned company has already opened the door for would-be trialists to apply to be the first Canadian to receive the implant. Its asking for volunteers with quadriplegia caused either by a spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Continue Reading.
Teach mode, Rabbits tool for automating R1 tasks, is now available to all users
Remember the Rabbit R1?
Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
The Rabbit R1 was a neat-looking pocketable AI doodad that sadly didnt really do enough to justify buying one. Since it stumbled out of the gate, however, a raft of software updates has added many of the features initially promised at launch. The latest is Teach Mode, which lets users automate tasks on any website, which is nice.
Continue Reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121559120.html?src=rss
