Black Friday is really in the air now, and we got the deals to prove it. Googles latest and greatest smartphone, the Pixel 9 Pro, is $150 off. This deal applies to 1TB version of the standard model. With the discount applied, the Pixel 9 Pro is $1,300. We're seeing various discounts on the beefy XL version as well, but they aren't super consistent. At the moment, the lowest price on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is $934.
Thats still a lot of money, but these are maxed out versions of Googles most powerful phones. The latest iPhone 16 Pro models with a full 1TB of storage cost between $1,500 and $1,600. These Pixel handsets are also unlocked, so feel free to bring it to any carrier out there.
The Google Pixel 9 Pro easily made our list of the best smartphones in 2024, and this is especially true for those tied to the Android ecosystem. The camera features are outstanding, including the much-improved telephoto camera. We said the Pixel camera is still the best smartphone camera in our official review, and that holds true today.
The battery life is on point and the bright screen makes these phones a joy to use outdoors. The newly-adopted Tensor G4 chip even allows the phones run cooler than their predecessors. Both the Pixel 9 Pro and the XL are absolutely best-in-class smartphones, with access to all of the AI tomfoolery one would expect from a modern Google handset. Google Gemini is nearly-baked, while Apple Intelligence is about as half-baked as it gets.
On the downside, theres the price. This is a serious investment, even with the discount. Also, 1TB of storage is a whole lot and in todays world, with streaming and cloud storage, is likely overkill. However, avid shutterbugs could probably fill up that drive in no time flat.
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-google-pixel-9-pro-with-1tb-of-storage-is-150-off-for-black-friday-143005140.html?src=rss
It looks like 2025 is going to be an excellent year for action role-playing games. Weve already started things off with a big Dragon Age: Veilguard bang, but next year will also bring Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Fable and the subject of todays dissection, Avowed. Each title offers something distinct for single-player RPG fans, and Avowed is poised to provide top-tier dialogue trees and rich worldbuilding, courtesy of Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds and Pentiment studio Obsidian Entertainment. This is the studio's first tentpole title under the Xbox Game Studios banner and its first AAA fantasy game ever.
While I couldnt determine its full scope in the preview I played this week, Im pleased to report that so far, Avoweds world is as gorgeous as its writing.
The preview included the games first two hours or so, from character creation through the initial main missions. Avowed is a spin-off of the Pillars of Eternity series and its set in the Living Lands, an area unexplored in the existing games, giving Obsidian a blank canvas for an epic original story. A blight called Dreamscourge is spreading across the region, infecting plants, animals and people with a prismatic fungus that induces madness, rage and death. You play as the envoy of the emperor of the Aedyr Empire, which has a deep history of invading and colonizing the surrounding lands.
Of course your protagonist is special, even by the standards of this magical world. Players are a godlike, meaning theyve been touched by the divine and marked by facial growths of rainbow fungus. Generally, your godlike status and relationship with Aedyr automatically instills respect and suspicion in the people you meet. As you learn more about the Dreamscourge, it becomes impossible to ignore its similarities to the godlike marks you carry, and this existential terror builds beautifully in the games first few hours.
Are natures mutations madness or divinity? Its a thin distinction with a long and dark history, and Avowed wallows in this gray area. Its first few hours introduce multiple narrative themes that can be mined throughout the game the violence of colonization, palace intrigue, spiritual visions, insanity and religious fervor form the most prominent talking points. These arcs play out in conversations with supporting characters and in interactive pieces of lore scattered around the environments, each concept unspooling in a natural and intriguing fashion. There are plenty of opportunities in the dialogue trees to investigate these ideas and learn more about the world or your companions, with specialized responses that unlock if you have the right stats. In general, dialogue in the Avowed preview is nice and quippy, and each new character comes with a distinct, believable personality. Already, Im curious to know more about the people of the Living Lands.
There are no strict classes in Avowed. Instead, players freely level up their abilities across fighter, ranger, and wizard using acquired skill points. Theres also a godlike tree, a page to upgrade your companions skillsets, and a character sheet with classic RPG attributes that you can place points into. I focused on building up my magic, health and damage, and it took a minute to find my preferred combat style. There are two weapons loadouts you can swap between on the fly, a pop-up radial with extra abilities, and four programmable spots on the D-pad. Its a lot to manage in the frenzy of battle, but new weapons and tools are added to your inventory at a steady pace and its easy to experiment with different builds. In terms of weapons, I stumbled across a knife, spear, bow, shield, grimoire, wand, pistol and giant hammer, but I suspect there were even more tools hidden in the world. The bow and pistol have unlimited ammo, but reloading the pistol is a lengthy process, and the hammer is incredibly powerful, but its swing takes a moment to connect, leaving you vulnerable between hits. Combat is chaotic especially when fighting hordes of giant spiders but the game responds well to rapid-fire inputs and generally, each encounter feels like a real skills test.
Obsidian Entertainment
For me, everything felt right once I found the wand. I closed out the preview with the bow in one loadout, and the grimoire and wand in the other, and I was starting to feel like a real badass. The wand is a quick midrange weapon, and combined with the rechargeable spells in the grimoire and the long range of the bow, it worked really well for my preferred fighting style. One annoyance I noted was the fact that I couldnt draw my bow while taking sustained toxic damage, as each small hit made my character lose focus this was a tough lesson to learn while trying to fight off a gang of rat-toothed reptilian creatures, but I definitely absorbed it.
In any RPG, I have a hard time leaving an area without smashing every vase, breaking every box and exploring every path. Avowed rewards this behavior with bits of worldbuilding, potions, strange animals, coins and tools hidden in the corners and crannies of the Living Lands. Or, sometimes, theres just a breathtaking view. Either way, it makes me excited to see what secrets the full game is hiding.
I also played Avowed for about 45 minutes at Xboxs Gamescom event in August, starting with a pre-built mage character in the middle of a search-and-rescue mission a few hours into the game. I had a good time flinging spells from my grimoire and chatting with characters in the caves I was exploring, but I sensed a slight disconnect that I attributed to the rushed and public nature of the demo. Now, I know what was missing: Character creation.
Obsidian Entertainment
Rich character customization is a massive reason RPGs can feel so immersive and emotionally powerful, and it was a treat to play around with this system in Avoweds latest preview. As a godlike, your characters face is dotted with technicolor fungal growths, and tweaking the placement and appearance of these details was delightful, allowing my brain to build the foundations of my characters story immediately. I chose a face with fuschia butterfly-wing paddles covering my eyes and forehead, and a crown of neon ridges draped over my skull. I then started molding my characters backstory as a witchy scholar with a logical mind and a heart of gold, and swapped a dexterity attribute point for constitution. All of the expected customization mechanics were there, allowing me to tweak the size and shape of each facial feature, and change my hairstyle and color, skin tone, body type, voice, background, basic skills, pronouns and name. Put simply, the Monster Factory boys could have a lot of fun with this one.
That said, its hard to find anything ugly in Avowed. Its shaping up to be a beautiful game, and the preview showcases expansive medieval vistas, shimmering psychedelic spores, rainbow-flecked animals and highly detailed NPCs. I was particularly impressed with the skin textures in the preview: Our main companion, Kai, has snakelike teal skin, and I very much enjoyed watching the light shine on his scales as we chatted by the fire of our party camp. Maybe Im developing a reptile fetish, or maybe Avowed is just a really pretty game at least when running on a PC with an RTX 4070 Super. I havent had the chance to try it out on an Xbox yet, and Im curious to see how it will perform on both the Series X and Series S.
Obsidian Entertainment
I have it on good information that Pillars of Eternity players will recognize the rainbow fungus and its infesting ways, but I dont because Ive never played those games. Avowed is my introduction to Obsidians dark fantasy universe, and Im not alone in this position. Developers at Obsidian are keenly aware that Avowed will be the first Pillars game for many players, as art director Matt Hansen and production director Ryan Warden explained to me in August.
We don't want players to feel like there's required reading, Hansen said. So everything that we do should be accessible and fun and enjoyable on its own. If you're just playing Avowed and that's the only game you play, you'll have a good time. And then on top of that, we're finding ways to weave in little winks and nods. He specified that these take the form of documents, books and even a few familiar faces. He continued, We just wanted to make sure that this is a game that's fun for everyone, and thankfully the world is rich enough that it's easy to inject someone in at any point. It's also part of the reason we picked the Living Lands. Its unexploded territory gives us a lot of freedom.
Warden added, Even on the quest front, we try to keep it enriched by lore, but youre not completely lost when you're a new player. He said that characters in Avowed offer more information on the history of any given situation if youre interested in asking them for it, and theres a lore tooltip feature that allows you to look up terms mid-conversation (which is also a thing in Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, so its kind of like a meta wink).
Obsidian Entertainment
Hansen and Warden also shared some thoughts about the scope and layout of the full game, something that cant be conveyed in a two-hour preview.
The game is structured similar to Outer Worlds, where there's open zones that are open-world in structure, but not one contiguous open world, Warden said. So it allows the critical path, the main story to be more focused and have key moments that happen at a cadence that doesn't feel weirdly paced, but it also allows a ton of freedom for player choice. You can go off and do side quests and the regions are just small enough to be manageable. You can do a lot, you can explore, but its not just checking off a bunch of icons. Everything is bespoke. It's hand-done. There's not much reuse of things.
Hansen nodded and said, Lots to explore, but you're not punished for not exploring it. I mean, frankly, I'm becoming an old man. I don't want to spend 120 hours on a game anymore. I like being able to play through our game relatively swiftly. Or, I've had playthroughs that were like six times as long as other playthroughs because I started to get into the nitty gritty. And that's a nice accommodation.
It can be as long as you want it to be, Warden finished.
Avowed is due to hit Steam and Xbox Series X/S on February 18, 2025.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/avowed-preview-classic-obsidian-fantasy-on-a-aaa-budget-140056761.html?src=rss
Black Friday and Cyber Monday present great opportunities to get a bunch of tech for less, and some of the best deals you can typically find are on charging gear and mobile accessories. Anker makes some of our favorites in both departments, and this year a ton of Anker gear has been discounted as part of the Black Friday deals.
Whether youre looking for a new power bank to take with you on your next trip or a wireless charger to put on your nightstand, Anker probably has one that will fit your requirements. Weve collected all of the best Black Friday Anker deals below so you dont have to sift through them yourself.
Anker Nano 5K USB-C foldable power bank for $16 (47 percent off): If you have an Android phone or a newer iPhone, this compact power bank is one of the best you can get. The built-in USB-C connector makes it so you do not have to remember to bring a cable with you, and it fits neatly under your phone while it powers it up.
Anker MagGo 3-in-1 foldable charging station for $82.50 (25 percent off): 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.
Anker 10K MagGo power bank for $60 ($30 off): 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 $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.
Anker Prime Power Bank 200W with charging base for $110 ($75 off, Prime exclusive): This highcapacity power bank is one of our favorites thanks to its speedy charging performance, onboard display which shows how much juice is flowing to each connected device and the included charging station that provides a neat space for the brick to live when you're not using it.
Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $44 ($35): 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.
More Anker Black Friday deals
Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station, Qi2 Certified 15W for $56 ($44 off)
Anker MagGo UFO 3-in-1 MagSafe Compatible Charger for $63 ($27 off)
Anker 15W 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charger Stand for $104 (20 percent off)
Anker 15W 6.6K MagSafe-Compatible Portable Charger for $60 ($10 off with coupon)
Anker USB A to USB C Cable (2 Pack, 10FT) for $12 (30 percent off)
Anker 20W USB C Charger with USB C Cable (2 pack; 2 chargers and 2 cables) for $12 (44 percent off)
Anker GaNPrime Power Bank, 10K 2-in-1 Hybrid Charger for $59 (41 percent off)
Anker 727 GaNPrime 100W Charging Station for $48 ($52 off)
Anker 525 7-in-1 USB C Power Strip Charging Station for $36 ($24 off)
Anker Prime 100W GaN USB C Wall Charger for $55 ($32 off)
Anker Nano 100W USB-C Charger, USB-C Cable Included for $33 (40 percent off)
Anker 25,600mAh 87W Portable Charger, bundled with 65W USB-C Wall Charger for $86 ($57 off)
Anker Soundcore 2 portable Bluetooth speaker for $38 ($6 off)
Anker
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/anker-black-friday-deals-include-up-to-47-percent-off-power-banks-wireless-chargers-and-more-134553819.html?src=rss
Herman Miller is not where you go to pick up a casual item well maybe you do, and that's great. But, a 25 percent off sale on all its products in-store and online ahead of Black Friday is making the high-end brand's home offerings more accessible. Take their famous Aeron Chair, which is over $450 off, dropping from $1,805 to $1,354 (the gaming version is down to the same price).
There are a range of items on sale that are relatively more affordable, like the Eames Wire Base Low Table, down to $221 from $295, and the Verus Task chair, which is down to $630 from $840. Accessories are also a lower point of entry if you want to take advantage of this sale. Take the Oripura Laptop Stand, available in three colors for $37, down from $49. Plus, there's a range of throw pillows, like the Mela Lumbar Throw Pillow by Sonnhild Kestler for $112, down from $150 and the Toostripe Pillow by Alexander Girard for $131, down from $175.
Then there's Herman Miller's crme de la crme pieces, including the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. The 25 percent discount brings this set down to between $4,046 and $7,496 (typically $5,395 to $9,995). It's available in a range of wood shells and upholstery, as well as a standard or tall size. The company also has a few funkier pieces that are sure to get people talking if you're willing to drop a couple grand (see the Nelson Coconut Chair and Luva Modular Armchair, for examples).
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/herman-miller-has-a-25-percent-off-sale-for-black-friday-133010737.html?src=rss
The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is no longer regulating just banks, now supervising Apple and other companies offering digital wallets and payment apps. It will focus on companies that handle over 50 million transactions per year and ensure they have "the authority to conduct proactive examinations to ensure companies are complying with the law in these and other areas," the bureau said in a statement. "Supervision also is an important tool for the CFPB to assess risks that can emerge rapidly in this market, including from outages and other issues that could lead to millions of consumers losing access to their funds."
The CFPB will supervise Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo and others in the areas of privacy and surveillance, debanking (losing access to their app without notice) and errors and fraud. This could provide more options for opting out of data collection and restricting them from misrepresenting their data protection practices, among other regulations. "Digital payments have gone from novelty to necessity and our oversight must reflect this reality. The rule will help to protect consumer privacy, guard against fraud, and prevent illegal account closures," said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. In October, the CFPB fined Apple and Goldman Sachs $89 million over misleading customers and not following through with disputed transactions on the Apple Card.
The CFPB originally proposed this setup in November 2023, but the final policies have changed. Most notably, businesses originally had to process just five million transactions, rather than the 50 million. It also reduced the number to just count US dollars, rather than a wider scope. The supervision will go into effect 30 days following the Federal Register publication. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-will-now-regulate-apple-pay-venmo-and-others-132129928.html?src=rss
Like many companies this year, Sonos is getting an early start to Black Friday. Beginning today, you can save up to $180 off the companys speakers and soundbars, making this a great time to buy that piece you need to complete your home theater setup. The highlight of the Black Friday promotion is the Era 100, which you can currently get for $199, or $50 off its usual $249 price.
If youre in the market for a soundbar, consider the Sonos Arc. Now that the Arc Ultra is available, Sonos has discounted its previous flagship soundbar by $200 to $699. For something more affordable, the Beam 2 is currently $369, down from $499. Lastly, theres the Era 300. Right now, you can buy the Dolby Atmos-compatible speaker for $359, instead of $449 as usually priced. All of these deals are being matched by Amazon, too.
More than a few of Sonos speakers, including the Era 100, have found a spot and stayed on Engadgets list of best smart speakers. If you care about music but still want a speaker with modern features, a Sonos system is the way to go. Not only do the companys speakers sound great, but you also get access to things like AirPlay 2 that make it incredibly easy to play exactly the song you want to listen to in the moment.
You may have seen that Sonos bungled the release of the latest version of its companion app. Thats true, but as things stand, the company has done a lot of work in recent months to fix its software. As a daily user, I can safely say the Sonos app is in much better shape now than it was in the spring. Other than the premium price that comes with Sonos products, theres not much they dont do as well or better than the competition. With the discounts the company is offering for Black Friday, its speakers come even more highly recommended.
Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonos-black-friday-deals-save-up-to-200-on-speakers-and-soundbars-130038835.html?src=rss
Creators who sell assets on itch.io will now have to be a lot more upfront about using generative AI. The marketplace for independent digital creators has introduced a new rule that requires users to label their projects if they were produced using generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and Midjourney. Users will see an AI generation disclosure box when they upload their projects. If they confirm that their project contains AI-generated output, they'll be required to indicate what kinds of content were made with generative AI, whether they're graphics, sounds, text and dialogue or code.
If they have a public asset page, they'll see a dialog box when they access their dashboard, making it easy to bulk tag their projects. They'll be able to select multiple projects from their list and then indicate whether they contain AI-generated content or not. All assets with AI output will get the "AI Generated" tag, while those without will be tagged as "No AI." Each content type will have its own sub-tag, as well.
itch.io requires all assets that used AI in any way, even if the creator had hand-edited it, to be tagged as AI Generated. And if it finds any untagged work that used artificial intelligence tool, it will make that asset ineligible for indexing so that potential buyers could no longer find it. However, it's unclear what measures the marketplace is taking to police its website. While itch.io's new policy may not be enough for those who'd rather ban AI content altogether, the tags will allow buyers who don't want AI assets in their work to filter them out.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/itchio-marketplace-now-requires-asset-creators-to-disclose-their-use-of-generative-ai-130031999.html?src=rss
Aside from Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday is the best time of year to pick up an Echo speaker, a Fire tablet or a Kindle ereader from Amazon. While the online retailer typically saves all of the best discounts on its devices for the members-only sale events, its a safe bet that those deals will come back around for Black Friday. This year is no different: were seeing record-low prices (or close to them) on all of Amazons gadgets. These are the best Amazon Black Friday deals you can get right now.
Kindle (2024) for $85 ($25 off): The 2024 base Kindle is lighter than ever before, and it has a 6-inch, glare-free screen with an adjustable front light, 16GB of storage, speedier performance and six weeks of battery life.
Kindle Paperwhite (2024) for $130 ($30 off): The latest version of the Paperwhite has speedier performance, a higher-contrast screen, a built-in warm light and 12 weeks of battery life.
Echo Dot for $23 ($27 off): This is one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its compact design, physical button controls that compliment voice commands and its solid sound quality for its size.
Echo Pop for $18 ($22 off): One of Amazons newest smart devices, the Pop sports a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker, a physical mic mute switch for extra privacy and eero compatibility.
Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands. You can also grab it bundled with a free TP-Link smart light bulb.
Echo for $55 ($45 off): We consider this to be the best smart speaker for $100 or less at the moment thanks to its loud audio with good bass quality, the ability to pair two together for stereo sound and Alexas utility.
Echo Show 5 for $45 ($45 off): This is one of our favorite smart displays thanks to its compact design, ambient light sensor and sunrise alarm feature, all of which make it an excellent smart alarm clock. Amazon improved the speaker quality on this latest model, which gives sound deeper bass and clearer vocals.
Echo Show 8 for $80 ($70 off): This is our current top pick for the best smart display with Amazons Alexa thanks in part to its 8-inch touchscreen, 13MP camera that supports auto-framing for better video chats and its built-in Zigbee smart home hub.
Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): These are one of our top picks for the best budget wireless earbuds you can get right now thanks to their comfortable design, pocket-friendly case, automatic wear detection, multi-device connectivity and, of course, built-in Alexa voice controls.
Echo Dot Kids for $28 ($32 off): The kids version of the Echo Dot uses the same basic hardware, but comes with a cute dragon or owl cover, plus parental controls and a years subscription to Amazon Kids+ that can play kid-friendly audiobooks and more.
Fire HD 8 tablet for $55 ($45 off): Amazon just released this new version of the HD 8 tablet, which includes more RAM, a better camera and new AI features not found on the previous model.
Fire HD 10 tablet for $75 ($65 off): This slab has a 10-inch FHD touchscreen, improved camera for video calls, 13 hours of battery life and it works with a stylus (although you have to buy that separately). If youre looking for a cheap tablet that doesnt compromise too many of the basics, this is a good option.
Fire Max 11 tablet for $140 ($90 off): Amazons most powerful tablet sports an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, up to 128GB of storage and 14 hours of battery life. It also works with a number of optional accessories, including a stylus and keyboard case.
Fire HD 10 Kids tablet for $110 ($80 off): Designed for kids aged three to seven, this tablet comes with full parental controls plus one year of Amazon Kids+ for free with the tablet purchase. It also has a 10-inch FHD touchscreen, an octa-core processor and 13 hours of battery life, plus it comes with a two-year warranty and a protective case.
Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet for $110 ($80 off): This model is designed for kids aged six to 12 and comes with a slimmer protective case, a two-year warranty and one year of access to Amazon Kids+. Otherwise, you get a very similar experience here that you would with the non-Pro version, including parental controls, a 10-inch touchscreen, solid performance and a 13-hour battery life.
Fire TV Stick streamer for $18 ($22 off): This dongle ups the ante on the TV Stick Lite by adding support for Dolby Atmos audio, plus it comes with the regular version of the Alexa Voice Remote. It also supports Wi-Fi 5 and comes with 8GB of internal storage.
Fire TV Stick 4K streamer for $22 ($28 off): This mode is the cheapest Fire TV Stick you can get to stream 4K content, plus it has support for Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Vision and Atmos. With its live picture-in-picture feature, you can view security camera feeds right on your TV while youre watching your favorite show or movie.
Fire TV Stick 4K Max streamer for $33 ($27 off): In addition to 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Vision and Atmos support, the 4K Max dongle includes Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, 16GB of built-in storage and live picture-in-picture capabilities.
Fire TV Cube set-top box for $100 ($40 off): This model will provide the best performance of any Fire TV streaming device, and it supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and an enhanced version of the Alexa Voice Remote. Along with live picture-in-picture view and the Fire TV ambient experience, you can also hardware other devices to the Fire TV Cube including a cable box or a game console.
Ring pan and tilt security camera for $50 ($30 off): This security camera joined the Ring lineup only a few months ago, and this is the best price we've seen on it. It's part of a larger Ring sale that discounts home security gear by up to 50 percent.
Ring Video Doorbell for $60 ($40 off): This entry-level security doorbell records 1080p video, supports motion detection and privacy zones and has a built-in, rechargable battery and can be hardwired to your doorbell wiring.
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.
Blink Outdoor 4 + Blink Mini 2 bundle for $60 ($80 off): It's almost a guarantee that Blink security systems will be on sale for Black Friday and this time is no different. This bundle is 64 percent off, and there are a bunch of other bundles on sale that include cameras, video doorbells and more.
Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-black-friday-2024-deals-the-best-discounts-on-echo-speakers-ring-doorbells-and-kindles-worth-shopping-right-now-130003840.html?src=rss
As our homes (and lives) get smarter, the need for some sort of digital hub big enough to run things becomes more urgent. Its why Amazon surprise-released a new 21-inch version of its Echo Show that does everything the Show 15 did, but biggererer. It gets a built-in smart home hub with Thread, Zigbee and Matter control, Wi-Fi 6E and a better camera for video calls.
I bought an Echo Show 8 on a whim to use as a screen for my Ring doorbell and found it quite underwhelming. But the idea of having a 21-inch screen that could theoretically lay out to-do lists and calendar tasks on the daily is quite appealing. Having two small kids makes being able to marshal all our schedules on one device quite desirable.
Dan Cooper
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The best Black Friday deals
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You can now stream some Xbox games you own, but you still need Game Pass Ultimate
But only if you have a digital copy of the title.
Microsoft
Microsoft now allows you to stream select games you own to devices that support Xbox Cloud Gaming. From the outset, Stream Your Own Game will support 50 titles, including Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3 and Balatro. If theres a catch, its that you still need to be a Game Pass Ultimate member to only stream games you own digitally.
Continue Reading.
Comcast is spinning out Rotten Tomatoes and cable networks into a separate company
Its cutting its own cord.
Kabletown Comcast, parent company of NBC Universal, will spin out the bulk of its cable TV empire into a new entity. The as-yet unnamed business will incorporate USA, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and the Golf Channel alongside Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes. However the decision is justified, it just looks like Comcast is getting out of the cable business. After all, you probably watched more Suits on Netflix than you did when it first aired on the USA Network.
Continue Reading.
Apple patches vulnerabilities used to target Intel-based Macs
Update your machine, now.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
Apple has released a raft of security updates for Macs, iPhones, iPads, the Vision Pro and Safari. The company says the updates close a zero-day security hole that could enable malicious code. When you get the little pop-up asking you to update your machine, dont ignore it.
Continue Reading.
UK government will summon Elon Musk as part of social media inquiry
X is believed to have been a vector for disinformation.
The UK is launching an inquiry into the role social media played during the 2024 summer riots. Its chair, Chi Onwurah MP, intends to call Elon Musk to speak, given X was a key vector for the distribution of AI-generated images designed to whip up hate. Musk will likely relish the chance to speak after all, his tweet during the UK riots was Civil war is inevitable.
Continue Reading.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-amazons-got-a-21-inch-echo-show-121502524.html?src=rss
Its Black Friday, and if youre in the market for a smartwatch, the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 is $70 off. That makes it $230, a record low for the device.
Our team tried out the Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 at the Paris Galaxy Unpacked event earlier this year (Samsungs second Unpacked of the year, to be precise). Its one of the first smartwatches to receive Wear OS 5, the latest Google wearables operating system. Fun fact, even Googles products didnt get it until later.
The Galaxy Watch 7s features include an improved heart rate tracker, an energy score calculator to determine your physical readiness for the day and suggested responses in messaging, which are powered by Galaxy AI. Galaxy AI will formulate responses based on your past conversations, but the feature only works if you allow it to read them.
Additionally, Samsungs AI model can gather your sleep habits and provide useful insights. The smartwatch is even powerful enough to detect signs of sleep apnea and severe instances of breathing disruptions.
While we havent reviewed the Galaxy Watch 7, we did put the Galaxy Watch 6 through a detailed evaluation. We found it to be comfortable to wear and great for fitness enthusiasts, and it has dedicated health-tracking functions for those who need it. If anything, we take it as a good sign that Samsung has a high standard for its smartwatches.
Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/samsungs-galaxy-watch-7-drops-to-230-for-black-friday-120049385.html?src=rss
