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Looking to upgrade to newer earbuds? The recently-released Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 earbuds are on sale via Wellbots for $189. Thats a discount of $40, which isnt bad for a product thats barely six months old. Just remember to pop in the code ENGAD40 at checkout. Thats right. This ones an exclusive. The Pixel Buds Pro 2 easily found a spot on our list of the best wireless earbuds. We appreciated the tiny, yet comfortable, design and the fantastic battery life. The earbuds get around eight hours of use per charge, but the included charging case allows for 30 hours of juice. We were complimentary to these earbuds in our official review, saying that the improved fit and sound quality alone are worth the upgrade. Speaking of sound quality, these buds produce booming bass, full mids and crisp highs. Your playlists are gonna sound great. The earbuds have also been built to work with Google Gemini, thanks to an integrated Tensor A1 chip. However, this integration works best when paired with a modern Google Pixel phone. Other techy features include active noise cancellation, multipoint Bluetooth, conversation detection and more. On the downside, the touch panel is extremely small, making it somewhat difficult to make adjustments on the fly. Luckily, theres an app for that kind of thing. The original price is on the higher side, but this sale alleviates a bit of that frustration. If $189 is still a bit too rich for your blood (no judgment), Wellbots is also selling a pair of the standard Google Pixel Buds for just $59. Just enter the code ENGAD30 at checkout. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/googles-pixel-buds-pro-2-are-40-off-right-now-140100404.html?src=rss
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OnePlus has been a bit up and down since it merged with Oppo back in 2021. It gained greater access to powerful components and partnerships with brands like Hasselblad, while its software and product lineup took a few steps back before finding its stride again. But now, three generations after the merger, OnePlus latest flagship phone the OnePlus 13 feels like a fantastic return to form. In some areas, the company is even pushing the limits of hardware and gadget design in ways that rivals from Samsung and Google arent. And with a starting price of $900, OnePlus has managed to undercut its closest competitor too, which makes this phone a great choice for anyone who cares more about getting hardware upgrades than fancy new AI tricks. Design and display: Peak brightness and style In a time when Apple, Google and Samsungs top phones all sport minor twists on practically the same formula, I love that OnePlus is doing its own thing. Instead of a completely boxy design, the OP13 has tapered edges that curve gently to meet its metal frame. You still get the companys signature Alert Slider which makes it a cinch to set your phones ringer to silent, vibrate or fully audible. But my favorite design feature is that if you opt for the Midnight Ocean or Artic Dawn colors, the phone comes with a micro-fiber vegan leather back. And in a world full of glass bricks, OnePlus organic upholstery is simply a joy to touch. This is the kind of handset Id feel sad to throw in a case. Sam Rutherford for Engadget Meanwhile, the OP13s 6.8-inch OLED panel dazzles thanks to bright, vivid colors and a silky 120Hz refresh rate. With a peak of up to 4,500 nits, it gets even brighter than other Android flagships including Samsungs new Galaxy S25 Ultra (2,600 nits). The one aesthetic choice Im still not sure about is the gigantic circular camera module on the back. Between its pearlescent finish and the four circles for its lenses and the flash/autofocus system, it almost looks like OnePlus smashed a chronograph watch into the rear of the phone. But maybe thats just me. Performance and software: So much memory The OnePlus 13 is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip along with 16GB of RAM and up to 512GB of storage. However, unlike the processors used in Samsungs Galaxy S25 family, the chip in the OP13 doesnt feature any additional customizations or overclocking. This leads to benchmark results that are about five percent lower (9,267 for the OP13 vs 9,828 for the Galaxy S25 Ultra in Geekbench 6 multi-core). In the real world, though, the phone still feels blisteringly fast. Id even argue that due to the OP13s greater amount of memory, its a better choice for multitaskers or anyone who likes keeping a bunch of apps open in the background. Furthermore, over the past few years, OnePlus has refined Oxygen OS so that it feels smoother and more responsive than it did when it became a fork of Oppos ColorOS back in 2022. Sam Rutherford for Engadget On the AI front, OnePlus is keeping things refreshingly lowkey. The phone supports Google Gemini and Circle to Search for all your summarizing and question-asking needs. Theres also an improved search feature inside the phone itself that makes it a bit easier to find specific files and a smarter Notes app that uses machine learning to polish up, elaborate or condense quick thoughts. But thats about it aside from an AI-powered translation feature that arrived shortly after launch, which is generally competent but not especially novel or exciting. So while AI is definitely present, it isnt nearly as big of a focus as it is on the Galaxy S25 family, which isnt a bad thing. Cameras: Nearly top tier Sam Rutherford for Engadget The OnePlus 13 features a trio of 50-megapixel sensors for its main, ultra-wide and 3x telephoto lenses, plus a laser-detect autofocus system for increased sharpness. Altogether, its a solid package that can capture great-looking images at a variety of distances and viewing angles, with OnePlus adding things like its dual exposure Clear Burst tech to help make snapping fast-moving subjects a bit easier. In terms of image quality, the OP13 does a good job of splitting the difference between having rich, saturated colors and crisp details, but without exaggerating things like you often see on Samsung phones, which tend to oversharpen or push warm tones a bit too hard. OnePlus 3x optical zoom lens matches those on similarly priced rivals like the S25+, though it's still short of the 5x lenses found on the Pixel 9 Pro and S25 Ultra. One small issue is that in low light, the OP13s Night Mode sometimes struggled to keep up with the Pixel 9s Night Sight, resulting in photos that arent quite as sharp or detailed as youd like them to be. Its close, bu to me, OnePlus cameras remain a half-tier below Samsung, Google and Apple when shooting pics in darker environments. Battery life and charging: Super fast, but its proprietary It feels like every high-end Android phone has been stuck with 5,000mAh batteries for the past half-decade. But for this go around, the OnePlus 13 has smashed past that barrier with a 6,000mAh cell, resulting in class-leading longevity. On our local video rundown test, it posted a time of 30 hours and 18 minutes, which is almost an hour longer than the Galaxy S25 Ultra (29:27) and nearly three hours better than a basic Pixel 9 (27:32). Sam Rutherford for Engadget Meanwhile when it comes to recharging, the OnePlus 13 leads the way too with wired speeds of up to 100 watts or an impressive 50 watts wirelessly. However, the major caveat is that because OnePlus relies on its proprietary SUPERVOOC tech, youll only get those blistering rates when using the companys first-party peripherals. Thankfully, an 80-watt charger comes in the box, though if you want to hit max power, youll need to upgrade to OnePlus 100W Dual Port adapter. Its a similar situation for wireless charging, which requires the companys 50W AIRVOOC puck. That said, the OP13 recharges more than twice as fast as a Galaxy S25 when using a cable and more than three times quicker wirelessly. Plus, you can still use universal power adapters in a pinch, youll just have to live with greatly reduced wattages. Another small wrinkle is that though OnePlus says the 13 supports Qi2 charging, it doesnt play nicely with magnetic third-party accessories without some help. In my testing, while the phone provides a weak magnetic connection, every Qi2 peripheral I tried slid off with the slightest movement. Like Samsung did with the Galaxy S25, OnePlus solution was to make a case with its own set of magnets that allows add-ons to attach with much greater security. Wrap-up Sam Rutherford for Engadget Throughout the years, OnePlus has used taglines like flagship killer and ultra in every way as a means of taking shots at its biggest rivals from Samsung, Google and more. But for the OnePlus 13, it feels like the company just went and made a really solid premium handset without a bunch of AI fluff. The phone has excellent performance, a massive battery and a gorgeous screen that can hang with the displays on any of its competitors. It also sports a unique design with some down-to-earth touches like its optional faux leather back. Granted, camera quality could be a touch better, especially in low light, and I really wish OnePlus had just included full magnetic Qi2 compatibility instead of forcing people to rely on a case. But hey, at least you get a superfast wired power adapter (which, unlike a lot of phones, comes in the box) and the option to use the companys blazing charging puck if you want to go cable-free. Sam Rutherford for Engadget But most importantly, for a starting price of $900, you get longer battery life, a brighter screen, more RAM, greater storage and the same 3x zoom as a base Galaxy S25+ all for $100 less. Theres no other way to put it, thats just a good deal, even if OnePlus software support only lasts for six years instead of the seven you get from Samsung and Google. The OnePlus 13 is an example of how to keep things simple in an increasingly complex and AI-obsessed world while delivering on all the essentials.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/oneplus-13-review-a-focused-flagship-that-ignores-the-ai-hype-140013418.html?src=rss
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The week has been a mixed bag for Apple. First, it launched a new iPhone app for organizing events and being actually social; then, it had to contend with a third-party app store offering a porn app in the European Union. And theres nothing like an Apple-pornography headline to draw the eye. But first, Apple Invites, where you can host an unlimited number of events, each one limited to 100 participants. Its also possible to invite non-iPhone users. What?! You can use your own photos or backgrounds in the app as an image for the invite and even arrange a communal playlist through Apple Music. Of course, theres some Apple Intelligence shoehorned in. Image Playground is built into Invites to generate images for your events when there arent any appropriate photos. Engadget What about the future for existing invite apps, like Evite, Partiful, Luma and the rest? Well, all isnt lost: Only paid iCloud subscribers can create invites in the app and prices start there at 99 cents a month, while rival apps offer free basic event invites. Also, the web experience for non-iPhone people is pretty clunky and painful. At least for now. Meanwhile, a third-party app store called AltStore PAL announced a porn app called Hot Tub was now available to iOS users in the European Union. The marketplace described it as the first Apple-approved porn app which probably isnt entirely accurate. Its seemingly the first time a porn app has been available natively for the iPhone. Apple said it was deeply concerned about the safety risks that hardcore porn apps of this type create for EU users, especially kids. And just to add further corporate spice: Longtime Apple App Store foe Epic gave the alternative app store a MegaGrant last year to help fund the core technology fees third-party app stores are required to pay Apple. Not that its directly affiliated with this adult entertainment portal. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney took to X to say, the Epic Games Store doesnt carry this app, doesnt carry any porn apps, and has never carried porn apps. Mat Smith Get this delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here! How to use Apple Invites to plan your next event The biggest tech stories you missed Reddit temporarily bans r/WhitePeopleTwitter after Elon Musk claimed it had broken the law Protecting the US from hackers apparently isn't in Trump's budget Sonos may release its long-rumored streaming box this year Oura Ring 4 long-term review It remains the smart ring to beat. Engadget Despite the appearance of rival smart rings from the likes of Samsung, the Oura Ring 4 remains the best option. It tracks your sleep, activity and stress levels, is comfortable to wear and looks, shock, like a regular ring. The battery life is admirable, lasting up to seven days, with new features including 24/7 heart rate tracking and temperature monitoring. However, these features are only available if you pay for a monthly subscription and that may remain the biggest caveat for this $349 ring. Continue reading. In 1996, IBMs Deep Blue beats Kasparov at chess The first chess win for a computer against a world champion. IBM This week, we go back 29 years. Back when we were barely saying artificial intelligence, let alone AI, on February 10, 1996, IBMs Deep Blue chess computer defeated fleshbag world champion Garry Kasparov. It marked the first time a computer beat a high-level opponent. However, Kasparov won the series 4-2. It wasnt until a year later that Deep Blue bested him in a rematch. Ask Engadget! AMA or AEA. Ask Mat, he's listening.Engadget Should I upload pictures of my children to the cloud? Is it safe? Whats the most reliable EV brand? Which streaming subscription should I drop, and why is it Prime Video? Were bringing back Ask Engadget, with an entirely new email address: askmat(AT)engadget.com. No personal questions, please. Ask Mat something!This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-133509185.html?src=rss
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