 |
|
|
|||||
No Man's Sky has finally overcome its less-than-nominal launch and reached a Very Positive rating on Steam, Hello Games founder Sean Murray announced on X. The rating means that 80 percent of the nearly 246,000 Steam reviews are positive. "Holy shit you guys it happened. All reviews: very positive. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have no idea what this means to us." Many of No Man's Sky early reviews, Engadget's included, were along the lines of "this game looks great but it has a ton of issues." Those included the lack of a hyperdrive on new ships, resource glitches and multiplayer problems. At the same time, we called it "gorgeous, technically astounding, innovative and engaging." Holy shit you guys - it happened ALL REVIEWS: Very Positive Thank you Thank you Thank youYou have no idea what this means to us pic.twitter.com/Go0uyZHZA6 Sean Murray (@NoMansSky) November 27, 2024 Despite the many positives, No Man's Sky was saddled with an "Overwhelming Negative" rating on Steam shortly after launch. After two years it reached the "Mixed" level and hit "Mostly Positive" in 2021. "Each percentage point becomes exponentially harder as you move up the ratings," Murray said at the time. "This is why it's so rare for games to change their All-Time rating and why we'd assumed that we might never be able to." It went on to become a success with more than 10 million units sold, but users have argued that the game set a bad precedent. It was still somewhat unusual in 2016 to shell out $60 for a semi-broken game. Since it continued to sell, studios may have taken the wrong message that it's okay to release unfinished titles (Cyberpunk 2077, Overwatch 2, Halo Infinite, etc.) and fix them later. Still, no one can say that Hello Games didn't put in the work to get to this level, issuing no less than 35 free content updates over the last three years. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/no-mans-sky-finally-has-a-very-positive-rating-on-steam-after-8-years-130033575.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Black Friday is usually the best sale of the year on cameras and accessories and this year there are some particularly great deals this time around. Most of the major manufacturers including Sony, Canon, DJI, Nikon and GoPro are offering substantial discounts across a wide range of products, whether you're looking to spend a couple hundred dollars or several grand. Those include multiple options from our guide to the best cameras of 2024, so you'll get great value for tried and tested gear. These are the best Black Friday camera deals we found for 2024. Black Friday action cam and drone deals GoPro Hero 13 Black accessory bundle for $349 (22 percent off): GoPro's best deal in my opinion is the Hero 13 Black accessory bundle pack. It not only gives you the company's awesome video camera with up to 5.3K capture, but two enduro batteries, the "Handler" handle, two curved adhesive mounts, a 64GB microSD card and a carrying case for the same price as the camera alone. DJI Mini 4K drone for $239 (20 percent off): It's right there in the name, as the DJI Mini 4K can shoot 4K30p or 27K 60p video. That's not bad at all at this price and quality is surprisingly good. Best of all, it weighs less than 250 grams so you don't need any kind of a permit to fly it. If you want to get it with extra batteries and a carrying case, the Fly More Combo is also discounted 20 percent to $359. DJI Osmo Action 4 action cam for $209 (30 percent off): Even though it was superceded by the Action 5, DJI's Osmo Action 4 is still a great action cam. It has a relatively large 1/1.3-inch sensor so it's great in low light, and offers 4K 120p video. You also get DJI's Rocksteady 3.0 stabilization, long battery life and a nifty magnetic locking system. Insta360 Ace Pro action cam for $300 (14 percent off): The Ace Pro is the first action camera with 8K recording, something we've still yet to see from GoPro or DJI. Another unique feature is the flip-up selfie screen that eliminates the need for a front screen. This is the lowest price we've seen yet for this model. Insta360 X4 action cam for $425 (15 percent off): Insta360's X4 sets the standard for 360 video with up to 8K of resolution, and it's now on sale at the lowest price we've seen yet. Rugged and waterproof, it offers powerful image stabilization, an invisible selfie stick and fun video modes. Black Friday mirrorless and compact camera deals Canon EOS R100 camera with two lenses for $499 (40 percent off): This is one of the best camera deals going right now, letting you pick up Canon's small but powerful EOS R100 plus two lenses that cover from 18mm up to 210mm (27-315mm full-frame equivalent). Its size makes it ideal for travel and the lens selection will let you shoot anything from people pics to wildlife or bird shots. Nikon Z8 camera for $3,497 (13 percent off): The Nikon Z8 is the most powerful hybrid camera you can get for the money, thanks to the 45.7-megapixel stacked sensor, incredible burst speeds, high image quality and 8K RAW video capture. It stacks up feature-for-feature against Canon's slightly better R5 II, but currently costs a whopping $800 less. Sony ZV-1 II camera for $698 (22 percent off): The ZV-1 II is an ideal vlogging camera thanks to features like product showcase and background defocus that make it easy for creators to grab the perfect shot. The latest model features a wider zoom lens and more intuitive touchscreen, so it's better than ever for creators on the go. Canon EOS R8 camera for $1,199 (20 percent off): The R8 has Canons excellent Dual Pixel AF with subject recognition I, and can shoot bursts at up to 40 fps. It's equally strong with video, supporting oversampled 10-bit 4K at up to 60 fps. Panasonic Lumix S9 camera with 20mm-60mm lens $1,498 (17 percent off): This is one of the best deals on a full-frame creator camera that we've seen. After testing one recently I found it to be small but powerful, with reliable autofocus, awesome video quality and those famous real-time LUTs so that creators can get the perfect look with no fuss. Sony A7 IV camera for $2,098 (16 percent off): Sony's 33-megapixel A7 IV is the best mid-range mirrorless camera you can get, thanks to a great mix of speed, resolution and video powers. The biggest selling point is the reliable autofocus that ensures you'll get sharp photos nearly all the time. Black Friday camera accessory deals Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve 19 Studio $236 (20 percent off): DaVinci Resolve 19 is the best alternative to Adobe's Premiere Pro for video editing and unlike the latter, doesn't lock you into a subscription. The latest version offers a host of new AI-powered features like motion tracking and color grading. K&F Concept camera sling bag for $32 (16 percent off): If you need to travel light this bag can carry a surprising amount of gear while offering excellent protection and features like a side safety buckle. Amazon Basics 60-inch lightweight tripod with bag for $19 (27 percent off): This lightweight tripod weighs just 2.7 pounds and has adjustable leg heights and rubber feet. Though small, it can handle any camera and lens combo weighing up to 6.6 pounds. Lexar Silver Pro SDXC UHS-II 128GB (2 pack) memory card for $54 (26 percent off): This V60 card has enough speed for 4K 60p video capture and can unload files to your computer at a stellar 280 MB/s. ProGrade Digital 512GB CFexpress 4.0 Type B Gold memory card $140 (30 percent off): This is a solid deal on a mid-range memory card that offers max read/write speeds of 3400 MB/s and 3000 MB/s. SanDisk 256GB Ultra microSDXC memory card for $19 (27 percent off): A good compromise between speed and value, it offers speeds up to 150 MB/s for drones, consoles and other devices. Pixel G1s RGB video light for $56 (30 percent of): Pixel's G1s RGB video light is a must have for serious shooters, offering both a second illumination source and a colorful background light. Unlike many of the knockoffs, it exudes quality, and this is the lowest price I've seen yet. Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Micro Color Panel $407 (20 percent off): The Micro Color Panel is portable, attractive, well-designed, nice to use and reasonably priced. If you sped a lot of time on color correction, you'll find it to be a time saver. 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-19-best-black-friday-deals-on-camera-gear-from-nikon-dji-canon-and-others-130004779.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Engadget Black Friday officially starts tomorrow, but heres the deal: Nearly all of the best deals are live now, and we dont expect further major price drops. Really. And that goes for Cyber Monday as well. So for Thanksgiving, we thought we'd give you a sort of executive summary of the best tech deals this year. This list includes some Engadget team favorites (and some personal ones) along with a bevy of alternate picks, as well as a large swath of Apple deals. That final one is notable because we're seeing some of the best prices of the year in some cases, the best prices ever on a wide range of current Apple gear, including AirPods, iPads and MacBooks, all of which Engadget readers have been scooping up over the past few days and weeks, and the price drops have settled in. If you're looking for a more comprehensive list, check out our best Black Friday tech deals roundup, which has more than four dozen picks and growing. And we've linked to several of our other deal roundups below, too, if you want some more specific breakouts. PlayStation PlayStation 5 Slim game console: As a longtime Xbox guy, it pains me to say this: The PS5 is the game console you probably really want. That's largely due to its impressive list of exclusive titles that you cant play on Microsofts (or Nintendos) rival gaming machines franchises like God of War, The Last of Us, Horizon Zero Dawn, Helldivers and Marvels Spider-Man, to name some of the most noteworthy. If you havent yet taken the PS5 plunge, nows a better time than ever: The Slim version of the console is slightly less chunky than the 2020 original in both girth and cost, starting at just $375 for the all-digital version, and $424 for the PS5 model with a built-in Blu-ray drive. (Get the latter if you want to play disc-based games or movies.) Alas, there are no discounts on the $699 PS5 Pro, but that's overkill for all but the most hard-core PlayStation fans. See more Black Friday video game deals. AirPods Pro 2 earbuds: Apples best earbuds are now on sale for nearly $100 less than their price at the Apple Store, despite being more full-featured than ever. And while the latest firmware update lets them work as hearing aids, average users will be more impressed with their top-notch noise-canceling, as well as their effortless compatibility with Apple devices, from iPhones, iPads and Macs. Want Android compatibility? Go for the Bose QuietComfort Ultra for 23 percent off, or opt for full-size headphones like the Beats Solo 4 (down to $100) or the superb Sony WH-1000XM5 (25 percent off). JBL Clip 5 Bluetooth speaker: Yes, you can get Bluetooth speakers for as little as $20 this Black Friday. But wed recommend spending up for something like the JBL Clip 5. I own and love the predecessor, but this new-for-2024 model adds stereo pairing (if you get a second set) and an adjustable EQ via JBLs app. Its also fully dust- and waterproof, in addition to being partially made from recycled plastics. Sealing the deal? Its currently discounted 37 percent. Save a bit more with the even smaller stepdown model, the JBL Go 4, now marked down to $40. See more Black Friday deals under $50. Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Apple iPad (10th generation): For the past several months, Apple has been blowing out its discontinued 9th generation iPad for as little as $199. But now the current baseline model has dipped down to $250, making it even more appealing. This 2022 model doesnt have the computing muscle to run current or future Apple Intelligence apps, but its otherwise a solid entry in the company's touch-screen computing line, with a Touch ID power button, a big 10.9-inch screen and compaibility with the Apple Pencil (sold separately). Need more storage? The 256GB model is down to $410 twice as much space as youll get with the admittedly nicer and newer iPad Air (also currently on sale for $100 off). See more Black Friday Apple deals. Roku Ultra: Engadgets list of best video streamers is littered with Roku models, including this new-for-2024 Ultra box. And with good reason: This latest high-end Roku pretty much erases complaints from the previous version, with a full range of HDR compatibility, an updated rechargeable voice remote (USB-C, finally) and both Ethernet and Wi-Fi 6 support. The 20-percent Black Friday discount gets it to $80, but if youre on a tighter budget, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K ($29) will get you most of the same features at less than half the price. And we'll give an honorable mention to the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max currently on sale for just $33 which is a better choice for anyone who uses a VPN to increase their streaming options. And whether you're buying a new streamer or you're already covered on that front, note that Disney/Hulu, Peacock and Max all have some solid Black Friday specials worth checking out. Apple Watch 10: The Apple Watch got a nice redesign for 2024, with a thinner body and larger face the small one is now 42mm while the larger one is 46mm, effectively eclipsing the Apple Watch Ultra. Yes, youll still need to recharge it almost every day, but the always-on screen and more efficient battery make this a nice upgrade for anyone whos still rocking a Series 7 or earlier. With the starting prices down to $329 for Black Friday, its a great time to buy. It's worth noting, though, that the Apple Watch SE has dipped as low as $149, if you dont need all the latest and greatest features. MacBook Air: There are at least three new MacBook Airs you can buy right now, with prices starting as low as $600 for the M1 model at Walmart. My advice? Splurge not only for the latest M3 model, but pay a bit extra to get it with half a terabyte of storage. That 512GB MacBook Air M3 model, paired with the now-standard 16GB of RAM gets you an extremely capable Apple laptop for just $1,049. Thats $250 less than the Apple Store price, and a cool $150 lower than what I paid when I purchased that configuration at Amazon last March. Of course, the inevitable M4 version of this product is expected by next spring but that wont help you hit your gifting deadlines, will it? See more Black Friday laptop deals. Devindra Hardawar / Engadget Meta Quest 3S: Yes, a standard Xbox, PS5 or Switch will never disappoint under the tree, but if youre aiming for bleeding-edge gaming, its hard to beat the Quest VR headset. The latest 3S model delivers most of the same experience as the earlier Quest 3 model at a much lower starting price, and the Black Friday deal Amazon is throwing in a free $75 credit on top of the bundled Batman: Arkham Shadow game makes this a great time to jump in. See more gift ideas for gamers. Apple AirTags (4-pack): This is pretty much the only Apple product priced to qualify as a stocking stuffer, but its a cant-miss gift for anyone whos got an iPhone. Drop one of these little half dollar-sized trackers anywhere a purse, backpack, suitcase or even a keychain and youll be able to track them down using your Apple device. At $24 for a single tag, the better deal is to go for a 4-pack, which is currently hovering at a record-low $73. See more gift ideas under $25. LG OLED TV: The axiom of TV shopping for the past several years still applies: OLED TVs offer the best overall image quality and black levels, bar none. While Sony and Samsung have finally brought some competition to this space, LG remains the go-to choice and the Black Friday season is still the best time to buy. The top of the line evo C4 model will run you close to $1,500 for 65-inch screen, but the very similar LG B4 OLED has dipped under $1,200 at the same screen size. And bargain hunters shouldn't ignore the 2023 B3 OLED, which is currently under $1,000 for the 65-incher at Walmart. If those price tags are all too rich, or if you're not enough of a videophile to care about perfect black levels, don't fret: We've got plenty of other, more affordable Black Friday TV deals, too. 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-28-best-thanksgiving-black-friday-tech-deals-you-can-get-right-now-122523747.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
All news |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||