After a couple of years without much happening, smart displays are in the news again. Aside from smart TVs, consumer screens that connect to the Internet have never reached a mainstream audience. However, there seems to be a resurgence to make smart displays more popular. The approaches that some companies are taking are better than those of others, revealing a good, bad, and ugly side behind the push. Note that for this article, we'll exclude smart TVs when discussing smart displays. Unlike the majority of smart displays, smart TVs are mainstream tech. So for this piece, we'll mostly focus on devices like the Google Next Hub Max or Amazon Echo Show (as pictured above). Read More

When you buy through our links, Business Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Following a lengthy, nearly year-and-a-half-long wait, Outlander is back for the rest of its seventh season. We've compiled everything you need to know about where to watch Outlander, including live streaming options for those without cable. Read More

Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge Sling TV is increasing its monthly subscription prices by $5.99 for all of its plans starting in December. The streaming TV provider said “rising costs” are to blame for the price hikes without specifying why — presumably, not all six of those bucks are intended to pay for its “arcade” library of interactive games that just added Pac-Man and Trivia Crack. There are two packages: Sling Orange, which includes Disney and ESPN networks, and Sling Blue, which includes Fox and NBC programming that previously cost $40 per month, individually. Now, they will cost $45.99 per month. There’s also the combo Sling Orange plus Blue, which offers a mix of both packages for $55 per month — but will go up to $61. Read More

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has “provisionally concluded” that Apple’s restrictive mobile browser policies limit innovation. After an independent inquiry group shared its findings on browser competition on iOS and Android, the governing body’s board plans to conduct an in-depth assessment of how Apple and Google constrict third-party browsers on their platforms. However, Apple — with its more closed ecosystem — appears to have borne the brunt of the CMA’s concern. The CMA’s investigation is based on the premise that Apple and Google have an effective duopoly on mobile platforms, allowing them to set the rules of how mobile browsers work. The board says third-party browser developers have complained that they’re constricted by rules like Apple’s requirement to use the company’s WebKit browser engine. “The group has provisionally found that Apple’s rules restrict other competitors from being able to deliver new, innovative features that could benefit consumers,” the CMA wrote. “Other browser providers have highlighted concerns that they have been unable to offer a full range of browser features, such as faster webpage loading on iPhone.” The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC), which passed earlier this year, will give the UK body extra ammunition to carry out its next steps. The UK’s equivalent of the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA) can designate big tech companies as having “Strategic Market Status” with “substantial and entrenched market power” and “a position of strategic significance.” Much like the EU’s version, the law gives the UK some teeth to negotiate and force concessions from Big Tech behemoths that, at least in the US, often seem untouchable: The DMCC will empower the UK board to fine infringing companies up to 10 percent of their global revenue. The CMA’s summary of Apple’s hearing reveals the iPhone maker argued that it restricts browser engines to “ensure users get the best security, privacy, and performance on iOS devices” — a familiar argument to those who’ve followed Apple’s previous competition trials. Apple claimed healthy competition exists, due to the presence of third-party browsers with features like ad-blocking, VPNs and AI. The company also said it routinely considers developer feedback and hadn’t heard any fuss over its current browser rules. Contradicting that, the CMA said other browser providers have highlighted features they can’t implement on iOS, like faster webpage loading. “Many smaller UK app developers also told us that they would like to use progressive web apps — an alternative way for businesses to provide apps to mobile users without downloading apps through an app store — but this technology is not able to fully take off on iOS devices,” the board wrote. The CMA also said that how browser choices are presented to users lets Apple and Google “manipulate these choices to make their own browsers the clearest or easiest option.” In addition, it pointed out a revenue-sharing agreement between the two companies that “significantly reduces their financial incentives to compete in mobile browsers on iOS.” The board’s next step is a period of open comments on its findings, which will end on December 13. After its investigation, the CMA expects to make its final ruling in March 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/uk-watchdog-says-apples-rules-restrict-ios-browser-competition-201106359.html?src=rss Read More

Black Friday is the big day for retailers slashing prices to kick off the holiday shopping season and clear out their 2024 stock. There's still a week until the big day but you don’t have to wait to carve the Thanksgiving turkey and watch the Cowboys lose to snag discounts, because the best early Black Friday deals are live already. The WIRED team boasts decades of experience in product testing and a nose for sniffing out the best deals using a suite of price-tracking tools. For Black Friday, we cross-reference our buying guide recommendations with the latest sale prices to find the best early Black Friday deals on gadgets and gizmos worth owning. Someone from the WIRED Reviews team has tested every product we include in our deals coverage, so you can rest easy knowing we don't highlight low prices on low-quality goods. Read More

UPDATE: Nov. 22, 2024, 1:55 p.m. EST This article has been updated with the latest DoorDash promo codes from across the web. Note that some of these codes are location-specific or exclusive to new users. Best DoorDash promo codes this week We all love a good, home-cooked meal. But who has the time to make one every single night? Couldn't be us. That's why we always keep our delivery apps at the ready. Our app of choice at the moment? DoorDash. There's a constant bounty of promo codes, scoring you savings not just on takeout, but also on grocery delivery and select retail stores. Read More

Mick Mulvaney said he doubts Musk can cut $2 trillion from the federal budget, per NYT.Mulvaney also told clients he doesn't think Musk will be around long enough to his cuts through.Musk and Ramaswamy outlined their cost-cutting plans in a recent opinion piece. Mick Mulvaney, President-elect Donald Trump's second chief of staff, doubts that Elon Musk will achieve his lofty goal of slashing $2 trillion from the federal budget, sources told the New York Times. Read More

For many homes, a single router just won't cut it. Unless the device is in a prime position at the center of your home and there are few walls and other obstacles for the signal to deal with, your Wi-Fi network may not reach the outer limits of your house or property. As such, a mesh network might be what you need. A three-pack of Google's Nest Wi-Fi Pro 6E is worth considering, especially because it has dropped to its lowest price to date. You can pick up this bundle for $279 at Amazon right now. The three-pack normally retails for $400. This is our pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi system for folks who are using the tech for the first time. There isn't a great deal of customization here and there are more powerful options out there. But the Nest mesh system is easy to set up and then just let it do its thing. Together, these three nodes provide up to 6,600 sq. ft. of Wi-Fi coverage and speeds of up to 2,402 Mbps. That's more than enough for most people. Though if you're gaming, you'll probably want to connect to Ethernet if possible to minimize lag. As you might expect, the Wi-Fi Pro 6E integrates with other Google services. It's compatible with the Matter and Thread smart home standards 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/google-black-friday-deals-include-the-nest-wi-fi-pro-6e-for-its-lowest-price-ever-191945311.html?src=rss Read More

Image: Getty Baidu’s robotaxi division, Apollo Go, just rolled out its latest robotaxi across multiple cities in China, and if stakeholders in the US aren’t nervous yet, they should be. The RT6 is the sixth generation of Apollo Go’s driverless vehicle, which made its official debut in May 2024. It’s a purpose-built, Level 4 autonomous vehicle, meaning it’s built without the need for a human driver. And here’s the thing that should make US competitors nervous: adopting a battery-swapping solution, the price for one individual RT6 is “under $30,000,” Baidu CEO Robin Li said in an earnings call. “All the strengths just mentioned above are driving us forward, paving the way to validate our business model,” Li added. Read More

We test tons of tablets every year. Here are a few others we like, just not as much as our picks above. OnePlus Pad for $300: The OnePlus Pad has a successor, but OnePlus says it will continue to sell the OnePlus Pad until stock runs out. It's great value at the frequently discounted price of $300 (8/10, WIRED Recommends). Multitasking is notably efficient, aided by the company's accessories: a Magnetic Keyboard case and a stylus. It was the first time I felt comfortable working for long stretches on an Android tablet. The 11.61-inch LCD 144-Hz display is sharp, fluid, and colorful, the battery can last nearly a full workday, and performance is smooth. It's a shame there's no microSD slot, headphone jack, or biometric authentication. Read More

When it comes to hot coffee, my preference is for pour-over. Sure, it’s 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 you’re a beginner or you’ve been a coffee snob for decades. It’s this abundance of control that sets Fellow’s 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 that’s a lot more modern than many automatic drip machines on the market. It won’t appeal to everyone, but I do think it’s unique. A removable water tank sits on the left, complete with volume markings for your desired quantity of coffee. You don’t have to take the tank off to fill it, but if you’re working from a faucet the fact that you can makes things easier. Inside the brewing chamber, there’s 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 doesn’t close off the container entirely, but if you consume all of your morning joe in under three hours, you’ll be fine. I would’ve 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 can’t 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 you’re looking for, simply press the dial to make a selection. (Reviewer’s note: The display on my review unit was damaged before it arrived, but since the machine still performed as intended, I didn’t 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 you’d get in a manually brewed pour-over. Sadly, almost none of them actually deliver. I’ve used a Moccamaster for four years, and while there’s a lot to like about the machine, the straight-line arrangement of the shower head doesn’t give you the even water distribution you’d want for quality pour-over simulation. Other machines don’t get hot enough, and many don’t allow you to adjust the bloom cycle, water ratios or brew temperature. On the Aiden, Fellow addressed all of my gripes with machines I’ve 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 didn’t 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 you’d 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, you’re 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. What’s more, another important piece of the machine’s customization abilities are brew profiles, so you don’t have to start from scratch. If you’re not familiar with the term, the best way to think about brew profiles is like recipes. The Aiden offers three out of the box — light roast, medium roast and dark roast — so you don’t 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 they’re aware of the nuances. And with the Aiden, you’re 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. Don’t fret if you aren’t 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 aren’t 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 wasn’t sure when I’d be getting out of bed and didn’t 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 didn’t discuss the Aiden’s 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 don’t 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 can’t match. There’s also an Aiden app, but it doesn’t 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 Aiden’s launch in September. I’ve asked Fellow for the current status and I’ll 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 I’d been brewing manual pour-overs via Chemex for years. I wanted something I could turn on and have it make coffee comparable to what I’d been doing, and that’s 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 didn’t 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 doesn’t 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. They’re 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, you’ll have to live without an automatic drip stop when you remove the carafe during brewing. There’s 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 that’s something else to consider. It’s almost another full cup of coffee per pot. Wrap-up It’s 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, there’s a host of customization options, which allow you to dial in your process based on the beans you’re using. And 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 Read More

While the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale events are arguably the best times of the year to pick up most gadgets, they’re also a great time to save on subscriptions and services you may already have or that you’ve been wanting to try. Whether it’s an audiobook service like Audible, a VPN service like ExpressVPN or an online learning subscription like MasterClass, you can typically find good subscription deals during this time of the year. Many of them also make it pretty easy to give a subscription, too, if you’re considering it as a gift for a loved one this year. To make it easier to find the services you want and need this year, Engadget has curated the best subscription deals you can get for Black Friday this year. Best Black Friday subscription deals Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $1 for three month ($35 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Audible Premium Plus for $0.99/month for three months + $20 Audible credit ($64 off): This deal gives you one title for each of the three months you're subscribed, plus unlimited access to the Premium Plus library of books, podcasts and other. Anyone who's not already subscribed to Audible can get this deal, and you'll get an additional $20 Audible credit to use at your discretion. MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields. Rosetta Stone lifetime access for $149 ($250 off): Those eager to learn a new language (or two) can get full lifetime access to Rosetta Stone for less for Black Friday. The one-time payment gives you access to the company's Dynamic Immersion courses, TruAccent speech recognition technology to help improve your pronunciation and the ability to learn on mobile and desktop. Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month ($30 off): First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps. Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out. Calm annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Another one of our top pocks for the best meditation apps is a great option for anyone new to meditation thanks in part to the many short and focused sessions it includes. There's also a dedicated kids section and subscribers get access to a soothing music library. ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off): Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature. ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off): Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager. NordVPN Plus two-year plan plus three extra months for $121 (70 percent off): In addition to VPN access, NordVPN's Plus plan gives you a password manager, ad blocker, anti-malware protection 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/black-friday-subscription-deals-for-2024-the-best-sales-from-audible-kindle-unlimited-masterclass-protonvpn-and-more-173037879.html?src=rss Read More

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 won’t 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 company’s 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, we’ve seen Porsche recall over 27,000 Taycan EVs and Jeep recall 194,000 hybrids. Of course, Tesla products get recalled all of the time. That’s 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 Read More

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 Read More

Image: The Verge Meta is promising “long-overdue improvements” to its X competitor, Threads, including more precise search features and expanded trending topics. First, users will be able to search for posts within a specific date range or from a single account — similar to what X’s search allows. Threads is also testing a new trending page in the US that includes additional topics to follow as well as AI-generated summaries of what other users are talking about. Instagram head Adam Mosseri, who led the launch of Threads, wrote in a post that the tests begin today. Read More

SteelSeries’ Arctis GameBuds are the first gaming earbuds I actually want to buy. Sony, Razer, and Logitech all offer similar gaming-focused earbuds, but SteelSeries is the only company offering low-latency earbuds with Bluetooth connectivity and console compatibility, a mobile app with powerful per-game EQ settings, active noise cancellation, and a wireless charging case, all for $159.99. It’s a unique combination at this price, and I’ve come to appreciate it in recent weeks, even swapping my trusted Arctis Nova Pro headset for these earbuds for PC gaming. Unlike Bluetooth-only earbuds, the GameBuds also work on PlayStation or Xbox, so I’ve been using them to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, among other games. Read More

SAVE $20: PS5 DualSense wireless controllers are on sale for $54.99 in Amazon's Black Friday sale. That's the lowest-ever price on Amazon. Black Friday wouldn't be Black Friday without record-low prices on the most sought-after items. We're not just looking for big discounts during these major shopping events. We're looking for the best deals ever. Read More

SAVE $500: As of Nov. 22, Sony's 85-inch X77L 4K Ultra HD TV is on sale for $998 in Amazon's Black Friday sale. That's 33% off its list price of $1,498. If you've been waiting for a good time to upgrade your TV, Black Friday is one of the best times of year to do it. Amazon's Black Friday sale features quite a few TV deals at the moment, including on some of the bigger models. If you're looking to make the jump to an extra large screen for your home, look no further than this offer on an 85-inch Sony X77L 4K TV. Read More

SAVE OVER $350: As of Nov. 22, the Shark Matrix Plus Robot Vacuum is on sale for $349.99 at Amazon, saving you 50% on the list price. If a robot vacuum is on your wishlist, Amazon's Black Friday event is your time to pounce. The retailer's Black Friday sale kicked off on Nov. 21 and there are already huge discounts across everything from coffee machines to TVs. And of course, robot vacuums. If you've been lusting over one for a while, and love the idea of no more manual vacuuming, check out this deal on the Shark Matrix Plus Robot Vacuum. Read More

Amazon has cornered the market on inexpensive and easy-to-use smart home devices with its Echo lineup. Two of its tiniest (yet still feature-packed) offerings are the Echo Dot, now on its 5th generation, and the Echo Pop, which debuted in 2023. Both smart speakers cost under $50 and regularly go on sale during Prime Day events. With Black Friday just around the corner, they're on sale yet again. And while the two devices are remarkably similar, there are some key differences you should know before you pick one. Here’s how the Echo Dot (5th gen) and the Echo Pop compare, based on my first-hand insights using them both. Read More

SAVE OVER $60: As of Nov. 22, the Samsung 990 PRO 1TB SSD is down to $98.37 at Amazon. That’s 39% off its regular price of $159.99 for Black Friday. Black Friday is here, and it's time to supercharge your PC or gaming setup without torching your wallet. Samsung's 990 PRO 1TB SSD sells for just $98.37 — an impressive Black Friday discount of over $60. With sequential read speeds of up to 7,450 MB/s, this PCIe 4.0 drive offers performance that smooths everything from gaming to heavy-duty workloads. Read More

Long before we had Amazon or Facebook marketplace, or thousands of other online retailers, we had eBay. And now, we have an eBay coupon to help you save on basics like vacuums and phones, to even your most niche need—because eBay has everything from haunted objects to ironic landline phones to retro gaming consoles. One of the first and most enduring online shopping platforms, eBay has stood the test of time, providing us with the old-school feel of estate sales, complete with bidding wars and gently used items of quite literally every type. Get 10% Off With This eBay Coupon Code We have an eBay promo code for the long-running shop to get 10% off items like memorabilia, games, action figures, and more. Just paste the code HEATHERSFIND10 in the box at checkout to save (use the link above to redeem this coupon code; expires 12/31). Read More

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge Transferring your data from your old Android deviceto a new one will soon be less daunting,thanks to “Restore Credentials,” a new developer feature for Androidwhich can keep you logged into your apps when you make the switch. While some apps already did this, Google is making it easier for developers to include this experience by implementing a “restore key” that automatically transfers to the new phone and logs you back into the app. The change should help make going from one Android phone to another more like upgrading an iPhone. Apple users who move from one iPhone to another are used to having everything from email accounts to app credentials transfer to the new phone, but it hasn’t always been so seamless for Android users. Read More

Sarah Silverman appeared on Rob Lowe's Sirius XM podcast.Silverman discussed her copyright infringement lawsuit against OpenAI, which owns ChatGPT.She said the ongoing class action lawsuit will be "tough." Comedian Sarah Silverman opened up about her copyright infringement lawsuit against Sam Altman's OpenAI, which owns the artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT. Read More

While stalking its target, GruesomeLarch performed credential-stuffing attacks that compromised the passwords of several accounts on a web service platform used by the organization's employees. Two-factor authentication enforced on the platform, however, prevented the attackers from compromising the accounts. So GruesomeLarch found devices in physically adjacent locations, compromised them, and used them to probe the target’s Wi-Fi network. It turned out credentials for the compromised web services accounts also worked for accounts on the Wi-Fi network, only no 2FA was required. Read More

"Outlander" season seven has seen one major member of Jamie Fraser's family recast.Jenny Murray was played by Laura Donnelly in earlier seasons.As of season seven part two, Kristin Atherton has taken over the role. Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Outlander" season seven, episode nine, "Unfinished Business." Read More

When we started dating eight years ago, my now-wife said she didn't want kids. I wanted to have kids, but I chose to put my focus on our relationship and it paid off. We enjoy our childfree marriage and have dogs that we put sweaters on. When starting a relationship, the topic of kids will come up at some point. And in certain situations, one person isn't interested in bringing children into their lives. That is exactly what happened with my wife and I. Read More

Illustration by Lille Allen / The Verge Elon Musk is, in addition to many other things, now the co-lead of the currently nonexistent Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) advisory group. Now, before it even gets rolling, he has begun singling out individual government employees he says are emblematic of the government’s bloat and posting about them to his hundreds of millions of followers on X. Earlier this week, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal, the X user “datahazard” shared a screenshot on X highlighting the role of Ashley Thomas, the Director of Climate Diversification at the US International Development Finance Corporation, saying, “I don’t think the US Taxpayer should pay for the employment” of that role. Read More

On Friday, lawyers for Sean "Diddy" Combs asked a third judge to set him free on bail.Ex-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Michael Jeffries won bail on sex-trafficking charges, Combs' lawyers noted.On Friday, prosecutors said that Combs' case is more like R. Kelly's than like Jeffries'. Prosecutors compared Sean "Diddy" Combs to sex-trafficking convict R. Kelly during two hours of bail arguments in federal court in Manhattan on Friday. Read More

Illustration by Cath Virginia / The Verge. Photos via Getty Images The Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments on a case involving funding for a major broadband subsidy program, the Universal Service Fund (USF). SCOTUS granted cert in a pair of cases called Federal Communications Commission v. Consumers’ Research, and Schools, Health & Libraries Broadband Coalition v. Consumers’ Research, which were consolidated for oral arguments. They center around whether Congress inappropriately delegated lawmaking function to the FCC by letting it set contribution rates for telecommunications companies to pay into the nonprofit Universal Service Administration Company, which manages the USF. It also asks whether the FCC delegated too much authority to a private entity by letting USAC manage the subsidy program. Read More

Healthcare startup Forward just closed its doors last week, but its executives are already onto their next venture. Adrian Aoun, Forward's former CEO, is cofounding a new company alongside the startup's former head of operations, Jonathan Lesser, and its former head of product, design, and engineering, Bali Raghavan, according to messages seen by Business Insider. Read More

Remember in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when live audio was suddenly everywhere? The trend was made popular by the briefly viral phenomenon Clubhouse before seemingly every other online platform copied the feature for themselves. Since then, live audio has become mostly a footnote to a weird time when we were all stuck at home at the same time with nothing to do and listening to hours-long streams of strangers talking to each other passed as entertainment. Now LinkedIn, which was somewhat late to the live audio party in 2022, has opted to get rid of its standalone live audio events. In an update, the company says it will no longer support native audio events beginning next month. Users will stop being able to create new events as of December 2, and previously scheduled events will no longer work after December 31. Instead, the company is “bringing together” audio events with its live-streaming feature, LinkedIn Live. LinkedIn Live, however, requires creators to use third-party tools to set up streams. So while audio-only streams will still be able to exist on LinkedIn, they will take a few extra steps. LinkedIn isn’t the only company to change course on live audio. Reddit, Facebook, Spotify and Amazon have all shuttered their pandemic-era live audio products.Even Clubhouse (which, yes, still exists) pivoted away from the format last year. The feature is, however going strong on X despite a few high-profile technical issues.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/linkedin-is-killing-the-standalone-live-audio-feature-you-probably-forgot-about-232705727.html?src=rss Read More

Trump nominated Scott Bessent, a billionaire investor, for Treasury secretary.Bessent spent years working for George Soros before founding a hedge fund.He's signaled support for many of Trump's proposals, including deregulation and tariffs. President-elect Donald Trump nominated Scott Bessent, a Wall Street veteran and campaign ally, for Treasury secretary, one of the biggest Cabinet prizes. Read More

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge DirecTV has dropped its plans to acquire Dish, the company announced Thursday. The deal would’ve created a TV service megamerger, but it fell through after Dish bondholders rejected the takeover. In September, DirecTV reached an agreement to acquire Dish, Sling TV, and EchoStar’s TV business for just one dollar, while also taking on Dish’s $9.75 billion in debt. However, Dish bondholders — or the investors who lend money to a company (and expect to be paid back) — weren’t happy about the decision, as the transaction would’ve cut the value of their holdings by $1.5 billion. Read More

"Outlander," "Based on a True Story," and "The Sex Lives of College Girls" return this week.Movies including "Blitz," "The Piano Lesson," and "Alien: Romulus" are streaming.New shows like "Interior Chinatown" and "A Man on the Inside" are out, too. Several popular TV shows had their premieres this week. The beloved historical drama "Outlander" is back with the second half of its seventh season, over a year after the last episodes aired. The Peacock drama "Based on a True Story" returns for its second season, and the HBO Max comedy "The Sex Lives of College Girls" premieres its third season. Read More

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us and terms apply to offers listed (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate products and services to help you make smart decisions with your money. My father always told me that it's better to save $5 than nothing at all — some savings is better than none. My father also made sure I understood that the first priority is paying off bills immediately. I get the most out of a Costco membership so I never feel like I have to eat out. Read More

Amazon is doubling its investment in Anthropic. The e-commerce giant will provide Anthropic with an additional $4 billion in funding on top of the $4 billion it committed last year. Although Amazon remains a minority investor, Anthropic has agreed to make Amazon Web Services (AWS) its “primary cloud and training partner.” Before today’s announcement, The Information had reported that Amazon wanted to make any additional funding contingent on a commitment from Anthropic to use the company’s in-house AI chips instead of silicon from NVIDIA. It appears Amazon got its way, with both companies noting in separate press releases that Anthropic will use AWS Trainium and Inferentia chips to train future foundation models. Additionally, Anthropic says it will collaborate with Amazon’s Annapurna Labs to develop future Trainium accelerators. “Through deep technical collaboration, we’re writing low-level kernels that allow us to directly interface with the Trainium silicon, and contributing to the AWS Neuron software stack to strengthen Trainium,” the company said. “Our engineers work closely with Annapurna’s chip design team to extract maximum computational efficiency from the hardware, which we plan to leverage to train our most advanced foundation models.” According to another recent report, Anthropic expects to burn through more than $2.7 billion before the end. Before today, the company had raised $9.7 billion. Either way, it’s bought itself some much-needed runway as it looks to compete against OpenAI and other companies in the AI space.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-will-use-aws-ai-chips-after-4-billion-amazon-investment-222053145.html?src=rss Read More

black Friday is around the corner, but several WIRED-approved Amazon devices are already on sale, from Kindle e-readers to Fire tablets. If your holiday gift list includes one of those or maybe even a Fire TV Stick, you can start shopping (and saving) early. Many of these products are brand-new, like the Kindle Paperwhite (12th Gen) or the Fire HD 8, and it's unlikely you'll see even steeper discounts during the big sale event, though don't completely rule it out. WIRED Featured Deals Power up with unlimited access to WIRED.Get best-in-class reporting that's too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today. Read More

Emboldened by Donald Trump's election win, Republicans are seeking big changes to a $42.45 billion broadband deployment program. Their plan could delay distribution of government funding and remove or relax a requirement that ISPs accepting subsidies must offer low-cost Internet plans. US Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued a press release titled, "Sen. Cruz Warns Biden-Harris NTIA: Big Changes Ahead for Multi-Billion-Dollar Broadband Boondoggle." Cruz, who will soon be chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, is angry about how the National Telecommunications and Information Administration has implemented the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program that was created by Congress in November 2021. Read More

Nearly a decade ago, I started waking up with back pain. Some days were just aches, others I woke up to throwing out my back. I found out I have two permanent conditions in my spine: scoliosis, a sideways curvature in my spine that developed in my mid-twenties (usually teens develop it, but I'm just special), and spondylosis in my lower back, which is abnormal wear and tear on the cartilage in the spine. Both caused serious pain overnight and in the morning, but it turned out my flimsy, unsupportive mattress was the secondary culprit. It didn't offer the support I needed and resulted in flare-ups of pain. I've tried everything: mattress pads, knee pillows, and mattresses that ranged from super soft foam to firm planks. Some of these things worked, some didn't. I, or another WIRED reviewer, slept on the mattresses below for at least seven nights each and monitored how they affected our back pain during the night and the following morning. My husband also gave me his feedback, even though he isn't plagued with chronic back problems. Read More

The 9th-gen iPad has fallen to $200 for Black Friday. Considering the regular price for this model was $330 at its peak, this is a great discount. This is a tablet Apple first released back in 2021, so it’s getting a bit long in the tooth. The 10th-gen iPad is Apple’s official “budget” tablet, as the 9th-gen will ultimately be phased out. But it’s still a fantastic machine, particularly for the price, particularly if you’re dead-set on getting an iPad but have little to spend. This is a relatively ancient tablet with an equally ancient A13 Bionic chip. This isn’t the best iPad to buy for those looking for raw power. However, it’s the perfect tablet for those who want a media consumption machine on the cheap. Netflix in bed? Sign me up. This sale is for the 64GB model and doesn’t apply to the 256GB version. The 9th-gen tablet is being discontinued, so it’s highly likely this is the last chance to pick one up at this price. Once the stock is gone, it’s all over. 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/apple-black-friday-deals-discount-the-9th-gen-ipad-to-a-record-low-of-200-161404354.html?src=rss Read More

The Spectra smartwatch is now available for preorder through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Image: Pocuter The Spectra is a new smartwatch designed from the ground up to be hackable and easy to repair. It was created by Pocuter, a company that has spent the last few years honing an expertise in building small electronics like its tiny Pocuter One computer. What makes the Spectra unique is that it’s repairable, yet with a design that mirrors the Apple Watch which is much harder to get into. The wearable is now available for preorder through a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign with delivery expected as early as July 2025. Early backers can preorder one discounted to around $209, while full pricing is closer to around $272. The Spectra is the company’s seventh Kickstarter campaign, but also appears to be one of its most ambitious. Read More

The 2024 elections were a high-water mark for naming and shaming threat actors from foreign governments. There’s still work to be done, though, on how to attribute disinformation campaigns most effectively. Read More

Far-right influencer and self-described misogynist Andrew Tate has become the target of an anonymous hacktivist group. Sensitive data from hundreds of thousands of subscribers to Tate’s “online university” was stolen. On Thursday, hackers announced their breach of Tate's "The Real World" website by flooding the private members' chatroom with pro-feminist emojis and transgender pride flags, as first reported by DailyDot. The hackers also uploaded an emoji featuring an AI-generated photo of Tate with an exaggerated rear end, draped in the trans pride flag. Tate was streaming on the right-wring video platform Rumble while the hackers took over his website's primary chatroom. Read More

I’ve always been a little bit of a skeptic when it comes to Amazon Echo devices. Most of my family were early adopters — even my parents have multiple Echos throughout their home — but, while I love the concept of a fully integrated smart home, I wasn’t really sure if adding an Alexa device would really “level up” my experience. While I use (and love) things like WiFi-enabled lights and a smart thermostat, I was satisfied with using my iPhone to help me control all of these devices. When I got the opportunity to try out the 3rd generation of the Amazon Echo Show 10, however, I was able to see for myself if it was just a glorified speaker or something more robust. Everything you need to know about the Echo Show 10 Straight out of the box, the Echo Show 10 was a quick and easy install. Once I decided where it was going to live on my kitchen counter, it only took a few minutes to connect it to my WiFi, give it access to my Amazon account, and install a few updates before it was ready to go. Read More

Strava is the de facto fitness data middleman. Photo by Victoria Song / The Verge A few days ago, Strava upset its users over some restrictive API changes. It might seem odd for one app’s users to fume over an API, but at the heart of the matter is the inherent messiness of fitness data. Here’s a typical scenario. Say you’re all in on Garmin’s platform. You use their watches for running and strength training. Then, you pick up a Peloton bike for indoor cycling. Well, Garmin devices aren’t compatible with Peloton bikes because the two companies haven’t struck a direct deal with one another for data sharing. So, to get your heart rate on the Peloton bike, you buy a chest strap. Read More

Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI executives Dario and Daniela Amodei in 2021, will continue using Google's cloud services along with Amazon's infrastructure. The UK Competition and Markets Authority reviewed Amazon's partnership with Anthropic earlier this year and ultimately determined it did not have jurisdiction to investigate further, clearing the way for the partnership to continue. Shaking the money tree Read More

Two Grand Theft Auto titles that helped Netflix's games division pick up steam are leaving the service next month. Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City won't be available through Netflix's library of mobile games after December 13. The Netflix app lists that as the "last day to play" both games. There's no such deadline on the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas listing, indicating that subscribers can still enjoy CJ's story at no extra cost. "Just like with series and film, games will be removed from Netflix as licenses expire," a Netflix spokesperson said, according to GameSpot. "Players will notice a 'Leaving Soon' badge and be notified by the app itself well in advance of removal." Netflix is removing those two games exactly a year after adding them and San Andreas to its library, indicating that it had an initial 12-month agreement with publisher Rockstar. Earlier this year, Netflix said that the GTA trio had boosted game engagement at the end of 2023. Some people even signed up just to play them, the company claimed. However, Netflix recently scaled back its gaming ambitions to a degree by closing a studio that had some notable developers who were working on a AAA title. You can still play the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition (what a mouthful!) versions of GTA III and Vice City on iOS and Android after December 13, but you'll need to buy them from the respective app stores. If you're looking for other games to play with your Netflix subscription, don't worry, we've got you covered with our picks. Or just Poinpy and thank me later.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/gta-iii-and-vice-city-are-leaving-netflixs-mobile-games-catalog-next-month-193106378.html?src=rss Read More

Harrison-Buck and her colleagues calculated that at its peak, the system could have produced enough fish each year to feed around 15,000 people. That’s based on modern estimates of how many kilograms of fish people eat every year, combined with measurements of how many kilograms of fish people in Zambia harvest with similar traps. Of course, people at Crooked Tree would have needed to preserve the fish somehow, probably by salting, drying, or smoking them. “Fisheries were more than capable of supporting year-round sedentarism and the emergence of complex society characteristic of Pre-Columbian Maya civilization in this area,” write Harrison-Buck and her colleagues. Read More

But even without knowing the actual values of all those variables present in the Drake equation, one thing was certain: The more stars you had at the beginning, the better the odds for life were. So Sorini’s team focused on stars. “Our work is connected to the Drake equation in that it relies on the same logic,” Sorini said. “The difference is we are not adding to the life side of the equation. We’re adding to the stars’ side of the equation.” His team attempted to identify the basic constituents of a universe that’s good at producing stars. Read More