Max is about to crack down on password sharing

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Max, the other major platform that ruined years of brand recognition with a bizarre name change, is about to get serious about password-sharing, according to reporting by The Verge. Parent company Warner Bros. Discovery said during a Q3 earnings call that it will begin cracking down on the practice over the next few months, along with some “very soft messaging” to encourage people to pony up.

Chief financial officer Gunnar Wiedenfels said the aforementioned gentle messaging will ramp up in 2025, indicating an eventual mandate. He suggested that folks who share passwords make the subscription costs rise for everyone, as it’s like “asking members who have not signed up, or multi-household members to pay a little bit more.”

The company also announced nearly ten billion dollars in revenue last quarter, along with 7.2 million new Max subscribers. This is the biggest jump in subscribers in the platform’s history. There’s more juice to squeeze out of that lemon, however, as some of those 7.2 million people likely gave a password to a grandkid or something.

Wiedenfels also didn’t rule out the possibility of yet another price increase. He said that the “premium nature” of Max gives the platform “a fair amount of room to continue to push a price we’ve been judicious about.” As for judiciousness, the subscription cost shot up in June of this year and again back in 2023. So, what, price increases are like yearly Madden installments now or something?

Max is merely the latest streamer to put the kibosh on password sharing. Netflix makes people pay to share passwords and Disney+ just started its crackdown back in September.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/max-is-about-to-crack-down-on-password-sharing-174549440.html?src=rss

Apple’s latest MagSafe charger drops to $25 in an early Black Friday deal

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Apple has been forced to ditch the Lightning port and switch to USB-C for charging across its products. But there's another way to top up the battery of recent iPhones thanks to MagSafe. The company recently released a new, more powerful MagSafe charger, the price of which has fallen in an early Black Friday deal. It has dropped from $39 to $25.

The latest MagSafe charger was introduced alongside the iPhone 16 lineup this fall. When it's used with an adaptor that supports 30W of power or more, the charger reaches speeds of up to 25W with an iPhone 16 (the charging speed still maxes out at 15W on older iPhones).

As you might imagine, the charger can juice up an iPhone 16 more quickly than previous versions. According to Apple, when used with a 30W USB‑C power adapter, it can charge an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro up to a level of 50 percent in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, since the charger is Qi compatible, it can charge an iPhone 8 or later as well as AirPods with a wireless charging case.

The MagSafe charger is one of the handiest iPhone accessories to have around. This version has a 1m (3.3 ft) cable. The other model, which has a 2m (6.6 ft) cable, is also on sale. It has dropped from $49 to $34.

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/apples-latest-magsafe-charger-drops-to-25-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-173636146.html?src=rss

Apple’s latest MagSafe charger drops to $25 in an early Black Friday deal

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Apple has been forced to ditch the Lightning port and switch to USB-C for charging across its products. But there's another way to top up the battery of recent iPhones thanks to MagSafe. The company recently released a new, more powerful MagSafe charger, the price of which has fallen in an early Black Friday deal. It has dropped from $39 to $25.

The latest MagSafe charger was introduced alongside the iPhone 16 lineup this fall. When it's used with an adaptor that supports 30W of power or more, the charger reaches speeds of up to 25W with an iPhone 16 (the charging speed still maxes out at 15W on older iPhones).

As you might imagine, the charger can juice up an iPhone 16 more quickly than previous versions. According to Apple, when used with a 30W USB‑C power adapter, it can charge an iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro up to a level of 50 percent in 30 minutes. Meanwhile, since the charger is Qi compatible, it can charge an iPhone 8 or later as well as AirPods with a wireless charging case.

The MagSafe charger is one of the handiest iPhone accessories to have around. This version has a 1m (3.3 ft) cable. The other model, which has a 2m (6.6 ft) cable, is also on sale. It has dropped from $49 to $34.

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/apples-latest-magsafe-charger-drops-to-25-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-173636146.html?src=rss

Sega will delist a bunch of its classic games from major storefronts next month

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Sega is delisting a bunch of its classic games for modern devices. The company posted an FAQ on its website (via Eurogamer), breaking down the Sega Classics games each platform will lose next month. The collection includes some of the publisher’s golden oldies, like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe and Altered Beast.

Over 60 Sega Classics games will be delisted on Steam, Xbox, Switch and PlayStation on December 7 at 2:59PM ET. In addition to the above-mentioned titles, departing ones include (among many others) Virtua Fighter 2, Streets of Rage, the Golden Axe trilogy, Ecco the Dolphin and the most ’90s game ever, Toejam and Earl.

The '90s game characters Toejam and Earl in front of a groovy '90s background (loud yellow and blue patterns).
Sega

The Sega Genesis Classics bundle will also be delisted on Switch and PlayStation on the same day. However, the FAQ notes that “select individual classic titles” will still be playable with a Switch Online membership. And if you own any outgoing games (or snag them before the cutoff date), they’ll remain playable in your library. But don’t expect any bug fixes or other software updates moving forward.

Sega hasn’t stated a reason for delisting the games. But it’s a strange choice, given that the company is rebooting Crazy Taxi (as a multiplayer AAA game), Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. Keeping their nostalgic forerunners available to spark memories for older players and introduce the franchises to younger gamers seems like a marketing opportunity that would have outweighed the potential confusion of listing multiple games with similar or identical titles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sega-will-delist-a-bunch-of-its-classic-games-from-major-storefronts-next-month-172823328.html?src=rss

Sega will delist a bunch of its classic games from major storefronts next month

Posted on by

Sega is delisting a bunch of its classic games for modern devices. The company posted an FAQ on its website (via Eurogamer), breaking down the Sega Classics games each platform will lose next month. The collection includes some of the publisher’s golden oldies, like Jet Set Radio, Crazy Taxi, Golden Axe and Altered Beast.

Over 60 Sega Classics games will be delisted on Steam, Xbox, Switch and PlayStation on December 7 at 2:59PM ET. In addition to the above-mentioned titles, departing ones include (among many others) Virtua Fighter 2, Streets of Rage, the Golden Axe trilogy, Ecco the Dolphin and the most ’90s game ever, Toejam and Earl.

The '90s game characters Toejam and Earl in front of a groovy '90s background (loud yellow and blue patterns).
Sega

The Sega Genesis Classics bundle will also be delisted on Switch and PlayStation on the same day. However, the FAQ notes that “select individual classic titles” will still be playable with a Switch Online membership. And if you own any outgoing games (or snag them before the cutoff date), they’ll remain playable in your library. But don’t expect any bug fixes or other software updates moving forward.

Sega hasn’t stated a reason for delisting the games. But it’s a strange choice, given that the company is rebooting Crazy Taxi (as a multiplayer AAA game), Jet Set Radio, Shinobi, Golden Axe and Streets of Rage. Keeping their nostalgic forerunners available to spark memories for older players and introduce the franchises to younger gamers seems like a marketing opportunity that would have outweighed the potential confusion of listing multiple games with similar or identical titles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/sega-will-delist-a-bunch-of-its-classic-games-from-major-storefronts-next-month-172823328.html?src=rss

The Fitbit Charge 6 drops to a record low of $100 in this Black Friday deal

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Thanksgiving might not be here yet, but that’s not stopping retailers from offering early Black Friday promotions. Amazon, for instance, is selling the Fitbit Charge 6 for $60 off its regular $159.95 price. For those wondering, that’s a record low for the fitness tracker. And if you’re looking for a device to record your steps and workouts, it’s hard to go wrong with the Charge 6. In fact, it’s one of our favorite fitness trackers.

The Charge 6 has a few things going for it. With the new model, Fitbit added a more accurate heart rate sensor, the ability to pair with exercise machines over Bluetooth and a physical side button to aid with menu navigation. If you’re a YouTube Music Premium subscriber, you can also use the device to control YouTube Music playback.

Carrying over from older iterations, the Charge 6 offers comprehensive tracking for 20 discrete exercises, with built-in GPS for activities like running and cycling. It also retains the design of the Charge 5, which in this case, is a good thing. The fact it’s not a smartwatch means the Charge 6 is comfortable to wear and offers a battery that will last you for several days instead of just one at most. The full-color AMOLED display is easy to read and looks great, even outdoors. Other notable features include support for contactless payments through Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet.

The only downsides to the Charge 6 are that Fitbit doesn’t offer Apple Health integration and that some data and features are locked behind the company’s premium subscription. However, if you’re looking for a fitness tracker that can basically do it all, the Charge 6 is one of the best options right now.

For those looking to spend less on a fitness tracker, I'll mention that Amazon has also discounted the Inspire 3. It's currently $69.95, down from $99.95. Fitbit's entry-level fitness tracker is a good option for those who don't mind bringing their phone to their bike rides and runs as the device lacks built-in GPS tracking.   

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/the-fitbit-charge-6-drops-to-a-record-low-of-100-in-this-black-friday-deal-171919452.html?src=rss

Black Friday deals bring the price of the Fitbit Charge 6 down to a record low of $100

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Black Friday promos are in full swing now, and that’s brought many of our favorite gadgets down to their lowest prices of the year. Case in point, the Fitbit Charge 6, which is down to a record low of $100 right now. It’s a top pick in our best fitness trackers guide in part because of its comprehensive exercise tracking capabilities and its built-in GPS.

The Charge 6 has a few things going for it. With the new model, Fitbit added a more accurate heart rate sensor, the ability to pair with exercise machines over Bluetooth and a physical side button to aid with menu navigation. If you’re a YouTube Music Premium subscriber, you can also use the device to control YouTube Music playback.

Carrying over from older iterations, the Charge 6 offers comprehensive tracking for 20 discrete exercises, with built-in GPS for activities like running and cycling. It also retains the design of the Charge 5, which in this case, is a good thing. The fact it’s not a smartwatch means the Charge 6 is comfortable to wear and offers a battery that will last you for several days instead of just one at most. The full-color AMOLED display is easy to read and looks great, even outdoors. Other notable features include support for contactless payments through Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet.

The only downsides to the Charge 6 are that Fitbit doesn’t offer Apple Health integration and that some data and features are locked behind the company’s premium subscription. However, if you’re looking for a fitness tracker that can basically do it all, the Charge 6 is one of the best options right now.

For those looking to spend less on a fitness tracker, I'll mention that Amazon has also discounted the Inspire 3. It's currently $70, down from $100. Fitbit's entry-level fitness tracker is a good option for those who don't mind bringing their phone to their bike rides and runs as the device lacks built-in GPS tracking.   

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-deals-bring-the-price-of-the-fitbit-charge-6-down-to-a-record-low-of-100-171919780.html?src=rss

Japanese wooden satellite launched to help curb space trash

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The media focus on rocket launches, moon landings, and Internet satellites has inspired many to look to the stars for the future of mankind. There are still plenty of areas on the Earth that can be explored, but our expansion can only expand upward at this point. But even before we get there, we are already filling our outer skies with dozens if not hundreds of small metal objects known as satellites, and their numbers are only expected to grow as we move forward.

Satellites have various applications, from communication to observation, but none of them so far remain in orbit in perpetuity. We are, thus, facing a two-headed problem of a myriad of these objects cluttering the space around our planet as well as plummeting back down, sometimes with disastrous results. To find out if there are more sustainable options, the world’s first wooden satellite just made its extraterrestrial voyage in the hopes of replacing metal with wood in the future.

Designers: Sumitomo Forestry, Kyoto University

Satellites can orbit the Earth for years, but they will eventually be decommissioned and fall back to Earth. Most of their mass will burn up on re-entry, but the burning metal will release dangerous aluminum oxide pollution into the atmosphere. Wood will also burn up, of course, but the effects on the environment will be significantly smaller.

Made from Japanese hinoki or cypress wood, the boxy LingoSat satellite is designed to test the theory of replacing metal satellites with wood-enclosed versions. The sides of the box are held together without screws or glue, using a traditional Japanese craft technique similar to dovetail joints. This method will help minimize the use of metal or potentially toxic materials that would burn in the atmosphere.

The experiment will test how well wood will fare in the harsh environment of space, such as extreme temperature fluctuations, and how well it can shield electronics inside from space radiation. The latter could have useful applications back here on Earth as shielding for semiconductors in data centers. If successful, this design could significantly help solve the problem of space trash and debris falling back down.

The LingoSat wooden satellite launched into space last Tuesday and will be heading to the International Space Station. From there, it will spend six months in orbit at a height of 400km (250 mi) above the Earth. Like any other satellite, it will eventually be decommissioned and fall down but with less fanfare.

The post Japanese wooden satellite launched to help curb space trash first appeared on Yanko Design.

Black Friday deals bring the Google Nest wired indoor camera down to just $70

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The Google Nest wired indoor camera is $70 via Amazon as part of an early Black Friday deal. The cam is normally $100, so this represents a savings of 30 percent. This is close to a record low price, which is never a bad thing. The sale includes three colorways, including white, beige and light blue.

The second-gen wired device is designed for indoor use, thus the name, and is capable of capturing 1080p HDR video. It’s motion sensitive and uses a bit of AI trickery to discern between people, animals and vehicles. The camera also includes night vision and an hour of event recording on the device itself, which comes in handy in the case of a Wi-Fi outage.

There’s a two-way audio function, as the camera includes both a microphone and a speaker. People can boot up the affiliated Google Home app to spark up a conversation. This app also lets you instantly call up emergency services if the conversation doesn’t go as planned, though that requires a Nest Aware subscription.

This brings us to a fairly significant caveat, though this one pops up with most modern security cameras. A whole lot of stuff is locked behind that aforementioned Nest Aware paywall, which costs $8 per month or $80 each year. This plan gives purchasers 60 days of video history and the ability to watch live streams on smart displays and even smart TVs. Subscribers will even receive alerts when familiar faces are recognized by the camera.

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-deals-bring-the-google-nest-wired-indoor-camera-down-to-just-70-160944871.html?src=rss

The Google Nest wired indoor camera is just $70 for Amazon Black Friday Week

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If you already have a smart home ecosystem in place, or are looking to build one from scratch, now’s a good time to look for IoT gear on sale during the Black Friday shopping period. One such device is the Google Nest wired indoor security camera, which you can get for $70 right now. That’s 30 percent off its usual price and close to a record low. The sale includes three colorways, including snow, fog and linen.

The second-gen wired device is designed for indoor use, thus the name, and is capable of capturing 1080p HDR video. It’s motion sensitive and uses a bit of AI trickery to discern between people, animals and vehicles. The camera also includes night vision and an hour of event recording on the device itself, which comes in handy in the case of a Wi-Fi outage.

There’s a two-way audio function, as the camera includes both a microphone and a speaker. People can boot up the affiliated Google Home app to spark up a conversation. This app also lets you instantly call up emergency services if the conversation doesn’t go as planned, though that requires a Nest Aware subscription.

This brings us to a fairly significant caveat, though this one pops up with most modern security cameras. A whole lot of stuff is locked behind that aforementioned Nest Aware paywall, which costs $8 per month or $80 each year. This plan gives purchasers 60 days of video history and the ability to watch live streams on smart displays and even smart TVs. Subscribers will even receive alerts when familiar faces are recognized by the camera.

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-nest-wired-indoor-camera-is-just-70-for-amazon-black-friday-week-160944313.html?src=rss