Author Archives: Engadget

The 11 best gifts for dads for 2025

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It's not always easy to find gifts for dads, especially for those who are often quick to snap up whatever they need on their own. But even the geekiest and most well-informed dads have blind spots — the trick is to find something they've never heard of, but could actually make their lives useful. We've collected some of our favorite dadcore gift ideas, which would suit everyone from a complete gadgetphobe to a total techie.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-11-best-gifts-for-dads-for-2025-170014823.html?src=rss

The best gifts for moms for 2025

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Some moms really do mean it when they say they don’t need any gifts. But those same moms will probably appreciate getting something thoughtful and personal — a gift that shows you put in a bit of consideration. It’s tough to pin-point what that ideal gift is for any given mom, but we’ve got ideas to get you started. Since we spend our days testing and otherwise thinking about tech, most of the presents here have a gadget spin, but all of them are a heck of a lot more unique than a candle and a bath bomb. Check out the best tech gifts for moms, as chosen by Engadget staffers.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-gifts-for-moms-for-2025-130044423.html?src=rss

The best Christmas gifts in 2024 that everyone on your holiday list will love

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This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if you’re stumped on what to get your mom, dad, best friend, coworker or kids’ teacher as a holiday gift. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, it’s safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But there’s a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays.

Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, you’ll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? We’ve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more. We'll update this post as more of our gift guides hit the internet, so check back for even more gift ideas throughout the season.

According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened.

Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas

We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, we’re sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones.

Read more: The best board games to gift this season

The most hyped tech is often also the most expensive: flagship smartphones, ultra-powerful gaming laptops, immersive VR headsets and the like. But it would be wrong to assume that those are the only pieces of technology worth gifting. You don’t have to drain your wallet to get someone a cool gadget that will both be useful and make their lives easier. We’ve collected our favorite pieces of tech under $25 that make great gifts and help you to stick to a budget.

Read more: The 12 best gifts under $25

We wouldn’t blame you if you try to do all of your tech shopping around the holidays. That’s when you can typically get the best sales, both on relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) on big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive tech is worth gifting. Since we at Engadget test a plethora of gadgets every year, we know that there are some hidden (and not so hidden) tech gems at lower price ranges — you just have to know where to find them.

Read more: The best gifts under $50 that make great stocking stuffers

We at Engadget spend a lot of time thinking about the best tech gifts for anyone and everyone in your life. But during that process, we often can’t help but think about the things we’d like to receive as gifts. Here, we’ve compiled a list of gadgets on our staffers’ wishlists with the hope that it may inspire you to splurge a bit on yourself this year.

Read more: The best tech gifts on our editors' wishlists for the holiday season

There are plenty of things you could get for someone that not only shows how much you care about them, but also remind them that it’s worthwhile to take time for themselves. And while there’s nothing wrong with an aromatherapy candle, it’s more fun to go beyond the obvious choices and look at what tech products could help your loved ones feel their best. Our picks include things like styling gadgets and grooming devices, but also less techy options like a hair turban and face masks.

Read more: The best self care gifts

This year may not go down as one of the best years in gaming like 2023 did, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t a lot of great new releases. Between titles like Astro Bot and Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, there were plenty of games to keep even the most dedicated of gamers busy in 2024. And if you’re shopping for one, especially as a non-gamer, it can be tricky to navigate what’s worth buying. We've got you covered with these recommendations.

Read more: The best gifts for gamers

A million new video games seem to come out every week, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you know someone who is way into retro gaming but don’t feel like hunting through eBay and local shops for gear to add to their collection, we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life, from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork.

Read more: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays

When it comes to making a great cup at home, coffee nerds are constantly learning and love to try new things. Whether the person you’re shopping for is a newly indoctrinated pour over lover or obsessive over every brewing parameter, we’ve compiled a list of the best gear for coffee geeks that you can get this holiday season.

Read more: The best gifts for coffee lovers

Forget coffee — for billions of people around the world, a freshly steeped cup of tea is the best part of waking up. But with so many varieties and methods of preparation out there, it can be difficult to find the right gift for the tea lover in your life. So to help you out, we’ve put together a list of our favorite products, from kettles to samplers.

Read more: The best gifts to buy tea lovers

There are few things more rewarding than making good food for your friends and family. But after a while, it’s easy to get bored with the same tried and true recipes. And what better way to inject some fun into your favorite home chef’s routine than with a brand-new kitchen gadget? To help you find the right gift for the cook in your life, we’ve put together a list of our favorite kitchen gadgets across a wide range of prices and categories.

Read more: The best cooking gifts

We’re all having a bit of a budget crunch this year, but the good news is that when it’s time to bestow presents on the young ones (or young at heart), you don’t have to break the bank. Our list of our favorite tech, science and design toys is stacked with items under $100, with plenty of reuse packed in so the fun can extend far beyond the holiday season.

Read more: The best tech toys for kids

In Engadget’s Slack rooms, our pets are high on the list of stuff we chat about — just behind work-adjacent tech stuff, insane current events, video games and food. We’ve bought plenty of high- and low-tech stuff to keep our furry friends fed, occupied, safe and happy and we’ve put together the best of what we tried here. Perhaps you’re shopping for your own very good boy or girl, or maybe you have a dutiful pet parent on your list — either way, the gadgets gathered here will make great gifts, according to the enthusiastic tail wags (or aloof meows) of our own fur babies.

Read more: The best gadgets for your pets

Since the dawn of humanity, we have traveled. We’ve come a long way from on-foot journeys laden with animal hide satchels. But the goal of good travel gear is the same: Get you and your necessities to a destination in the highest level of comfort available. If you know someone who is always catching a flight, rides the train to work or is bravely embarking on a cruise, some new tech may just help them out.

Read more: The best travel gifts

There's a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some fashion. While the WFH life has its perks — nobody likes a long commute — it comes with its own set of challenges, from lacking pro-level equipment to dealing with household disturbances. If you’re looking to give a gift to someone who spends much of their time in their home office, we’ve rounded up a few techy gift ideas that should make their days a little more delightful, or at least easier to manage.

Read more: The 19 best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life

There are few things better in life than getting lost in a good book — as any book lover will tell you. We have a few heavy readers on staff at Engadget and we all have opinions on the gadgets and subscriptions we think make the experience of reading even better. We've got gift ideas for those who prefer e-reading, as well as for the print-faithful — and of course, some book recommendations, too.

Read more: The best gifts for book lovers

Other than a bike, helmet and a few emergency maintenance essentials, there aren’t many things a person needs to enjoy a bike ride outside. But having the right accessories can go a long way towards making the experience more fun, more safe and, ultimately, more rewarding. Our list of recommendations cover the gamut of things you can give to the cyclist in your life, from must-have safety accessories like bike lights, to more techie gadgets like bike computers.

Read more: The best gifts for cyclists

We don’t speak for all moms, but a brief and unscientific survey has confirmed one gift most moms will love across the board: Time. Unspoken for, unstructured, zero-obligation time. While we couldn’t find extra hours on sale anywhere online, we did find some gadgets and gizmos that help save time and others that make precious down time more enjoyable.

Read more: The 13 best gifts for moms

Many Dads aren’t known for being forthright about what exactly they want for the holidays. (No, “peace and quiet” is not an acceptable answer in this case.) If you’re shopping for a father who likes gadgets but you aren’t sure what to get, let us help jog your brain with these gift ideas.

Read more: The 15 best gifts for dads

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-christmas-gifts-in-2024-that-everyone-on-your-holiday-list-will-love-170018888.html?src=rss

The best Christmas gift ideas everyone on your 2025 holiday shopping list will love

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This time of year has a lot of merry and bright things to be excited about, but it can be stressful if you’re stumped on what to get your mom, dad, best friend, coworker or kids’ teacher as a holiday gift. Whether you enjoy or dread buying gifts for people, it’s safe to say we all want to give our loved ones things they will enjoy and appreciate. But there’s a lot of noise, junk and bad deals disguised as good deals to sift through as we get closer and closer to the holidays.

Allow us at Engadget to help you through it. Here, you’ll find all of our holiday gift guides collected in one place, so you can more easily find the best Christmas gifts you need this year. Are you looking for white elephant gift ideas? Are you struggling to come up with a good gift for the father figure in your life? Are you just looking for a good board game to pick up for your own family? We’ve got you covered with gift ideas for all of those scenarios and more.

According to legend, the King of Siam would give a white elephant to courtiers who had upset them. The recipient had no choice but to simply thank the king for such an opulent gift, knowing that they likely could not afford the upkeep for such an animal. It would inevitably lead them to financial ruin. This story is almost certainly untrue, but it has led to a modern holiday staple: the white elephant gift exchange. These gift ideas will not only get you a few chuckles, but will also make your recipient feel (slightly) burdened.

Read more: The best white elephant gift ideas

Secret Santa gift exchanges are supposed to be fun, but it’s easy to overthink it. You want a gift that feels thoughtful without being awkward, useful without being boring, and most importantly, affordable. The sweet spot is under $50, which is plenty to find something that fits your recipient’s personality. Whether you’re buying for a co-worker you only chat with at the coffee machine, a friend who already has everything or a cousin who never gives you ideas, there are clever options that will make them smile.

Read more: The best Secret Santa gift ideas

Trying to find the right gift for an unabashed gadget lover during the holidays can be difficult, especially if you don’t keep up with tech industry news yourself. Fortunately, you’re reading Engadget.com, a site entirely staffed by people who spend all day figuring out what new stuff is and isn’t actually good. So allow us to help. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite gadgets and gear that just might satisfy the avid geek in your life.

Read more: The best tech gifts and gadgets

We could all use more time away from screens of all types and sizes, and board games are a fun way to do that and bond with friends and family. You can find plenty of unique sets out there now, from word puzzles to whodunnits to calming playthroughs that showcase the beauty of the little things in life. From games with giant monsters to those with haunted mansions, we’re sure at least one of our suggestions will be a hit with you and your loved ones.

Read more: The best board games to gift this season

So you want to give someone a gift but you don’t have a ton of cash to spare. Don’t fret because first, you’re not alone, and second, there are tons of options to choose from. Especially if you’re looking in the tech space, it can feel especially daunting to find a gadget that’s affordable but also worth gifting — in other words, not a piece of junk that will eventually take up residence at the bottom of a drawer. But you don’t have to drain your wallet to get someone a cool gadget that will both be useful and make their lives easier. We’ve collected our favorite pieces of tech under $25 that make great gifts and help you to stick to a budget.

Read more: The best gifts for $25 or less

We wouldn’t blame you if you try to do all of your tech shopping around the holidays. That’s when you can typically get the best sales, both on relatively affordable gear and (more importantly) on big-ticket items. But it would be wrong to think that only the most expensive tech is worth gifting. Since we at Engadget test a plethora of gadgets every year, we know that there are some hidden (and not so hidden) tech gems at lower price ranges — you just have to know where to find them.

Read more: The best gifts under $50 that make great stocking stuffers

Finding a gift for the tech nerd on your list can be tough. They likely have all the tech they need and then some, but you can add to their kit with the right accessories. Apple, Samsung, Sony and other big tech companies all have affordable gear that comes in at $100 or less, you just have to know where to look. We've collected some of our favorites, but remember: you can often find alternatives that are just as good (and sometimes better) than these. However, for the people in your life for which brand names really do matter, these gifts will speak to them.

Read more: The best tech gifts under $100

We know it’s been a pretty crazy year that’s got you wondering how exactly you’re going to make the holiday season extra special, especially for the kids in your life. The good news is that the toy industry is just as creative as ever, and this year’s crop of hot tech toys is filled with plenty of surprise and delight, all at affordable prices. We’ve picked some of our favorites under $100, ones that will not only thrill right out of the box, but keep the kids entertained for months to come.

Read more: The best tech toys for kids

There's a pretty good chance you know at least one person who works remotely in some fashion. While the WFH life has its perks — nobody likes a long commute — it comes with its own set of challenges, from lacking pro-level equipment to dealing with household disturbances. If you’re looking to give a gift to someone who spends much of their time in their home office, we’ve rounded up a few techy gift ideas that should make their days a little more delightful, or at least easier to manage.

Read more: The best gift ideas for the remote worker in your life

For as long as humans have traveled, they've carried gear with them to make long journeys easier. Airplanes may have made travel faster, but crossing states and countries can still be exhausting. If you have a friend or family member who loves exploring the world, they'll appreciate things that will save them stress when they're far from home. So let Engadget help you find the perfect gift for the person in your life with wanderlust.

Read more: The best gifts for travelers

If you're like us, Nintendo holds a special place in your heart thanks to iconic characters like Mario, Peach and Donkey Kong and multiple generations of best-selling consoles. But little did we know that outside of gaming hardware and accessories, there's an ever-growing assortment of Nintendo-themed toys, clothes and decor. And it's kind of a problem because we want all of it. So to help you figure out the best gifts for the Nintendo fan in your life, we've put together a big list of our favorite products that will give anyone a power-up this holiday season. Of course, if none of the ones on our list quite fit the bill, you can also head over to our full list of the best Nintendo Switch 2 accessories for even more ideas.

Read more: The best Nintendo gifts for the holiday season

The stream of new video games never ends, but for some of us, nothing beats the classics. If you don’t feel like hunting through eBay and local game shops for old cartridges to add to your loved one’s collection, we’ve picked out a few other gift ideas for the nostalgic gamer in your life — from video upscalers for old consoles to retro-themed books and artwork.

Read more: The best retro gaming gifts for the holidays

The year may not be over, but 2025 is all but guaranteed to go down as one of the best 12 months in gaming history. Between releases like Hades 2, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Ghost of Yotei, to name just a few, there was truly something for everyone in 2025. Of course, that abundance also means it can be tricky to find a gift for the gamers in your life, especially if you're not one yourself. Worry not — Engadget is here to help. We guarantee our guide will help you find the perfect gift for your friend or loved one.

Read more: The best gifts for gamers

Some moms really do mean it when they say they don’t need any gifts. But those same moms will probably appreciate getting something thoughtful and personal — a gift that shows you put in a bit of consideration. It’s tough to pin-point what that ideal gift is for any given mom, but we’ve got ideas to get you started. Since we spend our days testing and otherwise thinking about tech, most of the presents here have a gadget spin, but all of them are a heck of a lot more unique than a candle and a bath bomb.

Read more: The best gifts for mom

It's not always easy to find gifts for dads, especially for those who are often quick to snap up whatever they need on their own. But even the geekiest and most well-informed dads have blind spots — the trick is to find something they've never heard of, but could actually make their lives useful. We've collected some of our favorite dadcore gift ideas, which would suit everyone from a complete gadgetphobe to a total techie.

Read more: The best gifts for dads

Subscription boxes are the rare gift that keeps its charm long after the wrapping paper is gone. You make the choice once, but the surprises keep landing on their doorstep for months after that. For anyone who loves the buzz of a delivery, these are gifts that extend the season well past December. Each box on this list combines a bit of discovery with something tangible, such as gadgets, books, collectibles, snacks or clever projects. Some appeal to hardcore hobbyists, others to the curious or the comfort seekers, but all offer that same spark of delight that comes from unboxing something unexpected.

Read more: The best subscription box gifts

For home cooks, kitchen tools are the equipment that make all your favorite dishes and meals possible. And while having the fanciest gear certainly isn't a requirement, it is really nice, which makes products like the ones here such great gifts. These are the kind of things that people want but might not be able to justify buying for themselves, or essential pieces that would be handy additions to any kitchen or pantry. So if you're looking for present ideas for the chef in your life, check out our guide of tried and tested cooking tools and gadgets.

Read more: The best cooking gifts

When it comes to making coffee at home, us coffee nerds are constantly evolving. Whether the person you’re shopping for is newly indoctrinated into the world of small-batch roasters or obsessive over every possible aspect of every brewing process, we’ve compiled a list of the best coffee gear for any coffee geek this holiday season. For brewing, grinding and drinking, we’ve got multiple options at a range of prices to help expand any java geek’s horizons. And if you think the coffee aficionado on your list already has everything they need, we’ve got a recommendation for them too.

Read more: The best gifts for coffee lovers

We're a pet-loving staff here at Engadget, with diverse distribution of cat people, dog people, other-small-fuzzy-creature people, bird feeder enjoyers and so on (at press time, I'm unsure if we have a rat person, but I'd be surprised if we didn't). And, of course, we love getting new gadgets of all sorts for our pets as much as for ourselves. Our list, with gifts as low-tech as a blanket and as high-tech as the best $30 two-way camera you'll ever use, is for the pet lover in your life — whether that's you or another favorite human.

Read more: The best gadgets for your pets

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-christmas-gift-ideas-everyone-on-your-2025-holiday-shopping-list-will-love-170018978.html?src=rss

The 10 best gadgets for your pets

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We're a pet-loving staff here at Engadget, with diverse distribution of cat people, dog people, other-small-fuzzy-creature people, bird feeder enjoyers and so on (at press time, I'm unsure if we have a rat person, but I'd be surprised if we didn't). And, of course, we love getting new gadgets of all sorts for our pets as much as for ourselves. This list, with gifts as low-tech as a blanket and as high-tech as the best $30 two-way camera you'll ever use, is for the pet lover in your life — whether that's you or another favorite human. Every entry comes waggingly approved by at least one fuzzy friend.

Check out the rest of our gift ideas here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/the-10-best-gadgets-for-your-pets-150714288.html?src=rss

The best depressing games to languish to in 2024

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What qualifies a video game as “depressing?” The most obvious answer is that game you simply cannot beat no matter how hard you try, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Instead, we’re looking at games that just have a pall over them, whether it’s directly from story beats or a more subtle vibe given off by the visuals, music or activities the player has to participate in.

The games on this list don’t have a lot in common on the surface — there are big-budget action thrillers, smaller independent titles and at least one visual novel / deck-building game. But they can all put you in a somber mood, if that’s what you're looking for. Next time the rain is pouring down and you’re feeling a bit of melancholy, we have options to keep you company.

Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-depressing-games-120013247.html?src=rss

What we’re listening to: Harlequin (or LG 6.5), Rack and more

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In What We're Listening To, Engadget writers and editors discuss some of the recent music releases we've had on repeat. This installment has everything from jazz standards to The Jesus Lizard.

Lady Gaga - Harlequin

I wasn’t even a minute into Harlequin before I had the realization, Oh, I am going to become so annoying in my love for this. Unfortunately for everyone in my life (and doubly so because I’m singing along), I’ve had it blasting all weekend since the surprise drop on Friday. Gaga is a powerhouse, and as much as I adore her take on pop, I’m always blown away when I hear her do jazz. And Harlequin is brimming with it. 

Harlequin is a companion album to a soon-to-be-released movie (Joker: Folie à Deux) and almost entirely comprises cover songs — a combination that might typically put me off. But Gaga’s breezy versions of classics like “World on a String” and “Smile” are almost chilling. Her energy in tracks like “Gonna Build a Mountain” is through the roof. I could have done without “Oh, When the Saints,” but I’m really just nit-picking now. There are only two original songs on the album and they are completely different beasts, each impactful in its own way. “Happy Mistake” is a clear standout, and I’ll be softly weeping to that one for years to come.

Babe Haven - Nuisance

On the exact opposite end of the spectrum, I’ve been really into punk band Babe Haven’s most recent album, Nuisance, lately. It’s 25-ish minutes of queer femme rage and I can't get enough of it. Check it out on Bandcamp. 

— Cheyenne MacDonald, Weekend Editor

The Jesus Lizard - Rack

Even laudatory reviews of comeback albums lean on expectations tempered with preemptive apology or pity praise. A comparison to headier days of musical urgency is inevitable; it stings for the same reasons as hearing "you look great for your age." I wish there were some way to take stock of Rack without that baggage, because The Jesus Lizard doesn't merely sound better than a band which took three decades off has any right to, it simply does not sound as though time has passed at all. 

Rack broods with baffling inconspicuousness amid their oeuvre. Sure, "What If?" doesn't reach the slash and sprawl of earlier meanderings like "Rodeo in Joliet," but "Lord Godiva" glides on the most Duane Denison of Duane Denison riffs, lightning and crude oil. The manic physicality of David Yow's voice is unaltered — neither more harried after 60+ years of swinging at ghosts, nor attenuated by the effort. 

So many bands seemingly frozen in amber reemerge denuded, as though covering themselves. They'd be frantically recapturing their glory days, if they had the energy to do anything frantic anymore. Rack, through sheer ferocity, is instead a band continuing to do exactly what it always has, just as well as it always has, and sounding really fucking cool doing it.

— Avery Ellis, Deputy Editor, Reports

Sabrina Carpenter - Short n' Sweet

There's a part of me that hates keeping up with pop music, and that's the part of me that cringes when I realize the last few albums I've listened to have been the ones by pop princesses Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift and more. That's also the part of me that resisted listening to Sabrina Carpenter's latest album for months (and probably the part of me that refused to watch the incredible Schitt's Creek until this year).

I say all that only to explain why I'm so late to appreciate the goodness that is Short n' Sweet. And the non-self-judgy part of me has unabashedly loved Carpenter's new music and been asking all my friends if they've listened to her songs. When I talked to my various friend groups about her, what became clear is how there's something for everyone, regardless of the variety in our tastes.

I'm a fan of R&B, hip hop and basically anything I can dance or sing to. The tracks "bet u wanna," "Taste" and "Feather" have become highly repeated items on my playlist and yes, I did go back into her older discography for some of those titles. However, my current absolute favorite is "Espresso." It's got a catchy hook, clever lyrics and a groovy beat that delicately straddles the line between upbeat and lowkey. I love the wordplay and how, when woven with the rhythm and melody, it initially sounded to me like Carpenter was singing in a different language. And as someone who works in tech and is occasionally a gamer, I especially adored the use of the words "up down left right," "switch" and Nintendo. Truly, rhyming "espresso" with "Nintendo" wasn't something I would have expected to work, but work it did.

But back to the point I was making earlier: Even if that sort of chill dance club vibe isn't your thing, there's plenty in Short n' Sweet that might appeal to you. I wasn't as huge a fan of "Please please please," for example, but I know friends who love it. And while "Bed Chem" and "Good Graces" aren't hitting my feels the same way "Espresso" is, those two are among her highest played songs on Spotify. I'm also starting to warm up to "Juno."

All that is to say, we all have different tastes. Maybe you're more of a Chappell Roan fan. I like some of her latest tracks too, just not as much as I've enjoyed Carpenter's. I also really enjoy the brilliance that is "Die With a Smile" by Bruno Mars and Lady Gaga, which is something I'll be adding to my karaoke duet repertoire, but am already playing less frequently nowadays. If you have a preference for music from the likes of Ariana Grande, NewJeans and Doja Cat, you'll probably have a good time with Sabrina Carpenter. And since I'm so late to the party, you probably have already.

— Cherlynn Low, Deputy Editor, Reviews

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/what-were-listening-to-harlequin-or-lg-65-rack-and-more-003037241.html?src=rss

The best puzzle games for 2024

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Puzzle games come in a range of styles, from mindless relaxation machines to hardcore logical quagmires, and we have a little bit of everything in this list. From classics like Threes! and Braid to new-school entries like Lorelei and the Laser Eyes and Escape Academy, there’s always a puzzle game to play between meetings, during a slow Sunday afternoon or with a group of friends on the couch. Here we’ve compiled some of the best puzzle games to activate your brain in new ways or unwind after a long day.

Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-puzzle-games-120011342.html?src=rss

The best horror games to play in 2025

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Are you tired of feeling safe and happy all the time? Is your daily life overrun by feelings of security, contentment and peace? Do you want an escape from all of the oppressive niceness around you? Well, look no further — these are the games for you.

Here, we’ve collected more than a dozen of the most evocative and disturbing horror games in recent memory. These selections cover a wide range of genres and styles, but each one comes with at least a tinge of unsettling terror. So take a peek, find your game, and prepare your skeleton for some fresh air because you’re about to jump out of your skin.

Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-horror-games-120029388.html?src=rss

The best 4th of July sales from Apple, Amazon, Anker and more

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July 4 isn't really a boon for tech deals. Seasonal sales can be hit or miss if you have things like headphones, tablets and other tech gear on your shopping list — you're actually better off looking for early Prime Day deals (if you're a Prime member) right now, since Amazon has already kicked off the discounts in preparation for its July Prime Day event. But we scoured the internet to find as many of the worthwhile tech deals you can get for July 4 — many of them overlap with Prime Day deals, but there are some from the likes of Solo Stove, Casetify, ThermoWorks and others that appear to be limited-time, seasonal discounts. Here are the best July 4 tech deals you can get this year.

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