Author Archives: Lawrence Bonk

LG announces new line of xboom speakers ahead of CES

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LG just revealed several new speakers in the xboom line ahead of CES 2026. These speakers are part of an ongoing collaboration with will.i.am from Black Eyed Peas, who is on board as the "experimental architect" involved with "development, design and brand marketing."

These speakers are fairly different from one another, but they all have AI in common. Each speaker includes an algorithm that automatically adjusts the EQ after analyzing the audio content and the listening space. Many also feature an AI algorithm for ambient lighting, which will adjust the lights to match the song being played.

The xboom Stage 501 is intended for parties and karaoke sessions. It features additional AI that can remove vocals from "virtually any song" and even adjust the pitch. The battery lasts for around 25 hours and can operate while plugged in. The speaker delivers up to 220W of power, with dual woofers and full-range drivers. It boasts a five-sided cabinet design that allows for vertical and horizontal placement.

A boombox.
LG

The xboom Blast is a boombox with a 99Wh battery that allows for up to 35 hours of continuous playback. That's a mighty fine metric. This is a modern boombox, so it's designed for durability. There are edge bumpers and a side rope handle for carrying.

A speaker
LG

The Mini is a tiny doodad that can be placed just about anywhere. It offers ten hours of battery life per charge and a strap for easy placement. The speaker also includes a built-in tripod mount.

A speaker.
LG

The Rock is a, well, rock-shaped speaker that's larger than the Mini but can still be held in the palm of the hand. The battery lasts for ten hours and the design is focused on durability. It has been tested to "seven military standards" to ensure reliability in "challenging outdoor environments." This is an upgrade of the pre-existing XG2 model.

We don't have pricing or exact availability on this stuff yet, though the speakers will be on display at LG's booth at CES. The company has said that all four of these gadgets will come out in 2026.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/lg-announces-new-line-of-xboom-speakers-ahead-of-ces-010052598.html?src=rss

1Password deal: Last chance to save 50 percent on our favorite password manager

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If cleaning up your digital life is on your New Year's resolution list, we've got good news: 1Password is offering half off its subscription plans (both the Individual and Families plans). That brings the price of the Individual plan down to $24 for a year and the Families plan down to $36 for a year. 

The plans are nearly identical, but the Families plan accommodates five additional people. These discounts are only available to new customers and the prices expire after the year, so set a reminder to cancel or reassess. And you'll need to act fast, because the offer expires today — Tuesday, December 30.

This provider topped our list of the best password managers, and for good reason. We appreciated the intuitive interface and the fact that it's available on most platforms, so you'll never be left out in the cold. These include Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, macOS, iOS, Windows, Android and more.

Subscriptions include industry standard encryption and a "secret key" that only you know on top of a master password. There's also two-factor authentication and the platform issues alerts when credentials have potentially been compromised.

1Password recently raised prices across the board, but this is still looking to be the best deal for our favorite password manager going into the new year. The only downside here is the one that accompanies many password managers: There is no free version. 

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

Update, December 30 2025, 11:43AM ET: This story has been updated to fix broken links, and to note that this is the final day of the sale.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/1password-deal-last-chance-to-save-50-percent-on-our-favorite-password-manager-162844256.html?src=rss

LG announces line of premium gaming monitors that offer 5K visuals

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LG has revealed a new lineup of gaming monitors just ahead of CES. The UltraGear evo displays offer 5K visuals. Many incorporate on-device AI upscaling, taking some of the burden away from the GPU. 

LG says the tech will let consumers skip out on some card upgrades. This could end up being extremely beneficial because the AI boom has been impacting GPU prices.

A monitor.
LG

There are three displays in the lineup so far, with more to come down the line. There's a 39-inch OLED (39GX950B) that includes the aforementioned AI upscaling to 5K, but also algorithms for scene optimization and sound. The company says this will "refine images and audio performance for a more immersive audiovisual experience."

This monitor can easily switch from the standard resolution with a refresh rate of 165Hz to a much zippier WFHD resolution with a refresh rate of 330Hz. This is supported by a 0.03ms response time. It's curved with a 21:9 aspect ratio.

A display.
LG

There's also a 27-inch MiniLED (27GM950B) in the lineup. This display has been "designed to dramatically improve blooming control", which is done by minimizing halo effects and stuffing in 2,304 local dimming zones. LG promises it "preserves fine details across bright and dark scenes alike."

This one features AI algorithms for upscaling to 5K, scene optimization and sound. It can also switch between 165Hz at 5K and 330Hz at QHD, with a 1ms response time. The screen boasts a peak brightness of 1,250 nits.

A display.
LG

Finally, there's the beastly 52-inch (52G930B) large-format gaming display. You didn't read that wrong. This is a 52-inch gaming monitor. This 5K display offers a speedy 240Hz refresh rate. The 1000R curvature wraps around the peripheral, which should be great for flying sims and stuff like that.

LG hasn't released any information as to when we'll be able to get our mitts on these displays, or how much they will cost. With all the tech on offer, it's likely they'll cost a pretty penny.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/lg-announces-line-of-premium-gaming-monitors-that-offer-5k-visuals-165224945.html?src=rss

Today’s the last day to get $100 off the PS5 and PS5 Pro

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Back in November, Sony started selling PS5 consoles at a $100 discount as part of a Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion. The deal officially sunsets at 3AM ET, so now is a good time to bite the bullet on a gaming console given that prices aren't likely to go down anytime soon.

You can pick up a regular disc-based PS5 for $450 and a digital model for $400. The beefy PS5 Pro is available for $650. All of these deals are active on Amazon, but also directly from Sony.

If the costs here still sound a bit high, that's because Sony raised console prices by $50 back in August. In other words, these $100 discounts are pretty much $50 discounts when factoring in that recent increase. Still, cheaper is cheaper. This puts the digital PS5 at the same price as an Xbox Series S and the disc-based version at the same price as a Switch 2.

Both standard PS5 configurations won't arrive until December 28. The PS5 Pro, however, is available for same-day shipping if you're jonesing for one last holiday gift.

The PS5 has a fairly large stable of exclusive titles made by Sony-owned studios. These include games like Horizon Forbidden West, Astro Bot, Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yotei.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/todays-the-last-day-to-get-100-off-the-ps5-and-ps5-pro-181454333.html?src=rss

IO Interactive’s 007 First Light has been delayed until May 27

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IO Interactive's James Bond simulator 007 First Light has been delayed until May 27, 2026. It was supposed to come out in March. The company says two-month delay is for polish and refinement, which is fine by me. I'd always rather wait a bit longer for a better end product.

IO says the game is already "fully playable from beginning to end" but still needs a bit of attention to ensure "the strongest possible version at launch." The developer promises to share more updates at the beginning of next year.

For the uninitiated, 007 First Light is the first James Bond game in over a decade. The developer is the same organization behind the renowned Hitman franchise, so this could potentially be the best Bond game since Goldeneye.

The gameplay looks fast-paced, frenetic and filled with spycraft. It features an original story that pulls from all over the decades-long franchise. We got a chance to speak to narrative director Martin Emborg and he noted that the game stars a young and inexperienced Bond, which seems to be the direction Amazon is taking with its upcoming film.

The game also boasts a pretty stacked cast. Patrick Gibson, from The OA and Dexter: Original Sin, plays the famous lothario spy and Lenny Kravitz has been cast as the primary villain. Other cast members include Lennie James, Kiera Lester, Alastair Mackenzie and Priyanga Burford.

Who knows when the next Bond film will actually come out, so this should be a nice little stopgap for fans.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/io-interactives-007-first-light-has-been-delayed-until-may-27-194809718.html?src=rss

Xbox cloud gaming comes to newer Amazon Fire TV models

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Xbox has brought cloud gaming gaming to some Amazon Fire TV models. These include the Fire TV 4-Series and the Fire TV Omni QLED Series. This lets people play Xbox games directly on the television, without needing a bulky console or even something like a Fire TV stick. 

Gamers do need a couple of things. First and foremost, this service requires a subscription to Game Pass. Plans start at $10 a month and shoot all the way up to $30 per month. They'll also need a compatible wireless controller, though most Bluetooth-enabled gamepads should work.

Two TVs.
Amazon

The feature works for every game on the Game Pass platform and will also stream many titles that people own outright via the "stream your own game" feature. This won't work with everything, but hundreds of titles are supported. 

Amazon says this is just the beginning and that more TV models will receive the functionality in the future. Xbox Game Pass became available on select Amazon streaming devices earlier this year. Today's move makes sense, given that Fire TVs and the company's streaming sticks use the same OS. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xbox-cloud-gaming-comes-to-newer-amazon-fire-tv-models-163517432.html?src=rss

The Indie Game Awards snatches back two trophies from Clair Obscur over its use of generative AI

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The Indie Game Awards has stripped Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 of two major awards, including Game of the Year and Debut Game. This is due to developer Sandfall Interactive's use of generative AI, as reported by Mashable.

This looks to be fairly cut and dry. The awards ceremony clearly states in its FAQ that any game that uses generative AI in the development process would be "strictly ineligible" for nominations. It was recently revealed that Sandfall did indeed use generative AI while making Clair Obscur.

The company says it was only for placeholder textures that were later removed, but a few squeezed past the QA process and made their way to the final game and, as such, the internet. The Indie Game Awards is clear about disallowing any use of generative AI and, so, here we are.

"In light of Sandfall Interactive confirming the use of gen AI art in production on the day of the Indie Game Awards 2025 premiere, this does disqualify Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 from its nomination," the organization wrote. "While the assets in question were patched out and it is a wonderful game, it does go against the regulations we have in place."

Six One Indie, the company behind the ceremony, deserves a smidge of the blame here. These awards were initially handed out last week and we've known about the whole Clair Obscur AI thing for months. It says it didn't discover Sandfall's use of AI until December 18, the day the winners were announced. A Google search on December 17 likely would've helped. It is worth noting, however, that Sandfall did previously agree that no generative AI was used during development as part of the submission process. 

In any event, the second-highest scoring titles in each category now gets the award. This means that Blue Prince is now Game of the Year and Sorry We're Closed snags Debut Game.

Despite this AI controversy, Clair Obscur had a record-setting night at this month's The Game Awards. It won just about everything it was put up for, including Game of the Year. It also made our list of the best games of 2025. The developer announced that it had sold 5 million copies back in October. That number is surely much higher by now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-indie-game-awards-snatches-back-two-trophies-from-clair-obscur-over-its-use-of-generative-ai-164730842.html?src=rss

Apple’s USB-C Magic Mouse is back on sale for $68

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Amazon is selling Apple's USB-C Magic Mouse for $68, which is a discount of 14 percent. This isn't a record-low price, but it's darned close. The mouse typically sells for $79, though today's sale only applies to the white model.

It's rare for official Apple accessories to go on sale, and the USB-C Magic Mouse is pretty much a must-have for those working on desktop computers. It's also fairly handy when combined with a laptop, letting folks avoid the trackpad.

As the name suggests, this mouse charges via USB-C. Apple stuck with replaceable AA batteries for way too long, so this change was much appreciated. A charge should power the mouse for around a month, a metric I find to be more-or-less accurate depending on usage.

This is a good mouse, and a great option for Apple devotees, but it's not without its flaws. The biggest one is port placement. The USB-C port is underneath the mouse, rendering it unusable while charging. Bloomberg recently reported that a major redesign is coming for Apple's wireless mouse that should address that issue.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-usb-c-magic-mouse-is-back-on-sale-for-68-175424709.html?src=rss

We have more details on the TikTok deal, including some ownership statistics

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TikTok has signed a deal to spin off its American business, according to reporting from Associated Press and others. This should keep the popular social media app available in the US for good, capping off years of drama.

We now have some new data as to the specifics of the deal. Nearly 50 percent of assets will be split between three companies. Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX will each control around 15 percent of the newly-formed entity. It's worth noting that MGX isn't an American company at all, but rather Abu Dhabi’s state-owned investment firm.

The rest will remain in the hands of affiliates of TikTok's parent company, ByteDance. That company will also take a direct ownership stake of around 20 percent. US platform operations will be managed by a seven-member board of directors. The majority of this board will be Americans.

US data will be stored under a system operated by Oracle. That company is run by Larry Ellison, a long-time ally of President Trump who once brainstormed ideas on how to overturn the 2020 presidential election. Oracle has been trying to get its mitts on TikTok since at least 2020. As for Silver Lake, it has deep ties to Trump allies like Michael Dell and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The deal is expected to close on January 22, according to an internal memo shared by TikTok CEO Shou Chew. "With these agreements in place, our focus must stay where it’s always been — firmly on delivering for our users, creators, businesses and the global TikTok community," he wrote to employees.

If a deal is truly finalized by next month, it will come just over a year after Trump's first executive order to delay a law that required a sale of the app to prevent a ban. He has signed several other extensions since.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/we-have-more-details-on-the-tiktok-deal-including-some-ownership-statistics-163003507.html?src=rss

Apple is bringing even more ads to the App Store

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Apple just announced it will be integrating more ads into the App Store because our poor eyeballs must be assaulted at all times. The company plans on littering search results with advertisements beginning next year.

Currently, the App Store only has one ad spot. That's at the very top of search results. If you search for something like Instagram it's likely that top spot will be filled with an ad for a rival social media platform. The new ads will appear further down the actual search results.

Apple says that advertisers won't have to alter their campaigns, as the ads will "run in either the existing position — at the top of search results — or further down in search results." The company says that 65 percent of app downloads happen after a search, so this move will "give advertisers more opportunities."

Google began inundating the Play Store with more ads last year and, well, the results haven't been pretty. The general consensus is that the store has become more frustrating to use. We'll have to wait and see just how intrusive these App Store ads end up being.

Recent reporting also indicates that Apple plans on bringing ads to the Maps app. This is reportedly scheduled for next year, though the company has yet to comment.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/apple-is-bringing-even-more-ads-to-the-app-store-193416921.html?src=rss