Author Archives: Lawrence Bonk

Our favorite budget Samsung phone is only $180 for Prime Day

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It’s officially Amazon Prime Day, so be prepared to be inundated with deals if you head over to the online retailer's site. If you're on the market for a new smartphone, one of our favorite affordable handsets has dropped to a great sale price. The fantastic Samsung Galaxy A15 smartphone is available for just $180, which is a discount of ten percent. The typical price is $200 for this budget-friendly handset.

The A15 found a place of distinction in our list of the best cheap phones, in addition to appearing in our list of the best budget Android smartphones. It’s a solid offering with plenty of features typically reserved for more expensive models.

It boasts a fairly robust camera system, with a 50MP rear camera and a 13MP front camera. There’s also 5MP ultrawide and a 2MP macro. It’s lightweight, at seven ounces, and includes an actual OLED display. That’s practically unheard of for budget-tier smartphones. The 5G-enabled handset ships with a 5,000 mAh battery, which gets the job done. 

There are some light caveats. This deal is for the entry-level model with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of internal storage. However, the Galaxy A15 boasts a nano SIM slot that expands the storage all the way up to 1TB. Today’s sale includes both the black and light blue versions of the phone.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/our-favorite-budget-samsung-phone-is-only-180-for-prime-day-152458679.html?src=rss

The third-gen Oura Ring is up to $100 off in this early Prime Day deal

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Amazon Prime Day is right around the corner, so the deals are already coming in hot. For instance, the Oura Ring is up to $100 off. The discount depends on which design you go for. The Stealth Horizon design is $350 in all sizes, while many standard colors are $300. The gold option, however, jumps up to $450. The prices also fluctuate depending on if you choose the rounded Horizon design or the more blocky Heritage design. 

For the uninitiated, the Oura Ring is a smart wearable that tracks activity, sleep and more. The main benefit of choosing a smart ring over another type of fitness tracker is portability. It’s a lightweight ring, so after a few days you forget it’s even on. We called the Oura Ring the “perfect wearable for people who don't like wearables” in our official review. It even made our list of the best sleep apps and gadgets.

The device monitors over 20 biometric signals and is particularly precise when reading a pulse. The Oura Ring is also compatible with most of the most popular fitness-tracking apps, like Apple Health, Strava and Google Health Connect. Many of the designs are quite fetching and allow the device to easily pass as a regular non-techy ring.

On the downside, a bunch of the ring’s features are locked behind a subscription paywall. You get a month free with the initial purchase, but after that it’ll cost $6 per month. It’s also worth noting that this deal is for the third-gen Oura Ring. The fourth-gen device officially releases on October 15 and it’s smaller, with more tracking capabilities.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-third-gen-oura-ring-is-up-to-100-off-in-this-early-prime-day-deal-184904718.html?src=rss

Pick up Amazon’s Echo Buds while they’re on sale for $25 for Prime Day

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We are just a few days from the official kickoff of Amazon Prime Day, but the deals have already been filling up our inbox. This one’s a doozy. Amazon’s well-reviewed Echo Buds earbuds are on sale for $25, which is half off and a record low price.

Amazon’s Echo Buds actually made our list of the best budget wireless earbuds, and that was at the full $50 price. We appreciated the lightweight form factor and the pocket-friendly case, both of which contributed to enhanced portability. There’s also multi-device connectivity and automatic wear detection.

This is an open design, which some people prefer and some hate. Basically, an open earbud design allows for more ambient noise from the world around you. This can be annoying, as it could get in the way of what you’re listening to, but it could also keep you safe while aimlessly wandering a busy city. You’ll be able to hear if a car is careening toward you.

The sound is actually great for budget-friendly earbuds, though it takes a bit of EQ adjusting to get everything perfect. On the downside, the battery life is on the lower side and the water resistance is bare-bones at best. Still, we recommended these earbuds at $50 so we absolutely recommend them at $25.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/pick-up-amazons-echo-buds-while-theyre-on-sale-for-25-for-prime-day-164425885.html?src=rss

Facebook is testing an Instagram-like Explore tab and introducing a new video tab for Reels

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Meta just announced several updates coming to Facebook during the company’s IRL event in Austin. It's testing an Explore tab and adding a new video tab.

Let’s start with the Explore tab. If you’ve ever perused Instagram, you likely know how exactly this will work. This tab will house “a variety of content tailored to your interests.” 

Meta says that the algorithm has been designed to serve up “content that doesn’t just entertain, but helps you dive deeper into your interests.” Here’s hoping I get nothing but content about wild traversal strategies in The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom. In any event, the new Explore tab is still in the testing phase so it could be a bit before a wide rollout.

The video tab is also getting a major update to accommodate Reels. All of the video content on Facebook will now be housed behind this tab. The content will stream on a full-screen video player that lets users “seamlessly watch the best short-form, long-form and live videos in a single experience.”

The updated video tab starts rolling out to users in the “coming weeks.” This is definitely an attempt by Meta to capture some of those younger eyeballs, as the announcement was accompanied by statistics indicating that young adults on Facebook spend around 60 percent of their time watching videos and Reels.

I got news for you, Meta. My dad, who is not a young adult, also spends all of his time on Facebook watching videos and Reels. So we’ll all benefit from this expanded video tab.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/facebook-is-testing-an-instagram-like-explore-tab-and-introducing-a-new-video-tab-for-reels-153033149.html?src=rss

Prime Day TV deals include LG C4 OLED smart TVs at record-low prices

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Amazon's October Prime Day sale kicked off today, and it includes a nice little savings on one of this year's highest-rated OLED TVs. We're referring LG's C4 OLED smart TV lineup, which has dropped in price, bringing the 55-inch model down to a record low of $1,297 — that's roughly $700 off. While it's typical to see TV prices fall throughout the year, starting basically soon after the TVs get announced, that doesn't change the fact that these are some of the steepest discounts we've seen since the C4 launched. You can save hundreds of dollars on other sizes, too.

As a refresher, the C4 is the company’s mid-grade line of OLED TVs. Each model includes the updated Alpha 9 Gen 7 chip, which makes menu navigation much snappier. They also boast improved brightness when compared to previous models. These TVs almost hit 1,000 nits of brightness, which is a little dimmer than a Mini LED panel and not quite on par with some sets that use advanced QD-OLED panels, but still better than many OLED alternatives.

There’s a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, which is fast enough to get the most out of a PS5 or Xbox Series X and good for PC gaming as well. Along those lines, these sets are compatible with G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. The PC gaming bona-fides are strong with this one. 

One of the cool features of this smart TV is enhanced compatibility with LG soundbars. Newly-released soundbars will connect wirelessly to the television, clearing away the endless clutter of cables from the living room. 

The 65-inch model is also on sale for $1,497, which is a good $200 off that set's usual street price over the last few months. And for the big spenders, the massive 83-inch version is available for $3,997. That's $1,403 or so off that model's typical price.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/prime-day-tv-deals-include-lg-c4-oled-smart-tvs-at-record-low-prices-184104211.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Smart Thermostat drops to $56 in this early Prime Day deal

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Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner, so deals have begun to trickle in. The company’s own Smart Thermostat has dropped to just $56, which is 30 percent off. The typical price is a whopping $80, so this is a legit bargain. It’s not a record-low price, but it’s darn close.

This is a fantastic smart thermostat with a vast array of features. It integrates with Alexa, so you can lay in bed and bark orders at it to get the temperature just right. Adjustments can also be made via the Alexa app on your phone, if those vocal cords are running dry. App control lets you change your home’s temperature from afar, which is handy when on the way home from work.

This is, basically, a Honeywell thermostat packed with Amazon’s smart tech, so it’s durable, easy to use and reliable. It’s highly possible that a smart thermostat like this will help save money on those monthly energy bills, as you can set schedules or make adjustments while, say, on vacation.

On the downside, this is a real-deal thermostat, so it requires a C-wire connection or a power adapter. Both of these kits are sold separately. The bundle with the C-wire connector is also on sale for $78.

It does lack a couple of the features found with some of its more expensive rivals, like the Google Nest thermostat. There are no touchscreen controls and no motion sensor. The voice and app controls, however, more than make up these omissions.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-smart-thermostat-drops-to-56-in-this-early-prime-day-deal-181514522.html?src=rss

Saber Interactive is making a ‘AAA RPG’ based on Avatar: The Last Airbender

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Paramount just announced that it's going ahead with a new video game based on Avatar: The Last Airbender, which will be developed by Saber Interactive. For the uninitiated, Saber is behind titles like Snowrunner and Teardown. It also has plenty of experience making licensed content, as it published Evil Dead: The Game and World War Z: Aftermath, among others.

A new game in the Avatar-verse isn’t that notable on its own. After all, there have been plenty already. Paramount is already crowing about the title, though, calling it a “AAA RPG” and claiming it’ll be the “biggest video game in franchise history.” That’s not exactly a high bar, given the cartoon’s rocky history in gaming. There was that one good Bayonetta-like game that featured Avatar Korra, but everything else is pretty much trash.

This upcoming RPG won’t follow Aang or Korra. Players will control “an all-new, never-before-seen Avatar.” The game’s set “thousands of years” before the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. The story has been “developed in close collaboration with Avatar Studios”, though we don’t know if franchise creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are involved in any way.

This looks to be an action RPG and not a turn-based affair, as a press release suggests “dynamic combat” and a quest to “master all four elements.” However, there’s no release date and no suggestion as to how far along the game is. Paramount says it’ll be available “soon”, but the company hasn't released a trailer or even artwork, so one person’s “soon” is another person’s “probably sometime in 2026.”

In any event, sign me up. I’m a big-time cabbage head, or honorary member of the Aang Gang or whatever fans are called. Saber Interactive has proven itself worthy with other pre-existing IPs, so why not this one? It could work.

The Avatar franchise has been relatively quiet lately, though the live-action Netflix show was renewed for two more seasons to finish up the story. Franchise creators DiMartino and Konietzko are making an animated film that follows an adult Aang and friends, but it’s been awhile since we’ve heard anything about that.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/saber-interactive-is-making-a-aaa-rpg-based-on-avatar-the-last-airbender-171655351.html?src=rss

WordPress founder sued for alleged libel and attempted extortion

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The WP Engine web hosting service is suing WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg and his company Automattic. This follows a public feud over the WordPress trademark. The federal lawsuit accuses Mullenweg of “abuse of power, extortion and greed.”

This is the latest volley in an ongoing battle between WordPress and WP Engine, but it requires a bit of background. WordPress is the backend that powers a large chunk of the internet, around 40 percent of websites. Users can build a website from the ground up using WordPress or opt for an easier plug-and-play solution offered by third-party providers like WP Engine.

Mullenweg, who runs his own provider called Automattic, began loudly criticizing WP Engine back in September, calling it a “cancer to WordPress.” He said that the third-party provider’s name has confused customers into thinking it's actually part of WordPress. He also accused WP Engine of turning off certain features to save money.

WP Engine responded with a cease-and-desist letter and a request to withdraw the aforementioned comments, according to reporting by TechCrunch. It also said that its use of the WordPress trademark was legal under fair use. It went on to claim that Mullenweg threatened to take a “scorched earth nuclear approach” against WP Engine unless it agreed to pay “a significant percentage of its revenues for a license to the WordPress trademark.”

After this, the WordPress Foundation changed its Trademark Policy page and accused WP Engine of “never once” donating to the open-source arm of the foundation, “despite making billions of revenue on top of WordPress.” He went as far as to suggest that WP Engine covered up trademark abuse by editing websites. 

Mullenweg also banned WP Engine from accessing certain resources, like some plug-ins and themes. WP Engine powers over 200,000 websites and this move allegedly broke a lot of them. In response, the company wrote that Mullenweg’s “unprecedented and unwarranted action interferes with the normal operation of the entire WordPress ecosystem, impacting not just WP Engine and our customers.”

On October 1, WP Engine announced that it had developed its own solution that allowed consumers to access all of the missing themes and plug-ins. It followed that with today’s lawsuit, which accuses Mullenweg of demanding eight percent of the company’s monthly revenue as a royalty payment. The suit also alleges that Mullenweg and Automattic participated in libel, slander, violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act and IRS fraud.

“Matt Mullenweg’s conduct over the last ten days has exposed significant conflicts of interest and governance issues that, if left unchecked, threaten to destroy that trust,” WP Engine said in a statement. “WP Engine has no choice but to pursue these claims to protect its people, agency partners, customers and the broader WordPress community.” Mullenweg and Automattic have yet to respond to today’s developments.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/wordpress-founder-sued-for-alleged-libel-and-attempted-extortion-152957987.html?src=rss

More ads are coming to Amazon Prime Video

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Can you hear the soft, cherubic voices of corporate executives singing in unison? That can only mean one thing. They’ve figured out a new way to squeeze money out of our eyeballs. Amazon is adding even more ads to Prime Video, according to reporting by Financial Times. This uptick in corporate-sponsored splendor will go into effect early next year.

This comes less than a year after Amazon forced ads onto its streaming video platform, which is something all of the major streamers do now. We pay money to watch ads. It’s pretty darn cool. In any event, it remains unclear as to how many more ads will infest that next episode of Reacher or where they’ll be placed. Modern streaming shows aren’t made with advertisements in mind, so these ads just kinda pop up wherever.

Ads have turned into a serious revenue stream for Amazon because, again, they sit on top of our monthly Prime memberships that we already pay for. It costs extra to go ad-free. The company recently crowed that it drew more than $1.8 billion in advertising commitments at an upfront event in September. This exceeded the company’s own targets. Amazon also revealed that the ad tier of Prime Video reaches 19 million monthly users in the UK alone. This tier is used by over 100 million people in the US each month.

Kelly Day, vice-president of Prime Video International, told Financial Times that the platform launched with “a very light load” of ads at first, so as to prepare consumers for the coming onslaught. She said the initial rollout was a deliberate “gentle entry into advertising.”

“We know it was a bit of a contrarian approach to take,” she said. “But it’s actually gone much better than we even anticipated.” Day added that the company has not seen “a groundswell of people churning out or canceling" after it brought in advertisements. 

The company is also readying an interactive ad experience that will allow Prime Video watchers to add an item to their cart straight from the video stream. This will work with physical remotes and on the app. Sweet, sweet corporate synergy. Yay!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/more-ads-are-coming-to-amazon-prime-video-182906957.html?src=rss

Amazon tablets are getting AI tools, like writing assist and automatic website summaries

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Did you think Amazon Fire tablets were exempt from generative AI tools? Think again. The company just announced a spate of AI-centric features that are rolling out to the just-announced Fire HD 8 refresh and a bunch of older models.

None of these features are too surprising, but they seem useful and fun. There’s something called Writing Assist, which is exactly what it sounds like. This tool integrates with the on-screen keyboard and should be compatible with any app on the tablet. It provides grammar assistance and will transform copy into a number of pre-set styles. This is a quick way to turn “what’s up with my paycheck” into something a bit more professional.

The appropriately-named Webpage Summaries offers up automatic summaries of websites. This tool will “distill the key points in an article or on a web page” to give concise summaries. Amazon says it will catch readers up to speed “in a matter of seconds.” This kind of thing is generative AI 101, as there are plenty of pre-existing tools that mimic this functionality. Still, it’s nice to have it native on Amazon tablets.

The tool in action.
Amazon

Finally, there’s Wallpaper Creator, which brings a chat prompt into the mix. Just type in what kind of background you want and let the power-hungry magic of AI do the work. Amazon says users can “choose from one of the curated prompts” or let their “imagination run wild.” The company says the algorithm will create “unique, high-resolution” images that can be used as a tablet’s wallpaper.

All of these features will be available for the just-revealed Fire HD 8 refresh, but Amazon says they are also coming to other “compatible Fire tablets later this month.” As for compatibility, Writing Assist and Wallpaper Creator are coming to tablets released since 2022. Webpage Summaries goes a bit further back to Fire HD 10 and Fire HD 8 tablets from 2018 and newer. 

This isn’t Amazon’s only dip into the exciting world of artificial intelligence. The company recently unleashed a shopping-focused chatbot and is working on another chatbot which has been codenamed Metis. It has also been reported that Alexa will soon be getting an AI-centric makeover, powered by Claude AI.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-tablets-are-getting-ai-tools-like-writing-assist-and-automatic-website-summaries-164809318.html?src=rss