Monthly Archives: February 2024

The best iPhones for 2024: Which model should you buy?

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“Which iPhone should I buy?” It’s a question you’ve probably asked or heard many times over the years. Most of the time, the answer is simple: Get the best one you can afford. And if you’re happy with your current iPhone, there’s no need to upgrade. But if you’re ready for a new smartphone, we’re here to help. Below we’ve picked through all nine models in Apple’s current smartphone lineup and selected the ones that should satisfy most people.

Before we dig in, just note that we’ve based this guide on the prices of new unlocked iPhones on Apple.com. If you can find a heavy discount from another trusted retailer or a good deal on a refurbished model, that could always change the value equation. But with that out of the way, here are the best iPhones you can buy as of late 2024.

Plain ol' black is an option this time around.
The iPhone 16.
Billy Steele for Engadget

As noted above, the iPhone 16 and 16 Plus have made genuine improvements over last year’s models and generally feel more “Pro-like” than they have in years past. They also come in a range of vibrant colors. If the iPhone 16 Pro or 16 Pro Max are just too pricey, especially if you want extra storage space, they’re fantastic compromises. Still, they are compromises. If you can afford it, the Pro should hold up a bit better over time.

The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are fine phones in a vacuum, but we just don’t have the stomach to recommend a $600 or $700 phone without USB-C in late 2024. You lose out on the Dynamic Island and Apple’s forthcoming AI tricks as well. The 14 Plus may be justifiable if you just want the cheapest large-screen iPhone out there, but most should look for a trade-in or refurbished deal on an iPhone 15 or, if your budget allows it, iPhone 16 instead.

The iPhone SE (3rd gen) isn't just the cheapest iPhone that Apple sells, it’s also the smallest and lightest. It retains the look and feel of the iPhone 8, which was released all the way back in 2017, but some may appreciate the older design and tactile Home button. The SE uses the same A15 Bionic chip as the old iPhone 13, but it still runs fine for everyday tasks. It might be OK if you just want the cheapest route into iOS or you’re buying a first iPhone for your kids. For most, though, the SE’s small display, single-rear-camera setup and limited memory and storage are tough to accept in 2024. It also lacks ultra-wideband (UWB), so it’s not as adept at finding nearby AirTags. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported in August that Apple could release a new iPhone SE in the spring of 2025, so anyone in need of a true budget iPhone should try to hold out for a little longer.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-iphone-160012979.html?src=rss

Anker’s 5,000mAh MagSafe power bank is on sale for $35 right now

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If you're looking to stock up on charging gear, a few Anker accessories we recommend are back on sale, including the Anker 622 Magnetic Battery down to $35 in various colors. Outside of a brief fall to $25 last year, that matches the lowest price we've seen for the wireless battery pack. The discount takes half off Anker's list price, though the device's actual street price has sat around $50 for most of the past year. This offer is also available at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon code.

We've previously highlighted the Anker 622 for those who want a compact power bank they can use to recharge their phone without any cables. It's compatible with Apple's MagSafe standard, so it can quickly snap onto the back of any recent iPhone and immediately start topping it up. It's a 5,000mAh (19.25Wh) battery that only supplies up to 7.5W of power, so it's not especially fast and can't completely refill most phones on its own. Instead, it's best viewed as a pocket-friendly security blanket, a thin and light pack you can use to keep your phone from dying before you make it back to an outlet. The device can also serve as a charging stand when you aren't out and about, as it has a foldable kickstand built in and a side-mounted USB-C port that allows for pass-through charging. Just be aware that it won't work with cases that aren't magnetic.

It's worth noting that Anker recently launched new wireless power banks that support the faster Qi2 standard, which can deliver up to 15W to compatible devices. But the closest analog to the 622 there is currently priced at $60. If you don't need the absolute fastest speeds, the older model is still a decent value when it's discounted to this extent.

If you want a charging station for your desk, the Anker 525 Charging Station is also worth a look at $40. That's about $20 off its usual street price and an all-time low. This is a stubby, 67W desktop charger with two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports on the front, plus three AC outlets on the back. It'll split that power if you connect multiple devices at once, so it won't refill every phone, tablet or small laptop at max speed, but it should be quick enough for most people looking for something on the cheap. 

Beyond that, the Lightning-based version of Anker's 621 Power Bank is down to $20 with an on-page coupon. That matches the lowest price we've seen for the ultracompact battery pack, which has a foldable plug that connects directly into the bottom of older iPhones and provide an emergency 12W charge. We recommend the USB-C version of this device in our guide to the best power banks.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ankers-5000mah-magsafe-power-bank-is-on-sale-for-35-right-now-155349545.html?src=rss

Anker’s 5,000mAh MagSafe power bank is on sale for $35 right now

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If you're looking to stock up on charging gear, a few Anker accessories we recommend are back on sale, including the Anker 622 Magnetic Battery down to $35 in various colors. Outside of a brief fall to $25 last year, that matches the lowest price we've seen for the wireless battery pack. The discount takes half off Anker's list price, though the device's actual street price has sat around $50 for most of the past year. This offer is also available at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon code.

We've previously highlighted the Anker 622 for those who want a compact power bank they can use to recharge their phone without any cables. It's compatible with Apple's MagSafe standard, so it can quickly snap onto the back of any recent iPhone and immediately start topping it up. It's a 5,000mAh (19.25Wh) battery that only supplies up to 7.5W of power, so it's not especially fast and can't completely refill most phones on its own. Instead, it's best viewed as a pocket-friendly security blanket, a thin and light pack you can use to keep your phone from dying before you make it back to an outlet. The device can also serve as a charging stand when you aren't out and about, as it has a foldable kickstand built in and a side-mounted USB-C port that allows for pass-through charging. Just be aware that it won't work with cases that aren't magnetic.

It's worth noting that Anker recently launched new wireless power banks that support the faster Qi2 standard, which can deliver up to 15W to compatible devices. But the closest analog to the 622 there is currently priced at $60. If you don't need the absolute fastest speeds, the older model is still a decent value when it's discounted to this extent.

If you want a charging station for your desk, the Anker 525 Charging Station is also worth a look at $40. That's about $20 off its usual street price and an all-time low. This is a stubby, 67W desktop charger with two USB-C ports and two USB-A ports on the front, plus three AC outlets on the back. It'll split that power if you connect multiple devices at once, so it won't refill every phone, tablet or small laptop at max speed, but it should be quick enough for most people looking for something on the cheap. 

Beyond that, the Lightning-based version of Anker's 621 Power Bank is down to $20 with an on-page coupon. That matches the lowest price we've seen for the ultracompact battery pack, which has a foldable plug that connects directly into the bottom of older iPhones and provide an emergency 12W charge. We recommend the USB-C version of this device in our guide to the best power banks.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ankers-5000mah-magsafe-power-bank-is-on-sale-for-35-right-now-155349545.html?src=rss

More Details on the New Toyota GR Yaris

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Toyota GR Yaris

The new Toyota GR Yaris was unveiled in January and now Toyota has revealed some more details about the car,  the car has recently been tested on snow and ice and we now have more details about the car’s performance. The Toyota GR Yaris has long been celebrated as a beacon of performance and engineering, […]

The post More Details on the New Toyota GR Yaris appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

PlayStation is laying off 900 staff across Naughty Dog, Insomniac and other studios

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It’s another bleak day for the gaming industry as there’s more news of mass layoffs. This time around, its PlayStation that’s gutting its studios. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) says it’s laying off around 900 staff from its PlayStation division, roughly 8 percent of that department’s headcount.

Insomniac (Spider-Man and Ratchet and Clank), Naughty Dog (The Last of Us) and Guerrilla (Horizon) are all affected by the cuts. Those studios are behind some of PlayStation's most important franchises. For instance, within three and a half months, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 had sold 10 million units.

Sony's London Studio, which had been working on a co-op multiplayer game for PlayStation 5, is shutting down entirely, while Firesprite will also lose some staff. In addition, PlayStation will lay off workers from its Technology, Creative, and Support teams.

PlayStation employees in the US who are losing their jobs will be informed today. Sony will adhere to local laws and regulations for carrying out layoffs in other territories — the company says people in all of its global regions will be affected.

"After careful consideration and many leadership discussions over several months, it has become clear changes need to be made to continue to grow the business and develop the company," outgoing SIE president and CEO Jim Ryan told staff in an email. "We had to step back, look at our business holistically, and move forward focusing on the long-term sustainability of the company and delivering the best experiences possible for our community. The goal is to streamline our resources to ensure our continued success and ability to deliver experiences gamers and creators have come to expect from us."

Meanwhile, Hermen Hulst, the head of PlayStation Studios, said that SIE leadership evaluated its studios and portfolio and looked at projects that are in various stages of development. Some of those projects have now been canceled. Hulst didn't provide more details, but the projects that have been canned surely include the one that London Studio was working on. According to Bloomberg, a live-service Twisted Metal game that was in early development at Firesprite is among the canceled projects.

"I want to be clear that the decision to stop work on these projects is not a reflection on the talent or passion of team members," Hulst wrote in a memo. "Our philosophy has always been to allow creative experimentation. Sometimes, great ideas don’t become great games. Sometimes, a project is started with the best intentions before shifts within the market or industry result in a change of plan."

Hulst also noted that SIE is re-assessing its approach to delivering the kinds of expensive blockbuster single-player games that PlayStation has become known for over the last decade or so, and balancing that out with its desire to create long-tail multiplayer games. "Delivering the immersive, narrative-driven stories that PlayStation Studios is known for, at the quality bar that we aspire to, requires a re-evaluation of how we operate," Hulst wrote. "Delivering and sustaining social, online experiences — allowing PlayStation gamers to explore our worlds in different ways — as well as launching games on additional devices such as PC and mobile, requires a different approach and different resources."

Sony is working on multiple live-service games and had planned to release 10 of them by 2026. At least one of those — The Last of Us Online — was shelved. However, the company has seen some success on the live-service front, with Helldivers 2 becoming one of the biggest hits of the year so far.

However, it emerged this month that Sony doesn't plan to release any sequels for its major first-party franchises until at least April next year. It's relying on third-party titles such as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and the Elden Ring expansion to help cover the gaps in its own pipeline. The company also lowered its PS5 sales forecast for the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31. It expects to sell 21 million consoles in fiscal 2023, down from the previous estimate of 25 million.

This slate of layoffs brings the total number of job losses in the games industry so far this year to more than 7,000 (we haven't even reached March yet). That's on top of the more than 9,000 people who were laid off from the industry in 2023.

Microsoft conducted sweeping cuts in its gaming division in January, laying off around 1,900 people. Riot Games, Unity, Twitch (which is games-adjacent instead of a gaming company), Supermassive Games, Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive and Sega of America are also among those who have carried out layoffs.

Update 2/27 10:53AM ET: Added a note about a Twisted Metal project reportedly being one of the canceled games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/playstation-is-laying-off-900-staff-across-naughty-dog-insomniac-and-other-studios-145323606.html?src=rss

PlayStation is laying off 900 staff across Naughty Dog, Insomniac and other studios

Posted on by

It’s another bleak day for the gaming industry as there’s more news of mass layoffs. This time around, its PlayStation that’s gutting its studios. Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) says it’s laying off around 900 staff from its PlayStation division, roughly 8 percent of that department’s headcount.

Insomniac (Spider-Man and Ratchet and Clank), Naughty Dog (The Last of Us) and Guerrilla (Horizon) are all affected by the cuts. Those studios are behind some of PlayStation's most important franchises. For instance, within three and a half months, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 had sold 10 million units.

Sony's London Studio, which had been working on a co-op multiplayer game for PlayStation 5, is shutting down entirely, while Firesprite will also lose some staff. In addition, PlayStation will lay off workers from its Technology, Creative, and Support teams.

PlayStation employees in the US who are losing their jobs will be informed today. Sony will adhere to local laws and regulations for carrying out layoffs in other territories — the company says people in all of its global regions will be affected.

"After careful consideration and many leadership discussions over several months, it has become clear changes need to be made to continue to grow the business and develop the company," outgoing SIE president and CEO Jim Ryan told staff in an email. "We had to step back, look at our business holistically, and move forward focusing on the long-term sustainability of the company and delivering the best experiences possible for our community. The goal is to streamline our resources to ensure our continued success and ability to deliver experiences gamers and creators have come to expect from us."

Meanwhile, Hermen Hulst, the head of PlayStation Studios, said that SIE leadership evaluated its studios and portfolio and looked at projects that are in various stages of development. Some of those projects have now been canceled. Hulst didn't provide more details, but the projects that have been canned surely include the one that London Studio was working on. According to Bloomberg, a live-service Twisted Metal game that was in early development at Firesprite is among the canceled projects.

"I want to be clear that the decision to stop work on these projects is not a reflection on the talent or passion of team members," Hulst wrote in a memo. "Our philosophy has always been to allow creative experimentation. Sometimes, great ideas don’t become great games. Sometimes, a project is started with the best intentions before shifts within the market or industry result in a change of plan."

Hulst also noted that SIE is re-assessing its approach to delivering the kinds of expensive blockbuster single-player games that PlayStation has become known for over the last decade or so, and balancing that out with its desire to create long-tail multiplayer games. "Delivering the immersive, narrative-driven stories that PlayStation Studios is known for, at the quality bar that we aspire to, requires a re-evaluation of how we operate," Hulst wrote. "Delivering and sustaining social, online experiences — allowing PlayStation gamers to explore our worlds in different ways — as well as launching games on additional devices such as PC and mobile, requires a different approach and different resources."

Sony is working on multiple live-service games and had planned to release 10 of them by 2026. At least one of those — The Last of Us Online — was shelved. However, the company has seen some success on the live-service front, with Helldivers 2 becoming one of the biggest hits of the year so far.

However, it emerged this month that Sony doesn't plan to release any sequels for its major first-party franchises until at least April next year. It's relying on third-party titles such as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth and the Elden Ring expansion to help cover the gaps in its own pipeline. The company also lowered its PS5 sales forecast for the current fiscal year, which ends on March 31. It expects to sell 21 million consoles in fiscal 2023, down from the previous estimate of 25 million.

This slate of layoffs brings the total number of job losses in the games industry so far this year to more than 7,000 (we haven't even reached March yet). That's on top of the more than 9,000 people who were laid off from the industry in 2023.

Microsoft conducted sweeping cuts in its gaming division in January, laying off around 1,900 people. Riot Games, Unity, Twitch (which is games-adjacent instead of a gaming company), Supermassive Games, Dead by Daylight developer Behaviour Interactive and Sega of America are also among those who have carried out layoffs.

Update 2/27 10:53AM ET: Added a note about a Twisted Metal project reportedly being one of the canceled games.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/playstation-is-laying-off-900-staff-across-naughty-dog-insomniac-and-other-studios-145323606.html?src=rss

How to fine tune the AI decision-making process in Semantic Router

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customize the AI decision-making process

If you are on the lookout for ways to enhance the performance of your AI systems. You might be interested to know that a significant stride in this direction has been made with the improvement of Semantic Router libraries, which are set to elevate the way AI interprets and responds to data. This is a […]

The post How to fine tune the AI decision-making process in Semantic Router appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

How to code with Gemini 1.5 Pro with CrewAI

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Coding with Gemini Pro

If you are interested in learning more about the capabilities of Gemini 1.5 Pro in handling various coding tasks, specifically focusing on the CrewAI framework, a multi-agent application or bot framework that utilizes LangChain. This guide provides a starting point on how to explore the framework by importing its repository, which includes documentation and source […]

The post How to code with Gemini 1.5 Pro with CrewAI appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.

Renault Scenic E-Tech now starts at £37,495 in the UK

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Renault Scenic E-Tech

When the Renault Scenic E-Tech launched in the UKL last year the car cost £40,995 and now Renault has added a new model to the range and the car now starts at £37,495, which means this electric vehicle is now £3,500 cheaper than before. The range now comes with a Comfort Range version with 170 […]

The post Renault Scenic E-Tech now starts at £37,495 in the UK appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.