The Marshall Middleton Bluetooth speaker has a list price of $300, but right now Amazon is selling it for $236. That's a 21 percent discount and the lowest price we've tracked since it's launch last March, beating the former low of $260 it hit last December. It's also on sale for $250 at B&H Photo. We named the Middleton one of the best mid-range ($200 to $400) Bluetooth speakers you can buy in our guide. It combines good sound quality with a IP67 rating, meaning it's dust-tight and can survive a dip in a meter of water for up to 30 minutes. Plus there's a handy carry strap to drag it around.
Marshall markets the Middleton as their flagship Bluetooth speaker — and the company's largest portable with a waterproof rating. At four pounds, it's still small enough to toss in a backpack, but large enough to house three battery cells adding up to 9,600mAh of charge to enable a 20-hour run time. You can even siphon off some of that juice to charge a phone thorough the USB-C port.
It puts out 360-degree sound from two 15-watt woofers, two 10-watt tweeters and a pair of passive radiators. We found the output to be respectable, handling low frequencies well. Marshall's sound tends to have a good dynamic range combined with significant depth, and that's what you get here.
The Middleton is also the biggest model to support Stack Mode which lets you pair up with another Middleton or the smaller Emberton II or Willen. Pairing happens using the app and double pressing the speakers' Bluetooth buttons.
Speaking of other music boxes, the Emberton II speaker, which we named one of the best picks under $200 in that same speaker guide, is also on sale. It's 21 percent off and down to $134, which isn't an all-time low — it went for $14 less last Black Friday. It's not the loudest speaker in it's size range, but the sound is pleasantly balanced and a good accompaniment to small gatherings.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/one-of-our-favorite-marshall-bluetooth-speakers-has-dropped-to-a-record-low-price-171504625.html?src=rss
Hadesis a major get for Netflix as a mobile exclusive. The dungeon crawler is one of the best games in recent memory and it could help bolster the growing audience Netflix has built for its strong library of games. Subscribers will be able to play Hades on their iPhones and iPads at no extra cost on March 19. You can preregister so you're ready to go when the game hits the App Store.
You play as Zagreus, the son of Hades, as you battle through a randomized set of chambers and enemies in an attempt to escape from the Underworld. This is a roguelite game. Every time you die, you'll go back to the start and lose most of the perks you picked up during a run, but you'll gradually unlock permanent upgrades that will help Zagreous make it to Mount Olympus. You may also be equipped with extra knowledge about a certain enemy or trap that caused your demise.
In addition, Zagreus will receive gifts from other Olympians to help him hack and slash through his enemies. It's his interactions with the other characters that form the backbone of the story and help make Hades stand out.
Developer Supergiant Games had long thought of Hades as a good fit for mobile, given its pick-up-and-play nature. Although Netflix's games are typically available on both iOS and Android, that won't be the case for Hades, at least for now. Supergiant has stuck with iOS for the mobile versions of its games (already having a Mac version of Hades helped here since that platform and iOS both use the Metal API). Not only that, the studio is made up of a small team. While Supergiant was preparing the mobile port of Hades, it was also working on the sequel to the 2020 hit.
It took over a year of extra development time to get Hades ready for mobile devices. "The foremost goal was to make this an uncompromising version of Hades," while making sure the game was "as performant and smooth as possible," Supergiant creative director Greg Kasavin recently told reporters.
A major focus of that work was making sure to get the touch controls just right. The buttons have haptic feedback. You can resize and reposition the controls and save your configuration. What's more, the buttons are customized for each action. So, when you go to pet the adorable multi-headed devil dog Cerberus, there'll be a dedicated button just for that. Don't worry if you prefer to use a Bluetooth controller or a plug-in gamepad such as the Backbone One, since Hades will be compatible with those. Other features include 60 fps gameplay, cloud saves, achievements and offline play.
Hades is coming to Netflix Games at an ideal time for Supergiant. It will both bring new eyes to the game and give longtime fans an excuse to revisit the classic ahead of the sequel's arrival. Hades II is set to go into early access on PC this spring.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hades-hits-ios-as-a-netflix-mobile-exclusive-on-march-19-170014127.html?src=rss
Hadesis a major get for Netflix as a mobile exclusive. The dungeon crawler is one of the best games in recent memory and it could help bolster the growing audience Netflix has built for its strong library of games. Subscribers will be able to play Hades on their iPhones and iPads at no extra cost on March 19. You can preregister so you're ready to go when the game hits the App Store.
You play as Zagreus, the son of Hades, as you battle through a randomized set of chambers and enemies in an attempt to escape from the Underworld. This is a roguelite game. Every time you die, you'll go back to the start and lose most of the perks you picked up during a run, but you'll gradually unlock permanent upgrades that will help Zagreous make it to Mount Olympus. You may also be equipped with extra knowledge about a certain enemy or trap that caused your demise.
In addition, Zagreus will receive gifts from other Olympians to help him hack and slash through his enemies. It's his interactions with the other characters that form the backbone of the story and help make Hades stand out.
Developer Supergiant Games had long thought of Hades as a good fit for mobile, given its pick-up-and-play nature. Although Netflix's games are typically available on both iOS and Android, that won't be the case for Hades, at least for now. Supergiant has stuck with iOS for the mobile versions of its games (already having a Mac version of Hades helped here since that platform and iOS both use the Metal API). Not only that, the studio is made up of a small team. While Supergiant was preparing the mobile port of Hades, it was also working on the sequel to the 2020 hit.
It took over a year of extra development time to get Hades ready for mobile devices. "The foremost goal was to make this an uncompromising version of Hades," while making sure the game was "as performant and smooth as possible," Supergiant creative director Greg Kasavin recently told reporters.
A major focus of that work was making sure to get the touch controls just right. The buttons have haptic feedback. You can resize and reposition the controls and save your configuration. What's more, the buttons are customized for each action. So, when you go to pet the adorable multi-headed devil dog Cerberus, there'll be a dedicated button just for that. Don't worry if you prefer to use a Bluetooth controller or a plug-in gamepad such as the Backbone One, since Hades will be compatible with those. Other features include 60 fps gameplay, cloud saves, achievements and offline play.
Hades is coming to Netflix Games at an ideal time for Supergiant. It will both bring new eyes to the game and give longtime fans an excuse to revisit the classic ahead of the sequel's arrival. Hades II is set to go into early access on PC this spring.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hades-hits-ios-as-a-netflix-mobile-exclusive-on-march-19-170014127.html?src=rss
Here's a quick PSA for anyone who has been meaning to add more storage to a gaming handheld, GoPro, security camera or cheaper Android device: A handful of Samsung microSD cards we recommend are back on sale. The discounts include the 256GB Samsung Pro Plus and 128GB Samsung Pro Ultimate for $20 and $17, respectively. Neither of those are all-time lows, but they both come within $2 of the best deals we've tracked, and they're both a few bucks cheaper than the cards' usual street prices over the last two months. The Pro Plus is the top overall pick in our microSD card buying guide, while the Pro Ultimate is a faster upgrade pick. These deals are also available at other retailers, including B&H and Samsung.com.
If you're willing to trade some performance for more space, the 512GB Samsung Evo Select, the top value pick in our guide, is also down to $25 at Amazon. We saw this deal last month, but it still matches the card's lowest price to date. Typically, it's retailed around $30 over the last few months.
Which one of these is the "best" deal depends on what you're looking to do. The Pro Ultimate may be worth it if you plan to regularly stress the card in a device that can take advantage of its higher speeds. It was faster than the Pro Plus across the board in our benchmark tests, so it can save you some time if you often have to, say, move files to and from a computer. That said, the Pro Plus' sequential and random speeds weren't too far off, so it'll still be quick for recording 4K video, loading video game levels and the like. If you need a higher-capacity card but still value performance, it'll probably be worth the extra $3. For reference, the 256GB version of the Pro Ultimate is now going for $35, which is a fair bit extra.
If you just want a big chunk of space on the cheap, meanwhile, just go with the Evo Select. It's a clear step down from the other two cards in both read and write speeds, but it's performant enough for more casual tasks, and this deal gets you much more space per dollar. Many devices, such as the Nintendo Switch, can't fully take advantage of the faster transfer speeds of cards like the Pro Plus anyway. Like the higher-end cards, the Evo Select also comes with a 10-year limited warranty. None of the cards on sale here will be as fast as Samsung's upcoming SD Express models, but we'd expect those to be relatively expensive when they arrive later this year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-latest-microsd-card-deals-include-the-256gb-pro-plus-for-20-161535375.html?src=rss
Here's a quick PSA for anyone who has been meaning to add more storage to a gaming handheld, GoPro, security camera or cheaper Android device: A handful of Samsung microSD cards we recommend are back on sale. The discounts include the 256GB Samsung Pro Plus and 128GB Samsung Pro Ultimate for $20 and $17, respectively. Neither of those are all-time lows, but they both come within $2 of the best deals we've tracked, and they're both a few bucks cheaper than the cards' usual street prices over the last two months. The Pro Plus is the top overall pick in our microSD card buying guide, while the Pro Ultimate is a faster upgrade pick. These deals are also available at other retailers, including B&H and Samsung.com.
If you're willing to trade some performance for more space, the 512GB Samsung Evo Select, the top value pick in our guide, is also down to $25 at Amazon. We saw this deal last month, but it still matches the card's lowest price to date. Typically, it's retailed around $30 over the last few months.
Which one of these is the "best" deal depends on what you're looking to do. The Pro Ultimate may be worth it if you plan to regularly stress the card in a device that can take advantage of its higher speeds. It was faster than the Pro Plus across the board in our benchmark tests, so it can save you some time if you often have to, say, move files to and from a computer. That said, the Pro Plus' sequential and random speeds weren't too far off, so it'll still be quick for recording 4K video, loading video game levels and the like. If you need a higher-capacity card but still value performance, it'll probably be worth the extra $3. For reference, the 256GB version of the Pro Ultimate is now going for $35, which is a fair bit extra.
If you just want a big chunk of space on the cheap, meanwhile, just go with the Evo Select. It's a clear step down from the other two cards in both read and write speeds, but it's performant enough for more casual tasks, and this deal gets you much more space per dollar. Many devices, such as the Nintendo Switch, can't fully take advantage of the faster transfer speeds of cards like the Pro Plus anyway. Like the higher-end cards, the Evo Select also comes with a 10-year limited warranty. None of the cards on sale here will be as fast as Samsung's upcoming SD Express models, but we'd expect those to be relatively expensive when they arrive later this year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-latest-microsd-card-deals-include-the-256gb-pro-plus-for-20-161535375.html?src=rss
This year’s edition of MLB The Show is just a couple of weeks away, and Sony's San Diego Studio has shed more light on what to expect. For the first time in the series, you’ll be able to create and play as women ballplayers in the Road to the Show mode.
In Road to the Show: Women Pave Their Way, there will be a dedicated story in which you can build a career as a pro female baseball player. While it includes all the usual features of Road to the Show, this version of the mode will have a buddy character and depict a “unique-to-women storyline following a lifelong friendship as it develops in professional baseball,” according to a PlayStation Blog post.
Your career path will likely be different on each playthrough. San Diego Studio added fresh commentary, MLB Network segments and other features tied to this new addition to the game.
Other major sports games have added women players over the last several years, including FIFA (now EA Sports FC), the NHL series and NBA 2K. It's good to see MLB The Show joining them.
In addition, MLB The Show 24 will continue to showcase stories from the Negro Leagues under a partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The latest edition of the series will feature 10 new Negro League Legends, each of whom has their own storyline. Among those players is Toni Stone, who was the first woman to play full time in the leagues.
Meanwhile, MLB The Show will remain in the odd position of being a Sony-developed and published game that's coming to Game Pass on its release date. Subscribers will be able to play MLB The Show 24 via Xbox consoles and the cloud at no extra cost starting on March 19.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mlb-the-show-24-features-women-ballplayers-for-the-first-time-160007024.html?src=rss
This year’s edition of MLB The Show is just a couple of weeks away, and Sony's San Diego Studio has shed more light on what to expect. For the first time in the series, you’ll be able to create and play as women ballplayers in the Road to the Show mode.
In Road to the Show: Women Pave Their Way, there will be a dedicated story in which you can build a career as a pro female baseball player. While it includes all the usual features of Road to the Show, this version of the mode will have a buddy character and depict a “unique-to-women storyline following a lifelong friendship as it develops in professional baseball,” according to a PlayStation Blog post.
Your career path will likely be different on each playthrough. San Diego Studio added fresh commentary, MLB Network segments and other features tied to this new addition to the game.
Other major sports games have added women players over the last several years, including FIFA (now EA Sports FC), the NHL series and NBA 2K. It's good to see MLB The Show joining them.
In addition, MLB The Show 24 will continue to showcase stories from the Negro Leagues under a partnership with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. The latest edition of the series will feature 10 new Negro League Legends, each of whom has their own storyline. Among those players is Toni Stone, who was the first woman to play full time in the leagues.
Meanwhile, MLB The Show will remain in the odd position of being a Sony-developed and published game that's coming to Game Pass on its release date. Subscribers will be able to play MLB The Show 24 via Xbox consoles and the cloud at no extra cost starting on March 19.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mlb-the-show-24-features-women-ballplayers-for-the-first-time-160007024.html?src=rss
Meta says it has resolved an issue that prevented people from accessing services such as Facebook, Instagram and Threads. The problem appears to have started at around 10AM ET, with outage reports for the services (and WhatsApp) spikingonDownDetector at that time.
Facebook booted several members of the Engadget team back to the site's login screen and left them unable to sign back in for a couple of hours. Feeds on the other services were not loading for many users. However, fellow major Meta service WhatsApp was working for some, including me.
"Earlier today, a technical issue caused people to have difficulty accessing some of our services," Facebook spokesperson Andy Stone wrote on X. "We resolved the issue as quickly as possible for everyone who was impacted, and we apologize for any inconvenience."
Update 3/5 11:32PM ET: Updated to note that the outage has been resolved.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/its-not-just-you-facebook-instagram-and-threads-are-all-down-155024905.html?src=rss
EDCs truly bring the sentence “big things come in small packages” to life. They’re the nifty little tools that are great to have in your backpack or tool kit. But if you’re the kind of person who doesn’t like those bulky and fat multitools that seem to occupy just a bit too much space in your toolbox – then you’ve hit the perfect listicle! We’ve curated minimal sleek multitools that get the work done, without looking too bulky or hefty. These little superheroes can make a world of difference while completing tasks – whether big or small. And, we’ve curated the best EDC designs we’ve seen in a while! From 8-in-1 EDC scissors to a modular multitool that you can custom-build – these are the EDC designs you definitely need by your side.
1. Windeler
Meet the Windeler, an innovative little design that lets you build and create your own EDC multitool based on your needs and requirements. The sleek Windeler lets you plug in and plug out modules, allowing you to swap out a pocket knife for a flathead screwdriver, or a small pair of scissors.
Why is it noteworthy?
You don’t need always to leave the house with your same old tools, with Windeler you can build, customize, and rebuild your EDC, letting you carry the stuff you truly need, and leave behind the stuff you don’t. It is a nifty multitool that lets you customize your toolbox daily.
What we like
Functions as a sleek monolithic multitool that you can just slip into your bag
What we dislike
Although it is similar in size to most multitools, it doesn’t feature as many tools as other designs on the market
2. Craftmaster EDC Utility Knife
The Utility Knife is styled like an everyday paper cutter, and it features a stunning all-metal body, with a textured knob that allows you to deploy and lock the blade. The handle is quite weighted and grippy, offering a comfortable and accident-free cutting experience. It also conceals a slick metal scale that you can detach and use independently.
The knife is a simple and sophisticated EDC that cleverly conceals its functionality in its minimalist and sleek design. It features a CNC-machined handle and an enclosed blade that is machined to perfection. This allows the blade to slide through with complete smoothness and zero difficulty.
What we like
Features a 45° slant that lets you open boxes easily and efficiently
Features a metal scale, allowing it to double up as a multifunctional design
What we dislike
Magnetic back might attract small metal parts in bags or boxes
3. HexFlex Multitool
Called the HexFlex multitool, this little design fits 14 useful tools into its small frame and is equipped with a keyring attachment, allowing you to always keep it with you. It is made from stainless steel and is a season-appropriate multitool with a clever snowflake-shaped design.
Why is it noteworthy?
It comes with two Phillips screwdrivers, a flathead screwdriver, three hex drivers, a box-cutter, a bottle opener, and six different wrenches. Since it fastens to your keychain, you can carry it anywhere you go, allowing you to open stuff from bottles to boxes!
What we like
Available in a titanium variant as well
Comes equipped with 14 tools
What we dislike
4. M-20 Titanium Magnetic Screwdriver
This unique 9-in-1 magnetic screwdriver ensures that you always have the right tools in your pocket, allowing you to fix things and do your magic wherever your skills are needed! The M-20 doesn’t really look like a screwdriver, in fact, it resembles a carrying case for screwdriver bits.
Why is it noteworthy?
The uniquely shaped multitool features slots for up to nine bits, and it holds them in place with the help of very strong magnets. This ensures that they don’t get loose, and prevents them from getting lost.
What we like
Built from titanium, which makes it lightweight yet durable
Offers you a firm and precise grip making it easy to handle
What we dislike
The screwdriver features a flat design which makes it an ergonomically different experience for inexperienced users
5. 8-in-1 EDC Scissors
Say hello to the 8-in-1 EDC Scissor which is perfect for indoor and outdoor culinary adventures. You can pull the scissors apart to form a set of knives! In fact, it even has a built-in bottle opener, nut cracker, can opener, and fire starter, forming one handy package that will come to your rescue in all kinds of situations.
This pair of innovative scissors separate into individual halves, offering you two knives, and a large variety of multiools on demand. Once you put them back together, the scissors can cut through hard materials like cured meats too, while the serrated mid-section can be used to crack through walnuts.
What we like
Ideal for the kitchen, but also for outdoor cooking on a camping trip
Clever practical tool that has a whole gamut of cool features
What we dislike
Not something you can carry in your pocket
6. Precision Sakura Metal Puzzle
Give your brain a satisfying and amusing challenge with this beautiful all-metal puzzle! Called the Precision Metal Sakura Puzzle, this puzzle has the shape of Japan’s most iconic flowers, with pieces that look so similar, that you’ll be scratching your head about where to put them.
Once this metal puzzle has been assembled it takes on the shape of Japan’s iconic sakura flowers. The puzzle is built from mirror-finish stainless steel with pieces that fit completely and seamlessly together, this puts your brain to the test, allowing you to challenge yourself. And since it has a compact no-frills design, you can carry it anywhere with you, letting you play with your mind whenever you’re bored.
What we like
You can build a puzzle, enjoy a fun game, and carry it with you wherever you go, owing to its lightweight form
What we dislike
The puzzle could be difficult to put together, which may not be preferred by users who are seeking a relaxing experience
7. AirTag Carabiners
These innovative, sleek, and quite good-looking AirTag Carabiners give a refreshing makeover to your boring old metal carabiners. Say good to your standard carabiners and, meet these precision-made metallic carabiners! They have a lightweight, non-bulky form that makes them easy to carry, and even easier to use.
They have been meticulously handcrafted to offer you premium durability. These unique carabiners aren’t just melted metal casings, in fact, each piece is unlike any other as manufacturing conditions can affect the final design.
What we like
The carabiners are crafted by hand from high-quality metal
What we dislike
Attaching or detaching the AirTag isn’t very user-friendly, or easily accessible, and can be inconvenient
8. M-stand
Dubbed the M-stand, this compact and lightweight tool is not only powerful but also pretty versatile. It quite smartly balances tactical and casual roles, as it works as a self-defense tool and a smartphone stand. It can convert from one to another within 10 seconds. It is a durable tool that will fit snugly in your pocket.
Why is it noteworthy?
The M-stand is made from durable titanium, and it doubles up as multiple tools such as a rope cutter, two wrenches, a bottle opener, a pry tool, a fire starter, and a tritium holder. All these handy tools have been fitted into a compact and sleek body.
What we like
The multitool features two-finger grips on either side letting you easily prop up your phone or tablet, providing you with a multitool that works well indoors and outdoors
What we dislike
The sharp edge of the design is always exposed and outside and could lead to accidental harm if you’re not careful
9. The Dango M1 Lite Cardholder Wallet
The Dango M1 Lite cardholder wallet is a sleek and minimalist wallet that keeps all your important essentials neat, tidy, organized, and easily accessible. The wallet has a barely-there form but a ton of capacity to store your necessary items.
Why is it noteworthy?
The wallet features CNC-machined aerospace 6061-grade aluminum and is quite lightweight and durable. It also features a Cerakote finish that provides it with an extra layer of protection.
What we like
Can carry 10-13 cards, equipped with a lot of storage
Features a Dango RFID Secrued Card, keeping your sensitive information safe and secure
What we dislike
Basic + unassuming aesthetics
10. AirTag Holder
Meet this innovative AirTag Holder by Atech! It is crafted from solid stainless steel and is a nifty little multitool that gives you seven diverse features in its compact design. It can hold your keys, dock your smartphone, open bottles, and maneuver hex bolds.
Why is it noteworthy?
The multitool is shaped like a carabiner, and it has an enclosure that allows you to dock a single AirTag, allowing you to track your EDC using your Apple devices. It has a hope on the top, that lets you secure a keychain to your AirTag Holder, letting you open screws and bottles.
What we like
The tracking device is held in place by two ABS plastics, which doesn’t cause any interference in its signal
What we dislike
Doesn’t let you control what angle your phone will be placed at. It depends on how slim your smartphone is, and whether you use a case for it or not
Hyundai is launching a new updated version of the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and also a new model in the range, the IONIQ 5 N Line, which comes with a range of design updates, enhancements, and new features. The new IONIQ 5 emerges in its latest iteration with a suite of upgrades that propel it further […]
