Here’s some good news for those who haven’t pulled the trigger on Sony’s latest VR headset. The PlayStation VR2 is on sale for $350 as part of a Black Friday deal, and it’s a bundle that includes the critically-acclaimed spin-off Horizon Call of the Mountain. This is a record low price for the headset, and that’s without a game that normally costs $60. In other words, this is one heck of a great deal.
We enjoyed this headset and gave it high marks in our official review. The OLED displays are excellent, so the graphics are on point. The headset’s fit is comfortable and it includes built-in haptics for increased immersion. Haptics for your head? That’s a pretty novel concept.
The headset also includes eye tracking technology and ships with two dedicated controllers, one for each hand. The company’s Sense controllers are eerily similar to Meta Quest controllers, with a large tracking ring, analog sticks, face buttons, triggers and grip buttons.
As for Horizon Call of the Mountain, it’s a new entry in the beloved Horizon franchise, only in VR. There’s a whole lot of climbing, as indicated by the title, but also a refined bow and arrow mechanic that feels just right in virtual space.
We hesitated to recommend this headset to everyone at its original price of $550, but it’s a no-brainer at $350. This deal is also available through Sony, if Amazon isn’t your bag. So what’s the catch? There’s only one. This isn’t a standalone headset. It requires a PS5 to work, though Sony did recently release an adapter that lets it connect to a PC.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-playstation-vr2-horizon-call-of-the-mountain-bundle-is-on-sale-for-350-174513003.html?src=rss
While Black Friday itself may be a week away, many retailers have already kicked off their official holiday sales. That means it’s a better time than usual to be in the market for new storage gear. If you have a PC, tablet, gaming handheld or any other device in need of a boost, we’ve rounded up the best Black Friday SSD and storage deals we could find below.
Before you dive in, keep in mind that storage prices have generally trended upwards in the past year, so many of the discounts below aren’t quite all-time lows. Still, some are, and each is at least the best price we’ve seen in several months. We’ll update this post as prices change and more discounts pop up over the next week.
WD Black SN850X (2TB) PCIe 4.0 SSD for $125 at Amazon ($65 off): The speedy WD Black SN850X is the top PCIe 4.0 drive in our guide to the best SSDs, so it’s a fine “default” choice for gaming or general use. This is far from the 2TB model’s best-ever price, but it’s the largest discount we’ve seen in 2024. Also at Newegg. If you’re buying for a PS5, a version with a heatsink is on sale for $9 more. And if you need (tons) more space, the 8TB variant is down to a new low of $550.
Crucial T705 (1TB) PCIe 5.0 SSD with heatsink for $130 at Amazon ($136 off): Most people don’t need to pay extra for a superfast PCIe 5.0 drive like the T705, but if you want the absolute best — and you have a compatible motherboard — its raw performance is almost unmatched. This is the lowest price we’ve tracked for the 1TB model with a heatsink. Also at B&H. If you already have a compatible heatsink, the standard version is available for $10 less, which is another all-time low.
Crucial P3 (2TB) PCIe 3.0 SSD for $105 at Amazon ($50 off): If you’re looking to upgrade an older system, the Crucial P3 is the PCIe 3.0 pick in our SSD buying guide. This deal is well off the 2TB version’s all-time low — it sat in the $75 range this time last year — but it’s the best price we could find since February. Also at B&H, Best Buy and others.
Kingston XS1000 (1TB) portable SSD for $64 at Amazon ($21 off): The Kingston XS1000 is the runner up in our portable SSD guide. It performs similarly to the X9 Pro across the board, but it’s not water-resistant, it doesn’t come with a USB-C to USB-C cable and it gets a little toastier with extended use. Still, it’s a great value. This deal comes within a dollar of the 1TB model’s all-time low. Also at Kingston. If you need something roomier, the 2TB version is about $18 off its usual street price at $102.
Crucial X10 Pro (1TB) portable SSD for $91 at Amazon ($59 off): The X10 Pro is essentially a faster version of our favorite portable SSD, though you’ll only see the difference if you have a device that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 speeds. This deal beats the 1TB drive’s previous low by a buck. Also at Crucial, B&H and Best Buy.
Samsung Fit Plus (256GB) USB flash drive for $19 at Amazon ($6 off): The ultracompact Fit Plus is the thumb drive we recommend in our SSD buying guide. It’s not crazy fast, but it’ll do the job for the basics, and it’s small enough to fit on a keychain. While not an all-time low, this modest discount brings the 256GB variant down to its lowest price since January. Also at B&H.
The Kingston Canvas Go Plus.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget
Kingston Canvas Go Plus (128GB) microSD card for $11 at B&H ($6 off): We call the Canvas Go Plus a strong choice in our guide to the best microSD cards. Its sequential write speeds aren't the best, so it’s not great for recording video or downloading lots of media, but it’s close enough to our top pick otherwise. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 128GB version.
Samsung Evo Select (2024) (256GB) microSD card for $18 at Amazon ($4 off): The Evo Select is our favorite microSD card in the budget bracket. Its mediocre write speeds make it less-than-ideal in a camera, but it should yield few complaints for most people just looking to add space to a Nintendo Switch or Fire tablet on the cheap. We’ve seen the last-gen version of the card sell for less, but this is a new low for the “new generation” 256GB model, which brings the sequential reads more in line with the higher-tier Samsung Pro Plus. Also at B&H and Samsung.
SanDisk Ultra (1.5TB) microSD card for $89 at Amazon ($21 off): The Ultra is slower than the cards we recommend in our buying guide, particularly when it comes to write speeds, so you won’t want to stress it too hard with large file transfers. But if you don’t really care about raw performance and want a huge chunk of space for as little cash as possible, it should be fine enough. This deal comes within a couple bucks of the 1.5TB model’s lowest-ever price. Also at SanDisk and B&H.
WD Black C50 Expansion Card for Xbox (1TB) for $99 at Amazon ($59 off): It’s aggravating, but the only way to fully increase the storage of an Xbox Series X/S is to use a proprietary expansion card. Only two of those currently exist, but the C50 is one, and this discount drops the 1TB model to a new low. It’s normally sold for roughly $40 more in recent months. Is this still expensive compared to many SSDs with the same capacity? Sure. But any extra savings should be welcome. Also at Best Buy. A 512GB model is a couple bucks above its all-time low at $68 as well.
Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S (2TB) for $200 at Amazon ($160 off): Seagate makes the other official storage expansion card for the Xbox Series X/S. This discount isn’t the best we’ve ever seen, and it’s been live for most of the month, but it’s still about $30 to $50 below the 2TB model’s typical street price. There’s little performance difference between this and the C50, so which is best merely comes down to how much space you need and whatever one costs less.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-black-friday-ssd-deals-from-samsung-wd-crucial-and-others-173947658.html?src=rss
When it comes to hot coffee, my preference is for pour-over. Sure, it’s a manual brewing method that takes time and attention, but I want all of the nuanced flavors and aromas that slow pouring extracts from the locally roasted coffee I resupply weekly. I can make as much or as little as I want (within the capacity of my Chemex, of course) and control all of the parameters of the process, varying them based on the characteristics of my beans. Plenty of companies have tried to offer a similar experience in a countertop drip machine, but many of them only get about halfway there.
Enter the Fellow Aiden ($369). For the first time, an automatic brewer promising pour-over quality actually delivered. The machine can accurately and precisely maintain water temperature, even offering a bloom cycle to appropriately begin the extraction process. The Aiden has both guided brewing and minutely customizable options for achieving your ideal cup whether you’re a beginner or you’ve been a coffee snob for decades. It’s this abundance of control that sets Fellow’s machine apart, and why it actually gives you coffee that may have you ditching your pour-over dripper for good.
Design
Fellow is well known for its design prowess when it comes to coffee gear like grinders, kettles and drinkware. The company usually takes a more mechanical looking approach, with an aesthetic that resembles lab equipment instead of coffee devices. For the Aiden though, the company went for a more minimal design, giving it a plainer cube structure that’s a lot more modern than many automatic drip machines on the market. It won’t appeal to everyone, but I do think it’s unique.
A removable water tank sits on the left, complete with volume markings for your desired quantity of coffee. You don’t have to take the tank off to fill it, but if you’re working from a faucet the fact that you can makes things easier. Inside the brewing chamber, there’s a spray head adjustment which allows you to reconfigure the Aiden for single-cup use. The machine also comes with a second brew basket for this purpose that can deposit coffee straight into your favorite cup.
Billy Steele for Engadget
Down below, a double wall carafe provides enough heat retention to keep your coffee warm for a few hours. The lid doesn’t close off the container entirely, but if you consume all of your morning joe in under three hours, you’ll be fine. I would’ve liked to see a second lid that would seal things to keep them at just-brewed temps, but Fellow did design the carafe so that it pours easily without a mess. I can’t say the same for the 2020 model Moccamaster the Aiden replaced in my kitchen.
Instead of the typical on/off switch, the Aiden has a one-button, knob-based interface where you make all of your selections. A small, circular display sits at the top left of the front panel, and turning the knob navigates the plethora of menu options. Once you find what you’re looking for, simply press the dial to make a selection. (Reviewer’s note: The display on my review unit was damaged before it arrived, but since the machine still performed as intended, I didn’t feel the need to return it just for that reason.)
Pour-over performance
There are dozens, maybe even hundreds, of automatic or semi-automatic drip coffee makers that promise the quality you’d get in a manually brewed pour-over. Sadly, almost none of them actually deliver. I’ve used a Moccamaster for four years, and while there’s a lot to like about the machine, the straight-line arrangement of the shower head doesn’t give you the even water distribution you’d want for quality pour-over simulation. Other machines don’t get hot enough, and many don’t allow you to adjust the bloom cycle, water ratios or brew temperature.
On the Aiden, Fellow addressed all of my gripes with machines I’ve used in the past. First, the dual shower heads’ spouts are spaced out so that coffee grounds are evenly saturated throughout the bloom and brewing cycles. The two easily switchable modes mean you can make a full 10-cup carafe or as little as one cup with the same quality. You will have to keep two types of filters on hand for the two baskets, but those are much easier to store than a second, single-cup pod machine. This alone would be a big innovation for drip brewers, but the company didn’t stop there.
An infinitely customizable brewing system
Billy Steele for Engadget
Fellow also accounted for customization, another area where coffee nerds want room to experiment. The Aiden allows you to adjust brew temperature, coffee-to-water ratio and pulse behavior as much as you’d like. You can dial in the number of pulses of water, the time between them and even set each one to be a different temperature. For the bloom cycle, Fellow unlocks duration, temperature and the bloom ratio (amount of water in the initial pour).
Instead of having to live with the one setting a company programmed into its machine, you’re in complete control of all of the parameters here. The degree with which you can dial in the brew cycle to your every whim is the biggest reason why the Aiden will be so attractive to serious coffee lovers. What’s more, another important piece of the machine’s customization abilities are brew profiles, so you don’t have to start from scratch.
If you’re not familiar with the term, the best way to think about brew profiles is like recipes. The Aiden offers three out of the box — light roast, medium roast and dark roast — so you don’t need to immediately start tweaking and saving things. But if your favorite coffee roaster is like mine (Hi, Vignette Coffee Roasters), it will offer brewing guidance for things like water ratios. Of course, those companies may not always nail your preferred flavor or strength, but they provide a good starting point since they’re aware of the nuances. And with the Aiden, you’re able to actually employ that advice for each single origin or custom blend you use.
Eventually, Fellow will allow roasters and coffee shops to create and share profiles so you can brew like they do in a cafe. If you subscribe to Fellow Drops, a coffee lineup curated by the company, your Aiden will be able to automatically download the profiles for the beans that are headed your way.
Don’t fret if you aren’t at that level of coffee snobbery just yet. The Aiden provides guided brewing based on those three roast profiles and your desired number of cups for quick and easy use. These aren’t just helpful for beginners, but also for the times when more advanced users want a pot of joe without much thought. I found them helpful on the weekends when I wasn’t sure when I’d be getting out of bed and didn’t want to wake up to a cold pot of coffee. During the week though, the scheduling tool is a big advantage that much of the competition lacks.
I would be remiss if I didn’t discuss the Aiden’s heating system, since this tech is what enables to-the-degree temperature control throughout the brew cycle. Any moderate or advanced coffee lover knows that water temperature is a key aspect of brewing great coffee. Lots of automatic drip machines simply don’t get hot enough to extract all of the flavor from the grounds, leaving you with a more muted flavor profile. Inside the Aiden though, Fellow designed a heating setup with single-degree precision that even lets you adjust temperatures while the machine is brewing without stalling the process. The way this machine heats water offers consistency and control that many coffee makers can’t match.
There’s also an Aiden app, but it doesn’t do much right now. You can connect the machine to the software for firmware updates, to set the time and to name the brewer. Eventually, Fellow plans to enable the shareable profiles I mentioned earlier, in addition to scheduling and remote control from your phone. However, those items have been listed as “coming soon” since the Aiden’s launch in September. I’ve asked Fellow for the current status and I’ll update this review if I hear back.
The competition
Billy Steele for Enagadget
Before I tested the Aiden, I used a Moccamaster KBT that I purchased in 2020. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to upgrade my coffee setup at home, where I’d been brewing manual pour-overs via Chemex for years. I wanted something I could turn on and have it make coffee comparable to what I’d been doing, and that’s what I got.
Moccamaster coffee machines have a reputation for being well-built and reliable, and I found that to be true. My KBT worked well daily, providing coffee that was more akin to pour-over quality than a much cheaper auto-drip brewer. The KBT still comes with an insulated carafe, although the 2020 model didn’t have a pour spout like the updated version does. This made pouring difficult and often messy. And while the machine brews at temperatures between 196 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, the straight-line design of the shower head doesn’t provide the best saturation during the brewing cycle.
With all of that said, I still think Moccamaster machines are the best alternative to the Aiden. They’re slightly cheaper, starting at $329, and will serve you well for years. Plus, there are options for glass carafes with heating elements if you prefer that to an insulated one. For many of the models though, you’ll have to live without an automatic drip stop when you remove the carafe during brewing. There’s a manual slider on the brew basket for most of the options, but an auto option is only available on machines like the KBGV Select. The 40-ounce Moccamaster models also brew about nine ounces less than the Aiden at max capacity (1.25 L/44 oz vs. 1.5 L/52.9 oz), so that’s something else to consider. It’s almost another full cup of coffee per pot.
Wrap-up
It’s clear Fellow recognized all of the shortcomings of so-called pour-over simulators on the market when designing the Aiden. The company finally delivers on the promise of the smoothness and flavor of manually brewed coffee in an automatic drip machine. The Aiden gets hot enough, offers adequate saturation and segments the brew cycle just like you would for a pour-over or Chemex. Plus, there’s a host of customization options, which allow you to dial in your process based on the beans you’re using. And that means I can actually get rid of a lot of the clutter I needed for a single-cup pick-me-up.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/kitchen-tech/fellow-aiden-review-a-highly-customizable-pour-over-coffee-machine-172028575.html?src=rss
"At least give us true cloud gaming." That's what I asked for at the end of my PlayStation Portal review, a $200 device I ultimately found frustrating because it could only do one thing: Stream games from your PlayStation 5. A year later, Sony has finally answered my prayers. The company has started testing cloud streaming on the Portal for PlayStation Plus Premium members, giving them instant access to more than 120 PS5 titles. And for once, I've started to hate this thing a bit less.
After cloud streaming a bit of Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Control and Demon's Souls, I have just one question for Sony: Why wasn't this on the PlayStation Portal when it launched a year ago? I was surprised to find that cloud streaming was far more reliable than the Portal's original PS5 remote play, which was (and remains) hit-or-miss. Sometimes it would work just great, giving me some precious Spider-Man 2 time on the couch, and sometimes it would just refuse to connect to the PS5 for no apparent reason. (And yes, I have a pretty solid gigabit internet setup and Wi-Fi 6 router.)
When I originally tested the PlayStation Portal, it failed my key criteria for testing consumer electronics: I simply couldn't trust it. But Sony's cloud streaming changes that. Now, I can just hit the Cloud Play button on the Portal, wait 15 to 20 seconds to launch the service, and wait another 20 seconds or so to boot up my game of choice. It's not exactly quick, but it's not too far off from the process of booting up your console and waiting for a game to load up.
While playing Control over the cloud, I was shocked by how clear and smooth it looked, with none of the latency I typically feel while streaming games. I also didn't see any of the video artifacts or lazy screen refreshing I sometimes encounter when playing cloud titles over Xbox Game Pass. Sony’s Gaikai acquisition (along with OnLive) from over a decade ago may finally be paying off!
Control ran at a smooth 60 fps in 1080p in its performance mode, and I had no trouble switching over to the ray-tracing filled 30 fps fidelity mode. I was also able to swap between quality settings in Miles Morales easily. I always opt for 60 fps when I can (that's one major reason I liked the PS5 Pro so much), so it was nice to see the Portal easily keeping up with that framerate. I spent 15 minutes swinging around Manhattan and tackling a few side missions, and it didn't feel that different from playing Spider-Man 2 in its full glory on the PS5 Pro.
As with most cloud services, though, your experience will be determined by your own internet connection and the load on Sony's servers. Xbox cloud streaming got noticeably worse as more users jumped on the future, and it's unclear if Sony can handle a similar demand. The Portal's cloud streaming is also limited to the 120+ PS5 games in the PS Plus Premium service. There are some notable titles like The Last of Us: Part 1 and Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade, but most of the entries are older and not nearly as compelling (unless you're really excited to play Hotel Transylvania: Scary-Tale Adventures). And while you can normally stream digital games you own over PS Plus, Sony says that feature isn’t available yet for the Portal. Still, it’s something that will likely pop up eventually.
While it's nice to see Sony bring over cloud streaming to the PlayStation Portal, it's a feature that will mostly appeal to people who already have the device and are PS Plus Premium members. You know, the true PlayStation loyalists. And naturally, streaming requires a decent internet connection to work properly, so I still wouldn't recommend the Portal as your best portable gaming option while traveling.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Cloud play also doesn't fix my existing issues with the Portal. When I tried to compare it to Remote Play from the PS5 Pro on the Portal (above), it took me eight minutes to connect to the console. I eventually had to run downstairs, turn on the PS5 Pro manually and login for the Portal to work. So much for the convenience of remote play! Spider-Man 2 also looked worse in that mode, versus everything i saw over cloud streaming.
Funny enough, this week Microsoft also announced a major streaming upgrade for the Xbox: The ability to play games you actually own, instead of being limited to what's in the Game Pass library. That feature doesn't work for every title, but it includes things like Baldur's Gate III and Cyberpunk 2077. I didn't have many purchased Xbox titles to stream (I'm mostly a PC player these days), but I was able to easily stream the Final Fantasy II HD Pixel Remake via XBPlay on the Steam Deck.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Forza Horizon 5 also looked decent over Xbox cloud streaming (above), but it was far from perfect. Text was fuzzy, textures weren't clear and artifacts constantly popped up as I raced around Mexico. It certainly didn't look as good as the games I saw on PlayStation Plus, or the higher-resolution streaming on services like NVIDIA's GeForce Now.
If anything, the combined news from Sony and Microsoft this week is a sign these companies should devote a bit more energy to cloud streaming. We've been hearing about this technology for more than a decade, but the console makers have been dragging their heels when it comes to deploying and promoting it. (Microsoft's recent "This is an Xbox" marketing campaign is a bit cringe, but it's also the sort of thing the company should have been shouting from the rooftops for years.)
With the rise of gaming handhelds, and the growing ambivalence towards expensive console hardware, cloud streaming has the potential to become far more useful. But to get there, Sony and Microsoft need to make more streaming leaps, instead of inconsistent steps forward.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sonys-cloud-streaming-makes-the-playstation-portal-far-more-useful-171038751.html?src=rss
Black Friday is a great time to snag stocking stuffers and tech accessories at a discount. Engadget has reviewed and tested hundreds of small-but-useful electronics including speakers, cables, smart plugs, cameras, battery packs and earbuds, and we put the best ones in our related buying guides.
Right now, many of those picks are seeing discounts that put them comfortably (and sometimes just barely) below the $50 mark. After you grab a few as gifts, don’t forget to get an accessory or two for yourself. Here are the best Black Friday tech deals under $50 we could find from retailers across the web.
Amazon Echo Pop (2023) for $18 ($22 off): Amazon’s smallest Echo will fit in any room in your home, so Alexa can add things to your shopping list, set a timer, or answer questions (like “What’s a bomb cyclone?” or “Who is Penelope Cruz married to?”) from anywhere.
Anker Nano Charger 30W USB-C for $13 ($7 off): This compact 30-watt wall charger is smaller than others of its wattage and can speedily juice up an iPhone or Android handset. Anker is one of Engadget’s most recommended accessory brands and this is the model we picked for our fast charger guide. Get the same deal at Anker with an auto-applied code.
Audible Premium Plus (3-month) for $1 ($29 off): If you don’t currently subscribe to Audible you can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. The service is usually $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. Premium Plus gives you access to the Audible Plus library, and lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month.
Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a selected catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading as well as some Audible audiobooks and magazines. Prime members can get two months for only $5.
Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): If you rely on Alexa as your smart home assistant, this is an affordable and reliable way to control your lamps, fans and Christmas lights. It was one of the more reliable and fuss-free plugs I tested.
Anker Nano II 713 Charger (45W) for $20 ($20 off): This 45-watt charger has a single USB-C port and will let you take advantage of the faster charging speeds newer devices offer (just make sure you have an equally robust cable). It’s one of the picks in our iPad accessories guide. Also at Anker with an auto-applied code.
Chipolo ONE for $20 ($5 off with Prime): Our favorite Bluetooth tracker overall is loud, compact and readily tells you when you’ve left your keys (or whatever else you attach them to) behind. If you’re looking for a finding network to locate things you’ve lost out in the wild, this isn’t the one to get, but for everyday locating misplaced keys in the house, this is great. Also at Chewy without Prime.
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 for $20 ($10 off): If you have a Samsung smartphone, this is the tracker we recommend. The finding network isn’t as vast as Apple’s, but in our tests, the accuracy was good and the physical design is one of the best of its kind.
WAVLINK USB-C hub for $13 ($13 off): The budget pick in our guide to USB-C hubs has an HDMI port, three USB connections (two type-A and one type-C) plus a generous 10-inch cable to give you more options when plugging into your laptop or tablet.
Anker USB-C 240W Bio-Braided cable for $12 ($5 off): A fast charger won’t do much if the cable isn’t rated to handle the wattage. This 240W Anker cable is pulled from our list of the best iPhone accessories and will charge those devices (or any other rechargeable item with a USB-C port) as quickly as the brick and device will allow.
Black Friday tech deals under $30
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29 ($21 off): On our list of the best streaming devices we named the Roku Streaming Stick 4K the best pick for those wanting an ocean of free and live content. By combining Roku’s own free channels with content from other FAST apps this simple stick turns any screen into a portal to a near-infinite amount of movies and shows that you won’t pay a dime for. Also at Target and direct from Roku for $1 more.
Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $28 ($12 off): Anker’s Soundcore brand proves the accessory brand can make some excellent electronics and we named a number of Soundcore audio devices to our buying guides. This is one of the smaller and more affordable models from Anker and it’s currently back to one of its lowest prices yet.
EarFun Free 2S wireless earbuds for $25 ($15 off): These don’t sound as sharp as other budget earbuds we recommend and there’s no noise cancellation or transparency mode, but if you need a pair of earbuds under $50 (or under $30 now) these are decently comfortable with a sound that’s a bit richer than others in its price range.
Amazon Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): Our favorite budget earbuds with an open ear design are made by Amazon. They don’t go all the way in your ear so you’ll hear more of what’s going on around you. The sound is decently separated, though we recommend tweaking the EQ in the Alexa app to bring down the treble a touch.
Anker USB-C Hub 341 for $25 ($10 off): Anker’s seven-port hub lets you use a range of extras with your tablet, which is why we named it one of the best accessories for an iPad. In addition to extra USB connections, you also get a microSD and standard SD card slots.
Blink Mini 2 (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside with the $10 weather-resistant adapter.
JBL Go 4 for $40 ($10 off): JBL’s smallest portable speaker has up to seven hours of battery life on a charge, has an IP67 waterproof rating and has a tiny built-in carry strap so you can bring it wherever you go. Also at JBL and Best Buy.
Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need, and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 ($27 off): Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device.
Anker 633 Magnetic Battery for $40 ($15 off): Choose from a MagSafe option or the 20W Power Delivery port via a USB-C cable (which charges things faster). The handy kickstand means you can look at your phone while it charges and that port lets you charge non-MagSafe devices too.
Blink Outdoor 4 (2023) $38 ($52 off): Amazon’s latest outdoor Blink camera works well (and only) with Alexa, letting you check on your surroundings using the app or a compatible display (like an Echo Show or a Fire TV.
Govee Smart LED Light Bars for $35 ($15 off): We like Govee’s playful smart lights and recommend the brand in our guide to smart bulbs. These light bars made the list in our stocking stuffer gift guide thanks to their versatility (they can stand up, lay flat or be mounted) and there’s no end to the multiple colors and sequences you can program.
JBL Clip 5 for $49.95 ($30 off): JBL makes a good number of the winners in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. We didn’t review this one formally for our guide, but it’s one of the more affordable models the brand makes and the clip plus dunkable water resistance makes it easy to bring JBL’s signature dynamic range just about anywhere. Also at Walmart and direct from JBL.
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2023) for $45 ($45 off): The newest Echo Show 5 made our list of the best smart displays because it doubles as a “stellar alarm clock” with the auto-dimming screen, tap-to-snooze feature and a sunrise alarm. Plus the tiny, five-inch screen is perfect for a nightstand. Also, oddly, at Best Buy.
Amazon Echo Spot (2024) $45 ($35 off): The mini display just shows simple data like the time, weather or song that’s playing while the other half of the circle plays music. It’s an updated version of a model Amazon discontinued a couple of years ago and now it’s back.
Elecom Nestout power bank 15,000mAh for $48 ($12 off): For outdoor charging, this is one of the few portable batteries that can handle a dunk in water (as long as you’ve remembered to screw on the port covers). We recommend it in our guide and particularly like the handy accessories like a tripod stand and light that you can buy to go on it. Also at Nestout for $1 more.
Tribit StormBox Micro 2 for $42 ($38 off with coupon): This is the smallest speaker in our guide and it can go with you anywhere with the built-in strap. It pumps out impressive volume for its size and can go for 12 hours on a charge. The audio isn’t the highest fidelity, but this is more about bringing the vibes than emitting flawless musical clarity. Also directly from Tribit (see price in cart).
Laptops are getting thinner and smaller, but their functionality is getting even more powerful. The usually means plenty of things to control, and some of them need to be reached faster than digging through menus and clicking on buttons. Keyboard shortcuts are, of course, a viable solution, but they can also be cumbersome, complicated, and unintuitive.
Something as normal and as regular as changing the volume, for example, shouldn’t take two keystrokes or scrolling your mouse wheel (which might not exist) over some tiny icon. This simple yet useful accessory brings a bit of sanity and physicality to that action on laptops, at least if you have an extra USB-C to spare.
Depending on your laptop’s keyboard layout and settings, turning the volume up or down can involve one or two keystrokes. The problem is that the location of these keys is inconsistent across keyboards and laptop brands, and they’re not exactly memorable or intuitive in their location. Having dedicated volume keys would be nice, but it could be a waste of precious space on the keyboard.
SoundSlide attacks that problem from a different angle by providing a physical volume control that you can connect and remove as needed. It’s a rather small object, smaller than a USB-A port and only 3.5mm thin, so it barely sticks out from the side of your laptop. It does connect via a USB-C port, and when it does, it gives you a way to actually feel like you’re raising or lowering your laptop’s volume.
The flat capacitive surface has exposed gold contacts that translate the sliding gestures to volume controls. A tap also mutes or unmutes the volume, giving you instant physical control without having to second guess which keys to press. It’s also promised to work out of the box on Windows, macOS, and even Linux, so you can use it without any setup or configuration. That said, you can also change a few settings such as sensitivity, orientation, and custom gestures using a Web-based interface.
The catch to this almost wonderful trinket is that it does occupy a USB-C slot. Some laptops have a limited number of ports, so you’re sacrificing what could be a potentially critical connection. That said, you don’t always need to have SoundSlide connected, so it’s not like you’re permanently losing an important USB-C port either.
Hyundai is recalling around 145,235 electric vehicles in the US, according to a report by Reuters. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the recall was due to a loss of drive power. The safety regulator noted that integrated charging control units on these models are easily damaged, leading to an internal battery that won’t charge.
The recall includes a whole bunch of models, including certain Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6 EVs, in addition to some Genesis GV70 and Genesis G80 luxury EVs from the model years 2022 to 2025. Click here for a full list of the impacted vehicles.
Hyundai says its dealers will inspect any vehicle that could have been impacted by the issue for free. These dealers will also replace the aforementioned parts and update the software at no charge.
The company’s sub-brand Kia was also impacted, adding another 62,000 EVs into the recall mix. Certain Kia EV6 models from the model years 2022 to 2024 are being recalled, and for the same reason of a potentially faulty integrated charging control unit. Just like Hyundai, Kia dealers will inspect and repair the issue for free.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/hyundai-recalls-over-145000-evs-in-the-us-161651760.html?src=rss
Plex is getting a major rework, which includes a redesign with improved navigation and more prominent artwork. The streaming service has been working on the overhaul for almost two years. The team rewrote the apps from scratch to unify the codebase and make the Plex experience more consistent, streamlined and easier to update across platforms. Plex says this has vastly improved its development speed, so it should be able to deliver new features more efficiently.
Perhaps the first thing you'll notice is a bigger emphasis on artwork, particularly on show and movie detail pages, your personal profile and profile pages for cast and crew. You should see more title artwork for films and shows too.
Helping people navigate the app is one of the main drivers behind the overhaul. Plex says that the rework helps existing users move around the app more intuitively, while making things easier for newcomers to get to grips with. Those who use Plex to access personal media will find that their libraries are in a dedicated tab, while the Watchlist will take up prime real estate in the top navigation section. Plex says it also streamlined the user menu for quick access to things like your profile, friends and watch history.
Plex
The redesign seems long overdue. Plex looks a bit dated at the minute, especially when you hold it up against the likes of the Netflix app. Any navigation upgrades will be very welcome. Here's hoping download speeds have been improved as well — as it stands, it takes me far too long to snag anything from Plex for offline viewing
To help make sure everything works as smoothly as intended across a wide range of devices and setups, Plex is offering users the chance to check out a preview of the overhauled apps in the hope that they'll provide feedback. It notes that some features are missing (such as casting and offline support) for the time being, but it will update the apps frequently to add more.
You can try out the new look on mobile starting today, though there are a limited number of preview spots on iOS. Plex plans to offer early access to the revamped TV experience very soon too, ahead of a broader rollout coming in early 2025. To check out the updated mobile experience now, head on over to the Plex forums for more details.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/plex-is-overhauling-its-apps-with-a-redesign-and-under-the-hood-upgrades-160521751.html?src=rss
When you need to have a serious conversation with someone or a small group, you probably need to find a place that has a private room or where there will only be a few people. But for times when you have no choice but to have it in a not so quiet place, then you probably wish you had a cone of silence so you can drown out other people’s voices while still being able to hear what your companions are saying.
Well that might soon come true if this concept by the engineers at the University of Washington becomes a reality. The headphones is powered by AI and has the power to filter out the noise from as far as a few feet away so you’ll still be able to hear the conversation around you. It creates an imaginary “sound bubble” so you can focus on what you need to hear.
The noise-canceling headphones has six microphones on its headband, with a small onboard computer running a neural network. It will be able to analyze the distance from various sound sources around you. The ones that are farther away will be filtered out while the sounds closer to you will be amplified. If they come in within your imaginary bubble, you’ll be able to hear them clearly too.
It’s an interesting device to have especially if you have a lot of meetings or conversations outside. It would look strange though to have a group of people talking and all wearing headphones. They are working on smaller versions like earbuds or even hearing aids so that should work better.
The automotive landscape is undergoing a remarkable transformation as electric vehicles gain prominence, and the emergence of high-performance electric SUVs is a clear indication of this shift. These innovative vehicles seamlessly blend the versatility and spaciousness of traditional SUVs with the exhilarating performance and nimble handling of sports cars. This unique combination offers drivers an […]
