Tag Archives: author_name|Steve Dent

The best monitors for every budget in 2025

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We spend a lot of time staring at our screens, so it’s worth finding one that actually feels good to use. The right monitor can make your desk setup feel faster, brighter and easier on the eyes, whether you’re deep into spreadsheets, watching a show or chasing higher frame rates in your favorite game.

What the best monitor means, though, depends on what you do. Gamers might want smooth, fast refresh rates. Creators usually prioritize color accuracy. Office workers and students just need something clear, comfortable and reliable. Thankfully, monitors in 2025 cover all of those needs, with options that range from compact 24-inch displays to massive ultrawides built for serious multitasking.

We’ve tested a variety of monitors across price ranges and use cases to find the ones that stand out for everyday use. No matter your budget, setup or screen-size preference, these are the monitors that make your PC, and your time in front of it, a little better.

The cheapest monitors are still TN (twisted nematic), which are strictly for gamers or office use. VA (vertical alignment) monitors are also relatively cheap, while offering good brightness and a high contrast ratio. However, content creators will find that LCD, IPS displays (in-plane switching) deliver better color accuracy, pixel density, picture quality and wide viewing angles — making them a strong option for general computer monitor use.

If maximum brightness is important, a quantum dot LCD display is the way to go — those are typically found in larger displays. OLED panels are now available and offer the best blacks and color reproduction, but they lack the brightness of LED or quantum dot displays. Plus, they’re expensive. The latest type of OLED monitor, called QD-OLED from Samsung, is now common among gaming monitors. The most notable advantage is that it can get a lot brighter, with recent models hitting up to 1,000 nits+ of peak brightness.

MiniLEDs are now widely used in high-end displays. They’re similar to quantum dot tech, but as the name suggests, it uses smaller LED diodes that are just 0.2mm in diameter. As such, manufacturers can pack in up to three times more LEDs with more local dimming zones, delivering deeper blacks and better contrast. MiniLED displays also tend to offer excellent backlight control, making them a great choice for HDR content and video editing.

Where 24-inch displays used to be more or less standard (and can still be useful for basic computing), 27-, 32-, 34- and even 42-inch displays have become popular for entertainment, content creation and even gaming these days.

Nearly every monitor used to be 16:9, but it’s now possible to find 16:10 and other more exotic display shapes. On the gaming and entertainment side, we’re also seeing curved monitors and widescreen ultrawide monitors with aspect ratios like 21:9. If you do decide to buy an ultrawide display, however, keep in mind that a 30-inch 21:9 model is the same height as a 24-inch monitor, so you might end up with a smaller display than you expected.

A 4K monitor is nearly a must for content creators, and some folks are even going for 5K or all the way up to 8K. Keep in mind, though, that you’ll need a pretty powerful computer with a decent graphics card to drive all those sharp pixels. And 4K higher resolution should be paired with a screen size of 27 inches and up, or you won’t notice much difference between 1440p. At the same time, I wouldn’t get a model larger than 27 inches unless it’s 4K, as you’ll start to see pixelation if you’re working up close to the display. That’s when a lower resolution monitor shows its limits.

One new monitor category to consider is portable monitors designed to be carried and used with laptops. Those typically come in 1080p resolutions and sizes from 13-15 inches. They usually have a lightweight kickstand-type support that folds up to keep things compact and maximize portability and functionality.

HDR adds vibrancy to entertainment and gaming – but be careful before jumping in. Some monitors that claim HDR on their marketing materials don’t even conform to a base standard. To be sure that a display at least meets minimum HDR specs, you’ll want to choose one with a DisplayHDR rating with each tier representing maximum brightness in nits.

However, the lowest DisplayHDR 400 and 500 tiers may disappoint you with a lack of brightness, washed out blacks and mediocre color reproduction. If you can afford it, the best monitor to choose is a model with DisplayHDR 600, 1000 or True Black 400, True Black 500 and True Black 600.

Where televisions typically offer HDR10 and Dolby Vision or HDR10+, most PC monitors only support the HDR10 standard, other than a few (very expensive) models. That doesn’t matter much for content creation or gaming, but HDR streaming on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and other services won’t look quite as punchy. In addition, the best gaming monitors are usually the ones supporting HDR600 (and up), rather than content creation monitors – with a few exceptions.

High refresh rate is a key feature, particularly on gaming monitors. A bare minimum nowadays is 60Hz, and 80Hz and higher refresh rates are much easier on the eyes. However, most 4K displays top out at 60Hz with some rare exceptions and the HDMI 2.0 spec only supports 4K at 60Hz, so you’d need at least DisplayPort 1.4 (4K at 120Hz) or HDMI 2.1. The latter is now available on a number of monitors, particularly gaming displays. However, it’s only supported by the latest NVIDIA RTX 3000- and 4000-series, AMD RX 6000-series GPUs. Support for G-Sync and AMD FreeSync is also something to look for if you want to eliminate screen tearing and stuttering during fast-paced gameplay — especially when paired with a high refresh rate.

There are essentially three types of modern display inputs: Thunderbolt, DisplayPort and HDMI. Most monitors built for PCs come with the latter two, while a select few (typically built for Macs) will use Thunderbolt. To add to the confusion, USB-C ports may be Thunderbolt 3, and by extension, DisplayPort compatible, so you may need a USB-C to Thunderbolt or DisplayPort cable adapter depending on your display.

Serious content creators should consider a more costly 10-bit monitor that can display billions of colors. If budget is an issue, you can go for an 8-bit panel that can fake billions of colors via dithering (often spec’d as “8-bit + FRC”). For entertainment or business purposes, a regular 8-bit monitor that can display millions of colors will be fine.

The other aspect of color is the gamut. That expresses the range of colors that can be reproduced and not just the number of colors. Most good monitors these days can cover the sRGB and Rec.709 gamuts (designed for photos and video respectively). For more demanding work, though, you’ll want one that can reproduce more demanding modern gamuts like AdobeRGB, DCI-P3 and Rec.2020 gamuts, which encompass a wider range of colors. The latter two are often used for film projection and HDR, respectively.

OLED is better than mini-LED in many areas but not all. Here are the advantages of OLED panels:

  • OLED monitors don't have any "blooming" or halos around bright parts of the image.

  • OLEDs have blacks with zero brightness, which is not achievable on mini-LED. That means they also have higher contrast ratios.

  • OLEDs consume less energy.

  • OLEDs have faster response times for gaming.

And here are the advantages of mini-LED monitors:

  • They are brighter (often much brighter), so it can be better for HDR content.

  • They don't suffer from burn-in like OLED can.

This depends on the individual. For normal use, 27-32 inches is the sweet spot. If you're one who likes many windows open at a time (like a stock broker), then you might want to go up to 37 or even 42 inches.

If you need as much speed as possible, a curved monitor lets you rapidly look around the screen without changing focus or moving your head as much compared to a flat screen. It also provides more immersion. The drawback is that curved displays tend to be wider so they take up more desk space. They're also generally more expensive.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-monitor-130006843.html?src=rss

The best Cyber Monday camera and drone deals: Get up to 52 percent off from Sony, DJI and others

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Cyber Monday is a good time to consider picking up tech you may have had your eye on for a bit. That means big ticket items like cameras, drones and the like. Major camera and drone makers including Sony, Canon, DJI, Nikon and GoPro are still offering substantial discounts across a wide range of products ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Those include options from our guide to the best cameras, so you'll get great value for tried and tested gear. These are the best Cyber Monday camera deals you can get for 2025.

Sony A7 IV for $1,998 (26 percent off): Sony's A7 IV is still one of the best hybrid cameras you can get thanks to the high resolution, fast shooting speeds and 4K 60p video. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and it comes with in-body stabilization to help smooth your shots. And for photographers, image quality has never been better thanks to the high dynamic range and enhanced resolution compared to the A7 III.

GoPro Hero 13 Black for $319 (26 percent off): GoPro’s Hero 13 Black is now available with a new family of modular lenses called the HB series (ultra-wide, anamorphic and macro), making it far more versatile for action creators. It also has a slightly bigger battery that allows longer capture times, up to 90 minutes for 4K 30fps video. Other specs remain the same, including up to 5.3K at 60fps in 10-bit color, along with the excellent Hypersmooth stabilization. And if you want an even wider field of view, grab the Hero 13 Black Wide Edition for $329.

DJI Osmo Pocket 3 for $529 (34 percent off): When DJI's Osmo Pocket 3 came out I said was "maybe the only vlogging camera you need." It has a big one-inch sensor that boosts image quality considerably, particularly in low light. You also get a large swiveling touchscreen that makes it easier to switch between horizontal and vertical video. What really makes it great for vlogging, though, are the follow modes combined with face tracking. When working solo, you can simply set it up and it’ll rotate and tilt to follow you around — so you don’t have to worry about focus or even pointing the camera at yourself. There’s very little not to like about the Osmo Pocket 3, but it’s not ideal for photos and is also quite expensive. But with the Black Friday deal and Pocket 4 on the horizon, it's a great time to get one.

Canon EOS R100 with 18-45mm kit lens for $499 (27 percent off): Canon's EOS R100 is the best deal on a mirrorless camera with a kit lens, and this is the lowest price we've seen to date. It comes with a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor that delivers great picture quality with Canon's pleasing skin tones, offers rapid and accurate autofocus and lets you shoot 4K (cropped) video at up to 24 fps.

DJI Osmo 360 for $357 (35 percent off): DJI’s Osmo 360 is a worthy rival to Insta360’s X5, thanks to the innovative sensor and 8K 50 fps video. It also matches or beats its rival in other areas, with similar battery life and superior low-light capability. Other positives include seamless 360 stitching, compatibility with DJI's mics and accessories, and excellent ease of use. The one negative is the editing app, which lacks some features found on Insta360's app. 

OM SYSTEM Olympus E-M10 IV with 14-42mm kit lens for $700 (22 percent off): OM Systems' Olympus OM-D E-M10 Mark IV offers a great mix of photography and video features and is on sale with a solid kit lens. You get up to 15 fps shooting speeds, 4K 30p or HD 120p video, and it’s one of the few cameras in this price category with built-in five-axis stabilization. It’s portable and lightweight for travel, and the lenses are compact and affordable. The drawbacks are an autofocus system that’s not as fast or accurate as the competition, and a small sensor size.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro for $259 (24 percent off): The Action 5 Pro features a large 1/1.3-inch sensor that makes it better than the Hero 13 in low light. It also tops the action cam battery life charts at two hours-plus while shooting 4K 60fps. Another nice feature is 47GB of internal storage, a big help if you forget your microSD memory card. And the Osmo Action 5 Pro works directly with DJI’s noise-cancelling Mic 2 and Mic Mini wireless microphones, providing an easy way to record high-quality sound. You can also grab the Action 4 Pro with the same sensor for just $199, or 31 percent off the regular price. 

DJI Mini 4K drone Fly More Combo for $359 (20 percent off): The Mini 4K is a beginner-friendly drone, but it's still got plenty of nifty features. As the name suggests, it can capture 4K video at up to 30 FPS. It can also record 2.7K footage at 60 FPS. There's 2x digital zoom, a 3-axis gimbal and electrical image stabilization. The drone can transmit 1080p video from up to 10km away.

Panasonix Lumix S9 in green for $1,398 with 18-45mm kit lens (22 percent off): The S9 may be Panasonic's smallest full-frame camera but it comes with the same 24MP sensor and similar video features to the popular S5 II. To that end, it offers up to 6.2K video, in-body stabilization and reliable autofocus. The key feature though is a special LUT button that lets you easily choose a custom cinematic look designed by professional creators.

Fujifilm X-T50 with XC 15-45mm lens for $1,599 (6 percent off): Fujifilm’s X-T50 is a big improvement over the X-T30 II, thanks to its higher resolution sensor, in-body stabilization and upgraded video capabilities. It's relatively small and lightweight and has solid autofocus and decent shooting speeds of up to 13 fps. Fujifilm cameras rarely go on sale, so if you're in the market for this model, now's the time to act. 

Canon EOS R50 for $679 (13 percent off): Canon's 24-megapixel APS-C EOS R50 is great for travel, parties, street photography and more thanks to the portable size and built-in flash. It offers nice image quality with warm, human friendly photos and is capable for creators as well with 4K 30fps supersampled video, with 10-bit and HDR capability. It comes with a kit lens that's solid for vlogging or photography with a 24-70mm full-frame equivalent zoom range.

Panasonic Lumix S5 II for $1,498 (25 percent off): The Lumix S5 II is an ideal vlogging camera, thanks to its excellent 6K 10-bit video, powerful stabilization system and phase-detect autofocus. It also offers features that creators need like excellent monitoring tools and advanced audio features, along with the 3.68-million dot EVF and flip-out display. 

Nikon Z6 III for $2,097 (22 percent off): The Nikon Z6 III is one of the best hybrid creator cameras you can buy, thanks to the incredible performance of its partially stacked sensor. You can shoot RAW bursts at up to 20 fps in electronic shutter mode while nailing sharp shots thanks to the much-improved autofocus. On the video side, it supports 6K RAW at up to 60 fps, or 4K 120p. The only thing holding it back from dethroning Sony is image quality that’s compromised a bit by the relatively low resolution and reduced dynamic range.

Sony A7R V for $3,298 (21 percent off): With a 61-megapixel sensor, Sony’s A7R V shoots sharp and beautiful images at a very respectable speed for such a high-resolution model (10 fps). It has equally fast and reliable autofocus, the sharpest viewfinder on the market and in-body stabilization that’s much improved over the A7R IV. Video has even improved, with 8K and 10-bit options now on tap, albeit with significant rolling shutter. 

Canon EOS R5 Mark II for $3,899 (11 percent off): The EOS R5 II comes with a high-resolution 45-megapixel stacked sensor, but still lets you shoot blackout-free bursts at up to 30 fps (and it can pre-capture up to 15 photos when you half press the shutter button). The updated autofocus with AI tracking is as good as anything offered by Sony and it's also highly capable for video, with up to 8K 60p RAW and 4K 120p shooting. 

Nikon Z8 for $3,496 (18 percent off): Nikon's Z8 offers the same specs as the company’s Z9 flagship in a smaller body but costs a lot less. It’s one of the highest resolution full-frame cameras with 45 megapixels, but also one of the fastest with burst speeds up to 30 fps. At the same time, it has powerful video capabilities with 8K RAW video at up to 60 fps. Autofocus isn’t on par with Sony’s A1, but the Z8 is a better camera for the price.

Osmo Mobile 7P for $103 (20 percent off): This three-axis gimbal keeps your smartphone video as smooth as can be with DJI's ActiveTrack 7.0, and includes a magnetic snapping mechanism so you can install your mobile device in seconds. The latest feature is native tracking that follows you around, thanks to the included Multifunctional Module.

K&F Concept 20L camera backpack for $66 (20 percent off): This multifunction backpack can store not only cameras, lenses and even drones in the bottom section, but a couple of changes of clothes up top. It has a laptop compartment, ventilated elastic back, auxiliary straps and more.

SmallRig Camera Tripod for $49 (30 percent off): This 2-in-1 tripod easily transforms into a monopod depending on your needs. It comes with a 360-degree detachable ball head, supports up to 33 pounds and lets you adjust the working height from 16- to 71-inches in seconds.

Rode Wireless Micro for $83 (10 percent off): Another great wireless mic option is Rode's Wireless Micro designed for smartphone users. The receiver connects to the bottom of your smartphone via USB-C and the microphones attach to the subject via integrated clips or magnets. They capture pristine sound well above what your smartphone can do, with a 20-20 kHz frequency range and 73 dB signal-to-noise ratio.

DJI Mic 2 for $199 (26 percent off): DJI's Mic 2 can not only be connected to a mirrorless camera like other mics, but also supports Bluetooth audio so can easily be connected to a smartphone as well. It picks up audio from your subject at a range of up to 820 feet (less with a Bluetooth connection) and automatically reduces background noise like wind, city sounds and even drone noise. And unlike the Mic 3, it lets you plug in an external microphone. This deal includes two mic transmitters, a receiver for your camera, a charging case and wind muffs.

DJI RS 4 Mini $289 (22 percent off): The RS 4 Mini is one of the best handheld camera stabilizers on the market thanks to features like its 4.4 pound payload and automatic axis lock. On top of that, the company introduced automatic tracking via its RS Intelligent Tracking Module to keep human subjects in frame no matter where they go. It also offers smoother gimbal tracking, longer battery life and faster charging.

SanDisk 512GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-II Memory Card for $280 (15 percent off): High speed SD memory cards rarely go on sale, but you can grab one of the best ones for a cool 15 percent off the regular price. It'll let you capture longer photo bursts and high-bandwidth MP4 video with no issues. 

Lexar 64GB Professional 2000x SD Card $48 (31 percent off): If you need very fast SD UHS II memory, Lexar currently has an excellent deal on its 64GB 2000x memory card. It offers 300MB/s read and 260Mb/s write speeds, quick enough to capture high data rate video or bursts of high-resolution photos. Amazon is also offering a solid discount on 256GB memory in the same lineup at $165 or 23 percent off.

Samsung Evo Select 512GB microSD memory card for $33 (30 percent off): This card offers a lot of storage for the money at this price, but it's fast enough to handle 4K video for drone and action camera storage. 

Samsung P9 512GB microSD Express memory card for $75 (25 percent off): If you want a fast card for your drone or action cam that can also be used on a Switch 2, Samsung has the answer. It's P9 512GB microSD express card is on sale for just $75, or 25 percent off the regular price. It can run at speeds up to 800MB/s on the Switch 2, and transfer files in compatibility mode at up to 160Mbps. 

Lexar 512GB Professional Silver CFexpress Type B memory card for $110 (24 percent off): If you just bought a new camera with a CFexpress slot and are wincing at the card prices, this is a great deal. You get 512GB of storage with sustained write speeds up to 1,150 MB/s, fast enough for RAW capture in most formats. 

Lexar 160GB Professional CFexpress Type A Card GOLD Series for $90 (52 percent off): If you have a recent Sony camera CFexpress Type A slots and are waiting for a deal, this is a great one. Save $100 from Lexar's regular price for this card and a cool $140 off what Sony charges for its own cards. 

Aputure MC RGBWW LED Light for $72 (20 percent off): This is a popular video light that can provide primary illumination or be used as a background light for interviews and more. I can attest that this product rarely goes on sale, so now's the time to snap one up. 

Manfrotto Befree GT PRO 4-section travel tripod $299 (36 percent off): Belying its miniscule 4.23 pound weight, this model offers ultra-stable performance for timelapse and other shots, even in bad weather. It's also great for video thanks to the integrated 3-way pan/tilt head, featuring fluid cartridges for precise control and seamless movements.

Lexar 2TB Professional CFexpress Type A memory card for $509 (15 percent off): For those looking for fast and copious storage for modern mirrorless cameras, Lexar's 2TB Professional CFexpress Type A Silver 4.0 memory card is a good solution. It offers 1,750 MB/s read and 1,650 MB/s write speeds fast enough to handle RAW video from most cameras.

Canon Mount Adapter EF - EOS R for $149 (38 percent off): If you recently bought a new Canon mirrorless EOS RF camera and have a bunch of older EF lenses, you'll need this. It not only adapts EF lenses perfectly to the RF mount, it gives you full electronic autofocus and exposure control. 

Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 lens $197 (34 percent off): Panasonic and Micro Four Thirds users on a budget in need of a fast 50mm equivalent prime should check this one out. It offers beautiful bokeh and fast speeds in low light, but costs nearly half the price of f/1.4 models.

Sony FE50mm f/1.8 lens for $228 (19 percent off): With a fast f/1.8 aperture, this lens produces great bokeh to help you separate your subject from the foreground. With this sale, it's Sony's cheapest prime portrait lens that still offers excellent sharpness. 

Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 Lens $497 (17 percent off): If you want a fast 50mm portrait lens but don't have a ton to spend, Nikon's Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 lens is on sale for just $497, making it one of the cheapest full-frame options available. At the same time, it offers exceptional sharpness and excellent color rendition, with beautiful bokeh that will flatter your subjects.

Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 lens $448 (31 percent off): I own this lens and it's fast, sharp and versatile for portraits while offering considerable savings compared to an f/1.4 portrait. It's also great for working pros due to the dust-, splash- and freeze-resistant design and very light weight next to other brands.

Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 Lens $577 (15 percent off): If you're looking for a fast full-frame Nikon Z prime in the 35-50mm category for portraits, architecture or street photos, Nikon has a stellar deal. The Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 lens is fast and sharp with painterly bokeh thanks to the 9-blade iris design. It's great for video as well, with the silent STM mechanism offering silent autofocus and suppressed focus breathing.

Canon RF24-70mm F2.8 L lens $2,299 (12 percent off): If you've been eyeballing a fast Canon RF mount zoom, now's the time to act. The RF24-70mm f/2.8 L lens rarely goes on sale, but is now available with a $200 (8 percent) discount. It offers an f/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range so you get awesome bokeh for portraits and high versatility in low light situations.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-cyber-monday-camera-and-drone-deals-get-up-to-52-percent-off-from-sony-dji-and-others-082305849.html?src=rss

Uber and WeRide’s Abu Dhabi robotaxi service is now fully driverless

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After announcing its robotaxi service in Abu Dhabi last year, Uber and WeRide are finally deploying fully autonomous vehicles in in the city, Uber announced. If you request an UberX or Uber Comfort vehicle in designated parts of the city, you'll now get an option for a driverless WeRide vehicle. 

Uber first launched its service with Chinese robotaxi operator WeRide back in 2024, but only with safety drivers aboard at first. Now, the fully driverless service will be offered in a 12 square mile tourist area called Yas Island, with expansion planned for other parts of the city down the road. 

Anyone in the Yas Island area can select the "Autonomous" option in the Uber app, though it doesn't guarantee a driverless vehicle. The cars in use, shown above, are WeRide's five-place GXR model (based on Geely's Farizon SuperVan) with more than 20 sensors and cameras. 

Uber has partnered with multiple robotaxi operators including Waymo in Atlanta, Baidu in Asia and the Middle East and Momenta in Europe. With those, Uber focuses on the consumer ride-matching part of the service while its partners supply the vehicles. For WeRide, though, Uber is handling fleet operations in collaboration with taxi company Tawasul Transport, including maintenance, charging and more. Uber and WeRide intend to launch in an additional 15 cities over the next several years. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-and-werides-abu-dhabi-robotaxi-service-is-now-fully-driverless-133013746.html?src=rss

Sony’s A7 IV and A7R V cameras are on sale for all-time-low prices for Black Friday

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Ready to move up from your smartphone camera? Sony's A7 IV and A7R V cameras are top picks in Engadget's camera buying guide and now they're both now on sale at all-time lows for the holidays. Sony's A7 IV, which I said has "the best combination of image quality, performance and video powers" is on sale for $1,998, or 26 percent off the regular price. And the A7R V, which shoots beautiful 61MP images and offers fast and accurate autofocus, has hit at an all-time low of $3,298 or 21 percent ($898) off. Note that these are both "body only" models — you'll need to seek out lenses for these models, too. (Welcome to the world of real photography.)

With a superb score of 90 in my review, Sony's A7 IV is still one of the best hybrid cameras you can get thanks to the high resolution, fast shooting speeds and 4K 60p video. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and it comes with in-body stabilization to help smooth your shots. And for photographers, image quality has never been better thanks to the high dynamic range and enhanced resolution compared to the previous model. Although it does see occasional discounts, I've never seen it drop below $2,000, so if you've been looking, now is a perfect time to buy.

Sony's A7R V garnered a similarly superb Engadget review. With a 61-megapixel sensor, it shoots sharp and beautiful images at a very respectable speed for such a high-resolution model (10 fps). It has equally fast and reliable autofocus, the sharpest viewfinder on the market and in-body stabilization that’s much improved over the A7R IV. Video has even improved, with 8K and 10-bit options now on tap. Again, there's never been a better time to buy one, as Sony told me this is the lowest price it has ever been sold at. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/sonys-a7r-iv-and-a7r-v-cameras-are-on-sale-for-all-time-low-prices-for-black-friday-132107036.html?src=rss

Disney teases an Olaf robot for its parks

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Disney has unveiled a new animatronic in the form of Olaf, the carrot-nosed snowman from the Frozen series of films. The robotic character will roam the streets of the upcoming World of Frozen (coming soon to Adventure World at Disneyland Paris) and make "limited-time special appearances at World of Frozen at the Hong Kong Disneyland resort," Disney wrote on its parks blog. 

Olaf, seen in prototype form in a 30-minute Disney video, can walk on his little snowball legs, emote realistically and speak with visitors. During the video, Disney Imagineering Paris exec Michel Den Dulk removes and replaces the robot's nose and arm, something park visitors will also be able to do. 

To help make Olaf look authentic and toon-like in his movements, the Imagineering team used AI reinforcement learning. That allowed them to teach the robot how to walk and perform "graceful" motions in far less time than it would have taken to program it manually, Disney said. The fact that Olaf has a soft, snow-like exterior also let them "fully articulate his mouth, eyes, and removable carrot nose and arms." 

The timing of the announcement is pretty wild considering that Defunctland, the amusement park history site, just released a four-hour YouTube documentary about the broken promise of Disney's animatronics. The main point was that Disney has announced many such characters but only shows them off at a few special events before shoving them away, Westworld basement-style, never to be seen again. 

A few examples of those are the Wall-E robot in the aughts and, more recently, Groot and Star Wars droids. Those served mainly as marketing pieces for Disney, as they only appeared in the parks for specific tests and then disappeared. Disney even made a robot called Big Dino that was 13 feet tall and weighed 11,000 pounds — though it's probably best that one wasn't roaming around the parks greeting visitors.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/disney-teases-an-olaf-robot-for-its-parks-151017739.html?src=rss

DoJ agrees to settle with RealPage in rent collusion software case

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Last year, the Department of Justice filed an antitrust suit against software company RealPage, accusing it of manipulating the rental housing market and driving up prices. Now, the DoJ has announced a proposed settlement that would put limits on RealPage's ability to collect and use sensitive information gathered from landlords. Under the terms, though, RealPage would pay no damages and admit to no wrongdoing. 

Texas-based RealPage’s software is said to manage over 24 million rental units globally. The DOJ’s original complaint accused the company of working with landlords who agree to share “nonpublic, competitively sensitive information” about rental rates and other lease terms. RealPage then uses that data to train algorithms for its YieldStar software, which generate pricing and other recommendations “based on their and their rivals’ competitively sensitive information,” according to the DOJ.

If approved by the court, the settlement would require RealPage to only used landlord data that's 12 months or older in its algorithm. RealPage would also need to "remove or redesign" features that discourage landlords from lowering prices or prompt them to match competitors' prices. Its software would not be allowed to offer "hyperlocalized pricing" information that can manipulate rents "block-by-block," according to the DoJ's assist attorney general, Abigail Slater. 

"Competing companies must make independent pricing decisions, and with the rise of algorithmic and artificial intelligence tools, we will remain at the forefront of vigorous antitrust enforcement," Slater said in a statement. 

However, as the dedicated real estate site Propmodo put it, the "outcome looks much closer to a reset than a punishment," adding that the government will likely focus enforcement on tools that steer collective behavior. "Algorithms will continue to shape pricing strategies, but with clearer boundaries." 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/doj-agrees-to-settle-with-realpage-in-rent-collusion-software-case-130002364.html?src=rss

DJI Black Friday deals include the Mic Mini kit with a charging case on sale for just $80

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A good-quality wireless microphone can make or break a video, but getting the right one can cost a pretty penny. But if you're a creator on the hunt for a microphone then there's a great Black Friday deal for you. DJI's Mic Mini kit is on sale for $80, down from $170 at B&H Photo Video. This 53 percent discount is an all-time low price for the kit of two mics, a receiver and a charging case (plus two windscreens and other accessories).

If you don't need the charging case, you can get it without for just $66 — a savings of 45 percent. You can also grab the bundle with a single mic, receiver, charging dock and accessories for $45, or 49 percent off the regular price. While you're at it, check out DJI's best Black Friday camera deals.  

DJI's Mic Mini microphones (transmitters) weigh just a third of an ounce and attach easily to subjects via magnets or clips. Everything pairs automatically and they offer high quality 24-bit, 20Hz to 20K Hz recording. They also connect easily to smartphones over Bluetooth and other DJI devices like the Action 5 Pro and Osmo Pocket 3 cams using DJI's OsmoAudio direct connection. With a range of 1300 feet and 48 hours of battery life with the charger case, they're an excellent addition to a creator's bag of tricks. Again, note that you can grab one a big cheaper without the charing case. 

DJI's Mic Mini deal includes two mic transmitters and a receiver that can be connected to a camera or phone, along with the charging case, two windscreens, a splitter USB-C cable for charging, a 3.5mm camera audio cable, two magnetic clips, a smartphone adapter, a charging cable and a compact carrying case. At this price the deal may not last the week, so if you've been eyeing one, act quickly.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/dji-black-friday-deals-include-the-mic-mini-kit-with-a-charging-case-on-sale-for-just-80-102735776.html?src=rss

The DJI Osmo Pocket 3 vlogging camera is 36 percent off for Black Friday

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Black Friday deals have discounted the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 by a ton. The vlogging camera is down to $510 right now, which is 36 percent off its usual price. While that's off the earlier low of $502, it's probably the best deal you'll find on the Pocket 3 for some time, considering US tariffs recently forced DJI to jack up prices.

When DJI's Osmo Pocket 3 came out I said it was “maybe the only vlogging camera you need.” To start with, it has a big one-inch sensor that boosts image quality considerably, particularly in low light. You also get a large swiveling touchscreen that makes it easier to switch between horizontal and vertical video. What really makes it great for vlogging, though, are the follow modes combined with face tracking. When working solo, you can simply set it up and it’ll rotate and tilt to follow you around — so you don’t have to worry about focus or even pointing the camera at yourself. 

While there’s very little not to like about the Osmo Pocket 3, it’s not ideal for photos and is also quite expensive. But with the Black Friday deal and DJI's Osmo Pocket 4 rumored to be arriving in December, it's a great time to buy one — just act quickly as stocks may run out. There are a ton of other Black Friday camera deals available now, too, so be sure to check those out if you're looking for some new gear.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/the-dji-osmo-pocket-3-vlogging-camera-is-36-percent-off-for-black-friday-092339986.html?src=rss

DJI Osmo Action 6 review: An action camera that excels in low light

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DJI may be the big dog in drones, but it plays third fiddle to GoPro and Insta360 in the action cam market. To better stand out, the company has launched the Osmo Action 6 with a pair of innovative features. The first is a big, square sensor that boosts video quality in low light, while making it easy to output both horizontal and vertical video. The second is a variable aperture for flexible shooting in both bright and dark conditions.

As DJI’s new flagship non-360 action cam, the Action 6 goes up against GoPro’s Hero 13 and the Insta360 Ace Pro 2. Both of those can capture higher resolution footage, so they’re better for most users in daylight conditions. However, if you shoot a lot in dim or contrasty light, DJI’s Action 6 may be your best option.

I’ve already gone through the Osmo Action 6’s specs in my earlier news post, so check that to see the full details. As for what’s new, the first key feature is the variable f/2.0-f/4.0 aperture — the first ever in an action cam. This allows for brighter video and improved stabilization when shooting at night compared to the fixed f/2.8 aperture on the Action 5 Pro. It also offers shallower depth of field and more flexibility on sunny days.

The first thing I noticed with this feature was the lack of full manual control. You can only set it to fixed f/2.6, f/2.8 and f/4.0 “starburst” modes, or automatic settings ranging from f/2.0-f/4.0 up to f/2.8-f/4.0. That means f/2.0 isn’t available as a fixed aperture, which is too bad as that would be ideal for portraits.

Still, variable aperture is a highly useful feature. In auto mode, it ramps from one setting to another in fine steps (f/2.1 to f/2.2, for example), so I never saw any exposure jumps. In low light, I could dial the ISO range down to avoid excessive noise, giving me higher video quality. However, I’d love to see full manual control in a future update.

Another key feature is the new 1/1.1-inch (0.56 inch diagonal) square sensor that allows a wide range of resolutions and aspect ratios. The Action 6 supports vertical and horizontal resolutions up to 4K, in either 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios for the latter orientation. The best new setting, though, is Custom, which lets you shoot 3,840 x 3,840 square video.

At 60 fps (a standard frame rate for action videos), GoPro’s Hero 13 maxes out at 5,312 x 2,988 pixels, while the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 can hit 3,840 x 2,880 pixels. That makes the Osmo Action 6 the only current action cam with 4K vertical resolution at 60 fps.

The benefit is that you can film for both horizontal and vertical video platforms like YouTube and TikTok, respectively, with no need to rotate the camera and no loss in resolution. If that sounds familiar, it’s the same reason Apple adopted a square sensor on the iPhone 17’s front camera.

I tested the Custom aspect ratio in DaVinci Resolve Studio and it made exports a breeze. First, I created and exported a standard 4K horizontal timeline, then simply copied the contents to a vertical timeline. After reframing a few shots to keep the action centered, I was able to immediately export a 4K TikTok video. That’s a big time saver for busy editors.

Sample image from the DJI Osmo Action 6 in
Sample image from the DJI Osmo Action 6 in "Custom" mode
Steve Dent for Engadget

With a 30 percent larger sensor, the Action 6 is better for night or interior shooting using 6,400 ISO and up. Compared to the Action 5 Pro, I found nighttime video from the Action 6 to be considerably cleaner. DJI also improved the Night setting itself: video is cleaner, noise reduction is applied less aggressively and everything looks more natural.

The new sensor and variable aperture also help DJI’s Rocksteady 3.0 digital stabilization in low light. If you’re filming from a bicycle at night, for instance, the Action 6 will use a higher shutter speed than the Action 5, so video will be sharper. That helps the stabilization algorithm produce a better result with less pixelation and tearing.

In daylight conditions, the Action 6 delivers sharp, color-accurate video that can be used straight out of the camera — just like the Action 5. However, in contrasty scenarios like a sun-dappled forest trail, the Action 6 has a slight advantage. When I engaged the 10-bit D-LogM setting to boost dynamic range, I noticed that dark shadow areas had more detail and less noise than they did in footage from the Action 5 Pro or GoPro Hero 13.

However, the GoPro Hero 13’s extra resolution is an advantage if you mostly use YouTube and other horizontal formats. With up to 5,312 x 2,988 pixels at 60 fps, it offers sharper 4K video after supersampling and more room to reframe shots in post production without any loss in quality.

DJI Osmo Action 6's
DJI Osmo Action 6's "Custom" square format shown with gridlines enabled
Steve Dent for Engadget

If you like shooting wide but hate the distortion, DJI’s Natural Wide field of view is a nice addition. The regular Wide setting tends to distort vertical lines, but Natural Wide keeps everything nice and straight while providing a greater field of view.

Finally, I tested the Action 6’s new Film Tone feature that borrows a trick from Fujifilm’s simulations. It’s a way to get some fun looks straight out of the camera, like “pristine and cool tones” or “classic negative film type.”. The results are great for anyone who doesn’t want to fiddle with color in post-production, though DJI needs to add a few more options like black and white or sepia.

With its bigger sensor the Osmo Action 6 is slightly larger than the Action 5 Pro in all dimensions, but around the same weight at 5.26 ounces. As before, it can connect to up to two DJI wireless microphones at once, including the Mic 2, Mic 3 and Mic Mini. And it comes with DJI’s new dual-latch Quick-Release Adapter Mount that can be attached in either direction, but supports all of DJI’s past accessories.

Unlike its competition, the Osmo Action 6 comes with 50GB of internal memory (up from 47GB before) along with a microSD card slot. That means you won’t be screwed if you forget a memory card, as most of us have done at one point or another. DJI also doubled the Wi-Fi transfer speeds to 80MB/s and boosted USB-C transfer rates to 800MB/s.

The Osmo Action 6 has a new dual-latch Quick-Release Adapter Mount but works with all of DJI's previous accessories
Steve Dent for Engadget

As before, the Action 6 is waterproof to 20 meters (66 feet) by itself, or nearly 200 feet with DJI's waterproof case. And on top of voice control, the Action 6 supports gestures as well, so you can now wave at the camera to start and stop video (like you can with the new Neo 2 drone). With the same 1,950mAh Extreme Battery Plus as before, shooting time between charges is four hours at 1080p and two hours at 4K.

Finally, DJI has introduced two removable lenses for the Action 6, given DJI some competition in that regard. The first is a macro lens with a minimum focal distance of just 4.3 inches, making it ideal for closeup work and portraits. The other is an FOV expansion lens that boosts the field of view from 155 to 182 degrees.

With a bigger sensor and larger aperture than the competition, DJI’s Action 6 is now the best action cam on the market for night shooting, delivering clean, sharp video with better stabilization than rivals. It’s also ideal for users who output to both YouTube and TikTok.

For regular daytime shooting, though, the extra resolution offered on GoPro’s Hero 13 might be preferable for some users. All that aside, it may come down simply to the price. DJI’s Action 6 starts at $369 ($439 with extra batteries and a charger), compared to $309 for the Hero 13 Black and $420 for Insta360’s Ace Pro 2. These are all great choices, but if low-light capability is more important than resolution, choose the Osmo Action 6.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/dji-osmo-action-6-review-an-action-camera-that-excels-in-low-light-143027343.html?src=rss

Spotify’s SongDNA feature will show you which songs are sampled on a track

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Spotify has unveiled an upcoming interactive feature called SongDNA designed to show you the samples, collaborators and covers included in a given track, the company announced. As part of that update, Spotify also revealed that it has acquired WhoSampled, the company behind the SongDNA technology.

"Through our recent discussions with Spotify, it became clear that we share a strong belief in the power of musical context — and a vision for helping listeners go deeper into the songs they love," the WhoSampled team wrote in a blog post. 

Terms of the deal weren't disclosed, but Spotify is acquiring both the WhoSampled team and its database. WhoSampled's standalone platform and brand will continue to operate following the deal with improvements like faster moderation times, the elimination of display ads and free downloads and subscriptions for its mobile apps.

Spotify Premium users will see the SongDNA feature in the "Now Playing" view. It's described as a way to see connections between songs, "showing collaborators, samples and covers all in one place," Spotify wrote. 

In the song Kiss me More (feat. SZA), for example, SongDNA shows Carter Lang and two other composers, along with Doja Cat and SZA as the main artists. It reveals that a sample is used from Olivia Newton-John's Physical and that Kiss me More has been covered multiple times, most prominently in a Japanese version by the artist Rainych.   

Spotify is also working on a feature called "About the song," showing swipeable cards in the "Now Playing" view. Those will reveal information like the inspiration for a song, how the music was created and the cultural impact — all with links to the sources.

London-based WhoSampled tracks over 1.2 million songs and 622,000 samples in its database, along with covers, remixes and artists. Its mobile app offers a Shazam-style music recognition service that can tell you the song you're listening to and any samples it might contain. The two companies have partnered previously on a deal that allows WhoSampled users to access their Spotify playlists and tracks.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotifys-songdna-feature-will-show-you-which-songs-are-sampled-on-a-track-130050490.html?src=rss