The Internet Archive has been hit with a series of DDoS attacks this week that have taken the service offline. The Verge noticed a popup on the site today when the online database went down. The popup has since disappeared, but the site is not currently available.
According to security researcher Troy Hunt, the DDoS attack came just as the Internet Archive was preparing to disclose a previous breach of its site that resulted in the theft of more than 31 million records. Hunt, who runs the haveibeenpwned service, said that the timing of the two attacks appears to be "entirely coincidental" and that there are likely "multiple parties" involved. " It's clearly not just one attack," he wrote.
🚨🚨🚨The Wayback Machine looks like it has been compromised.
Internet Archive founder Brewster Kahle has been publishing updates on the attacks on X, with the latest news simply that the team is attempting to bring the site back online. A DDoS organization known as Blackmeta claimed responsibility for the attacks with a confusing message that the platform "belongs to the USA." The Internet Archive is a non-profit headquartered in San Francisco that provides free access to a vast library of software and media, as well as hosting the Wayback Machine web archive. The message also referenced the stolen records with "HIBP" referring to Hunt's haveibeenpwned site that tracks compromised accounts.
This isn't the first time the archive has been targeted by DDoS attacks, but this week's attacks are the latest in a string of bad news for the Internet Archive. The platform has been fighting a legal battle over ebook copyrights and recently lost its appeal in the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
Update October 9, 2024, 7:25 PM ET: This story was updated with additional information from security researcher Troy Hunt.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/the-internet-archive-taken-down-by-ddos-attacks-222317044.html?src=rss
Amazon’s fall Prime Day sale has brought a handful of decent discounts on Apple devices, from the AirPods Pro 2 to the Apple Watch SE to the latest MagSafe Charger. If you’ve been waiting to take the plunge and don’t want to hold out until Black Friday, here are the best Apple deals we could find from the Prime Big Deal Days event. We’ll update this post if we find anything new. As a refresher, the sale runs through the end of the day today, and you’ll need to subscribe to Prime to view some of the deals.
Apple AirPods Max for $395 ($154 off): This matches the all-time low for Apple’s over-ear noise-cancelers, though this price only applies to the older Lightning-based model, not the newer revision with USB-C. If you can live with the outdated charging port and somewhat bulky design, though, the old model still offers clean sound and top-notch ANC.
Apple AirPods 4 for $119 ($10 off): This modest discount has been available for a few weeks now, but it's still worth highlighting given that Apple only launched its new wireless earbuds last month. We gave the pair a review score of 88, praising its improved fit, comfort and overall sound quality. This model doesn't include active noise cancellation or wireless charging, however.
Apple Watch SE (2nd gen, GPS) for $170 ($79 off): It’s getting a bit long in the tooth, but the entry-level Apple Watch remains a fine choice for first-time smartwatch buyers, so long as you can live without the larger always-on display and more advanced health features of the pricier Series 10. This is another one of the lowest prices we’ve tracked for the 40mm model; the larger 44mm variant is similarly discounted at $200.
Apple MacBook Air M2 (13-inch) for $749 ($250 off): It's a generation old now, but the M2 MacBook Air offers most of the same benefits as the latest model, minus the slightly faster chip, dual external monitor support and improved storage speeds in the base model. This discount matches the lowest price we've seen. Just be sure you can live with 8GB of RAM before pulling the trigger. And if you need more storage, the 512GB model is also on sale at $200 more.
Apple MacBook Air M3 (13-inch) for $849 ($250 off): If you're willing to pay more for those upgrades, however, the latest and greatest MacBook Air is also discounted for $100 more. We've seen this discount a few times before, but it matches the entry-level model's lowest price to date. In general, we consider the M3 Air to be the best laptop for most people.
Apple MacBook Air M3 (15-inch) for $1,044 ($255 off): The 15-inch Air is a half-pound heavier than its 13-inch counterpart, but it has a more robust speaker system, and the added heft may be worth it if you need the extra screen space. This deal only beats the previous low by $5, but it's the best price we've tracked all the same. Note that this is the base model with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD; a config with double the memory and storage is down to a low of $1,423 as well.
The 15-inch Apple MacBook Air with an M3 chip.
Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget
Apple iPad (9th gen) for $199 ($130 off): This model has technically been discontinued, and we've seen this discount for much of the last couple of months, but it bears repeating that $199 is a great price for an iPad that's still perfectly competent for casual media consumption. You'll have to put up with thicker bezels, the antiquated Home button and a meager 64GB of storage, but you get (almost) the same clean software and expansive app library as any other Apple tablet.
Apple iPad mini (6th gen) for $350 ($149 off): To be clear, this is a bad time to buy the iPad mini, as Apple is expected to launch a long-overdue refresh before the end of the year. But if you don’t care about owning the latest and just want a small iPad for (relatively) cheap, this is about $30 less than the 8.3-inch slate’s typical street price over the last few months.
Apple MagSafe Charger (25W) for $32 ($7 off): While not a huge discount, this is the lowest price we’ve seen for the company’s newest MagSafe charger, which now supports wireless charging speeds up to 25W with the iPhone 16 (and an appropriate power brick).
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-prime-day-deals-on-airpods-apple-watches-ipads-macbooks-and-more-that-are-still-available-today-072544277.html?src=rss
Two former leaders from video game publisher Humble Games, Alan Patmore and Mark Nash, have launched a new outfit called Good Games Group. And ironically, the first deal this indie publisher has landed is with its team's old parent company. According to the statement from Good Games Group, the business will work with Humble Games to provide support for previously released titles.
"Good Games Group’s mission is to bring exceptional indie games to the global gaming community," CEO Alan Patmore said. "Partnering with Ziff Davis allows us to continue working with the amazing indie developers we collaborated with at Humble Games, while also allowing us to chart a new course for the future." Ziff Davis is a media conglomerate that owns sites such as IGN and Eurogamer as well as Humble Games.
In July, Humble Games announced a restructuring that saw most of the staff laid off. Although a rep from Humble Games said it would continue supporting the company's existing game lineup, this amount of upheaval is all but guaranteed to cause trouble for game developers. For instance, Squid Shock Games turned to a Patreon fundraiser to generate financial support for its game BĹŤ: Path of the Teal Lotus. The studio's debut title was released just before the Humble Games cuts.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/former-humble-games-staff-form-new-publisher-that-will-work-with-their-old-company-211539753.html?src=rss
October Prime Day 2024 has given Prime members another opportunity to save one some of our favorite tech and maybe even snag some holiday gifts early and for less. If you checked out Amazon's site yesterday or today, you may have quickly gotten overwhelmed by the volume of deals — we wouldn't blame you.
But Engadget can help make it easier to navigate the sea of discounts. We've curated the best October Prime Day deals on gadgets and gear we can find, including discounts on smartphones, tablets, gaming accessories, robot vacuums and more. These are the best Prime Day deals you can get in the final hours of the sale. We’ll be updating this post regularly throughout the duration of October Prime Day, so check back to see the latest discounts.
Apple deals can be hit or miss during Amazon Prime Day, but this year there are a number of good ones you can shop. Whether you've been on the hunt for a new Apple device for yourself or you know you want to pick one up as a gift, you can save a bit of cash if you do so now.
Apple AirPods Pro for $169 ($80 off): Apple's most powerful wireless earbuds have excellent ANC, a good sound profile and decent battery life, and thanks to a software update, they just got new features like voice isolation and Siri interactions (hearing aid features are coming soon).
Apple AirPods Max for $395 ($154 off): These expensive cans are a much better buy when on sale, and they boast excellent sound quality, good ANC, a luxe design and a solid battery life. They're available in Lightning or USB-C.
Apple Watch SE (2nd gen, GPS) for $170 ($79 off): The entry-level Apple Watch remains a fine choice for first-time smartwatch buyers, so long as you can live without the larger always-on display and more advanced health features of the pricier Series 10. This is another one of the lowest prices we’ve tracked for the 40mm model; the larger 44mm variant is similarly discounted at $200.
Apple 10th-gen iPad for $299 ($50 off): The new, baseline iPad updates a familiar device with a fresh design, improved performance, USB-C charging and a better battery life.
Apple 9th-gen iPad for $199 ($130 off): This model is on its way out, but $200 for an iPad is a solid sale price. This slab has a 10.2-inch display, an A13 Bionic chip and 64GB of storage — plus the antiquated physical Home button.
Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M2 for $749 ($250 off): Despite having a slightly older chipset, the M2 MacBook Air remains a great budget option for most anyone, save those who regularly push their daily driver to the limit with activities like video editing.
One can never have too many charging accessories, be they cables, wireless charging pads or power banks. Anker makes some of our favorites across all those categories, and you'll find deep discounts on Anker gear for Prime Day.
Anker MagGo 3-in-1 charging stand for $72 ($28 off): This stand supports an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously, and it comes with a 40W wall charger and a USB-C to C cable which which to connect all the necessary pieces together.
Headphones and earbuds are typically some of the most plentiful deals on Prime Day, which makes it a great time to consider upgrading or picking up a pair for someone as a gift. Whether you prefer over-ear headphones or in-ear wireless buds, you'll find steep discounts across all types for Prime Day.
Aside from Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day is the best time of the year to pick up a piece of tech made by the online retailer. Usually, you can snag record-low prices on things like Echo speakers, Fire TV devices, Kindle ereaders and much more.
Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands. You can also grab it bundled with a free TP-Link smart light bulb.
Fire HD 8 tablet for $55 ($45 off): Amazon just released this new version of the HD 8 tablet, which includes more RAM, a better camera and new AI features not found on the previous model.
Ring pan and tilt security camera for $50 ($30 off): This security camera joined the Ring lineup only a few months ago, and this is the best price we've seen on it. It's part of a larger Ring sale that discounts home security gear by up to 50 percent.
Best Prime Day Lego deals
A number of Lego sets have already been discounted for October Prime Day. Some of our favorites come from the Star Wars, Super Mario and Harry Potter lineups, and you'll find savings up to 41 percent on those.
Best Prime Day deals on robot vacuums and smart home gadgets
Everyone needs a vacuum, regardless of if you prefer to do the chore yourself or automate it with a robotic gadget. Plenty of top robot vacuums (and cordless vacuums) are on sale for Prime Day, along with a number of other smart home gadgets we recommend.
Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum cleaner for $300 ($120 off): Shark’s robo-vac can clean both carpet and hard floors well and maps your home while it cleans so you can more easily send it to specific rooms and areas when you want. Its self-emptying base can also hold up to 60 days worth of debris.
Dyson V15 Detect Plus cordless vacuum cleaner for $570 ($180 off): This version of our top pick in our best cordless vacuum cleaner guide has superior suction power and can handle pet hair without breaking a sweat, plus it has 60 minutes of run time and comes with a number of cleaner-head accessories.
Best Prime Day deals on kitchen tech
Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget
The right kitchen tech can make all the difference in your cooking journey, whether you've just started to meal-prep or you have a multi-course Thanksgiving menu already planned. This fall Prime Day, we're seeing big discounts on some of our favorite small appliances from air fryers to pizza ovens to ice cream machines.
Ninja DualZone air fryer for $168 ($32 off): This 8-quart model of one of our favorite air fryers can cook two totally different foods at the same time, and you can set it up for both foods to be done cooking at the same time. The larger, 10-quart model is $50 off and down to $200.
Cosori 9-in-1 air fryer for $85.49 ($33.51 off): This newer air fry from Cosori has nine preset cooking modes and a six-quart capacity that makes it just the right size to cook a good amount of food without taking up too much space on most countertops.
Yes, Black Friday is right around the corner, but it would be unwise to sleep on Prime Day tech deals (particularly if you already pay the annual fee to be a Prime member). We're seeing steep discounts on smartphones, TVs, streaming devices, gaming gear and much more this time around, making it a good time to pick up something for yourself or cross a few items off your holiday shopping list early.
LG 55-inch C4 evo OLED smart TV for $1,297 ($700 off): LG's midrange OLED sets, the C4 family includes upgraded Alpha 9 Gen 7 chip, improved brightness and a 144Hz max refresh rate. Most sizes are discounted at the moment.
Dyson V15 Detect Plus cordless vacuum cleaner for $570 ($180 off): This version of our top pick in our best cordless vacuum cleaner guide has superior suction power and can handle pet hair without breaking a sweat, plus it has 60 minutes of run time and comes with a number of cleaner-head accessories.
Dyson Airwrap for $500 ($100 off): Dyson's immensely popular hair styling tool uses the Coanda effect to help create waves and curls without excess heat.
SanDisk Ultra microSD card (1.5TB) for $89 ($61 off): If you don’t care about performance so much and just want a big chunk of space for as little cash as possible, this deal should work. You’ll have to deal with slower transfer speeds, but the discount takes roughly $20 off this 1.5TB card’s typical going rate in recent months.
Crucial X9 Pro portable SSD (1TB) for $85 ($10 off): The X9 Pro is the top pick in our guide to the best portable SSDs, combining dependable performance with a rugged compact design. We've seen this 1TB model go for much less in previously sales, but it's sat in the $90 to $100 range for almost all of the past year. This discount marks the lowest price we've seen since January.
Sonos Era 100 for $199 ($50 off): This is one of our favorite smart speakers thanks to its excellent sound quality, Trueplay tuning and Bluetooth support. Plus, if you have two of them, you can pair them for a stellar stereo sound experience.
Roku Ultra (2024) for $79 ($21 off): The brand new Ultra is 30 percent faster than the previous model, and it supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and Wi-Fi 6.
Elgato Stream Deck+ for $170 ($30 off): This upgraded version of the popular streaming controller includes eight programmable buttons, four dials and a touch strip, all of which work together to let you build the ultimate controller for your gaming or productivity setup.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-prime-day-deals-to-shop-for-on-the-last-day-of-amazons-big-deal-days-sale-apple-anker-sony-and-more-162402816.html?src=rss
The Prime Day deals are still rolling in, and here's some good ones for the audiophiles. Bose QuietComfort headphones are available for a record-low price of $199. That's more than 40 percent off the usual list price for one of our favorite picks for a noise-canceling Bluetooth headset.
Bose has a reputation for excellent audio tech and the QuietComfort line has adjustable EQ so you can tailor the sound balance to your tastes. The wireless headset promises "all day battery life," but you can also opt to use them in a wired configuration. There are also multiple colors available at this reduced price, including the Blue Dusk hue that's an Amazon exclusive.
The base headset isn't the only one currently on sale. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are also discounted to $329 for Prime Day. This high-end model impressed us with its combination of top-notch noise canceling and spatial audio technology. It also has touch controls built into the earcups and the headset can be turned off with head motions. The Ultra model offers the same 24 hours of battery life as the main model.
If you're already set with over-ear headphones, you might be more interested in the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds. Those are on sale for $229, almost a quarter off the usual retail price. This set has the same blend of spatial audio and noise canceling as the Ultra model, but in earbud form. We found the Immersive Audio mode was a big battery drain, but otherwise these Bose earbuds are a stellar choice for in-ear headphones.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bose-quietcomfort-headphones-are-on-sale-for-a-record-low-199-for-prime-day-200658836.html?src=rss
GM is charting a course away from its Ultium battery system. The company is dropping that standardized approach in favor of a wider range of battery cell chemistries and physical formats.
The automaker had hoped that, by adopting a unified system across all of its EVs as well as other products, it would be able to reduce costs and ship them faster. The plan was to pack the flat pouch-style Ultium cells into a variety of modules depending on what was needed for each EV.
Things haven't gone smoothly, as Ars Technica notes. Among other things, COVID-19 slowed down the company's EV roadmap and there were problems with the robots that assembled the modules.
"It now makes business sense to transition from one-size-fits-all to new program-specific batteries," Kurt Kelty, GM's vice president of batteries, said at an investor event. The automaker hopes that switching from Ultium's nickel cobalt manganese chemistry to lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery tech will lower the cost of its EVs by as much as $6,000. As The Verge notes, Tesla and Ford are among those that use LFP cells, which are said to be cheaper and less complicated to manufacture. The second-gen Chevy Bolt, which is slated to arrive in late 2025, will use such batteries.
GM plans to build a new battery research facility at the Warren Tech Center in Michigan. The team there will explore cylindrical and prismatic cells in addition to the pouch format. Researchers will also look into alternative battery chemistries.
The shift in battery strategy comes as GM chases profitability in its EV division. The company said it's getting close to that point. It's on track to build and sell around 200,000 EVs this year. GM now claims to be the number two EV seller in North America behind Tesla.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/gm-is-ditching-its-one-size-fits-all-ultium-battery-system-and-adopting-other-cell-formats-193041348.html?src=rss
Amazon just announced a coming expansion of its same-day prescription delivery service, with 20 more cities and affiliated metro areas entering the program next year. This expansion will open up the feature to nearly half of US residents.
The company said it’s currently embedding pharmacies in many of its same-day delivery facilities to allow for the advanced rollout. The service already exists in cities like Miami, Phoenix and Seattle, but next year it’ll be coming to Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and around a dozen more national hotspots.
Amazon says that in most cases “a customer can order medication by 4PM and receive it at home by 10PM.” This is achieved via traditional delivery methods, though the company has been testing prescription delivery drones in Texas.
The delivery service is available via Amazon Pharmacy, which offers free shipments of prescriptions to Prime members. The service first launched in 2020 and has allowed the company to enter the healthcare space in a major way. Amazon also operates a virtual healthcare service, which is available in all 50 states.
The company recently boasted that it has doubled the number of customers it delivers prescriptions to. This number will likely shoot up even higher once the service becomes available in more cities next year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-to-bring-same-day-prescription-deliveries-to-nearly-half-of-the-us-next-year-185708164.html?src=rss
Amazon said on Wednesday that it’s rolling out new online ordering methods for Prime members, including the ability to bundle standard orders and groceries in one same-day shipment. The company is also adding more combined Amazon / Whole Foods fulfillment centers and trialing a store where robots pack your Amazon orders while you shop for groceries.
The company’s bundling of same-day Amazon.com orders with groceries kicks off in the Phoenix area. Customers there can shop “tens of thousands of grocery items” (including fresh ones) alongside regular Amazon orders for things like AirPods or Lego sets. The items will be bundled in one order and arrive together in a user-selected, same-day or overnight delivery window.
The company plans to expand the combined same-day model to more areas after it tests and learns from the Phoenix trial.
Along similar lines, Amazon is expanding its product range in some Amazon Fresh fulfillment centers. The company is modifying 26 of them globally to add “the best of Whole Foods Market and household goods on Amazon.com.” Like the Phoenix-area trial, it aims to more efficiently combine orders from separate branches of the sprawling online store.
Finally, the company is trialing a Whole Foods Market of the future in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania (about 19 miles from Philadelphia). The store will add an automated Amazon.com micro-fulfillment center to serve up household items (Amazon used the examples of Tide Pods and Pepsi) while you cruise the aisles, buying organic spinach and pita bread.
You’ll order on your phone, and robots will prepare them in the back-of-house while you shop. The app will include a countdown of estimated time remaining before it’s finished. The idea is for the micro-fulfillment center order to be complete by the time you check out: Take your phone to the counter, grab your Tide Pods and get hopping.
The service will launch at the Plymouth Meeting store in 2025. The video below shows a visualization of the futuristic Philly-area location in action.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-will-start-offering-regular-and-grocery-items-in-a-single-same-day-order-184227542.html?src=rss
Green Day'sDookie is an all-timer of an album and, if you were fortunate enough to catch the band on the road this summer, you'll know the trio sounds as good as ever. Audio quality, however, was not at the forefront of the band's latest release: demasters of every Dookie song on ridiculous and outdated formats to mark the record's 30th anniversary.
While other classic albums often get remasters for big anniversaries, Green Day (with the help of of an art studio called Brain) went in a lo-fi direction by re-releasing the music on defunct and/or inconvenient formats in very limited editions. As a result, you can hear what "Basket Case" sounds like through a Big Mouth "Billie" Bass, listen to "Welcome to Paradise" via a Game Boy cartridge and enjoy (or not) "When I Come Around" emanating from a wax cylinder.
You can hear what each of the demasters sounds like on the Dookie Demastered website. But if you want to own one of them, you'll need to be lucky. Only between one and 50 of each demastered format is available and they're priced between $19 and $99, but thankfully it's not a first-come-first-served scenario. There's a random drawing and you'll get the chance to buy one of the items if your name's pulled from the hat.
Demastering is becoming more of a trend, especially invideo games, but this is simply a bizarre way to listen to an album as important for punk rock as Dookie was. It would be very cool to have an X-ray record of “Coming Clean” in my collection, though. (For the tape, Green Day did release a deluxe anniversary edition of the album.)
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/green-days-dookie-has-been-demastered-into-game-boy-carts-a-toothbrush-and-other-weird-formats-175246772.html?src=rss
Streaming company Plex just announced that it’s introducing a new reviews feature for TV shows and movies, as reported by TechCrunch. This is great for people who want to quickly find something good to watch, as the reviews are culled from other Plex users, professional critics and friends. This move places Plex in direct competition with apps like Letterboxd.
There’s also going to be a social media component to this toolset. Reviews can be shared with your friends and even friends of friends. The company says that, eventually, there will be an update that will allow users to share their ratings and reviews with anyone using Plex. The feature is in beta release right now and you can sign up with a verified email address on the web interface or the mobile app.
Plex
Of course, reviews must abide by Plex’s community guidelines, so keep it family-friendly. Once activated, you can access a new “Ratings and Reviews” option in settings that allows for criteria adjustments. These settings can be adjusted to only display reviews from Plex users, critics, or a combination of both.
This update follows the app’s Discover Together feature, which allows people to create profiles on the app and follow friends for personalized recommendations. Plex has been absolutely hoovering up investment capital lately. It scored $40 million earlier this year and $50 million back in 2021.
For the uninitiated, Plex is an extremely popular free, ad-supported television (FAST) streaming app. It easily made our list of the best live TV streaming services. However, it also acts as a portal to other streaming platforms, making for a centralized entertainment hub.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/plex-is-adding-reviews-for-tv-shows-and-movies-173622067.html?src=rss