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Apple AirTags are nearly 20 percent off for Prime Day

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We could all use a little help keeping track of our stuff, and Bluetooth trackers can do just that. Apple's AirTags are some of the most popular available and you can pick them up for less right now thanks to Prime Day deals. A four-pack of AirTags is 19 percent off and down to $80, bringing the price per tag down to just $20 each. If you only need one, you can get a single AirTag for $25.

These are our top pick for the best Bluetooth trackers for iPhone users, thanks to their seamless connection with the iOS device and their integration with Apple's Find My network. It takes mere seconds to pair and AirTag to your iPhone, assign it to your stuff and start monitoring its location via the Find My app.

We found AirTags to be quite accurate when locating lost things out in the while, and those with newer iPhones can take advantage of their ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless compatibility. When you're close enough to your lost stuff, your iPhone can show you on-screen directions to lead you right to it.

AirTags also have solid separation alerts, which will notify you if you, say, leave a coffee shop without your bag or leave your jacket behind at a restaurant. In our testing, we got roughly 1,200 feet away before getting most separation alerts, which isn't too far and should mean you cna easily (and quickly) return to grab your things before anything nefarious happens to them.

The main thing to know about AirTags, aside from their iOS exclusivity, is the fact that you don't have a built in keyring hole. That means you'll need an AirTag holder or case if you plan on attaching the small disk to your keys. If you want to use it to monitor a wallet or a backpack, you could more easily get away with just slipping it into an interior pocket. Also, AirTags run on coin-cell batteries; you shouldn't have to replace it for a couple of years, though, and battery replacement is quite simple.

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-airtags-are-nearly-20-percent-off-for-prime-day-072900571.html?src=rss

The newest Apple iPad mini falls to a new low of $350 for October Prime Day

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During the last day of Amazon's October Prime Day sale, Apple's current-model iPad mini is still going for just $350. That's $30 less than it sold for during Prime Day in July and marks a new all-time low for the smallest Apple tablet. The 30-percent discount takes a $149 off the $499 sticker price. Though, you'll notice the deal only applies to Prime members, so you'll need to have that subscription in place to get the full discount.

It's important to note that a new iPad mini may be announced soon — possibly during a yet-to-be announced October Apple event. But that new tablet isn't likely to be discounted. Plus, what you buy now should get years of support, considering the 4th generation of the iPad mini got five years of OS and security updates after it was discontinued in 2019, and the 5th-gen iPad model is still supported after getting dropped from the official lineup in 2019. 

We name the mini the best (and only) compact option in our guide to the best iPads. As far as where the model lands on Apple's tablet continuum, on one end there's the massive, 13-inch, M4-equipped, professionals-only, computer-replacing iPad Pro. Over at the other end is the mini. It's good at things like showing cooking videos, handling FaceTime calls and playing games — almost like a giant iPhone. 

The diminutive slab has an 8.3-inch screen that's pretty easy to hold in one hand, thanks to bezels that split the difference between screen real estate and giving your fingers a comfortable place to grip. It's equipped with Apple’s A15 Bionic system on a chip (SoC), which makes it technically faster than the standard 10th-gen iPad. And It's compatible with the 2nd-gen Apple Pencil and the Apple Pencil USB-C.  

When it came out back in 2021, Engadget's Valentina Palladino gave it a respectable review score of 89, praising the portability, that lead her to use it more often that she thought she would. She also found the updated 12MP front camera to be particularly nice for FaceTime calls, particularly with the Center Stage feature that keeps you in focus as you move about your space. 

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-newest-apple-ipad-mini-falls-to-a-new-low-of-350-for-october-prime-day-072832605.html?src=rss

Amazon’s October Prime Day sale includes the Apple Watch SE at a new low of $170

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We consider the Apple Watch to be the best smartwatch for most people (as long as you have an iPhone), but if you've never owned a wearable before or have a tight budget, you may not want to spend $400 or more on the new Series 10. The Apple Watch SE is a solid budget option, and October Prime Day deals have brought it down to an all-time-low price. You can pick one up for $170, which is about $80 off its normal going rate.

While there were rumors Apple was going to release a new Watch SE in September alongside the latest iPhones, that didn't materialize. The second-gen SE remains the most up-to-date version of the wearable, and it has very specific omissions to get its price down, namely the lack of an always-on display, no blood oxygen or temperature monitoring and no support for the Double Tap feature introduced with the Series 9.

But otherwise, the Apple Watch SE has all of the core features that the main Apple Watch Series 10 does including all-day activity and sleep monitoring, heart rate tracking, emergency calling, up to 50 meters of water resistance, crash detection and excellent workout tracking. It has a built-in GPS for making the latter even better, mapping outdoor activities like runs, and bike rides. And since it syncs seamlessly with iPhone, you can consider it an extension of your handset. That means you'll receive call, text and app notifications to your wrist and you can decide which are important enough to whip out your phone for, or which can be left for later.

That said, arguably the biggest downside of the Apple Watch SE is one that all Apple Watches share — they only work with iPhones. But chances are, if you're even considering an Apple Watch at all, you likely have the phone you'd need to use it (Android users should consider Samsung or Google wearables instead). And at this sale price, it'll be hard to beat for iPhone users who are new to smartwatches or if you're looking for a gift for an iPhone user in your life who you know is keen on tracking their activity more consistently or looking at the phone less throughout the day.

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/amazons-october-prime-day-sale-includes-the-apple-watch-se-at-a-new-low-of-170-072721519.html?src=rss

The OnePlus 12 smartphone drops to a record low of $650 for Prime Day

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In our review of the OnePlus 12, we said the smartphone's affordability was one of the best things about it. Now, thank's to Amazon's upcoming Prime Day sale, that's an even more compelling point. A 19 percent discount drops the price to $650 for the model with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. That's a a new all-time low (it's gone for $700 a few times previously). The model with 16GB/512GB is also $150 off and down to $750. 

Other than being a great value for a flagship phone, the OnePlus also has solid cameras that take sharp and clear images. Just note that the camera module is strikingly bulky and you'll see a watermark from Hasselblad (the camera company OnePlus partners with) unless you opt to remove it. 

The battery life is another win. We measured a lifespan of over 26 hours in our video rundown test. And after just 10 minutes of wall charging, the phone got from 10 to 55 percent. It refilled to 37 percent in the same amount of time sitting on a OnePlus wireless charger, which is available separately for $50. 

The design is pleasingly "retro" (if you can apply that term to an aesthetic that harkens back a mere five years) with the rounded corners and tapered edges of something like the Galaxy S10+. The OnePlus 12 also takes notes from the past when it comes to AI — in that it mostly forgoes the buzzy new tech in favor of basic (but solid) smartphone functionality.

The screen and processor are fully modern, however, with a super bright and crisp 120Hz screen and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip that we found to offer fluid performance, despite clocking in a tad low on some benchmarks. 

Elsewhere, Amazon is also selling the OnePlus Open for $1,300, which is a $400 discount on the phone we named the more affordable pick for a flagship foldable. That's a price the Open has hit previously, as recently as last month. 

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-oneplus-12-smartphone-drops-to-a-record-low-of-650-for-prime-day-220729473.html?src=rss

Google ordered to open up the Play Store in Epic Games antitrust ruling

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Google has to open up the Play Store. On Monday, US District Judge James Donato issued a permanent injunction forcing the company to open its storefront to competitors for three years and make Android apps available in alternate stores. The ruling stems from Google’s four-year antitrust battle with Epic Games. Google said on Monday it will appeal the injunction, highlighting its competition with Apple and potential security concerns.

As part of the ruling, Google must allow third-party app stores access to the Google Play library. In addition, CNBC reports that the company has to make those alternate app stores available for download in the Play Store. Google also can’t make deals (using fees or revenue sharing) to launch apps exclusively on Google Play or preinstall its store on new hardware.

Billing changes will also emerge from the injunction. Google can’t require developers to use its own billing system. Nor can it stop devs from notifying users about less expensive payment options.

CNBC reports that a three-person committee will monitor Google’s compliance and technical issues stemming from the ruling. Google and Epic will form the committee.

When reached for comment by Engadget, a Google spokesperson pointed to a blog post explaining why it will appeal. Google VP of Regulatory Affairs Lee-Anne Mulholland wrote that the company’s competition with Apple helps to negate antitrust concerns. “The decision fails to take into account that Android is an open platform and developers have always had many options in how to distribute their apps,” Mulholland wrote. “In fact, most Android devices come preloaded with two or more app stores right out of the box.”

“For example, Epic Games has made its popular Fortnite app available to Android users through the Samsung Galaxy Store, sideloading, and the Epic Games Store — all while Fortnite was not distributed through Google Play,” Google’s Regulatory Affairs VP wrote. “These are options that developers have never been able to offer to their American users on iPhones.”

In December, a jury found Google’s Play Store to violate US antitrust laws. The unanimous verdict stated that the company held an illegal monopoly on app distribution and in-app billing for Android devices. It also ruled that its deals with other gaming companies and device manufacturers were anti-competitive. 

In April, Epic listed a proposed permanent injunction that largely matches Donato’s decision today. For its part, Google said at the time Epic’s demands went too far and were too self-serving.

The ruling went in a very different direction from a similar one Epic filed against Apple, which the Fortnite maker mostly lost. CNBC notes that a jury decided Google’s trial, while the fate of Apple’s suit fell into the hands of a judge.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/google-has-to-open-up-the-play-store-in-epic-games-antitrust-ruling-195239228.html?src=rss

Comcast says 230,000 customers affected by debt collection data breach

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Comcast is warning that hackers stole the personal data of more than 230,000 customers during a ransomware attack on a third-party debt collector, according to a court filing. The bad actors targeted a Pennsylvania-based debt collection agency called Financial Business and Consumer Solutions (FBCS.)

The attack occurred back in February, but Comcast claims that FBCS initially said that the incident didn’t involve any customer data. FBCS changed its tune by July, when it notified Comcast that customer information had been compromised, according to reporting by TechCrunch.

All told, 237,703 subscribers were impacted by the breach. The attackers were thorough, scooping up names, addresses, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, Comcast account numbers and ID numbers. Comcast says the stolen data belongs to customers who signed up with the company “around 2021.” It also says it has stopped using FBCS for the purposes of debt collection.

“From February 14 and February 26, 2024, an unauthorized party gained access to FBCS’s computer network and some of its computers,” the filing states. “During this time, the unauthorized party downloaded data from FBCS systems and encrypted some systems as part of a ransomware attack.”

No group has stepped forward to claim credit for the incident. FBCS has only referred to the attacker as an “unauthorized actor.” The debt collection agency was hit hard by this attack, with Comcast customers being just one group of victims. The company says more than four million people were impacted and that the cybercriminals accessed medical claims and health insurance information, in addition to standard identification data. 

To that end, medical debt-purchasing company CF Medical confirmed that 600,000 of its customers were involved in the breach. Truist Bank also confirmed it was affected by the attack.

It’s notable that this incident primarily impacts debtors, opening them up to potential scams. Chris Hauk, consumer privacy advocate at Pixel Privacy, told Engadget that “the bad actors that get their paws on this information may use it to pose as debt relief agencies, which many turn to as a way out of their situation, meaning many of the involved debtors may be defrauded out of large sums of money, something they can ill-afford.”

In other words, keep an eye out for suspicious phone calls, emails and texts. This is good advice for anyone, and not just debtors who had data stored with FBCS. After all, it was revealed that hackers stole more than 2.7 billion records from American consumers earlier this year, which likely includes data on everyone who lives in the country.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/comcast-says-230000-customers-affected-by-debt-collection-data-breach-184554728.html?src=rss

Twitch makes its complicated rulebook easier to follow

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Twitch is striving for more clarity about why and how it executes its policies. On Monday, the company said it’s adding Enforcement Notes, which it describes as “additional clarifications and examples within the Community Guidelines designed to make our rules easier to follow.” The notes come on the heels of (and complement) the company’s recent promise that it would do a better job of telling rule-breakers why their accounts were suspended.

The company says Enforcement Notes will outline how its rules apply to the trends you see on the platform. For example, if a new trending topic violates one of Twitch’s policies, it will publish a note under that rule, clarifying precisely which behaviors are and aren’t out of bounds. It will also publish new notes in response to data spikes it observes, widespread community confusion or trending discussions on social media.

Twitch has already added some enforcement notes to its community guidelines safety page. For example, one note says selling activities that could cause harm in exchange for money (like taking shots for subscriptions) is forbidden under its “Self-destructive behavior” rule. In addition, it states under “Sexual content” that direct links to websites that primarily provide intimate content aren’t allowed on the platform. Under “Impersonation,” it states that if someone else is posing as you, you can report the imitating stream to Twitch when it doesn’t qualify for a DMCA removal.

Twitch says its enforcement notes won’t replace any of its existing methods of communication with users, like blog posts or tweets. Instead, the company describes the notes as “a source of truth for all policy and enforcement updates.”

Right now, the easiest way to learn about Enforcement Notes is through a browser page search on the community guidelines page. However, Twitch says it will eventually add a visual symbol to indicate new ones. It’s also working on a built-in search feature to make the notes easier to spot without using Cmd-F or Ctrl-F.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/twitch-makes-its-complicated-rulebook-easier-to-follow-183617108.html?src=rss

Nintendo’s discounted Switch bundles are now available

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Nintendo’s new Switch bundles are here. As the seven-year-old console takes its victory lap ahead of the Switch 2, the standard Switch and the OLED model are now available in the new bundles announced in September. The systems are each packaged with redemption codes for a 12-month Switch Online membership and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. The standard bundle costs $300, and the OLED variant costs $350.

The baseline bundle includes the standard Switch with a 6.2-inch LCD and red and blue Joy-Cons. Meanwhile, the OLED console has a 7-inch OLED display and white Joy-Cons. For only $50 extra, the latter gives you extra screen real estate along with the richer colors and deeper blacks of OLED. Although the standard model still looks good, comparing them side-by-side makes the $50 more expensive OLED one hard to turn down.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe has been one of the console’s flagship titles since its arrival shortly after the console itself in 2017. Initially released for the Wii U, the Switch revamp of the racing classic adapts its controls well to the portable system. The game’s optional smart steering feature helps make it more fun for those who frequently drive off-course and spend the next 30 seconds trying to get back on as their competitors lap them. (Raises hand.) The game looks terrific on the Switch’s screen — especially the OLED — and it runs in an enhanced 1080p mode when docked.

Screen from Mario Kart 8. Mario races with his competitors close behind.
Nintendo

Meanwhile, Switch Online enables online play on Mario Kart 8 and many other titles, along with cloud-based saves. You also get access to hundreds of old-school games from the NES, SNES, Game Boy and Game Boy Advance, N64 and Sega Genesis (Mega Drive) eras. You’ll find Nintendo’s own Mario, Zelda and Metroid classics there, along with plenty of third-party fare to keep you entertained. 

The biggest caveat to this bundle is that the Switch 2 (or whatever Nintendo calls its successor) is on the horizon. Although Nintendo hasn’t announced the successor yet, the company is rumored to reveal it anytime. The sequel is expected to have a more powerful processor, more RAM and storage and support for NVIDIA’s DLSS upscaling tech. But even if Nintendo unveils the console soon, it isn’t expected to arrive until sometime in 2025, so it won’t be an option for this holiday season either way.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendos-discounted-switch-bundles-are-now-available-174016292.html?src=rss

Meta is working to fix Threads’ engagement bait problem

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If you’re active on Meta’s Threads app, then you’ve probably encountered some amount of engagement bait in your “for you”” feed. Now, Instagram chief Adam Mosseri has acknowledged the issue, saying that the company is “working to get it under control" after a spike in such posts.

“We’ve seen an increase in engagement-bait on Threads and we’re working to get it under control,” Mosseri said in a post on Threads. He didn’t say what steps the company is taking but said there would be “more to come” on the issue.

Mosseri’s comments are the first time the Meta executive has acknowledged the problem that’s become an increasingly prominent topic of discussion on Threads. Because the app defaults to the algorithmic “for you” feed, engagement bait style posts that attract a lot of replies often go viral on the app even if it’s the type of content many users say they don’t want to see.

But addressing the issue could be tricky because what people often refer to as “engagement bait” takes many forms in the app. There are downright spammy posts that lift the kind of copypasta content that’s shared widely on Facebook (here’s a particularly egregious recent example). There are accounts that post open-ended AskReddit-style questions. And then there’s the rage-bait posts, as recently documented by Business Insider’s Katie Notopoulos.

Those posts, which often touch on polarizing topics, seem like they’re only meant to elicit angry responses from other users who have a controversial opinion from someone they don’t know thrust into their timeline. For example, I’ve seen dozens of posts with hundreds of replies about whether young children should be allowed on airplanes. In her experiment, Notopoulos got more than 1 million views and 5,000 replies on a post — heavily inspired from a two-year-old viral tweet and Reddit post — about not feeding children who come over for playdates.

And while Mosseri and Meta haven’t explained why it’s proved so easy to game Threads’ algorithm to go viral with this kind of content, it seems to be related to how the app has prioritized replies in deciding what to surface to users. “Not all comments or replies are good,” Mosseri said.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-is-working-to-fix-threads-engagement-bait-problem-173135011.html?src=rss

iRobot’s Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop is $600 off for Prime Day

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Prime Day has returned for the fall, which means there are tons of deals to check out at Amazon. Robot vacuums (and cordless ones for that matter) are some of the machines we most recommend picking up during sale events like this because you can often save hundreds on the stick price. One of the best Prime Day robot vacuum deals we found is on the iRobot Roomba Combo j9+, which is a vac-and-mop hybrid. You can snag it for $800 right now, which is $600 off.

This is our pick for the best robot vacuum and mop combo. The Roomba Combo j9+ covers all the bases — and floor types — as it offers just about everything you could want in such a device.

It has strong suction, the ability to give your floors a deep scrub and the intelligence to avoid obstacles. The accompanying Clean Base not only allows the Combo j9+ to self-empty, it refills the robot's liquid tank with water or solution. As such, you shouldn't have to empty the debris bin or top up the base's liquid tank for weeks at a time.

You can set up vacuuming and mopping routines, and ask Alexa or Google Assistant to start an ad hoc cleaning. The Combo j9+ can map out your home faster than previous models and you can label objects to help direct the Roomba to clean a specific area.

The Combo j9+ is certainly a more premium option, but there are other Roombas on sale for Prime Day. Another vacuum and mop combo (Y0140) has dropped from $275 to $219. Meanwhile, you can pick up the even more budget-friendly Roomba Q0120 vacuum for $190. It usually costs $250.

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/irobots-roomba-combo-j9-robot-vacuum-and-mop-is-600-off-for-prime-day-172009289.html?src=rss