Samsung TV Plus, the company’s FAST live TV app preinstalled on its TVs, is getting many more K-dramas. Over 4,000 hours of K-Dramas, K-Thrillers, K-Crime and K-Romance from Samsung’s home country of South Korea were added to the ad-supported streaming app on Thursday.
The content comes from partnerships with “Korea’s most acclaimed production companies,” including CJ ENM, NEW ID and the distribution company KT Alpha. Newly added series include Voice 4, Dark Hole and Doom at Your Service (a terrific title if ever there was one). The psychological thriller Beyond Evil will arrive soon.
New unscripted shows are also part of the package. These include food entertainment series like The Genius Paik and Three Meals a Day, along with travel shows House on Wheels and Youn’s Kitchen.
Samsung says it now has the best library of NEW ID and KT Alpha K-Movies in the US. The award-winning Burning (starring Steven Yeun), A Taxi Driver (not the De Niro one but the Kang-ho Song one) and Assassination (starring Squid Game’s Lee Jung-jae) are among those on the Samsung TV Plus now.
“K-Content is no longer niche – it’s one of the fastest growing and most watched categories globally, and Samsung TV Plus is uniquely positioned to deliver an unparalleled experience in this space with an endless offering of premium K-Content,” Salek Brodsky, Senior VP and General Manager of Samsung TV Plus, wrote in a press release.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/samsungs-fast-tv-plus-service-is-going-all-in-on-k-dramas-203821372.html?src=rss
Uber has entered a new deal to offer customers in select cities an option for self-driving vehicles. The partnership is with Avride, which used to be the self-driving unit for Russian conglomerate Yandex.
The multi-year deal will begin by introducing Avride's self-driving robots as a delivery option for Uber Eats orders in Austin, Texas. Later this year, the robots are expected to become available for delivery orders in Dallas and Jersey City, New Jersey. Autonomous driving is slated to begin service for Uber ride requests in Dallas in 2025. It will only be an option for "qualifying orders" on either Uber or Uber Eats, but the company didn't specify what those qualifications are.
Before spinning out as a new business concern, Yandex landed a similar deal in 2021 for its self-driving robots to make Grubhub deliveries to college campuses in the US. That year its autonomous vehicles reached a milestone of 6 million miles logged under "challenging conditions," mostly traveled in and around Moscow.
Uber had its own department exploring self-driving vehicles. However, it sold the unit to Aurora, another autonomous vehicle company, in December 2020.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-teams-with-avride-to-offer-self-driving-vehicles-for-rides-and-food-deliveries-201622292.html?src=rss
Playing The Sims, the virtual life simulator created by sim game maven Will Wright, has always given its players the feeling that they can control life and death. A new expansion for The Sims4 takes that concept even further with the Life & Death pack that launches on Halloween.
The Life & Death expansion pack will take the world of Sims to a new plane of existence. It comes with new career paths, neighborhoods, haunted items and achievements about living life to the fullest until you die.
The biggest addition is a new suburb called Ravenwood that has three new neighborhoods to explore, including Crow’s Crossing, Whispering Glen and Mourningvale. You’ll be able to commune with the souls of the dead until they find a channel to the afterlife, make wishes with and investigate ancient shrines with mysterious powers and explore a cemetery. Each area also has a “Mysterious Merchant” who sells haunted objects and helps you pick out a final resting place during the “Try Before You Die Casket Sale.”
The Life & Death pack’s new achievements don’t just lean on the dead side of things. Your Sims can aspire to live a full life with the “Soul’s Journey” achievement track that offers a chance to “Rebirth a Sim” and create special “Bucket Lists” for young adult or older Sims. Once your Sim dies, they can come back as a ghost to complete unfinished business with the help of the living.
There’s also new career paths in the Life & Death pack that deal more with the darker side of the equation. Sims can pursue a profession on the Undertaker career track to become a mortician or a funeral director and achieve grisly rewards like a “Plague Mask” or a “Corpus Commendation Plaque.” The Reaper career path deals with the living and soon-to-be no longer living. Your Sim will work as the Netherworld Department of Death (NWDD) and train to become a soul reaper giving them the power to take life or give it back if your soul quota is too high.
The Life & Death expansion pack is available for pre-order for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 and 5 and Xbox One and Series X|S. If you pre-order, you’ll receive some creepy collectibles including the Lasting Legacy Family Portrait, the Mournful Melodies Music Box and the Plumed Elegance Mask.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/find-a-new-life-in-death-in-the-sims-4s-halloween-themed-expansion-195544792.html?src=rss
Gemini Live, Google’s AI chatbot you can talk to like a person, is about to support more languages. The company is rolling out support for the generative AI virtual assistant in over 40 languages in the coming weeks.
Gemini Live is Google’s take on “free-flowing, natural conversations” in this new generative AI era. You can use it for things like brainstorming for events, diving down learning rabbit holes or practicing for job interview questions (and receiving real-time feedback). Although Google describes it as like talking with a friend, I’m unsure how many would do all of that.
Additionally, the tool will let you chat in two languages on the same device, and further expansion of supported languages is in the works. Multi-language support will also work with Gemini integrations for other Google apps and services, like Google Calendar, Tasks, Keep and Utilities.
You can set your preferred language(s) in the Android app. In the Google app, go to Settings > Google Assistant > Languages, and choose your first preference. If you want a second one, there’s an option below that to “Add a language.”
You’ll need an Android phone to use it. Google hasn’t yet announced any plans to bring Gemini Live to iPhone. At least for now, the company seemingly prefers to use it to attract folks to its own mobile platform.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-will-expand-gemini-live-to-over-40-languages-in-the-coming-weeks-194521661.html?src=rss
October Prime Day 2024 is half over but you can still save thanks to a slew of deals across the entirety of Amazon’s online storefront. Props to you if you came prepared with a wishlist of items you hope to buy on sale, because it can be easy to get distracted by the thousands of other deals available during this members-only shopping event. If any of the items on your list happen to be tech or tech related, Engadget has you covered. We’ve scoured Amazon to find the October Prime Day deals on tech that you can get this year. We’ll be updating this post regularly throughout the duration of 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.
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 Anker deals
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget
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.
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.
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.
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 $164 ($36 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.
Best Prime Day deals on robot vacuums and smart home gadgets
iRobot
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 $280 ($139 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 tech
Samsung
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.
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.
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.
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.
Expired Prime Day deals
iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop for $799 ($600 off): This higher-end robot vacuum and mop has a design that allows for better edge and corner cleaning, superior suction power and a self-emptying base that will automatically refill the mop cleaning solution when needed.
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/amazon-prime-day-2024-the-best-deals-we-found-from-apple-anker-sony-lego-and-others-before-october-big-deal-days-ends-tonight-190039430.html?src=rss
Amazon's October Prime Day sale kicked off today, and it includes a nice little savings on one of this year's highest-rated OLED TVs. We're referring LG's C4 OLED smart TV lineup, which has dropped in price, bringing the 55-inch model down to a record low of $1,297 — that's roughly $700 off. While it's typical to see TV prices fall throughout the year, starting basically soon after the TVs get announced, that doesn't change the fact that these are some of the steepest discounts we've seen since the C4 launched. You can save hundreds of dollars on other sizes, too.
As a refresher, the C4 is the company’s mid-grade line of OLED TVs. Each model includes the updated Alpha 9 Gen 7 chip, which makes menu navigation much snappier. They also boast improved brightness when compared to previous models. These TVs almost hit 1,000 nits of brightness, which is a little dimmer than a Mini LED panel and not quite on par with some sets that use advanced QD-OLED panels, but still better than many OLED alternatives.
There’s a maximum refresh rate of 144Hz, which is fast enough to get the most out of a PS5 or Xbox Series X and good for PC gaming as well. Along those lines, these sets are compatible with G-Sync and AMD FreeSync. The PC gaming bona-fides are strong with this one.
One of the cool features of this smart TV is enhanced compatibility with LG soundbars. Newly-released soundbars will connect wirelessly to the television, clearing away the endless clutter of cables from the living room.
The 65-inch model is also on sale for $1,497, which is a good $200 off that set's usual street price over the last few months. And for the big spenders, the massive 83-inch version is available for $3,997. That's $1,403 or so off that model's typical price.
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/prime-day-tv-deals-include-lg-c4-oled-smart-tvs-at-record-low-prices-184104211.html?src=rss
Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner, so deals have begun to trickle in. The company’s own Smart Thermostat has dropped to just $56, which is 30 percent off. The typical price is a whopping $80, so this is a legit bargain. It’s not a record-low price, but it’s darn close.
This is a fantastic smart thermostat with a vast array of features. It integrates with Alexa, so you can lay in bed and bark orders at it to get the temperature just right. Adjustments can also be made via the Alexa app on your phone, if those vocal cords are running dry. App control lets you change your home’s temperature from afar, which is handy when on the way home from work.
This is, basically, a Honeywell thermostat packed with Amazon’s smart tech, so it’s durable, easy to use and reliable. It’s highly possible that a smart thermostat like this will help save money on those monthly energy bills, as you can set schedules or make adjustments while, say, on vacation.
On the downside, this is a real-deal thermostat, so it requires a C-wire connection or a power adapter. Both of these kits are sold separately. The bundle with the C-wire connector is also on sale for $78.
It does lack a couple of the features found with some of its more expensive rivals, like the Google Nest thermostat. There are no touchscreen controls and no motion sensor. The voice and app controls, however, more than make up these omissions.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazons-smart-thermostat-drops-to-56-in-this-early-prime-day-deal-181514522.html?src=rss
The Echo Dot (5th gen) has dropped to just $23 for October Prime Day, beating the price we saw it drop to during Amazon's sale event in July. It's part of a much larger (and very typical) sale on Amazon devices for October Big Deal Days, but you won't find too much cheaper than the Echo Dot (looking at you, Echo Pop). This tiny smart speaker has improved audio that competes with more expensive rivals like the HomePod mini.
This Echo Dot model launched in 2022 with clearer vocals, deeper bass and more vibrant overall sound than previous generations. Of course, it will pale in comparison to bigger and much more expensive speakers, but good luck finding anything else of this quality for that sale price. It’s Engadget’s current pick for the best smart speaker under $50.
The speaker supports direct streaming from Spotify, Amazon Music and Apple Music. It works great for podcasts, too, and you can use it as a Bluetooth speaker with unsupported apps. Alexa lets you control smart home accessories, get weather updates and ask general questions. Fitting your home with smart speakers can be expensive, but this sale price could allow you to put Alexa in any room for a modest upfront investment.
The speaker has a cute, round shape and a minimalist style. It measures only 3.9 inches at its widest point and won’t take up much space on a table or desk. It's available in charcoal, white and blue — all on sale for the same price.
Although its audio isn’t quite in the same class as the Dot, the Echo Pop for even cheaper. The equally cute smart speaker is on sale for Prime Day for $18. This could be a good option if you’re fitting your home with Alexa devices, but there are some rooms where you won’t listen to music. Otherwise, the slightly more expensive Echo Dot will be the better bet.
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/deals/amazons-echo-dot-hits-a-record-low-of-23-thanks-to-this-prime-day-deal-175633234.html?src=rss
Samsung has confirmed that an update to its SmartThings app caused major issues for older Samsung Galaxy smartphones. 9to5Google first reported that the update, which rolled out from Samsung over the past few days, bricked devices from the Galaxy S10 and Galaxy Note 10 series of phones. The publication also found some users reporting the same issue with Galaxy M51 and A90 models. After downloading the update, the devices reportedly got stuck in a bootloop and never fully turn back on.
Impacted devices can perform a factory reset to recover functionality, but that's not a perfect fix. It should make the phone usable, but any data that hasn't already been backed up will be lost.
In a statement sent to Engadget Friday, a spokesperson confirmed the issue: "We are aware that a limited number of Galaxy smartphones running on Android 12 are rebooting continuously during an update to the latest version of the SmartThings app," the spokesperson told Engadget. "Upon discovery, we immediately suspended the update and are working to resolve the issue. Affected customers can contact the Samsung Contact Center to receive support for their devices.”
Software support for older models can become an issue for any hardware manufacturer. The Galaxy S10 and Galaxy S10+ are five years old now, which is an age where companies may stop providing regular updates.
Update, October 4, 1:10PM ET: This story was updated after publish with confirmation and a fuller description of the issue from Samsung.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/samsung-confirms-a-software-update-wreaked-havoc-on-older-galaxy-smartphones-175136332.html?src=rss
Paramount just announced that it's going ahead with a new video game based on Avatar: The Last Airbender, which will be developed by Saber Interactive. For the uninitiated, Saber is behind titles likeSnowrunner and Teardown. It also has plenty of experience making licensed content, as it published Evil Dead: The Game and World War Z: Aftermath, among others.
A new game in the Avatar-verse isn’t that notable on its own. After all, there have been plenty already. Paramount is already crowing about the title, though, calling it a “AAA RPG” and claiming it’ll be the “biggest video game in franchise history.” That’s not exactly a high bar, given the cartoon’s rocky history in gaming. There was that one good Bayonetta-like gamethat featured Avatar Korra, but everything else is pretty much trash.
This upcoming RPG won’t follow Aang or Korra. Players will control “an all-new, never-before-seen Avatar.” The game’s set “thousands of years” before the events of Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra. The story has been “developed in close collaboration with Avatar Studios”, though we don’t know if franchise creators Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko are involved in any way.
This looks to be an action RPG and not a turn-based affair, as a press release suggests “dynamic combat” and a quest to “master all four elements.” However, there’s no release date and no suggestion as to how far along the game is. Paramount says it’ll be available “soon”, but the company hasn't released a trailer or even artwork, so one person’s “soon” is another person’s “probably sometime in 2026.”
In any event, sign me up. I’m a big-time cabbage head, or honorary member of the Aang Gang or whatever fans are called. Saber Interactive has proven itself worthy with other pre-existing IPs, so why not this one? It could work.
The Avatar franchise has been relatively quiet lately, though the live-action Netflix show was renewed for two more seasons to finish up the story. Franchise creators DiMartino and Konietzko are making an animated film that follows an adult Aang and friends, but it’s been awhile since we’ve heard anything about that.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/saber-interactive-is-making-a-aaa-rpg-based-on-avatar-the-last-airbender-171655351.html?src=rss