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The Apple Watch Series 11 is $100 off and cheaper than ever

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If you're still on the hunt for gifts, or simply good holiday deals for yourself, you can find them on the internet. Just because Black Friday and Cyber Monday have ended doesn't mean the deals have dried up. One of the best deals available that we're tracking is on the latest Apple Watch Series 11, which you can get for a record low of $299. 

We gave the Apple Watch Series 11 a score of 90 when it came out in September. That's thanks, in part, to an upgraded 24 hours of battery life — which lasted closer to a day and a half — compared to the 18 hours promised by the Series 10. It also features a thin, light design and a wrist flick gesture for everything from dismissing a notification to ending calls. Plus, it has Apple's new hypertension tracker and comprehensive health monitoring. 

This deal is available for the Apple Watch Series 11 with a 42mm case and a small to medium band. Also on sale right now in the Apple Watch space is the Apple Watch SE 3, which is down to $199.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-apple-watch-series-11-is-100-off-and-cheaper-than-ever-130006005.html?src=rss

Trump says if Netflix buys Warner Bros. its market share ‘could be a problem’

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After Netflix announced that it was acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery last week, observers immediatley wondered when or if the deal could obtain regulatory approval. Now, President Trump has made comments indicating that said approval is likely to take awhile if it happens at all, Bloomberg reported. 

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"Well, that’s got to go through a process, and we’ll see what happens," Trump told reporters in a recent Q&A scrum. "But it is a big market share. It could be a problem." The President added that he will be personally involved in the approval process. 

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As we pointed out last week, Netflix and HBO Max combined would account for around 33 percent of the US streaming video market, ahead of Prime Video's 21 percent share and likely enough to attract the antitrust division of the US Justice Department. For its part, Netflix has said that it will "maintain Warner Bros. current businesses," which includes HBO Max and HBO, theatrical releases for films as well as movie and TV studio operations. 

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Headwinds were likely with any deal, so in November Netflix's co-CEO Ted Sarandos reportedly met with Trump at the White House, arguing that the acquisition wouldn't create a monopoly. Trump said that Warner Bros. Discovery should sell to the highest bidder, and Sarandos left the meeting feeling that Netflix wouldn't face White House opposition in the short term.

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Even before regulators address the acquisition, more drama may ensue. Paramount, which first expressed interested in buying WBD when it wasn't even for sale, may launch a hostile bid. And Hollywood's unions and guilds are up in arms over fears that Netflix may significantly reduce Warner Bros.' theatrical distribution, along with its back end profits and production jobs. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/trump-says-if-netflix-buys-warner-bros-its-market-share-could-be-a-problem-123004774.html?src=rss

AirPods Pro 3 drop to a record low of $199

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If you haven't yet upgraded to Apple's AirPods Pro 3, you can pick up the company's latest model at a discount through a deal on Amazon right now. The AirPods Pro 3, which came out in September, are currently down to $199. That's $50 off and the best price we've seen. With the new AirPods Pro, Apple made some big improvements, including better battery life and sound quality, and introduced useful new features, such as Live Translation.

The AirPods Pro 3 are the best AirPods available today, with Apple's H2 chip, and earned a score of 90 out of 100 in Engadget's review this fall. Active noise cancellation (ANC) is one of the biggest selling points of the AirPods Pro, and Apple has made the experience even better with the AirPods Pro 3. They sport new foam-infused ear tips that create a better seal to improve passive noise isolation, and as Engadget's Billy Steele wrote in his review, "Ultra-low-noise microphones combine with advanced computational audio to silence even more background noise." In testing, they had no problem blocking out the chatter of people nearby or otherwise noisy environments.

With the AirPods Pro 3, Apple introduced heart-rate sensing, so you'll be able to see your heart rate data from the earbuds in the Fitness app and other workout apps. The AirPods Pro 3 also boast Live Translation, which you can activate via controls on the earbuds themselves. As long as you have an Apple Intelligence-capable device, you'll be able to translate in-person conversations in English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese (Mandarin).

Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/airpods-pro-3-drop-to-a-record-low-of-199-222806196.html?src=rss

The Lord of the Rings trilogy returns to theaters in January for 25th anniversary

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One does not simply spend more than 11 hours watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy in a single weekend at home when the opportunity to do so in theaters arises. As The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring turns 25, Fathom Entertainment and Warner Bros. announced theatrical screenings of the Peter Jackson trilogy in their extended editions, according to an exclusive report from Variety.

The re-releases will be available in DBOX presentations from January 16 to 19, complete with movements and vibrations to make you feel like you're making the journey to Mordor with Frodo and his entourage. If you prefer a traditional experience, the trilogy will be available in standard format from January 23 to 25.

Popcorn buckets showing unique designs for the LOTR 25th anniversary theatrical rereleases.
Fathom Entertainment
Popcorn buckets showing unique designs for the LOTR 25th anniversary theatrical rereleases.
Fathom Entertainment

For the collectors out there, the screenings will also feature limited-edition themed concession items. Fans can purchase popcorn buckets that showcase maps of Middle-earth at AMC locations, while Regal venues and other local cinemas will have buckets with designs of the One Ring. Tickets are already on sale at Fathom's website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-lord-of-the-rings-trilogy-returns-to-theaters-in-january-for-25th-anniversary-202433217.html?src=rss

OpenAI’s head of ChatGPT says posts appearing to show in-app ads are ‘not real or not ads’

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Those might not exactly be ads you're seeing on ChatGPT, at least according to OpenAI. Nick Turley, OpenAI's head of ChatGPT, clarified the confusion around potential ads appearing with the AI chatbot. In a post on X, Turley said "there are no live tests for ads" and that "any screenshots you've seen are either not real or not ads." The OpenAI exec's explanation comes after another post from former xAI employee Benjamin De Kraker on X that has gained traction, which featured a screenshot showing an option to shop at Target within a ChatGPT conversation.

OpenAI's Daniel McAuley responded to the post, arguing that it's not an ad but rather an example of app integration that the company announced in October. However, the company's chief research officer, Mark Chen, also replied on X that they "fell short" in this case, adding that "anything that feels like an ad needs to be handled with care."

"We’ve turned off this kind of suggestion while we improve the model’s precision," Chen wrote on X. "We’re also looking at better controls so you can dial this down or off if you don’t find it helpful."

There's still a lot of uncertainty about whether OpenAI will introduce ads to ChatGPT, but in November, someone discovered code in a beta version of the ChatGPT app on Android that made several mentions of ads. Even in Turley's post debunking the inclusion of live ads, the OpenAI exec added that "if we do pursue ads, we’ll take a thoughtful approach." Turley also posted that "people trust ChatGPT and anything we do will be designed to respect that."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/openais-head-of-chatgpt-says-posts-appearing-to-show-in-app-ads-are-not-real-or-not-ads-190454584.html?src=rss

X shuts down the European Commission’s ad account the day after major fine

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Just a day after receiving a roughly $140 million fine, X has terminated the ad account of the European Commission. Nikita Bier, X's head of product, accused the European Commission of using an exploit to artificially boost the reach of its post announcing the major fine.

In the post, Bier said that the commission "logged into [their] dormant ad account to take advantage of an exploit in our Ad Composer" and posted "a link that deceives users into thinking it’s a video and to artificially increase its reach." Bier explained in a separate post that the exploit has "never been abused like this" and "is now patched." However, X still revoked the European Commission's ability to buy and track ads on its platform.

While X decided to remove the European Commission's ad account, it still needs to submit specific measures and an action plan to address the concerns associated with the $140 million fine. The European Commission's spokesperson for Tech Sovereignty, Defence, Space and Research, Thomas Regnier, said that this is the first-ever fine under the Digital Services Act. The European legislative body claimed that X has a deceptive system when it comes to verified accounts, lacks transparency with its advertising repository and doesn't provide effective data for researchers. In response, X's owner, Elon Musk, replied to the European Commission's post, calling it "bullshit."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-shuts-down-the-european-commissions-ad-account-the-day-after-major-fine-173553267.html?src=rss

Judge puts a one-year limit on Google’s contracts for default search placement

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A federal judge has expanded on the remedies decided for the Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google, ruling in favor of putting a one-year limit on the contracts that make Google's search and AI services the default on devices, Bloomberg reports. Judge Amit Mehta's ruling on Friday means Google will have to renegotiate these contacts every year, which would create a fairer playing field for its competitors. The new details come after Mehta ruled in September that Google would not have to sell off Chrome, as the DOJ proposed at the end of 2024. 

This all follows the ruling last fall that Google illegally maintained an internet search monopoly through actions including paying companies such as Apple to make its search engine the default on their devices and making exclusive deals around the distribution of services such as Search, Chrome and Gemini. Mehta's September ruling put an end to these exclusive agreements and stipulates that Google will have to share some of its search data with rivals to "narrow the scale gap" its actions have created. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/judge-puts-a-one-year-limit-on-googles-contracts-for-default-search-placement-215549614.html?src=rss

Apple’s Johny Srouji could continue the company’s executive exodus, according to report

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Apple's Johny Srouji may be the latest company executive to seek greener pastures, according to a report from Bloomberg. The report said that Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies, told Tim Cook that he is "seriously considering leaving in the near future."

While the report didn't mention if Srouji has another job lined up, Bloomberg's sources claimed that he wants to join another company if he leaves Apple. Srouji joined the company in 2008 to develop Apple's first in-house system-on-a-chip and eventually led the transition to Apple silicon.

If Srouji leaves Apple, he would be the latest in a string of departures of longtime execs. At the start of the month, Apple announced that John Giannandrea, the company's senior vice president for machine learning and AI strategy, would be retiring from his role in spring 2026. A couple of days later, Bloomberg reported that the company's head of interface design, Alan Dye, would be leaving for a role at Meta. Adding to those exits, Apple also revealed that Kate Adams, who has been Apple's general counsel since 2017, and Lisa Jackson, vice president for Environment, Policy, and Social Initiatives, will both be leaving in early 2026.

The shakeup at the executive level comes after Bloomberg's Mark Gurman previously reported that Cook may not be preparing for his own departure as CEO next year. Gurman's prediction counters a report from the Financial Times that claimed that Apple was accelerating succession plans for Cook with an expected stepping down sometime next year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apples-johny-srouji-could-continue-the-companys-executive-exodus-according-to-report-200750252.html?src=rss

Waymo’s robotaxi fleet is being recalled again, this time for failing to stop for school buses

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To prevent its robotaxi fleet from passing stopped school buses, Waymo is issuing another software recall in 2025. While it's not a traditional recall that pulls vehicles from the road, Waymo is voluntarily updating software for its autonomous fleet in response to an investigation from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. According to Waymo, the recall will be filed with the federal agency early next week.

Mauricio Peña, Waymo's chief safety officer, said in a statement that Waymo sees far fewer crashes involving pedestrians than human drivers, but that the company knows when "our behavior should be better."

"As a result, we have made the decision to file a voluntary software recall with NHTSA related to appropriately slowing and stopping in these scenarios," Peña said in a statement to multiple news outlets. "We will continue analyzing our vehicles’ performance and making necessary fixes as part of our commitment to continuous improvement."

According to the NHTSA investigation, some Waymo autonomous vehicles were seen failing to stop for school buses that had their stop signs and flashing lights deployed. The federal agency said in the report that there were instances of Waymo cars driving past stopped school buses in Atlanta and Austin, Texas.

Earlier this year, Waymo issued another software recall after some of its robotaxi fleet were seen hitting gates, chains, and similar objects. Last year, Waymo also filed two other software recalls, one of which addressed a fleet vehicle crashing into a telephone pole and another correcting how two separate robotaxis hit the same exact pickup truck that was being towed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/waymos-robotaxi-fleet-is-being-recalled-again-this-time-for-failing-to-stop-for-school-buses-190222243.html?src=rss

Meta plans to push back the debut of its next mixed reality glasses to 2027

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The big reveal for Meta's next mixed reality glasses is being postponed until the first half of 2027, according to a report from Business Insider. Based on an internal memo from Maher Saba, the vice president of Meta's Reality Labs Foundation, the report said that the company's project, which is codenamed "Phoenix," will no longer be scheduled for a 2026 debut.

In a separate memo, Meta execs explained that the delay would help deliver a more "polished and reliable experience." According to BI, a memo from Meta's Gabriel Aul and Ryan Cairns said this new release window is "going to give us a lot more breathing room to get this right." Meta hasn't publicly revealed many details about its Phoenix project, but The Information previously reported that it would feature a goggle-like form factor with an external power source, similar to how the Apple Vision Pro is attached to a battery pack.

In the memo from Saba, BI reported that Meta is also working on a "limited edition" wearable with the codename "Malibu 2." Yesterday, Meta announced its acquisition of Limitless, a startup that recently developed an AI wearable called Pendant. Even though Meta's current product portfolio is dominated by smart glasses and VR headsets, the Limitless acquisition and Malibu 2 project could hint at the company's plans to expand its offerings.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ar-vr/meta-plans-to-push-back-the-debut-of-its-next-mixed-reality-glasses-to-2027-172437374.html?src=rss