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2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: How to watch today, start time, where to stream and more

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MACY'S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE -- Downtown -- Pictured: The Radio City Rockettes -- (Photo by: Peter Kramer/NBC via Getty Images)
The Radio City Rockettes will be among the performers at this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. Here's how to watch. (Peter Kramer/NBC via Getty Images)
NBC via Getty Images

Every holiday has corresponding must-watch TV associated with it, from It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown at Halloween, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer at Christmas, and the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade airing on the last Thursday in November. 

This year marks the 99th Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and the festivities begin at 8:30 a.m. ET this Thursday, Nov. 27. The parade will be broadcast on NBC and streams live – with a three-angle multi-view option – on Peacock. Performers will include Wicked's Cynthia Erivo, Lainey Wilson, Ciara, and more. Oh, and if you've got KPop Demon Hunters fans in your life, not only will there be balloons featuring Derpy and Sussie, the parade will feature a performance by EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI, the singing voices of HUNTR/X. 

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the 99th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade live this week, and how to catch the encore if you miss it.

The 2025 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is held this year – and every year – on Thanksgiving Day. This year, the parade is on Thursday, November 27, starting at 8:30 a.m. ET/5:30 a.m. PT. There will be an encore broadcast at 2 p.m. ET/PT. 

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade will last roughly 3.5 hours, ending at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT. An encore broadcast will air on NBC at 2 p.m. ET/PT. 

The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade will air on NBC and stream on Peacock on Thanksgiving Day from 8:30 a.m. to noon in all time zones. An encore airing of the parade will also begin at 2 p.m. on NBC. If you have access to live TV, you may be able to watch NBC for free over the air. If not, here's what we recommend for how to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Wicked star Cynthia Erivo will open the parade, which will also feature performances from Country artist Lainey Wilson, EJAE, Audrey Nuna, and REI AMI (the singing voices of HUNTR/X from Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters), Drew Baldridge, Matteo Bocelli, Colbie Caillat, Ciara, Gavin DeGraw, Meg Donnelly, Mr. Fantasy, Foreigner, Debbie Gibson, Mickey Guyton, Christopher Jackson, Jewel, Lil Jon, Kool & the Gang, Darlene Love, Roman Mejia, Taylor Momsen, Tiler Peck, the Radio City Rockettes, Busta Rhymes, Calum Scott, Shaggy, Lauren Spencer Smith, Luísa Sonza and Teyana Taylor.

There will also be performances from the Broadway casts of Buena Vista Social Club, Just in Time and Ragtime.

There will be 32 balloons, three "balloonicles," 27 floats, 33 clown groups, 11 marching bands and plenty of performances at the 2025 Macy's parade.

Six new floats are debuting at this year's parade: 

  • The Land of Ice & Wonder by Holland America Line

  • Brick-tastic Winter Mountain by The LEGO Group

  • Master Chocolatier Ballroom by Lindt

  • Upside Down Invasion: Stranger Things by Netflix 

  • Friends-giving in POPCITY by Pop Mart

  • The Counting Sheep's Dream Generator by Serta.

In 2025, there will be four new featured character balloons making their debut in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade:

  • Buzz Lightyear by Pixar Animation Studios

  • PAC-MAN by Bandai Namco Entertainment America, Inc.

  • Shrek's Onion Carriage from Universal Pictures' DreamWorks Animation; 

  • Mario by Nintendo. 

Derpy Tiger and Sussie from Netflix’s K-Pop Demon Hunters will also join the line-up as a mid-sized balloon and balloonicle.

Today's Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb and Al Roker of The Today Show will host NBC's broadcast of the Macy's Thanksgiving parade again this year. 

Want to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thanksgiving football and more on live TV this holiday season for free? Here are a few platforms offering free trials around this time of year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/2025-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-how-to-watch-today-start-time-where-to-stream-and-more-124520090.html?src=rss

The best wireless earbuds for 2026

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Wireless earbuds are now the default option for everyday listening, whether you’re heading out for a commute, fitting in a workout or just watching videos at home. The best wireless earbuds combine reliable connectivity, comfortable fits and sound quality that holds up across music, calls and podcasts, all without the hassle of cables. Most are small enough to disappear into a pocket and pair quickly with phones, tablets and laptops.

What sets one pair apart from another often comes down to priorities. Some earbuds lean heavily on active noise cancellation, while others focus on long battery life, compact charging cases or lower prices. Features like water resistance, customizable controls and app support can also make a real difference day to day. This guide breaks down the best wireless earbuds available now to help you find the right match for how you listen.

When it comes to shopping for earphones, the first thing to consider is design or wear style. Do you prefer a semi-open fit like AirPods or do you want something that completely closes off your ears? If you’re shopping for earbuds with active noise cancellation, you'll want the latter, but a case can be made for the former if you want to wear them all day or frequent places where you need to be tuned in to the ambient sounds. The overall shape of earbuds can determine whether you get a comfortable fit, so can the size and weight, so you’ll want to consider all that before deciding. And remember: audio companies aren’t perfect, so despite lots of research, the earbud shape they decided on may not fit you well. Don’t be afraid to return ill-fitting earbuds for something that’s more comfortable.

As wireless earbuds have become the norm, they’re now more reliable for basic things like consistent Bluetooth connectivity. Companies are still in a race to pack as much as they can into increasingly smaller designs. This typically means a longer list of features on the more premium sets of earbuds with basic functionality on the cheapest models. Carefully consider what you can’t live without when selecting your next earbuds, and make sure key items like automatic pausing and multipoint connectivity are on the spec sheet. You’ll also want to investigate the volume and touch controls as you’ll often have to sacrifice access to something else to make that adjustment via on-board taps or swipes. Some earbuds even offer app settings to tweak the audio profiles or firmware updates to improve performance over time.

For those in the Apple ecosystem, features like auto-pairing with devices, especially with AirPods Pro 3, can be an added advantage, while Android users may want to look for models that offer similar cross-device functionality.

When it comes to battery life, the average set of earbuds lasts about five hours on a single charge. You can find sets that last longer, but this is likely enough to get you through a work day if you’re docking the buds during lunch or the occasional meeting. You’ll want to check on how many extra charges are available via the case and if it supports wireless charging.

Companies will also make lofty claims about call quality on wireless earbuds. Despite lots of promises, the reality is most earbuds still leave you sounding like you’re on speakerphone. There are some sets that deliver, but don’t get your hopes up unless reviews confirm the claims.

Sound can be subjective, so we recommend trying before you buy if at all possible. This is especially true if you're an audiophile. We understand this isn’t easy when most of us do a lot of shopping online, but trying on a set of earbuds and listening to them for a few minutes can save you from an expensive case of buyer's remorse. If a store doesn’t allow a quick demo, most retailers have return policies that will let you take earbuds back you don’t like. Of course, you have to be willing to temporarily part with funds in order to do this.

We also recommend paying attention to things like Spatial Audio, Dolby Atmos, 360 Reality Audio and other immersive formats. Not all earbuds support them, so you’ll want to make sure a perspective pair does if that sort of thing excites you, especially if you plan to use them for playback of high-quality audio.

The primary way we test earbuds is to wear them as much as possible. We prefer to do this over a one- to two-week period, but sometimes embargoes don’t allow it. During this time, we listen to a mix of music and podcasts, while also using the earbuds to take both voice and video calls. Since battery life for earbuds is typically less than a full day, we drain the battery with looping music and the volume set at a comfortable level (usually around 75 percent).

To judge audio quality, we listen to a range of genres, noting any differences in the sound profile across the styles. We also test at both low and high volumes to check for consistency in the tuning. To assess call quality, we’ll record audio samples with the earbuds’ microphones as well as have third parties call us.

When it comes to features, we do a thorough review of companion apps, testing each feature as we work through the software. Any holdovers from previous models are double checked for improvements or regression. If the earbuds we’re testing are an updated version of a previous model, we’ll spend time getting reacquainted with the older buds. Ditto for the closest competition for each new set of earbuds that we review.

Since we established this best wireless earbuds guide, Sony’s current 1000X model has consistently been the top pick. However, with the WF-1000XM6, there are two key areas where the company’s latest flagship set doesn’t measure up well versus the competition. Overall ANC performance lags behind Bose, and even Sony’s own WF-1000XM5. Speaking of the M5, the company did well there to address the issues I had with fit when it switched to foam ear tips on the WF-1000XM4, but it regressed in that area on the M6. There’s still plenty to like in terms of features and sound quality, but there are also caveats to consider now that could be dealbreakers.

The WF-C710N is a set of compact and comfy earbuds that offer several of Sony’s best features. While the ANC performance is above average for this price ($120), sound quality isn’t as good as the company’s slightly more expensive options. Battery life fell below stated figures and call performance isn’t good enough to use these buds for work.

The newest version of the Powerbeats Pro have an improved, comfortable design, balanced bass and new H2 chips and a heart rate sensor inside. But heart rate support is currently limited on iOS.

The Galaxy Buds 3 combine ANC with an open-type design, which renders the noise-blocking abilities of the earbuds mostly useless. Still, there’s great low-end tone with ample bass when a track demands it. There are also lots of handy features, most of which require a Samsung phone. But at this price, there are better options from Google, Beats and Sony

I really like the overall shape of the Momentum Sport earbuds. They’re more comfortable than the Momentum True Wireless 4 and fit in my ears better. What’s more, the body temperature and heart rate sensors work well, sending those stats to a variety of apps. However, that sport-tracking feature works best with Polar’s app and devices, so there’s that consideration. Also, the audio quality and ANC performance isn’t as good as the MTW4, and these earbuds are pricey.

There’s a lot to like about the Solo Buds for $80. For me, the primary perk is they’re very comfortable to wear for long periods of time thanks to some thoughtful design considerations. You only get the basics here in terms of features and, as expected, the overall sound quality isn’t as good as the pricier models in the Beats lineup. You will get 18 hours of battery life though, since the company nixed the battery in the case and beefed up the listening time in the buds themselves.

Bose created something very unique for this set of earbuds that allows you to stay in-tune with the world while listening to audio content. The clip-on design is very comfortable, but sound quality suffers due to the open-type fit, especially when it comes to bass and spatial audio.

These stick buds have a compact design that’s comfortable to wear and the warm sound profile is great at times. However, overall audio performance is inconsistent and there’s no automatic pausing.

Master & Dynamic MW09

Retooled audio, better ambient sound mode and reliable multipoint Bluetooth are the best things the MW09 has to offer. They’re expensive though, and you can find better ANC performance elsewhere.

Most wireless earbuds will last five hours on a single charge, at the least. You can find some pairs that have even better battery life, lasting between six and eight hours before they need more juice. All of the best wireless earbuds come with a charging case, which will provide additional hours of battery life — but you'll have to return each bud to the case in order to charge them up.

Comparing sound quality on earbuds and headphones is a bit like comparing apples and oranges. There are a lot of variables to consider and the differences in components make a direct comparison difficult. Personally, I prefer the audio quality from over-ear headphones, but I can tell you the sound from earbuds like Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 3 is also outstanding.

With new models coming out all the time, tracking the hours of battery life for each this can be difficult to keep tabs on. The longest-lasting earbuds we’ve reviewed are Audio-Technica’s ATH-CKS5TW. The company states they last 15 hours, but the app was still showing 40 percent at that mark during our tests. The only downside is these earbuds debuted in 2019 and both technology and features have improved since. In terms of current models, Master & Dynamic’s MW08 offers 12 hours of use on a charge with ANC off (10 with ANC on) and JBL has multiple options with 10-hour batteries.

There are plenty of options these days when it comes to increased water resistance. To determine the level of protection, you’ll want to look for an IP (ingress protection) rating. The first number indicates intrusion protection from things like dust. The second number is the level of moisture protection and you’ll want to make sure that figure is 7 or higher. At this water-resistance rating, earbuds can withstand full immersion for up to 30 minutes in depths up to one meter (3.28 feet). If either of the IP numbers is an X, that means it doesn’t have any special protection. For example, a pair of wireless earbuds that are IPX7 wouldn’t be built to avoid dust intrusion, but they would be ok if you dropped them in shallow water.

A secure fit can vary wildly from person to person. All of our ears are different, so audio companies are designing their products to fit the most people they can with a single shape. This is why AirPods will easily fall out for some but stay put for others. Design touches like wing tips or fins typically come on fitness models and those elements can help keep things in place. You’ll likely just have to try earbuds on, and if they don’t fit well return them.

PlayStation 5 doesn’t support Bluetooth audio without an adapter or dongle. Even Sony’s own gaming headsets come with a transmitter that connects to the console. There are universal options that allow you to use any headphones, headset or earbuds with a PS5. Once you have one, plug it into a USB port on the console and pair your earbuds with it.

February 2026: Updated to include new top picks.

January 2026: Updated to ensure our top picks have remained the same.

September 2025: Updated to add AirPods Pro 3 to our top picks.

May 2025: Updated to ensure top picks and buying advice remain accurate.

March 2025: Updated the top pick for the best sounding wireless earbuds - runner up.

January 2025: Updated the top pick for best sounding wireless earbuds.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/best-wireless-earbuds-120058222.html?src=rss

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 is a cut-down version of Qualcomm’s flagship Elite chipset

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Qualcomm just revealed the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5, the appropriately-named second member of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 line. This follows the Gen 5 Elite, which was first revealed back in September.

The standard Gen 5 is still a powerful mobile system-on-a-chip (SoC) with a top clock speed of 3.8GHz. That's slightly lower than the Elite's top speed of 4.6GHz, but still nothing to sneeze at. It includes a custom-built Oryon CPU and boasts speed-enhancing features like matrix acceleration. The company says the platform offers a 36 percent performance improvement when compared to Snapdragon 7, along with a 76 percent increase in web browsing responsiveness.

Some specs.
Qualcomm

The SoC also features the Qualcomm Adreno GPU, just like the Elite, which "unlocks higher clock speeds and boosts gaming and graphics performance by 11 percent." This is a chip intended for modern smartphones, so it also has been designed for AI. It boasts the company's proprietary Sensing Hub technology that combines microphone and sensor inputs to detect a user's intent to speak.

It's capable of on-device AI processing due to the Qualcomm Hexagon NPU. The company says this will enable "agentic AI assistants to deliver context-aware interactions and personalized suggestions." That's corporate speak for "it does stuff and says stuff."

A picture of a phone.
Qualcomm

Qualcomm says these chips will begin showing up in mobile devices in "the coming weeks." The company named OnePlus as a partner and that organization did just announce a brand-new smartphone that was suspiciously devoid of any real specs.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-snapdragon-8-gen-5-is-a-cut-down-version-of-qualcomms-flagship-elite-chipset-063050786.html?src=rss

Missing NBC on Fubo? Here’s how to watch Sunday Night Football, figure skating, and more this week

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ST LOUIS, MISSOURI - JANUARY 07: Amber Glenn reacts after competing in the 2026 United States Figure Skating Championships at Enterprise Center on January 07, 2026 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Amber Glenn is competing in the 2026 United States Figure Skating Championships this week.(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Jamie Squire via Getty Images

It's been almost two months since Fubo has stopped carrying NBCUniversal-owned channels, and there's still no sign of them coming back to the streaming service. Customers have had to find alternate methods of watching Sunday Night Football, all the latest episodes of the Real Housewives franchise, and so much more because of Fubo and NBCUniversal's contract dispute, so channels like NBC, USA Network, Telemundo, and Bravo have been unavailable on Fubo since Nov. 21. 

A message released by Fubo to their customers explains, "Fubo believes customers should have the option to choose among multiple distributors to access the content they love. Unfortunately, NBCU has offered terms regarding pricing and packaging that are egregiously above those offered to other distributors." A statement from an NBCU spokesperson adds, "Fubo has chosen to drop NBCUniversal programming despite being offered the same terms agreed to by hundreds of other distributors. Unfortunately, this is par for the course for Fubo — they’ve dropped numerous networks in recent years at the expense of their customers, who continue to lose content.” (Fubo, for instance, cut Warner-owned channels back in 2024.) You can read more about exactly why Fubo is countering NBC's proposed deal here. 

While the companies are continuing discussions to come to an agreement, there is still no resolution. Fubo issued $15 credits to subscribers' bills as a gesture of goodwill, and has also lowered the subscription prices of plans that included NBCU-owned channels (you can see if your plan is included here). If you're a Fubo customer and are wondering how to watch this week's biggest games and shows, here's everything you need to know about the Fubo-NBC blackout, which channels are missing and your options for where to watch them.

This week's Sunday Night Football playoff game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the New England Patriots airs at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC, but you'll also be able to stream it on Peacock, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. 

In addition to this week's Sunday Night Football game, there are loads of sports on NBC, USA, Universo and more that you won't want to miss, including extensive Premiere League coverage, NBA games, and the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, plus new show premieres this week like St. Denis Medical and Chicago Med. On Bravo, there are new episodes of Vanderpump Rules, The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, and The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, too.

The following is a list of channels owned or operated by NBC that are not currently available on Fubo:

  • NBC Local Affiliates

  • Telemundo Local/National

  • NBC Sports 4K

  • NBC Sports Bay Area

  • NBC Sports Bay Area Plus

  • NBC Sports Boston

  • NBC Sports California

  • NBC Sports California Plus

  • NBC Sports California Plus 3

  • NBC Sports Philadelphia

  • NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus

  • American Crimes

  • Bravo

  • Bravo Vault

  • Caso Cerrado

  • CNBC

  • CNBC World

  • Cozi

  • Dateline 24/7

  • E! Entertainment Television

  • E! Keeping Up

  • Golf Channel

  • GolfPass

  • LX Home

  • Million Dollar Listing Vault

  • MS NOW (formerly MSNBC)

  • NBC NOW

  • NBC Sports NOW

  • NBC Universo

  • True CRMZ

  • New England Cable News

  • Noticias Telemundo Ahora

  • Oxygen True Crime

  • Oxygen True Crime Archives

  • Real Housewives Vault

  • SNL Vault

  • Syfy

  • Telemundo Accion

  • Telemundo al Dia

  • The Golf Channel

  • Today All Day

  • Universal Movies

  • USA Network

Per Fubo, NBC channels were pulled from the platform because of a disagreement over their long-standing content distribution agreement that has yet to be resolved.

Negotiations between the companies are ongoing and after more than six weeks, there is still no projected return date.

Fubo has announced that as of Jan. 1, 2026, pricing for select subscription tiers has been reduced. To know whether or not you're eligible for this rebate, you should have received an email from Fubo with a new price structure for your plan. Customers who received an email about a price reduction are on plans that previously included NBC programming, but if your current plan did not previously include NBC programming, your subscription is not affected at this time and the price remains the same.

Looking to switch from Fubo? You've got plenty of options, including Peacock, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. Here are some of your choices:

Try Hulu + Live TV for free

Fubo does not allow customers to pause their subscriptions, so if you're looking to make a change, you can cancel your plan outright. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/missing-nbc-on-fubo-heres-how-to-watch-sunday-night-football-figure-skating-and-more-this-week-014052346.html?src=rss

Warner Music drops lawsuit against AI music platform Suno in exchange for licensing agreement

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Following its licensing deal with Udio, Warner Music Group (WMG) has also reached an agreement with Suno that will let the platform license its artists' music and likenesses, and end the music company's ongoing litigation. WMG was previously one of several record labels suing Udio and Suno for allegedly infringing on copyrighted works at a "massive scale."

As part of the agreement, "artists and songwriters will have full control over whether and how their names, images, likenesses, voices, and compositions are used in new AI-generated music," WMG explains in its press release for the announcement. WMG doesn't spell out how that will work for musicians impacted by the deal, but it does appear that participation will be opt-in, rather than anything being shared by default. This mirrors the opt-in structure of the company's Udio deal.

"AI becomes pro-artist when it adheres to our principles: committing to licensed models, reflecting the value of music on and off platform, and providing artists and songwriters with an opt-in for the use of their name, image, likeness, voice and compositions in new AI songs," WMG CEO Robert Kyncl says.

Suno will also make adjustments to its AI music platform, possibly as a condition of the new partnership. WMG says Suno is launching "new, more advanced and licensed models" in 2026, after which its current models will be deprecated. The company will also limit music downloads to paid accounts. "In the future, songs made on the free tier will not be downloadable and will instead be playable and shareable. Paid tier users will have limited monthly download caps with the ability to pay for more downloads," WMG says. 

In an odd wrinkle to the partnership, Suno is also acquiring WMG's Songkick concert discovery platform. The company plans to continue running it, and WMG claims that "the combination of Suno and Songkick will create new potential to deepen the artist-fan connection." An app for finding nearby concerts doesn't totally square with Suno's existing music creation tools, but maybe it suggests the company is interested in offering more social features down the road.

Prior to this agreement, Suno openly admitted to using "essentially all music files of reasonable quality that are accessible on the open internet" to train its AI model, under the auspices of fair use. That seems like a pretty blatant admission of copyright infringement, but apparently Warner Music Group is happier with the deals it struck than what it could have won through its lawsuit. The company is reportedly one of several music groups looking to strike a similar deal with YouTube.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/warner-music-drops-lawsuit-against-ai-music-platform-suno-in-exchange-for-licensing-agreement-224619025.html?src=rss

FoloToy’s AI teddy bear is back on sale following its brief foray into BDSM

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A brand spanking-new FoloToy teddy bear can be yours once again. However, he may now be less knowledgeable about spanking. The infamous "Kumma" children's AI teddy bear, once an expert in BDSM and knife-fetching, is back on sale. The company claims the toy now has stronger child safety protections in place.

The Singapore-based FoloToy suspended sales of Kumma last week after a research group published an eyebrow-raising report. The PIRG Education Fund found that the fuzzy little teddy had a few spicy secrets.

The review discovered that the AI toy had a thing for blades and kinky bedroom play. The bear had no problem suggesting where to find knives in the home. And it not only replied to sexual prompts but also expanded on them. Researchers say it ran with their explicit cues, escalating them in graphic detail and "introducing new sexual concepts of its own." It explained sex positions, gave step-by-step instructions for sexual bondage and detailed various role-playing scenarios. Who knew Kumma had it in him?

Marketing photo of a child grinning, looking at a teddy bear on a counch.
Marketing photo of a child grinning, looking at a teddy bear on a counch.
FoloToy

Although it's hard not to laugh at the absurdity of it all, this stuff is no joke for parents. With the tech industry pushing AI everything on us for the last three years, it's easy for a casual observer to conclude that it's all very safe, regulated and ready for vulnerable eyes and ears. PIRG did acknowledge that young children were unlikely to have prompted the bear with a term like "kink." (Older siblings may have been another story.) Still, the group's tests highlighted a shockingly lax approach to content moderation on a child's toy.

In its statement announcing Kumma's return, FoloToy boasted that it was the only company of the three targeted in the review to suspend sales. (Could it be that it’s less about principles and more about it being the only one that got media coverage?) The company described the bear's short hiatus as "a full week of rigorous review, testing and reinforcement of our safety modules." Wait, a whole week? Whoa there, partner!!

Before his trip to AI rehab, Kumma was advertised as being powered by GPT-4o. Following PIRG's review, OpenAI told the organization that it had suspended FoloToy for violating its policies. The bear's new listing makes no mention of GPT-4o or any specific AI models.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/folotoys-ai-teddy-bear-is-back-on-sale-following-its-brief-foray-into-bdsm-213138383.html?src=rss

Perplexity announces its own take on an AI shopping assistant

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Perplexity is rolling out a new shopping feature to make buying things through its AI assistant easier and more personalized. The company's new feature is free for all Perplexity users in the US and builds on Perplexity’s existing relationship with payment provider Paypal.

The new shopping experience lets Perplexity users conduct more personalized product searches, like asking "What's the best winter jacket if I live in San Francisco and take a ferry to work?" Perplexity says its assistant can keep the context of your chat in mind as it searches for products, and incorporate details it's learned about your life and preferences to tailor results. Once the assistant has found products it wants to show you, it can then present them in nicely formatted product cards, with pros and cons about each jacket, for example, and other relevant details pulled from reviews and guides.

If one of the products Perplexity finds seems like the right fit, you can also purchase the product directly through the company's assistant, and pay with payment details stored in a PayPal account. This "Instant Buy" experience provided by Perplexity and PayPal extends to all merchants who offer PayPal as a payment method. While that sounds like it could make a key element of the shopping experience obsolete for these online stores (you never actually visit their website), Perplexity claims merchants still own the most important parts. "They have full visibility into who their customer is, can process returns, build loyalty, and own the post-purchase relationship, just as they would on their own sites," the AI company says.

Perplexity's push into online shopping is similar to the "shopping research" feature OpenAI recently added to ChatGPT, and new product recommendation features Google's added to AI Mode in Google Search. While all these tools are pitched as a more personalized alternative to the shopping guides you'll find on Engadget and other editorial sites, they often work under the same logic. By referring someone to a product, AI companies hope to receive a payment or a fee from the transaction if the person makes a purchase.

Ultimately, Perplexity is equally interested in offering an end-to-end solution, where it finds and purchases products without a human needing to step in. The company received a cease-and-desist from Amazon at the beginning of November for letting the agent in its Comet browser complete Amazon purchases on users' behalf.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/perplexity-announces-its-own-take-on-an-ai-shopping-assistant-210500961.html?src=rss

Games Done Quick’s Back to Black event returns in February

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Games Done Quick has wrapped up its 2025 events, but a new year of speedrunning for charity is on the horizon. The organization released the schedule for Back to Black 2026 on Tuesday. You can watch the action from February 5 to 8.

As its name suggests, the event celebrates the Black community through the joy of gaming. Organized by Black in a Flash, the event will showcase all-Black speed runs of titles ranging from popular to obscure.

There are plenty of fun runs on the schedule. Someone will take on Hades II, one of the best games of 2025. Then there's Cuphead, an excruciatingly difficult title even when you have all the time in the world. The schedule has some retro games, like Donkey Kong Country, Street Fighter 2 and Sonic Heroes. You'll also find some little-known ones, like the 1996 Sega Saturn weirdfest, Mr. Bones.

This year's shindig will support Race Forward, a nonprofit working toward racial equity. Last year's Back to Black event raised $44,000 for the same charity.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/games-done-quicks-back-to-black-event-returns-in-february-201500830.html?src=rss

Fubo accuses NBCUniversal of ‘egregious’ demands amid carriage dispute

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Fubo has issued a statement on its latest row with NBCUniversal over a carriage dispute involving NBC's most popular channels. This past Friday, NBCU networks went dark on Fubo across both live and on-demand services. Fubo subscribers trying to watch NBC content were met with a message that read, “We are working hard to bring this channel back. We are currently negotiating with NBCUniversal and are hopeful that we’ll bring this channel back to you soon.”

Today, Fubo said it has been engaged in good-faith negotiations with NBCUniversal to renew a content agreement for its networks. Fubo said that NBCU's demands, however, would harm its customers, and that the streaming company has not agreed to the proposed terms.

"NBCU is spinning off some of their cable networks into a new company called Versant on Jan 1, 2026. Despite them not being worth the cost to Fubo subscribers, Fubo offered to distribute Versant channels for one year. NBCU wants Fubo to sign a multi-year deal — well past the time the Versant channels will be owned by a separate company. NBCU wants Fubo subscribers to subsidize these channels," the statement reads.

The statement goes on to accuse NBCU of discriminating against Fubo and its subscribers by allowing YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video to integrate Peacock into the popular streaming services, while not extending the same rights to Fubo. In a blog post yesterday, Fubo said the terms on pricing and packaging being offered by NBCUniversal were "egregiously above those offered to other distributors."

"Fubo has chosen to drop NBCUniversal programming despite being offered the same terms agreed to by hundreds of other distributors. Unfortunately, this is par for the course for Fubo — they’ve dropped numerous networks in recent years at the expense of their customers, who continue to lose content," an NBCUniversal spokesperson told Engadget when asked to comment on Fubo's accusations.

The company also pointed to ten major drops that Fubo has incurred over the past five years including Discovery networks and AMC. A full list of channels that are still dark on Fubo can be found here. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/fubo-accuses-nbcuniversal-of-egregious-demands-amid-carriage-dispute-193515241.html?src=rss

How to watch the Thanksgiving Day Chiefs vs. Cowboys game for less with Paramount+

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A football lies just short of the goal line.
Ready for some turkey day football? (Getty Images)
saje via Getty Images

The Dallas Cowboys have become as much a part of Thanksgiving Day tradition as turkey and stuffing. The team has played a Thanksgiving game every year since 1978, and this year, they'll be setting the table to host the Kansas City Chiefs at AT&T Stadium. The Chiefs will likely arrive hungry; they haven't appeared in a turkey day game since 2006. The game is set to air on CBS and Paramount+, with kickoff scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET. If you want to welcome Dak Prescott, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of these two teams into your living room on Thursday (oh, and Post Malone, too — he's performing at halftime), we've got some good news: you can watch the game at a steep discount thanks to an incredible new deal for a subscription to Paramount+.

Starting on November 25 at 12 p.m. ET and running through December 2, you can score either the Paramount+ Essential plan or an ad-free Paramount+ Premium plan for $2.99/month for 2 months. You can use either plan to watch this week's Thanksgiving game, and more than 30 games during the remainder of the season, too.

Here's what you need to know to watch the Chiefs vs. Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game for less on Paramount+.

Date: Thursday, Nov. 27

Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

Streaming: Paramount+

The Chiefs face the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT.

The Thanksgiving Day game between the Chiefs and the Cowboys will be broadcast on CBS, which means you'll be able to stream it on Paramount+. As a general rule of thumb, as long as a game is broadcast on your local CBS station, it will be available in the Live TV section of Paramount+.

There are six weeks left in the NFL season (not including the playoffs). Here's a list of every remaining regular-season game of the upcoming NFL season, with every matchup that will air on CBS and Paramount+ in bold, including this year's Thanksgiving Day matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Dallas Cowboys. Note that NFL on CBS games broadcast by your local CBS station can be streamed live on Paramount+ through the Live TV menu.

WEEK 13 

Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025

  • Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions (Thanksgiving Day), 1 PM ET

  • Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys (Thanksgiving Day), 4:30 PM ET

  • (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens (Thanksgiving Day), 8:20 PM ET

Friday, Nov. 28, 2025

  • Chicago Bears at Philadelphia Eagles, 3 PM ET

Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025

  • Los Angeles Rams at Carolina Panthers, 1 PM ET

  • San Francisco 49ers at Cleveland Browns, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • New Orleans Saints at Miami Dolphins, 1 PM ET

  • Atlanta Falcons at New York Jets, 1 PM ET

  • Arizona Cardinals at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 PM ET

  • Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks, 4:05 PM ET

  • Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers, 4:25 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Buffalo Bills at Pittsburgh Steelers, 4:25 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Denver Broncos at Washington Commanders, 8:20 PM ET

Monday, Dec. 1, 2025

  • New York Giants at New England Patriots, 8:15 PM ET

WEEK 14 

Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025

  • Dallas Cowboys at Detroit Lions, 8:15 PM ET

Sunday, Dec. 7, 2025

  • Seattle Seahawks at Atlanta Falcons, 1 PM ET

  • Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns, 1 PM ET

  • Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers, 1 PM ET

  • Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Washington Commanders at Minnesota Vikings, 1 PM ET

  • Miami Dolphins at New York Jets, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders, 4:05 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Los Angeles Rams at Arizona Cardinals, 4:25 PM ET

  • Cincinnati Bengals at Buffalo Bills, 4:25 PM ET

  • Houston Texans at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 PM ET

Monday, Dec. 8, 2025

  • Philadelphia Eagles at Los Angeles Chargers, 8:15 PM ET

BYES: Carolina, New England, N.Y. Giants, San Francisco    

WEEK 15 

Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025

  • Atlanta Falcons at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 8:15 PM ET

Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025

  • Cleveland Browns at Chicago Bears, 1 PM ET

  • Baltimore Ravens at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Arizona Cardinals at Houston Texans, 1 PM ET

  • New York Jets at Jacksonville Jaguars, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Washington Commanders at New York Giants, 1 PM ET

  • Las Vegas Raiders at Philadelphia Eagles, 1 PM ET

  • Green Bay Packers at Denver Broncos, 4:25 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Detroit Lions at Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 PM ET

  • Carolina Panthers at New Orleans Saints, 4:25 PM ET

  • Indianapolis Colts at Seattle Seahawks, 4:25 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Tennessee Titans at San Francisco 49ers, 4:25 PM ET

  • Minnesota Vikings at Dallas Cowboys, 8:20 PM ET

Monday, Dec. 15, 2025

  • Miami Dolphins at Pittsburgh Steelers. 8:15 PM ET

WEEK 16 

Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025

  • Los Angeles Rams at Seattle Seahawks, 8:15 PM ET

Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025

  • Green Bay Packers at Chicago Bears, TBD

  • Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Commanders, TBD

Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025

  • New England Patriots at Baltimore Ravens, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers, 1 PM ET

  • Buffalo Bills at Cleveland Browns, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Los Angeles Chargers at Dallas Cowboys, 1 PM ET

  • New York Jets at New Orleans Saints, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Minnesota Vikings at New York Giants, 1 PM ET

  • Kansas City Chiefs at Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Atlanta Falcons at Arizona Cardinals, 4:05 PM ET

  • Jacksonville Jaguars at Denver Broncos, 4:05 PM ET

  • Pittsburgh Steelers at Detroit Lions, 4:25 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Las Vegas Raiders at Houston Texans, 4:25 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Cincinnati Bengals at Miami Dolphins, 8:20 PM ET

Monday, Dec. 22, 2025

  • San Francisco 49ers at Indianapolis Colts, 8:15 PM ET

WEEK 17 

Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025

  • Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders, 1 PM ET

  • Detroit Lions at Minnesota Vikings, 4:30 PM ET

  • Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:15 PM ET

Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025

  • Seattle Seahawks at Carolina Panthers**

  • Arizona Cardinals at Cincinnati Bengals**

  • Baltimore Ravens at Green Bay Packers**

  • Houston Texans at Los Angeles Chargers**

  • New York Giants at Las Vegas Raiders**

Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025

  • Pittsburgh Steelers at Cleveland Browns, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Jacksonville Jaguars at Indianapolis Colts, 1 PM ET

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Miami Dolphins, 1 PM ET

  • New England Patriots at New York Jets, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • New Orleans Saints at Tennessee Titans, 1 PM ET (CBS/Paramount+)*

  • Philadelphia Eagles at Buffalo Bills, 4:25 PM ET

  • Chicago Bears at San Francisco 49ers, 8:20 PM ET

Monday, Dec. 29, 2025

  • Los Angeles Rams at Atlanta Falcons, 8:15 PM ET

WEEK 18 

Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, or Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026

  • New Orleans Saints at Atlanta Falcons**

  • New York Jets at Buffalo Bills***

  • Detroit Lions at Chicago Bears**

  • Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals***

  • Los Angeles Chargers at Denver Broncos***

  • Indianapolis Colts at Houston Texans***

  • Tennessee Titans at Jacksonville Jaguars***

  • Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Rams**

  • Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders***

  • Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings**

  • Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots***

  • Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants**

  • Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles**

  • Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers**

  • Seattle Seahawks at San Francisco 49ers**

  • Carolina Panthers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers**    

*During the regular season, consult your local TV listings to see which, if any, NFL on CBS games will be broadcast by your local CBS station. NFL on CBS games broadcast by your local CBS station can be streamed live on Paramount+.
**Time and broadcast assignment TBD.
***Subject to change.

With a Paramount+ Essential plan, NFL on CBS games and UEFA Champions League soccer are both included in the price. If you upgrade to a Paramount+ Premium plan, you'll get access to all CBS sports, including Big Ten Football on CBS, NCAA basketball, golf, rugby, and live channels, including CBS Sports Golazo Network and more.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-thanksgiving-day-chiefs-vs-cowboys-game-for-less-with-paramount-200535979.html?src=rss