Tag Archives: Technology & Electronics

Amazon’s Fire Max 11 tablet drops to a record low of $140

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Woot is selling Amazon's largest tablet, the Fire Max 11 for $140. That's $89 below the list price and $37 cheaper than it's selling for on Amazon right now. The price applies to the 64GB model with ads on the lockscreen and just the tablet alone — the magnetic case, stylus and keyboard case are all sold separately. The tablet hit $150 for the shopping holidays last year, so the Woot deal represents a $10 discount off the all-time low price. The sale should run through Sunday or until the tablet sells out. 

We had a chance to briefly check out a sample when the latest generation came out in May of last year and were impressed by how much you get for the money. There's an 11-inch LCD screen (Amazon's largest tablet screen) with a 2,000 x 1,000 resolution. Most of Amazon's Fire Tablets are built for casual use like browsing, streaming and for kids to play games on, but the Max 11 could be seen as the grown-up of the lineup. It's designed to handle a bit of work and multitasking with its octa-core MediaTek processor that Amazon says is 50 percent faster than the next fastest model. Just keep in mind that Fire Tablets rely on the Amazon Appstore, which does have Microsoft 365 apps, but you can't natively get Google's productivity apps without sideloading.  

Still, you get an aluminum build, support for Wi-Fi 6, 8-megapixel front and rear cameras, a fingerprint sensor and picture-in-picture capabilities. That last feature could be particularly useful for keeping tabs on your Alexa-enabled smart home cameras while you watch a show or flip through YouTube. In fact, when set up with a stand, it can go into "show mode" and act like one of Amazon's smart displays, providing you with Alexa's controls and interactivity. 

Even though it's perfectly suitable for adults who want to get some work done, Fire Max 11's claimed 14-hour battery life, comprehensive parental controls and access to an Amazon Kids+ subscription (currently $5 monthly) makes the tablet particularly well-suited for kids, too. Plus Amazon says the Max 11 is "three times as durable as the iPad 10.9 (10th generation)."  

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-max-11-tablet-drops-to-a-record-low-of-140-171039269.html?src=rss

Amazon’s Fire Max 11 tablet drops to a record low of $140

Posted on by

Woot is selling Amazon's largest tablet, the Fire Max 11 for $140. That's $89 below the list price and $37 cheaper than it's selling for on Amazon right now. The price applies to the 64GB model with ads on the lockscreen and just the tablet alone — the magnetic case, stylus and keyboard case are all sold separately. The tablet hit $150 for the shopping holidays last year, so the Woot deal represents a $10 discount off the all-time low price. The sale should run through Sunday or until the tablet sells out. 

We had a chance to briefly check out a sample when the latest generation came out in May of last year and were impressed by how much you get for the money. There's an 11-inch LCD screen (Amazon's largest tablet screen) with a 2,000 x 1,000 resolution. Most of Amazon's Fire Tablets are built for casual use like browsing, streaming and for kids to play games on, but the Max 11 could be seen as the grown-up of the lineup. It's designed to handle a bit of work and multitasking with its octa-core MediaTek processor that Amazon says is 50 percent faster than the next fastest model. Just keep in mind that Fire Tablets rely on the Amazon Appstore, which does have Microsoft 365 apps, but you can't natively get Google's productivity apps without sideloading.  

Still, you get an aluminum build, support for Wi-Fi 6, 8-megapixel front and rear cameras, a fingerprint sensor and picture-in-picture capabilities. That last feature could be particularly useful for keeping tabs on your Alexa-enabled smart home cameras while you watch a show or flip through YouTube. In fact, when set up with a stand, it can go into "show mode" and act like one of Amazon's smart displays, providing you with Alexa's controls and interactivity. 

Even though it's perfectly suitable for adults who want to get some work done, Fire Max 11's claimed 14-hour battery life, comprehensive parental controls and access to an Amazon Kids+ subscription (currently $5 monthly) makes the tablet particularly well-suited for kids, too. Plus Amazon says the Max 11 is "three times as durable as the iPad 10.9 (10th generation)."  

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-max-11-tablet-drops-to-a-record-low-of-140-171039269.html?src=rss

Apple’s self-repair program now covers M3-powered MacBook Pros and iMacs

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Apple has been steadily expanding its Self Service Repair program since spinning it up two years ago. Starting today, you can access the tools, parts and repair manuals you need to fix the latest MacBook Pros and iMacs that run on the company's M3 chips. 

As of sometime next month, folks with M3 systems will be able to use Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair on their systems too. The web-based tool gives end users the same capabilities as the company's authorized service providers and independent repair shops to pinpoint parts that may need to be repaired, as well as to test for "optimal part functionality and performance," Apple says. The company debuted this tool for iPhone and Mac last year.

On top of that, Apple notes that it's trying to improve the Mac repair process and make it more efficient through tweaks to system configuration procedures. As of early March, you'll no longer need to contact its Self Service Repair team to carry out the final step of a repair. However, the team will still be available in case you need a hand.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-self-repair-program-now-covers-m3-powered-macbook-pros-and-imacs-165109070.html?src=rss

Apple’s self-repair program now covers M3-powered MacBook Pros and iMacs

Posted on by

Apple has been steadily expanding its Self Service Repair program since spinning it up two years ago. Starting today, you can access the tools, parts and repair manuals you need to fix the latest MacBook Pros and iMacs that run on the company's M3 chips. 

As of sometime next month, folks with M3 systems will be able to use Apple Diagnostics for Self Service Repair on their systems too. The web-based tool gives end users the same capabilities as the company's authorized service providers and independent repair shops to pinpoint parts that may need to be repaired, as well as to test for "optimal part functionality and performance," Apple says. The company debuted this tool for iPhone and Mac last year.

On top of that, Apple notes that it's trying to improve the Mac repair process and make it more efficient through tweaks to system configuration procedures. As of early March, you'll no longer need to contact its Self Service Repair team to carry out the final step of a repair. However, the team will still be available in case you need a hand.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-self-repair-program-now-covers-m3-powered-macbook-pros-and-imacs-165109070.html?src=rss

The US will investigate cars built in China over security concerns

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The White House has announced an investigation into cars built in China and other unnamed "countries of concern." The Biden administration notes that cars are "constantly connecting" with drivers' phones, other vehicles, American infrastructure and their manufacturers, and that newer models use tech such as driver assist systems.

"Connected vehicles collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers; regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on US infrastructure; interact directly with critical infrastructure; and can be piloted or disabled remotely," the White House said in a statement. Officials are concerned that "new vulnerabilities and threats" could arise from connected vehicles if foreign governments are able to access data from them. They are especially wary that said countries of concern could use such information in ways that put national security at risk.

The Department of Commerce will lead the investigation. "We need to understand the extent of the technology in these cars that can capture wide swaths of data or remotely disable or manipulate connected vehicles, so we are soliciting information to determine whether to take action under our ICTS [information and communications technology and services] authorities," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.

Through its advance notice of proposed rulemaking [PDF], the agency is looking for feedback from the public to help determine "the technologies and market participants that may be most appropriate for regulation." The investigation will help the Commerce Department decide whether to take action. It's the first time that the agency's Bureau of Industry and Security is carrying out an investigation under Trump-era Executive Orders "focused on protecting domestic information and communications technology and services supply chains from national security threats," the White House said.

"China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices. China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch," President Joe Biden said. "Connected vehicles from China could collect sensitive data about our citizens and our infrastructure and send this data back to the People’s Republic of China. These vehicles could be remotely accessed or disabled."

As The Washington Post points out, cars built in China aren't especially common on US roads as yet, but they're becoming an increasingly familiar sight in other markets, such as Europe. While many of the vehicles that are causing concerns are EVs, its cars' cameras, sensors and software that are the focus of the probe.

It's not the first time that the US has investigated Chinese companies over concerns that they pose security risks to the country's infrastructure. A few years ago, it banned the import and sale of telecom networking equipment made by Huawei and ZTE (after stopping government employees from using the companies' phones). The government also required telecoms to remove and replace Huawei and ZTE gear in existing infrastructure at great expense.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-us-will-investigate-cars-built-in-china-over-security-concerns-155037465.html?src=rss

The US will investigate cars built in China over security concerns

Posted on by

The White House has announced an investigation into cars built in China and other unnamed "countries of concern." The Biden administration notes that cars are "constantly connecting" with drivers' phones, other vehicles, American infrastructure and their manufacturers, and that newer models use tech such as driver assist systems.

"Connected vehicles collect large amounts of sensitive data on their drivers and passengers; regularly use their cameras and sensors to record detailed information on US infrastructure; interact directly with critical infrastructure; and can be piloted or disabled remotely," the White House said in a statement. Officials are concerned that "new vulnerabilities and threats" could arise from connected vehicles if foreign governments are able to access data from them. They are especially wary that said countries of concern could use such information in ways that put national security at risk.

The Department of Commerce will lead the investigation. "We need to understand the extent of the technology in these cars that can capture wide swaths of data or remotely disable or manipulate connected vehicles, so we are soliciting information to determine whether to take action under our ICTS [information and communications technology and services] authorities," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said.

Through its advance notice of proposed rulemaking [PDF], the agency is looking for feedback from the public to help determine "the technologies and market participants that may be most appropriate for regulation." The investigation will help the Commerce Department decide whether to take action. It's the first time that the agency's Bureau of Industry and Security is carrying out an investigation under Trump-era Executive Orders "focused on protecting domestic information and communications technology and services supply chains from national security threats," the White House said.

"China is determined to dominate the future of the auto market, including by using unfair practices. China’s policies could flood our market with its vehicles, posing risks to our national security. I’m not going to let that happen on my watch," President Joe Biden said. "Connected vehicles from China could collect sensitive data about our citizens and our infrastructure and send this data back to the People’s Republic of China. These vehicles could be remotely accessed or disabled."

As The Washington Post points out, cars built in China aren't especially common on US roads as yet, but they're becoming an increasingly familiar sight in other markets, such as Europe. While many of the vehicles that are causing concerns are EVs, its cars' cameras, sensors and software that are the focus of the probe.

It's not the first time that the US has investigated Chinese companies over concerns that they pose security risks to the country's infrastructure. A few years ago, it banned the import and sale of telecom networking equipment made by Huawei and ZTE (after stopping government employees from using the companies' phones). The government also required telecoms to remove and replace Huawei and ZTE gear in existing infrastructure at great expense.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-us-will-investigate-cars-built-in-china-over-security-concerns-155037465.html?src=rss

The Apple AirPods Pro are back on sale for $190

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If you've been looking to pick up a set of Apple's AirPods Pros, today might be a good day to pounce. The latest version of the noise-canceling wireless earphones, which arrived last September and includes a USB-C charging case, is back down to $190 at Amazon and Best Buy. We've seen this discount several times over the last few months, but it still comes within a dollar of the lowest price we've tracked. For reference, Apple sells the pair for $249, though it's regularly available for less at third-party retailers. Note that this offer may be available for Thursday only, as Best Buy lists it as a 24-hour "Deal of the Day" and Amazon is likely price-matching.

We gave the second-generation AirPods Pro a score of 88 back in September 2022. That review applied to the model with a Lightning charging case; this USB-C model is virtually identical, only it has slightly better dust resistance and technically supports lossless audio with Apple's Vision Pro headset. Otherwise, it continues to offer effective active noise cancellation (ANC), a stellar ambient sound mode and pleasantly warm sound with slightly elevated bass. Its biggest perk, though, is still how well it works with other Apple devices. With those, you get a simpler pairing process, faster device switching, an adaptive EQ, hands-free access to Siri, automatic ear detection, Find My tracking and spatial audio support. The pair's settings menu and battery life indicator are baked into iOS as well. 

All of that makes the AirPods Pro the "best for iOS" pick in our wireless earbuds buying guide, but you need to an iPhone to get the most out of them. Even then, their six-ish hour battery life is just OK, their call quality could be better and their touch controls may take some getting used to. The Beats Fit Pro offers a mostly similar feature set in a more workout-friendly design, while Sony's WF-1000XM5s remain our favorite wireless earbuds overall. It's also worth noting that Apple may release new AirPods later this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, while those who just need the USB-C case can buy that separately. Still, if you're a dedicated Apple user who needs new earbuds today, this is a solid deal.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-airpods-pro-are-back-on-sale-for-190-152417164.html?src=rss

The Apple AirPods Pro are back on sale for $190

Posted on by

If you've been looking to pick up a set of Apple's AirPods Pros, today might be a good day to pounce. The latest version of the noise-canceling wireless earphones, which arrived last September and includes a USB-C charging case, is back down to $190 at Amazon and Best Buy. We've seen this discount several times over the last few months, but it still comes within a dollar of the lowest price we've tracked. For reference, Apple sells the pair for $249, though it's regularly available for less at third-party retailers. Note that this offer may be available for Thursday only, as Best Buy lists it as a 24-hour "Deal of the Day" and Amazon is likely price-matching.

We gave the second-generation AirPods Pro a score of 88 back in September 2022. That review applied to the model with a Lightning charging case; this USB-C model is virtually identical, only it has slightly better dust resistance and technically supports lossless audio with Apple's Vision Pro headset. Otherwise, it continues to offer effective active noise cancellation (ANC), a stellar ambient sound mode and pleasantly warm sound with slightly elevated bass. Its biggest perk, though, is still how well it works with other Apple devices. With those, you get a simpler pairing process, faster device switching, an adaptive EQ, hands-free access to Siri, automatic ear detection, Find My tracking and spatial audio support. The pair's settings menu and battery life indicator are baked into iOS as well. 

All of that makes the AirPods Pro the "best for iOS" pick in our wireless earbuds buying guide, but you need to an iPhone to get the most out of them. Even then, their six-ish hour battery life is just OK, their call quality could be better and their touch controls may take some getting used to. The Beats Fit Pro offers a mostly similar feature set in a more workout-friendly design, while Sony's WF-1000XM5s remain our favorite wireless earbuds overall. It's also worth noting that Apple may release new AirPods later this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, while those who just need the USB-C case can buy that separately. Still, if you're a dedicated Apple user who needs new earbuds today, this is a solid deal.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-apple-airpods-pro-are-back-on-sale-for-190-152417164.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Nintendo steps up its fight against Switch emulators and game piracy

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Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against the creators of a popular Switch emulator called Yuzu, which gives users a way to play games developed for the platform on their PCs and Android devices. In the lawsuit, the company argues Yuzu violates the anti-circumvention and anti-trafficking provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). 

While Nintendo taking down online offenders isn’t new, this case could set a precedent for future lawsuits against emulators, which aren’t themselves illegal. Nintendo is arguing their very nature is unlawful. It could be a big deal.

Nintendo says it protects its games with encryption and other security features meant to prevent people from playing pirated copies: “Without Yuzu’s decryption of Nintendo’s encryption, unauthorized copies of games could not be played on PCs or Android devices,” the company wrote in its complaint.

Nintendo revealed The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was illegally distributed a week and a half before its official release. It was apparently downloaded over a million times from pirated websites, which specifically noted people can play the game file through Yuzu. The company also mentioned that Yuzu’s creators are making money from their emulator: $30,000 a month from their Patreon supporters and around $50,000 from the paid version of their Google Play app.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

The Apple Car never felt real

This is the Nothing Phone 2(a)

More news organizations sue OpenAI and Microsoft over copyright infringement

TikTok is muting all Universal Music-related songs

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

Biden executive order aims to stop Russia and China from buying Americans’ personal data

The bulk sale of geolocation, genomic, financial and health data will be off limits.

TMA
SAUL LOEB via Getty Images

In a fun bleak imagining of future late-stage capitalism, President Joe Biden is issuing an executive order to limit the mass sale of Americans’ personal data to “countries of concern,” including Russia and China. The order specifically targets the bulk sale of geolocation, genomic, financial, biometric, health and other personally identifying information.

Researchers and privacy advocates have long warned about the national security risks posed by the largely unregulated multibillion-dollar data broker industry. Last fall, researchers at Duke University reported that they could easily buy troves of personal and health data about US military personnel by posing as foreign agents. The loophole: This order will do nothing to slow the bulk sale of Americans’ data to countries or companies not deemed to be a security risk.

Continue reading.

LG’s latest OLED evo TVs start at $1,500

And go up to a sky-high $25,000.

TMA
LG

LG’s 2024 OLED evo TVs finally have prices. They’ll start at $1,500 for the midrange C4 models and go up to an impressive $25,000 for the 97-inch G4 flagship. The big theme this year is AI, and the company’s latest Alpha 11 processor is supposed to boost graphics performance by 70 percent, but it’ll only be in the high-end G4 series. The C4 models, meanwhile, will get the updated Alpha 9 Gen 7 chip. Both promise improved brightness (150 percent for the G4 compared to the G3), along with more AI features, like upscaling.

Continue reading.

Samsung’s new microSD card is faster than some SSDs

If your device supports SD Express.

Samsung’s upcoming microSD card will not only cram in 256GB of space but will offer a dramatic speed boost. The company’s 256GB SD Express microSD — Samsung’s first SD Express card — can read data at up to 800 MB/s, significantly faster than the microSDs you can buy today. However, we don’t yet know how much it will cost, and the card won’t be available until later this year. It will probably be pricey, but it may be worth the premium depending on how you use microSDs.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-nintendo-steps-up-its-fight-against-switch-emulators-and-game-piracy-121549460.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Nintendo steps up its fight against Switch emulators and game piracy

Posted on by

Nintendo has filed a lawsuit against the creators of a popular Switch emulator called Yuzu, which gives users a way to play games developed for the platform on their PCs and Android devices. In the lawsuit, the company argues Yuzu violates the anti-circumvention and anti-trafficking provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). 

While Nintendo taking down online offenders isn’t new, this case could set a precedent for future lawsuits against emulators, which aren’t themselves illegal. Nintendo is arguing their very nature is unlawful. It could be a big deal.

Nintendo says it protects its games with encryption and other security features meant to prevent people from playing pirated copies: “Without Yuzu’s decryption of Nintendo’s encryption, unauthorized copies of games could not be played on PCs or Android devices,” the company wrote in its complaint.

Nintendo revealed The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was illegally distributed a week and a half before its official release. It was apparently downloaded over a million times from pirated websites, which specifically noted people can play the game file through Yuzu. The company also mentioned that Yuzu’s creators are making money from their emulator: $30,000 a month from their Patreon supporters and around $50,000 from the paid version of their Google Play app.

— Mat Smith

The biggest stories you might have missed

The Apple Car never felt real

This is the Nothing Phone 2(a)

More news organizations sue OpenAI and Microsoft over copyright infringement

TikTok is muting all Universal Music-related songs

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

Biden executive order aims to stop Russia and China from buying Americans’ personal data

The bulk sale of geolocation, genomic, financial and health data will be off limits.

TMA
SAUL LOEB via Getty Images

In a fun bleak imagining of future late-stage capitalism, President Joe Biden is issuing an executive order to limit the mass sale of Americans’ personal data to “countries of concern,” including Russia and China. The order specifically targets the bulk sale of geolocation, genomic, financial, biometric, health and other personally identifying information.

Researchers and privacy advocates have long warned about the national security risks posed by the largely unregulated multibillion-dollar data broker industry. Last fall, researchers at Duke University reported that they could easily buy troves of personal and health data about US military personnel by posing as foreign agents. The loophole: This order will do nothing to slow the bulk sale of Americans’ data to countries or companies not deemed to be a security risk.

Continue reading.

LG’s latest OLED evo TVs start at $1,500

And go up to a sky-high $25,000.

TMA
LG

LG’s 2024 OLED evo TVs finally have prices. They’ll start at $1,500 for the midrange C4 models and go up to an impressive $25,000 for the 97-inch G4 flagship. The big theme this year is AI, and the company’s latest Alpha 11 processor is supposed to boost graphics performance by 70 percent, but it’ll only be in the high-end G4 series. The C4 models, meanwhile, will get the updated Alpha 9 Gen 7 chip. Both promise improved brightness (150 percent for the G4 compared to the G3), along with more AI features, like upscaling.

Continue reading.

Samsung’s new microSD card is faster than some SSDs

If your device supports SD Express.

Samsung’s upcoming microSD card will not only cram in 256GB of space but will offer a dramatic speed boost. The company’s 256GB SD Express microSD — Samsung’s first SD Express card — can read data at up to 800 MB/s, significantly faster than the microSDs you can buy today. However, we don’t yet know how much it will cost, and the card won’t be available until later this year. It will probably be pricey, but it may be worth the premium depending on how you use microSDs.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-nintendo-steps-up-its-fight-against-switch-emulators-and-game-piracy-121549460.html?src=rss