Tag Archives: Technology & Electronics

Netflix removes grandfathered accounts’ access to Apple iTunes billing

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Those who've been paying Netflix through iTunes over the past years will soon have to say to goodbye to their lower, discounted rates. The company has confirmed to The Verge that it has started removing users' access to their iTunes billing plan for the streaming service. "Members on the basic plan who were using an iTunes method of payment" will now have to pay the company directly using a credit or a debit card, Netflix representative Momo Zhao told the publication.

Netflix stopped letting new customers sign up for in-app subscriptions on Apple devices way back in 2018 to avoid giving the latter a commission. It allowed those who've already been paying through Apple to keep their payment preference, though, and at least one person said they were still enjoying the service's $10-a-month price until they got booted off their grandfathered pricing. 

The company killed its $10 basic plan in the US and the UK last year, which used to be its cheapest ad-free option in the regions. After a price increase a few months following that event, new customers have had to pay at least $15.49 to get a viewing experience that's not interrupted by ads. The ad-supported option now sets them back $7 a month, while the Premium tier that comes with support for four devices and Ultra HD now costs subscribers $23. Customers who used to pay through iTunes will now have to pay these prices — that is, if they still want to keep their subscriptions active.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-removes-grandfathered-accounts-access-to-apple-itunes-billing-055305616.html?src=rss

Netflix removes grandfathered accounts’ access to Apple iTunes billing

Posted on by

Those who've been paying Netflix through iTunes over the past years will soon have to say to goodbye to their lower, discounted rates. The company has confirmed to The Verge that it has started removing users' access to their iTunes billing plan for the streaming service. "Members on the basic plan who were using an iTunes method of payment" will now have to pay the company directly using a credit or a debit card, Netflix representative Momo Zhao told the publication.

Netflix stopped letting new customers sign up for in-app subscriptions on Apple devices way back in 2018 to avoid giving the latter a commission. It allowed those who've already been paying through Apple to keep their payment preference, though, and at least one person said they were still enjoying the service's $10-a-month price until they got booted off their grandfathered pricing. 

The company killed its $10 basic plan in the US and the UK last year, which used to be its cheapest ad-free option in the regions. After a price increase a few months following that event, new customers have had to pay at least $15.49 to get a viewing experience that's not interrupted by ads. The ad-supported option now sets them back $7 a month, while the Premium tier that comes with support for four devices and Ultra HD now costs subscribers $23. Customers who used to pay through iTunes will now have to pay these prices — that is, if they still want to keep their subscriptions active.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflix-removes-grandfathered-accounts-access-to-apple-itunes-billing-055305616.html?src=rss

Can your robot lawnmower run Doom? This one can

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Did you think you’ve seen the last of Doom running on random stuff? Think again. Landscaping technology company Husqvarna just announced that the game will run on some of its robot lawn mowers. So you can mow down hellspawn just ahead of mowing down errant blades of grass.

Here’s the deal. It’ll only be available on the company’s Automower Nera robotic lawn mower models, beginning this April. Once downloaded, you play the game via the lawn mower’s onboard display. Rotating the control knob turns Doomguy left and right and pressing the knob makes you shoot. Holding down the start button initiates forward movement. It’s Doom. You know the drill.

There are some caveats here. First of all, you have to sign up to download the software by September 9. It won’t be available for US residents, despite Husqvarna making a concerted effort to sell more robot lawn mowers in the United States. Finally, this is just the game running on the onboard display. It’s not as if the mower turns your yard into an actual level, with unwanted greenery representing demonic enemies. Still, it’s always nice to see Doom continue to do its thing.

The idea to make the shooter available to lawn mower enthusiasts came after a successful test run at the gaming event DreamHack Winter 2023, which was held in Sweden last December. This is just the latest example of Doom popping up where it shouldn’t. We’ve seen the FPS running on pregnancy tests, rat brain neurons and even inside of other games, like the sequel Doom II and Minecraft. Most recently, Doom was spotted running on actual gut bacteria with a frame rate so atrocious it would take 600 years to reach the ending.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/can-your-robot-lawnmower-run-doom-this-one-can-162641979.html?src=rss

Can your robot lawnmower run Doom? This one can

Posted on by

Did you think you’ve seen the last of Doom running on random stuff? Think again. Landscaping technology company Husqvarna just announced that the game will run on some of its robot lawn mowers. So you can mow down hellspawn just ahead of mowing down errant blades of grass.

Here’s the deal. It’ll only be available on the company’s Automower Nera robotic lawn mower models, beginning this April. Once downloaded, you play the game via the lawn mower’s onboard display. Rotating the control knob turns Doomguy left and right and pressing the knob makes you shoot. Holding down the start button initiates forward movement. It’s Doom. You know the drill.

There are some caveats here. First of all, you have to sign up to download the software by September 9. It won’t be available for US residents, despite Husqvarna making a concerted effort to sell more robot lawn mowers in the United States. Finally, this is just the game running on the onboard display. It’s not as if the mower turns your yard into an actual level, with unwanted greenery representing demonic enemies. Still, it’s always nice to see Doom continue to do its thing.

The idea to make the shooter available to lawn mower enthusiasts came after a successful test run at the gaming event DreamHack Winter 2023, which was held in Sweden last December. This is just the latest example of Doom popping up where it shouldn’t. We’ve seen the FPS running on pregnancy tests, rat brain neurons and even inside of other games, like the sequel Doom II and Minecraft. Most recently, Doom was spotted running on actual gut bacteria with a frame rate so atrocious it would take 600 years to reach the ending.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/can-your-robot-lawnmower-run-doom-this-one-can-162641979.html?src=rss

NVIDIA’s RTX 500 and 1000 Ada GPUs bring more AI smarts to thin and light workstations

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Just ahead of Mobile World Congress, NVIDIA unveiled its latest laptop GPUs and, what a surprise, they’re designed largely to assist with AI processing. The RTX 500 and 1000 Ada Generation graphics cards are primarily for thin and light laptops. While they won’t offer as much TOPS AI performance as current higher-end mobile GPUs, they could be a handy option for on-the-go AI processing for the likes of researchers, content creators and video editors. It's worth noting they're workstation GPUs rather than ones designed for gaming.

NVIDIA says the GPUs, which are based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, offer up to twice the ray-tracing performance of previous-gen GPUs (they employ third-gen ray-tracing cores). Fourth-gen Tensor Cores, meanwhile, deliver up to twice the throughput of previous GPUs, according to NVIDIA. The company says this helps with “accelerating deep learning training, inferencing and AI-based creative workloads.”

The RTX 500 has 4GB of dedicated memory, while the RTX 1000 has 6GB. NVIDIA says they deliver up to 154 and 193 TOPS of AI performance, respectively. Compared with a CPU-only AI configuration, the RTX 500 is slated to provide up to three times faster AI-powered photo editing, as much as 10 times the graphics performance for 3D rendering and up to 14 times the generative AI performance for various models.

The GPUs also support DLSS 3, the company’s upscaling tech. In addition, an eighth-gen encoder includes AV1 support. NVIDIA says this video codec is “up to 40 percent more efficient than H.264, enabling new possibilities for broadcasting, streaming and video calling.”

If you’re interested in picking up a laptop with an RTX 500 or 1000 GPU, you won’t have to wait long. They’ll debut this spring in laptops from the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo and MSI.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidias-rtx-500-and-1000-ada-gpus-bring-more-ai-smarts-to-thin-and-light-workstations-161517977.html?src=rss

NVIDIA’s RTX 500 and 1000 Ada GPUs bring more AI smarts to thin and light workstations

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Just ahead of Mobile World Congress, NVIDIA unveiled its latest laptop GPUs and, what a surprise, they’re designed largely to assist with AI processing. The RTX 500 and 1000 Ada Generation graphics cards are primarily for thin and light laptops. While they won’t offer as much TOPS AI performance as current higher-end mobile GPUs, they could be a handy option for on-the-go AI processing for the likes of researchers, content creators and video editors. It's worth noting they're workstation GPUs rather than ones designed for gaming.

NVIDIA says the GPUs, which are based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, offer up to twice the ray-tracing performance of previous-gen GPUs (they employ third-gen ray-tracing cores). Fourth-gen Tensor Cores, meanwhile, deliver up to twice the throughput of previous GPUs, according to NVIDIA. The company says this helps with “accelerating deep learning training, inferencing and AI-based creative workloads.”

The RTX 500 has 4GB of dedicated memory, while the RTX 1000 has 6GB. NVIDIA says they deliver up to 154 and 193 TOPS of AI performance, respectively. Compared with a CPU-only AI configuration, the RTX 500 is slated to provide up to three times faster AI-powered photo editing, as much as 10 times the graphics performance for 3D rendering and up to 14 times the generative AI performance for various models.

The GPUs also support DLSS 3, the company’s upscaling tech. In addition, an eighth-gen encoder includes AV1 support. NVIDIA says this video codec is “up to 40 percent more efficient than H.264, enabling new possibilities for broadcasting, streaming and video calling.”

If you’re interested in picking up a laptop with an RTX 500 or 1000 GPU, you won’t have to wait long. They’ll debut this spring in laptops from the likes of Dell, HP, Lenovo and MSI.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nvidias-rtx-500-and-1000-ada-gpus-bring-more-ai-smarts-to-thin-and-light-workstations-161517977.html?src=rss

Our favorite budget wireless earbuds are down to $53 right now

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High-end wireless earphones like the AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5 are great, but getting the absolute best performance doesn't come cheap. If you want a more affordable pair that's actually decent, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 is the top pick in our budget wireless earbuds buying guide, and a new deal has dropped it to $53 at Amazon. Outside of a brief dip to $50 during Cyber Monday, that's the lowest price we've tracked. It's also $47 below Anker's list price, though the set has usually sold for $79 for most of the past year. In recent weeks, we've seen it fall to $59. Still, this is a good chance to save a little extra. This deal applies to the black colorway, but blue and white models are available for a dollar more. You can also get the earbuds for $53 at Anker's online store by clipping an on-page coupon. Anker's listing says the offer will run through Sunday.

As noted in our guide, we like the Space A40 for delivering the kind of features we'd expect from earphones that cost two or three times as much. Its active noise cancellation (ANC) isn't as powerful as something like the Sony XM5s, especially with higher-pitched sounds, but it's still superb for the money. It'll adapt to your surroundings by default, but you can manually set it to strong, moderate and weak levels as needed. The earbuds themselves are light, comfortable and water-resistant with an IPX4 rating, so they'll survive most gym sessions. Battery life sits at a good eight hours or so, with an additional 40-ish hours available through a compact case, which also supports wireless charging. The pair can connect to two devices simultaneously, plus there's a usable transparency mode.

The Space A40's sound quality won't blow anyone away, but it's better than many budget earbuds we've tested. It has a warm profile by default, so there's a bump in upper-base range and the treble is a bit underemphasized. It can't capture as much crisp detail as the best premium pairs as a result, but it's far from a mess and still pleasant with most popular music. If you don't like how it sounds out of the box, you can customize the EQ curve fairly effectively through the Soundcore app.

The big tradeoff to all of this is mic quality. The Space A40 can still work for phone calls in a pinch, but your voice will sound muffled, and it can get lost in noisy environments. This pair also lacks wear detection, so it won't auto-pause your music or podcast when you take an earbud out. Still, it's a great value on the whole, and this discount only amplifies that.

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/our-favorite-budget-wireless-earbuds-are-down-to-53-right-now-154024026.html?src=rss

Our favorite budget wireless earbuds are down to $53 right now

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High-end wireless earphones like the AirPods Pro and Sony WF-1000XM5 are great, but getting the absolute best performance doesn't come cheap. If you want a more affordable pair that's actually decent, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 is the top pick in our budget wireless earbuds buying guide, and a new deal has dropped it to $53 at Amazon. Outside of a brief dip to $50 during Cyber Monday, that's the lowest price we've tracked. It's also $47 below Anker's list price, though the set has usually sold for $79 for most of the past year. In recent weeks, we've seen it fall to $59. Still, this is a good chance to save a little extra. This deal applies to the black colorway, but blue and white models are available for a dollar more. You can also get the earbuds for $53 at Anker's online store by clipping an on-page coupon. Anker's listing says the offer will run through Sunday.

As noted in our guide, we like the Space A40 for delivering the kind of features we'd expect from earphones that cost two or three times as much. Its active noise cancellation (ANC) isn't as powerful as something like the Sony XM5s, especially with higher-pitched sounds, but it's still superb for the money. It'll adapt to your surroundings by default, but you can manually set it to strong, moderate and weak levels as needed. The earbuds themselves are light, comfortable and water-resistant with an IPX4 rating, so they'll survive most gym sessions. Battery life sits at a good eight hours or so, with an additional 40-ish hours available through a compact case, which also supports wireless charging. The pair can connect to two devices simultaneously, plus there's a usable transparency mode.

The Space A40's sound quality won't blow anyone away, but it's better than many budget earbuds we've tested. It has a warm profile by default, so there's a bump in upper-base range and the treble is a bit underemphasized. It can't capture as much crisp detail as the best premium pairs as a result, but it's far from a mess and still pleasant with most popular music. If you don't like how it sounds out of the box, you can customize the EQ curve fairly effectively through the Soundcore app.

The big tradeoff to all of this is mic quality. The Space A40 can still work for phone calls in a pinch, but your voice will sound muffled, and it can get lost in noisy environments. This pair also lacks wear detection, so it won't auto-pause your music or podcast when you take an earbud out. Still, it's a great value on the whole, and this discount only amplifies that.

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/our-favorite-budget-wireless-earbuds-are-down-to-53-right-now-154024026.html?src=rss

Amazon takes up to $1,800 off LG’s 2023 C3 OLED TVs

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With the writers and actors strikes in the rear view mirror, many great shows and movies are on the horizon. If you're looking for a solid TV to watch it all on, you're in luck: LG's 2023 C3 Series OLED TVs are having a big sale on Amazon. Take the 77-inch C3 Series, which is down to $1,949 from $3,499 — a 44 percent discount. The deal brings this model down to its all-time low price since debuting last spring.

The LG 2023 C3 Series is available in six sizes, ranging from 42 to 83 inches. It has the new a9 AI Processor Gen6, which is exclusive to LG OLEDs and offers HDR tone mapping, object-based picture sharpening and AI upscaling. The company also introduced the WOW Orchestra feature, which integrates the speakers from the TV and newer soundbars. Plus, there's the Brightness Booster, which helps keep the screen easily visible even in well-lit rooms (though it's still not as effective as some of its competitors).

On top of being great for good old-fashioned program viewing, we recently included LG's C3 Series in our roundup of the best TVs for gaming. This designation is thanks to features like supporting ALLM, the big HDR standards like Dolby Vision and the major VRR formats. The C3 series also follows HGIG's guidelines and comes with four HDMI 2.1 ports that have an output of 4K 120Hz when connected to a PC, Xbox or PS5. 

Currently, sales are running on all sizes, starting with a 25 percent discount on the 42-inch model, dropping its price to $897 from $1,197. The $1,800 discount comes courtesy of the LG C3 Series 83-inch TV, thanks to a 34 percent discount cutting its cost to $3,499 from $5,300. 

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/amazon-takes-up-to-1800-off-lgs-2023-c3-oled-tvs-151354354.html?src=rss

Amazon takes up to $1,800 off LG’s 2023 C3 OLED TVs

Posted on by

With the writers and actors strikes in the rear view mirror, many great shows and movies are on the horizon. If you're looking for a solid TV to watch it all on, you're in luck: LG's 2023 C3 Series OLED TVs are having a big sale on Amazon. Take the 77-inch C3 Series, which is down to $1,949 from $3,499 — a 44 percent discount. The deal brings this model down to its all-time low price since debuting last spring.

The LG 2023 C3 Series is available in six sizes, ranging from 42 to 83 inches. It has the new a9 AI Processor Gen6, which is exclusive to LG OLEDs and offers HDR tone mapping, object-based picture sharpening and AI upscaling. The company also introduced the WOW Orchestra feature, which integrates the speakers from the TV and newer soundbars. Plus, there's the Brightness Booster, which helps keep the screen easily visible even in well-lit rooms (though it's still not as effective as some of its competitors).

On top of being great for good old-fashioned program viewing, we recently included LG's C3 Series in our roundup of the best TVs for gaming. This designation is thanks to features like supporting ALLM, the big HDR standards like Dolby Vision and the major VRR formats. The C3 series also follows HGIG's guidelines and comes with four HDMI 2.1 ports that have an output of 4K 120Hz when connected to a PC, Xbox or PS5. 

Currently, sales are running on all sizes, starting with a 25 percent discount on the 42-inch model, dropping its price to $897 from $1,197. The $1,800 discount comes courtesy of the LG C3 Series 83-inch TV, thanks to a 34 percent discount cutting its cost to $3,499 from $5,300. 

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/amazon-takes-up-to-1800-off-lgs-2023-c3-oled-tvs-151354354.html?src=rss