Here's a juicy early Amazon Prime Day deal: you can snag the base, 13-inch M2 MacBook Air for only $799 right now. The laptop gleaned a $200 discount as part of Prime Day Apple deals, and the savings apply to all color options so you can score one in that beautiful Midnight finish. That's the price for the models without AppleCare+ — you'll have to spend just under $1,000 if you want that add-on.
This model isn't exactly top of the MacBook Air line anymore. It's been supplanted by the M3-powered MBA, which is now our pick for the best MacBook overall. But if you'd like to save some cash and still have a very capable Apple laptop to carry around, the M2 variant is our choice for the best budget MacBook — this latest discount just makes it even easier to recommend.
Engadget's Devindra Hardawar called the M2 Air a “near-perfect Mac” in his 2022 review and gave it a score of 96. One of the first things you'll notice is the 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, which can reach a commendable 500 nits of brightness and has a 60Hz refresh rate. The inclusion of a 1080p webcam is welcome, while the triple-mic array does a solid job of capturing your voice for your calls. The speakers are impressive too, especially for a laptop that's just 11.3 millimeters thin and weighs only 2.7 pounds.
Despite that slender form factor, Apple has still kept fans of physical headphone jacks happy by retaining the 3.5mm port. There are two USB-C Thunderbolt ports and a MagSafe charging connector as well. You shouldn't have to worry too much if you leave your charger at home when you head to the office — the M2 MacBook Air's battery should easily last for an entire workday unless you're carrying out very power-hungry work like video editing.
The M2 MBA should handle everyday tasks with relative ease, and you'll be able to play a bunch of App Store and Steam games on it too (good luck doing anything else ever again if you install Balatro). One of our main reservations with the base M2 Air is that there's only 8GB of memory. That doesn't seem quite enough these days and unfortunately, Apple charges a premium for RAM upgrades. Still, if you just want a MacBook Air that checks pretty much all the boxes most people will need for a few years, this is a great option.
It's also worth noting that there are some cool features on the way when macOS Sequoia arrives later this year, including the ability to mirror your iPhone on your Mac and a new Passwords app. Apple Intelligence features are also coming to M1 and later Macs.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-prime-day-deals-are-here-early-with-the-m2-macbook-air-discounted-to-a-new-low-of-799-140716416.html?src=rss
It's been three years since Sony debuted the ZV-E10, a camera it targeted at vloggers, so it's high time that model got some upgrades. The company just announced the mirrorless ZV-E10 II. Sony says this variant adds some new features while retaining those that creators liked from the original, including a background defocus capability and the vari-angle flip screen.
The ZV-E10 II has a 26MP Exmor R CMOS sensor, an upgrade from the 24MP sensor in the original model. The larger-capacity battery (the NP-FZ100 found in some full-frame Sony cameras) may be a more compelling update. Sony claims that, with this battery, users will be able to shoot up to 195 minutes of video continuously.
Other features include a cinematic vlog setting that automatically optimizes the aspect ratio, frame rate and autofocus transition speed for a more cinematic look to videos, Sony claims. There's also a new vertical-oriented user interface and upgraded "connectivity for easy live streaming and data transfer," according to the company. All of this and the camera still weighs just 377 grams.
The ZV-E10 II will be available at the end of this month and it will cost $999 for the body only. If you'd prefer a $1,099 bundle with a new PZ 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS II lens, you'll need to wait until early August. The lightweight kit lens offers autofocus and video performance improvements over the previous version, according to Sony.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-reveals-the-more-vlogger-friendly-zv-e10-ii-163122315.html?src=rss
Apple's terrific sci-fi thriller Severancehas a premiere date for its second season, which will arrive nearly three years after the show's debut. You'll be able to return to the dystopian hellhole of Lumon Industries on January 17, 2025. A fresh installment of the 10-episode season will then hit Apple TV+ every Friday until March 21.
For the uninitiated, the series (which premiered in February 2022) focuses on a group of colleagues who have undergone a severance procedure. Their work and personal experiences are completely distinct from each other. Each person essentially has two different lives — they can't remember anything about the outside world while they're at work and vice versa when they're away from the office. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see how this could go very, very wrong.
Apple has also dropped the first teaser trailer for season two, the filming of which was put on hold due to last year's actors and writers strikes. The clip doesn't give much away other than the core premise and a few fleeting shots from the new season. A new character played by Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones, Star Wars) appears at the end and ominously says "you should have left." January is too far away.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/severance-season-two-will-hit-apple-tv-in-january-2025-152503912.html?src=rss
Samsung wrapped up its summer Galaxy Unpacked event yesterday, and there weren’t too many surprises. Leaks before the event pointed to fresh Galaxy Z Flip and Galaxy Z Fold phones, along with a pair of new watches and more info on the Galaxy Ring. What we got was... announcements of the Galaxy Z Flip 6, the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Galaxy Watch 7, the Galaxy Watch Ultra and a proper unveil of the Galaxy Ring. Leakers — is there anything they can’t do?
Kicking things off is a brand new product category for Samsung: a smart ring. The company had already made it clear that this device (much like the Oura Ring) is focused on health and wellness, and now we've got a clearer idea of how that might work, as well as how much you'll need to pay to snap up the Galaxy Ring.
Samsung claims it's been able to cram its existing sensor tech into the smaller form factor of a ring. The titanium Galaxy Ring has an accelerometer, PPG sensors to measure blood flow and skin temperature detection. It can track metrics such as sleep score, movement during your slumber, heart rate, respiratory rate and menstrual cycles. Samsung will give you an overall Energy Score to help give you a snapshot of your overall health and offer suggestions on how to improve things. There's no subscription required for any of this, by the way, which is welcome news.
Along with automatic workout detection, the ring can deliver heart rate alerts and nudge you to move around a little if it hasn't picked up much movement from you recently. Oh, and you can use the smart ring to remotely snap a photo with your Galaxy phone.
The Galaxy Ring, which is said to run for up to seven days on a single charge and has a quick charging case, will run you $400. Pre-orders start today in the US. The wearable will start shipping on July 24. One other thing worth noting is that if you wear a Galaxy Ring and Galaxy Watch together, the battery life of the former will last for up to 30 percent longer, Samsung claims.
Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Z Fold 6
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget
Samsung's foldable phones are getting their annual refresh just in time to take them to the beach, perhaps to test how well those creases hold up these days. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy Z Fold 6 are the slimmest and lightest models in their respective lineups yet, and Samsung says they're more durable than ever. The company says there's a strengthened folding edge to help support the dual-rail hinge, while "enhanced layers" for the main screen help improve the crease without diminishing strength. Both smartphones have Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 to help make them more durable too.
The handsets run on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset. On the cooling front, the Z Fold 6 has a larger vapor chamber than its predecessor. The Z Flip 6 is the first Z Flip to include a vapor chamber, which should improve cooling.
Because it's 2024, the phones have a ton of AI features (some of which appeared in the Galaxy Ultra S24), including a fully integrated Google Gemini app. They can generate a more detailed image based on a sketch and draft emails based on a prompt, while there are a bunch of AI-powered camera upgrades.
One admittedly cool feature for the Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6 is that the Interpreter app makes the most of the dual screen format, so both the main and cover screens feature translations with the aim of fostering more natural conversations. The translations are handled on-device, rather than through the cloud.
Speaking of the displays, those are slightly larger this year. The 7.6-inch main screen is 2.7mm wider, while the cover screen is 1mm wider. At 2,600 nits, the displays are also the brightest seen on a Galaxy Fold, matching that of the Galaxy S24.
When it comes to the Z Flip 6, one of the major upgrades is a new camera system. The foldable boasts 50MP wide and 12MP ultra-wide sensors (the same as the base Galaxy S24). The former has 2x optical zoom with artificial intelligence powering a zoom function of up to 10x. Samsung has also bumped up the base memory from 8GB to 12GB.
Both smartphones are available to pre-order today and general availability starts on July 24. The Galaxy Z Fold 6 starts at $1,900, while the Z Flip 6 starts at $1,100. Those who pre-order a Z Fold 6 will get a storage bump from 256GB to 512GB or 512GB to 1TB, while you can get a free 256GB to 512GB storage increase with a Galaxy Z Flip 6 pre-order.
If you're interested in finding out more about the devices before taking the plunge though, you may be pleased to learn that we've had some hands-on time with them. You can read our first impressions of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Galaxy Z Flip 6 now or watch the video above.
Galaxy Watch 7 and Galaxy Watch Ultra
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
Of all the possible words Samsung could have chosen for its new premium smartwatch, it had to plump for "Ultra." It's not like any of Samsung's major competitors has a smartwatch bearing that moniker or anything.
Anyway, there's a new high-end Samsung smartwatch in town and it's called the Galaxy Watch Ultra. The Wear OS 5-powered device employs a new cushion design to bolster protection and what Samsung calls "visual completeness." The Watch Ultra is designed for durability, perhaps with extreme athletes in mind.
For one thing, it's said to work at a wider range of altitudes, from 500 meters below sea level to 9,000 meters above it. It's water resistant to a depth of 100 meters and has a titanium frame. Adventurers should not have to worry about the device running out of juice in a hurry as Samsung says it will run for up to 100 hours in power saving mode and 48 hours when exercise power saving is enabled. Either way, it should have the longest battery life of any Galaxy Watch.
Other features include multi-course workout tracking (for things like triathlons), advanced Personalized Heart Rate Zone and an emergency siren to bolster safety. The screen has a peak brightness of 3,000 nits, so it should be visible in very sunny conditions, and there's a night mode too. Samsung says the Galaxy Watch Ultra can even look for signs of sleep apnea. On top of all that, there's a new programmable Quick Button.
For those who just want the latest Samsung smartwatch without too many bells and whistles, there's the Galaxy Watch 7. This model is the first with a 3nm processor, which Samsung says can deliver three times faster CPU performance and 30 percent better power efficiency. It has a dual-frequency GPS system to boost location accuracy, health tracking upgrades and the ability to control the device via double pinch gestures. Hmm, where have we heard that one before?
The Galaxy Watch Ultra is only available in a 47mm size and costs $650. As for the Galaxy Watch 7, that comes in 40mm and 44mm sizes. It starts at $300. It's the same deal as with all the other new gear: pre-orders are open now with shipments and general availability starting on July 24.
We've also had the chance to go hands on with the Galaxy Watch Ultra, so you can read all about our first impressions of Samsung's stab at a higher-end smartwatch.
Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget
We have some new Galaxy Buds to go with the ring, watches and foldables. When the Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro are paired with a Z Flip 6 or Z Fold 6, the Interpreter app can translate audio live into your ears. That might be helpful for anyone studying abroad or taking a foreign language class.
Both models use their mics to analyze internal and external sound to optimize audio quality and active noise cancellation. The Buds 3 Pro can automatically adjust for noise via the adaptive noise control, siren detect and voice detect features.
The in-ear Buds 3 Pro have a new blade (i.e. stem) design with lights built in. You'll be able to control the audio by pinching or swiping up or down. They boast dual amplifiers, planar tweeters and a super-wideband call feature too.
Once again, pre-orders for the earbuds are open today, with general availability starting on July 24. Galaxy Buds 3 start at $180, while a pair of Galaxy Buds 3 Pro will run you $250.
Update, July 11, 1PM ET: This story was updated after publishing to include links to the Samsung store and more links and references to Engadget's stories from the Galaxy Unpacked event.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-unpacked-2024-everything-announced-including-galaxy-ring-z-fold-6-z-flip-6-galaxy-watch-ultra-and-more-141618394.html?src=rss
Vampire Survivors, one of the very best games of the last few years, is already available for iPhone. It arrived on iOS out of the blue at the tail end of 2022. That version is ad-supported, which can disrupt what's otherwise a perfectly enjoyable mobile gaming experience. However, Apple Arcade subscribers will soon be able to play an ad-free version of the auto-shooting roguelike at no extra cost.
Vampire Survivors+ is coming to the subscription service on August 1. That version of the game will include both of the premium expansions at no extra cost as well. The base game (which is also coming to PlayStation this summer) includes 50 playable characters and 80 weapons, so with the extras that the DLCs add to the mix, you'll have countless of hours of gameplay at your fingertips. You'll even be able to play with up to three friends on the same device if you connect enough controllers to it.
That's not all though, as Apple has announced two other upcoming additions to the service. Temple Run: Legends flips the franchise on its head. The original Temple Run was a big hit on the iPhone. However, this will be the first level-based game in the series and it'll have more than 500 stages. Those craving a classic infinite run mode will still have access to one, though. Temple Run: Legends is coming to Apple Arcade on August 1.
In addition, another Apple Vision Pro game is coming to Apple Arcade. Physics-based puzzle game Castle Crumble will arrive on August 29.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ad-free-vampire-survivors-is-coming-to-apple-arcade-on-august-1-155244352.html?src=rss
Prime Day is approaching as quickly as lunchtime hunger pangs and, as ever, there are some early deals to be had. One of the tastiest we've seen so far is a significant discount on Apple's AirPods Max. The over-ear headphones have dropped to $399. They've been hovering at around $449 for quite some time (after debuting at $549) and now they have dropped to a new record low price.
The AirPods Max have been around since 2020 (and are perhaps overdue for a USB-C flavored upgrade), but they're still a great option for those looking for over-ear headphones — especially if you're already heavily entrenched in the Apple ecosystem. We gave them a score of 84 in our review, with the audio quality, active noise cancellation (ANC) performance and battery life proving to be positives.
You can control the AirPods Max with an Apple Watch-style rotating crown and there's a separate button for switching between ANC and transparency modes. You'll need to use a Lightning cable to charge the headset, which will quickly pair to your iPhone and other devices that are signed into the same iCloud account.
Unfortunately, AirPods Max do not support lossless audio from Apple Music due to a Bluetooth limitation, though spatial audio does work. It's also worth bearing in mind that there's likely a new AirPods Max model coming relatively soon, perhaps by the end of the year.
Elsewhere, Apple's AirPods Pro are also on sale. You can snap up a pair for $169, which is 32 percent off the regular price of $249. That's not a bad deal at all if you prefer an in-ear format for your audio needs. AirPods Pro also have some features that the AirPods Max lack, including an adaptive mode that brings together ANC and transparency.
Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/early-prime-day-deals-see-apples-airpods-max-drop-to-a-new-record-low-150058492.html?src=rss
Skullcandy has revealed a trio of earbud models it says were designed with the "most active and adventurous consumers" in mind. The Active Collection lineup ranges from $60 to $100 and were engineered to deliver reliable performance in any conditions, according to Skullcandy.
The Push Play Active, Push ANC Active and Sesh ANC Active all have a few common features. They all support multipoint pairing and rapid charging — a 10-minute charge will allow two hours of playback time. A Sidetone feature is said to counteract occlusion and make it easier to hear our own voice. Meanwhile, the adjustable stay-aware mode lets you tweak things so that it's easier for you to remain alert and hear what's going on around you.
Skullcandy
The $60 Push Play Active buds have over-the-ear hooks and an IP55 rating for sweat and water resistance. Skullcandy claims that a smart mic will reduce background noise for "crystal clear" calls. The Push Play Active earbuds have several equalizer presets and you'll be able to set up your own custom five-band EQ as well. They offer up to 34 hours of battery life, according to Skullcandy, with the earbuds running for up to 10 hours on a single charge and the charging case adding an extra 24 hours of use.
The other two models have some shared features as well. Push ANC Active and Sesh ANC Active are IP67 rated, meaning they're sweatproof and waterproof. Both models use a four-mic array for adjustable active noise cancellation (ANC). The earbuds are compatible with the Skullcandy app, which will allow you to customize the onboard controls and equalizer levels. There's a personal sound feature too — you'll be able to take a real-time audio test to create a profile for optimized sound levels.
Skullcandy
The Push ANC Active earbuds are the most expensive option of the three at $100. Skullcandy claims you'll get up to 37 hours of use with ANC on (seven hours from the earbuds and 30 extra from the charging case) and as much as 58 hours of use with ANC off. The brand says you'll be able to use the earbuds for up to 12 hours before having to return them to the charging case. In addition, the case supports wireless charging.
It's worth noting that while the Push ANC Active option has an over-the-ear hook, there's a more traditional true wireless design for the Sesh ANC Active. Skullcandy says these earbuds have a "fit grip" to keep them in your ears. They have a promised battery life of up to 28 hours with ANC on (seven hours in the earbuds, 21 in the charging case) and up to 48 hours with ANC off (12 hours and 36 hours, respectively). The Sech ANC Active earbuds will run you $90.
Skullcandy
Skullcandy has earned a reputation for offering solid products at relatively budget-friendly prices, so these are options worth considering if you're on the lookout for a set of earbuds to use while you're working out. All three models will be available on Skullcandy's website starting on June 25.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/skullcandy-expands-its-earbud-lineup-with-three-sport-models-all-under-100-120021846.html?src=rss
It's safe to say Apple and the European Commission aren't exactly bosom buddies. The two sides have been at loggerheads over Apple's compliance — or alleged lack thereof — with the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA), a law designed to rein in the power of major tech companies.
Apple said last week it would delay the rollout of certain features in the European Union, including Apple Intelligence AI tools, over concerns "that the interoperability requirements of the DMA could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security." As it turns out, the EU is not exactly happy about that decision.
The call to push back the rollout of Apple Intelligence in the EU is a "stunning, open declaration that they know 100 percent that this is another way of disabling competition where they have a stronghold already,” EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said at a Forum Europa event, according to Euractiv. Vestager added that the “short version of the DMA” means companies have to be open for competition to keep operating in the region.
Not to leap to the defense of Apple here, but these comments are sure to raise an eyebrow or two, especially after Vestager also said she "was personally quite relieved that I would not get an AI-updated service on my iPhone." Apple does intend to bring Apple Intelligence to Europe more broadly, but it's taking a cautious approach with the tech in that region due to "regulatory uncertainties" and ensuring it won't have to compromise on user safety.
As it stands, the European Commission is carrying out multiple investigations into the company over possible violations of the DMA. This week, it accused Apple of violating the law's anti-steering provisions by blocking app developers from freely informing users about alternate payment options outside of the company's ecosystem. If it's found guilty, Apple could be on the hook for a fine of up to 10 percent of its global annual revenue. Based on its 2023 sales, that could be a penalty of up to $38 billion. The percentage of the fine can double for repeated violations.
Earlier this year, before the DMA came into force, the European Commission fined Apple €1.8 billion ($1.95 billion) over a violation of previous anti-steering rules. According to the Commission, Apple prevented rival music streaming apps from telling users that they could pay less for subscriptions if they sign up outside of iOS apps. Apple has challenged the fine.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-competition-chief-jabs-at-apple-from-both-sides-over-ai-delay-140022585.html?src=rss
Lost Records: Bloom & Rage is a brand-new game from the creators of Life is Strange. It's been described as a spiritual successor to that series and was previously scheduled to arrive in late 2024. However, publisher Don't Nod has opted to delay Lost Records: Bloom & Rage and release it in early 2025 instead.
In fact, the delay is in large part due to a new Life is Strange game from another studio. Life is Strange: Double Exposure marks the return of the original game's protagonist Max Caulfield. The sequel, from Square Enix and developer Deck Nine Games, is set to hit PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in October, with a Switch release planned for later.
Don't Nod says it wanted to give Lost Records: Bloom & Rage some breathing space to succeed following "an in-depth assessment of recent trends and developments in the industry." But a quote from CEO Oskar Guilbert makes the reasoning more explicit. "We know that many of our fans are eagerly awaiting this game, just as they are the recently announced next installment of Life is Strange," Guilbert said in a statement. "Let's give both titles the space they need to be enjoyed by our players within the large community we have built."
While this update might be disappointing for those who were looking forward to Lost Records, it's a smart call. It gives fans plenty of time to experience both games without too much overlap.
In the meantime, Don't Nod reckons that Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, a surprisingly emotional action RPG from earlier this year that I enjoyed quite a bit, will boost its bottom line, especially in the long term. It also released the thoughtful climbing puzzle gameJusant late last year.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/life-is-strange-spiritual-successor-delayed-to-avoid-life-is-strange-sequel-124553471.html?src=rss
A Chinese state-owned power company is splashing out 80 billion yuan ($11 billion) on an energy base that will generate electricity from solar, wind and coal sources. China Three Gorges Renewables Group, a subsidiary of the country’s largest hydropower company, plans to build a plant with a 16-gigawatt capacity and a five-gigawatt storage facility, Bloomberg reports.
This is part of China’s aim to build 455 gigawatts worth of renewable energy projects in the desert by 2030. This plant is being constructed in Inner Mongolia, which will get 135 gigawatts of the total planned output.
The China Three Gorges Corporation is looking to diversify its energy sources as building large hydro dams is becoming less feasible. According to Three Gorges, wind and solar generation from the plant will depend on grid accessibility. The coal plant is set to start operations in three years.
It’s somewhat disappointing that the new plant will have a coal power element, though it's not fully surprising given the way China has bristled at renewable energy commitments during climate summit talks with other countries. As Bloomberg notes, China has been struggling to put all of its clean energy into the power grid. It often relies on coal when renewable sources like solar and wind aren’t available.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/china-is-plowing-11-billion-into-a-solar-wind-and-coal-energy-project-120007712.html?src=rss