Tag Archives: provider_name|Engadget

Amazon Black Friday deals include the Echo Pop speaker for only $18

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Black Friday is one of the best times of the year to pick up a new Echo speaker — it’s usually as good of a time as Prime Day, since Amazon typically saves its best deals for these few periods. This year is no different; among the Amazon Black Friday deals is a steep discount on the Echo Pop smart speaker, bringing it down to just $18. The 55 percent discount brings Amazon’s most compact speaker down to a record-low price.

Amazon launched the Echo Pop in May 2023 as a new entry-level option for Alexa-powered devices. It features a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker which could work well in a small room like a study or a dorm room. It uses Amazon’s AZ2 Neural Edge processor to allow for on-device tasks and lets you do all the standard commands with Alexa. Plus, you can get it in four colors: Charcoal, Glacier White, Lavender Bloom and Midnight Teal. 

The Pop isn't the only Echo device on sale ahead of Black Friday. Right now, you can get the fifth-generation Echo Dot for $23, down from $50 — a 44 percent discount. The Echo Spot is also on sale, dropping to $45 from $80 and the fourth-generation Echo is $55, down from $100. 

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-black-friday-deals-include-the-echo-pop-speaker-for-only-18-142842519.html?src=rss

Celeste’s iconic score gets an acoustic tribute album

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There's something so nice about listening to the score of your favorite games or movies. Composer ROZEN has attempted to add to this experience, releasing Celeste's Secret Hideaway, an acoustic album inspired by the game Celeste. He previously created Ghibli Secret Hideaway, another acoustic collection of arrangements, in honor of Studio Ghibli's music. 

If you haven't played it before, Celeste is a single-player adventure game in which you help Madeline cope with her mental health and inner demons to reach the top of Celeste mountain. Developer Maddy Makes Games released Celeste in 2018. ROZEN's Celeste's Secret Hideaway pays tribute to the game's original score by Lena Raine. 

"The goal with Celeste Secret Hideaway is to transform the game’s iconic melodies into warm, intimate folk and acoustic arrangements, enveloping listeners in a rich soundscape that echoes the serenity of snow-covered mountains and quiet, fire-lit cabins," ROZEN said in a statement. "Every track is designed to evoke the spirit of exploration and introspection, pairing soothing guitar work and delicate string instruments with an emotional journey. It’s a perfect soundtrack for cozy moments, drawing you into its quiet, reflective world, and making it an ideal companion for chilly fall evenings and wintry nights." The album has 12 tracks and is now available digitally and to stream, with CD, cassette and vinyl versions coming soon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/music/celestes-iconic-score-gets-an-acoustic-tribute-album-133048481.html?src=rss

X now lets blocked users see your posts

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Elon Musk's X has implemented a controversial change to the block function first announced in September, Engadget has confirmed. The update allows blocked users to see posts of the accounts that blocked them, while still not being able to interact with those accounts. 

For the first time since 2014, I was able to see posts from William Shatner, who blocked Engadget reporters en masse back then (why, Bill?). At the same time, X displays a message below Shatner's pinned post stating that "you can view public posts from @WilliamShatner, but you are blocked from engaging with them. You also cannot follow or message @WilliamShatner." Prior to that, X simply displayed a "You're blocked" message while showing no tweets, replies or other content.

X previously said it was making the change because users can already see and interact with accounts that have blocked them by switching to a non-blocked account. X also said that blocking as previously implemented could be used to share and hide harmful or private information about those they've blocked, so the new feature allows for "greater transparency."

However, experts on social media abuse say that the changes help stalkers and trolls while reducing their victims' safety. "Enabling blocked users to see posts is catering to abusers and stalkers, indulging and facilitating their behaviors," wrote London Victims' Commissioner Claire Waxman last month. 

Users have pointed out that X's blocking changes may run afoul of rules on iOS and Google Play app stores. Apple, for one, states in its developer terms of service that any apps with user-generated content must offer "the ability to block abusive users from the service." The block button is still technically in place, though, so it's not clear what, if anything, Apple and Google will do. 

Some have been voting with their feet, with alternative platforms like BlueSky and Threads gaining users and popularity over the last few months. Threads announced today that it has hit 275 million monthly active users (MAUs) — gaining 75 million in just the past three months. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-now-lets-blocked-users-see-your-posts-130020841.html?src=rss

Apple’s iPad mini 7 is already $100 off ahead of Black Friday

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Tablets are always a hot gadget category during Black Friday sales and one of the models you can save on is the brand-new iPad mini 7. You can already snag a solid discount on this tablet, which Apple released just a couple of weeks ago, at Amazon. It has dropped from $500 to $484, but three out of the four color options also have a clippable coupon that brings the price down to $400. A $100 discount on a new tablet is not too bad at all.

The iPad mini 7 boasts an A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM, and the base model comes with 128GB of storage. We gave this iPad mini a score of 83 in our review, feeling that it was a necessary update to the previous model from 2021. We reckon it’s the best small tablet around.

The device has solid speakers and it still has Touch ID rather than Face ID. While we feel that the 8.3-inch screen is by and large very nice, it only has a 60Hz refresh rate, which is a bit disappointing.

The internal upgrades are what really matter here though, as the iPad mini now has enough heft to support Apple Intelligence features. The Apple Pencil Pro works with it too. We found the tablet a great device to kick back with and catch up on reading, play some games and watch videos on. We think it’s very handy for messaging too.

If the 2024 updates don't excite you, there are deals on the iPad mini 6 available now as well. All color options are down to $350, which is $150 off and the lowest price we've seen.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-ipad-mini-7-is-already-100-off-ahead-of-black-friday-125211529.html?src=rss

The Morning After: FBI warns about fake election security videos

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At the start of the weekend, the FBI issued a statement addressing videos “falsely claiming to be from the FBI relating to election security.” That includes one claiming the bureau had “apprehended three linked groups committing ballot fraud,” and one about Kamala Harris’ husband.

Disinformation has seemingly grown substantially in the final few days, with the presidential election kicking off tomorrow. Late last week, the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said they’d traced two other videos back to “Russian influence actors,” including one falsely depicting individuals from Haiti voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia.

Just a couple of days to go, then everything will be fine. Right?

— Mat Smith

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If you’re a little curious about the future of augmented reality, Meta’s Orion prototype makes the most compelling case yet. They’re still incredibly chonky, but Orion is about more than finally making AR glasses a reality. It’s also the company’s best shot at becoming less dependent on Apple and Google, their app stores. Karissa Bell goes hands-on.

Continue reading.

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Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/general/the-morning-after-engadget-newsletter-121503555.html?src=rss

Cartoon Network just released an Over the Garden Wall stop-motion short

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If there’s one tradition I can count on every fall, it’s the annual rewatch of Over the Garden Wall. The leaves start changing color, pumpkins begin to pop up everywhere, and I start thinking about venturing into the Unknown with Wirt and Greg. Something tells me I’m not the only one. But this year is extra special — today marks the 10-year anniversary since the miniseries debuted on Cartoon Network, and there’s a new stop-motion short to celebrate it. The short, from Cartoon Network and Aardman Animations, features some of the show’s original voice actors, including Elijah Wood as Wirt, Collin Dean as Greg and Melanie Lynskey as Beatrice.

Over the Garden Wall creator Patrick McHale pitched the idea for the stop-motion special to directors Mikey Please and Dan Ojari earlier this year, Ojari told Fast Company. All of the figures are hand-carved wooden puppets, and filming took place in miniature sets (including a “10-by-10 square meter forest”) that took two months to build. “The only thing that’s digital is the facial animation,” Please told FC.

The end result is really beautiful, and the perfect primer for your yearly return to the strange world of Over the Garden Wall. It’s available to watch now on YouTube and X.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/cartoon-network-just-released-an-over-the-garden-wall-stop-motion-short-174926664.html?src=rss

Cartoon Network just released an Over the Garden Wall stop-motion short

Posted on by

If there’s one tradition I can count on every fall, it’s the annual rewatch of Over the Garden Wall. The leaves start changing color, pumpkins begin to pop up everywhere, and I start thinking about venturing into the Unknown with Wirt and Greg. Something tells me I’m not the only one. But this year is extra special — today marks the 10-year anniversary since the miniseries debuted on Cartoon Network, and there’s a new stop-motion short to celebrate it. The short, from Cartoon Network and Aardman Animations, features some of the show’s original voice actors, including Elijah Wood as Wirt, Collin Dean as Greg and Melanie Lynskey as Beatrice.

Over the Garden Wall creator Patrick McHale pitched the idea for the stop-motion special to directors Mikey Please and Dan Ojari earlier this year, Ojari told Fast Company. All of the figures are hand-carved wooden puppets, and filming took place in miniature sets (including a “10-by-10 square meter forest”) that took two months to build. “The only thing that’s digital is the facial animation,” Please told FC.

The end result is really beautiful, and the perfect primer for your yearly return to the strange world of Over the Garden Wall. It’s available to watch now on YouTube and X.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/cartoon-network-just-released-an-over-the-garden-wall-stop-motion-short-174926664.html?src=rss

FBI warns voters about inauthentic videos relating to election security

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The FBI issued a statement on Saturday about deceptive videos circulating ahead of the election, saying it’s aware of two such videos “falsely claiming to be from the FBI relating to election security.” That includes one claiming the FBI had “apprehended three linked groups committing ballot fraud,” and one about Kamala Harris’ husband. Both depict false content, the FBI said.

Disinformation — including the spread of political deepfakes and other forms of misleading videos and imagery — has been a major concern in the leadup to the US presidential election. In its statement posted on X, the FBI added:

Election integrity is among our highest priorities, and the FBI is working closely with state and local law enforcement partners to respond to election threats and protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote. Attempts to deceive the public with false content about FBI operations undermines our democratic process and aims to erode trust in the electoral system.

Just a day earlier, the FBI, along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said they’d traced two other videos back to “Russian influence actors,” including one “that falsely depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/fbi-warns-voters-about-inauthentic-videos-relating-to-election-security-185108885.html?src=rss

FBI warns voters about inauthentic videos relating to election security

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The FBI issued a statement on Saturday about deceptive videos circulating ahead of the election, saying it’s aware of two such videos “falsely claiming to be from the FBI relating to election security.” That includes one claiming the FBI had “apprehended three linked groups committing ballot fraud,” and one about Kamala Harris’ husband. Both depict false content, the FBI said.

Disinformation — including the spread of political deepfakes and other forms of misleading videos and imagery — has been a major concern in the leadup to the US presidential election. In its statement posted on X, the FBI added:

Election integrity is among our highest priorities, and the FBI is working closely with state and local law enforcement partners to respond to election threats and protect our communities as Americans exercise their right to vote. Attempts to deceive the public with false content about FBI operations undermines our democratic process and aims to erode trust in the electoral system.

Just a day earlier, the FBI, along with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said they’d traced two other videos back to “Russian influence actors,” including one “that falsely depicted individuals claiming to be from Haiti and voting illegally in multiple counties in Georgia.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/fbi-warns-voters-about-inauthentic-videos-relating-to-election-security-185108885.html?src=rss

Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 drop to $179 in this early Black Friday deal

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There’s a great deal on Apple’s AirPods Pro 2 over at Amazon right now. The earbuds are currently 28 percent off, bringing them down to $179. That’s just $10 more than the all-time-low price we saw during October Prime Day, and will save you $70. The AirPods Pro 2 got an update earlier this year that brought some major new features, most notably a suite of hearing health tools and the capability to be used as hearing aids. On top of that, they now offer new gesture-based Siri Interactions and Voice Isolation to reduce background noise when you’re on a call.

Siri Interactions allow for hands- and voice-free Siri controls; you can respond to Siri’s questions simply by nodding or shaking your head. The second-generation AirPods Pro are the best earbuds for iPhone users, with better sound quality than their predecessors and seamless integration with the other devices in the Apple ecosystem. The AirPods Pro 2 offer active noise cancellation and transparency mode, which allows for more natural conversations while they’re in your ear. They also support spatial audio and Dolby Atmos for certain media.

The buds come with four pairs of silicone tips in different sizes and are IP54 rated for protection against dust and sweat. They get up to 6 hours of listening time (though this will be less with certain features, like ANC, enabled) and up to 30 hours with a little help from the USB-C MagSafe Charging Case.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-airpods-pro-2-drop-to-179-in-this-early-black-friday-deal-161357773.html?src=rss