Tag Archives: author_name|Kris Holt

A year of Peacock Premium can be yours for just $20

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The prices of streaming services have been rising across the board over the last few years. One way to keep the costs down is by opting for a bundle. But there are other deals to be found, such as one that can save you $40 on an annual Peacock Premium plan ahead of a planned price hike. A year of the ad-supported tier can be yours for just $20 when you sign up using the code STREAMTHEDEAL. This deal is only available to folks in the US who aren't already Peacock Premium subscribers. You have until June 30 to take advantage of it.

While it might not get the same attention as the likes of Netflix or Disney+, Peacock is a solid streaming service with some notable original shows, such as Poker Face, Mrs. Davis, Ted and We Are Lady Parts. Fans of back-stabbing reality shows should enjoy The Traitors too.

What makes Peacock one of the best streaming services for many though is its sports offerings. Premier League soccer has been a staple of the platform since its debut and now many games stream there exclusively. If you take up this deal, your year of access will cover the entire 2024-25 season. Peacock is also home to major WWE events, US Open tennis and some NFL games as well.

There's also the small matter of the Olympic Games. Peacock will stream all of this summer's Olympic action live from Paris, including the opening and closing ceremonies and every medal event. Some events will be exclusive to Peacock. The platform is also introducing some new multiview features this time around to help you stay on top of things as much as possible.

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/a-year-of-peacock-premium-can-be-yours-for-just-20-143706555.html?src=rss

A year of Peacock Premium can be yours for just $20

Posted on by

The prices of streaming services have been rising across the board over the last few years. One way to keep the costs down is by opting for a bundle. But there are other deals to be found, such as one that can save you $40 on an annual Peacock Premium plan ahead of a planned price hike. A year of the ad-supported tier can be yours for just $20 when you sign up using the code STREAMTHEDEAL. This deal is only available to folks in the US who aren't already Peacock Premium subscribers. You have until June 30 to take advantage of it.

While it might not get the same attention as the likes of Netflix or Disney+, Peacock is a solid streaming service with some notable original shows, such as Poker Face, Mrs. Davis, Ted and We Are Lady Parts. Fans of back-stabbing reality shows should enjoy The Traitors too.

What makes Peacock one of the best streaming services for many though is its sports offerings. Premier League soccer has been a staple of the platform since its debut and now many games stream there exclusively. If you take up this deal, your year of access will cover the entire 2024-25 season. Peacock is also home to major WWE events, US Open tennis and some NFL games as well.

There's also the small matter of the Olympic Games. Peacock will stream all of this summer's Olympic action live from Paris, including the opening and closing ceremonies and every medal event. Some events will be exclusive to Peacock. The platform is also introducing some new multiview features this time around to help you stay on top of things as much as possible.

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/a-year-of-peacock-premium-can-be-yours-for-just-20-143706555.html?src=rss

The latest Sonos sale slices $90 off the flagship Era 300

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Folks who have been on the fence about buying a Sonos soundbar or speaker for the first time or those who want to expand their existing home audio setup may be pleased to learn that the company is running a sale. (Its new Ace headphones aren’t included, unfortunately.) You can save up to 25 percent on many Sonos products until June 16. The Era 300 speaker, for instance, has dropped from $449 to $359. That’s 90 bucks off, and the deal is also being matched at Amazon.

The Era 300 is the first Sonos speaker with spatial audio support. While we had some reservations about just how well the spatial audio actually works, in general we reckon the Era 300 delivers excellent sound. We gave it a score of 80 in our review, in part because it's expensive, but the current deal certainly offsets that. The unusual appearance and lack of Google Assistant support were also negatives in our book.

On the plus side, though, the Era 300 is very easy to set up and the Trueplay tuning system no longer requires you to walk around the room while waving an iPhone (though the latter might give you better results). The speaker works with pretty much any music streaming service, while Bluetooth and line-in options are very welcome.

You can also find good deals on some of the best soundbars. The second-gen Sonos Beam is $399 ($100 off) and it checks almost all the boxes — it delivers good audio for its size and has Dolby Atmos support. The main negative is that it has just one HDMI port. On the high end of the price spectrum, the Arc is $180 off and down to $719. Most of these Sonos deals are being matched at Amazon as well.

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-latest-sonos-sale-slices-90-off-the-flagship-era-300-133043027.html?src=rss

The latest Sonos sale slices $90 off the flagship Era 300

Posted on by

Folks who have been on the fence about buying a Sonos soundbar or speaker for the first time or those who want to expand their existing home audio setup may be pleased to learn that the company is running a sale. (Its new Ace headphones aren’t included, unfortunately.) You can save up to 25 percent on many Sonos products until June 16. The Era 300 speaker, for instance, has dropped from $449 to $359. That’s 90 bucks off, and the deal is also being matched at Amazon.

The Era 300 is the first Sonos speaker with spatial audio support. While we had some reservations about just how well the spatial audio actually works, in general we reckon the Era 300 delivers excellent sound. We gave it a score of 80 in our review, in part because it's expensive, but the current deal certainly offsets that. The unusual appearance and lack of Google Assistant support were also negatives in our book.

On the plus side, though, the Era 300 is very easy to set up and the Trueplay tuning system no longer requires you to walk around the room while waving an iPhone (though the latter might give you better results). The speaker works with pretty much any music streaming service, while Bluetooth and line-in options are very welcome.

You can also find good deals on some of the best soundbars. The second-gen Sonos Beam is $399 ($100 off) and it checks almost all the boxes — it delivers good audio for its size and has Dolby Atmos support. The main negative is that it has just one HDMI port. On the high end of the price spectrum, the Arc is $180 off and down to $719. Most of these Sonos deals are being matched at Amazon as well.

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-latest-sonos-sale-slices-90-off-the-flagship-era-300-133043027.html?src=rss

Sony is working on a PC adapter for the PlayStation VR2

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Sony promised earlier this year that it would free the PlayStation VR2 from the shackles of the PS5 by letting folks use it with their PC. We’re starting to get a fuller picture of what that might look like, as the company appears to be working on a PC adapter for the headset.

A Korean filing recently unearthed by VR and mixed-reality enthusiast Brad Lynch (as noted by The Verge) indicates that the company has created such a peripheral. There are no details on how the adapter works, what it looks like or how much it will cost, but it lends credence to previous evidence that the headset would have a wired PC connection.

It’s unclear what kind of connectivity Sony is looking at here. Unlike its convoluted predecessor, PS VR2 hooks up to the PS5 with a single USB-C cable. Meta Quest headsets, meanwhile, use a USB 3 connection for PC gaming. Perhaps Sony is looking at tapping into DisplayPort or HDMI ports to improve image fidelity.

The company will be hoping that PC support will help drive sales of its headset, which hasn’t exactly set the world alight. The PS VR2 hardware is actually pretty great, but it's been held back by several factors, including a limited library of games via PS5. Users will have a far larger selection of VR games to dive into on PC.

As it happens, the PS VR2 is currently $100 off as part of Sony’s Days of Play sale. The discount applies to both the standalone headset (down from $550 to $450) and the Horizon: Call of the Mountain bundle, which has dropped to $500.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-is-working-on-a-pc-adapter-for-the-playstation-vr2-151529342.html?src=rss

Sony’s next PlayStation State of Play takes place May 30

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We're inching toward that early June window previously occupied by E3 that will feature a ton of games showcases, including Summer Game Fest, an Xbox event, an Ubisoft Forward and a Nintendo Direct. Sony is getting a headstart on all of those though, as a PlayStation State of Play is set for Thursday, May 30. It starts at 6PM ET and you'll be able to watch it on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok.

Interestingly, Sony is opting not to use the PlayStation Showcase branding it usually opts for with its now-annual late-May stream. The company hasn't announced much in the way of first-party PlayStation games for the months and years ahead, and it will start padding out the slate here.

The stream will run for over 30 minutes and feature 14 titles that are coming to PS5 and PS VR2. It will include some PlayStation Studios games that will arrive later this year. 

It wouldn't be a surprise to see Insomniac's Wolverine game making an appearance. Rumors suggest the Silent Hill 2 remake will be featured, though Konami may save that for its own Silent Hill Transmission event, which will follow the State of Play at 7PM ET. 

I have my fingers crossed that Sony will finally announce Ghost of Tsushima 2 — the timing makes sense as a stunning PC port of the original game dropped this month. Haven's Fairgame$ and Firewalk's Concord seem like safe bets to show face, while we'll surely get some hype from Bungie for The Final Shape, an expansion that will close out the Light and Darkness saga of Destiny 2. Reports suggest a new Astro game from Team Asobi is on the way.

We know that Guerrilla is working on more games in the Horizon universe, and a Lego spinoff has been rumored. Sony has a bunch of other studios working on unannounced projects, including Housemarque, Bluepoint, Santa Monica Studio, Bend, Media Molecule and, of course, Naughty Dog. So, here's hoping we hear from some of those studios.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-next-playstation-state-of-play-takes-place-may-30-141703664.html?src=rss

Sony’s next PlayStation State of Play takes place May 30

Posted on by

We're inching toward that early June window previously occupied by E3 that will feature a ton of games showcases, including Summer Game Fest, an Xbox event, an Ubisoft Forward and a Nintendo Direct. Sony is getting a headstart on all of those though, as a PlayStation State of Play is set for Thursday, May 30. It starts at 6PM ET and you'll be able to watch it on YouTube, Twitch and TikTok.

Interestingly, Sony is opting not to use the PlayStation Showcase branding it usually opts for with its now-annual late-May stream. The company hasn't announced much in the way of first-party PlayStation games for the months and years ahead, and it will start padding out the slate here.

The stream will run for over 30 minutes and feature 14 titles that are coming to PS5 and PS VR2. It will include some PlayStation Studios games that will arrive later this year. 

It wouldn't be a surprise to see Insomniac's Wolverine game making an appearance. Rumors suggest the Silent Hill 2 remake will be featured, though Konami may save that for its own Silent Hill Transmission event, which will follow the State of Play at 7PM ET. 

I have my fingers crossed that Sony will finally announce Ghost of Tsushima 2 — the timing makes sense as a stunning PC port of the original game dropped this month. Haven's Fairgame$ and Firewalk's Concord seem like safe bets to show face, while we'll surely get some hype from Bungie for The Final Shape, an expansion that will close out the Light and Darkness saga of Destiny 2. Reports suggest a new Astro game from Team Asobi is on the way.

We know that Guerrilla is working on more games in the Horizon universe, and a Lego spinoff has been rumored. Sony has a bunch of other studios working on unannounced projects, including Housemarque, Bluepoint, Santa Monica Studio, Bend, Media Molecule and, of course, Naughty Dog. So, here's hoping we hear from some of those studios.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonys-next-playstation-state-of-play-takes-place-may-30-141703664.html?src=rss

Apple’s new M2 iPad Air tablets drop to record-low prices

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Apple's latest iPad Air models have only been out for a couple of weeks, but you can already score decent deals on the new tablets. Most variants are on sale at Amazon at the minute, including the base 11-inch model with 128GB of storage. Thanks to a $30 discount, you can snap one up for $569. It's early days for the new iPad Air, but that still marks a record-low price.

While the iPad Pro might be significantly more powerful and have a nicer display, we reckon the latest Air is the best iPad for most people. We feel it strikes the right balance of price, features and performance for the majority of folks.

Sure, it's more expensive than the base iPad, the most wallet-friendly model with a sticker price of $349. But opting for an Air will help futureproof you, as older devices don't support many of the latest apps and features.

The 11-inch model is certainly easier to hold, but there's also a 13-inch iPad Air for the first time. That is Apple's most affordable large-screen iPad, and the base model is also on sale, having dropped by $45 to $754.

We gave the 13-inch model a score of 91 in our review. It's brighter (and obviously larger) than the 11-inch Air with a 600-nit screen versus a 500-nit one, but otherwise the two models are effectively identical.

Doubling the base storage, shifting the front-facing camera to the landscape edge and including support for the new Apple Pencil Pro are all plus points. Switching to the M2 chipset means that the latest iPad Air offers modest performance gains over the M1 tablet, but if you've been clinging onto an older iPad you should notice that this one is much faster than what you're used to.

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/apples-new-m2-ipad-air-tablets-drop-to-record-low-prices-161743014.html?src=rss

Apple’s new M2 iPad Air tablets drop to record-low prices

Posted on by

Apple's latest iPad Air models have only been out for a couple of weeks, but you can already score decent deals on the new tablets. Most variants are on sale at Amazon at the minute, including the base 11-inch model with 128GB of storage. Thanks to a $30 discount, you can snap one up for $569. It's early days for the new iPad Air, but that still marks a record-low price.

While the iPad Pro might be significantly more powerful and have a nicer display, we reckon the latest Air is the best iPad for most people. We feel it strikes the right balance of price, features and performance for the majority of folks.

Sure, it's more expensive than the base iPad, the most wallet-friendly model with a sticker price of $349. But opting for an Air will help futureproof you, as older devices don't support many of the latest apps and features.

The 11-inch model is certainly easier to hold, but there's also a 13-inch iPad Air for the first time. That is Apple's most affordable large-screen iPad, and the base model is also on sale, having dropped by $45 to $754.

We gave the 13-inch model a score of 91 in our review. It's brighter (and obviously larger) than the 11-inch Air with a 600-nit screen versus a 500-nit one, but otherwise the two models are effectively identical.

Doubling the base storage, shifting the front-facing camera to the landscape edge and including support for the new Apple Pencil Pro are all plus points. Switching to the M2 chipset means that the latest iPad Air offers modest performance gains over the M1 tablet, but if you've been clinging onto an older iPad you should notice that this one is much faster than what you're used to.

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/apples-new-m2-ipad-air-tablets-drop-to-record-low-prices-161743014.html?src=rss

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is coming to Xbox Game Pass on its release day

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Just before Microsoft closed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, it said that it would take some time to bring the publisher's titles to Game Pass. We've only seen one such addition so far in the form of Diablo IV, but the company has announced another, somewhat notable one. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 will be available on Game Pass on its release day later this year.

Microsoft is banking on the debut of a new Call of Duty title on its subscription service leading to a significant bump in the number of Game Pass members. It's a bit of a gamble, as for nearly every year in recent memory, the latest Call of Duty release has been the best-selling game. Microsoft is likely to see lower direct sales of Black Ops 6 on Xbox and PC, though it will still generate revenue from Game Pass and the PlayStation version (and perhaps even a Nintendo Switch release), as well as through microtransactions.

Meanwhile, Microsoft released a live-action trailer for Black Ops 6. It features depictions of Bill Clinton, Margaret Thatcher, George H. W. Bush and Saddam Hussein, lending credence to rumors that the next Call of Duty game will be set during the Gulf War. We'll find out much more about Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 during a showcase that take place immediately after a broader Xbox event on June 9.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/call-of-duty-black-ops-6-is-coming-to-xbox-game-pass-on-its-release-day-142823681.html?src=rss