Tag Archives: author_name|Kris Holt

Formula 1 hopes AI will help it figure out if a car breaks track limits

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The margin of success in Formula 1 often comes down to tiny measurements of time and distance. Drivers know the exact lines to take at corners for optimal lap times. Sometimes, though, racers will go out of bounds as they try to gain an advantage. To help officials check whether a car's wheels entirely cross the white boundary line, F1 will test an AI system.

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), the motorsport's governing body, says it will employ Computer Vision tech at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend. This approach uses shape analysis to determine the number of pixels that cross the line at the edge of the track.

The FIA doesn't plan to fully automate reviews of track limits breaches for the time being. Rather, it wants to significantly reduce the number of potential rule violations that are sent to officials for manual review. 

As Reuters notes, July's Austrian Grand Prix saw four people having to review around 1,200 potential violations. After some track limit violations went unpunished in October's US Grand Prix, officials acknowledged they'd have to find a new approach. Enter Computer Vision.

This tech has been used in medicine to help review data from cancer screenings. "They don’t want to use the Computer Vision to diagnose cancer, what they want to do is to use it to throw out the 80 percent of cases where there clearly is no cancer in order to give the well-trained people more time to look at the 20 percent," Tim Malyon, the FIA's deputy race director and head of remote operations, said. "And that’s what we are targeting."

The FIA hopes to reduce the number of possible infringements that officials manually review to around 50 per race. The aim is to "remove the ones that clearly don’t need a human review," Malyon said.

While the FIA won't rely entirely on AI to make race calls anytime soon, Malyon expects that to happen eventually. "I’ve said repeatedly that the human is winning at the moment in certain areas. That might be the case now but we do feel that ultimately, real time automated policing systems are the way forward."

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/formula-1-hopes-ai-will-help-it-figure-out-if-a-car-breaks-track-limits-191546853.html?src=rss

Killer Instinct is going free-to-play on Xbox and Steam

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It's been 10 years since the Killer Instinct reboot debuted as an Xbox One exclusive, and soon you won't need to pay anything to try to nail a combo breaker. The third installment in the fighting game series is going free-to-play. This base version of the game will include one free weekly rotating fighter and access to the single-player, local and ranked modes. You'll be able to check it out on all platforms where Killer Instinct is available: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC.

Developer Iron Galaxy also revealed that players will be able to buy the Killer Instinct Anniversary Edition for $30. This will include every one of the 29 fighters, all premium content for the game, an XP booster, holiday accessories and more. The Anniversary Edition will replace the Definitive Edition on Xbox consoles and PC (i.e. through the Xbox app or Microsoft Store).

Of note, Iron Galaxy will drop some mature-rated content from the Anniversary Edition, namely an app that includes developer interviews and concept art, as well as access to the original two Killer Instinct games. However, folks who own a digital Definitive Edition copy will still be able to download said content after Iron Galaxy sends that version of the game riding into the sunset.

Meanwhile, owners of any version of Killer Instinct on Steam will get a free upgrade to the Anniversary Edition. As part of this shift, Iron Galaxy will stop selling individual fighters, so if you want access to the entire roster, you'll need to pony up for the Anniversary Edition — or play Killer Instinct through Game Pass, since it's a Microsoft-published game. That said, you'll still have access to everything you've previously bought.

Iron Galaxy didn't say specifically when the Anniversary Edition will arrive or the base game will go free-to-play. The studio says it's in final testing ahead of the switch. While Killer Instinct may not be a title you've thought about too much recently, it's as good a time as any to hop in given the current fighting game renaissance.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/killer-instinct-is-going-free-to-play-on-xbox-and-steam-180043575.html?src=rss

Apple Black Friday deals: The second-gen Apple Pencil drops to a new low of $82

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With Black Friday deals popping up all over the place for the last week or so, perhaps you've already treated yourself or a loved one to a new iPad. It may be that you (or the recipient) is someone who would like to sketch or take notes on the tablet. As such, you may be looking to pick up an Apple Pencil. There's some good news in that case — all three Apple Pencil models are on sale on Amazon for Black Friday.

Of the trio, the second-gen Apple Pencil has the widest array of features. That model has dropped to a new record low price of $82, which is $47 off. The previous best price we've seen was $85.

The second-gen Apple Pencil is one of the best iPad accessories around. Apple designed it (and the other two models) specifically to work with the iPad, and it's the best stylus you can snap up for the company's tablets.

The second-gen model has a double-tap feature that you can customize to switch between preferred tools and it offers low latency. Other features include tilt sensitivity, pressure sensitivity and what Apple claims is "pixel-perfect precision."

One big advantage that the second-gen Apple Pencil has over its two siblings is wireless charging. It attaches magnetically to the side of a compatible iPad while it recharges. This Apple Pencil works with iPad Pro 12.9-inch (third-gen and later), all iPad Pro 11-inch models, iPad Air (fourth and fifth generation) and the sixth-gen iPad mini.

The other two Apple Pencils are on sale too. The USB-C model, which Apple only started selling this month, has fallen from $79 to $71.10. It works with every iPad that has a USB-C charging port. It has some, but not all of the capabilities of the second-gen Apple Pencil, such as support for a hover feature on M2-powered iPads. This lets you sneak a peek at any mark you plan to make before it's applied to your sketch, annotation or notes. You can also magnetically attach the USB-C Apple Pencil to the side of supported iPads, but it won't charge wirelessly.

If you happen to have an older iPad that isn't supported by those styluses, you can opt for the original Apple Pencil, which is on sale for $72.88. That's 26 percent off the usual price of $99. It supports low latency, tilt sensitivity and pressure sensitivity.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-black-friday-deals-the-second-gen-apple-pencil-drops-to-a-new-low-of-82-160056239.html?src=rss

Windows 10 users can now try out Microsoft’s Copilot AI

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Folks who are still sticking with Windows 10 (or who can’t install Windows 11 on their machine) may now be able to check out one of the most buzzed about features in years on their machine. Just a few days after Microsoft confirmed it would bring Copilot to Windows 10, users with eligible devices can install a Release Preview build that includes access to the generative AI-powered assistant.

You’ll need to be enrolled in the Windows Insider tester program to install the preview build and potentially try out Copilot on Windows 10 Home or Pro. There’s no guarantee you’ll get access to the chatbot immediately either. Microsoft says “It may take time for your device to be confirmed as eligible for Copilot on Windows so it may not show up right away.” To get swift access to Copilot when it's confirmed your machine is eligible, Microsoft suggests turning on the ”Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available” by going to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update.

To run Copilot, your system will need at least 4GB of RAM and a display adapter that supports a resolution of at least 720p. Microsoft notes that the preview of the chatbot is only available in select markets (i.e. North America, and some areas of Asia and South America) for now, so you may be locked out on a geographical basis.

Microsoft Copilot in Windows 10
Microsoft

There are some other quirks that may preclude you from checking out Copilot on Windows 10. It won’t work if you position your taskbar on the left or right of your display. You’ll need to have the taskbar in a horizontal orientation. Copilot isn’t fully compatible with multi-monitor setups either. You’ll only see the icon on your primary display. In addition, Copilot won’t be available on Windows 10 Pro machines that are managed by an organization for the time being.

To fire up Copilot when it’s available on your device, click the icon that appears on the right side of the taskbar. Through the chatbot, you can ask questions, manage Windows features and interact with documents. As The Verge notes, Copilot works slightly differently on Windows 10, if only because some Windows 11 features aren’t available. Several key apps in the newer OS have their own generative AI-based features baked in.

It's not exactly a major mystery as to why Microsoft is bringing Copilot to Windows 10. According to some estimates, Windows 10 still powers some 69 percent of Windows-based desktops, compared with the 26 percent or so that run Windows 11. That means hundreds of millions of PCs are still running Windows 10. If Microsoft can say Copilot is available on more than a billion computers (compared with the 400 million that are estimated to be running Windows 11), that could be more appealing to the company's investors.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/windows-10-users-can-now-try-out-microsofts-copilot-ai-153316313.html?src=rss

Binance founder Changpeng Zhao steps down as CEO, will plead guilty to federal charges

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Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao is set to plead guilty to federal money laundering charges and step down from his position at the company he founded. Zhao and the cryptocurrency exchange have reached a plea deal with the government, which conducted a multi-year investigation into the company, CNBC reports. As part of the settlement, Binance will forfeit $2.5 billion and pay a $1.8 billion fine. Zhao is slated to personally pay $50 million.

Zhao will be prohibited from having any involvement with Binance for three years. As part of the plea deal, Zhao will plead guilty later on Tuesday to violating and causing a financial institution to violate the Bank Secrecy Act, according to Reuters.

Binance, Zhao and others were accused of failing to institute an effective anti-money laundering program. According to the Justice Department, they willfully violated economic sanctions “in a deliberate and calculated effort to profit from the US market without implementing controls required by US law." Court documents state that the lack of anti-money laundering measures led to Binance facilitating almost $900 million in financial transactions in violation of sanctions against Iran between 2018 and 2022.

In a statement, Zhao confirmed he is stepping down as CEO, with the company's former global head of regional markets Richard Teng taking over the top job. "Today, I stepped down as CEO of Binance," Zhao wrote on X. "Admittedly, it was not easy to let go emotionally. But I know it is the right thing to do. I made mistakes, and I must take responsibility. This is best for our community, for Binance, and for myself." 

Zhao now plans to take a break before perhaps getting more involved in investing. However, "I can’t see myself being a CEO driving a startup again. I am content being an one-shot (lucky) entrepreneur."

The settlement resolves criminal charges related to breaching sanctions regulations, conspiracy and conducting an unlicensed money transmitter business. Meanwhile, former compliance chief Samuel Lim will reportedly face charges as part of the deal.

This is a major settlement between the company and agencies such as the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Treasury Department. The CFTC charged Binance, Zhao and Lim with violating its rules, as well as the Commodity Exchange Act, earlier this year.

“Binance turned a blind eye to its legal obligations in the pursuit of profit. Its willful failures allowed money to flow to terrorists, cybercriminals, and child abusers through its platform,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement. “Today’s historic penalties and monitorship to ensure compliance with US law and regulations mark a milestone for the virtual currency industry. Any institution, wherever located, that wants to reap the benefits of the US financial system must also play by the rules that keep us all safe from terrorists, foreign adversaries, and crime, or face the consequences.”

Binance will remain in operation, albeit under stricter rules. It will need to ensure it abides by anti-money laundering regulations by beefing up its compliance program. The company will also have to appoint an independent compliance monitor.

In June, the Securities and Exchange Commission sued Binance and Zhao, alleging that they helped US traders bypass restrictions and violated securities laws by, among other things, mishandling funds. The SEC also claimed that (in similar allegations to those laid against rival exchange FTX) Binance commingled billions of dollars of customer money with the company's own funds. The SEC charges were not resolved in this settlement.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/binance-founder-changpeng-zhao-steps-down-as-ceo-will-plead-guilty-to-federal-charges-210627469.html?src=rss

Sam Altman is said to be in talks with the OpenAI board about a possible return

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Even though it seemed that former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman would lead a new AI research division at Microsoft, he might still get his old job back. According to Bloomberg, the OpenAI board — which caused chaos at the company when it fired Altman on Friday — has reopened discussions with the former chief executive regarding his possible reinstatement.

The talks are said to involve board member (and Quora CEO) Adam D’Angelo as well as OpenAI investors, some of whom have been pushing for Altman's return. According to the report, board members "largely refused to engage" with Altman until Monday, so these latest talks are said to be a significant development.

Meanwhile, Kevin Scott, Microsoft's chief technology officer, said that his company will match the compensation OpenAI workers are currently receiving if they jump ship. Most of the company's workers have threatened to walk unless the OpenAI board resigns and reinstates Altman and former president Greg Brockman (who resigned in protest over the board booting out Altman). They warned the board on Monday that Microsoft is willing to hire them too, and Scott has confirmed that.

“To my partners at OpenAI: We have seen your petition and appreciate your desire potentially to join Sam Altman at Microsoft’s new AI Research Lab,” Scott wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Know that if needed, you have a role at Microsoft that matches your compensation and advances our collective mission.”

It's unclear whether Scott's offer is contingent on Altman officially joining Microsoft, as CNBC notes. In any case, OpenAI workers may not have too much trouble finding a new job if they resign, as many tech companies are battling to hire AI experts. For instance, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff said that any OpenAI researcher who has quit will receive matching salary and equity if they join his company.

Meanwhile, in interviews he gave after saying Altman and Brockman were joining his company on Monday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reiterated that he wants to keep working with OpenAI. However, he noted "that depends on the people of OpenAI staying there or coming to Microsoft. So I’m open to both options, but one thing I will not do is stop innovating." Nadella also said that “At this point, I think it’s very clear that something has to change around the governance" at the ChatGPT operator.

After Altman's sudden firing, he and Brockman spent the weekend in crunch talks with the OpenAI board in an effort to get their jobs back. Those initial talks proved unsuccessful, and the board has appointed former Twitch chief executive Emmett Shear as interim CEO. 

The OpenAI board has declined to share the exact reasoning for its decision to fire Altman, though it claimed that he had not been "consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities." After he took the reins, Shear said he'd bring in an independent investigator "to dig into the entire process leading up to this point and generate a full report.” According to Bloomberg, Shear has told folks in the OpenAI orbit that he won't stay on board if he doesn't get a clear explanation from the board as to why it ousted Altman.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sam-altman-is-said-to-be-in-talks-with-the-openai-board-about-a-possible-return-185425350.html?src=rss

Apple Watch Series 9 falls to a new low of $329 in an Amazon Black Friday deal

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Just a couple of months after its debut, you can already score a great deal on the Apple Watch Series 9 thanks to an Amazon Black Friday discount. The smartwatch has dropped to $329, which is $80 or 18 percent off the regular price of $399. The previous low we saw for the Apple Watch Series 9 was $349 earlier this month.

This price applies to the 41mm model and you can take your pick from a variety of case colors and sport bands. Several 45mm variants are on sale too. That size of the Apple Watch Series 9 is down to $360, which is $69 off the standard price of $429.

At these prices, the Apple Watch Series 9 becomes a more enticing option as a gift for a special someone in your life, or even just yourself. We think this is the best smartwatch you can buy overall (though obviously you'll need to look at different options if you're an Android user).

In our review, we gave the Apple Watch Series 9 a score of 92. There are some major upgrades this year, thanks to the introduction of a more powerful S9 system-in-package (SiP) processor.

One of the key new features is called Double Tap, which builds on Apple's Assistive Touch accessibility tool. When Double Tap is enabled, you carry out a pinching action using the hand that's wearing the watch to carry out the main function in an app. It's a useful way to control certain aspects of your smartwatch without having to touch the screen. You can use Double Tap to, for instance, snooze an alarm, pause a song that's playing or reply to a message.

Using the gesture to reply to a message will bring up the Siri-powered voice typing option. So it's worth mentioning here that, thanks to the S9 SiP, the Apple Watch Series 9 can handle on-device Siri processing. That makes the voice assistant's performance a bit snappier, as Apple doesn't have to send your request to its servers for processing and back again. It also means that Siri can work offline.

Elsewhere, a second-gen ultra wideband chip powers a more precise Find My iPhone experience, as long as the phone you're looking for also has that chip. For instance, when you're looking for a misplaced iPhone 15 Pro, the Apple Watch Series 9 will show you how many feet away the device is, along with a directional indicator to guide you to it. Other upgrades in the latest Apple Watch include a brighter display. You'll also be able to check out the revised UI that Apple brought in with watchOS 10.

Meanwhile, the second-gen Apple Watch SE (which scored 89 in our review last year) has fallen to an all-time-best price too. If you're looking for a more budget-friendly way into the Apple Watch ecosystem, this could be the right option for you. Both sizes of the Apple Watch SE are $70 off, with 40mm versions coming in at $179 and 44mm variants starting at $209.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-watch-series-9-falls-to-a-new-low-of-329-in-an-amazon-black-friday-deal-164517938.html?src=rss

Tech CEOs are set to testify in a Senate online child sexual exploitation hearing in December

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The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing on online child sexual exploitation on December 6 and the CEOs of major tech companies are set to testify. The committee expects Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his counterpart at TikTok, Shou Zi Chew, to testify voluntarily. It also wants to hear from the CEOs of X (formerly Twitter), Discord and Snap, and it has issued subpoenas to them.

"Big Tech’s failure to police itself at the expense of our kids cannot go unanswered," committee chair Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and ranking member Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said in a joint statement, as Reuters reports. "I’m hauling in Big Tech CEOs before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify on their failure to protect kids online," Durbin wrote on X.

According to the committee, X and Discord refused to accept service of the subpoenas on their CEO's behalf, "requiring the committee to enlist the assistance of the US Marshals Service" to serve them personally. "We have been working in good faith to participate in the Judiciary committee’s hearing on child protection online as safety is our top priority at X," Wifredo Fernandez, head of US and Canada government affairs at X, told Engadget in a statement. "Today we are communicating our updated availability to participate in a hearing on this important issue." 

“Keeping our users safe, especially young people, is central to everything we do at Discord," a Discord spokesperson told Engadget. "We have been actively engaging with the Committee on how we can best contribute to this important industry discussion. We welcome the opportunity to work together as an industry and with the Committee."

The issue of tech platforms allegedly facilitating harms against kids has become an increasingly pressing issue. Earlier this month, former Meta executive Arturo Béjar testified that Zuckerberg failed to respond to his email detailing concerns about harms facing children on the company's platforms. Senators then demanded documents from the company's CEO "related to senior executives’ knowledge of the mental and physical health harms associated with its platforms, including Facebook and Instagram."

Update 11/20 3:40PM ET: Added Discord's statement. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tech-ceos-are-set-to-testify-in-a-senate-online-child-sexual-exploitation-hearing-in-december-180206072.html?src=rss

A $50 Xbox gift card is $5 off in this Black Friday deal

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These days, it's perhaps more difficult than ever to buy someone a video game as a gift. Not only are there thousands of options, your intended recipient may already have access to a given game on another platform or it may already be included in a subscription service they pay for. A gift card is likely a safer bet. To that end, you can save 10 percent on Xbox and PlayStation gift cards for Black Friday. At both Amazon and Target, you can snap up a $50 Xbox gift card for $45.

That's almost enough to cover three months of access to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, which now costs $17 per month. Alternatively, that's enough to pay for four months of Xbox Game Pass access (at $11 per month) or five months of PC Game Pass ($10 per month). Should your recipient choose to pay for Game Pass with their gift card, they'll have access to a library of hundreds of games. They could always just buy games outright, of course.

PlayStation Plus gift cards are also 10 percent off at Amazon. A $70 gift card is down to $63, while a $30 option is on sale for $27. The former will cover five months of PlayStation Plus Extra access. Similar to Game Pass, that tier of Sony's subscription service includes access to hundreds of PS4 and PS5 games. PS Plus Extra costs $15 per month, $40 per quarter or $135 per year.

Last but not least, a 12-month Nintendo Switch Online Family membership is available for $32 (usually $35) at Amazon. This is a solid gift for a household that has at least two Nintendo Switches — a family membership lets up to eight people use Nintendo Switch Online. The service includes access to online multiplayer, as well as a library of NES and SNES classics and a few battle royale-type exclusives from Nintendo, such as Tetris 99 and F-Zero 99.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-50-xbox-gift-card-is-5-off-in-this-black-friday-deal-164130270.html?src=rss

Fellow coffee devices are 20 percent off for Black Friday

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Some folks have a more intricate coffee-making process than "insert pod, press button, get java." Serious coffee fans who don't mind putting in more effort to get a high-quality cup of joe may be interested to learn that Fellow is running a Black Friday sale. Many of the brand's devices are 20 percent off on its website until November 28. The discount will automatically be applied at checkout.

Fellow is behind some of the best gifts for coffee lovers — though of course you can always treat yourself to some of its gear. The brand's Tally Pro scale usually costs $185, but you can get it for $148 right now.

Fellow created the scale with precision in mind. If you know your preferred coffee-to-water ratio, you can indicate that in Brew Assist Mode to reach your target brew weight for your ideal pour-over. More experienced folks might opt for the Timer Mode, which displays a timer and weight in grams side-by-side to guide the brewing process with few distractions.

You can also use the Tally as a small kitchen scale. Switch to Weight Mode, and you can measure anything up to 5.5 lbs. The scale will give readings in grams, ounces, pounds and milliliters. The battery will run for up to three months before you need to recharge it via USB-C.

A good scale is only one part of the pour-over coffee equation: you'll definitely need a kettle too. Fellow's Stagg EKG Pro kettle is not only eye-catching, it should have all the bells and whistles you need. It typically costs $255, but it has dropped to $204 during this sale.

A person holds Fellow's Stagg EKG Pro kettle.
Fellow

A Guide Mode will help you pick a preset temperature for different coffee brewing styles or varieties of tea. If you're more confident about the ideal temperature for your drink, you can set it manually and even schedule a time for the kettle to warm up. There's even an option to set your altitude to stop the water from boiling over. A hold mode can maintain a certain temperature for up to 60 minutes as well.

As with the other products mentioned here, the kettle comes with a two year warranty. If you register the device, Fellow will extend the warranty to three years.

In addition, coffee buffs will want to have a capable grinder on hand for their preferred beans. The Opus Conical Burr Grinder (currently $156) and Ode Brew Grinder Gen 2 ($276) are each 20 percent off as well. The Opus has more than 40 precision settings. It has six-blade 40mm conical burrs with a burr speed of 350 RPM. There's a 110g capacity, but you can load it up with a single serving to help ensure maximum freshness.

With the Ode Gen 2, Fellow promises a quiet grind and an automatic stop. It has what the company claims are best-in-class Gen 2 Brew Burrs along with anti-static tech that's said to reduce grind mess. There are 31 grind settings and the grinder has a 100g capacity.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fellow-coffee-devices-are-20-percent-off-for-black-friday-150007766.html?src=rss