Two Northern Ireland journalists are seeking costs against the Police Service of Northern Ireland following delays in disclosure of critical evidence that led to two court hearings being abandoned, the Investigatory Powers Tribunal heard today.Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney are claiming costs after the PSNI allegedly misled the tribunal by obfuscating critical evidence of PSNI and Metropolitan Police surveillance operations to identify journalists confidential sources.The case which is being heard by five judges will determine for the first time in the 25-year history of the tribunal whether it has powers to award costs in cases where government bodies - in this case the PSNI - are accused of unreasonable behaviour. The president of the IPT, Lord Justice Singh said: This is going to be the definitive judgement from the tribunal on costs.The journalists claim for cost follows an IPT ruling in December that found the PSNIs chief constable had unlawfully ordered a surveillance operation against the two journalists and an official from the police ombudsmans service.The PSNI targeted Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey after they produced a documentary exposing police collusion in the murders of six innocent Catholics watching a football match in Loughinisland in 1994. None of the people alleged to be behind the killings have been prosecuted.A judicial review in the High Court in Belfast quashed arrest warrants issued by the PSNI and Durham Police against the journalists in 2019 in a sting operation intended to identify a confidential source who leaked information used in the documentary.Ben Jaffey KC, representing McCaffrey told the tribunal that the PSNI had failed to disclose surveillance operations against the two journalists until the eve of court hearings in 2024. This the court, was told resulted in two court hearings being thrown away.The court heard that the PSNI redacted documents given to the journalists lawyers to obfuscate references to PSNIs covert strategy and a Directed Surveillance Operation (DSO) against the two journalists.The PSNI told the tribunals counsel that it was all terribly secret and that it would breach the tribunal rules for the surveillance operations to be disclosed in open court, Jaffey told the court.PSNI failed to disclose Surveillance orderThe PSNI had claimed in a witness statement that the tribunal counsel had agreed that the existence of PSNIs Directed Surveillance Order (DSO) against the journalists should not be disclosed in open court. But this was untrue, Jaffey told the court.The PSNI also failed to inform the tribunal that the existence of the PSNI surveillance operation has been previously disclosed at the Belfast High Court judicial review.Two minutes before deadline we were told there was a Directed Surveillance Order, he said. There has been no explanation for this extremely late disclosure that altered direction of case.At same time the PSNI produced new material disclosing involvement of Metropolitan police surveillance operations against journalists just before court hearings were due to start.Jaffey was told he could view the Directed Surveillance Authorisation, which required the signature of the chief constable of the PSNI, at the Tribunal Counsels Office, and could only take notes on the morning of the court hearing.The PSNI vigorously attempted to keep Directed Surveillance in [a] closed [hearing]. They only relented just before hearing once they belated accepted it had been disclosed in the judicial review.The lateness of disclosure was inexcusable, he said. Having agreed there was a Directed Surveillance application, withholding it to morning of tribunal was ridiculous, he added.An email from the senior investigating officer at Durham Police, brought in to assist the PSNI, had been openly discussed in a judicial review. The email referred to a covert strategy put in place to maximise intelligence gathering opportunities.We wrote to tribunal, saying we know there is a covert strategy, said Jaffey. The PSNI refused to disclose it.Metropolitan PoliceJaffey told the court that the PSNI had claimed it had been unable to find information about a surveillance operation conducted by the Metropolitan Police, code named Operation Erewhon, against McCaffrey and other journalists.The PSNI claimed in legal submissions that did not identify the link between McCaffrey and the sensitive investigation conducted by Metropolitan Police in 2011.The PSNI also claimed that police officer responding to the IPTs request was unaware of the Mets role.None of that was true, said Jaffey.Infact the PSNI had previously disclosed the Metropolitan Polices operation to the Judicial Review in 2019, the court heard.Not only did the PSNI identify the Metropolitan Police data in the judicial review but they produced a schedule on it, and claimed Public Interest Immunity (PII) to prevent it being disclosed, said Jaffey.Operation Erewhon was only disclosed to the tribunal because of the work by the Counsel to the Tribunal, he said. The contents were critical to the findings of the court that the surveillance was unlawful, he added.The PSNIs claims that it was unable to disclose the nature and the content of the documents were ridiculous, Jaffey said.PSNI are even now unable to apologise for failing to disclose, he said.PSNI knew about Mets roleCathryn McGahey KC, representing the PSNI, told the court that it was correct that the PSNI knew about the role of the Metropolitan Police surveillance operation, the PSNIs disclosure team did not.She told the court that the information about the MPS was held in a close compartment on the PSNIs computer systems and was not found by searches.She said that the system had been set up very securely to ensure no unauthorised access to sensitive information.That is fault of PSNI system, she said. The PSNI have now taken steps to ensure this would not happen again.Jaffey said that the PSNI had no real substantive point beyond making an apology.It is not denied the evidence relating to the Metropolitan Police would not be before this tribunal in the errors had not been discovered through happenstance, he said.The explanation given by the PSNI for its failure to find evidence about operation Erewhon, had been entirely unheralded in the written arguments presented to the tribunal.There is no such thing as material that is too highly classified to be included in a response to this tribunal, he said.The notable suggestion that Erewhon report was so sensitive it had to be held in a special compartment is rubbish, he said.The document is marked restricted, lowest level of classification, and can be safely sent by email, he added.No power to award costsMcGahey said there was nothing in the tribunal rules to indicate that the IPT had power to award costs and that no such power exists.If parliament had wished this tribunal to have a cost jurisdiction parliament could and would have done so, she said.Costs should only be awarded when there is exceptionally bad behaviour and there is a need to enforce compliance, she argued.On facts of this case, PSNI has apologized, had admitted fault to tribunal and has taken remedial steps, she addedJaffey said that it was not true that there was no background in the PSNI constantly failing to follow the courts orders.He said that the president of the IPT had said that the PSNI does not understand the concept of a court order. That is not language that a court normally uses, he said.Jaffey said in written submissions that the PSNI had failed to produce relevant material on a timely basis leading to extensive waste of time and costs.The substantive hearing had to be prepared (at least) twice over. Every hearing was preceded by last minute, fundamental, disclosure on the eve of the hearing, invariably served in volume without proper explanation of the delay or the key points, he wrote.The judges were: The Hon Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson KC, Lord Boyd of Duncansby Vice President, Lord Justice Singh President, Lady Carmichael and The Honourable. Mr Justice Chamberlain.The court has reserved its verdict.

ZDNET's key takeaways The Google Pixel Tablet retails for $499 but it's on sale for $399.The 11-inch tablet runs Android 13 on Google's Tensor G2 chipIt has solid performance, small bezels surrounding the screen that can handle multitasking, and a charging dock.Android can be buggy on the Pixel Tablet, though less so than on competing devices; the refresh rate tops out at 60Hz, and picking up the tablet takes some getting used to. more buying choices The Google Pixel Tablet is $100 off at Best Buy, available for $399.Google's Pixel Tablet marked the company's return to the tablet market after some years (previous efforts included the Pixel C and Pixel Slate). While it was highly praised as a near-perfect Android tablet, its reception was underwhelming.Also:I just tested the new EufyCam, and I'm never going back to grainy night visionThe Google Pixel Tablet is an 11-inch Android slab with a charging dock that doubles as a speaker. When you set the tablet on the dock to charge, it switches into a customizable smart display, like an iPhone during Standby Mode or a Fire tablet in Show Mode. Charging your Pixel Tablet is like the Nest Hub Max experience, but not quite there. details View at Best Buy As a smart home user, I decided to give this tablet's smart display feature a try. I love smart panels more than I love tablets. I don't reach for my tablet for entertainment often -- I rely on my phone for that -- so I use a smart display or the smart home apps on my phone more and for longer than a tablet.Also: I tried a window-cleaning robot, and things went surprisingly wellThe problem many reviewers have with the Pixel Tablet is that it's a simpleton among its peers -- and not in a bad way. Google didn't design this tablet to be the next iPad Pro, capable of handling intense video editing sessions and being an occasional replacement for your laptop.The Pixel Tablet is an entertainment device that allows you to check the latest game scores or scroll TikTok while taking a break from writing in a Word document. Maria Diaz/ZDNETThat said, it's a tablet that delivers a clean Android experience, and you can forget whether you're team iOS or Android. As a loyal iOS user for six years, I sometimes feel disoriented when using an Android device; the weird navigation bugs and lags remind me of why I ditched Android years ago.These bugs are few and far between on the Google Pixel Tablet. While the Pixel Tablet did have some bugs during navigation and daily use, they were far fewer than the ones I experienced with the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9, though far more frequent than what I experience on my iPad.The Pixel Tablet worked surprisingly well as a smart home display but still left much to be desired.Here's what the Pixel Tablet does wellWhen I began using this Pixel Tablet as a smart home panel for Google Home-compatible products around my house, I noticed that Google Assistant seemed much smarter than Siri and Alexa. This is a close race where all three are constantly improving, even more so now that generative AI is being thrown into the mix. Google Home does, however, run smoothly on the Pixel Tablet.Also:What is Matter? How the connectivity standard can change your smart homeAlso, unlike smart displays like the Google Nest Hub and Echo Hub, the Pixel Tablet is a portable device. You can grab it to read the news or play a game almost anywhere. I've taken mine to my kids' after-school activities to play or watch something while I wait. Having a multipurpose display at the center of a smart home is like having two tablets in one. Maria Diaz/ZDNETHere's what Pixel Tablet could do betterThe Pixel Tablet is buggy. All smart displays have their bugs, but after testing several Echo Show devices and using the Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home app on iPhones, iPads, and Android devices, I expected more from the Pixel Tablet's smart home control capabilities.Google is reportedly working on a new Nest speaker and a Nest Hub Max to launch later this year, so we don't believe the company will discontinue these smart devices in favor of the Pixel Tablet.Also: I tested Roborock's most expensive robot vacuum and found 4 reasons to buy itWhile Google Home runs well on the Pixel Tablet, Nanoleaf products were the most difficult to run smoothly on Google Home. I have some connectivity issues with certain Cree smart devices that don't always respond through Google Home, although they perform well with Alexa. Maria Diaz/ZDNETThe far-field mic experience also left me wanting, especially since I'm surrounded by far too many Echo devices and a HomePod mini. The Pixel Tablet could hear me well enough from across the room, the farthest I would use it most of the time. But -- unlike my Echo devices -- the Pixel Tablet couldn't understand me in our open floor plan when I was in the kitchen, which suggests that it would work best in a bedroom or smaller living room. (My HomePod mini can hear me from a story away.)Also: The Ring Spotlight Cam Pro impressed me in the most unexpected wayThe dock also feels slightly awkward when you pick up the device. It's not hard to dock the Pixel Tablet to charge, especially once you get used to the feeling, but you have to pick it up just right to undock it. Google suggests lifting it by the lower edge to undock it and pick it up, but picking it up almost any other way can result in pulling the dock up with the tablet.ZDNET's buying adviceShould you choose a Pixel Tablet to use as a smart home panel over an Echo Hub or Google Nest Hub Max? Compared to both, the Pixel Tablet is a portable device, whereas the Google Nest Hub and Echo Hub are stationary smart displays.Although many users prefer the $229 Nest Hub Max's function as a dedicated smart display, I like having a multipurpose display at the center of the smart home with the 2-in-1 Pixel Tablet. Grabbing the fully charged tablet on my way out the door or upstairs makes it easier to use than other tablets. Setting it down to become a smart display gives it a second life when idle, whereas other tablets are off or stowed away.The Echo Hub is specifically designed as a smart home display for Amazon Alexa. If you prefer the Alexa voice assistant and already have other Echo devices, a $180 Echo Hub would likely be a better addition to your smart home than a Pixel Tablet. When will this deal expire? While many sales events feature deals for a specific length of time, deals are on a limited-time basis, making them subject to expire anytime. ZDNET remains committed to finding, sharing, and updating the best offers to help you maximize your savings so you can feel as confident in your purchases as we feel in our recommendations. Our ZDNET team of experts constantly monitors the deals we feature to keep our stories up-to-date. If you missed out on this deal, don't worry -- we're always sourcing new savings opportunities atZDNET.com. Show more Featured reviews

As the Trump administration continues to axe government AI researchers, industry leaders warn of dire consequences.

People participate in a "TeslaTakedown" protest against Elon Musk outside of a Tesla dealership in ... [+] Irvine, California, March 1, 2025. (Photo by Frederic J. BROWN / AFP) (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesCalls for product boycotts and other anti-corporate campaigns on social media have been loud enough that companies were forced to respond, especially as the platforms have a way of amplifying customer frustration. That was certainly the case last year with Bud Light, which even now has failed to regain its market share.As the #TeslaTakeDown continues to gain traction targeting Tesla CEO Elon Musk and causing the company to see a 15% drop in the company's stock last week President Donald Trump and his allies have responded by suggesting that protesters at the company's showrooms could be described as domestic terrorism. Still, this movement shows no signs of losing momentum, with users on social media describing the Cybertruck and other Tesla vehicles as "Swasticars," referring to Musk's "Nazi-like salute" at Trump's inauguration rally.A viral image that re-imagined a World War II propaganda poster that warned, "When you ride ALONE you ride with Hitler" to feature Musk next to the ghostly outline of the German dictator with the caption "When you ride TESLA you ride with Hitler."DOGE ReactionMusk is no stranger to controversy, but this reaction to his efforts to significantly downsize the federal government as the head of the "Department of Government Efficiency" has been met with backlash that likely won't go away soon. Every action he makes is met with an equal reaction online, often with the hashtag."Elon Musk has become a brand unto himself one as polarizing as it is powerful. While Tesla was once synonymous with innovation, today its brand narrative is increasingly shaped by Musk's personal actions and statements," explained Angeli Gianchandani, adjunct instructor of marketing and public relations at New York University. "The recent wave of anti-Tesla sentiment highlights the risks of intertwining corporate identity too closely with an individual, especially one who thrives on disruption."Those critical of Musk have been taking to social media to speak out against him and the Tesla brand, oftentimes on the very platform he owns!"Some users have gone as far as selling or trading in Tesla vehicles they owned and posting on social media about their decision to sell based on Musk's behavior," said Dr. Julianna Kirschner, lecturer at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.Will Musk Shut Down the Take-Down Calls?The anti-Tesla sentiment has gained traction, yet it could be silenced on X if Musk by going against his free speech absolutist views decided he's had enough. However, it seems too that Musk has a powerful ally in the federal government as well."There is going to be a lot of pressure put on social media by the administration to cover this up so it doesn't spread," suggested technology industry analyst Rob Enderle of the Enderle Group."Elon Musk may not outright ban criticism on X, but he could limit its reach through the platform's algorithm, as he has done before to control narratives," added Gianchandani.Yet, silencing dissent at scale could backfire, drawing even more attention and reinforcing the idea that Tesla and Musk for that matter can't handle criticism, she added.That may not help in the short term, and certainly wouldn't be good for the brand."Today, consumers care about more than just the product; they factor in corporate values, leadership behavior, and cultural alignment," Gianchandani continued. "That means handling controversy well is just as important as innovation. His influence has helped build Tesla into a dominant force, but it's now a double-edged sword as some consumers distance themselves from the brand due to his polarizing behavior. This moment underscores the growing reality that a CEO's persona can be as impactful on sales as the product itself."Silencing The OppositionEven if Musk does attempt to shut messaging down on X and the possibility that he already has is reasonably high it will be impossible to silence it entirely."The density of content on X, it would be challenging to shut everything down that disparages Tesla," said Kirschner.Part of the problem is that Musk's attempts to streamline the social media platform may have limited its ability to react now."Without the staff in place to handle moderation efforts of this magnitude, many critical messages have and will continue to slip by," added Kirschner. "The reason for this is not rooted in Musk's supposed free speech stance but in the reality of how X functions today. Even with current AI technology that could be used to flag posts, content critical of Tesla will remain at least long enough for some users to see them."Yet, this reality is unlikely to deter Musk."In the past, content that was critical of him had a higher chance of being removed than many other kinds of posts. Yet, Musk continues to say that he is a proponent of free speech, but he fails to mention the limits of his position," Kirschner noted.Will Other Platforms Allow Anti-Musk Sentiment To Foster?There may have been a time when those in charge of rival platforms would have delighted to see Musk come under fire. But that's uncertain to be the case now. First, the tech world has realigned itself with the White House or at least are paying it lip service but on the flip side, such discussions are certainly going to keep users engaged, and that may matter more than anything else.As a result, the other major social media platforms such as Meta, TikTok, and Reddit are unlikely to suppress anti-Tesla sentiment unless it violates their policies."Unlike X, which Musk controls, these platforms aim to appear neutral. However, financial and advertiser pressure could influence how much visibility negative content gets," said Gianchandani. "That said, silencing protests often backfires, fueling more backlash and eroding consumer trust. If Tesla were seen as influencing social media censorship, it could deepen the very criticism it's trying to avoid. In today's digital world, managing controversy openly is often better than trying to control the narrative."In addition, Meta is already dealing with their own issues after removing fact-checking measures, with users posting false information about Mark Zuckerberg to test the boundaries."Some of that content remains on Meta platforms, but it is unclear how much of these posts have been removed or moderated in some way," said Kirschner.This simply may not be the hill to die on for most of the platforms."Obviously, Musk can shut it off on X, but Facebook is under investigation so that could be used as a threat to influence their behavior," added Enderle. "I doubt it will work though, because people will just shift to platforms that aren't being manipulated and they are likely to get even angrier if they see someone manipulating these services. The right way to stop this is that either Musk gets out of politics, or he steps away from Tesla. I don't see another path that will save Tesla at the moment."

Updated March 17 with more price cuts.The latest Google phones, the Pixel 9 series, were released last fall, so its months before we expect to see the next-gen modelsthough the Pixel 9a is just weeks away. A good time, then, to check out any available bargains, which have just been launched by Google itself. And price drops elsewhere mean that some phones are now even better priced.Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro and Pixel 9 Pro XL phones.Getty ImagesThe deals highlighted in this post were independently selected by the Contributor and do not contain affiliate links.The phones have distinctive designs and capable cameras. Their AI features are emphasized by the Google website listing each as, for instance, Pixel 9 Pro with Gemini.Though there have been discounts on the Pixel 9, its Pro and Pro XL siblings were stubbornly remaining at full price. Well, the U.S. Google store has just slashed $200 off both the Pro phones in a new sale. Across the pond in the U.K., the discount is even better, a full 200 off each.In the U.S., this is the link you need. Youll find that the sale, which runs until 11.59 p.m. Pacific on Saturday, March 29, 2025 is across all four colors of Pixel 9 Pro, that is, porcelain, rose quartz, hazel and obsidian. Choose the 128GB storage model for $799, 256GB for $899, 512GB for $1,019 or 1TB for $1,249.Over at Amazon, prices are even more delicious. At this link, youll find the obsidian Pixel 9 Pro for $679.15, which is almost $320 off. Prefer the hazel finish? Thats a touch more at $719.04. And the best price of all is for the porcelain finish, which costs just $631.21, a full $367.79 off the list price. Amazon doesnt have the rose quartz finish in this storage size.All four colors are available for the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL where pricing runs like this: 128GB storage model for $899, 256GB for $999, 512GB for $1,119 or 1TB for $1,349.If you live in the U.K. you can use this link. The offers run until Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Prices run like this for the Pixel 9 Pro: the 128GB storage model for 799, 256GB for 899 or 512GB for 1,019. Want the larger Pixel 9 Pro XL? That will set you back as follows: the 128GB storage model for 899, 256GB for 999, 512GB for 1,119 or 1TB for 1,349.Want more money off, then again, turn to Amazon. For the Pixel 9 Pro XL, use this link and youll find some real bargains. Lets build to the best ones. Again, theres no rose quartz Pixel 9 Pro XL in 128GB storage size in the sale, but there is porcelain. Thats $798.24, that is, around $100 cheaper than Google has it. Better is the obsidian Pixel 9 Pro XL, for $782.62, which is just over $116 off the Google price, and best is hazel for just $692.01clocking in at more than $200 off what youll pay at Google.Note that theres also a discount on the smaller Pixel 9 at the moment for British customersheres the link for this. The offer runs until Tuesday, March 25, 2025. It takes 150 off the price of the Pixel 9, dropping it from 799 to 649 for the 128GB storage model. The 256GB model is 749. The Pixel 9 is available in four colors, peony, wintergreen, porcelain and obsidian.Amazon has the Pixel 9 reduced by up to 20%. This link will show you the wintergreen Pixel 9 for $799, which is full price. Better is the peony option which is $679, thats $120 off. The porcelain colorway is $642.51 and best of all, by a whisker, is obsidian for $641.50, a full 20% off.

TL;DR: Google is expected to unveil the Pixel 9a soon, yet a couple of detailed unboxing videos have already surfaced online, offering an early look at its design and specs. And these aren't just brief overviews the videos cover everything, with one reviewer even running benchmarks on the device. The Pixel 9a is expected to start at $500 for the 128GB model. The leaks come courtesy of a few YouTube creators who somehow managed to get their hands on the Pixel 9a ahead of its grand debut. One of them, Sahil Karoul, provides a comprehensive look at the phone. While the narration in his video isn't in English, the visuals more than compensate, offering a full 360-degree view of the device's design.If you'd prefer something a little more comprehensible, The Mobile Central has you covered with their own hands-on. This one's in English and dishes out all the details, like the Pixel 9a flaunting a plastic rear, packing a 6.3-inch 120Hz OLED display, and a massive 5,100mAh battery under the hood.The Pixel 9a is also reportedly set to receive seven years of software updates, putting it on par with the rest of the Pixel 9 lineup and, of course, the Pixel 8a.In terms of design, the Pixel 9a marks a significant departure from its predecessors. The iconic camera visor is gone, replaced by a flush rear panel that virtually eliminates any camera bump.The overall aesthetic is flatter and more streamlined, featuring an iPhone-esque squared-off metal frame. Despite the plastic rear panel, it sports a matte finish for a premium feel. The device also boasts an IP68 water resistance rating. // Related StoriesThe front, however, doesn't look quite as modern, with the display being surrounded by some rather chunky bezels.The leaked videos also provide a glimpse of the Pixel 9a's performance. The new Tensor G4 chip appears to hold its own in benchmarks and gaming sessions without overheating. We even get a preview of the camera's capabilities.All in all, while the Pixel 9a may not introduce any major surprises beyond its revamped design, the combination of a more efficient Tensor chip and that sizable battery could result in impressive battery life. But we'll have to wait for fuller reviews before passing any verdicts.

In context: Add-ons and extensions provide a wide range of customization options for web browsers. While extensions have long been an integral part of the web experience on PCs, they are now gaining popularity in mobile ecosystems as well. Despite being built on the same layout engine derived from the Chromium project, Edge is making a determined effort to differentiate itself from Chrome. Microsoft's browser is now bringing support for extensions on Android something even Google, despite owning the mobile platform and many of its most popular apps, has curiously neglected to implement.Extension support is now available in the latest stable version of Edge for Android (134.0.3124.57), which Microsoft has rebranded as the "AI browser" because, apparently, nothing matters anymore unless AI is part of the mix. The extension store is also accessible via the web, though users must browse the page from a mobile device to get the full experience.Currently, Edge for Android still labels the extension page as a "beta" feature, indicating that further refinements are needed before it can be deemed fully stable. Microsoft has opted for a curated selection of extensions, offering 22 add-ons that enhance security, enable VPN functionality, block YouTube ads, facilitate video downloads, switch user agents, manage cookies, and more.As reported by Windows Latest, installing and managing extensions on Edge is straightforward enough, even in its beta phase. The web version of the store lists the available extensions but does not yet support installation or synchronization with Edge for Android. For now, the "Get" button remains grayed out.Although modern browser extensions are more limited than older technologies like Mozilla's XUL, they still significantly influence how users interact with web content and services. Some mobile browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, already support extensions, while Google Chrome despite being a default Android app has yet to offer the feature.Microsoft began testing extension support on Android a year ago, initially enabling the feature in Edge's Canary (nightly) channel in January 2024. Now that extensions are available in the stable release, extension enthusiasts are likely eagerly awaiting the inclusion of their preferred add-ons in Microsoft's officially supported list.

If youre thinking about making some upgrades to your PC gaming setup, you can take advantage of monitor deals and SSD deals with just one purchase through this interesting offer from Samsung. A bundle that combines the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 gaming monitor and the 4TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD is on sale, dropping the total price from $2,300 to only $1,634. Thats $666 in savings that you wont find anywhere else, but you need to hurry if you dont want to miss out because theres no telling when the discount ends.The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is featured in our roundup of the best gaming monitors as the best 32:9 gaming monitor, as it provides an unmatched immersive experience with OLED technology and a dual QHD resolution for vibrant colors and lifelike images, a 240Hz refresh rate for smooth animations on the screen, and a 0.03ms response time that could give you the edge over the competition. The gaming monitor also supports Nvidias G-Sync and AMDs FreeSync Premium Pro, which will eliminate screen tearing and stuttering.Meanwhile, the Samsung 990 Pro headlines our list of the best SSDs with its high sequential read/write speeds of 7,450 MBps, and 6,900 MBps. With 4TB of storage, youll be able to install several titles among the best PC games with all of their required updates and optional DLCs. Its relatively affordable for its capabilities, and with this bundle, you can squeeze even more value out of this highly recommended SSD.RelatedGamers who have switching to a better monitor and increasing their gaming PCs storage on their to-do list can check two boxes at once with this bundle from Samsung. The 49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 gaming monitor and the 4TB Samsung 990 Pro SSD, originally sold at $2,300, are available in a package for just $1,634, for a total discount of $666. Youll be able to spend those savings on more video games and accessories, but youll have to be quick with your purchase because were not sure how much time is remaining before this offer expires.Editors Recommendations

Theres no way to put it gently the latest gen Samsung phones are in a tight spot. Our (very recent) Samsung Galaxy A56 review calls it not very desirable right in the headline. And so, for lovers of the best Samsung phones, were realizing that we need to go to search for Samsung deals to find things actually worth buying.Enter this deal were finding on the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, which drops the phone just below the $500 mark at $499. Thats about 23% off of its usual price of $650, or a discount of around $200. Were finding this deal at multiple retailers at the moment, so tap the appropriate button below to get your preferred shopping experience with this deal. If you want to know more about the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE and why this deal turns it into a buy, please keep reading.Note: If you select Best Buy, you can bundle your order with a pair of the $100 Samsung Galaxy Buds FE at a special price of just $40, saving you an additional $60.RelatedThe Samsung Galaxy S24 FE is an AI-empowered phone with a 6.7-inch AMOLED screen that displays with a 2340 x 1080 pixel resolution. It includes 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage (at least on this version thats now on sale), and an IP68 weather resistance rating that makes it nearly impervious to dust and water damage. Then, theres the two-day battery life for those of us that fall asleep without plugging the phone in from time to time. From a purely statistical perspective, all things check out.However, we mentioned that the latest gen Samsung phones are in a tight spot. And this phone, released in the fall of 2024, is no different. Our Samsung Galaxy S24 FE review pretty plainly states that it wasnt the top phone to buy of its moment. Thats a hard thing to argue against, right? Well, not necessarily. If your main takeaway from the review is that the S24 FE isnt a bad phone, but it is an outclassed and outpriced one you may have to rethink your bias now that it is just $500. Plus, one of the stated cons in the review, that the phone is very big, is a little bit subjective the dimensions of the phone are comparable to the Galaxy S24 Ultra or Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.If you want to get this deal, you should act fast as we dont know when it is going to go away. To remind you, you can now get the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE for $499 by tapping any of the retailers below. Thats a savings of around $150 from the usual $650. If you go the Best Buy route, also be sure to check out the Key Accessories tab under the color selection menu, as the Galaxy Buds FE are marked down to a special price of $40 on this page, whereas they are only marked down to $70 natively.Editors Recommendations

testing limits Awful: Roku tests autoplaying ads loading before the home screen Users are unimpressed, eager to toss devices if test sticks. Scharon Harding Mar 17, 2025 3:34 pm | 103 A Roku TV. Credit: Roku A Roku TV. Credit: Roku Story textSizeSmallStandardLargeWidth *StandardWideLinksStandardOrange* Subscribers only Learn moreOwners of smart TVs and streaming sticks running Roku OS are already subject to video advertisements on the home screen. Now, Roku is testing what it might look like if it took things a step further and forced people to watch a video ad play before getting to the Roku OS home screen.Reports of Roku customers seeing video ads automatically play before they could view the OS home screen started appearing online this week. A Reddit user, for example, posted yesterday: I just turned on my Roku and got an unskippable ad for a movie, before I got to the regular Roku home screen. Multiple apparent users reported seeing an ad for the movie Moana 2.When reached for comment, a Roku spokesperson shared a company statement that confirms that the autoplaying ads are expected behavior but not a permanent part of Roku OS currently. Instead, Roku claimed, it was just trying the ad capability out.Rokus representative said that Rokus business has and will always require continuous testing and innovation across design, navigation, content, and our first-rate advertising products, adding:Our recent test is just the latest example, as we explore new ways to showcase brands and programming while still providing a delightful and simple user experience.Roku didn't respond to requests for comment on whether it has plans to make autoplaying ads permanent on Roku OS, which devices are affected, why Roku decided to use autoplaying ads, or customer backlash.UnacceptableMost of the comments that Ars Technica has reviewed about the marketing test have suggested that customers would get rid of their Roku device if the software continues to force them to watch an ad before getting to the content they actually want to see. A user on Rokus community forum wrote:I hope this was a fluke. I trashed all of my Amazon boxes years ago because of this garbage. If it keeps up, my Rokus will be next.Forum users who worried the change was permanent called the ads "unacceptable" and "intrusive."If Roku increases its ad load on customer devices from still images to ads with moving pictures with sound, it will test customers limits. Some who have tolerated a static image on a neglected part of their screen may not be as accepting of more distracting ad formats.I could accept the static ad on the side. Forcing a loud commercial is awful, one Redditor wrote.As a budget streaming hardware brand, Roku has been known to push the boundaries on ads. Roku has even gone so far as to apply for a patent for technology that shows ads over anything you plug into your TV (Roku has never actually implemented this capability).There are less ad-intrusive smart TV platforms available besides Roku. But in general, its getting increasingly difficult for smart TV users to avoid ads. All TV manufacturers, from budget brands to premium ones, are growing reliance on ads and tracking as ways to bolster revenue among declining hardware prices, sales, and innovation and increased competition.Scharon HardingSenior Technology ReporterScharon HardingSenior Technology Reporter Scharon is a Senior Technology Reporter at Ars Technica writing news, reviews, and analysis on consumer gadgets and services. She's been reporting on technology for over 10 years, with bylines at Toms Hardware, Channelnomics, and CRN UK. 103 Comments