Amazon is doubling its investment in Anthropic. The e-commerce giant will provide Anthropic with an additional $4 billion in funding on top of the $4 billion it committed last year. Although Amazon remains a minority investor, Anthropic has agreed to make Amazon Web Services (AWS) its primary cloud and training partner.Before todays announcement, The Information had reportedthat Amazon wanted to make any additional funding contingent on a commitment from Anthropic to use the companys in-house AI chips instead of silicon from NVIDIA. It appears Amazon got its way, with both companies noting in separate press releases that Anthropic will use AWS Trainium and Inferentia chips to train future foundation models.Additionally, Anthropic says it will collaborate with Amazons Annapurna Labs to develop future Trainium accelerators. Through deep technical collaboration, were writing low-level kernels that allow us to directly interface with the Trainium silicon, and contributing to the AWS Neuron software stack to strengthen Trainium, the company said. Our engineers work closely with Annapurnas chip design team to extract maximum computational efficiency from the hardware, which we plan to leverage to train our most advanced foundation models.According to another recent report, Anthropic expects to burn through more than $2.7 billion before the end. Before today, the company had raised $9.7 billion. Either way, its bought itself some much-needed runway as it looks to compete against OpenAI and other companies in the AI space.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-will-use-aws-ai-chips-after-4-billion-amazon-investment-222053145.html?src=rss

Remember in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic when live audio was suddenly everywhere? The trend was made popular by the briefly viral phenomenon Clubhouse before seemingly every other online platform copied the feature for themselves.Since then, live audio has become mostly a footnote to a weird time when we were all stuck at home at the same time with nothing to do and listening to hours-long streams of strangers talking to each other passed as entertainment. Now LinkedIn, which was somewhat late to the live audio party in 2022, has opted to get rid of its standalone live audio events.In an update, the company says it will no longer support native audio events beginning next month. Users will stop being able to create new events as of December 2, and previously scheduled events will no longer work after December 31. Instead, the company is bringing together audio events with its live-streaming feature, LinkedIn Live. LinkedIn Live, however, requires creators to use third-party tools to set up streams. So while audio-only streams will still be able to exist on LinkedIn, they will take a few extra steps.LinkedIn isnt the only company to change course on live audio. Reddit, Facebook, Spotify and Amazon have all shuttered their pandemic-era live audio products.Even Clubhouse (which, yes, still exists) pivoted away from the format last year. The feature is, however going strong on X despite a few high-profile technical issues.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/linkedin-is-killing-the-standalone-live-audio-feature-you-probably-forgot-about-232705727.html?src=rss

2025 could be a tense year for Amazon. Reuters reports that, according to its sources, Amazon will likely be investigated by the European Union (EU) for violating the Digital Markets Act (DMA) by allegedly promoting and offering its own products ahead of others in its online store.The decision to launch the investigation will be made by incoming EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera. Her term will start next month following outgoing chief Margrethe Vestager, who is stepping down after serving two terms.Amazon denies that it violated the DMA. The EUs antitrust regulators launched an investigation into Apple, Meta and Google in March over issues such as fees and preferential presentation of its own apps on its online stores. The European Commission also hinted that it might be looking into Amazons business practices under the new laws.The DMA took effect last year and establishes criteria for large online platforms to behave in a far way online and leave room for contestability, according to the EUs website. The guidelines prevent big tech companies like Amazon from giving preferential treatment to their own products and services on their platforms.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/report-amazon-is-likely-to-face-an-eu-antitrust-investigation-next-year-214556510.html?src=rss

Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking toldLast Week Tonights John Oliver a chilling but memorable hypothetical story a decade ago about the potential dangers of AI. The gist is a group of scientists build a superintelligent computer and ask it, Is there a God? The computer answers, There is now and a bolt of lightning zaps the plug preventing it from being shut down. Lets hope thats not what happened with OpenAI and some missing evidence from the New York Times plagiarism lawsuit.Wired reported that a court declaration filed by the New York Times on Wednesday says that OpenAIs engineers accidentally erased evidence of the AIs training data that took a long time to research and compile. OpenAI recovered some of the data but the original file names and folder structure that show when the AI copied its articles into its models are still missing.OpenAI spokesperson Jason Deutrom disagreed with the NYTs claims and says the company will file our response soon. The Times has been battling Microsoft and OpenAI over alleged copyright infringement with its AI models since December of last year.The lawsuit is still in its discovery phase when evidence is requested and delivered by both sides to build its case for trial. OpenAI had to turn over its training data to the Times but hasnt publicly revealed the exact information it used to build the AI modes.Instead, OpenAI created a sandbox of two virtual machines so the NYTs legal team could conduct its research. The NYTs legal team spent more than 150 hours sifting through the data on one of the machines before the data was deleted. OpenAI acknowledged the deletion but the companys legal team called it a glitch. Although OpenAI engineers tried to correct the mistake, the restored data was missing the NYTs work. This led the NYT to essentially recreate everything from scratch. The NYTs lawyers said they had no reason to believe the deletion was intentional.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/the-new-york-times-says-openai-deleted-evidence-in-its-copyright-lawsuit-231805285.html?src=rss

It's been over a year since Bose released its QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds but we would argue they're still the best noise-canceling earbuds on the market. Now, for Black Friday, they're also back down to their best price, dropping to $229 from $299. We gave the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds a 88 in our review thanks to features like you guessed it amazing active noise cancellation. We found these earbuds especially impressive when it came to blocking airplane noise so, if you have a long flight ahead, this is where to look. These earbuds also produced really great sound quality due to Immersive Audio and spatial audio technology. The clarity, detail and volume come together to create a natural sound that makes it feel as if you're not even wearing earbuds. Bose's QuietComfort Ultra Wireless Earbuds also tout an impressive battery life (though using Immersive Audio really eats into it). We did find the earbuds to be a bit large, but there are nine soft tips to choose from so hopefully one works for you. Overall, these are a very solid option especially at the discounted price if you want great ANC without having to wear headphones. 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/the-bose-quietcomfort-ultra-earbuds-are-back-on-sale-for-229-for-black-friday-083025834.html?src=rss

Amazon only rolled out the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite last month, but its already discounted for Black Friday. The new ereader which has faster page turns, a bigger and better screen and longer battery life is marked down to $130 ($30 off). Thats its first discount on one of our picks for best ereader since launch. The sixth-generation Paperwhite has a seven-inch screen, noticeably bigger than the 6.8-inch one on its predecessor. Amazon also boosted the displays contrast thanks to its oxide thin-film transistor display tech, which should help reduce eyestrain. It still has a warm light that you can tune to match your rooms lighting. The front light in the new model gets 25 percent brighter at its maximum level than the fifth-gen model. The new Paperwhite has 25 percent faster page turns than its predecessors, which Engadgets Amy Skorheim found makes a marked difference in the reading experience. (The review was for the more expensive Signature Edition, but it has identical page turns.) At 7.8mm thick, this is the thinnest Paperwhite to date. The ereader still has IPX8 water resistance, and the device uses a new rubberized texture that makes it easier to grip. Amazon estimates its battery will last up to 12 weeks per charge. It ships with a USB-C cable (but no power brick). You can also save on the new standard Kindle on sale for $85 (from $110). Although that model skips out on the warm light and has a smaller screen, it gives you a lighter and more compact ereader on the cheap. 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/the-new-amazon-kindle-paperwhite-is-30-off-for-black-friday-150013311.html?src=rss

Smaller battery packs are great for refiling phones and tablets, but if you need to keep a laptop juiced up while youre far from an outlet, youll need something larger. For this guide, we tested portable chargers with at least a 20,000mAh (74Wh) capacity, but kept the upper limit below 27,000mAh (99Wh), since thats about the maximum size allowed by the TSA in carry-on luggage. Some laptop power banks sport extra features like wireless charging or an AC plug so you can power small devices such as a travel printer or an LED lamp. But what all of them have in common is a larger size and higher price tag than standard battery packs. So if you dont want to play a guessing game, these are the best laptop power banks we tested. Table of contents Best laptop power banks for 2024 What to look for in a laptop power bank How we test portable laptop chargers Laptop power bank FAQs Best laptop power banks for 2024 What to look for in a laptop power bank Capacity If you just need to keep a smartphone from dying before you can make it home, just about any power bank will do. But if you need to revive multiple devices or the substantial battery of a laptop, youll want something with a high milliamp-hour (mAh) capacity. A power bank capable of delivering enough power to a laptop will have a capacity between 20,000 and 27,000 mAh. Go higher than 27,000mAh and you wont be able to take it on an airplane, which is why most portable chargers top out around that number. Since the voltage for most portable power banks is around 3.7 volts, a 27,000mAh battery translates to 99.9 watt hours which is the maximum capacity the TSA will allow for carry-on luggage. (And note that these batteries cant be checked, regardless of size). If you want something even bigger than a laptop power bank, and dont need to fly with it, youll likely want to look into portable power stations. These can be the size of a car battery or larger and can potentially fuel an entire weekend away. Another thing to keep in mind is that the capacity listed in a power bank's specs is not what will be delivered to your devices. As I mentioned, the capacity of these banks is around 25,000mAh. Even the huge battery on a MacBook Pro has a mAh rating of around 5,000 - 6,000mAh, so you might think youd get five full charges but in reality, you only get about a single 70-percent charge. The voltage is different (typically 3.7V for the power bank and 11.4V for a laptop) which makes the watt-hours, or the amount of energy each battery can hold, different (working out to 92Wh for the battery and 72Wh for the laptop). On top of that, in order to feed a charge from a power bank to a laptop, a voltage conversion takes place and that dissipates a decent amount of energy. Without turning this into a physics lesson, this all means that a power bank with a 25,000mAh (or 92Wh) capacity will typically fill a 5,000mAh (or 72Wh) laptop battery to about 75 percent. In my tests, I averaged about a 60-percent efficiency rate between a power banks listed capacity and the actual charge delivered. Ports Every large power bank Ive tested has at least three USB ports, with a mix of USB-C and USB-A, which should cover nearly any portable device you need to recharge earbuds, phones, tablets, laptops, you name it. In addition to the different plug formats, some ports supply power at different wattages. For example, one USB-C port might be rated for 60 watts, while the one next to it is rated for 100 watts. So if youve got a device thats capable of 70W fast charging, such as the new MacBook Air, youd want to opt for the 100W port to get the best charging speeds possible. Note that devices with a smaller wattage draw wont be negatively affected by connecting to ports with high ratings. For example, a Galaxy S24 Ultra, capable of 45W super fast charging, can happily plug into the 100W port. A device will only draw what it can take, regardless of what a port can supply. Just remember that the port, device and cable need to be at or above the desired wattage rating to achieve maximum charging rates. Some of these larger batteries also have AC ports. It might seem like a natural fit to plug in your laptops power adapter for a recharge. But really, the AC port should only be for devices that cant use USB such as a lamp or a printer. Plugging a power adapter into the AC port only wastes energy through conversion. First, the battery converts its DC power to supply the port with AC power, then the power adapter converts that AC power back to DC so your laptop can take it in. And as youll remember from physics class, each time energy is converted, some is lost to heat and other dissipations. Better to cut out the middleman and just send that DC power straight from the battery to the device. Also, you can use more than one port at a time with these devices; just remember that the speed of whatever youre charging will likely go down, and of course, the battery is going to drain proportionally to what youre refilling. Wireless charging Just in the last year and a half that Ive been testing portable power banks, wireless charging capabilities have noticeably improved. The first few I tried were painfully slow and not worth recommending. Now the wireless pads built into power banks are impressively fast particularly, in my experience, when charging Samsung Galaxy phones (though the lack of a stabilizing magnetic connection like Apples MagSafe means they only work when rested flat on a pad). Most wireless charging connections can be used while other ports are also being employed, making them convenient for some mobile battlestation setups. Of course, wireless charging is always less efficient than wired, and recharging from an external battery is less efficient in general. If you want to waste as little energy as possible, youre better off sticking to wired connections. Design All power banks are designed to be portable, but theres a big difference between a pocket-friendly 5,000mAh battery and one of these laptop-compatible bruisers. Most of the latter weigh between a pound and a half to two pounds, which is a considerable addition to a backpack. Many of the options listed here have a display to tell you how much charge remains in the battery, which is helpful when youre trying to judiciously meet out charges to your devices. If a bank has a wireless connection, the pad is usually on the flat top and any available AC connection is usually at one end. Both may require you to engage those charging methods. Dont be like me and grumble loudly that you got a bum unit without pressing (and sometimes double pressing) all the buttons first. How we test portable laptop chargers For the past year and a half, Ive been testing and using dozens of portable batteries for our other battery guide. Some of those batteries include the higher-capacity power banks you see here. I also got a hold of a few extra banks just for this guide to make sure we covered whats available. I went for brands Im already familiar with, as well as battery packs from well-received manufacturers I hadnt tried before (like UGREEN and Lion Energy). I only considered banks with at least a 20,000mAh capacity and mostly stuck with those that rated 25,000mAh and higher. Heres everything we tested: Zendure Supertank Pro Mophie Powerstation Pro XL Mophie Powerstation Pro AC Lion Energy Eclipse Mag Lion Energy Trek Baseus Blade Laptop Anker Prime 27,650mAh Goal Zero Sherpa 100 AC Due to shipping and travel issues, I wasnt able to test two of the batteries I had slated: the HyperJuice 245W and the UGREEN Power Bank 25,000mAh. Once Ive had a chance to see how these two perform as well as any new worthy contenders that hit the market Ill update this guide accordingly. I tested each power bank with an iPhone 15, a Galaxy S23 Ultra, an iPad Air (M1) and a 16-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 Pro chip. Even though these banks can charge multiple devices at once, I refilled one at a time, to make side-by-side comparisons more straightforward. I drained the batteries of the phones and tablets to between zero and five percent and then didnt use any device as it refilled. For the MacBook, I let it run down to 10 percent before plugging in the power bank. That's when most laptops give display a connect to power warning, as draining any battery to empty will compromise the battery life. I then used it as one might in a mobile office, with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse, while connected to Wi-Fi and a VPN. For each test, I noted how long a completely charged battery took to get a device back to full and how much of the batterys capacity was used up in one charge. I also noted things like portability, apparent durability, helpful features and overall design. For reference, here are the battery capacities of the devices I used: iPhone 15: 3,349mAh Galaxy S23 Ultra: 4,855mAh iPad Air (5th gen): 7,729mAh 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro: 27,027mAh Laptop power bank FAQs How do laptop power banks differ from phone power banks? The main difference is size. Phone power banks tend to have a capacity ranging from 5,000mAh to 20,000mAh and laptop powerbanks are typically rated between 20,000mAh and 27,000mAh. Theres no official definition, however. Laptop batteries are simply larger and need a bigger supply of power to give them a meaningful charge. How do you fast charge a power bank? You can charge a power bank exactly as fast as the power banks internal mechanisms will allow. Most batteries are limited in how quickly they can accept and deliver a charge to avoid dangerously overheating. But to make sure youre charging a bank as quickly as possible, make sure the wall adapter and the USB-C cable you are using have a high wattage rating using a 5W power brick and a 10W cable will take a lot longer to refill your bank than a 65W wall charger and a 100W cord. What size power bank do I need for a laptop? Look for a power bank with a rating of at least 20,000mAh. Slightly smaller batteries may work, but they wont deliver a significant charge to your laptop. How many mAh to charge a laptop? A milliamp hour (mAh) is how much a battery can hold, and most portable batteries list their capacity using mAh. If you get a battery rated at 20,000mAh or above, it should be able to charge your laptop. Using mAh to discuss laptop batteries can be confusing. Due to differing voltages, you cant directly compare the mAh ratings of a power bank battery to a laptop battery. Using watt-hours is a better gauge, as that calculation takes voltage into account.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-laptop-power-bank-120040388.html?src=rss

If you cant get your kids to sit through one of the five NBA games airing on Christmas Day, tune into Disney+, ESPN+ or ESPN2 for a special Disney-fied version. ESPN announced that it will air a Dunk the Halls broadcast of the San Antonio Spurs versus the New York Knicks featuring animated Disney characters.The broadcast starts at 12PM eastern. If you just want to watch the game played by regular, boring humans, that will also air on Disney+ and ESPN+ as well as ABC and ESPN.Dunk the Halls will use Sonys Beyond Sports technology to turn Madison Square Garden into Main Street USA from the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The game will also feature appearances from classic Disney characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald and Daisy Duck as well as Santa and his elves from the animated Disney short Prep & Landing.This is the first time the NBA has arranged to air a game with animated characters and graphic overlays. Its also the latest game in a new trend of mixing live sports events with a networks signature cartoon characters. ESPN+, Disney+ and the NFL+ app will air an alternative version of the Bengals-Cowboys game on December 9 featuring virtual characters and scenes from The Simpsons. ESPN3s Full Court Press broadcasts use technology designed by Second Spectrum to create augmented graphics that track players movements and provide real time updates.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/the-nba-will-air-a-christmas-day-game-with-disney-characters-224921665.html?src=rss

A Minecraft Movie has dropped its first full-length trailer today, expanding on the blocky world hinted at by the teaser released in September. While the game Minecraft gives players only the barest sense of direction, there will be a traditional story driving A Minecraft Movie.Jack Black provides a voiceover about how his character, Minecraft mascot and stock avatar Steve, was drawn to the mines as a child and discovered the Overworld. He teams up with four other people, seemingly from the real world we know, to protect the Overworld from "dark forces" with their inventiveness and creativity. This all sounds like pretty standard fare for a video game movie rag-tag group of misfits band together and learn the power of friendship. It's unclear whether their foes will be baddies from the Nether or the End, because while those can be a pain, they canonically don't seem interested in world domination.But I'm not here for a clever, compelling plot. The trailer is a sizzle reel of familiar in-game experiences, and that's exactly what I want. Taming a wolf with a bone, making a chicken-roasting redstone machine and nighttime coming way faster than you want it to all get their due. The team certainly did their homework on that front. The art style they've chosen doesn't speak to me, but I'm also willing to admit to some bias after hundreds of hours spent looking at the original source material. I'm also not sure if they'll stick the landing on the humor and emotion or whether it'll fall flat like an elytra that's run out of juice. We'll find out when A Minecraft Movie releases on April 5, 2025.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/first-trailer-for-a-minecraft-movie-delivers-on-iconic-in-game-moments-210252851.html?src=rss

Black Friday TV deals have arrived, and there are some steep discounts on Samsungs Frame smart TV that you can snag right now. Amazon has the 55-inch Frame TV for $898, and Samsung is matching that price as well. Woot has the same size for slightly less, coming in at $878, but note that we typically see Woot deals like this sell out more quickly than those on Amazon or Samsung direct. The 2024 Frame is ideal if you want your TV to fade into the background and look like framed art when you're not watching anything. The TV is slim and can be mounted to the wall to make it look like a real piece of framed art. It comes with a Connect Box into which you can plug devices like your cable box and games console so that you only need to hook up a single cable to the TV itself. The idea is to reduce clutter and make it even easier to disguise The Frame when it's not in use. You can further personalize the TV with various bezels and such. Through the Samsung Art Store, you can choose from more than 2,500 artworks to display on The Frame when you're not watching it. The selection includes works from renowned museums and artists such as The Met, the Museum of Modern Art, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Salvador Dali. Some are free to use but many are locked behind a subscription. Meanwhile, the TV has a glare-free matte screen to make it appear as though the art is printed. The latest Frame lineup includes a motion sensor to activate the artwork when you enter a room, as well as a brightness sensor that helps adjust the TV's brightness automatically. In addition, you'll get access to many of the same features as other Samsung TVs, such as the free Samsung TV Plus, a streaming service with hundreds of ad-supported channels and many on-demand shows and movies. There's also the Gaming Hub, which includes access to game streaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA's GeForce Now. 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/samsung-frame-tvs-are-40-percent-off-for-black-friday-155241594.html?src=rss

Weve long considered Apples iPads to be the best tablets on the market, but determining exactly which model you should buy isnt always straightforward. Do you just want a big screen for streaming and web browsing? Do you want to use it like a pseudo-laptop? Do you care about those Apple Intelligence features the company has been pushing so hard in recent months? If you arent quite sure, allow us to help. Weve tested and reviewed just about every iPad ever made, including all six tablets in Apples current lineup. Below, weve broken down which ones are the best for most people. Table of contents The best iPads for 2024 iPad FAQs Recent updates The best iPads for 2024 iPad FAQs How long do iPads typically last? If history is any indication, expect Apple to update your iPad to the latest version of iPadOS for at least five years, if not longer. The iPadOS 18 update, for example, is available on iPad Pros dating back to 2018 and other iPads dating back to 2019. How long your iPads hardware will last depends on which model you buy and how well you maintain it. (If youre particularly clumsy, consider an iPad case.) A more powerful iPad Pro will feel fast for a longer time than an entry-level iPad, but each model should remain at least serviceable until Apple stops updating it, at minimum. Whats the difference between the iPad and the iPad Air? Compared to the 10th-gen iPad, the iPad Air runs on a stronger M2 chip (instead of the A14 Bionic) and has twice as much RAM (8GB) and default storage (128GB). Its also available in two sizes, 11 and 13 inches, whereas the 10th-gen iPad doesn't offer the larger screen option. The M-series SoC gives the Air better long-term performance, plus access to certain iPadOS features such as Stage Manager. Its display supports a wider P3 color gamut, has an anti-reflective coating and is fully laminated. The latter means theres no air gap between the display and the glass covering it, so it feels more like youre directly touching whats on screen instead of interacting with an image below the glass. The Air also works with the newer Pencil Pro stylus and a more comfortable Magic Keyboard, and its USB-C port supports faster data transfer speeds. It technically supports faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connections as well; the lower-cost iPad uses Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. Starting at $349, the 10th-gen iPad is $250 less expensive than the iPad Air. It has a similarly elegant design with flat edges, thin bezels, USB-C port, and a Touch ID reader. Battery life is rated at the same 10 hours, and both devices have their front-facing camera on their long edge, which is a more natural position for video calls. The cheaper iPad works with the first-gen and USB-C Apple Pencils which are more convoluted to charge and a unique keyboard accessory called the Magic Keyboard Folio. How do I take a screenshot on an iPad? As we note in our screenshot how-to guide, you can take a screenshot on your iPad by pressing the top button and either volume button at the same time. If you have an older iPad with a Home button, simultaneously press the top button and the Home button instead. Recent updates November 2024: Weve lightly edited this guide for clarity. Our recommendations remain the same. October 2024: We've updated our guide to include the new iPad mini 7. June 2024: Weve touched up this guide to reflect some of the new iPadOS features Apple announced at WWDC, though our picks remain the same. Nathan Ingraham contributed to this report.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/best-ipads-how-to-pick-the-best-apple-tablet-for-you-150054066.html?src=rss

What qualifies a video game as depressing? The most obvious answer is that game you simply cannot beat no matter how hard you try, but thats not what were talking about here. Instead, were looking at games that just have a pall over them, whether its directly from story beats or a more subtle vibe given off by the visuals, music or activities the player has to participate in.The games on this list dont have a lot in common on the surface there are big-budget action thrillers, smaller independent titles and at least one visual novel / deck-building game. But they can all put you in a somber mood, if thats what you're looking for. Next time the rain is pouring down and youre feeling a bit of melancholy, we have options to keep you company. Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/best-depressing-games-120013247.html?src=rss

Twitch is now on the docket for Xs lawsuit against companies that stopped advertising on the social media site. X amended its lawsuit on Monday to include Twitch as a defendant in its lawsuit in a federal court in Wichita Falls, Texas, according to Reuters.The new complaint claims that the gaming stream site owned by Amazon stopped purchasing ads on X at the end of 2022. X alleges that Twitch and other companies conspired with the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) networks Global Alliance for Responsible Media (GARM) initiative to withhold billions of dollars in advertising revenue from Elon Musks social media company.The plaintiff alleges the boycott violated federal antitrust laws and is demanding a jury trial to settle the matter. GARM also announced its discontinuation two days after X filed its lawsuit.X Corp.s joint lawsuit first filed in August also includes the WFA, the global food manufacturer Mars Incorporated, the drugstore chain CVS and the Danish energy company rsted A/S over the advertising boycott. X also has a lawsuit against the media watchdog group Media Matters for publishing a report showing X displayed ads next to antisemitic content on the platform.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/x-adds-twitch-to-its-advertising-boycott-lawsuit-215540775.html?src=rss

Sony announced that it will run a beta test for cloud streaming on its PlayStation Portal gaming handheld. The feature will begin rolling out in an update today, with Europe due to get it starting on Wednesday. Only PlayStation Plus Premium members will be able to access cloud streaming during the beta test, but it's a promising sign that Sony is finally working on this function, even though it took a year to get here. Adding cloud gaming to the Portal addresses one of the big critiques in our review of this handheld, which didn't seem to have an obvious target audience.More than 120 titles from the PS5 Plus Game Catalog will be available in the beta test. That covers a range of games including Dave the Diver, Ghost of Tsushima, Marvels Spider-Man: Miles Morales, Monster Hunter Rise and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. No games from the PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 3 will be supported during the beta, but maybe those will join the roster whenever the feature is more broadly available.Portal owners might also want to know that this update adds a couple tweaks to audio and volume controls. But let's be honest, cloud gaming is really the point.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/sony-will-trial-cloud-streaming-for-the-ps5-portal-230817262.html?src=rss

PC gamers have almost too many options when it comes to titles to play, which is a great problem to have. With decades of games to choose from (and the first port of call for most indie titles, too), the options are endless. You also get the perks of (nearly always flawless) backward compatibility and console-beating graphical performance if you've got the coin for it when youre building your perfect kit or picking up a high-powered gaming laptop. The whole idea of what a gaming PC is and where you can play it is shifting, too, with the rise of handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck. We've tried to be broad with our recommendations here on purpose; here are the best PC games you can play right now. Best PC games to play right now Check out our entire Best Games series including the best Nintendo Switch games, the best PS5 games, the best Xbox games, the best PC games and the best free games you can play today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-best-pc-games-150000910.html?src=rss

It has long been possible to listen to music from within Opera's browser. If you go down its sidebar, you'll see a player icon where you can choose from Apple Music, Spotify and Deezer and then log into any of them with your account details. But now Opera has teamed up with Spotify and has made the music streaming service the default option on the company's flagship browser with generative AI features, Opera One.After logging into your account and activating the player, you'll be able to detach it from the sidebar and move it around the screen to a place that wouldn't interrupt your workflow. The player will float inside the browser and will not disappear if you tab away. It also automatically fades out the audio that's currently playing when you join meetings and calls. Your songs will remain paused for the duration of the call or meeting and will resume as soon as it's over.Perhaps the best thing about the companies' teamup, if you live in a certain location at least, is that you can get Spotify Premium for free if you don't have a subscription yet. If you're in Argentina, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, the UK, the US or Vietnam, you can redeem two to three months of Spotify Premium at no cost from within the browser's sidebar.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/spotify-is-now-the-default-music-player-in-the-opera-one-browser-090024069.html?src=rss

A four-pack of Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 trackers are on sale via Amazon for just under $62. This Black Friday deal brings this particular combo pack down to a record low price. The typical cost is $100, so this represents a discount of 38 percent. This is one of our favorite Bluetooth trackers, and with good reason. They are the perfect companion accessory to Samsung phones. The finding network is vast and the battery life is fantastic. These trackers will stay powered on for up to 500 days, or even longer with Power Saving Mode enabled. We also appreciate the simple, yet aesthetically pleasing, design. Theres an actual hole for keychains, which is something Apple AirTags lack. These trackers are IP67-rated for water and dust-resistance. This means that the unit is protected from dust thats larger than 1mm in diameter and that it can be submerged in water up to one meter deep for up to 30 minutes. Just dont throw it in a lake and you should be good to go. The four-pack includes two white tags and two black tags, for a little yin and yang action. Theres not really a serious downside here for Samsung users. However, theres a major caveat for everyone else. The SmartTag2 trackers only work with Samsung phones and tablets. 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/a-four-pack-of-samsung-galaxy-smarttag2-trackers-is-38-percent-off-for-black-friday-194307496.html?src=rss

Two undersea communications cables in the Baltic Sea have been knocked offline, and at least one appears to have been physically cut. CNN received confirmation from a local telecom company that a cable between Lithuania and Sweden was cut on Sunday morning. A second cable, about 60 to 65 miles from the first, routes communications between Finland and Germany. The cause of that outage has yet to be determined, but officials suspect intentional damage.The outages follow a September warning from the US about an increased risk of Russian sabotage of undersea cables. That came after a joint investigation from public broadcasters from Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland that Russia had deployed a fleet of spy ships in Nordic waters. They were reportedly part of a program designed to sabotage the cables (and wind farms).This doesnt leave the European nations entirely without online communications, as data is typically routed through multiple cables to avoid overreliance on a single one.Cinia, the state-controlled Finnish company that oversees the second cable, said it wasnt yet determined what caused the outage since they havent yet physically inspected it. However, the sudden outage reportedly suggests it, too, was cut by an outside force.The foreign ministers of Finland and Germany released a joint statement on Monday. We are deeply concerned about the severed undersea cable connecting Finland and Germany in the Baltic Sea, they wrote. The fact that such an incident immediately raises suspicions of intentional damage speaks volumes about the volatility of our times. A thorough investigation is underway. Our European security is not only under threat from Russias war of aggression against Ukraine, but also from hybrid warfare by malicious actors. Safeguarding our shared critical infrastructure is vital to our security and the resilience of our societies.The Lithuania-Sweden cable, which handles about a third of Lithuanias internet capacity, is expected to be repaired over the next few weeks, and weather could determine the precise timing.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/two-baltic-sea-communications-cables-have-been-knocked-offline-214130723.html?src=rss

Though I do love walking through a supermarket and picking out my own foods, I will admit that, come winter, I often turn to delivery apps to get my products. DoorDash, one of the many delivery apps on the market, has launched a new feature that could make this process even more seamless, allowing iOS users import their grocery list from Reminders into the app.To take advantage of this, you can go to Reminders and copy your list or import it directly in the DoorDash app. An option should appear while you're shopping inside a store that says "Got a grocery list?" in a box on the page. From there you can click import and choose which list you want to sync based on the titles and a preview of the items. DoorDash will then show you options based on your list. So, for example, if you wrote onions, then it will let you scroll through different onions for sale and below it will have your next item with other options.DoorDash is also unveiling other changes, such as letting you add items from multiple stores to an order before placing it. The company has offered DoubleDash since 2021 but that only allowed you to include items from close stores after placing the original order.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/doordash-can-import-grocery-lists-from-ios-reminders-app-140020164.html?src=rss

Black Friday deals are in full swing in the tech space, and one of the best deals at the moment is on our top pick for the best wireless headphones you can get. Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones have dropped to $298, which represents a $100 discount. Thats one of the lowest prices weve seen; they briefly dropped to $280 earlier this year, but we havent seen that price since. If youre on a tight budget, consider the WH-1000XM4 headphones, which are one generation older but offer a lot of the same features and are currently on sale for $200. We've long been recommending Sony's 1000X line and this is the best iteration to date. They earned a score of 95 in our review. The redesigned headphones are much more comfortable to wear for extended periods than previous models. Sony has improved the active noise cancellation (ANC) feature as well, thanks to the addition of a new chip and four more microphones. We feel that the company's current flagship headphones do a better job of blocking out high frequencies and background noise (and even human voices) than the XM4s. The XM5s can switch between noise modes depending on your location or activity, and they can pause audio automatically when you start speaking. They deliver better call quality than rival models and, in general, you'll get clear, crisp sound, including punchy bass. You won't need to charge the XM5s too often either, as they have a 30-hour battery life. 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/sony-black-friday-deals-include-the-wh-1000xm5-headphones-for-100-off-192016735.html?src=rss

The Internet Archive is one of the very best things on the web, so it's great that the repository is up and running again after recent DDoS attacks. It hosts more than old versions of web pages, though. It hosts a trove of video (I'm forever thankful to whoever uploaded the wonderful Lucha Underground in its entirety), software, text, audio recordings and games as well. There have been two notable additions on the latter front in the form of Unreal and Unreal Tournament, seemingly with the blessing of Epic Games.You can now freely download disc images of the arena shooters from the Internet Archive via direct links for Unreal and Unreal Tournament. Alternatively, as Game Developer points out, the site OldUnreal offers installers for Unreal and UT, both of which pull the disc images from the Internet Archive and include the latest community-created patches.The installers are Windows-only for now, but the OldUnreal team is working on Linux and macOS versions. You'll also need to put in a little extra effort to get online with the games and savor their true multiplayer flavors. Heck, you might still even be able to join an Unreal clan.Epic delisted the Unreal games from Steam and shut down their servers quite some time ago, so this is a nice boost for game preservation. It comes on the heels of GOG introducing a new label for older titles that the platform is maintaining for current hardware. Unreal was one of the first PC games I played as a kid, so it's neat to learn that it will be available in perpetuity through the Internet Archive.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/two-early-unreal-games-are-now-permanently-free-via-the-internet-archive-190501047.html?src=rss

Back in October, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) admitted that they were looking into "the unauthorized access to commercial telecommunications infrastructure by actors affiliated with the Peoples Republic of China." These bad actors, collectively called "Salt Typhoon," allegedly targeted US officials and staffers for the recently concluded presidential elections. A few days later, though, The Wall Street Journal reported that the group had access to a lot more people than originally thought. Basically, the hackers could have accessed the data of any American who's a customer of AT&T and Verizon. That list of carriers has grown just a bit longer, because according to a new report by The Journal and Reuters, Salt Typhoon had also infiltrated T-Mobile's network.The hackers are believed to have exploited various vulnerabilities, such as those plaguing Cisco Systems routers, to get inside the carriers' network. They also used AI and machine learning, The Journal said, and stayed inside some of the systems they infiltrated for over eight months. That's enough time to get away with a bunch of sensitive data they were allegedly able to access the phone lines of US senior national security officials, as well as the call logs and unencrypted texts of their targets. The hackers were also reportedly able to access the information collected by carriers to comply with surveillance requests from the American authorities.A company spokesperson told The Journal that T-Mobile is "closely monitoring" the attacks and said that its systems and data "have not been impacted in any significant way." They also said that the carrier didn't find evidence that its customers' information has been compromised in the security breach.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/t-mobile-was-also-infiltrated-by-china-linked-telecom-hackers-120004712.html?src=rss

As crisp fall air settles in for the next few weeks, its time to make sure youve got everything you need to enjoy the weather before winters cold embrace drives us inside. Theres still plenty of time to head outdoors, whether its to the backyard, porch, patio or even a campsite. Weve compiled a list of the best outdoor gear for relaxing, enjoying a warm beverage or cooking a meal this fall. Weve got recommendations from products weve tested spanning fire pits, grills, speakers and more. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-fall-outdoor-tech-gear-150041103.html?src=rss

Portable monitors have been around for years, but their importance skyrocketed during the pandemic. And with the continuation of remote and hybrid work positions, theyre going to be staples for the foreseeable future. But picking one isnt as simple as it seems. At this point, almost every major PC maker has its own take on travel-friendly displays, with prices ranging from as little as $100 to nearly $1,000. So to help sort through the confusion, I tested out a bunch of options to put together a short list of the best portable monitors on sale today. Things to consider before buying a portable monitor Before you start looking at specific products, its super important to think about how and where you plan on using a portable display. Larger panels are great for home use where you may only need to move it or put it away when you have company over. Meanwhile, smaller screens are great for travel and whipping out at a coffee shop or shared workspace. But if you go too small, you may be adding extra weight to your bag without providing a ton of extra utility, especially if it lacks a good USB-C cable or mini HDMI for connectivity. Its also important to consider your typical workload, as artists may get extra value out of monitors with higher maximum brightness and wider color gamuts. Those who spend all day looking at spreadsheets wont get as much value from more vibrant displays, but they may still benefit from having a basic second display for multitasking. What to look for in a portable monitor Aside from price and the size of the screen, some of the most important specs in a portable monitor include panel type, pixels per inch, brightness, refresh rate and connectivity. Most portable monitors use IPS LCD displays, which generally offer good viewing angles, strong brightness and good power efficiency. However, there are a few models sporting OLED screens that support wider color gamuts, which can be a major benefit for artists and content creators. Some budget models may use TN panels, as that can help cut costs and reduce energy consumption. That said, we generally try to stay away from those as they often have worse image quality compared to IPS screens. For brightness, 300 nits is the lowest we recommend anything less can make the monitor hard to use even in some indoor environments. Ideally, we look for screens that are closer to 350 or 400 nits and above for better accuracy and visibility. Connectivity is also important because if you cant easily hook your phone, gaming console, or laptop to a monitor, it becomes an oversized paperweight. Most travel displays include an HDMI port or USB Type-C port(or both), which cover the large majority of devices. Its rare to find a portable monitor these days with only USB-A, since the majority of devices have moved over to USB-C. However, we also like models that support passthrough power over USB-C, which reduces the complexity of your setup and decreases the number of cords and adapters you have to carry around. Finally, most portable monitors feature 60Hz refresh rates, which is fine for most use cases. However, there are a handful of models that go up to 120Hz or even 240Hz. Panels that fast are especially good for gaming, especially for those planning to bring a gaming console or gaming PC on the go. Best portable monitors for 2024 This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessories/best-portable-monitor-120050851.html?src=rss

One of our favorite air fryer toaster ovens is on sale for a record low. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer, which has 11 cooking functions and takes up less counter space than the pricier Pro model, is available for $80 off. The appliance will usually set you back $350, but this Black Friday deal brings the brushed stainless steel mode down to $270. Most other colorways are down to $280. Brevilles Smart Oven Air Fryer has a long list of cooking functions: toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, air fry, reheat, cookies and slow cook. The oven uses five quartz heating elements known for quick and consistent heating. It uses algorithms to direct heat to where its needed most for each mode. The oven uses super convection tech to reduce cooking time by up to 30 percent. It speeds up cooking by raising hotter air and sinking the cooler, less dense air. It supports a wide temperature range of 120 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The appliance requires a decent amount of counter space: 18.9-inch wide x 15.9-inch deep x 10.9-inch high. But in return, you can squeeze in six slices of pizza or toast, a whole chicken or nine muffins. Brevilles oven has a smooth-looking brushed stainless steel texture, including snazzy-looking knobs and buttons and an interior light that automatically turns on at the cooking cycles end. (You can also flip it on manually.) Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-breville-smart-oven-air-fryer-drops-to-a-record-low-price-for-black-friday-150032299.html?src=rss

The iFixit teardown of the PS5 Pro is here, and while there isnt all that much different going on from what weve seen with the PS5 and PS5 Slim in terms of repairability, Sony has made one notable change: in the Pro, its pretty easy to get to the CMOS battery. Whereas accessing this battery to replace it in the two previous PS5 models required a fair amount of work due to its placement beneath the main board, iFixit found that its right under the faceplates in the PS5 Pro and nestled behind a hatch that has just one screw.Thats a nice improvement over the other PS5s, where youve got to take apart almost the whole thing to change [the CMOS battery] out, iFixit notes. Other than that, things look pretty familiar. Thats not to say the PS5 Pro itself doesnt have excitement to offer as our reviewers found, the PS5 Pro is an absolute beast of a console when it comes to performance. Less exciting though is its $700 price tag.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/ifixits-ps5-pro-teardown-reveals-an-easily-replaceable-cmos-battery-204423402.html?src=rss

Amazon has a Black Friday deal on a pair of Blink Mini 2 cameras. The security cam, which just arrived earlier this year, has a built-in spotlight and supports person detection. Typically, it costs $40 apiece or $70 for a pair, but you can get two Blink Mini 2 cameras today for $35. Thats a record low and cheap enough to qualify as a stocking stuffer. The compact security camera has color night vision capabilities thanks to its built-in LED spotlight. It supports person detection, although youll need a Blink Subscription for that. They start at $3 monthly or $30 annually for one device. (And you get a 30-day trial to see if its worth it.) The camera supports 1080p HD live view and has a wider field of view than its predecessor (143 degrees diagonally vs. 110 in the original). It also has a low-light image sensor. The Blink Mini 2 works with Alexa and supports two-way audio. The plug-in camera works indoors and out, but youll need a $10 weather-resistant power adapter to use it outside. However, it does include mounting screws in the box, along with a 13-ft indoor power adapter and a stand for each camera. You can order the camera in black or white. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-two-pack-of-blink-mini-2-cameras-is-only-35-in-this-black-friday-deal-140009852.html?src=rss

Its been a few years since Apple first introduced the AirTag, and while the tracker has undoubtedly become a useful everyday tool for a lot of buyers, there have also been concerns and a class-action lawsuit over misuses of the device as reports of AirTag stalking have come to light. With all of this in mind, Apple is reportedly building some privacy improvements into its next AirTag. Namely, itll be more tamper-proof, Mark Gurman reports in this weeks Power On newsletter.The second-generation AirTag, which Gurman reports is expected to be released mid-next year, will be made so its more difficult to remove the speaker, he writes. Apple has implemented features to curb unwanted tracking, including sound alerts that will let a person know theres an unknown AirTag in their vicinity, but its still relatively easy to remove the speaker, which would make it less noticeable. On top of the privacy tweaks, the new AirTag will also bring upgrades to range and the onboard wireless chip, according to Gurman. But looks-wise, it shouldnt be much different from the AirTag were used to.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/apples-next-airtag-is-coming-in-2025-with-privacy-improvements-173028439.html?src=rss

A MasterClass subscription is perhaps one of the best gifts you can get for yourself if you love learning new things or honing your skills, and it will now cost you up to 50 percent off. The website is holding a pre-Black Friday sale, so this is your chance to sign up at a discount if you find its regular rates a bit steep. MasterClass' Standard subscription, which allows you to access its content on one device, will cost you $7 a month instead of $10. If you want to watch classes offline, though, your cheapest option is the Plus tier that will now set you back $9 per month instead of $15. It will also allow you to access the service's videos on two devices. But the best option available right now is the Premium tier, which you can get for $10 a month instead of $20. You'll be able to access classes on six devices if you get it, and it also comes with offline viewing. A subscription will let you view more than 200 classes across 11 categories no matter what option you choose. MasterClass offers lessons from some of the best and most well-known people in their field, such as Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Mariah Carey (using voice as an instrument), Stephen Curry (basketball), Steve Martin (comedy), Shonda Rhimes (writing for TV), John Legend (songwriting), Garry Kasparov (chess), Jane Goodall (conservation), Simone Biles (gymnastics) and Samuel L. Jackson (acting). Take note that you'll have to pay for the whole year to be able to enjoy the discounted rates, which are only available for a limited time. 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/masterclass-subscriptions-are-up-to-50-percent-off-for-black-friday-150047035.html?src=rss

With each passing year, Black Friday seems to turn more and more into "Black November," with many retailers starting their holiday sales weeks before the day itself. But while the bombardment of promos can be annoying, it also presents a good chance to beat the rush and finish holiday shopping ahead of time, without paying more than you have to.To help you cut through the noise, we're rounding up the best early Black Friday deals we can find in one easy place. While most major tech retailers haven't started their early sales in earnest just yet, we've seen more than a few new discounts on gadgets we recommend pop up. We'll continuously update this post as more Black Friday tech deals pop up, so if you've been eyeing something else, be sure to check back.Engadget's top picksApple Watch Series 10 for $349 ($50 off): The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can get thanks to its slightly thinner and lighter design, wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, watchOS 11 features and slightly improved battery life. We gave it a score of 90 in our Apple Watch Series 10 review.Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 ($27 off): Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device.DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 ($40 off): The latest version of DJI's smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming.Anker MagGo 3-in-1 foldable charging station for $82.50 (25 percent off with coupon): This Qi2 charging station supports up to 15W of power output and can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and a pair of AirPods all at once. It also comes with a 40W USB-C charger and connecting cable, so you get everything you need to use it in the box.Anker Prime Power Bank 200W with charging base for $110 ($75 off): This high-capacity power bank is one of our favorites thanks to its speedy charging performance, onboard display which shows how much juice is flowing to each connected device and the included charging station that provides a neat space for the brick to live when you're not using it.LG 65-inch B3 OLED smart TV for $998 ($301 off): This OLED TV has a 120Hz refresh rate, LG's a7 AI processor Gen 6, and support for NVIDIA G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium and VRR for an even better gaming experience. A 65-inch OLED set under $1,000 is a great deal, as it's more common to see 55-inch TVs drop below that threshold during sale events.The best early Black Friday tech dealsApple Black Friday dealsNathan Ingraham / EngadgetApple iPad (9th gen) for $200 ($129 off): Apple discontinued this model with the release of the new iPad Pro and Air models earlier this year. In what's likely an effort to get rid of current stock, the price is down to a new record low of $200. The 9th generation iPad is the former budget pick in our guide to the best Apple tablets and will serve well as a casual browsing, streaming and game playing machine.Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch) fore $899 ($200 off): The latest MacBook Air is our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in double the previous base amount. If you're ok with getting an M2 processor, that 13-inch MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is also on sale for $749.Apple 2024 M4 iMac desktop computer for $1,150 ($148 off with coupon): Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, and now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia.Anker Black Friday dealsAnker 10K MagGo power bank for $70 ($20 off, Prime exclusive): This is one of our top picks for the best power banks you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand.Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $36 ($9 off, Prime exclusive): A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices.Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $44.25 ($35.75 off): The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen it's only available to Prime subscribers at Amazon, but you can also grab it at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon.Black Friday gaming dealsXbox Series X (1TB) with extra controller for $490 ($110 off): This bundle includes a total of two Xbox wireless controllers with the Series X console, and the built-in 1TB SSD is a good starting point for most gamers.Xbox Black Friday deals get up to 55 percent off games: With titles starting at $5, this is a good time to pad your digital-only Xbox console if you're eager to try some new games. A number of our top picks for the best Xbox games are included in the sale, like Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $10.Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 ($160 off): Seagate's expansion card is one of the best options for expanding your Xbox Series X/S storage. A 2TB version has dropped to $200, its lowest price to date. It's one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. Also available at Seagate.Black Friday Lego dealsLegoLego Friends Advent Calendar 42637 for $21.19 (36 percent off)Lego Disney Advent Calendar 43253 for $35 (23 percent off)Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 for $22.50 (36 percent off)Lego Technic Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit Building Set 42179 for $60 (20 percent off)Lego Ideas The Insect Collection 21342 for $64 (20 percent off)Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 (20 percent off)Lego Star Wars: The Clone Wars Captain Rex Y-Wing Microfighter Building Set 75391 for $10 (23 percent off)Lego Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos ESPA Podrace Diorama 75380 for $60 (25 percent off)Lego Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion 71436 for $60 (20 percent off)Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant 71426 for $48 (20 percent off)Lego Super Mario Nabbit at Toads Shop Expansion Set 71429 for $12 (40 percent off)Lego Harry Potter Expecto Patronum Collectible 2-in-1 Building Set 76414 for $56 (20 percent off)Black Friday subscription dealsAudible Premium Plus (3-month) for $1 ($29 off): Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel.Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month ($12 off): Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5.Headspace annual plan for $35 ($35 off): Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out.MasterClass Premium for $10/month ($10 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields.ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 ($168 off): Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature.ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off): Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager.Black Friday tech dealsCherlynn Low for EngadgetGoogle Pixel Watch 3 for $280 ($70 off): Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our guide to the best smartwatches and it earned an 84 in our review. It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at Best Buy and Target.Google Nest Indoor security camera (wired) for $70 ($30 off): Google's security camera can tell the difference between people, animals and vehicles while it's monitoring your home, and it supports 1080p video, night vision and two-way audio.Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $180 ($50 off): One of our favorite kitchen gadgets, this ice cream maker is super easy to use and makes an infinite amount of frozen treats; you're really only limited by your imagination.Dyson V11 cordless vacuum cleaner for $400 ($170 off): Dyson machines are some of the best cordless vacuums you can buy, and this model has three power modes, a motorbar cleaner head that works well on all types of flooring and up to 60 minutes of runtime. Also available at Dyson.Blink Outdoor 4 (6-pack) for $180 ($300 off): The Outdoor 4 is a wireless, IP65-rated outdoor security camera we highlight in our guide to the best smart home gadgets. It captures decent (if not class-leading) 1080p video, it's relatively painless to install and it supports features like night vision, motion alerts, local storage and two-way talking. The catch is that it locks things like person detection and cloud storage behind a subscription plan. Still, it's a solid value on balance, and this deal furthers that. We've seen this price on a six-camera bundle for a few weeks, but it's still an all-time low. An eight-camera pack is also on sale for $250, another low.Hisense U8N 4K TV (55-inch) for $728 ($371 off): The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at Best Buy.Samsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off): This unique smart speaker can show art or your own photos while it plays music, and it can sync with your Samsung TV speakers. Also available at Samsung.Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $170 ($50 off): Our top pick for the best budget Android tablet sports an 11-inch 90Hz display, a microSD card slot for extra storage and a hefty battery.Samsung T9 portable SSD (4TB) for $293 ($257 off): The latest model in the T-series of Samsung's portable drives supports read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, and it has dynamic thermal guard to keep it cool even when you're pushing it to its limits. Also available at Samsung.Levoit Core 400S air purifier for $178 ($42 off): The top pick in our best air purifiers guide reliably improved air quality in our testing, plus it has easy to use onboard controls and takes inexpensive replacement filters.Segway Ninebot Max G2 electric scooter for $775 ($225 off): The latest electric scooter from Segway can reach a maximum speed of up to 25mph, and it can run for up to 43 miles in Eco mode.Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard Bundle for $400 ($180 off): Solo Stove Black Friday deals include up to 30 percent off fit pit bundles that give you all of the necessary accessories to make the most out of your new fire pit. Alternatively, you can pick up the Bonfire fire pit with its stand over at Amazon for only $196.Black Friday FAQsWhen is Black Friday 2024?Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 this year.When do Black Friday deals start?We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and youll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event.When do Black Friday deals end?Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, weve seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday.Where are the best Black Friday deals?There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure youre getting the best deal before you cross things off your list.Does Apple have Black Friday deals?You typically will not find cash discounts on Apples website for Black Friday, though it has offered various gift card bundles during Black Friday in recent years. You may be able to find local Apple store discounts on accessories, but Apple isnt a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy.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/the-45-best-black-friday-deals-to-shop-from-amazon-walmart-apple-anker-and-others-163039367.html?src=rss

Nintendo just announced its various Black Friday promotions and they go live on November 24 and last until November 30. These include discounts on first-party Switch titles, which is pretty darned rare. The deals will be available at popular retailers like Best Buy, Target and Walmart. These discounts are for physical copies of games, so the Nintendo eShop won't be involved. Perhaps the jewel in Black Fridays crown is a $20 discount on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The game is normally $70, so this drops the price down to $50. The game is an absolute blast and builds on all of the good stuff originally introduced in Breath of the Wild. This time, however, new abilities allow for even more unique solutions to puzzles. The sale also applies to the long-gestating Pikmin 4 and the sublimely creative Super Mario Maker 2. Both will be available for $40. Animal Crossing: New Horizons, the belle of the COVID-era ball, will also cost $40. The same goes for Nintendo Switch Sports and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Super Mario Odyssey, which is still the franchises latest 3D platformer, will shoot down to just $30. The same price will apply to the remake collection Pikmin 1 + 2. Joy-Con controllers, carrying cases and other accessories will also be on sale. There will even be a deal on an actual Switch console bundle. The Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition is going to cost $210, but it comes with some serious perks. This bundle ships with the gold-colored console and a full year of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack. This provides access to all kinds of retro games, from the NES all the way to the N64. Theres a caveat here. The Nintendo Switch isnt long for this world, as a sequel is imminent. Adults may want to wait for the new console, but a Switch Lite is still a great gift for a kid. However, nobody has any idea what Trumps promised tariffs will do to console prices, so maybe even the Switch Lite will cost $600 next year. Who the heck knows anymore. If you're keen on getting some holiday shopping done now, though, you can browse the best Black Friday tech deals we've curated. Gaming deals are a little sparse at the moment, but you can get up to 55 percent off Xbox titles right now, or a 1TB Xbox Series X with two included controllers for $490 that's $110 off the usual rate. Elsewhere, Lego deals are in full swing with up to 40 percent off Star Wars and Super Mario sets, including this Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion (71436) for $60 and Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy (75387) for $44. 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/nintendo-just-announced-its-black-friday-deals-and-they-include-tears-of-the-kingdom-for-50-194609765.html?src=rss

You'll have to wait for more than a couple of years for the next Star Wars movie. According to Variety and The Wrap, Disney has pulled an untitled Star Wars film from its 2026 release lineup and replacing it with Ice Age 6, which is set to premiere on December 18 that year. It's not quite clear which film that is, but Daisy Ridley announced at the Star Wars Celebration in London last year that she was going to reprise her role as Rey in a new film. The movie will be directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who also directed some episodes of Ms. Marvel, and will be a direct sequel to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.Set 15 years after the events of the previous film, the upcoming movie will reportedly revolve around Rey as she establishes a new Jedi academy and build a new Jedi Order. Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Angelina Jolie's Maria) joined the production when he replaced the original screenwriters last year, but he also left the project in October. Lucasfilm's search for a new screenwriter might have contributed to the film's delay.While the next installment in the main Star Wars series won't be coming out in 2026, a film that's part of the franchise will still be coming out that year. The Mandalorian & Grogu, a continuation of the Disney+ TV series directed by Jon Favreau, has already started filming and will be released on May 22, 2026. The Wrap also says it was "assured" that the next Star Wars film was "still very much in development," which hopefully means that it won't end up being cancelled like the movie planned by Game of Thrones' creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/disney-removes-a-star-wars-movie-from-its-2026-release-lineup-170020691.html?src=rss

Its Half-Life 2s 20th anniversary, and in celebration, Valve has released a special update that adds the Episode One and Episode Two expansions to the base game so you can play it all straight through, along with a two-hour documentary, developer commentary, and much more. The game is also free on Steam until November 18. Valves announcement itself is an interactive experience grab the gravity gun at the bottom of the page and you can pick up just about anything on the screen and toss it around (including that can, which you can then put in the trash).Every map in Half-Life 2 has been looked over by Valve level designers to fix longstanding bugs, restore content and features lost to time, and improve the quality of a few things like lightmap resolution and fog, the team says. The release notes are extensive, including updates to the graphics settings, gamepad controls and the Steam Deck menu. Valve's also published some old demo videos from Half-Life 2's development.ValveThe anniversary celebration also brings good news for anyone who didnt manage to snag a copy of Raising the Bar, the 2004 behind-the-scenes book thats since become a coveted collectors item: an expanded second edition is coming in 2025. This new version adds concept art from Episode One and Episode Two, plus ideas and experiments for the third episode that never came to be.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/valve-celebrates-half-life-2s-20th-anniversary-with-a-big-update-174316547.html?src=rss

After a judge on Thursday ordered an evidentiary hearing into The Onion's winning bid to purchase Infowars, Alex Jones site resumed operations and claimed the sale has been blocked. But Onion CEO Ben Collins countered this in an update posted on Bluesky and X on Saturday, writing, We left the hearing with clear next steps to complete the sale. According to Collins, a court date has been set for a week from Monday, when the process is expected to be completed, and Infowars asked for permission to continue publishing in the meantime. The long and short of it: We won the auction and you're not going to believe this the previous InfoWars folks aren't taking it well, Collins wrote.On Thursday, the person overseeing the auction told us that The Onions bid for InfoWars, along with the Connecticut Sandy Hook families, won, Collins wrote in the thread.We havent heard anything that changed that except, of course, from the guys currently running InfoWars, doing InfoWars stuff. Jones has unsurprisingly called the auction rigged, and in a livestream on X said that lawyers for Elon Musks social media site have gotten involved and attended the hearing, Mother Jones reported.The Onion only went up against one other bidder in the auction for Infowars: First United American Companies, which is associated with a website that sells Jones supplements. The company reportedly bid $3.5 million. The dollar amount of Global Tetrahedrons (The Onions parent company) bid has not been disclosed, but its been backed by families of the Sandy Hook shooting victims. Per Bloomberg, trustee Christopher Murray, who is liquidating Jones estate, said these families have agreed to waive their potential recovery and give it to all other unsecured creditors that Jones owes.There was a status conference with the judge overseeing the auction on Thursday, shortly after we were deemed winners, Collins, who formerly covered disinformation and online extremism as a reporter for NBC News, wrote in the thread on Saturday. The judge had some questions about process and some assets. Were glad hes doing that, since our bid with the families is clearly the best and transparency is even better. He added further down: We expected all of this, obviously. Buying this site was always going to be fun later on, but annoying right away. The fun part is still to come.Collins plan for Infowars is for it to relaunch as the dumbest website on the internet. The nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety will reportedly be the sole advertiser at launch.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-onion-won-the-auction-for-infowars-and-was-given-clear-next-steps-to-complete-the-sale-ceo-says-222134454.html?src=rss

WhatsApp, the most popular messaging platform on the planet, finally has a drafts feature. Why did it take until the tail-end of 2024 to institute a seemingly simple tool that has been available for rival platforms for years? Who knows, but its here now.The appropriately-named Message Drafts offers a new and easy way to find your unfinished messages on WhatsApp. Just look for the Draft indicator at the beginning of a message. The platform says that these unfinished messages will move to the top of the chats list so people can quickly locate them.Its a drafts feature, so there really isnt anything else to say. The tools available now across the globe via the app. Finally, we will have no pressure to actually finish messages. We can tinker with them occasionally until the heat death of the universe. Its a procrastination mitzvah!This is just the latest update to WhatsApp, as the platform has been busy. It recently unveiled custom lists, to help people keep track of conversations, and introduced a program that allows users to add contacts from any device.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/whatsapp-finally-has-a-drafts-feature-194516831.html?src=rss

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said this week its pressing criminal charges against X (Twitter) in France related to a Kremlin disinformation campaign that used the nonprofit as a prop to spread fake news. The organization said legal means are its last resort in its fight against the bogus stories, designed to foster pro-Russia and anti-Ukraine sentiment, that festered on the platform. Xs refusal to remove content that it knows is false and deceitful as it was duly informed by RSF makes it complicit in the spread of the disinformation circulating on its platform, RSF director of advocacy Antoine Bernard said in a statement.These legal proceedings seek to remind X, a powerful social media company, and its executives that they can be held criminally responsible if they knowingly provide a platform and tools for disseminating false information, identity theft, misrepresentation, and defamation offences punishable under the French Penal Code, RSF attorney Emmanuel Daoud wrote.RSF published an investigation in September detailing how a fabricated video was planted and spread by Russia on the Elon Musk-owned social platform. The fake clip was made to look like a BBC-produced one, including the news organizations logo. It made the erroneous case that RSF conducted a study that revealed a large number of Ukrainian soldiers sympathizing with Nazism.False claims that Ukraine is a pro-Nazi nation have been a common propaganda tactic used by Russia since its 2022 invasion. The narrative is designed to engender support for the Kremlin-initiated war, which is estimated to have killed a million or more Ukrainian people.RSFs investigation revealed that an account called Patricia, claiming to be a translator in France, planted the seed for the disinformation. However, the report discovered that the accounts profile picture was found on a Russian website featuring photos of blond women designed to make avatars.RSF says that even the accounts name seemed to have been automatically generated by X. In addition, the organization says Grok, Xs AI chatbot with access to live data about the platform, claimed the account has very strong opinions, often in support of Russia and Vladimir Putin, while severely criticizing Ukraine and its supporters in Europe.The investigation found the video then took off, spreading through a chain that included a pro-Kremlin Irish entrepreneur living in Russia, a Kremlin propagandist with a large following on Telegram and even Russian officials. It was also shared by highly influential bloggers known for unflinching support of Vladimir Putin.In this story, the Russian authorities have acted a bit like they were laundering dirty information, an RSF representative said in a video about the investigation (translated from French) in September. They took false information, they laundered it through official channels. And then, this piece of information that wasnt actual information was reintroduced into public discourse to make it look credible.Russias bogus video was widely shared on X and Telegram. Reporters Without Borders says the clips viewership reached half a million combined views by September 13. To capture its frustration with the blow to its credibility, the nonprofit cited the quote (of unknown origin but often attributed to Mark Twain): A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.RSF says it filed 10 reports with X of illegal content through the social channels reporting system required by the EUs Digital Services Act (DSA). After a series of rejections from X and requests for additional information which RSF provided none of the reports resulted in the removal of the defamatory content targeting our organisation and its advocacy director, RSF wrote.In July, the US Justice Department said it uncovered and dismantled a Russian propaganda network using nearly 1,000 accounts to push pro-Kremlin posts on X. The DOJ claimed the accounts posed as Americans and were made using AI. In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that Elon Musk held multiple private calls with Vladimir Putin from 2022 into this year, describing the contacts as a closely held secret in government.Xs refusal to remove content that it knows is false and deceitful as it was duly informed by RSF makes it complicit in the spread of the disinformation circulating on its platform, RSF director Bernard wrote in a statement. X provides those who spread falsehoods and manipulate public opinion with a powerful arsenal of tools and unparalleled visibility, while granting the perpetrators total impunity. Its time for X to be held accountable. Pressing criminal charges is the last resort against the disinformation and war propaganda that RSF has fallen victim to, which is proliferating on this Muskian network.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/reporters-without-borders-says-its-pressing-charges-against-x-200005117.html?src=rss

A damning report from the Anti-Defamation League published Thursday on the unprecedented amount of racist and violent content on Steam Community has prompted a US Senator to take action. In a letter spotted by The Verge, Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) asked Valve CEO Gabe Newell how he and his company are addressing the issue.My concern is elevated by the fact that Steam is the largest single online gaming digital distribution and social networking platform in the world with over 100 million unique user accounts and a user base similar in scale to that of the traditional social media and social network platforms, Warner wrote.The senator also cited Steams online conduct policy that states users may not upload or post illegal or inappropriate content [including] [real] or disturbing depictions of violence or harass other users or Steam personnel.Valve must bring its content moderation practices in line with industry standards or face more intense scrutiny from the federal government for its complicity in allowing hate groups to congregate and engage in activities that undoubtedly puts Americans at risk, Warner writes.Congress doesnt have the ability to take action on Valve or any platform except to shine light on the problem through letters and committee hearings. The Supreme Court overturned two state laws in June that prevented government officials from communicating with social media companies about objectionable content.This also isnt the first time that Congress has raised concerns with Valve about extremist and racist content created by users or players in one of its products. The Senate Committee on the Judiciary sent a letter to Newell in 2023 to express concerns about players posting and spouting racist language in Valves multiplayer online arena game Dota 2.We reached out to Valve for comment. We will update this story if we receive a statement or reactions from Valve.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/adls-report-on-racist-steam-community-posts-prompts-a-letter-from-virginia-senator-214243775.html?src=rss

Bluesky, which has surged in the days following the US election, said on Friday that it wont train on its users posts for generative AI. The declaration stands in stark contrast to the AI training policies of X (Twitter) and Metas Threads. Probably not coincidentally, Blueskys announcement came the same day Xs new terms of service, allowing third-party partners to train on user posts, went into effect.A number of artists and creators have made their home on Bluesky, and we hear their concerns with other platforms training on their data, Bluesky posted (via The Verge) on Friday. We do not use any of your content to train generative AI, and have no intention of doing so.In a follow-up post, the decentralized social platform clarified that it does use AI to help with content moderation. Bluesky uses AI internally to assist in content moderation, which helps us triage posts and shield human moderators from harmful content, the company posted. Bluesky also added that it uses AI in the algorithms powering its Discover feed.None of these are Gen AI systems trained on user content, Bluesky stressed.The Verge points out that Blueskys robots.txt (the policy that dictates what outside parties can scrape from a website) doesnt prevent OpenAI, Google or other leading GenAI companies from crawling its data. The company justified that potential hole by pointing to the platforms open and public nature. Just as robots.txt files dont always prevent outside companies from crawling those sites, the same applies here, spokesperson Emily Liu told The Verge. That said, wed like to do our part to ensure that outside orgs respect user consent and are actively discussing within the team on how to achieve this.Although Bluesky is still the underdog in a race with X and Threads, the platform has picked up steam after the US election. It passed the 15 million user threshold on Wednesday after adding more than a million in the past week.A report from web analytics company SimilarWeb noted that the signup surge coincided with a spike in X deactivations. It found that more than 115,000 US web visitors deactivated their [X] accounts on November 7, more than on any previous day of Elon Musks tenure. In parallel, web traffic and daily active users for Bluesky increased dramatically in the week before the election, and then again after election day.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/the-suddenly-hot-bluesky-says-it-wont-train-ai-on-your-posts-220034195.html?src=rss

These times are very trying and its understandable if someone goes a little off the deep end once in a while. Just like Norman Bates said in Psycho, We all go a little mad sometimes. However, a new Xbox ad campaign has us a little concerned.Microsoft launched a new marketing campaign for its Xbox consoles and cloud gaming service called This is an Xbox. It features posters and commercials with a bunch of different objects like a laptop, a smartphone and a Meta Quest 3 that are all an Xbox.We confirmed with a thorough fact check that all of those objects are not an Xbox. That may sound like overkill but when you live in a world where theres a real chance that the goopy mass voiced by Tim Curry in FernGully might become Secretary of the Interior, were not taking any chances.The commercial is even trippier. It zips between objects like a flat screen TV, an ROG Ally and a laptop while Black Sheeps The Choice is Yours blasts in the background. This time though, it displays the simple sentence This is an Xbox with a secondary clause or imperative statement behind it. Is there some kind of malware virus in the AI software that runs our universe or something?Microsoft, we know this is an ad campaign and that you dont really believe these non-Xbox items are an Xbox. Of course, you want to talk up your cloud gaming service, which is available across all of the devices in the ads. But last I checked, I didn't need an expensive subscription to play games on a regular Xbox.Also this is the internet, a gathering place for conspiracy weavers, liars and neer-do-wells. Reality is hard enough right now without having to debate the merit of what things are. This feels like the kind of stuff that Jobu would pull when she finished decorating the bagel in Everything Everywhere All at Once.MicrosoftThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/the-new-xbox-ad-campaign-is-confused-about-what-an-xbox-is-231013374.html?src=rss

The Rogue Prince of Persia, a modern reboot of the classic platformer published by Broderbund in 1989, is still in early access mode but its getting a bunch of new, cool-sounding stuff next week. Developer Evil Empire posted a blog on the games Steam page that includes information about the new update and premieres a new teaser trailer with some gameplay footage.The Steam page says the update effectively doubled the games content from launch. The Second Act will include a second act and tons of narrative polish for Act 1 and more biomes, bosses and enemies. The update will also add more Quality of Life features like multiple save slots and localization for German, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish players. The games protagonist will also look pretty different RIP Prince of Purple.The new update drops on November 21. The Rogue Prince of Persia was already slick and inventive, even in its infancy. Its been updated quite a bit since its early access launch, but next weeks update is likely to be its largest. Its shaping up to be a good mix of classic gameplay with new visuals and a modern roguelite gameplay loop as seen in other indies like Hades.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/the-rogue-prince-of-persia-gets-a-big-update-with-the-second-act-000515851.html?src=rss