Engadget

22.11.2022 10:52 Twitter won't be firing and laying off more people, Elon Musk reportedly told the staff members who remained after asking employees to commit to an "extremely hardcore" Twitter during an all-hands meeting. According to The Verge, which heard a partial recording of the event, the company is even actively looking for people to fill roles in engineering and sales. Musk apparently made the announcement on the same day layoffs hit the company's sales and partnerships teams. Robin Wheeler, Twitter’s head of ad sales, and VP of partnerships Maggie Suniewick were reportedly fired for opposing Musk's directive to cut more employees. Of course, these all happened after the website's new owner ordered layoffs that cut the company's workforce in half. Musk didn't specify which roles Twitter is hiring for during the meeting, The Verge said, but he did say that " n terms of critical hires, people who are great at writing software are the highest priority." Since this all-hands was also the first time Musk met with staff members following his takeover, employees asked him questions about the company's future, including whether Twitter will move its HQ to Texas like Tesla did. Musk replied that there are no plans for Twitter to move, but that being "dual-headquartered" in both states could make sense. He also said moving to Texas would "play into the idea that Twitter has gone from being left-wing to right-wing." Musk said that's not the case. "It is a moderate-wing takeover of Twitter... to be the digital town square, we must represent people with a wide array of views even if we disagree with those views," he added. As The Verge notes, Twitter recently fired people who called out Musk through tweets and through other avenues. In addition to addressing questions about the inner workings of the company, Musk announced during the meeting that Twitter might not be relaunching paid verification before this month ends, after all. If you'll recall, the website had to pause its $8-a-month Blue subscription with verification shortly after it was launched due to a steep rise in impersonation and fake accounts on the website. Musk previously said that Blue Verified would return on November 29th. But now he told employees and has also announced that Twitter won't be relaunching the subscription system until the website is confident that it can stop impersonation. Also, Twitter might ultimately give individuals and organizations different color checkmarks, which will make it apparent if users are interacting with a company's or org's actual account. Twitter already has a gray "Official" checkmark reserved for organizations, but it looks like it wants to make the indicator more visible and recognizable as a way to prevent people from being duped by impersonators.Holding off relaunch of Blue Verified until there is high confidence of stopping impersonation. Will probably use different color check for organizations than individuals.— Elon Musk November 22, 2022

22.11.2022 01:21 You're not the only one tired of ringless voicemails that put spam in your inbox. The Federal Communications Commission has determined that these silent voicemails are covered by the same Telephone Consumer Protection Act rules that forbid robocalls without consent. Companies need your permission to leave these junk messages as they're still considered calls, the FCC says. The ruling takes effect today.The finding comes five years after marketers first asked for exemptions to the regulations surrounding ringless voicemails, the FCC says. The requests, from All About the Message and two other petitioners, reportedly drew "overwhelming" negative feedback from public commenters. The Commission added that it receives "dozens" of complaints about these voicemails each year. FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel proposed extending the TCPA to this spam in February.As with other robocall crackdowns, there's no guarantee the voicemails will stop. Spammers may find alternate avenues to deliver these messages, and the FCC can only do so much to limit spam originating outside the US. However, this does establish firm boundaries inside the country — companies who flout the rules risk FCC action and customer lawsuits that could prove costly.

22.11.2022 01:21 Ubisoft will start bringing its games to Steam again, nearly four years after it turned its attention to the Epic Games Store and its own Connect launcher. First up is one of the publisher's biggest games of the last few years, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, which will be available on Steam on December 6th. City builder Anno 1800 and the free-to-play Roller Champions will hit Steam at a later date."We're constantly evaluating how to bring our games to different audiences wherever they are, while providing a consistent player ecosystem through Ubisoft Connect," a Ubisoft spokesperson told Eurogamer. "Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Anno 1800 and Roller Champions are among the Ubisoft titles that will be releasing on Steam."Assassin's Creed Valhalla will land on Steam just as Ubisoft releases the game's last content update. The Last Chapter, which will also arrive on December 6th, will bring about the conclusion of Eivor’s story and tie up some storylines. However, Ubisoft confirmed that it will not add a New Game+ mode, as it "realized that the depth of the game gave us limited options to make replayability unique and rewarding."Ubisoft previously said that abandoning Steam was a business decision. It was one that led to pre-orders for The Division 2 increasing by six times on Ubisoft's own PC storefront . However, it appears the extensive reach and popularity of Steam was ultimately too hard to ignore. Perhaps Ubisoft sees the value of making its games more readily available on Steam Deck too.Meanwhile, Valve is preparing for Steam's autumn sale, which starts on Tuesday at 1PM ET and runs through November 29th. The event will be live during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and it will include discounts on tens of thousands of games. In a trailer, Valve suggested that you'll be able to score deals on the likes of Hitman 3, Stray, Hades, Deathloop, Cyberpunk 2077, God of War, Disco Elysium,Yakuza: Like a Dragon and many, many more.

21.11.2022 20:22 Code sleuths at Mysk are challenging Apple's vaunted focus on privacy. The developers claim Apple's anonymous usage data for some in-house apps includes a Directory Services Identifier uniquely linked to your Apple ID and iCloud data. Apple could potentially use this DSID to pinpoint your App Store browsing habits, according to Mysk. This seemingly contradicts Apple's assertion that "none" of the data is personally identifying, and appears to extend to iOS 16.The researchers previously shared findings that iOS 14.6 sends large volumes of first-party app activity to Apple, even if you completely disable device analytics or otherwise limit collection. This includes your iPhone model, keyboard languages and other details that could theoretically be used to fingerprint your device. Gizmodo notes that users filed a class action lawsuit against Apple after Mysk published its privacy data.

21.11.2022 20:22 NASA's Orion spacecraft has successfully completed one of the key maneuvers of its maiden journey: a flyby of the Moon during which it got as close as 81 miles to the lunar surface. This was important for a few reasons, not least because it marked a critical test for the propulsion system.Orion carried out four trajectory correction burns on its way to the Moon, but this time around, the orbital maneuvering system engine fired for 2 minutes and 30 seconds. This accelerated Orion at a rate of more than 580MPH. At the time the burn started, the uncrewed spacecraft was traveling at 5,023MPH, 238 miles above the Moon. Shortly after the burn, it was 81 miles above the lunar surface and it was traveling at 5,102MPH.The flyby burn was one of two necessary maneuvers for Orion to enter its retrograde orbit around the Moon. Next up is the distant retrograde orbit insertion burn, which is slated to take place on Friday at 4:52PM ET. Orion will remain in this orbit for around a week to test various systems, including guidance, navigation, communication, power and thermal control. Of note, the distant retrograde orbit will take Orion 40,000 miles past the Moon. The spacecraft is scheduled to return to Earth on December 11th.NASA will reveal more details about the flyby burn and offer updates on post-launch assessments for the Space Launch System rocket and Exploration Ground Systems at a press conference on Monday at 5PM ET. Meanwhile, engineers have been looking into RAM faults in the star tracker system, which have been resolved with power cycles. Another team examined an issue that has caused one of the eight service mobile units suppling solar array power to the crew module to open on a few occasions without a command. NASA says there have been no mission impacts as a result of these hiccups.

21.11.2022 20:22 When you think of podcast recording, you probably picture someone sitting in a studio with a Neumann microphone that costs more than your rent. Spotify wants to change that, making podcast creation something you can do in noisy environments and without expensive gear. The company's one-button voice isolation feature, Podcast Audio Enhancement, debuts today in Spotify's Anchor app for podcast creators.The feature requires a single button press in the Anchor app. Doing so drowns out background noise, bringing your voice to the forefront. So if you want to record your latest episode on a crowded convention floor or at home with barking dogs or crying babies, you theoretically can, though we can’t say how effective it is just yet. In addition, the Anchor app lets you toggle the feature on and off during playback to compare the results.Spotify isn't the only Big Tech company to invest in voice isolation, as AI advances lead to better filtration without expensive dynamic microphones. For example, Zoom and Google Meet offer background noise reduction tech in virtual-meeting apps. But Spotify trying to improve audio to the point where it’s good enough to release as a podcast feels a bit tougher than just clearing things up on a video call.After facing a Joe Rogan PR crisis earlier this year, Spotify continues its push to make itself a one-stop shop for podcast listening and creation. The push began in 2017 and accelerated in the following years as it became more evident how lucrative podcasts can be. The streaming service acquired publishing companies, struck a now-defunct deal with the Obamas and snatched up online production tools like Soundtrap. Spotify bought Anchor in 2019 for over $150 million and has since used it to make podcast creation as simple and effortless as possible.

21.11.2022 20:22 Tile has discounted a handful of its popular Bluetooth item trackers ahead of Black Friday. The deals include the latest Tile Mate tracker down to $18, which is about $7 off its usual going rate and tied for the lowest price we've seen. The diminutive Tile Sticker is on sale for $20, which is $1 more than its all-time low but still $10 off its typical street price. The credit-card-shaped Tile Slim, meanwhile, is discounted to $25, which is $2 above the all-time low but also roughly $10 below its average street price.Shop Tile tracker sale at AmazonThe offers are available at third-party retailers like Amazon and Tile's own online store; the latter includes a few extra discounted bundles, and some of the deals there include a year of the company's Premium subscription, which includes perks like free battery replacements. Tile is advertising the discounts as its "Holiday Sale," so we expect them to carry over into Black Friday proper.Tile trackers remain a worthy alternative to Apple's AirTags — which are also on sale this week — for Android users. They aren't as precise at locating an attached item as AirTags, and they can't leverage a device network as mammoth as Apple's, but their crowd-finding network is the next largest available, and the three trackers on sale here can use Bluetooth to directly locate lost items about 200-250 feet away. They're also available in a more versatile range of designs: The Mate, for instance, has a built-in keyring hole, while the Sticker can attach directly to smaller items through an adhesive back.Tile was acquired last year by family tracking company Life360, which recently said it would integrate Tile with its own locator service. The parent company promised to scale down its selling of user data earlier this year after past reports, but tracking devices like these still aren't likely to appeal to privacy hawks. None of the devices on sale here include a replaceable battery, either — that's now limited to the $35 Tile Pro, which isn't discounted. Still, if you tend to misplace your keys or wallet and want some extra peace of mind, these can provide that, and now they're a little more affordable.Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

21.11.2022 20:22 Now is the time to splurge on a gift for a rookie podcaster or game streamer. Amazon is running a sale on many Blue microphones for Black Friday, with up to 35 percent off Yeti models. The Blue Yeti Nano is down to $70 , while the regular Yeti has dipped to $90 . You can also find deals for higher-end models and bundles.Blue has a reputation for quality microphones, particularly for anyone making their first foray beyond built-in mics. As Engadget's own Valentina Palladino noticed, the 'entry' Yeti Nano provides a major audio quality upgrade for podcasts and video calls without consuming much desk space. It's also reasonably future-proof with both cardioid and omnidirectional polar patterns — you can host roundtable podcasts in addition to virtual chats.Higher-end models mainly improve fidelity and monitoring. The standard Blue Yeti has three condensers versus the Nano's two, and supports stereo and figure-eight patterns. Spring for the top-end Yeti X and you'll get four condensers, 24-bit/192kHz audio, LED metering and even custom lighting. These won't replace the most advanced microphones on the market, but the sale prices make them good values for many users.Buy Blue microphones at Amazon - starting at $70Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

21.11.2022 20:22 If Samsung's foldable smartphones have caught your eye, perhaps for yourself or as a gift for someone else, now might be the right time to take the plunge. The 256GB model of the Galaxy Z Flip 4 has dropped to $760 at Amazon, which is an all-time low. That's a considerable $300 off the regular price. What's more, this variant is currently cheaper than the 128GB model. That's also on sale at the moment, but it's $800.Buy Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 at Amazon - $760We gave the Galaxy Z Flip 4 a score of 86 in our review. We liked the improved battery life compared with older generations and the hands-free applications. The matte finish makes it less slippery than previous models, which is a definite plus. It also has a smaller and seemingly sturdier hinge, while the shell is scratch resistant. However, we did have some reservations when it came to the durability prospects in terms of how well the device will hold up after years of use, as well as the quality of low-light photos.The 1.9-inch cover display gained more functionality, including ways to control smart home products and a quick reply option for messages. Flex Mode, which comes into play when the Galaxy Z Flip 4 is half-opened, is handier too — you'll be able to use the lower half as a touchpad while looking through photos on the top side of the screen. You can prop the device up without a stand as well, which is useful for hands-free video calls.Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

21.11.2022 20:22 You may be focused on getting gifts for others right now, but the Black Friday and the holiday shopping period is one of the best times of the year to pick up an upgrade for your living room. This year is no different, with a bunch of TVs from Samsung, LG, Sony and others already dropping in price, and we're also already seeing discounts on things like streaming devices, soundbars and more. While you pick up things like the Chromecast with Google TV or a Fire TV Stick for friends and family, consider investing in something new for your home entertainment system while you can do so without breaking the bank. Here are the best TV and home entertainment deals we found for Black Friday 2022.Samsung TV dealsSamsungNow's a great time to grab a Samsung TV for much less than usual. Whether you're interested in one of the more affordable Q60B or Q80B sets or a higher-end Neo QLED TV, there are a bunch of good discounts to consider. This 65-inch OLED model is 40 percent off and down to $1,800, while this massive 85-inch QLED set is on sale for only $1,600. There are even a few Frame TVs on sale as well, including this 55-inch 2022 model for less than $1,000.Shop Samsung TV deals at AmazonSony TV dealsSonySony has discounted a number of its higher-end 4K TVs and a few OLED sets as well for Black Friday. One of the best values overall is this 65-inch Sony X80K 4K smart TV for just under $700. It's a 2022 TV that has the company's 4K HDR Processor X1 that produces smooth, clear video, and it has support for Dolby Vision and Atmos, too. On the OLED side, you can pick up this 2022 65-inch A95K Bravia XR OLED set for $1,000 less than usual. Shop Sony TV deals at AmazonLG TV dealsLGBoth 2021 and 2022 LG TVs have been discounted for Black Friday. If you have your heart set on an OLED, this 65-inch LG G2 Gallery Edition OLED TV is just over $800 off and down to $2,200. While that's still expensive for a TV, the Gallery Edition sets are some of the best that LG makes. On the more affordable side of things, this 55-inch QNED80 Mini-LED smart TV is $150 off and down to just under $650.Shop LG TV deals at AmazonHisense TV dealsHisenseMost of Hisense's TVs are on sale for the holiday shopping season. If you're looking to spend as little as possible on a still-decent TV, then you can't get much better than Hisense's 43-inch R6-Series Roku TV for $200. It supports 4K content and Dolby Vision, plus it runs on Roku's smart TV operating system. If you're willing to spend a bit more, you can get the 75-inch A6-Series 4K Google TV, with support for Dolby Vision HDR, DTS Virtual X and built-in Chromecast, for only $500.Shop Hisense TV deals at AmazonChromecast with Google TVBoth the 4K and HD Chromecasts with Google TV are on sale for Black Friday, coming in at $40 and $18, respectively. These two streamers are essentially the same, expect for the resolution that each support: the higher-end model with stream 4K content, while the other tops out at 1080p. They share a compact design and both come with a handy remote that makes navigating the Google TV interface much easier. Plus, you can speak to the Google Assistant through these dongles, calling about it to search for things to watch, answer questions and more.Buy Chromecast with Google TV at Amazon - $40Buy Chromecast with Google TV at Amazon - $18Roku StreambarValentina Palladino / EngadgetThe Roku Streambar has been discounted to $80 for Black Friday, which is $50 less than usual and a record low. It's one of the easiest ways to up your TV's audio game, and get 4K streaming technology as well. The compact Streambar offers much better sound quality than most TV's built-in speakers can provide, plus it'll turn your set into a Roku smart TV as well. And if you want to use it as a Bluetooth speaker, you have that option as well.Buy Roku Streambar at Amazon - $80Roku UltraRokuRoku's 2022 Ultra set-top box has dropped to a new low of $70 for Black Friday. The actually box itself hasn't changed much since the previous version: it still supports 4K HDR10+ content, Dolby Vision and Atmos, plus AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth. Most of the upgrades are in the Voice Remote Pro that comes bundled with the streamer. The new remote has a 3.5mm headphone jack for private listening, two programmable shortcut buttons and a mic-disable button.Buy Roku Ultra at Amazon - $70Roku Streaming Stick 4KWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetRoku's Streaming Stick 4K is on sale for $25 right now, or half off its usual price. This small dongle connects directly to your TV's HDMI port and streams content in 4K, supports Dolby Vision and offers voice command capabilities via its remote. This updated model also has fast, long-range WiFi and a private-listening feature that lets you listen to your TV's audio video the Roku mobile app.Buy Roku Streaming Stick 4K at Amazon - $25Roku ExpressRokuRoku's Express has dropped to only $18 for Black Friday, which is one of the best prices we've seen. If you just want an inexpensive streaming device with basic features, the Express is a solid option. It comes with a high-speed HDMI cable to connect it to your TV, and it supports HD content plus private listening via Roku's mobile app.Buy Roku Express at Amazon - $18Amazon Fire TV Stick LiteAmazonAmazon's most affordable streaming stick is on sale for only $15 right now, which is half off its usual price. This is a good option if you want to upgrade an old, "dumb" TV in your home into a smart one. The Fire TV Stick Lite provides access to Amazon's Fire TV OS, through which you can access services like Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+ and others. The TV Stick Lite supports FHD content, and you can use the included Voice Remote Lite to ask Alexa to show you the content you want to watch. If you want to upgrade a bit to Dolby Atmos, you can get the standard Fire TV Stick for only $5 more.Buy Fire TV Stick Lite at Amazon - $15Buy Fire TV Stick at Amazon - $20Amazon Fire TV Stick 4KAmazonAmazon's Fire TV Stick 4K has dropped to $25, which is 50 percent off its normal price. This dongle provides 4K streaming support with Dolby Vision and HDR10+, plus Dolby Atmos audio capabilities. Also, if you have Alexa-compatible home security cameras set up, you can use the streaming stick's live picture-in-picture feature to check out those camera feeds directly from your TV.Buy Fire TV Stick 4K at Amazon - $25Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K MaxAmazonAmazon's most capable streaming stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, is down to only $35 for Black Friday. It has all of the features of the standard Fire TV Stick 4K: UHD streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision and Atmos support, and the live picture-in-picture feature. But on top of that, it has WiFi 6 support and a bit more RAM than all other Fire streaming sticks, improving its overall performance.Buy Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon - $35Amazon Fire TV CubeNicole Lee / EngadgetThe previous-generation Fire TV Cube has been discounted to $60 for Black Friday, which is 50 percent off its usual price and a new record low. This set-top box supports 4K, HDR content with Dolby Vision and Atmos, plus hands-free Alexa commands. There is a newer version available now, which adds things like WiFi 6E capabilities, a speedier processor and additional HDMI and USB ports, but it'll cost you $140.Buy Fire TV Cube at Amazon - $60Vizio V21t-J8 soundbarVizioOur favorite budget-friendly soundbar is on sale for only $120 right now, which is 25 percent off its usual price and a near record low. You're getting a 2.1-channel setup with this accessory, plus a 4.5-inch wireless sub along with it. It may not have WiFi connectivity, but that's the main tradeoff you'll have to make. Otherwise, it supports HDMI ARC/eARC, DTS Virtual:X and Bluetooth, and it has a 3.5mm aux jack as well.Buy Vizio V21t-J8 at Amazon - $120Vizio Elevate soundbarVizioVizio's Elevate soundbar is $300 off and down to $500 for Black Friday. This is a great pick for movie lovers or anyone who wants a cinematic audio experience in their home. The soundbar system has adaptive height speakers that automatically rotate upward or forward when playing Dolby Atmos and DTS:X soundtracks. Plus, it has a redesigned wireless subwoofer and integrated tweeters and woofers, as well.Buy Vizio Elevate soundbar at Amazon - $500Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

21.11.2022 15:32 The Federal Communications Commission has finally published new broadband maps after a protracted development process. The "pre-production draft" release, as the FCC describes it, promises much more accurate representations of fixed internet coverage across the US. Earlier maps would only show service at the census block level, sometimes ignoring large gaps in real-world connectivity. The new maps are accurate enough that you can search by address to see which carriers are available, including the maximum claimed speeds.The updated maps could help would-be subscribers make more informed choices about broadband service, the FCC says. They'll also theoretically add "market pressures" to internet providers who may have considered an area served if just one home in a census block was connected. Now, they may be compelled to flesh out coverage in a town or neighborhood.The data could also prove crucial to the federal government's funding strategy. The US has yet to portion out the $42.5 billion in broadband spending from President Biden's $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. With more accurate maps, officials can now make better-informed decisions about where that money goes. It may be particularly important for upgrading rural broadband, which has historically been inconsistently available and slow.The FCC cautions that there's more work to be done. The draft status indicates that the mapping work is "far from over," according to the regulator. The agency warns that this may only be effective if there's constant input from everyone involved, ranging from customers through to local governments and companies. Poor updates will render the maps ineffective, in other words.There are also questions surrounding long-term funding and policy. While the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law may help, there are no guarantees of further commitments in the years ahead. The broadband maps only promise to show where coverage falls short — it's up to politicians, regulators and companies to address any shortcomings.

21.11.2022 15:32 Let’s face it, buying a gift for someone who loves gaming is tough. Almost every day brings with it a handful of new releases, and everyone has different tastes. Plus, if they’re a fan of a particular style or genre of game, there’s a good chance they’re already bought the new hotness. To save you that trouble, here are some gifts that are a bit different but should be appreciated all the same. You may also find something that will pique your interest.Blood, Sweat, and PixelsEngadgetBlood, Sweat, and Pixels is a must-read for anyone with even a passing interest in video games. Across 268 captivating pages, Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier shares how some of the most influential games of the past decade were made. Featuring interviews with the people who were there – including The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann and Eric Barone, the creator of Stardew Valley – the stories that populate Blood, Sweat, and Pixels shed a light on just how fraught the process of creating a game can be during even the best of times. It’s riveting reading for anyone who wants a more informed perspective on the craft.Buy Blood, Sweat and Pixels at Amazon - $14Logitech G305Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetDon’t let the Logitech G305’s affordable $40 price fool you, it’s a gaming mouse almost any gamer would happily add to their collection. At 99 grams, it’s one of the lighter mice in Logitech’s stable, and you can program all six buttons to your liking. It also includes the company’s fast and responsive Hero optical sensor and Lightspeed wireless technology for “wired-like” performance. A single AA battery provides the G305 with up to 250 hours of life, and you can get as much as nine months of use with some tweaking. Best of all, the G305 is available in a few different colors, including a handful of cheerful pastels. There’s even a K/DA version for fans of Riot’s virtual K-pop group. That versatility makes a perfect gift for a PC gamer.Buy Logitech G305 at Amazon - $50Backbone OneWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetIf you’re buying a gift for someone who primarily plays games on their phone, consider treating them to the best mobile gamepad on the market. At $100, the Backbone One is pricey, but it easily surpasses competitors like the Razer Kishi in build quality. It also comes with a surprisingly robust companion app that makes capturing screenshots and clips from your play sessions a breeze. Each new Backbone One controller also comes with complimentary access to services like Xbox GamePass, giving owners a few different ways to add to their game library.Buy Backbone One at Amazon - $100Hades soundtrackEngadgetAs Supergiant’s staff composer, Darren Korb has written some of the most memorable video game soundtracks in recent memory, but his work on Hades may be his best yet. From start to finish, the Hades Original Soundtrack is filled with tunes like ”Out of Tartarus” and “The Unseen Ones” that will make you stand up and shred an air guitar. It’s the perfect gift for fans of Hades , but you can also give it to someone who hasn’t experienced the game yet. It might just convince them to play one of the best indies of the last few years.Buy Hades soundtrack at Bandcamp - $10Epos PC38XWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetWith the popularity of multiplayer games, you may want to consider gifting your friend or family member a gaming headset. For an affordable option that features a clean sound signature that’s tuned for first-person shooters, it’s hard to go wrong with the Drop and Epos PC38X.You may not be familiar with Epos, but you’ve definitely heard of Sennheiser. The historic audio brand founded Sennheiser Communications as a joint venture in 2003. In 2020, the subsidiary rebranded to Epos and went on to take over Sennheiser’s gaming portfolio. That history should tell you what to expect from the PC38X. It’s a headset that has more in common with classic headphones like the HD600 than its gaming peers. An open-back design helps the PC38X produce an immersive sound stage that can give you an edge in games like Valorant and Modern Warfare II. The built-in microphone is one of the best ones you’ll find on a gaming headset at this price, producing warm and natural tones when you speak into it. It’s a wired headset too, meaning you don’t have to worry about battery life and compatibility. Best of all, Drop frequently discounts the PC38X below its usual $169 price.Buy Epos PC38X at Drop - $169Hollow KnightHollow KnightOkay, I lied. We do have one straightforward recommendation: Hollow Knight. Team Cherry’s debut title is one of the best games made in the past five years. It combines the exploration of a 2D Metroid-like title with a challenging combat system that is reminiscent of FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series. Add to that a beautiful soundtrack, art style and story, and it’s easy to see why so many people are eagerly waiting for Hollow Knight’s upcoming sequel, Silksong. While we’re here, go the extra mile and gift your friend or loved one a physical copy of the game. It comes with a beautiful map of Hollow Knight’s world.Buy Hollow Knight at Amazon - $35Steam Gift cardEngadgetIt’s not creative, but if you want a safe option, it’s hard to go wrong with a gift card. We’re highlighting Steam here, but all the major gaming platforms offer their own take on the format, including Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo, and do so in amounts that should fit any budget. Some of those same companies offer digital versions of their gift cards, making it easy to ensure your friend or family member can enjoy them, even if you can’t see them in person.Another option if you’re buying for someone with an Xbox or PC is a one- or three-month Game Pass gift card. Microsoft’s subscription service is widely considered one of the best deals in gaming and is a great way to discover new titles to check out.Shop Steam gift cardsLaudate LunaLaudateThis gift will only appeal to fans of FromSoftware’s Dark Souls series, but let me tell you, if the person you’re buying for falls in that group, they will love you for it. Laudate Luna is a beautiful 12- by 36-inch print of Lordran, the setting where the first game takes place. Anyone who has fond memories of Dark Souls will be able to retrace their journey to Anor Lando and find all the places where they died repeatedly trying to conquer the game’s punishing combat.Buy Laudate Luna print at Fangamer - $36SanDisk microSD cardSanDiskIf buying a gift for someone who enjoys gaming on their Nintendo Switch, there’s a good chance they’ll appreciate it if you get them more storage. The beauty of microSD cards is that they’re affordable. A company like SanDisk offers 512GB models for less than $100. That’s enough to install about 20 to 30 games. SanDisk sells Switch-specific models, but any UHS-1 compatible microSD card that offers transfer speeds of at least 60 MB/s will do.Buy SanDisk microSD card at Amazon - $35Xbox Elite Controller Series 2MicrosoftAfter more than two decades of iteration, it’s hard to find a fault with Microsoft’s Xbox controllers. The latest Series X/S version refines a design that was already excellent with the Xbox One, but what it lacks is customization. That’s something you can get with Microsoft’s Elite Wireless controller. The Series 2 model comes with six different thumbsticks, four separate paddles and a set of two d-pads. With all those components included, even the most discerning players should be able to tune the controller to their liking.Buy Elite Controller 2 starter bundle at Amazon - $180

21.11.2022 15:32 The holiday shopping period is a great time to stock up on what might be some less-than-exciting gadgets like storage drives to keep your machines running smoothly. We typically see some of the best storage deals of the year around this time, and the brand Crucial has kicked off Black Friday early this year by discounting a number of its internal and external drives. A long-time favorite, the MX500, is on sale for only $68 for the 1TB version. That's 32 percent off and the lowest price we've seen, by far.If you have an aging computer that could benefit from extra storage, the MX500 is a good option. It has a 2.5-inch design that should fit most laptops and desktops, and it supports read speeds up to 560MB/s and write speeds up to 510MB/s. Along with AES 256-bit hardware encryption, it also has integrated power loss immunity, which should save your work if your power gets cut unexpectedly. We also appreciate that the MX500 comes in a number of capacity options. The 1TB is arguably best for most people, but you can get it as low as 250GB or as high as 4TB — and all configurations are discounted right now.Also included in this sale are Crucial P3 and P5 Plus internal drives. The latter earned a spot on our list of favorite drives for the PS5 as a solid budget option. It's on sale for $94, which is a new record low, but just keep in mind that you'll need to provide your own heatsink if you intend to use it with Sony's console.As for portable drives, but the X6 and the X8 have been discounted to $122 and $140, respectively, for their 1TB models. Their designs are slightly different, with the X6 being more square-shaped and the X8 leaning rectangular, but the bigger difference comes in their max speeds. The X6 can hit up to 800MB/s in read speeds, while you'll get up to 1,050MB/s on the X8. Both of them are designed to work across a bunch of different platforms, including Windows, Mac, Chromebook, iPad, Android and others, and they both have decent durability with drop, shock and vibration protection.Buy Crucial P5 Plus at Amazon - $94Buy Crucial X6 at Amazon - $122Buy Crucial X8 at Amazon - $140Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

21.11.2022 15:32 Amazon has started its Black Friday sales on a number of watches including $60 off the Watch Ultra, its best discount yet. We're also still seeing nice discounts on Apple's other new models, including the Watch Series 8 and Watch SE 2nd-gen, with savings up to 13 percent. Shop Apple Watch models at AmazonUnlike the last sale, the Apple Watch Ultra models are available with both the small, medium and large Alpine Loop bands, so they should fit everyone's wrists. You can currently get one in green, orange and starlight colors, all for the same $739 price with any band size. As we detailed in our Engadget review, the Watch Ultra is geared toward outdoor activity and endurance athletes. It offers more refined navigation and compass-based features than regular Watch models, like the ability to set waypoints and guidance so you can follow your own breadcrumbs if you get lost. There's a new depth gauge and dive computer, along with accurate route tracking and pace calculations, thanks to the dual-frequency GPS. Like other Watch models, it also delivers sleep tracking, temperature sensing and electrocardiogram features, plus messaging, audio playback and Apple Pay. It currently offers about 36 hours of battery life, but that will increase to 60 hours maximum with an upcoming low-power mode.If $739 is still too much, don't forget that the latest Watch Series 8 GPS model is still on sale for $349 in red or black with two different sized wrist bands. While not a huge update over the Series 7, it does carry some useful new features like a temperature sensor tied to women's health and Crash Detection. In addition, the budget Watch SE 2nd-gen model is also available at 8 percent off, bringing the already affordable $249 price down to just $229.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

21.11.2022 15:32 Meta is taking new steps to lock down teens’ privacy settings. The company is making changes to the default privacy settings for teens’ Facebook accounts, and further limiting the ability of “suspicious” adults to message teens on Instagram and Facebook.On Facebook, Meta says it will start automatically changing the default privacy settings on new accounts created by teens under 16. With the changes, the visibility of their friend list, tagged posts, and pages and accounts they follow will be automatically set to “more private settings.”Notably, the new settings will only be automatically switched on for new accounts created by teens, though Meta says it will nudge existing teen accounts to adopt similar settings. The update follows a similar move from Instagram, which began making teen accounts private by default last year.Meta is also making new changes meant to prevent “suspicious” adults from contacting teens. On Facebook, it will block these accounts from the site’s “people you may know” feature, and on Instagram it will test removing the message button from teens’ profiles. The company didn’t share exactly how it will determine who is “suspicious,” but said it would take into account factors like whether someone has been recently blocked or reported by a younger user.Additionally, Meta said it’s working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on a “global platform” to prevent the non-consensual sharing of intimate images of teens. According to Meta, the platform, which could launch by mid-December, will work similarly to a system designed to prevent the sharing of similar images from adults.According to a Facebook spokesperson, the system will allow teens to generate a “private report” for images on their devices they don’t want shared. The platform, operated by NCMEC, would then create a unique hash of the image, which would go into a database so companies like Facebook can detect when matching images are shared on their platforms. The spokesperson added that the original image never leaves the teen’s device.