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18.11.2022 23:00 We've been keeping an eye on Samsung to see when their Black Friday deals would hit, and it looks like today's the day. As of right now, all of the latest Galaxy phones are on sale, with the biggest discount going to the Galaxy S22 Ultra. At $300 off the list price, Samsung's most premium Galaxy phone is down to $900. We saw the S22 Ultra drop to this price for a few days earlier this month as a sort of Black Friday preview, but then it jumped back to its usual price. For anyone who missed that window, you can once again grab our current favorite Android phone while it's this low. We gave the S22 Ultra an 89 in our review, calling it "the best premium Android flagship you can buy." It's got a lot in common with Samsung's discontinued-for-now Note series, especially with its inclusion of the on-board S Pen and the return to a more rectangular shape, but the S22 Ultra is not just a Galaxy Note rehash. It's got a "sumptuous" screen that keeps things looking smooth with a 120Hz refresh rate and bright 6.8-inch Super AMOLED panel. The cameras are also updated, with a 108-megapixel main sensor, a 12MP ultrawide camera, and a pair of 10MP telephoto lenses in back. There's a 40MP camera in front, along with new customized video calling software for using Google's Duo . The S22 Ultra uses Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processors, which handled fairly intensive multitasking in our tests without getting bogged down or even heating up significantly. While the battery didn't last as long as we were hoping, it gave 17 hours and 16 minutes in our video rundown test. If you don't need the S Pen, or quite so many cameras, you might try the Galaxy S22+. It's also on sale for Black Friday, with $250 off the MSRP bringing it down to $800. We gave it an 87 in our review, particularly impressed by the extra bright display and ability to take rich low-light photos. The base model Galaxy S22 also earned an 87 from us. Even at the list price of $800, we said the S22 gives you more "phone for the money than anything you can buy from Apple or Google." Now that it's down to $700, that statement is truer than ever.Buy Samsung Galaxy S22+ at Amazon $800Buy Samsung Galaxy S22 at Amazon - $700Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

18.11.2022 23:00 The Bose QuietComfort lineup of headphones is known for its terrific noise cancellation and all-day comfort. In an early Black Friday deal, Amazon has the latest model in that line, the Bose QuietComfort 45, on sale for $249. That’s $80 off the usual price for the high-end wireless cans.Buy Bose QuietComfort 45 at Amazon - $249The Bose QC45 was released last year with some of the best ANC we’ve tested, and they’re super comfortable to wear throughout a long flight or day at the office. They have the battery life to support that, with our review unit lasting over 22 hours on a single charge. If you forget to charge them before heading out, Bose includes a quick-charge feature that gives you three hours of use after only 15 minutes of charging.Although their “Dad on a business trip” design may look a bit dated, you can choose from black, white, gray and blue color options to find a variant that matches your style. They also offer impressive audio with Bose’s signature warm, crisp and balanced tuning that can work well with just about any musical genre. At launch, we criticized the Bose QC45 headphones for lacking equalizer controls, but the company added EQ adjustments in a firmware update earlier this year.The QC45 does still have some notable omissions. For example, they don’t automatically pause your music when you remove them and won’t automatically switch playback between paired devices. They also lack speak-to-chat and don’t automatically adjust noise canceling based on your activity or location. If those features are deal breakers for you, you may want to check out the excellent Sony WH-1000XM5, currently on sale for $350.Amazon’s QC45 deal isn’t quite an all-time-low price — they dropped to $229 during the Prime Early Access Sale last month — but this is still a solid deal on one of our top recommendations for wireless headphones.Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

18.11.2022 18:20 Though Black Friday is technically a week away, we're already seeing a barrage of sales that we expect to carry over into the shopping holiday. Several of Apple's iPads, Apple Watches and MacBooks are available at their lowest prices to date, for instance, as are a plethora of devices from Amazon and Google. PlayStation and Xbox have kicked off their respective Black Friday sales, too, and there are numerous discounts on wireless headphones we like. We expect to see many more deals go live in the coming days, but for now, here are the best early Black Friday deals from this week that you can still get today.Apple iPad 10.2-inch and iPad ProChris Velazco/EngadgetIt's a good time to be in the market for a new iPad, as several of Apple's tablets are back down to the lowest prices we've tracked. The entry-level iPad, for instance, is on sale for $270. That's about $25 below the 10.2-inch tablet's average street price over the last few months. We gave the device a review score of 86 last year; while it lacks the more modern design of Apple's newer slates, we still consider it the best budget tablet you can buy.Buy iPad deals at AmazonIf you want a step up, the latest iteration of the 11-inch iPad Pro is $70 off less than a month after launch. We gave that one a score of 87, praising its top-of-the-line M2 chip and 120Hz display, though the iPad Air is still a better value for most. If money is no object, the 512GB version of last year's 12.9-inch iPad Pro isn't that far off from the newer model; it's down to $1,000, which is roughly $275 lower than its typical street price as of late.Apple Watch Series 8Cherlynn Low / EngadgetThe Apple Watch Series 8 is down to $349 ahead of Black Friday, which matches its lowest price to date and sits about $40 below the typical price we've seen in recent months. That deal is for the 41mm model; if you'd like a larger case, the 45mm version is down to a new low of $379, which is also $40 off its usual street price. The Series 8 is the top pick in our best smartwatches guide: It's probably not worth the upgrade if you're coming from a Series 5 or newer, but it continues to offer the most robust blend of app support, fitness tracking, smartphone connectivity and style you can get in a wearable.Buy Apple Watch Series 8 at Amazon - $349Apple MacBook AirDevindra Hardawar/EngadgetApple's M2-equipped MacBook Air is still on sale for $1,050, which is the best price we've tracked and about $75 off its typical price online in recent months. We gave it a review score of 96 earlier this year, and it's currently the top pick in our guide to the best laptops. This entry-level model suffers from slower storage speeds than pricier configurations, so it's not ideal for pro-level work, but its premium-feeling hardware, vibrant display and powerful SoC should still make it a pleasure for more common tasks.Buy MacBook Air M2 at Amazon - $1,049Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon - $800If you want a cheaper route into macOS, the 2020 MacBook Air with Apple's M1 SoC is back down to $800, which is about $100 off its usual going rate. That model is saddled with thicker bezels, tinnier speakers, a worse webcam, slower charging and slightly worse performance than the new Air, but its long battery life, still-speedy chip and comfortable keyboard and trackpad still make it a fine value for casual web browsing and basic work at this deal price.Apple AirPods Pro This one is more of a PSA than an ongoing deal: As spotted at Slickdeals, the latest AirPods Pro are set to drop to $199 at Target starting November 20, which is the lowest price we've tracked. If you can't wait a couple days, the earphones are on sale for $230 now, which is $19 off Apple's MSRP and about $10 off the average street price we've seen since the pair launched this past September. Either way, while there's no shortage of good wireless noise-cancelling earphones these days, the AirPods Pro continue to offer powerful ANC, rich bass and particular ease of use with other Apple devices. Battery life and call quality are just average, though. Our review gave the pair a score of 88.If you prefer a more open design, we'll note that the second-gen standard AirPods are still available for $90, which is roughly $15 below its typical street price. Again, though, it might be best to wait, as Walmart's product listing says that it'll have that pair available for $79 starting next week.Sony noise-cancelling headphones saleSony has discounted a number of its premier noise-cancelling headphones ahead of Black Friday, which include the flagship WH-1000XM5 marked back down to $348. That's a $50 discount for the feature-rich cans, matching the all-time low for what we consider the best wireless headphones you can buy. If you want to save some cash, the last-gen WH-1000XM4s are back to a low of $228 themselves. That pair isn't as comfortable as the newer model, but it delivers a similar feature set and bass-forward sound for less money. It also avoids the auto-adjusting ANC of the XM5, which some may prefer.Buy Sony noise-cancelling headphones sale at AmazonAmong in-ear pairs, the WF-1000XM4 and LinkBuds S are also on sale for $178 and $128, respectively. Again, both of those deals match the lowest prices we've seen. Between the two, the WF-1000XM4 offers more detailed sound, stronger noise isolation and a bit more battery life, though the LinkBuds S have a lighter and more comfortable fit. We gave the former a score of 86 last year.Xbox controllers and gamesAaron Souppouris/EngadgetIf you need an extra gamepad for your Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, or PC, Microsoft is selling its comfy Xbox Wireless Controller from $39 at various retailers. That isn't the lowest price we've seen, but it's still about $10 less than the typical prices we see online. The sale applies to multiple colorways, though getting the controller in anything other than black or white will cost an extra $5-10. If you don't want to deal with Bluetooth pairing on PC, you can also grab a bundle that pairs the gamepad a wireless adapter for $50. Just remember that the Xbox pad charges via AA batteries by default; a rechargeable unit costs $25.Buy Xbox Wireless Controller at Amazon - $39Shop Xbox digital games sale at XboxBeyond accessories, Microsoft has also commenced its Black Friday sale for Xbox digital games. You can peruse through that for a full list, but some notables include Halo: The Master Chief Collection for $16, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga for $30 and Doom Eternal for $10. Amazon also has the more recent Halo Infinite for a low of $20 if you'd like to try that FPS' new campaign co-op mode; just note that co-op isn't available to play locally and that the game's multiplayer is still free to play.Xbox Series SAaron Souppouris / EngadgetWe don't expect most game consoles to be discounted for Black Friday, but the Xbox Series S is an exception. Right now, Target is selling the diminutive device for $250and throwing in a $50 gift card with the purchase. Provided you use that gift card, that's effectively a $100 savings. If you aren't a frequent Target shopper, Amazon has console down to $240 on its own. Buy Xbox Series S + $50 gift card at Target - $250Buy Xbox Series S at Amazon - $240The Series S itself isn't as powerful as the Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5: It's not built for 4K gaming or especially high frame rates, it doesn't have a disc drive and it only includes 512GB of built-in storage. But it can play all the same games as the Series X, its SSD still allows for fast loading times and its compact design is easy to tuck away. It's a fitting choice for a secondary TV or those who want a more casual route into the Xbox library. We gave the console a review score of 85 when it first released in late 2020.PlayStation controllers, subscriptions and gamesAaron Souppouris/EngadgetIf you're prefer the PlayStation 5, Sony has dropped that machine's DualSense controllers down to $49, which is a new low and $20 off their usual going rate. Again, this sale applies to multiple finishes, though most are not priced higher than the standard white model. There are other accessory deals, too: Sony's DualSense Charging Station is back to its all-time low of $20, as is the PS5 Media Remote for those who often use the console as a media streamer.Shop PlayStation games and accessories sale at AmazonBuy PS Plus at PlayStation Store - 25 percent offIf you need to re-up your PlayStation Plus subscription, Sony has also cut the price of memberships to all three of that service's tiers by 25 percent. This brings the basic "Essential" tier down to $45, the "Extra" tier to $75, and the "Premium" tier to $90. As a refresher, the Essential tier gets you access to online multiplayer, an allotment of cloud storage and a handful of free game downloads each month. The Extra tier adds an on-demand library with a few hundred games, while the Premium tier adds cloud game streaming and a selection of "classic" PlayStation games selection on top of that. Finally, the company has discounted a range of PlayStation games at both its online store and third-party retailers. Highlights there include The Last of Us Part II and Death Stranding for $10; Returnal, Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut, and Ratchet Clank: Rift Apart for $30; and Horizon Forbidden West for $40. All of those match the lowest prices we've tracked.Roku StreambarValentina Palladino / EngadgetRoku's Streambar is down to $80 at multiple retailers, which is about $30 below its average street price in recent months and matches the lowest price we've tracked. This is a highly compact, 2.0-channel soundbar that doubles as a 4K HDR Roku streamer. You can get more expansive sound from other soundbars, but the Streambar will still outperform most built-in TV speakers, and having a streaming player built in is still useful for smartening up an older TV. We gave it a review score of 86 back in 2020. If you don't need a soundbar, Roku's excellent Streaming Stick 4K is still on sale for $25 as well.Buy Roku Streambar at Amazon - $80Buy Roku Streaming Stick 4K at Amazon - $25Google Pixel and Nest saleSam Rutherford / EngadgetGoogle's has set its annual Black Friday sale live, bringing solid discounts on a number of its Pixel and Nest devices. The notable offers here include the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are down to $500 and $750, respectively — both represent the lowest price we've tracked for what our review called "the best bargains in flagship phones." Normally, the handsets have retailed closer to $595 and $880.Shop Google Pixel and Nest device sale at AmazonThe Pixel 6a, meanwhile, is back at its all-time low of $299, down from a typical street price around $385. We gave that device a review score of 89 this past July — it gets you the same clean software as the flagship models and excellent camera performance for the price, though it does sacrifice wireless charging and a higher refresh rate, among other perks, by comparison.A range of Nest smart home gadgets are also on sale. The 7-inch Nest Hub Mini is the top pick in our guide to the best smart displays and a fine alternative to Amazon's Echo Show if you prefer to use the Google Assistant or don't want a built-in camera. It's back down to $50 from its usual $80 or so. The Nest Learning Thermostat is still on sale for $179, too, while the more basic Nest Thermostat is at a near-low of $90. Further deals on the Nest Hub Max, Nest Audio, and Nest Mini are also available.Fitbit Charge 5Valentina Palladino / EngadgetWith its built-in GPS and accurate activity tracking, Fitbit Charge 5 is the top pick in our guide to the best fitness trackers. Right now it's on sale for $100, which is about $25 off its usual street price and marks an all-time low. Buy Fitbit Charge 5 at Amazon - $100Amazon Fire TV Stick saleAmazonAll of Amazon's Fire TV Stick streamers are on sale, with the Fire TV Stick 4K Max down to $35, the Fire TV Stick 4K down to $25, the Fire TV Stick down to $20, and the Fire TV Stick Lite down to $15. We've seen these deals numerous times in the past, but they match the best prices we've seen for the two 4K sticks and bring the 1080p models within $3 of their respective lows. Shop Fire TV Stick sale at AmazonWe did a quick breakdown of the differences between these streamers earlier this week. All of them saddle you with an ad-heavy UI that steers you toward Amazon's own content, but they continue to work well for casual streaming, and they should prove convenient if you frequently use Alexa, Prime Video or other Amazon services already .Amazon Fire tablet saleAmazonNot to be outdone, just about all of Amazon's Fire tablets are at or near their best-ever prices as well. The pick of the bunch is the Fire HD 10 for $75, which matches its all-time low and comes in about $40 than its usual going rate. Like all Fire tablets, it's not the most premium-feeling thing and its interface heavily steers you toward Amazon content. Still, it's faster than Amazon's other slates, and its 10.1-inch 1080p display is more pleasing for web browsing and streaming video. At this price, it's great value for casual tablet users or those who often enjoy Amazon services like Audible, Prime Video or Prime Music. Shop Amazon Fire tablet sale at AmazonThe recently-refreshedFire HD 8 isn't a bad alternative if you want something smaller or cheaper, though. It's down to $55, which marks a new low. The various Kids editions of these tablets are also on sale — as a reminder, those tack on a protective case, a longer two-year warranty, and a year-long subscription to the company's Kids+ content service. The entry-level Fire 7 is also on sale for a low of $40, though we generally advise against buying that model given its non-HD display and sluggish performance. Amazon Kindle saleNathan Ingraham / EngadgetAmazon's sweeping device sale also extends to its Kindle e-readers. The crisp and comfortable Kindle Paperwhite, for one, is down to $95 from its usual $135. That's a new low, but if you can spare an extra $10, the Kids version of the Paperwhite might be a better value — despite the name, it's essentially the same hardware, just with a longer two-year warranty, a cover and no ads on its lock screen by default. It's also at its lowest price to date.Shop Kindle sale at AmazonThe Paperwhite Signature Edition, meanwhile, quadruples the built-in storage to 32GB, adds Qi wireless charging and an auto-adjusting backlight. It's down a new low at $130, and we gave it a glowing review score of 97 last year. The sale brings the top-end Kindle Oasis to a best-ever price of $205 as well; that one is overkill for most people, but it still has the largest display of any Kindle.Amazon Echo saleAmazonBeyond that, a wide range of Amazon Echo speakers and Echo Show smart displays are available for low or near-low prices, too. Among the highlights, the recently updated Echo Dot is down to $25, which is the first major discount we've tracked and half off its street price up to now. The variant with a built-in clock is down to a new low of $40, meanwhile, as is the fuller-sounding base Echo. If you want a smart display, the Echo Show 8 is a worthy choice at $70; we gave that one a review score of 87 last year and generally consider it the most appropriate mix of size, speed and audio quality among Alexa displays. Shop Echo speaker sale at AmazonShop Echo Show sale at AmazonHeadspaceEngadgetPopular meditation app Headspace has kicked off its Black Friday promotion for the year, taking half off its annual and monthly memberships for new and returning subscribers. That brings the annual plan down to $35 and the monthly plan to $6.49 per month. If you take the plunge, just note that the discount only applies for the first year, after which the subscription will auto-renew at its normal going rate. Apps like this aren't magical cure-alls for stress, but we've recommended Headspace in the past for its impressive breadth of guided meditations and accessibility for those new to the practice.Buy Headspace subscription at Headspace - 50 percent offMasterClassMasterclassMasterclass has rolled out a Cyber Monday deal that gives two annual memberships to the online education platform for the price of one. Depending on what plan you pick, that's either a $180, $240 or $276 discount. You can technically keep both years for yourself, but the offer is designed for you to gift the second year-long subscription to a loved one, as it'll expire 365 days from your date of purchase if it's not redeemed beforehand. Just note that both subscriptions will be set to auto-renew by default, and while the deal applies to any of the platform's plans, the cheapest subscription doesn't include offline downloads. In any event, Masterclass continues to offer a plethora of insightful courses taught by celebrities and field experts alike, covering everything from cooking with Gordon Ramsey to business strategy with Bob Iger.Buy two Masterclass subscriptions at Masterclass - 50 percent offSanDisk Extreme Portable SSDWestern DigitalAt $100 and $150, respectively, both the 1TB and 2TB versions of SanDisk's Extreme Portable SSD are down to their lowest prices to date. For reference, the former usually sits closer to $120, while the latter usually runs closer to $190. This is one of the better portable SSDs on the market, offering a rugged, pocketable design and fast-enough transfer speeds for moving large files on top of the usual reliability of any SSD. It also comes with a five-year warranty.Buy 1TB SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD at Amazon - $100Samsung storage device saleSamsungStaying on the storage front, we're also seeing discounts on a variety of Samsung SSDs and microSD cards. The 2TB model of the 980 Pro SSD is down to a new low of $180, for one, which is a roughly $50 discount. While Samsung recently launched a follow-up, this is still a well-performing PCIe 4.0 drive for those who want to upgrade their PS5's storage. Similarly, the company's Evo Select microSD card isn't the absolute fastest you can buy, but it should more than enough for most needs — its 512GB variant is on sale for $45, which is $15 off its usual price and a new all-time low.Shop Samsung storage device sale at AmazoniRobot Roomba 694The Roomba 694 is back down to $179, which is about $45 off its usual street price and only $5 more than the lowest price we've tracked. This is a simpler "bump and run" robot vacuum, but it's the budget pick in our guide to the best robovacs thanks to its easy-to-use app, sturdy design and decent cleaning power. If you're willing to pay a bit more for something with smarter navigation and a dock for cleaning and charging, iRobot's Roomba i3+ Evo is a nice step up that's currently available for an all-time low of $350.Buy Roomba 694 at Amazon - $179Anker Soundcore Life Q30AnkerHere's a good deal on a rare set of commendable noise-cancelling headphones priced below $100. At $60, this is $10 more than the lowest price we've ever seen for Anker's Soundcore Life Q30, but still $20 off the pair's usual street price. The Q30 offers a comfortable fit, a superb 40+ hours of battery life per charge and noise cancellation that, while a step behind the best premium models, belies its low price. Its mic isn't great, and its sound goes very heavy on the bass by default, but it still offers a lot of headphone for the money.Buy Anker Soundcore Life Q30 at Amazon - $60Beats Powerbeats ProBilly Steele/EngadgetThe Beats Powerbeats Pro are back down to their all-time low of $150, which is about $40 less than the typical street price we see. These earbuds are a pick in our guide to the best wireless workout headphones, where we praised their stable behind-the-ear hook design, AirPods-esque ease of use with iPhones, nine-ish hours of continuous battery life and physical controls. Their case is enormous, though, and their partially-sealed fit may not be for everyone. If you want a more affordable set of true wireless buds, though, Jabra's Elite 3 is another pair we like, and it's back within $2 of its all-time low at $50.Buy Beats Powerbeats Pro at Amazon - $150LG and Samsung TVsAmy SkorheimBlack Friday is typically the best time of year to pick up a new TV, and sure enough, we're starting to see new low prices on well-regarded sets. The 65-inch version of Samsung's S95B OLED TV, for instance, has dropped to a new low of $1,798, which is about $200 below than the typical price we've seen over the past month. This set's "QD-OLED" panel has earnedrave reviews around the web for offering the excellent contrast of most OLED TVs without sacrificing as much in the way of brightness and color saturation.Buy 65" Samsung S95B OLED TV at Amazon - $1,798Buy 42" LG C2 OLED TV at Amazon - $897Buy 55" Samsung The Frame TV at Amazon - $998Buy 55" Hisense U6H at Walmart - $368LG's C2 OLED TV is more prone to those issues, but it still provides inky blacks, wide viewing angles and gaming-friendly features like the ability to play in 4K/120Hz. It looks particularly nice in darker room. It's also available in smaller sizes than the S95B, and its 42-inch model is currently down to a new low of $897, which is about $130 off its usual going rate. If you need something bigger, BuyDig has the 65-inch C2 for the same $1,697 price we've seen for the past month, but includes a $150 gift card with the purchase.If you're willing to sacrifice some picture quality for a striking design, we've previously sung the praises of Samsung's Frame TV, which is built to look like a giant picture frame and can display art when you aren't watching something. The 55-inch model of that LED TV is back to a low of $998, which is about $300 off its street price. If you're on a tighter budget, Hisense's U6H is a well-reviewed set that's on sale for a more approachable $370, another all-time low.NVIDIA GeForce NowNVIDIA is running a promotion that doles out six months of the "Priority" tier of its GeForce Now cloud gaming service for $30, down from its usual $50. The company says this deal is only available to new members, free-tier members, Priority members currently on a 1-month subscription plan and "users on an active promotion or gift card," so it's looking to upsell customers who aren't on one of the service's higher-end plans already. Still, if you've been interested in giving the service a try, this is a more affordable way to avoid the limitations of its free tier. The promo is set to run through November 20.Buy GeForce Now at NVIDIA - $30As a refresher, GeForce Now lets you stream games you already own on platforms like Steam or the Epic Games Store over the cloud, so it'll work best if you have a well-sized library of PC games already. "Priority" is the service's middle tier. You can stream in resolutions up to 1080p and frame rates up to 60 fps, which is a step behind the 4K and 120 fps support of the top "RTX 3080" tier but should be fine for most. You're also allotted up to six hours per session, instead of the one-hour session length of the service's free tier.Eero mesh router saleAmazonIf you're looking to upgrade your home WiFi to a mesh networking kit, Amazon's Eero 6 routers aren't necessarily the fastest or most customizable, but they're generally reliable and particularly easy to operate. Right now, a number of Eero systems are on sale. The best middle-ground option is likely the Eero 6 Plus, a three-pack of which is back to its all-time low of $194. That's well down from its usual $299, but if you have a smaller place, two-packs and solo routers are also available for lows of $155 and $90, respectively. Shop Eero 6 mesh router sale at Amazon

18.11.2022 18:20 Charging is usually one of the least exciting parts of driving an EV, but the FIA thinks it can make these pauses more engaging. As part of updated regulations, Formula E will trial a 30-second "Attack Charge" during some races in the ninth season. New battery technology will give cars 4kWh of energy from the half-minute session thanks to a 600kW booster. The charging stop will be mandatory at a specified point in the race, but drivers will receive two "enhanced" Attack Mode periods later in the race as compensation.The quick charge is tied to the Gen3 cars making their debut in the new season. The current Attack Mode, where drivers can activate a momentary power boost, will still be available in those races where Attack Charge isn't in use. The modified Attack Mode isn't what was originally planned. According to The Race, the FIA had originally hoped to revive pit stops, but the necessary system wasn't ready in time. Those more conventional stops are expected to come, but not for a while yet.The upcoming season also makes fundamental changes to the league's competitive format. Races now take place over a set number of laps, rather than a fixed amount of time. If there are safety car and full course yellow disruptions, organizers will add more laps. Teams will also have to complete a minimum of two Free Practice 1 sessions with rookie drivers to help them experience Formula E. And don't expect to play a role in your favorite driver's victory — the spectator-driven Fanboost is going away.Season nine and Gen3 will launch in Mexico City this January. It's too soon to say if Attack Charge will spice up races in real-world conditions. However, it might point to the future of roadgoing EVs. Even the fastest-charging street models take at least a few minutes to get a meaningful amount of range from a charging session. Hyundai's Ioniq 5 needs five minutes on a 350kW charger for 53 miles of driving, for instance. While 600kW chargers won't become mainstream for a while , Formula E's testing hints at a day when your EV might only need a brief stop to recover enough range for a long drive.

18.11.2022 18:20 It's now much simpler to participate in a Microsoft Teams meeting if you have hearing issues. Microsoft has introduced a sign language view that lets people who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as their interpreters, prioritize each other during meetings. Those video feeds will remain in consistent locations, at sizes large enough for sign language to be visible. You'll see as many as two other signers throughout a meeting, and video will remain large even when slides or screen shares are visible.The view also makes preferences "sticky" thanks to a new accessibility settings pane, Microsoft says. You won't have to worry about pinning interpreters or enabling captions every time a Teams call begins. You can jump directly into a meeting instead of tweaking options.The sign language view and accessibility pane are currently available only through a Public Preview available on a user-by-user basis. They'll roll out to all commercial and government customers in the "coming weeks," Microsoft says. It could take a while before everyone can use the functionality. Still, this promises to greatly simplify meetings for anyone with limited hearing — and might make Teams more viable if alternatives like Zoom aren't up to the task.

18.11.2022 18:20 There’s another opportunity to pick up Amazon’s Echo speakers at their lowest prices to date as part of the company’s early Black Friday sales. In many cases, they’ve dropped back down to the prices we saw during the fall edition of Prime Day. For one thing, the regular Echo is $50, which is half off the usual price. The latest Echo Dot is down from $50 to $25, and the fifth-gen Echo Dot with clock is a third off at $40. The Echo Dot kids' version is down 50 percent to $30 as well.Buy Echo at Amazon - $50Buy Echo Dot at Amazon - $25Buy Echo Dot with clock at Amazon - $40Buy Echo Dot kids' version at Amazon - $30Amazon hasn't refreshed the standard Echo since 2020, but $50 is still a good price for this speaker. In our review, we lauded it for the great sound quality, while the inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack is very welcome. You can pair two Echo speakers for stereo audio. Given the current price, you'd essentially be getting two for the price of one anyway.Echo Dot recently got a refresh with a larger driver and, Amazon claims, double the bass of the previous model as well as clearer vocals. The latest Echo Dot with clock can now flash information like the artist and title of a song that it's playing on its display.The Echo Dot kids' version comes with a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. This includes access to child-friendly Audible books and interactive games, as well as educational Alexa skills. Alexa will give responses that are kid-friendly, while the smart speaker will filter explicit songs. There are parental controls available too.Amazon has set up a page where you can see all the early Black Friday offers for Echo devices and bundles. Meanwhile, Amazon has some solid deals on its Echo Show devices. Those have dropped back to the all-time lows we saw during October Prime Day too.Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

18.11.2022 18:20 Companies continue to find new ways to impress with true wireless earbuds. There’s no doubt the popularity of Apple’s AirPods helped make them a mainstay, but plenty of others offer reliable connectivity, great sound and active noise cancellation in increasingly smaller form factors. You can also get features that used to be reserved for premium models on mid-range devices. Of course, the popularity means that new earbuds are popping up all the time and the list of options is longer than ever. To help, we’ve compiled the best wireless earbuds you can buy right now, including noteworthy features for each selection.Engadget's picksBest overall: Sony WF-1000XM4Runner up: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3Best noise cancellation: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds IIBest budget: Jabra Elite 3Best for iOS: Apple Airpods Pro Best for Android: Google Pixel Buds ProBest for workouts: Beats Fit ProHonorable mention: Sony LinkBuds SBest overall: Sony WF-1000XM4Sony keeps its top spot on our list for its combination of great sound, powerful active noise cancellation and a long list of features no other company can compete with. Just like its headphones, Sony manages to pack a ton of handy tools into its flagship true wireless model. The basics like wireless charging and battery life improvements are covered, but company-specific features like Speak-to-Chat automatic pausing, Adaptive Sound Control adjustments based on movement or location, 360 Reality Audio and a customizable EQ are icing on the cake. Plus, DSEE Extreme upscaling helps improve compressed tunes over Bluetooth.Runner up: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 3If sound quality is your primary concern, the Momentum True Wireless 3 is your best bet. You won’t get the truckload of features that Sony offers, but Sennheiser does the basics well at a lower price than the previous Momentum earbuds. A new Adaptive Noise Cancellation setup continuously monitors ambient sounds to suppress them in real time. Inside, the company’s True Response transducer is paired with 7mm dynamic drivers for top-notch audio.Best noise cancellation: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds IIWhen it comes to blocking out the world, the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II are the best at the task. Bose introduced a redesigned set earlier this year and the smaller buds deliver a more comfy fit. The company also managed to improve ambient sound and maintain its track record of solid audio quality. However, the real star here is the ANC performance which is hands-down the best you can get right now. The QC Earbuds II don’t have some basic features like multipoint connectivity and wireless charging, so that might factor into your decision.Best budget pick: Jabra Elite 3Jabra packs a lot into a set of earbuds for under $100. The Elite 3 don’t have ANC, automatic pausing or wireless charging, and the EQ changes are limited to presets. However, these affordable buds have impressive sound quality, good battery life, reliable on-board controls and a very comfy fit. If you’re looking for something that just gets the job done, the Elite 3 is more than capable.Best for iOS: Apple Airpods Pro Apple’s latest AirPods Pro are a huge improvement over the 2019 model. The company managed to improve the sound quality and ANC performance while keeping all of the conveniences that make AirPods the best option for iOS and Mac. To me, the most impressive feature is the transparency mode, which is more natural sounding than any other earbuds by a mile. You can leave these in during a conversation and it’s like you’re not even wearing them. Of course, fast pairing, hands-free Siri and wireless charging will also come in handy.Best for Android: Google Pixel Buds ProGoogle has hit its stride when it comes to true wireless earbuds. Every new model the company introduces is an improvement after its first attempt failed to impress. With the Pixel Buds Pro, Google offers deep, punchy bass, solid ANC performance, reliable touch controls and wireless charging. Plus, there are added convenience features for Android and Pixel devices including Google Translate Conversation Mode.Best for workouts: Beats Fit ProMost of the best AirPods features in a set of workout earbuds? That’s the Beats Fit Pro. Thanks to Apple’s H1 chip, these buds offer one-touch quick pairing, hands-free Siri and Find My tools. They’ll also allow you to use Audio Sharing with an Apple device and another set of AirPods or Beats headphones for tandem listening or viewing. Balanced and punchy bass will keep the energy up during workouts while good noise cancellation and a comfy fit make these a solid option outside of the gym too. And there’s plenty of support for Android, so these aren’t just a good buy for iOS users either.Honorable mention: Sony LinkBuds SOne of the biggest surprises this year wasn’t Sony’s unique open-wear LinkBuds, it was the more mainstream follow-up. With the LinkBuds S, the company debuted a more “traditional” design akin to its premium WF-1000XM4, only this model is much smaller and lighter which leads to a much more comfy fit. These tiny buds muster some punch when it comes to sound quality too and support for high-res listening are both onboard. Capable ANC lends a hand with environmental noise and transparency mode can keep you tuned in when needed. What’s more, handy Speak-to-Chat is here and Adaptive Sound Control can automatically change settings based on activity or location. That’s a lot of premium for features at a mid-range price.

18.11.2022 18:20 Twitter may not be restoring Blue verification for a couple of weeks, but it hopes to be more careful when the feature comes back. The social network has updated its FAQ site to warn that new accounts will have to wait 90 days before they can subscribe to Blue. The company also says it reserves the right to demand waiting periods "at our discretion without notice."The new policy comes shortly after Twitter blocked new accounts from joining Blue. Within two days of Twitter adopting its pay-to-verify system, the social media service grappled with a flood of impersonators and trolls using their new checkmarks to confuse users. The firm tried using a secondary "official" checkmark for public figures and organizations, but new Twitter owner scrapped the system mere hours after it launched.Musk added that a "new release" would discourage fraudsters by dropping the Blue checkmark if they change their name — they wouldn't get it back until Twitter confirmed that the new handle honored the Terms of Service. There isn't yet any official policy to this effect, however.There's plenty of pressure for revised policies like these. Senator Ed Markey has grilled Elon Musk over the ease of creating fake accounts under the new verification system, and suggested that Congress might intervene if the entrepreneur doesn't fix Twitter and his other brands. Twitter is also dealing with internal chaos as employees resign en masse in response to Musk's demands for "long hours" from "hardcore" staff.

18.11.2022 18:20 You're not alone if you've waited until Black Friday to scope out deals on the latest MacBooks. Considering these are some of the best laptops out there right now, plenty of people will be looking for the best MacBook deals over the holiday shopping period. We me be still one week out from Black Friday proper, but we're already seeing some solid deals on machines like the new MacBook Air M2, and even the high-powered 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.While you'll likely get the best deal by shopping at a retailer like Amazon, B&H Photo, Adorama and others, Apple does have it's own holiday sales as well. However, you'll have to wait until Black Friday for those, plus they give you up to a $250 Apple gift card with purchase rather than a discounted price. If you know you'll use that gift card, that may be the best option for you. But if you'd rather the instant gratification of a couple hundred dollars off, we've collected the best MacBook deals here so you don't have to go searching for them.MacBook Air M1The 2020 MacBook Air with Apple's M1 chipset is at an all-time low right now — only $800 for the base model with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. While, yes, the M2 chip in the latest model will give you a slight performance boost, the M1 processor is still quite powerful. It'll certainly be an upgrade for anyone coming from an older, Intel-powered MacBook. We gave the M1 Air a score of 94 when it first came out for its incredibly fast performance, excellent keyboard and trackpad, lovely Retina display and its lack of fan noise.MacBook Air M2The latest and greatest MacBook Air, the 2022 model with the M2 chipset, is $150 off and down to a record low of $1,050. This laptop looks and feels quite different from the 2020 version thanks to Apple redesigning the machine to have a uniformly thing frame all around and its screen is slightly larger at 13.6-inches. We also appreciated its quad-speaker setup and its excellent performance overall, so much so that we called it Apple's "near-perfect" Mac.13-inch MacBook ProApple's most compact Pro laptop, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, is on sale for $1,149 right now, or 12 percent off its normal rate. It sits, somewhat confusingly, in the middle of the company's notebook lineup. While it has solid performance thanks to the M2 chipset, a long battery life and stellar build quality, it's hard for us to recommend outright. Most people would be better served by the M2 MacBook Air, or jumping up to the 14-inch MacBook Pro for even more power. But if you're set on the 13-inch size and want the efficiency provided by an internal fan , this MacBook Pro is your best bet.14-inch MacBook ProThe 2021 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M1 Pro processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage is a whopping $400 off and down to a record low of $1,600. This machine has the most advanced features of any Apple laptop , including a Liquid Retina XDR display, remarkable performance using that Pro chipset, excellent battery life and a bevy of ports that make connecting all of your peripherals and accessories much easier. Apple is overdue for a MacBook Pro refresh, though, but it's likely that those machines won't launch until early 2023.16-inch MacBook ProThe biggest of Apple's laptops, the 16-inch MacBook Pro, is cheaper than ever at $2,000 thanks to a $500 discount. That still-hefty price gets you an M1 Pro chipset, a 10‑core CPU and 16‑core GPU, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. This model is essentially an enlarged version of the 14-inch Pro, sharing most of the same features with it. You're getting a Liquid Retina XDR display, a bunch of ports including an SD card slot, a fantastic keyboard and great battery life.Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

18.11.2022 18:20 We at Engadget spend a lot of time thinking about the best tech gifts for anyone and everyone in your life. But during that process, we often can’t help but think about the things we’d like to receive as gifts. We encourage everyone to treat themselves in some way while scrambling to find gifts for those they love, and it’s about time we take our own advice. Here, we’ve compiled a list of gadgets on our staffers’ wish lists with the hope that it may inspire you to splurge a bit on yourself this year.VestaboardVestaboardWith a price starting at just under $3,000, I don’t expect anyone to ever buy me a Vestaboard. But that won’t stop me from dreaming. Capable of displaying up to 132 characters, the Vestaboard is an updated twist on the traditional split-flap sign board you used to see at airports and train stations. Each cell can display 64 different characters or colors and thanks to support for WiFi and a companion app, you can create new patterns or messages right on your phone. But most importantly, whenever the display refreshes itself, you’ll hear that iconic clack clack as the flaps whirl around inside. It’s a nostalgic blend of old-school tech and modern convenience.Even though I probably will never own one, the Vestaboard still puts a smile on my face. — Sam Rutherford, Senior ReporterShop VestaboardLEGO Galaxy Explorer setEngadgetThis year, the Lego Group turned 90 — and while the company didn’t start making Lego bricks as we know them until 1958, Lego still released a few special sets to commemorate the occasion. As a child of the ‘80s, I played with a host of old-school, iconic Lego sets, including many spaceships — so the brand-new, $100 Galaxy Explorer set immediately caught my eye. It’s basically a larger, more complex version of a one Lego released in 1979 that includes more than 1,200 pieces, instead of the 338 found in the original model.That makes it a lot more intriguing to nerdy adults like me who still love the chill mood that comes with putting together a Lego set. And the design captures the vibe of ones I built when I was a kid, before Lego was mostly known for licensing Star Wars and Harry Potter. The gray / blue color scheme is a classic, and the astronaut mini-figures have the uncomplicated, slightly smiling face and bright yellow coloring that was used on almost every figure Lego made for decades. What can I say? I’m a nostalgia junky, and a throwback spaceship that’s bigger and uses modern building techniques is just the right mix of old and new for me. — Nathan Ingraham, Deputy EditorBuy Galaxy Explorer set at LEGO - $100Razor EcoSmart CargoEngadgetI’ve been fascinated by micromobility for years, but a lot of the offerings are lackluster at best. It doesn’t help that e-scooters aren’t legal here in the UK unless you rent one as part of a special trial, limited to a handful of select providers. But when I saw Razor’s EcoSmart Cargo, the wheels of my imagination began to spin like an excited hamster on its exercise wheel. Not only is it a remarkably stylish offering, but its rear rack can take either an extra passenger, or a decent chunk of cargo.With a 300-pound carrying weight, elegant design and quick speed, it’s the sort of scooter that would do plenty of things in my weekly routine. Not to mention that, looking like it does, it might pass under the watchful eye of local law enforcement who might not spot what’s going on. Not that I’m advocating you should do that, of course, I’m just saying it’s an interesting potential benefit, you know? If there’s a downside, it’s that range of 16.6 miles, which would mean I’d likely need to recharge it after every other trip or so, but I’d forgive that if it saved me time. — Daniel Cooper, Senior ReporterBuy EcoSmart Cargo at Razor - $1,100Babboe Curve MountainEngadgetDuring August and September, I borrowed a Babboe Curve-E as part of a long story about cargo cycling . The Babboe is the SUV of bicycles, with a beefy forward box that can take loads of up to 220 pounds, or four kids at a time. And boy, did my kids love riding around in the Babboe, asking to go in it at every possible opportunity no matter the weather. Unfortunately, the Curve-E’s relatively milquetoast rear hub was no match for the hills in my local area, reducing its efficacy. After all, this bike was primarily designed for the flat roads of the Netherlands, not the steep hills of the UK.That’s why my fantasy gift pick would either be the Babboe Curve Mountain, or the smaller two-seater City Mountain. Both of those bikes ditch the puny rear hub motor for a 36v, 250W Yamaha mid-drive motor. Certainly, both are priced for the sort of people who use “Summer” as a verb – with the cheapest model priced at around $4,500. But maybe, given the look on my kids' faces when we rode around on it, that’s a price worth paying . — D.C.Shop Babboe bicyclesMoen smart water leak detectorMoenThe things that get me excited as a new homeowner are decidedly not things I thought I’d ever get excited about a year ago. Case in point, this water leak detector kit from Moen that I’d absolutely love to get as a gift. Potential water damage is something I have to think about now and these smart sensors are designed to detect when water goes into places it’s not supposed to go in a home.The sensors are small enough to go almost anywhere like your basement, under your kitchen sink or near your washing machine and it will send alerts to your phone if it detects excess moisture in that area. They come with screws and mounts so you can install them pretty easily anywhere and this pack comes with a 48-inch extension disk, allowing a sensor to reach into a tight space. I particularly like that these sensors primarily work with WiFi and Moen’s companion app, but even if your WiFi goes out, they’ll still alert you via an audible chip and a flashing light on the sensors themselves. — Valentina Palladino, Senior Commerce EditorBuy Moen leak detector at Amazon - $130MacBook Air M2EngadgetWhen we were asked to figure out what we’d really like for the holidays, it didn’t take long for me to add the Air M2 to my list. I mean, it’s certainly a fantasy purchase, give the eye-watering cost of the new machine, especially since everyone screams about how bad the base model is. It’s only when you get to the 512GB model, with 16GB RAM, that the MacBook Air M2 goes from gorgeous, expensive toy to a powerhouse worth screaming about. But it’s exactly the sort of machine that I’d like to get my hands on, if only to test those performance claims for myself. Not to mention seeing if it really can replace far more expensive machines for creative tasks, including image and video editing. — D.C.Buy MacBook Air M2 at Amazon - $1,200Jerky of the Month ClubEngadgetIf there’s one thing I enjoy more than the surprise and excitement of getting something other than a bill in the mail, it’s eating whatever is inside the envelope — especially if it turns out to be edible . That’s why receiving a subscription for Jerky.com’s Jerky of the Month Club is at the top of my holiday wish list this year.Jerky’s monthly subscription is an easy way to get access to the company’s ever-changing catalog of limited-edition flavors. With a monthly subscription, Jerky will send two pouches of more traditional meat products — teriyaki, cracked pepper, BBQ, and the like — along with one off-the-wall flavor to keep things interesting. These selections are the results of the company’s R&D process. Whenever Jerky comes up with a new flavor profile, they’ll make a small batch and then distribute it to select customers and collect their feedback. The Jerky of the Month club gets me access to those flavors without the added work of having to both form and convey opinions about them. — Andrew Tarantola, Senior ReporterShop Jerky of the Month Club subscriptionsSlough House seriesEngadgetI don’t suppose any show which airs on Apple TV+ can be described as an underdog, but certainly Slow Horses arrived without much fanfare. Despite it featuring Oscar winner Gary Oldman, it was still enough of a surprise that I felt compelled to tell everyone how good it was. And as someone who’s got… more than a few John LeCarré books on his shelf, something I’m actually hoping to get this holiday season is the book series Slow Horses was based on.Slough House is a fictional branch of the security services where agents too useless to be in the field, but who know too much to be fired, are parked. The series has already stretched to nine books, with the first four optioned by Apple for adaptation. And if the books are half as good as the TV series, then they’ll make for gripping reading when I’m looking for something to keep me warm through the darkest months of winter. — D.C.Shop Slough House series at Amazon

18.11.2022 18:20 The digitization of the music industry leveled the playing field for artists. An album can be written, recorded and released from a bedroom without an expensive recording studio or predatory record label. This DIY ethic isn’t new. Bands have been recording and releasing albums on their own or out of friendly record stores for decades.Digitization has also created a glut of available music, which can make it difficult for new bands or artists to break through the noise. Plus, popular artists with record deals still get the lion’s share of the attention. I’m pretty sure every Beyonce release is now a national holiday. For every other artist, the resurgence of vinyl and cassette has revived the ability to give or sell something tangible to their fans – a physical keepsake that could offer a tighter emotional bond with the music. While making copies of tapes has been an at-home pastime since the 1980s, vinyl has required a third party that specializes in cutting records. At least, until recently.Teenage Engineering’s $149 PO-08 Record Factory combines the nostalgia of a Fisher-Price turntable with the utility of a machine that can actually cut vinyl. You’ll have to assemble it yourself and master each song specifically for the device. Even after all that work, your music probably will sound like it’s being played through an AM radio. That might sound like a nightmare for some, yet is potentially wonderful for others.Roberto Baldwin / EngadgetThe PO-08 is a rebranding of magazine publisher Gakken’s "Easy Record Maker" — a record cutter/player designed by Yuri Suzuki. Teenage Engineering worked with Suzuki for its version and even includes an interview with the designer in the supplied magazine/instruction booklet.Though the turntable looks like a toy, Teenage Engineering tells you that it’s not recommended for kids under the age of 12. It’s really built for “children” between the ages of 17 and 64 — for the type of person that has three bands, strong opinions about direct drive turntables, a very active Discogs account and a DIY attitude. Oh, and also the patience needed to fiddle with tiny parts for hours to create a single, not-so-perfect mono copy of a song. Yes, it works, but it’s a lo-fi representation of a professionally created record; The Factory is an EZ bake oven for vinyl.Engadget · Teenage Engineering Record FactoryBuilding the Record Factory takes about 60 to 90 minutes, and it helps give you the confidence to disassemble it when you realize that, say, you didn’t attach the cable for the needle securely. I had to do exactly that when there was no audio after I first put the device together – everything seemed to be working but there was no actual sound.Having to assemble the device also lends insight into the Record Factory’s inner workings, which are quite clever. The cutting needle vibrates via a tiny speaker to engrave your audio onto one of Teenage Engineering’s blank discs. A tiny gearing system moves the needle along and after three to four minutes , your song is inscribed onto the vinyl.But everything leading up to that is a series of adjustments. If you’re the type of person that requires a thing to “just work” without much tinkering, stay far away from the PO-08.You begin with your original recording and at the end of the inscription, you get a mono representation. The single-channel audio is a technical limitation of the device. To make sure the audio going in is mono, the Record Factory comes with a minijack cable that takes the left and right channels of your stereo signal and merges them together. You also end up losing fidelity, which is another technical limitation. The top and low ends of a song can get muddy easily and too much bass actually causes the cutter needle to jump.Roberto Baldwin / EngadgetYou can try to fix this yourself, but it’s smarter to use Teenage Engineering’s online audio mastering tool. Just upload the file, wait a few minutes and the site spits out something that works better with the device. This process does result in the loss of all the intricate details of your song. The low end becomes slightly muddy or disappears altogether while the high end loses its bite. If you’re looking for crisp, exact copies, skip the PO-08 entirely.A whole 45 minutes after mastering your audio, you get to cut a record. In that time, you’ll be adjusting the pressure of the cutting arm, listening very carefully to the audio being sent to the device to make sure it’s not distorting and if it is, turning down the volume. But you can’t go too low, or the signal wont be strong enough to engrave. That means you have to open up the equalizer and make adjustments until the audio sounds good .Now you’re ready to put it on wax . Except before you create a record you can share, you need to cut audio onto a test vinyl. You record 10 seconds, wash the disc with water to get all the excess bits out of the grooves, then switch the Record Factory to play mode and listen to your masterpiece.Roberto Baldwin / EngadgetThe test record isn’t that a big deal until you realize that Teenage Engineering has sold out of the discs needed for the turntable and hasn’t shared information on when they’ll be back in stock. This makes testing all the more important.A word of caution: the cutter slows down the turntable, so when played back at regular speed it might sound a little higher pitched. Like low-level Chipmunks high. So make sure you drop your file into the relevant tools online to adjust your song. Except it likely still needs work if you want the closest representation of your song available from the PO-80, which means you’ll have to, surprise surprise, make more adjustments. I conducted five test cuts before I was finally ready to create my first at-home vinyl record of a song.On top of all that, the turntable itself isn’t a great player, either. It sounds like you’re listening to music from under the sea. It’s fun to create and play on the same device, but it’s best to take the disc to a proper turntable. On my Technics SL-1200 MK2, the mono audio with the high and low-end cut-off sounded a bit far away compared to the original and the fidelity is nowhere near the quality of professional vinyl in my collection. Yet, it’s exactly what I anticipated and I’m happy with the end result.The Record Factory lives or dies by its owner’s expectations. There are two types of people in this world: those that lose their minds and patience dealing with even the tiniest inconvenience and those that live for tinkering and experimenting.Roberto Baldwin / EngadgetThe second group are people like me, and are excited about the difference in sounds between an at-home produced record, a cassette and a digital file. My band typically records on a digital eight-track but I also use a cassette four-track from the late 80s. There’s something special about sending a fan a vinyl recording that was produced at home. The PO-08 is for people that find beauty in the inherent potential for errors in DIY analog recordings.The Record Factory will find its niche of users that happily spend hours creating the perfectly imperfect vinyl copy of their song. Unfortunately, if someone doesn’t already have a PO-08 turntable they will have to find one of these beauties on eBay or Craigslist. The power move is to search for the Gaken branded version on eBay. Those turntables are much cheaper than the Teenage Engineering version.Teenage Engineering told Engadget that it has no plans to produce more of the sold-out turntables which is a shame. Not every musician can afford to have hundreds of records produced by a third party. But, if they can find a Record Factory they can cut one-of-a-kind vinyl they can share with friends and fans while they wait to make it big. As long as they are happy doing that on a toy built for very patient music nerds that are happy trading fidelity for something real.

18.11.2022 18:20 YouTube has created own signature launch sound and slick animation just like Netflix's "Tudum" and detailed exactly how it made it in a new blog post. The mini-fanfare has already appeared in the YouTube app on TVs, playing each time you start the app.The platform went into a lot of detail about how it built the sound in partnership with Antfood, a "sonic branding" studio. It aimed to make something "human," "connected," "expressive" and "story-driven," by marrying together a variety of sounds. You can hear it for yourself below:In fact, each part of the mix has its own name, like "deep dive," "upward flourish," "melodic signature," "tactile motion" and "sentimental harmony." A lot of thought went into all of this. For instance, YouTube said that "sentimental harmony" is a major 7th chord that "represents the way YouTube allows you to explore the things you really love."So that's all well and fine, but how does the three-second piece sound? Putting on my tiny music critic hat, it's certainly pleasant and harmonious, though not nearly as memorable as "Tudum." The accompanying animation is equally well executed but also a bit boring. It's early days, though, so it could grow on me. YouTube didn't come up with a catchy name for it like Netflix did, calling it simply the "YouTube sound," and I can't think of any onomatopoeia that would do it justice. In any case, YouTube said that the sound and animation will appear "in more places over the next few weeks and months."

18.11.2022 18:20 If you’re looking for extra peace of mind while away from home, you may want to look at Amazon’s early Black Friday sale on its own Blink security cameras. You can grab a two-pack of the Blink Mini for $30, which matches the lowest price we’ve seen on the indoor camera bundle.Buy Blink Mini two-pack at Amazon - $30Blink Mini is a wired camera, so remember you’ll need to keep the pair plugged into nearby outlets. They offer standard Blink features like 1080p video capture, infrared night vision, two-way audio and optional smartphone alerts if their motion sensors are triggered.Setup is easy, only requiring plugging in the cameras, connecting them to WiFi and following setup instructions in the Blink app. You can also integrate them with Alexa, using Amazon’s voice assistant to see a live view and arm or disarm your camera. The cameras are available in black and white, and the deal applies to both color options.Amazon also has the Blink Video Doorbell for $35, which is $15 off its sticker price. It also provides 1080p HD streaming and recording, infrared night vision and two-way audio. You’ll need to buy a Sync Module to use live view or two-way audio without a doorbell press or motion detection. Amazon’s early Black Friday deals also include a bundle with the Blink Video Doorbell and Sync Module 2 for $55.Blink Outdoor cameras are also on sale at Amazon starting at $60, down from their usual $100 starting price. This wireless camera is weather-resistant, records up to 1080p resolution, and has night vision. In addition, Amazon says it can run for up to two years on two AA batteries. Finally, you can also snag Blink’s Outdoor + Floodlight bundle for $70. Usually priced at $140, the Floodlight’s LEDs blast 700 lumens of light onto your chosen outdoor area.Buy Blink Video Doorbell at Amazon - $35Buy Blink Outdoor at Amazon - $60Buy Blink Outdoor + Floodlight bundle at Amazon - $70Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

18.11.2022 18:20 This week, Cherlynn and Devindra chat with Senior Commerce Editor, Valentina Palladino, about our massive Holiday Gift Guide. If you’re looking for a decent laptop to gift, or maybe some budget gear for yourself, we’ve got you covered! Also, they dig into the FTX debacle , and Elon Musk’s ongoing fail whale Twitter acquisition. And on a surprising note, we end up having strong feelings about Amazon’s chat-based virtual healthcare service.Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!Subscribe!iTunesSpotifyPocket CastsStitcherGoogle PodcastsTopicsEngadget 2022 Holiday Gift Guide – 1:24NASA’s Artemis 1 rocket finally launches – 27:20Cherlynn got to try Apple’s SOS satellite text message service – 28:56Qualcomm announces Snapdragon chips with hardware-accelerated ray tracing – 34:33Tuvalu turns to the metaverse to save its culture from climate change – 38:38Meta axes its Portal video chat device – 40:21FTX continues to collapse as regulator investigations begin – 43:15Elon Twitter is a mess: your weekly update – 48:36Working on – 1:02:47Pop culture picks – 1:05:59LivestreamCreditsHosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra HardawarGuest: Valentina PalladinoProducer: Ben EllmanMusic: Dale North and Terrence O'BrienLivestream producers: Julio BarrientosGraphic artists: Luke Brooks and Brian Oh

18.11.2022 18:20 Amazon's Black Friday deals have started going live, and its Echo Show displays, Fire tablets and Fire TV devices are already being sold at a discount. Also on sale? Its Kindle e-readers, some of which are now listed for the lowest prices we've seen for them on the website. The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, for instance, is currently priced at $130 or 32 percent off retail, which is an all-time low for what we once called "the best e-reader" in a review. It has a bigger and more responsive screen compared to the previous generation, similar to the base fifth-gen Paperwhite. But the Signature edition also comes with 32GB of storage instead of 8GB. That's four times the space for your ebook collection. Buy Kindle e-readers at Amazon - up to 34 percent offThe Signature edition has no ads and comes with a wireless charging capability on top of USB-C charging, as well. It can also automatically adjust the screen's brightness and has warm lighting options to choose from. And now, it costs just as much as a regular-priced base Kindle Paperwhite. Meanwhile, the base Kindle Paperwhite model will set you back $95, which is also 32 percent less than retail and an all-time low for the device. If you don't find wireless charging and auto-adjusting backlights important, don't think you can use up 32GB of storage and don't mind seeing ads on the lock screen, then this may be the better choice. But if you've been waiting for a deal on Amazon's most expensive e-reader, the Kindle Oasis, then this is a great time to get one. It's also on sale for $255 — that's $95 less than retail and is also an all-time low for the device. The 7-inch e-reader has 32GB of storage and adjustable warm light. Unlike any of the other models in the Kindle lineup, though, it has page turn buttons and free cellular connectivity, so you can download books even without WiFi. If you have a non-US shipping address, it's also worth noting that the international, no-ads version of the Kindle e-readers are on sale, as well.Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.