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17.11.2022 17:02 Black Friday has come early for Sony and those who love the company's audio gadgets. A bunch of our favorite headphones and earbuds are already on sale, including the excellent WH-1000XM5. They're currently discounted by 13 percent, so you can grab them for $348. That's still a steep price for a pair of ANC headphones, but considering they're our favorites at the moment, this discount is a good one. Meanwhile, the still solid WH-1000XM4 cans are $122 off and down to $228; the budget-friendly WH-CH710N cans are down to only $68; and the Sony LinkBuds S earbuds are on sale for $128.Sony built upon the solid foundations in the XM4 to make this year's XM5. The new design makes them even more comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and they have noticeably better active noise cancellation as well. Now, the ANC in the XM4 was already stellar, so Sony just took it up a notch with the XM5 by adding a separate V1 chip to accompany the QN1 chip that was the star of the show in the XM4. In addition to that, the XM5 have a total of eight ANC mics, double the number in the XM4, and all of that adds up to a system that does a fantastic job of blocking out all kinds of noise.Aside from that, the XM5 have all of the same features that the XM4 had: good sound quality, solid touch controls, multi-device connectivity, Speak-to-Chat and a 30-hour battery life. It's not surprising that they topped our list of best wireless headphones, nudging its predecessor off the list, so it's also not surprising that you'll have to pay a premium for them. We don't expect them to drop much lower than $348, so this is a good deal that you can get even before Black Friday proper. However, if you're willing to skip the enhancements in the XM5, the XM4 are still really great headphones that are made much better by this Black Friday sale price of $228.If you're sticking to a strict budget this holiday season, Sony's WH-CH710N headphones are a steal at $68. They don't have as slick of a design as the XM5 , but they are comfortable and have decent ANC. We also like their 35-hour battery life, plus the fact that you can take calls hands-free if you link the headphones up with your phone's virtual assistant. As for the LinkBuds S, they are some of Sony's newest wireless earbuds and their key feature is smart playback. The buds will automatically play and pause music depending on your activity, plus they support ANC and high-resolution audio.Buy Sony WH-CH710N at Amazon - $68Buy Sony LinkBuds S at Amazon - $128Shop Sony Black Friday deals at AmazonGet the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

17.11.2022 17:02 Everyone needs a hobby, right? And chances are you know at least one person on your holiday shopping list who fancies themselves a musician. Whether they’re a casual guitarist, a former piano prodigy or a bedroom producer of electronic music we’ve got some recommendations. Some of these even make a great gift for music lovers who haven’t quite made the jump yet. Perhaps getting a synthesizer tinker toy will inspire your loved one to go from a consumer to a maker.Soma Laboratory EtherEngadgetIf you know someone who believes there’s music all around, if you can just train yourself to listen for it, I have the perfect gift for them. The Soma Labs Ether is sort of like a microphone. But not one that you sing into. Instead, it picks up electromagnetic interference and radiation from across the entire spectrum from Hertz to Gigahertz. Soma likes to refer to it as an anti-radio since it doesn’t tune into one frequency, it tunes into all the frequencies. With the Ether your sound-loving giftee can eavesdrop on neon signs and sample the silent whine of an AC adapter. It’s literally a gateway to an invisible world of electromagnetic waves. And the particularly adventurous can even wield it as a live instrument.Buy Ether at Soma - $160Cre8audio West PestWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetModular synthesis has been enjoying a revival over the past few years. But getting into Eurorack can be intimidating and very expensive. So a number of companies have been working to lower the barrier to entry. If there’s someone on your list that has been itching to dip their toes in, the West Pest and East Beast from Cre8audio are an excellent starting point. They’re self-contained semi-modular synths, so they don’t need any extra gear to start experimenting. But they’re Eurorack compatible, and can be removed from their cases and mounted in a larger system if they wind up going deeper down that rabbit hole.We like the West Pest in particular because, in addition to being perhaps the most affordable Eurorack compatible semi-modular synth out there, it explores the more experimental world of west coast synthesis. As the music gear experts at Reverb note “the combination of Wavefolding with the Dynamics Controller gives the synth its bold, unique and adventurous sound.”Buy West Pest at Amazon - $250Sony MDR-7506EngadgetEvery music lover and music maker needs a good pair of headphones. There are so many amazing sets out there to choose from, but I remain a dedicated fan of Sony’s affordable workhorse the MDR-7506. They’ve been a studio mainstay for decades for good reason. They’re natural sounding, light and comfortable enough to wear for hours, and reasonably priced. The MDR-7506s are equally at home monitoring a podcast, mixing a club banger or just listening to some vinyl. In short, they’re a great practical gift even if you’re operating under a tight budget.Buy Sony MDR-7506 at Amazon - $100Artiphon Orba 2Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetThe original Orba is a phenomenal fidget toy and an interesting MIDI controller. The Orba 2 is both those things and a sampler. Adding sampling to this little musical grapefruit greatly expands its flexibility. If you know someone who’s constantly tapping out rhythms or humming little melodies to themselves, they’ll probably love an Orba.Buy Orba 2 at Artiphon - $150Roland E-4 Voice TweakerWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetCheap and portable synths are a dime a dozen these days. Korg really kicked off something of revolution with its Volca line. But one thing we’d yet to see until Roland launched its Aira Compact line, was a portable and affordable box dedicated to vocal effects. The E-4 Voice Tweaker combines pitch correction, a harmonizer, a vocoder, plus pitch and formant shifting, and a looper. There’s also delay, reverb and chorus effects, not to mention Roland’s signature Scatter, which it turns out is much better on vocals than drums. If there’s anyone on your list who’s been trying to turn themselves into the next Bon Iver or late ‘70s Herbie Hancock, this will at least get them part of the way there.Buy E-4 Voice Tweaker at Amazon - $200Chase Bliss HabitWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetWhere to begin with the Habit? It’s a delay pedal – which almost every musician can use. But it’s so much more. It’s a looper, sort of. Chase Bliss calls it a musical sketchpad, and that can be true too. It does all of those things, plus it has a selection of unique modifiers that can chop up sounds in rhythmic ways, mimic the warble of a tape machine, or spit out what can only be described as unicorn sparkles. In short, there’s almost nothing else like it out there. If there’s a guitarist or a synth player on your list with a taste for the esoteric , they’ll probably love the strange collection of sounds that Habit puts at their feet.Buy Chase Bliss Habit at Reverb - $3991010 Music Lemon DropEngadgetThe 1010Music Nanoboxes are probably the smallest full-featured hardware synths out there. But the Lemon Drop also has the distinction of being one of the only dedicated granular synths on the market. If your giftee is into ambient music or oddball textures they will almost certainly love the Lemon Drop. It has a robust granular sound engine with up to 16 granulators per voice and four voice polyphony. Plus it doubles as an effects processor for live audio with an expressive X/Y pad mode for changing parameters. And it can easily fit in a jacket pocket.Buy Lemon Drop at 1010 Music - $399Moog MavisWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetThe Mavis is the cheapest way to give someone the gift of a real-deal Moog synthesizer. It’s a $350, pseudo-DIY, semi-modular, monophonic synth and, in a rarity for the company, it’s fully Eurorack compatible. It’s capable of getting that classic Moog sound with thick square and saw waves shaped by resonant lowpass filter. Its 24-point patchbay is an impressive collection of utility and sound-shaping tools that is not only great for learning the art of synthesis but also expanding the potential of a larger modular setup. Lastly, the Mavis is the first time Moog has dipped its toes into the rival world of West Coast synthesis by including a wavefolder. It’s a great gift whether it’s someone’s first synth of fiftieth.Buy Moog Mavis at Amazon - $349Rainger FX Minibar Liquid Analyser PedalWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetPart of the fun of holiday shopping is finding fun weird things that you know someone would appreciate, but are so impractical they’d never buy it themselves. That’s basically the Rainger FX Minibar in a nutshell. It’s a distortion pedal, and also an endless supply of different distortion pedals. See, on its own it doesn’t do anything. The “Liquid Analyzer” part of the name comes from the fact that there’s a tiny container on top that you need to fill to complete the circuit. And, the sound will change based on what you put in there. Water will have an obviously different effect than say, beer, or soda, or – if you’re metal enough – blood. The folks at Reverb love it because “the Minibar is easy to incorporate into musicians’ small pedalboards… meaning folks can experiment without too much of a space commitment.”Buy Rainger FX Minibar at Reverb - $149Universal Audio Ruby '63Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetI firmly believe that every guitarist should have an amp sim in their arsenal. They’re handy for quietly practicing late at night, recording direct to a DAW, or building a lightweight live rig that connects to a venue’s PA. Universal Audio’s are among the best amp sims I’ve ever used. They’re not cheap at $400, but if there’s a person on your list you want to splurge on, these are a worthy consideration. While all three of the models are excellent, and my personal favorite seems to change from week to week, it’s probably the Ruby ‘63 Top Boost that has spent the most time on my board.The Ruby is an emulation of the classic Vox AC30 which has been used by everyone from the Beatles, to U2, to REM, to Queen. Reverb’s experts love that it “delivers choirboy cleans, complex overdrive, and classic vibrato to mimic a classic British tube amp.” Plus you can tweak the Ruby’s sound by turning on popular mods or switching in different speaker emulations.Buy Ruby at Reverb - $399Pure Magnetic Century CollectionEngadgetThe Century Collection is another splurge, but it’s the gift that keeps on giving. For $400 your giftee will receive every sample pack, virtual instrument and effect plugin that Pure Magnetic makes for the next 100 years. On day one they’ll get access to around 100 sample packs covering everything from vintage synth pads, to circuit bent toys, to early digital drum machines.But perhaps even more interesting are the 39 VST plugins that range from lo-fi keys to absolutely out of this world effects. The creative delays and strange micro loopers are highlights and perfect for the person who’s into more ambient and experimental music. Then there’s Lore, an “advanced sound design workstation” that’s updated on a monthly basis with new features and effects. Even if someone manages to outlive the length of their Century Collection membership, they’ll probably never be able to fully explore it all.Buy Century Collection at Pure Magnetic - $399Oblique StrategiesOblique StrategiesAnyone who practices some sort of creative art – be it music, painting or writing – hits a block at some point. There’s tons of advice out there on how to overcome these hurdles, but one of the most famous is easily the Oblique Strategies deck. Developed by Peter Schmidt and Brian Eno in 1975, each card contains an action or a way of thinking designed to shake up your approach to a thorny creative problem. “Use an unacceptable colour,” “Make a sudden, destructive unpredictable action; incorporate” and “Emphasize the flaws,” are the sorts of vague instructions you can expect. And how someone interprets the prompts will produce different results for each person. If you’re shopping for anyone with a creative streak, they’ll find a use for this deck.Buy Oblique Strategies at Eno Shop - $60Dilla TimeDilla TimeIf you’re gift shopping for a music producer I can almost guarantee you they’re fans of J Dilla. He was a singular force in hip-hop, and has even had his MPC displayed at the Smithsonian. Dilla Time by Dan Charnas chronicles not just the life of Dilla , but his legacy and the history of rhythm in America. In addition, there are graphics that help illustrate the concepts behind Dilla’s unique beats and what made him so special. It’s part biography, part history lesson and part practical music production guide.Buy Dilla Time at Amazon - $22How to Write One SongHow to Write One SongIf there’s an aspiring songwriter on your list, consider picking them up a copy of How to Write One Song. Written by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, this tome breaks down the process from beginning to end and encourages readers to start small; don’t try to become a “songwriter” just try to write a song. But this isn’t a rote how-to book, that sort of thing is only so helpful when it comes to mastering an artistic craft. It’s about building creativity into your everyday life. And just like any other skill, being creative requires practice.Buy How to Write One Song at Amazon - $19Audio Technica AT-LP120XUSBEngadgetA turntable is almost a necessity for any music lover or music maker. For one, it’s a way to listen to the artists they love. Whether that’s for pure enjoyment or for inspiration. And while there are plenty who think that vinyl just “sounds better,” I think the real reason it beats out streaming from Spotify: It’s tangible. There’s nothing quite like physically holding a piece of music, placing the needle in a groove and looking at the large cover art, or reading the liner notes. It connects a person to the art more and forces them to be a more active participant in its consumption.Now, the AT-LP120XUSB is not the highest-end turntable in the world. And it might not even be the best bang for your gift-giving dollar. But it is excellent sounding and reasonably priced. And the USB port makes it easy for any aspiring music producers to sample straight to their DAW. Maybe, just maybe, it will inspire a life-long love of crate digging.Buy AT-LP120XUSB turntable at Amazon - $349

17.11.2022 17:02 Google is introducing a host of new features across its services. Starting with Maps, the company said on Thursday that it would begin rolling out its long-awaited Search with Live View functionality. As the name suggests, the feature adds a search bar to the app’s augmented reality layer, making it easier to find and make your way to places like ATMs, restrooms and restaurants. Starting next week, the feature will begin rolling out in London, LA, New York, San Francisco and Tokyo.GoogleAt the same time, Google is adding a new wheelchair icon to Maps to identify places with accessible entrances. Lastly, Maps now includes new filters designed to help you find EV charging stations with fast-charging plugs and ones with plugs that are compatible with your car. As of today, both features are available globally.Search is receiving a number of improvements as well. To start, Google is making Lens more robust. If you see a photo of some food you want to try but don’t know what it’s called or where to find a restaurant that makes it in your local area, a new feature the company has dubbed “multisearch near me” will point you in the right direction. All you need to do is snap a photo of the dish you want to try and type “near me” in the search field to find a place that sells it. You can also search for specific dishes at restaurants to find out more information about pricing and ingredients. With today’s launch, the two features are only available to English speakers in the US.GoogleSpeaking of Lens, Google will upgrade the feature’s translate functionality later this year. Once the update arrives, Lens will use an AI algorithm to erase the original text of a sign and generate new pixels underneath before overlaying the translation on top. The feature should help with readability.On the shopping front, Google is adding new augmented reality features. The first is a library of 150 models representing different skin tones, ages, genders, face shapes and skin types, an addition the company says will help users accurately test over 2,000 foundation shades from a variety of brands. The company is also adding a new AR experience for sneakers that allows you to view kicks from Saucony, Vans and Merrell. Both features will start rolling out in the US today.

17.11.2022 17:02 Black Friday is good time to pick up a robot vacuum for less than usual, especially considering these can be some of the most expensive smart home gadgets out there. Thankfully, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg to get a decent one. Right now, iRobot's affordable Roomba 694 is even cheaper than usual at $179, which is $95 off its normal price.iRobot's early Black Friday sale makes our favorite budget robo-vac even more compelling. Typically priced at $274, the Roomba 694 impressed us with its sleek design, good suction power that cleans carpeted and hard floors well and its ability to navigate around most household objects. There are more expensive machines that do a superior job sucking up pet hair, but the 694 was surprisingly good at it, too.You can start a cleaning job by pressing the button on the robo-vac itself, or by using the iRobot mobile app. That's one of the biggest selling points of a Roomba – iRobot's app is quite easy to learn how to use, and it lets you do things like set cleaning schedules, send your robot home and more. The latter is useful if you want to abruptly stop a cleaning job, but the Roomba 694 is smart enough to automatically go back to its charging base when its battery gets to low. It'll then recharge on its own and be ready for the next time you call upon it. Overall, it may not have a ton of bells and whistles, but the Roomba 694 is a solid starter robo-vac that's made even more compelling by this Black Friday price.Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

17.11.2022 17:02 Eight former SpaceX employees said they were illegally fired for penning a letter criticizing Elon Musk have filed an unfair labor practice complaint against the company, according to The New York Times. If you'll recall, The Times reported back in June that SpaceX fired employees involved in writing an open letter condemning Elon Musk's "harmful Twitter behavior." In particular, they were referencing how the CEO made crude jokes on Twitter about a sexual misconduct accusation against him by a flight attendant for the company's corporate jet. SpaceX paid $250,000 to settle with the flight attendant, who claimed that Musk offered to buy her a horse in exchange for sex acts. Apparently, nine workers lost their jobs over the letter, and the charges were filed with the National Labor Relations Board for eight of them. "Elon's behavior in the public sphere is a frequent source of distraction and embarrassment for us," part of the letter read. The people who penned the letter also included proposals on how to make the company better and how to strengthen its sexual harassment policies, including the suggestion that SpaceX should disclose any other harassment claims against Musk.SpaceX executives were reportedly sympathetic in the beginning and seemed like they were receptive to the ideas the workers included in the proposals. However, they quickly changed their tune. SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell told employees in a letter back then that some employees involved in writing the letter had indeed been terminated. "The letter, solicitations and general process made employees feel uncomfortable, intimidated and bullied, and/or angry because the letter pressured them to sign onto something that did not reflect their views," she added. The legal experts The Times consulted said the workers are most likely protected under the National Labor Relations Act, which gives them the right to self-organize and band together for collective bargaining or other "mutual aid or protection." Wilma Liebman, the former NLRB chairperson under Barack Obama, told the publication that SpaceX could argue that the workers penned the letter only to criticize Musk, which isn't protected by the law. However, she said that the board would probably disagree and would see Musk's tweets as an act that creates a hostile work environment.

17.11.2022 17:02 Lyft and Motional have announced plans to launch a driverless ride-hailing service in Los Angeles using Ioniq 5 EV Level 4 robotaxis. Los Angeles will be the second city serviced by the two companies, which started offering public rides in Las Vegas earlier this year.Motional, a joint venture between Hyundai and Aptiv, has been testing autonomous vehicles without safety drivers for exactly two years. As with the Las Vegas service, the Ioniq 5 vehicles will be integrated into Lyft's Los Angeles network. When the car arrives, you can unlock the doors using the Lyft app, and each vehicle has a dedicated passenger display that can be used to contact a remote agent at any time. "Los Angeles was the second city Lyft launched back in 2013 and it’s only fitting that it will be the second AV market we launch with our partner, Motional," said Lyft CEO Logan Green in a statement. "Los Angeles is the second most populated city in the U.S. and represents a huge market opportunity for AV adoption," added Motional CEO Karl Iagnemma.Motional says it has given 100,000-plus rides in Las Vegas with Lyft and received over 95 percent five-star ratings. The company recently signed a 10-year agreement with Uber as well, saying its vehicles will be "strategically deployed" in cities around the US and that it will start offering passenger rides later this year.Apart from Motional, only Alphabet division Waymo and GM's Cruise are offering true driverless services at a reasonably large scale. The Waymo One service is operating in Phoenix and San Francisco, while Cruise rides are currently limited to San Francisco. Both operate only in specific areas of cities and some vehicles still use safety riders.

17.11.2022 17:02 Twitter might lose even more employees following the mass layoffs that halved its workforce earlier this month – and after the company fired engineers who publicly called out its new owner. Elon Musk gave the remaining staff an ultimatum and asked them to commit to an "extremely hardcore" Twitter, going forward. "If you are sure that you want to be part of the new Twitter, please click yes on the link below," he reportedly wrote in an email that links to an online form.NurPhoto via Getty ImagesThe executive apparently said it will mean "working long hours at high intensity." He added: "Only exceptional performance will constitute a passing grade." The email said those who don't sign the form by 5 PM ET today would be let go and receive three months’ severance pay.The work is stacking up, too. Alongside the Twitter Blue subscriptions and verification drama, the company seems to be working on end-to-end encryption for its direct messaging feature. Researcher Jane Manchun Wong spotted code in Twitter's Android app suggesting E2EE is on its way.– Mat SmithThe biggest stories you might have missedToyota's 2023 Prius is the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the lineup Apple's Major League Soccer Season Pass debuts February 1st for $99 per year Evernote, once the king of note-taking apps, has been bought by Bending SpoonsSamsung brings game streaming to its 2021 TVsThe best gifts for space lovers in 2022The Instant Pot Duo drops to $50 ahead of Black FridayA ‘Streets of Rage’ movie written by John Wick's creator is on the wayGenesis unveils a sleek X Convertible concept EVYes, you can now play 'Solitaire' and 'Minesweeper' in Microsoft TeamsDon't tell your boss.Microsoft has added a new app called Games for Work to Teams, so you can dive into some casual multiplayer titles with your coworkers. As many as 250 people can play Microsoft Solitaire, Microsoft Minesweeper, Microsoft IceBreakers and Microsoft Wordament together. With Wordament, there's even a leaderboard for extra competition.Continue reading.The best gifts for travelers in 2022Make sure friends and family have great the best gear for their next trip.Now many of us are traveling again, are you ready for it? We’ve curated a list of upgrades you or your friends and family might appreciate, including things like sleep masks and packing cubes – not to mention tech gear like battery packs and noise-canceling headphones.Continue reading.Black market fears are hampering cannabis waste recycling efforts in CaliforniaThis is why you can't drop off your expended carts at the dispensary.HighGradeRoots via Getty ImagesCannabis is more popular than ever in the US — 44 percent of adults have access to it, either medically or recreationally. What’s more, edibles and concentrates continue to rise in popularity among all age groups. This increased demand for vape cartridges — both near-ubiquitous 510-threads, like those from Rove, or more specialized carts, like the Pax Era Pods — has led to their increased production and, in turn, their inevitable arrival in American landfills. In California, the nation’s largest legal cannabis market, due to the state’s strict hazardous waste disposal regulations, it’s a major challenge to dispose of components responsibly. Andrew Tarantola explains why.Continue reading.NASA's mighty Artemis 1 rocket finally launchesIt's now following an elliptical orbit around Earth.NASA's mighty Artemis 1 rocket has launched for the first time, headed toward the moon. It has passed through key milestones, including solid rocket booster jettison and space launch system first-stage separation without issue.The agency had penciled in a launch attempt for November 14th, but Hurricane Nicole forced a slight delay to those plans. NASA kept the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft on the launch pad as the hurricane battered the Kennedy Space Center. They sustained minor damage, but not enough to force a lengthier delay.Continue reading.GoPro Hero 11 Black Mini reviewThis smaller camera may be perfect for some.EngadgetIf you don’t want all the bells and whistles and want an honest-to-goodness action camera with all the Hero 11 Black video credentials, then the Mini might be the camera for you. While it lacks a screen, Engadget’s James Trew says it makes a good secondary camera for a different angle. And if you use a full-size GoPro for drone FPV footage then the Mini is also a great option.Continue reading.

17.11.2022 17:02 The James Webb Telescope has been providing clearer images of celestial bodies that had only been poorly imaged in the past ever since it became operational. Its first photo showed the "deepest" image of the distant universe to date, followed by an unprecedented photo of the Pillars of Creation and the best view we've had of Neptune's rings, among many others. Now its latest image reveals the once-hidden features of a very young protostar within the dark cloud L1527, giving us a look into how stars form and turn into something like our sun. The photo above shows an hourglass-like figure blazing blue and orange. This can only be seen in infrared light and was captured using James Webb's Near-Infrared Camera . But where's the protostar, you ask? It's actually right in the middle, or the neck of the hourglass, showing up as a black band. Stars form by gathering massive amounts of gas and dust, which spiral around the center as they're sucked in by gravity. This forms an accretion disk of material that surrounds the young star. Meanwhile, the blue and orange "bulbs" actually outline the cavities created by the materials shooting away from the protostar and colliding with dust around the structure. NASA says the colors represent the layers of dust in between the dark cloud and James Webb. Areas with the thinnest layer of dust show up as blue. The orange areas represent places with the thickest layer of dust, since less blue light is able to escape them. NASA says the 100,000-year-old protostar is at the earliest stage of star formation — our sun formed 4.6 billion years ago or so — and will give us an idea of what our solar system was like in its very early years.

17.11.2022 12:40 Google has started its Black Friday deals early, offering solid discounts on many of its Pixel and Nest devices. That includes offers of up to 33 percent of the Pixel 6a, Pixel 7, Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro, along with home products like the Nest Thermostat, Nest Security Cam and Nest Doorbell. Shop Google Pixel and Nest products on AmazonFor smartphone shoppers on a budget, Google's Pixel 6a is on sale for just $299 , matching the best sale we've seen so far. It has top-notch performance, while giving you the purest Android experience possible. At the same time, you get excellent camera quality, thanks to the two 12-megapixel rear cameras and 8-MP front sensor delivering bright, colorful pictures and video. It also comes with a distinctive design, sharp 6.1-inch OLED screen covered with Gorilla Glass 3, long-lasting battery, IP67 water/dust protection and more.Google's latest phones are also on sale. The Google Pixel 7 128GB is available for just $499 instead of $599, while the top-end Pixel 7 Pro is priced at $749, or $150 off the regular $899 price. Both models have the new Tensor G2 chip, excellent cameras and new software and features like Direct My Call and Photo Unblur — helping them both achieve high scores in our Engadget review. The main differences between the two are in the display, with the Pixel 7 Pro being better for mobile gaming thanks to the 120Hz display, compared to 90Hz on the Pixel 7.EngadgetIf you've had your eye on Google's sleek Pixel Watch, now is the time to act, as it's on sale for $300, or $50 off the regular price. It's easily one of the prettiest Wear OS watches out there, offers excellenbt health and fitness tracking and useful new faces. Meanwhile, Google's Pixel Buds Pro are discounted by 25 percent, bringing the regular $200 price down to $150. We called them "Google's best earbuds yet," thanks to the solid ANC performance, punchy bass and reliable touch controls. Finally, multiple Google Nest products are available at some of the lowest prices we've seen. You can grab the Google Nest Thermostat for $90, a savings of $40 off the regular price. The Google Nest Security Cam has been reduced by 30 percent to $70, and if it's a Google Nest Doorbell you're after, that item is on sale for $120, for a savings of $60 . The sale runs nearly two weeks until November 28th, but it's still best to act soon in case any of the items run out. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

17.11.2022 12:40 On December 16th, a hyper-realistic avatar of the late East Coast rap legend Notorious B.I.G. will be holding a concert and performing tracks from his catalogue in Meta's Horizon Worlds. The show, which will use a virtual recreation of 90's era Brooklyn as a backdrop, will also feature performances by guest artists like Bad Boy Records founder Sean "Diddy" Combs and a narrative journey of Biggie's life by American music journalist TouréNot everyone's impressed that Meta is bringing an artist back from the dead in avatar form, of course, and the effort was met with a deluge of criticism in HotNewHipHop's tweet about the project. Meta said, however, that it received the blessing of The Notorious B.I.G. Estate and that the concert will celebrate his life and legacy. Touré, who was in charge of the narrative aspect of the concert, also said that he "interviewed Biggie's mother and sat in her kitchen, so she knows that her son and will take care of his legacy."Meta announces hyperrealistic VR concert with the Notorious B.I.G.

17.11.2022 12:40 Blizzard Entertainment will be suspending key games like Overwatch 2 and World of Warcraft in China because it failed to reach an agreement with partner NetEase, it announced. Those titles along with Hearthstone, Starcraft, Heroes of the Storm, Diablo III and Warcraft III: Reforged will be unavailable in China starting on January 23, 2023. Diablo Immortal, which arrived earlier this year, won't be affected as it's covered by a separate agreement, according to NetEase. "The two parties have not reached a deal to renew the agreements that is consistent with Blizzard’s operating principles and commitments to players and employees, and the agreements are set to expire in January 2023," Blizzard said in the press release. "We will suspend new sales in the coming days and Chinese players will be receiving details of how this will work soon. Upcoming releases for World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, Hearthstone: March of the Lich King, and season 2 of Overwatch 2 will proceed later this year."NetEase is China's second largest gaming company and has partnered with Blizzard since 2008. It's a key player for Blizzard in the nation, helping guarantee that its games meet China's strict content requirements. The deal wasn't just about money, but also who owned the the intellectual property and player data, according to Bloomberg. The longstanding agreement didn't appear to end amicably. "One day, when what has happened behind the scene could be told, developers and gamers will have a whole new level understanding of how much damage a jerk can make," said NetEase's president of global investment and partnership, Simon Zhu, in a LinkedIn post spotted by TechCrunch. Blizzard, meanwhile, said "we are looking for alternatives to bring our games back to players in the future."

17.11.2022 12:40 Toyota has unveiled the latest Prius at an event on the eve of the 2022 Los Angeles Auto Show, and it says the model is the most fuel-efficient entry in the lineup to date. The company designed the 2023 Prius, which will come in LE, XLE and Limited grades, with a low center of gravity, a wider stance and a lower driving position. Its roofline is 2 inches lower than its predecessor's, and it is one inch wider at the rear. Toyota was clearly going for a more sporty, modern look, aided by the larger wheels in the XLE and Limited variants. Of course, the new Prius comes with performance improvements, as well. It uses Toyota's 5th generation hybrid powertrain and a new lithium-ion battery, which offers a 15 percent increase in output compared to the lineup's old nickel metal battery technology. That means the company was able to develop a smaller and lighter battery for the vehicle without compromising its performance. But since Prius is still a hybrid and doesn't solely rely on electricity for power, Toyota has also equipped it with a bigger two-liter gas engine. The automaker says the Front-Wheel Drive variants have a 194 horsepower output and can go from 0 to 60 mph within 7.2 seconds, faster than the outgoing FWD vehicles' 9.8 seconds. The All-Wheel Drive models have a 196 horsepower output and the capability to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 7 seconds. All models have three drive modes: Eco, which enhances fuel economy, and Power and Sport modes, which increase throttle responsiveness. Other features include half a dozen USB-C ports and the Toyota Audio Multimedia system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. Toyota's Connected Service Drive Connect also gives owners access to an intelligent assistant that can follow voice activated commands and cloud navigation, which can download the latest available map, traffic and routing information from the cloud. And in case drivers are truly having a tough time finding the way to their next destination, they can also use the Destination Assist feature to talk to a live agent any time of dayFor driver assistance, the vehicle has Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, as well as Front and Rear Parking Assist with Automatic Braking on all variants. The Limited version has a Panoramic View Monitor that provides a live rotating 360-degree view around the vehicle and a hands-free system that can help drivers with parallel parking or backing into a parking space. In addition, the 2023 Prius will come with the latest version of Toyota's Safety Sense generation, which enables a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane departure alert with steering assist and cruise control. A new addition to the feature and to Prius as a whole is proactive driving assist that enables gentle braking into curves or when it senses a vehicle, pedestrian or cyclist ahead of the vehicle. Toyota has yet to reveal the pricing and availability of the 2023 Prius, but it promises to make another announcement with those details before the year ends. Toyota

17.11.2022 02:50 A group of Apple Store employees in St. Louis, Missouri has filed for a union election. On Wednesday, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers , the union that hopes to represent the workers, said it filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to hold a unionization vote. IAM says it hopes to represent about 82 employees in the effort.The union previously filed a complaint with the NLRB accusing Apple of subjecting it workers to captive audience meetings where management presented anti-union talking points. In June, IAM helped employees at the company’s Towson Town Center location in Maryland become the first Apple Store union in the US to unionize.Apple did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for comment. The petition comes as more of the company’s retail workers look to organize their workplace. Earlier this month, Apple Store employees in Glasgow overwhelmingly voted in favor of joining the GMB Union. In doing so, Apple Glasgow is now on track to form the first unionized Apple Store in the United Kingdom. Stateside, the company has so far seen two retail locations vote to unionize, with a handful more working to organize. Employees at those stores have accused the company of employing union-busting tactics, including limiting access to pro-union fliers. In the case of Towson Town Center, organizers say the company is also withholding new benefits from union members.

17.11.2022 02:50 If companies are going to make augmented reality glasses you'd actually want to wear, they'll need chips that are powerful but won't require a large battery on your head. Qualcomm thinks it can help. The company has unveiled a Snapdragon AR2 Gen 1 platform that's built with slim AR glasses in mind. The multi-chip design reportedly delivers 2.5 times the AI performance of the company's XR2-based reference design while using half the power. You could have eyewear that intelligently detects objects in the room while remaining slim and light enough to use for hours at a time.Part of the trick is to spread the computing load across the glasses' frame, Qualcomm says. The primary, 4nm-based AR processor includes a CPU, Tensor AI processing, graphics and engines for features like visual analytics. It can support up to nine simultaneous cameras for tracking both your body and the world around you. A co-processor elsewhere in the glasses includes an AI accelerator for tasks like eye tracking and computer vision, while a third chip handles connectivity to networks and phones. This not only better-balances the weight, but leads to smaller circuit boards and fewer wires than you'd see with a single do-it-all chip.That networking is also important, Qualcomm says. Like Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 in phones, AR2 Gen 1 is one of the first platforms to support WiFi 7. That's crucial not just to provide the gobs of bandwidth for connecting to a handset , but to reduce latency . Combined with lag reduction in the processor and co-processor, you should have a more natural-feeling and responsive experience.Hardware built on AR2 Gen 1 is in "various stages" of progress at multiple well-known companies, including Lenovo, LG, Nreal, Oppo and Xiaomi. Importantly, Microsoft had a hand in the platform requirements. Don't be surprised if you're one day using AR2 for virtual collaboration in Mesh, not to mention other Microsoft apps and services.Qualcomm has also introduced meaningful updates to its audio technology. New S3 Gen 2 Sound and S5 Gen 2 Sound platforms promise to make the latest listening tech more commonplace, including spatial audio with head tracking, lower latency for games and the latest take on adaptive active noise cancellation . You won't see real-world products until the second half of 2023, but these chips could democratize features that were previously reserved for pricier buds and headphones.

17.11.2022 02:50 The US Consumer Product Safety Commission really, really doesn't want you using a Onewheel board. The government watchdog has warned Americans against buying or using any of the self-balancing skateboards, ranging from the original through to newer models like the GT and Pint X. The vehicles can forcefully eject riders, the CPSC said. The Commission added that here have been reports of "at least" four deaths and multiple serious injuries between 2019 and 2021 after the boards either stopped balancing properly or came to an abrupt stop.Onewheel creator Future Motion has refused a recall and rejected the CPSC's stance. The company believes the Commission's warning is "unjustified and alarmist," and that its boards are safe if they're used responsibly with appropriate safety equipment. Board owners are "adults" who know that there's always a risk to any board sport or even riding a bike, Future Motion argued. To that end, it noted that the CPSC itself prized safety education over warnings when snowboarding took off in the 1990s.The firm said it had studied boards affected by sudden stops, and hadn't found any inherent technical problems. Onewheels have lower serious injury rates than bikes, ATVs and motorcycles, Future Motion claimed. It also accused the CPSC of preferring a "sensational" alert over cooperating on safety improvements.This isn't the first time in recent memory that the CPSC has found itself at odds with a tech company over safety. Peloton balked at a potential recall for its Tread+ treadmill after reports of injuries to children. However, the Onewheel action may be more serious than usual. The Commission is warning against using Future Motion's entire product line, and says it's still pursuing a recall — the company has no fallbacks if sales take a hit.