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15.11.2022 01:10 If you've had to deal with a rash of fake Xbox Live accounts in recent times, you're far from alone. Microsoft has published its first-ever Xbox transparency report, and it's now clear the company is banning or otherwise cracking down on bots. The company says it issued over 4.33 million "proactive enforcements" against fake and compromised accounts in the first half of 2022. That represented 57 percent of the enforcement actions over the six-month span, and a ninefold surge in the amount of proactive efforts versus the same period a year ago.Microsoft was previously pouring most of its energy into "reactive" enforcement , and taking fewer actions as a whole. The company issued 2.24 million reactive enforcements in the second half of 2021, and just 461,000 proactive measures. Other violations were relatively few and far between. "Adult" content led to just 199,000 proactive enforcements, while fraud, harassment and other abuses each had fewer than 100,000 actions.It won't surprise you to hear that most of Microsoft's 33.08 million user-prompted crackdowns focused on toxic players. Enforcement was equally dominated by reports of cheating and other poor conduct and abusive communication . Just 11 percent of enforcements were tied to user-made content like offensive nicknames and screenshots. Thankfully, there appear to be fewer overall incidents — Microsoft received 59.65 million reports in the last half of 2020.Don't count on winning an appeal if you think Microsoft made a mistake. Out of more than 151,000 case appeals during the period, just six percent led to reinstatements.You can expect a new Xbox transparency report every six months from now onward. There doesn't appear to be equivalent reports for the equivalent Nintendo and Sony online services. Still, this may be good news if you've wondered about Xbox Live's problem areas, and whether or not Microsoft is taking bots seriously.

15.11.2022 01:10 Today, muscle atrophy is often unavoidable when you can't move due to severe injury, old age or diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis . However, Harvard researchers see hope in soft robotics that could someday stretch and contract the muscles of patients unable to do so themselves.The Harvard engineers tested a new mechanostimulation system on mice, successfully preventing or assisting in their recovery from muscle atrophy. The team implanted the "soft robotic device" on a mouse's hind limb, which they immobilized in a cast-like enclosure for around two weeks. While the control group's untreated muscles wasted away as expected, the actively stimulated muscles showed reduced degradation. The researchers believe their system can eventually lead to implants helping humans with atrophy.Its promise stems from its ability to induce a small mechanical muscle strain that mirrors natural stimulation during exercise. Moreover, while keeping atrophy at bay, the device didn't lead to any severe tissue inflammation or damage."There is a good chance that distinct soft robotic approaches with their unique effects on muscle tissue could open up disease or injury-specific mechano-therapeutic avenues," said David Mooney, Ph.D., the paper's senior author and Harvard's Wyss Institute engineering faculty member.Wyss InstituteDubbed MAGENTA , the anti-atrophy system includes an engineered spring made from nitinol, a shape memory alloy that can rapidly actuate when heated. Researchers control the spring with a wired microprocessor unit that determines the frequency and duration of muscle contractions and stretches.The system also includes an elastomer matrix forming the device's body and providing insulation for the heated SMA. In addition, a layer of "tough adhesive" keeps MAGENTA aligned with the muscles' natural movement axis while transmitting stimulation deep into muscle tissue."While untreated muscles and muscles treated with the device but not stimulated significantly wasted away during this period, the actively stimulated muscles showed reduced muscle wasting," said first-author and Wyss Technology Development Fellow Sungmin Nam, Ph.D. "Our approach could also promote the recovery of muscle mass that already had been lost over a three-week period of immobilization, and induce the activation of the major biochemical mechanotransduction pathways known to elicit protein synthesis and muscle growth."The team also experimented with a wireless version, using laser light rather than electrical wiring to actuate the SMA spring. Although this approach showed reduced effectiveness due to fat tissue absorbing some of the laser light, the researchers believe this approach still holds potential and warrants further research.

15.11.2022 01:10 Disney is making one of its best shows of the year more accessible. On Monday, the company announced it would begin airing Andor on ABC, FX, Freeform and Hulu. Starting November 23rd, the expansion will allow those without access to Disney+ to watch the first two episodes of the Tony Gilroy project. That’s just enough to get a sense of Andor’s smart writing, immaculate production and obsession with institutions, but without seeing the conclusion of its initial arc.The announcement comes after the show arguably had its best episode yet. Anchored by a stellar performance by Stellan Skarsgard, “One Way Out” featured a thrilling prison break and was a neat encapsulation of Andor’s many strengths. It also comes amid questions about just how many people are watching the show.More are joining the Rebellion. @ABCNetwork, @FXNetworks, @FreeformTV and @Hulu will air the first two episodes of #Andor starting 11/23. pic.twitter.com/fZyuzOP2kz— Star Wars | Andor Tales of the Jedi On Disney+ November 14, 2022In October, Parrot Analytics data analyst Brandon Katz shared a graphic that suggested it was lagging behind other live-action Star Wars shows. Katz later retracted his findings, noting he had incorrectly inputted the relevant data. “It’s performing much better than the initial tweet showed,” he said. “It has hit exceptional demand in several instances.”Even with the retraction, the discourse around Andor has centered around the show’s viewership numbers. Disney’s decision to air the show on more platforms would seem to lend weight to suggestions the show has been less popular than The Mandalorian and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

15.11.2022 01:10 Amazon could announce sweeping layoffs as early as this week, according to The New York Times. The company reportedly plans to cut approximately 10,000 corporate employees, with staff at its consumer-facing devices division among those who are likely to be affected by the move. Amazon employs approximately 1.5 million people globally. If the company moves forward with the cuts as reported, they would affect about three percent of its corporate workforce and would represent the largest reorganization in Amazon’s nearly 30-year history.Amazon did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for comment. Mass layoffs have been a frequent occurrence in the US tech sector in recent weeks. On November 9th, Facebook parent company Meta cut about 13 percent of its workforce, a move that saw more than 11,000 people lose their jobs at the social media giant. Before that, Twitter was decimated after Elon Musk ordered a 50 percent reducation of the company’s headcount. Over the weekend, the company also let go of most of its contract workers. Smaller firms like Lyft and Snap have laid off employees in recent months as well.For Amazon, the planned layoffs are reflective of the company's changing fortunes. Thanks to early pandemic lockdown measures, the retail giant experienced record growth and went on a hiring spree that saw its workforce double. In recent months, however, the company has seen growth slow due to a combination of mounting costs and the return of in-person shopping. The company recently posted a $2 billion loss and froze hiring at its corporate offices.

15.11.2022 01:10 Google has agreed to pay $391.5 million to settle charges brought forth by 40 attorneys general. They accused the company of misleading users into believing they had turned off location tracking in their settings, but Google continued to collect information about their movements. As part of the settlement, Google has agreed to "significantly improve" its location tracking disclosures and user controls starting next year.“For years Google has prioritized profit over their users’ privacy,” Oregon attorney general Ellen Rosenblum, who led the case along with Nebraska AG Doug Peterson, said in a statement. “They have been crafty and deceptive. Consumers thought they had turned off their location tracking features on Google, but the company continued to secretly record their movements and use that information for advertisers.”The AGs opened the investigation in 2018 following an Associated Press report suggesting that Google tracks location data even after users ask it not to. The report indicated that turning off the Location History setting didn't stop Google from knowing where a user was. Some apps, such as Maps and Search, still created a snapshot of their location on their Google account. Although it was possible to remove this data from one's Google account, doing so was "laborious," the AP noted.The AGs determined that Google violated state consumer protection laws since at least 2014 by misleading consumers about its location tracking practices. They claimed that the company "confused its users about the extent to which they could limit Google’s location tracking by adjusting their account and device settings." They noted that this is the largest-ever consumer privacy settlement by US states . According to a press release from the Oregon AG's office, Google has agreed to:Show additional information to users whenever they turn a location-related account setting “on” or “off”;Make key information about location tracking unavoidable for users ; andGive users detailed information about the types of location data Google collects and how it’s used at an enhanced “Location Technologies” webpage.Last month, Google agreed to pay Arizona $85 million to settle a 2020 lawsuit accusing it of tracking users for targeted ads even after they switched off location data settings. The company is facing other location tracking suits filed by AGs in Washington DC, Texas, Washington and Indiana.

14.11.2022 19:50 The Xbox Series S doesn't see a lot of discounts, but right now Adorama has knocked $50 off the sticker price, which is the lowest we're seeing anywhere. We originally saw this as Adorama's deal of the day last Friday and added it to our weekly deals recap. For those of us who may have slept on it, they still have units left at the $250 price. We reviewed the Series S when it came out, calling it the next-gen starter pack. Even though it doesn't support gameplay in 4K, it still plays incredibly smoothly. And the console itself is downright adorable. Thanks to the FPS boost technology added to the Series S and X, older games, including many made for Xbox One, will look and perform better with faster frame rates. Buy Xbox Series S at Adorama - $250Unlike the Series X, which as far as we know hasn't budged from its $500 list price, the Series S only plays digital titles, with no slot to insert physical game media. Microsoft is likely counting on most people going for an Xbox Game Pass membership, currently $10 per month for the Console tier, and $15 per month for the Ultimate tier. Either level unlocks a library with hundreds of game to download and play, sort of like Netflix for games. Memberships also grant discounts to many of the titles you might want to buy outright. Another caveat to note when comparing the Series X and S, is the Series S has less SSD storage, with 512GB on-board, compared to the 1TB of storage you get with the Series X. If you like to keep lots of titles on hand, without having to delete, you'll have to weigh that preference against the price of the Series X. Seagate does make an expansion card built specifically for the Xbox Series X/S, but at $200, you end up losing most of the money you saved buying the cheaper console. Despite any caveats, we found the performance impressive and loved the look of the physical box. For casual console gamers, it's a great option. Especially when you consider all you'll get out of backward-compatible games from the Game Pass library. If you've been waiting for a discount before you dive in, this is the best deal we've found. Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

14.11.2022 19:50 Back at I/O in May, Google announced Health Connect, a platform it worked on with Samsung to enable health and fitness apps to share data more easily with each other while maintaining privacy measures. That initiative is taking another step forward today, as the Health Connect app has moved out of early access and into beta on the Play Store, while several health and fitness apps are rolling out integrations.Peloton, Oura, WeightWatchers, MyFitnessPal, Flo, Lifesum, Tonal, Outdooractive and Proov Insight have joined Google and Samsung's own services: Fitbit, Google Fit and Samsung Health. The integrations mean that when you take on a workout in one app, you can share your stats across the Health Connect ecosystem. The likes of Oura and WeightWatchers will be able to take into account your Peloton workouts, for instance.Google and Samsung have made it easier for health and fitness app developers to tap into such information by creating a standardized data schema. This supports more than 40 data types across six categories: activity, body measurement, cycle tracking, nutrition, sleep and vitals. Google notes that it only takes a few lines of code for apps to read and write any of these data types through Health Connect.One of the key benefits for users is that they'll be able to manage permissions for all these integrations in one place. Health Connect includes granular controls over which types of data each third-party app can access. You can also block all apps from accessing Health Connect data with a couple of taps.

14.11.2022 19:50 Self-driving cars frequently have trouble with poor weather, but Waymo thinks it can overcome these limitations by using its autonomous taxis as weather gauges. The company has revealed that its latest car sensor arrays are creating real-time weather maps to improve ride hailing services in Phoenix and San Francisco. The vehicles measure the raindrops on windows to detect the intensity of conditions like fog or rain.The technology gives Waymo a much finer-grained view of conditions than it gets from airport weather stations, radar and satellites. It can track the coastal fog as it rolls inland, or drizzle that radar would normally miss. While that's not as important in a dry locale like Phoenix, it can be vital in San Francisco and other cities where the weather can vary wildly between neighborhoods.There are a number of practical advantages to gathering this data, as you might guess. Waymo is using the info to improve its Driver AI's ability to handle rough weather, including more realistic simulations. The company also believes it can better understand the limits of its cars and set higher requirements for new self-driving systems. The tech also helps Waymo One better serve ride hailing passengers at a given time and place, and gives Waymo Via trucking customers more accurate delivery updates.The current weather maps have their limitations. They may help in a warm city like San Francisco, where condensation and puddles are usually the greatest problems, but they won't be as useful for navigating snowy climates where merely seeing the lanes can be a challenge. There's also the question of whether or not it's ideal to have cars measure the very conditions that hamper their driving. This isn't necessarily the safest approach.This could still go a long way toward making Waymo's driverless service more practical, though. Right now, companies like Waymo and Cruise aren't allowed to operate in heavy rain or fog using their California permits — the weather monitoring could help these robotaxi firms serve customers looking for dry rides home.

14.11.2022 19:50 Hulu is adding 14 new channels to its Live TV offering, the Disney-owned streaming service announced on Monday. Five of the additions – the Weather Channel, Comedy.TV, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies Mysteries and Hallmark Drama – are already available to watch, with the remaining nine joining the service on December 1st.That means most of the new additions will arrive a week before Disney increases the cost of its Hulu + Live TV bundle. After December 8th, the with ads package will cost $75 per month, up from $70 currently. With today’s expansion, Hulu notes the Live TV component of its service provides access to more than 85 channels, with mainstays like CNN, EPSN, MTV and the NFL Network represented.For some, the new channels might make them reconsider canceling or modifying their Hulu + Live TV subscription, an outcome Disney is clearing banking on. Last week, the company announced Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ had a combined customer base of 236 million subscribers, putting the company in the ballpark of Netflix’s numbers. At the same time, Disney said operating losses for streaming increased from $0.8 billion to $1.5 billion during its most recent fiscal quarter. Moving forward, Walt Disney CEO Bob Chapek said the company expects those losses to narrow, partly thanks to the price increases it announced earlier this year.

14.11.2022 19:50 Even if you live for the holiday season, the shopping portion of it can be daunting for us all. Maybe you made a resolution last year to be better prepared this time around, but it’s easy to get sidetracked by all the other demands of everyday life. Holiday sales may have already begun, but if you’re just getting your list together now, you’re not alone.This is where our holiday gift guide comes in. Every year, we gather our favorite gadgets and other miscellany into one big guide. You’ll find gift ideas for the audiophile in your life, video gamers, board gamers, frequent travelers, people who work from home, and others. We also have all of our bread-and-butter gadget categories represented, with lists of our favorite laptops, tablets, smart home devices, home theater gear and gaming accessories.We also know that gadgets can get expensive fast, so in addition to having a bunch of types of gifts covered in our guide, we have every budget represented, too. Whether you’re ready to splurge this year or need to find inexpensive gifts, we have options for you. And if you’re willing to wait, Black Friday and Cyber Monday should bring a number of great deals on some of our favorite gadgets. If you haven’t crossed everything off your list by that point, be sure to follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter so you don’t miss any of the worthwhile tech deals this season.We hope that our product recommendations can lessen your holiday stress because you’ll spend less time worrying about which gift to get for whom. And don’t forget to pick up something for yourself along the way – you deserve it.Check out all of our holiday gift guide stories right here.

14.11.2022 19:50 Amazon has rolled out another round of discounts on its Fire TV media streamers ahead of Black Friday, which includes the entry-level Fire TV Stick Lite discounted to $15. While that isn't the best price we've ever tracked — the streaming stick dropped to $12 during Amazon's Prime Day sale this past July — it does match the lowest price we've seen otherwise. Amazon runs discounts on its streamer lineup fairly regularly, but the Fire TV Stick Lite typically drops to $20 during those sales, so this is a bit more savings than usual.Elsewhere, the Fire TV Stick 4K and higher-power 4K Max are available for $25 and $35, respectively. Again, those are deals we've seen a few times in the past, but both prices still match the lowest we've tracked. The 1080p Fire TV Stick, meanwhile, is available for $20, which is $2 higher than its all-time low. We'll also note that the previous-generation Fire TV Cube is on sale for $60, which matches that streamer-meets-smart-speaker's all-time low, though Amazon recently launched an updated version of this device with a faster processor, a new HDMI input and WiFi 6E support. There's always a chance we see lower prices on Black Friday proper, though Amazon is currently promoting most of these offers as "early Black Friday deals."If you can afford the step up, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the best of Amazon's streaming sticks, offering a slightly more powerful CPU and GPU than the Fire TV Stick 4K, as well as an extra 0.5GB of memory. All of that should keep it performing better in the long-term. It also has a WiFi 6 radio, if you have or ever plan to upgrade to a router that supports that. The Fire TV Stick 4K is still a solid alternative if you want to save a few bucks: It's physically identical to the 4K Max, has the same voice remote and still supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and HDR10, plus Dolby Atmos for audio. Like all Fire TV Sticks, it still works with just about all of the major streaming apps. It's just a bit less performant.If you're shopping for an older TV or don't need 4K streaming, the Fire TV Stick Lite and base Fire TV Stick max out at a 1080p resolution but offer most of the essentials at a lower cost. They both run the same interface as the 4K models and work with HDR10, HDR10+ and HLG, though there's no Dolby Vision support, and they're both more prone to sluggishness when swapping between apps and Amazon's home screen. The main difference between the two is in the remote: The Fire TV Stick's has buttons for volume, mute, power, and app shortcuts, while the Fire TV Stick Lite's doesn't. The Fire TV Stick can also output Dolby Atmos audio to a compatible sound system. If you can live without those, though, the Lite is more or less the same streamer for a few bucks less.With every Fire TV streamer, you still have to deal with an ad-heavy interface that heavily pushes you toward Amazon's own apps and services. Roku and Google still sell compelling alternatives around the same prices; the former offers a more straightforward UI, the latter has more comprehensive search and is better about proactively recommending shows you might like, and both give similar performance. If you prefer one of those platforms, we're still seeing deals on those devices as well: Roku's Streaming Stick 4K is currently on sale for $25, while Google's 1080p and 4K Chromecasts are down to $18 and $40, respectively. But Amazon's options still work well for casual streaming, and if you frequently use Alexa, Prime Video, and other Amazon services already — or want to sideload additional apps — they should provide good value at their current deal prices.Buy Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon - $35Buy Fire TV Stick 4K at Amazon - $25Buy Fire TV Stick at Amazon - $20Buy Fire TV Cube at Amazon - $60Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

14.11.2022 19:50 CD Projekt Red has revealed that the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt will finally be available on December 14th. The studio hasn't shown off what gameplay looks like on those consoles or many details about what's in store, but it plans to reveal more during a livestream event sometime next week.The upgrade will be free for those who bought any version of the game, which debuted in 2015, on PS4 or Xbox One, respectively. PC players will benefit from the update too. CD Projekt Red previously said the current-gen version of The Witcher 3 would include ray tracing and faster load times, as well as free downloadable content inspired by the Netflix series The Witcher2015 .The next-gen update for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is coming on December 14th, free for everyone who already owns the game. For more details and gameplay reveal, tune in to REDstreams next week on https://t.co/IpFERTohi9. pic.twitter.com/fg3yfGeNih— The Witcher November 14, 2022CDPR announced the current-gen version of the game back in September 2020. It planned to release that and the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S edition of Cyberpunk 2077 in 2021, but it delayed both into this year. The publisher released the latter in February. However, it ran into some issues with The Witcher 3. In April, CDPR said it would work on the upgrade in-house after initially outsourcing it to Saber Interactive. Cyberpunk 2077 saw a huge surge in interest earlier this year thanks to the current-gen update and the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime series on Netflix. Perhaps this upgrade will cause The Witcher 3's player count to spike again. Netflix's upcoming prequel to The Witcher could draw more eyes to the game too.

14.11.2022 19:50 Nike's interest in the blockchain extends beyond buying a digital collectibles startup. The apparel maker has introduced ".Swoosh," a blockchain-based platform that will let members collect and eventually create virtual jerseys, shoes and other goods they can wear in games and other online spaces. You may get access to real-world products and special events, too. The creation of an "inclusive" community is important, Nike says, although the company isn't shy about wanting to make money — you can buy virtual products using conventional payments, much like you would a physical pair of runners.The .Swoosh platform is currently in beta. Sign-ups start November 18th, and you'll need an access code if you want to avoid sitting on a waiting list. Nike doesn't start official "programming" until December, and the first community-shaped virtual collection is poised to launch in early 2023. The brand's initial community building will focus on the US and some European countries.Nike also hinted at how it will motivate some creators. After that first collection arrives, the firm will launch a community challenge that gives winners a chance to co-create virtual items with Nike. They'll earn a royalty on whatever products they ultimately sell.The debut comes just under a year after Nike bought RTFKT to accelerate its virtual goods business, and represents its first major push into the field. Nike also faces some competition from athletics wear rivals eager to profit from the blockchain. Adidas has participated in NFT drops, for instance, while Reebok has released its own collectible items. The .Swoosh rollout could help Nike counter those challenges by creating a go-to hub for digtally-savvy fans.

14.11.2022 19:50 Amazon's Alexa Together caregiver service is now more useful if you want to know a loved one's specific activities. The company has added custom alerts that ping up to 10 caregivers when there's particular smart home activity. You'll know if the care receiver opened a sensor-equipped medicine cabinet, for instance, or whether the bedroom light turned on at the right time in the morning.You can enable custom alerts through the "More" section in the Alexa App. Alexa Together costs $20 per month or $199 per year, and requires at least one Echo device for the person receiving support. It's currently available only in the US and requires Amazon accounts for both the caregiver and the care recipient.Alexa Together offers a number of remote aids, such as 24/7 urgent-care responses, remote assistance for features like reminders, and fall detection with compatible sensors. It was developed at the height of the pandemic, when in-person care was frequently impractical, but is also pitched as a way to grant independence to the elderly and others who might otherwise need physical check-ins.It's easy to imagine privacy concerns. If an intruder got access, they could learn when a family member leaves home or wakes up. Amazon notes that there are "multiple layers" of protection, however, including limited info in the activity feed and the power to revoke permission. It's really a question of whether or not both sides of an Alexa Together setup are comfortable with the added level of detail.

14.11.2022 19:50 If you’re thinking of getting a laptop or tablet as a gift, you’ve got a wealth of options. Thanks to the latest round of hardware from Intel, Apple, AMD and NVIDIA, all of our portable devices have gotten faster and more efficient. Even the cheapest iPad can be a decent productivity machine, while gaming laptops can almost match the power of their desktop siblings. And now that Windows 11 has proven very stable over the past year, it's a perfect time to give someone a nifty PC upgrade.Dell XPS 13Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetNot to sound like a broken record, but the XPS 13 is still one of the best Windows ultraportables you can buy. This year, Dell also streamlined its design to be even slimmer and lighter than before. The result is a laptop that’s easy to carry all day, and a joy to behold thanks to its incredibly thin screen bezels. It’s been upgraded to lower-wattage Intel 12th-gen processors, which is a boon for battery life without sacrificing much performance. The XPS 13 can also be configured with an OLED screen, an ideal gift for someone who could use a bright and color accurate display. If you’re looking for better performance and even more striking design, Dell’s new XPS 13 Plus is also a great gift option. For most users, though, the standard XPS 13 will still be a fantastic laptop.Shop XPS 13 models at DellApple MacBook Air Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetApple’s successor to the miraculous M1 MacBook Air is even more impressive, thanks to its thinner design, larger 13.6-inch screen, and a rocking quad-speaker setup. If you were feeling a bit bored by Apple’s older design, this is the upgrade you’ve been waiting for. While it’s still fan-less, the M2 MacBook Air remains one of the fastest ultraportables around. It’ll handle all of your productivity tasks, and even a bit of media creation, without breaking a sweat. And if you’re looking for more of a deal, Apple’s M1 MacBook Air is still a very compelling laptop, especially when it goes on sale.Buy MacBook Air M2 at Amazon - $1,199Apple iPadWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetApple’s newest iPad has basically a stripped down iPad Air: It has a new flat-edged design, a faster processor and a more convenient front-facing camera. Starting at $449, it’s a great deal more expensive than the previous model, but all of the upgrades also make it far more future proof. And if you pair the iPad with Apple’s new Magic Keyboard Folio, it can even tackle basic typing, email and productivity work. If you can’t stomach the higher price , last year’s $329 model is a fantastic deal. It’s fast enough for most users, and it also has a few keyboard accessories for writers.Buy iPad at Amazon - $329Buy iPad at Amazon - $449Amazon Fire HD 10Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetAmazon's Fire tablets are basically just video-first Android slates, but they also prove you don’t have to pay a ton to buy a useful tablet for someone. Last year’s Fire HD 10 is a bit faster than before, has 50 percent more memory and features a slightly brighter screen. And, as a bonus, there's a Bluetooth keyboard accessory that can turn it into a cheap productivity tablet. But its core selling point is the same as always: it can tackle most tablet tasks easily, and it won’t cost too much. Buy Fire HD 10 at Amazon - $150Razer Blade 15Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetYou can take all of the praise we've given Razer's Blade 15 over the years and apply it to the latest model. Razer's flagship gaming notebook still has a sleek unibody aluminum case, and it packs in the latest CPUs and GPUs, including NVIDIA's top-end RTX 3080. And thanks to improved screen choices, you can also gift models with fast 1,440p displays, which require less horsepowerpower to run than 4K screens. If portability is a greater concern, take a look at the Razer Blade 14, a sub-four-pound notebook sporting AMD's latest processors.Buy Razer Blade 15 at Amazon - $3,000ASUS Zephyrus G14Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetASUS’s excellent Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop is back, and this time it finally has a webcam. The G14 remains one of the best 14-inch gaming laptops around, with the power of AMD’s Ryzen 9 6900HS chip and either Radeon 6700S or 6800S graphics. That’s pretty impressive for a computer that starts at just 3.6 pounds. You can choose between 1080p 144Hz or 1,440p 120Hz screens, both of which look fantastic. The G14 can appear flashy, thanks to its optional rear LED panel, but it can also do double duty as an attractive productivity PC. It’s a gaming machine that won’t look out of place in a lecture hall, making it ideal for students who don’t want to draw too much attention while they’re watching Twitch streams during class.Buy ASUS Zephyrus G14 at Amazon - $1,100Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 2MicrosoftWe called the Surface Laptop Go 2 “basic, but in a good way” in our review, and that pretty much says it all. It’s a $600 computer with the design language of Microsoft’s excellent Surface Laptop, and some slightly lower-tier specs. We love that it has a better CPU than the first model, faster storage and improved cooling. It’s the ideal computer for a high school student who doesn’t need high-end components, and wants a sturdy computer that can last a day’s worth of classes .Buy Surface Laptop Go 2 at Amazon - $799Dell G15 Gaming LaptopWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetWe’ve been huge fans of Dell’s budget G15 gaming laptops for years, and the latest model is no exception. It starts at around $900 and includes a 12th-gen Intel Core i5 chip and NVIDIA’s RTX 3050 graphics. You can scale it all the way up to an i9 CPU and RTX 3070, all the while staying below the price of many comparable gaming machines. The G15 isn’t as sleek as the Razer Blade, but it’s a sturdy and reliable computer that will serve any budding gamer well.Shop G15 models at Dell