Engadget

04.11.2022 08:30 Like many other streaming services over the past year, Hulu raised its subscription prices in October from $7 to $8 per month for its ad-supported tier. Now, the Disney-owned streaming service is also raising the prices for its Hulu + Live TV bundle. In an email sent to an Engadget editor, it said that the Hulu + Live TV , Disney+ and ESPN+ bundle will cost $75 per month on their first billing cycle after December 8th. That's $5 more than the current monthly price of $70. Our editor also got a note that they can switch or cancel their subscription. But the legacy plan they're subscribed to will no longer be available after December 8th, so they won't be able to switch back afterward. To note, according to Apple Insider, those paying for a bundle wherein Hulu has no ads will have to pony up $83 a month starting on December 8th instead of $76 like what they're currently paying. Seeing as Disney announced in August that Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ are all raising their prices, perhaps it doesn't come as a surprise that the Live TV bundle is getting a price hike, as well. Back then, Disney revealed that it incurred operating losses worth nearly $1.1 billion from running its streaming services. It also said that the third quarter of the year added 14.4 million subscribers to Disney+ alone, and the company is clearly hoping to earn some of the money it lost but charging its viewers more.

04.11.2022 08:30 Sling TV is raising its monthly subscription prices for the fourth time in the last five years, the company announced in a blog post seen by The Verge. Both the Sling Orange and Sling Blue packages are going up by $5, from $35 to $40, while the all-inclusive package with both Orange and Blue is going up by $5 as well to $55. Sling TV President Gary Schanman said the company made the hike because the "price of programming continues to rise," while noting that it hadn't raised prices in "nearly two years." The move happens less than a month after Disney went dark on Sling TV for two days, with the streaming service saying that Disney wanted $1 billion more to extend its carriage contract. Sling TV launched in 2015 at a $20 per month price tag, but that price has gradually gone up and now sits at double the original rate. It's still one of the cheaper live TV streaming options, though, as YouTube TV costs $65 per month , and DirecTV runs $70, minimum. Schanman said that Sling TV has new features coming down the road, "including plans to add 150-plus new channels through 2023, new user profiles for your household and auto binge watching capabilities."

04.11.2022 03:10 Twitter will reportedly begin laying off workers on Friday, only a week after Elon Musk officially took control of the website. Around half of the company's staff members will lose their jobs, according to internal messages seen by The New York Times and The Washington Post. That's consistent with the previous reports that came out earlier this week.Musk didn't waste much time in making personnel changes after taking over Twitter. His first act was to dismiss then-CEO Parag Agrawal and other members of the leadership team. Several other executives have left the company over the last week. In an email sent to staff members, Twitter said that it has to "go through the difficult process of reducing global workforce on Friday" and that the move "is unfortunately necessary to ensure the company's success moving forward."Twitter's offices will be closed on Friday, and all employees are asked to stay home and wait for an update regarding their fate. Those who get to keep their jobs will receive an email with the subject line "Your Role at Twitter" via their work emails. Twitter will contact people getting laid off through their personal emails with the next steps to take.Since Twitter is now a privately held entity, it doesn't ostensibly have to answer to shareholders anymore. However, the company still needs to improve the bottom line. It's on the hook for roughly $1 billion a year in interest payments on the debt Musk saddled the company with when he bought it. In the three months to June 30th, Twitter posted a net loss of $270 million. So, it needs to make more money and/or reduce costs, and to do so pretty swiftly.Some major advertisers are skittish about the new regime and Twitter is trying to diversify its sources of revenue. Musk plans to charge $8 per month for Twitter Blue, which verified users will need to pay for to retain their blue checkmark. The service will offer new features, according to Musk, with subscribers seeing fewer ads and the ability to include longer videos in tweets. Reports suggest the Twitter Blue may go up from $5 to $8 per month as soon as Monday. The company is also reportedly working on a plan to offer paid video posts, which it may use to monetize adult content.Mariella Moon contributed to this report.

04.11.2022 03:10 Now that AMD has unveiled Radeon RX 7900 GPUs that can output 8K video at high refresh rates, gamers will need displays that can handle them — and Samsung is happy to oblige. The company has teased a new generation of its Odyssey Neo G9 that will supposedly be the first 8K ultrawide gaming monitor. You won't see a full launch until CES in January, but you'll need a DisplayPort 2.1-capable video card to help that screen reach its potential. We'd also add that AMD bills the 8K as "horizontal only," so you may not get as many vertical pixels as you might like.Other high-res DisplayPort 2.1 monitors are coming from Acer, ASUS, Dell and LG starting in early 2023. AMD unfortunately didn't share more details.This will likely be an expensive monitor when the previous-gen Odyssey Neo G9 currently sells for $2,200 with 'just' a 5,120 x 1,440 resolution and a 240Hz refresh rate. However, the bigger cost may be the PC attached to that 8K panel. On top of one of the new Radeons, you'll need a CPU that won't create a bottleneck for the graphics hardware.There's also the question of content. Even many recent games can struggle at 8K, and older titles won't benefit much. Do you really need to play CS:GO at that resolution? AMD has promised that some games will run well on its cards with the help of upscaling, such as Assassin's Creed Valhalla, Death Stranding, Modern Warfare 2 and Uncharted, but it's not clear how well native 8K will perform just yet. Samsung's monitor may be more of an investment in the future than instant gratification.

03.11.2022 21:42 Now that NVIDIA has kicked off the latest video card wave with the insanely powerful RTX 4090, all eyes are on AMD to see how it will respond. Today, the company announced the Radeon RX 7900 XTX and RX 7900 XT, two confusingly named GPUs powered by its new RDNA3 architecture. On stage during its Las Vegas launch event, AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su claimed the new hardware offers a 54 percent increase in performance per watt over the previous GPUs. She also emphasized that AMD is focused on delivering complex performance with reasonable power usage, a clear knock against NVIDIA's power-hungry RTX 4090.Developing...

03.11.2022 21:42 Amazon is joining the ranks of tech companies freezing their recruitment plans. Engadget has obtained a memo from Senior VP Beth Galetti revealing that the company will "pause" hiring at its corporate offices for a few months. The internet giant will still replace departing employees and hire new people in "targeted places," Galetti wrote but there won't be any significant expansion in the near future.As with other companies, Amazon attributed its freeze decision to an "unusual macro-economic environment." The firm doesn't want to spend too much money growing its workforce in difficult financial conditions, to put it another way. Galetti added that Amazon still wants to hire a "meaningful number" of corporate workers in 2023, but that the online shopping giant will track the economy and adjust as it "makes sense."Amazon had no further comment. It hired aggressively during the height of the pandemic to keep up with a spike in online sales, but ran into trouble this year due to both a return to in-person shopping and mounting costs. The company posted a $2 billion loss during its second quarter and cut 99,000 jobs, many of them warehouse workers. It also cancelled the launch of some facilities. In early October, it temporarily halted corporate hires for its retail business.The pause comes weeks after Meta reportedly suspended all hiring, and months after big names like Apple, Google and NVIDIA have slowed their pursuits. Some companies are making additional cuts — Lyft just confirmed that it's laying off 700 workers, or about 13 percent of its workforce, after cutting 60 positions in July.

03.11.2022 21:42 By the time you read this article, Netflix will have started rolling out its new “Basic with Ads” plan. After years of resisting investor pressure, the company, following its first subscriber decline in a decade, announced this past April it would begin offering an ad-supported tier. Here's everything you need to know about the company's latest offering.How is Basic with Ads different from other Netflix plans?Besides featuring ads , the tier will limit you to streaming content at 720p. Additionally, you won’t be able to watch every title in Netflix’s library, and you won’t be able to download shows and films for offline viewing.How much does the plan cost?In the US, Basic with Ads is priced at $7 per month.How many ads will I see?According to Netflix, Basic with Ads subscribers can expect to see an average of four to five minutes of advertisements per hour of content. Initially, the company plans to play spots that are between 15 and 30 seconds long, though you’ll see them both before and during shows and films. The company will employ “broad” targeting, using criteria like your country and genre preference to inform the ads it shows youWhere is the plan available?Starting this week, the Basic with Ads plan is available in 12 countries: the US, UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Spain. The company expects to launch the tier in more countries over time. How do I switch to the new plan?On either your computer or phone, visit the Netflix website and sign into your existing account. Click or tap on “Account,” and then “Change plan.” There, you’ll see the option to select from any one of the company’s four currently available tiers. Once you confirm you want to switch to the Basic with Ads plan, Netflix will move you over to it at the start of your next billing cycle.

03.11.2022 21:42 If you're an Apple TV user who was considering switching to Netflix's new ad-supported plan, it might be best to hold off for now. The more budget-friendly version of the service currently isn't supported on Apple TV devices, including the new Apple TV 4K unit.“Basic with ads plan support on tvOS is not available at launch but coming soon," Netflix told Variety. As spotted by 9to5Mac, a Netflix support page notes that you'll only be able to watch Netflix on Apple TV if you're subscribed to the Basic, Standard or Premium tiers. Otherwise, you'll need to access Netflix through a different device.Netflix didn't explain why the Basic with ads plan doesn't work on Apple TV as yet, but it seems a bit of an oversight. It originally planned to start offering that $7 per month tier in early 2023, but it moved the timeline up to this month. It wanted to get out of the gate before Disney+ launches its ad-supported plan in December.As of today, Netflix's ad-supported plan is live in the UK, UK, Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, South Korea and Spain. It became available in Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. Beyond the inclusion of ads, the plan has some other downgrades from Netflix's higher tiers, such as video resolution maxing out at 720p , some content being unavailable and a lack of offline viewing.

03.11.2022 21:42 Substack users now have another way to interact with their favorite writers, podcasters and video makers. The platform now has a chat feature, where creators can hang out with their subscribers and perhaps forge deeper links with their communities. "Chat is a community space reimagined specifically for writers and creators— it’s like having your own private social network where you make the rules," Substack said in a clear dig at Twitter.The feature is only available through Substack's iOS app for now. You won't be able to chat with your favorite Substack writers and podcasters on the web or Android just yet, but chat will eventually be available there.The company noted that creators can decide the tone and topic of chat threads. They can switch the chat function off and reactivate it whenever they like, and they can decide whether to open it up to everyone or only paid subscribers.Today we are launching Chat, a new space for writers and creators to host conversations with their subscribers. Try Chat now: https://t.co/3CxbGAwtGtpic.twitter.com/2OBHJ5Hb8o— Substack November 3, 2022The first time that a creator starts a chat, a notification email will go out to all of their subscribers. That seems a little spammy, but at least it's a one-time thing. After that, readers will be alerted to a new chat thread only if they have push notifications switched on.Creators have a few moderation options, according to an FAQ. They can turn off replies in a chat thread, delete replies and stop subscribers from posting images . Creators can also ban users from chat threads and comments. However, it doesn't seem that there's a way for a writer to appoint trusted moderators to handle that stuff on their behalf for the time being.Substack pointed out that many newsletter writers have taken to the likes of Discord, Slack and Telegram to chat with their subscribers. Its developers have been working with a group of writers over the last few months to simplify things with an in-house chat option. However, writers may not be willing to give up on external platforms until Substack has more robust chat moderation options. This marks just the beginning of the chat feature and other social functions on the platform, as Substack says more updates are on the way.

03.11.2022 21:42 Have you ever wanted to use your luggage as a workstation? No? Don't tell T-Mobile that, then. The provider and Samsara have unveiled a smart carry-on suitcase, the "Un-carrier On" , whose stand-out feature is the ability to double as a desk. Like a handful of other bag makers, T-Mobile thinks you'll rest your laptop on your baggage while you finish a must-send work email. That strikes us as potentially uncomfortable if the case sits on your lap, especially if you have to stare at T-Mobile's eye-searing magenta — did we mention that's the only color option?There are some practical features. T-Mobile claims this is the only carry-on suitcase with wireless charging for your phone, and there's USB-C charging if you prefer cables. You can track the case when it invariably gets sent to the wrong airport, and an eight-bag packing set keeps your toothpaste safely away from your shirts.The limited edition Un-carrier On will ship later in November, or just in time for that Thanksgiving family visit you may or may not be dreading. However, the scariest part is the price — T-Mobile is asking $325. That's a lot to pay for a carrier promo on wheels, even if the functionality might come in handy at the gate. You might want to slip an item tracker into a conventional carry-on instead.

03.11.2022 21:42 Bioprinted body parts could prove vital to future medical treatments, and scientists are going to great lengths to test it — in a very literal sense. NASA, Redwire and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences Center for Biotechnology are sending a new 3D printer to the International Space Station, Redwire's BioFabrication Facility, to bioprint a human knee meniscus in orbit and study the result on Earth. Ideally, this will lead to treatments for the meniscal injuries that US soldiers all-too-frequently face.Redwire hopes to 3D print whole organs in space, although it characterizes this as a "long-term" goal. The company is also using NASA's Advanced Plant Habitat for a project to identify genes for space-friendly plants. Another investigation will use a NASA furnace to create and demo passive cooling for electronics in low gravity.The BFF printer will fly to the ISS aboard a supply rocket launching as soon as November 6th from NASA's Wallops Island spaceport. The mission will carry three extra payloads.This isn't NASA's first spaceborne 3D printer. Last year, NASA carried a Redwire printer to the ISS to demonstrate printing lunar soil. That technology could one day help Moon colonists build habitats without carrying an abundance of supplies from Earth. The bioprinter is more immediately practical, of course. If the research pans out, doctors could replace damaged body parts without resorting to donations or inorganic implants.

03.11.2022 21:42 It's already been almost eight months since Google and Valve announced that they were jointly working on a version of Steam for ChromeOS, something that would greatly expand the gaming options available on Chromebooks. While it was an alpha release, limited to only a handful of devices, I was surprised at how decent the experience was — even the most powerful Chromebooks aren't going to be able to run cutting-edge titles, but there is plenty in the Steam catalog that's worth playing. As of today, more people can get in on the fun: Google and Valve have announced that Steam for ChromeOS has graduated to beta. This means a handful of things have changed; one of the most notable updates is that you don't have to switch your Chromebook to run on the experimental and less stable. Dev channel. Instead, you can run your device on the Beta release channel; obviously, that's still not something you might want to do with a computer you rely on for everyday work, but the beta ChromeOS releases are typically pretty stable. Another big change is broader hardware support. The beta now works with Chromebooks running AMD Ryzen 5000 C-Series and Intel 12th-gen Core processors; the supported device list now includes 20 models, up from only seven before. In addition to supporting those newer chips, Steam also works with Core i3 and Ryzen 3 processors. Google still warns that an i5 or Ryzen 5 chip with 16GB of RAM is recommended — but eventually opening things up to the many Chromebooks with i3 processors could be good for people playing older or less demanding games.Google has also made a few user experience changes. One basic one is letting the low battery notification appear when you're playing a full-screen game so your computer doesn't die unexpectedly. A more complicated change involves how Steam manages storage in ChromeOS — previously, games would simply reserve the amount of space needed based on the reported requirement on Steam. But games that needed to download content from outside of Steam were unable to access the storage they need. Google and Valve say they completely reworked how Steam figures out what storage it needs, a process that led to some additional benefits — like improved file access for games that use the Proton compatibility tool. Finally, there are a number of noteworthy performance and compatibility updates. Steam for ChromeOS now works with the widely-used DirectX 12 and Vulkan 1.3 graphics libraries, and Google says that battery life when running games has been improved thanks to reduced CPU overhead when running titles using DirectX or Vulkan. Google also fixed some issues with high-resolution displays — even if games were running at a lower resolution, Chromebooks with screens that ran at QHD or UHD resolutions could suffer serious performance hits. Fortunately, that should no longer be the case.If you're up for running your Chromebook on the beta channel, you can get started with these new Steam features today. Google's Chromium site has everything you'll need to try it out, including a list of the new supported devices, recommended games and known issues to watch out for.

03.11.2022 21:42 Square Enix has revealed that Symbiogenesis, an upcoming project that was widely rumored to be Parasite Eve-related, is actually something else — and it's centered around NFTs . The publisher described Symbiogenesis as "its first digital collectible art project designed from the ground up for Web3 fans."Symbiogenesis takes place in a self-contained world containing a large cast of characters that can be collected as NFTs. Square Enix says you'll be able to use these digital artworks as profile pictures on social media accounts, something you definitely wouldn't be able to do by simply taking a screenshot.NFT Collectible Art ProjectSYMBIOGENESISUntangle the StorySpring 2023#SYMBIOGENESIS#symgeNFT#NFT#NFTProjectspic.twitter.com/Kk1JvMdQx4— SYMBIOGENESIS November 3, 2022In addition, you can use your character "in a story that takes place in an alternate world where the player can ’untangle’ a mystery by completing missions that revolve around questions of the monopolization and distribution of resources," Square Enix said in a press release. That's somewhat ironic, given that the entire perceived value of NFTs is derived from artificial scarcity.The publisher will start selling NFTs in spring 2023, alongside the debut of "a free browser service" on Google Chrome. The browser-based approach makes some sense. Symbiogenesis wouldn't make it onto Steam, which banned NFT games last year.This is one of the highest-profile stabs at an NFT-driven gaming experience yet. However, the NFT market has cratered this year. Gamers have largely rejected NFTs too.Last December, it emerged that Ubisoft had sold barely any NFTs in Ghost Recon Breakpoint, the first title in which it employed blockchain tech. A few weeks later, an Ubisoft executive claimed players would benefit from having a marketplace where they could buy and sell NFTs of in-game items, "but they don't get it for now." In April, Ubisoft announced that the game wouldn't receive any more content updates, effectively putting the game on ice and diminishing whatever value Ghost Recon Breakpoint's NFTs had.It seems Square Enix is facing an uphill battle to make Symbiogenesis a success. It's not a surprise that the company is moving in this direction after announcing in January that it would invest in blockchain games. Square Enix sold off some of its more notable Western studios this year and it initially planned to plow much of the proceeds into the blockchain and other tech before walking back on that plan.Meanwhile, Square Enix may have to try to placate fans who were convinced that Symbiogenesis was actually a revival of 1998's Parasite Eve. After the publisher registered Symbiogenesis as a trademark last month, some pointed out that the term means “the merging of two separate organisms to form a single new organism" — which is one of the foundations of Parasite Eve's story. While that connection is somewhat tenuous, it's hard to blame fans for beingupset and disappointed that the project is ultimately an NFT grift.

03.11.2022 16:32 WiFi's friendliness to other devices might pose a significant threat in the wrong circumstances. University of Waterloo researchers have discovered a security flaw in the networking standard that lets attackers track devices through walls. The technique identifies the location of a device within 3.3ft just by exploiting WiFi devices' automatic contact responses and measuring the response times. You can identify all the connected hardware in a room, and even track people's movements if they have a phone or smartwatch.The scientists tested the exploit by modifying an off-the-shelf drone to create a flying scanning device, the Wi-Peep. The robotic aircraft sends several messages to each device as it flies around, establishing the positions of devices in each room. A thief using the drone could find vulnerable areas in a home or office by checking for the absence of security cameras and other signs that a room is monitored or occupied. It could also be used to follow a security guard, or even to help rival hotels spy on each other by gauging the number of rooms in use.There have been attempts to exploit similar WiFi problems before, but the team says these typically require bulky and costly devices that would give away attempts. Wi-Peep only requires a small drone and about $15 US in equipment that includes two WiFi modules and a voltage regulator. An intruder could quickly scan a building without revealing their presence.Research lead Dr. Ali Abedi is calling for changes to the WiFi standard to prevent devices from responding to "strangers." That may take years, however, and Abedi suggests that hardware makers address the issue in the meantime by introducing randomized response times. The chances of burglars using drones to map your home devices aren't high at this stage , but there are things developers can do to thwart these aerial spying efforts.

03.11.2022 16:32 After Apple finally gave us a decent Siri remote last year, I couldn't imagine the Apple TV 4K getting much better. It's not like anyone is clamoring for an 8K upgrade – all we need these days is support for fast 4K streaming, as well as the multitude of HDR formats out there. The new Apple TV 4K can easily meet those demands, but what's truly impressive is that it's far faster than before and it's a lot cheaper at $129 ! At last, there's an Apple TV I can recommend to anyone without hesitation.Let's start with what's new: this year's Apple TV 4K is powered by an A15 Bionic chip, which launched with the iPhone 13 . That's a huge leap forward from the 2018-era A12 in the previous model. The new box also ships with 64GB of storage, instead of a meager 32GB. If you're planning to load up a ton of games and apps, there's also a 128GB model for $149, which adds an Ethernet port and support for the Thread internet-of-things protocol. Finally, Apple has integrated HDR10+ support, which works similar to Dolby Vision for delivering more accurate HDR in every scene.At first glance, the Apple TV 4K looks the same as the previous models: a smooth black box with obscenely rounded corners. Peer a bit closer, though, and you'll notice it's actually smaller, like a prop rendering of its predecessor. Apple says it has 20 percent less volume than before, a result of losing the fan from previous models and being powered by more efficient hardware. Apple wouldn't say what, exactly, led to the dramatic price drop. But I'd bet it's down to simpler manufacturing, as well as a dip in component pricing across the board.If you want to hear me wax poetic about Apple's Siri Remote, just check out my review of the last Apple TV. I'm still enamored with it a year later: It's easy to hold, has all of the basic functions you'd want, and it's far harder to lose than the previous super-thin remote. I'm still baffled why we were forced to use a glass-backed remote with a crummy touchpad on the original Apple TV 4K. Long live the new model and it's touch-sensitive, directional clickpad.Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetSo sure, the hardware is great, but how's the software? Setting up the Apple TV 4K is now surprisingly easy, assuming you're already beholden to Apple's ecosystem. After plugging it in, I just had to tap my iPhone to the box to send over my WiFi and iCloud credentials. I chose to synchronize my home screens, which made all of the apps from my current Apple TV pop over. At that point, all I had to do was log into my usual streaming haunts, and I was ready to go.After using every Apple TV the company has put out over the last decade, I had one immediate thought as I started using this new model: Holy hell this thing is fast. That's not to say the last version was slow, by any means. But there's a snappiness to this year's box that just feels freeing. I can swipe through all of the apps on my homescreen with ease, launch Netflix a few seconds faster than before, and drill through my library of movies without breaking a sweat. No more slight loading delays or pinwheels.It could just be that I'm experiencing the rush of a brand new device, one uncluttered by a year's worth of use. But using the new Apple TV 4K feels like the difference between using an iPhone X and an iPhone 14 — everything just happens faster, with a greater sense of urgency. I found that most useful when I was flipping between apps and different videos. While I was catching up on Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities on Netflix, I could quickly hop over to check out my YouTube channels while my wife needed a bathroom break, and then resume the creepiness when she returned. Again, this is something I did frequently with the previous box, but now the Apple TV feels completely unencumbered.Amid my speed viewing, I was also impressed to see that the Apple TV handles HDR 10+ without any issues. The opening chase in No Time to Die looked glorious, with excellent highlights in the brightly-lit European streets, but also solid shadow detail in darker scenes. That's the main appeal of HDR10+. Like the original HDR 10 standard, it delivers both brighter brights and darker darks. But, it can also adjust those settings based on the scene you're viewing, just like Dolby Vision. That avoids some issues commonly seen with HDR 10, where one HDR profile setting may not work well across a wide variety of scenes.While testing the Apple TV 4K on Samsung's 55-inch Odyssey Ark monitor, I was also able to view Dolby Vision titles from iTunes via HDR10+. That feature is particularly useful on the Ark, since it doesn't support Dolby Vision on its own. You can expect HDR10+ to work across Apple TV+ offerings, as well as many titles available for rent or purchase. Amazon has also been pushing the standard for years, so you'll find native HDR10+ support across all of its originals. If you weren't a fan of the Apple TV's interface before, this new model won't change your mind. But as someone who has tested plenty of streaming devices, I still feel most at home with the Apple TV. I appreciate its wide variety of apps, its seamless integration with iOS devices, and the overall polish you don't see on Roku's software. Sure, you can use the Apple TV app on competing devices today , but that's just a gateway to content. It's not the same as living with an elegantly designed streaming interface day-to-day.Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetAnother plus? The Apple TV actually has games you may want to play .I was able to load up Sonic Racing in a few seconds, pair an Xbox controller, and start zooming around the track without much issue. The A15 Bionic should allow for smoother performance on more demanding games, but I've personally never seen anything stress these boxes much.Perhaps my favorite aspect of the Apple TV this year: you don't have to pay as much of a premium to own it. At $129, it's a bit pricier than the $100 Roku Ultra, but in exchange you get a far more robust app platform and more features. The $149 model we reviewed is a smarter buy if you demand Ethernet, or would like to start using Thread IoT devices. But even that model is a decent bit cheaper than the previous $179 Apple TV.If you already bought last year's Apple TV 4K for its new Siri remote, this new box probably isn't worth the upgrade. But if you picked up an HDR10+ TV recently, it may be worth the step up, just so you're seeing the best HDR picture possible.It’s taken a while, but Apple has finally managed to craft the ideal streaming box: one that’s relatively inexpensive, filled with modern features and fast. So damn fast.