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02.11.2022 21:20 Workers at an Apple Store in Glasgow, Scotland, voted on Wednesday to unionize. The vote came after “several” months of negotiations that eventually saw Apple agree to recognize the ballot voluntarily. According to The Herald, employees at the company’s Buchanan Street location, one of two stores Apple operates in Scotland’s most populous city, voted “overwhelmingly” in favor of joining the GMB Union. With the historic vote, the retail location is now on track to become the first unionized Apple Store in the United Kingdom.Apple did not immediately respond to Engadget’s request for comment. “We have long been committed to providing an excellent experience for our customers and teams,” the company told The Herald. "Apple is one of the highest paying retailers in Scotland and we’ve regularly made enhancements to our industry-leading benefits as a part of the overall support we provide to our valued team members.”Today Apple Glasgow have made history by voting overwhelmingly for union recognition! ✊ Thanks to all those who have voted, all those have shown solidarity and all who have made this moment possible.

02.11.2022 21:20 Google Play Games has arrived on PC in more countries, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. The app, which is available in beta, allows you to play a selection of Android games on your PC with a mouse and keyboard. Google started testing the app in Hong Kong, South Korea and Taiwan in January after promising at the tail end of last year that Google Play Games would come to PC in 2022.To try the app, Google says you'll need a rig with Windows 10 or later, a solid state drive with 10GB of free space, at least an Intel UHD Graphics 630 or comparable GPU, a CPU with four physical cores and 8GB of RAM. Your progress will sync between Android and PC, so you can continue playing your game on another device.There are 85 titles on Google Play Games, as The Verge notes, though Google plans to add more. The lineup includes Cookie Run: Kingdom, WWE SuperCard and Just Dance Now. Those are somewhat notable games, but you'll perhaps find heavier hitters on Apple Arcade and Netflix.Bringing Google Play Games to Windows is a separate effort from Microsoft's push to offer Android apps on Windows 11 . For one thing, Google built the Google Play Games app. Perhaps this gaming effort will go more smoothly for Google than Stadia has.

02.11.2022 21:20 Last week, Elon Musk officially completed his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter. But Musk’s path from Twitter super-user to Twitter owner and CEO was anything but straightforward.While he’s long been known as a prolific tweeter, it was a surprise to most that he was interested in exterting an even bigger influence on the platform. After quietly acquiring a majority stake in the company, he offered to buy the whole thing — even though it wasn’t for sale.Twitter’s board seemed hesitant at first, but Musk’s money was hard to turn down. In a matter of days, the company agreed to alter its path entirely. Then Musk changed his mind… multiple times. First, the deal was “on hold.” Then, he wanted out entirely. Twitter sued, kicking off a massive legal battle in a Delaware court. But just before the trial was scheduled to begin, Musk said he would honor the deal after all.Now, there are fresh questions about what exactly Twitter will look like under Musk. He’s proposed numerous changes, including changing Twitter’s moderation rules and reversing permanent bans. He also has a new plan to charge for verification. These decisions are only just beginning to play out, but have already caused massive upheaval both within the company and on the platform itself. Watch the video above for the full story.

02.11.2022 21:20 You might not have to jump between your email client and a web browser just to find out if a holiday gift will arrive on time. Google is updating the Gmail app with simple package tracking. If your order email has a supported tracking number , you'll see the shipping status at the top of the message. If your must-have item arrives tomorrow, you may know without having to plug digits into a web link or dedicated app.The feature will be available in the US in the "coming weeks," and will support most large shipping providers. It's strictly opt-in, so Google won't look up your tracking numbers unless you want it to. In the months ahead, Gmail will also watch for delays and surface the order email with a label indicating the problem. You may know about a delivery setback before you've even received an official notification.GoogleThe timing is convenient, of course. Google is hoping to get ahead of the holiday shopping rush and make Gmail your go-to app for tracking packages. That could help keep you in the company's ecosystem. All the same, it should be a genuinely useful feature — particularly if you shop smaller stores that don't always have their own apps.

02.11.2022 21:20 For the last several years, Google has been using artificial intelligence to develop a system that can predict floods. It has also been working on wildfire tracking tools. Ahead of the COP27 climate conference taking place next week, the company announced that it is expanding those tools.First, Google says it will offer flood forecasts for river basins in another 18 countries. Those are Brazil, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Angola, South Sudan, Namibia, Liberia and South Africa. The company previously offered flood warnings to users in India and Bangaldesh with alerts on Android devices and phones that have the Google Search app installed.Google is also making a tool called Flood Hub available worldwide. Flood Hub displays flood forecasts on a map and shows when and where they might occur with color-coded pins. The company hopes the tool will help people who are directly at risk from the impacts of flooding, and that it will assist organizations and governments in mobilizing their responses."This expansion in geographic coverage is possible thanks to our recent breakthroughs in AI-based flood forecasting models, and we’re committed to expanding to more countries," Yossi Matias, Google vice president of engineering and crisis response lead, wrote in a blog post. Matias noted that catastrophic flood damage affects more than 250 million people every year. Global warming is likely to result in more flooding, which makes detection systems such as the one Google is working on critical.Using weather forecast data, the company is able to offer flood warnings up to a week in advance, senior staff engineering manager Sella Nevo told The Verge. The AI model previously used water level gauge data, which limited the advance warning window to around 48 hours.As for wildfires, Matias wrote that Google detects "wildfire boundaries using new AI models based on satellite imagery and their real-time location in Search and Maps." The company said last year that it would make its wildfire tracking tool available worldwide. It's now using machine learning to improve wildfire detection and monitoring. Initially, the improved tracking tools are available in the US, Mexico, Canada and some areas of Australia. The company also uses data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and NASA satellites for wildfire tracking.Matias also touched on some of the other work Google and parent company Alphabet are doing to mitigate climate change, such as an AI-powered system to make traffic lights more efficient and reduce pollution from idling cars. Meanwhile, Mineral, a project housed under Alphabet's X moonshot division, is attempting to make the global food system more sustainable and productive.

02.11.2022 21:20 When we put together our ultimate list of current-model smartphones, Samsung's Galaxy S22 Ultra easily won out as the best Android option. It's on sale at Amazon right now for $300 off the list price, bringing it down to just $900. That's only ten bucks more than its lowest ever price during October's Prime Day — still a strong deal. We deemed the S22 Ultra "an excellent phone and the best premium Android flagship you can buy," before awarding it a solid score of 89. And because Samsung has promised at least four years of updates/support, its an investment that won't leave your phone high and dry in just a couple years. Those who remember Samsung's Note series will find a lot that feels familiar here, especially the S Pen, the on-board stylus that lets you jot notes, mark up photos, draw doodles and use it as a cursor. In fact, the S Pen is part of what differentiates the S22 Ultra from the S22+ and the S22, as neither of the latter include the stylus. The S22 Ultra also offers a bigger camera setup, larger screen and longer battery life than its less-premium siblings. The Ultra's cameras include a 108-megapixel main sensor, a 12-MP ultrawide option and a pair of 10-MP telephoto lenses. And while there's a new Adaptive Pixel feature intended to capture more light and make images clearer, we didn't find a huge difference in our tests. That said, the S22 Ultra photos held their own against those from comparable phones made by Apple and Google.The huge 6.8-inch 120Hz OLED screen is smooth, quick and colorful . In our battery tests, we got 17 hours and 16 minutes in a video rundown, which does happen to be a shorter lifespan than its predecessor, the Ultra S21 — an issue that may have to do with the fact that the S Pen draws power, even while stowed in its slot. The tough exterior has an IP68 dust and water resistance rating — meaning it can handle a dunk in five feet of water for up to 30 minutes — and the display is wrapped in the latest Victus+ Gorilla Glass for improved crack- and scratch-resistance . The $300 off deal applies to all three storage sizes, the 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB options. If you've been eyeing Samsung's flagship premium Android, with all the features power users could need, this is a good time to buy. Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

02.11.2022 21:20 Following a slip-up, HBO has confirmed a release date for its long-expected The Last of Us TV series. The video game adaptation will debut through HBO and HBO Max on January 15th at 9PM Eastern. You'll have something to watch while you wait for Succession, then, although you may want to pace yourself when there are 10 episodes in this initial season.As you're likely aware by this stage, The Last of Us stars The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal as cynical survivor Joel and Game of Thrones' Bella Ramsey as Ellie, the teen Joel has to smuggle out of a quarantine zone 20 years after a fungal zombie plague wrecks civilization. Big names like Nick Offerman, Gabriel Luna and Anna Torv also star, while game voice actors Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker also make appearances.To the edge of the universe and back. #TheLastOfUs premieres January 15 on @HBOMax. pic.twitter.com/TPJxOBZRBr— The Last of Us November 2, 2022The show is expected to largely follow the plot of the original game, with Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann serving as writer and executive producer alongside Chernobyl's Craig Mazin. Unlike many game-based productions, The Last of Us will have both the creative input of the developer and critically acclaimed talent behind the cameras. It's just a question of whether or not that combination works in practice, especially for newcomers who aren't attached to the story.

02.11.2022 21:20 Etsy has begun testing visual search. The company suggests the feature is ideal for those situations where you’re not quite sure how to describe something. Whereas in the past you had to rely on keywords and a bit of luck, you can now tap the new camera icon in the search bar and snap a photo of a product in hopes of finding similar items.In my testing, the feature works surprisingly well. I first took a photo of my keyboard, a Drop Ctrl with GMK Rainy Day keycaps. Not only did the app return with suggestions for keycaps, but it also narrowed in on ones that featured gray and blue tones like my set. I then snapped a photo of an artwork in my office I bought from a local Toronto artist. Etsy’s software successfully identified the piece as a line drawing and pointed me to stylistically similar artworks. I need to use the feature more to get a better sense of its limitations, but it does feel that it could be useful in exactly the way Etsy envisions it.You can experiment with visual search on your own starting today if you have access to an iOS device. According to Etsy, the feature will soon come to Android.Etsy

02.11.2022 21:20 Tidal has already been closing gaps with the competition by adding a free tier and similar upgrades, but its latest improvement may be one of the most important. The streaming music service has finally introduced user profiles that let you easily share your playlists. Make a playlist public and Tidal users can discover your musical tastes through search, or share that track listing through links. You could technically share before, but it was much more difficult until now.Profiles are available now through Tidal's Android, iOS, desktop and web apps. They replace the "My Collection" saved content section in the mobile app. Don't worry about having to start from scratch — your existing saved material will still be available after you create a profile.Tidal is free to use with ads, although it's limited to a 160Kbps bitrate and doesn't support offline tracks or unlimited skips. Pay $10 per month for Tidal HiFi and you'll remove the ads and restrictions while jumping to a much higher 1,411Kbps quality. At $20 per month, the HiFi Plus plan offers "master quality" 9,216Kbps audio for some songs and direct payouts to the artists you listen to most often.The addition is arguably overdue when Apple Music, Spotify and other services have had playlist sharing for years. This might not do much to help Tidal grow beyond a small slice of the market. However, you might have a stronger incentive to stick around. The feature will not only let you see what your friends enjoy, but might help you find a new running mix or workday soundtrack.

02.11.2022 21:20 A former Apple employee has pled guilty to defrauding the company out of over $17 million. Dhirendra Prasad, who spent most of his decade at Apple working as a buyer in the Global Service Supply Chain department, admitted to "taking kickbacks, inflating invoices, stealing parts and causing Apple to pay for items and services never received,” according to the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California. Prasad started these schemes in 2011 and continued them until 2018. In one scam, Prasad shipped motherboards from Apple's inventory to CTrends, a company run by a co-conspirator, Don M. Baker . Baker harvested components from the motherboards, then Prasad organized purchase orders for those parts. After Baker shipped the components back to Apple, CTrends filed invoices for which Prasad arranged payment. In the end, the pair got Apple to pay for its own components and they split the proceeds of the scam.In addition to fleecing Apple, Prasad confessed to engaging in tax fraud. He directed payments from Robert Gary Hansen straight to his creditors. In addition, Prasad arranged for a shell company to send sham invoices to CTrends with the aim of covering up illicit payments Baker made to him. This enabled Baker "to claim hundreds of thousands of dollars of unjustified tax deductions," the US Attorney's Office said. All told, prosecutors claim that the scams resulted in the IRS losing over $1.8 million.Prasad will be sentenced in March. He pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years. Prasad also pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, which has a maximum sentence of five years' imprisonment. Moreover, Prasad agreed to forfeit around $5 million worth of assets he accrued as a result of his criminal actions, including real estate properties.

02.11.2022 16:31 Whether it’s in anticipation of the holiday season or you just need a new machine for work, a new laptop computer may be near the top of your shopping list right now. Given we’re still dealing with the global chip supply shortage, you might find yourself concerned about rising prices or what might be in stock. The good news is, companies are still making a ton of new laptops, and there are plenty of models for you to choose from the budget HP Pavilion Aero 13 to the convertible Microsoft Surface Pro 9 to our best overall pick of the Apple MacBook Air M2. We've made it less complicated for you to pick out the best laptop for your needs.Engadget's picksBest overall: MacBook Air M2Best Windows: Dell XPS 13 PlusBest for gaming: Razer Blade 15 AdvancedBest Chromebook: Lenovo Flex 5 ChromebookBest budget: HP Pavilion Aero 13Best convertible: Microsoft Surface Pro 9What to expectYou probably have an idea of your budget here, but just so you know, most laptops with top-of-the-line specs can cost you around $1,800 to $2,000 these days. That doesn’t mean you won’t find a good system for under $1,000 — a grand is the base price for a lot of premium ultraportables in the 13-inch category, with chips like Intel’s Core i3 or i5 series. And if that’s too expensive, you’ll still have respectable options in the $600 to $800 range, but they might come with older, slower processors and dimmer screens. I’ve included our favorite budget-friendly model in this best laptop roundup but we have a list of more-affordable laptops that you can check out as well.After working out how much money you want to spend, the laptop’s operating system is usually the first thing you have to narrow down. As always, the decision is slightly easier for people who prefer MacBooks. Now that Apple has brought its M-series chips to its whole lineup — your only real considerations are budget, screen size and how much power you need.Over on Team Windows, however, the shift to ARM-based chips hasn’t been as smooth. Though Apple has been able to bring huge increases in battery life while maintaining performance with its own silicon, PC makers have been limited by Windows’ shortcomings. Microsoft released Windows 11 last year, and it’s supposed to run better on ARM-powered machines. Since the first of these laptops, like Lenovo’s ThinkPad X13s or 10w tablet, haven’t been available for review yet, we can’t tell how well the system runs. Of course, you can upgrade to Windows 11 on existing ARM-based PCs, but for now, it’s still safer to stick with an Intel or AMD processor.Devindra Hardawar / Engadget Let’s not forget there’s a third and fairly popular laptop operating system: Chrome. If you do most of your work in a browser , then a Chromebook might be a suitable, and often more affordable option.As for other things to look out for, it’s worth pointing out that a couple of laptops coming out this year are doing away with headphone jacks. Though this doesn’t seem to be a prevalent trend yet, it’s a good reminder to check that a machine has all the connectors you need. Most laptops in 2022 offer WiFi 6 or 6E and Bluetooth 5.0 or later, which should mean faster and more stable connections if you have compatible routers and devices. While 5G coverage is more widespread this year, whether you need support for that depends on how much you travel.Where you plan on taking your laptop also helps in deciding what size to get. Many companies launched new 14-inch machines in the last year, straddling the line between ultraportable and bulkier 15-inch offerings. For most people, a 14-inch screen is a great middle ground. But if you’re worried about weight, a 12- or 13-inch model will be better. Those that want more powerful processors and larger displays will prefer 15- or 16-inch versions.Best overall: MacBook Air M2Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetAs a Windows user, I find myself reluctant to name an Apple MacBook the best overall laptop. But I can’t deny that Apple’s transition to its own Silicon has made its machines better. The latest MacBook Air M2 is a worthy sequel to the M1 that came out in 2020, bringing a fresh design and a performance boost that all users will appreciate.That's not to say the M1 was a sluggish machine — quite the contrary. We found it to be impressively fast, and the M2 only builds on top of that stellar performance. It's probably overkill for a MacBook Air, but that means it will serve most people well for both work and play. Plus, its 16.5-hour battery life should be enough for anyone to get a day's worth of work and then some.As for its design, we like that Apple took a more uniformly thin approach here and retired the wedge shape of the previous model. The M2 Air also has a lovely 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, interrupted only by the top notch which holds its 1080p webcam. Its quad-speaker setup is an improvement as well, and all of these small hardware changes add up to a machine that looks and feels more different than you may expect from its predecessor. However, both the M1 and M2 MacBook Air laptops remain solid machines. Considering the M2 starts at $1,199, those with tight budgets may be willing to forgo the new design improvements in order to save some cash and get a still-speedy laptop.Buy MacBook Air M2 at Amazon - $1,199Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon - $999Best Windows: Dell XPS 13 Plus Devindra Hardawar/Engadget The best PC has long been Dell’s well-rounded XPS 13 series and I still recommend it to anyone that doesn’t want a Mac. Yes, the new XPS 13 Plus lacks a headphone jack, and we haven’t got one in to test yet. But the XPS 13 is a well-rounded Windows laptop and still one of the best-looking PCs out there.Like its predecessors, the XPS 13 Plus offers a lovely OLED screen with impressively thin bezels and packs a roomy, comfortable keyboard. It also features a new minimalist design that looks more modern. I’m not sure about the row of capacitive keys at the top in lieu of traditional function keys, but I’m confident that the laptop’s 12th-gen Intel Core processors will provide a healthy performance boost from the last model.If you’re not sure about the changes Dell has made to the XPS 13, or if you definitely need a headphone jack, the older generations are still solid options. There’s also the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro series, which feature beautiful OLED screens and sharper webcams in thin and light frames. I also like Microsoft’s Surface Laptops, and the most recent edition offers great performance and battery life, albeit in an outdated design.Shop XPS 13 Plus at DellBest for gaming: Razer Blade 15 Advanced Sam Rutherford/Engadget Gamers should look for machines with responsive screens and ample ports for their favorite accessories that can best help them defeat their virtual enemies. My colleague Devindra Hardawar goes into more detail about what to consider in his guide to buying a gaming laptop, which you should read to learn about different CPUs and GPUs, minimum specs and more. Our pick for the best gaming laptop is the Razer Blade 15 Advanced, which has an Intel Core i7 processor, and an NVIDIA RTX 3070 graphics for $2,500.It’s the most expensive item on this list, but you also get a 15-inch quad HD screen that refreshes at 240Hz. Different configurations are available, depending on your preference, including a Full HD 360Hz and a 4K 144Hz version. The Blade series is also one of the most polished gaming laptops around.Those looking for something cheaper and more portable should consider the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, which was our favorite model last year. The main reason it got bumped down a notch is because the 2022 refresh is almost $600 more expensive. It’s still a solid gaming laptop though, with an excellent display, roomy trackpad and plenty of ports in spite of its thin profile.Buy Blade 15 Advanced at Razer - $2,500Best Chromebook: Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook Nathan Ingraham / Engadget Our favorite Chromebook is Lenovo’s Flex 5 Chromebook, which Engadget’s resident Chrome OS aficionado Nathan Ingraham described as “a tremendous value.” This laptop nails the basics, with a 13-inch Full HD touchscreen, a fantastic keyboard and a 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor. The 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage may sound meager, but in our testing the Flex 5 held up in spite of this constraint. It’s also nice to see one USB-A and two USB-C ports, eight-hour battery life and a 360-degree hinge that makes it easy to use the Flex 5 as a tablet. That’s a bonus, especially now that Chrome OS supports Android apps.Though the Flex 5 is almost two years old by now, it’s a solid deal at around $400. In fact, you can sometimes find it on sale for as little as $300, making it a great option for someone looking for a basic browser-based machine on a tight budget.Buy Flex 5 Chromebook at Amazon - $430Best budget: HP Pavilion Aero 13 Daniel Cooper / Engadget If you’re looking for something under $800, your best bet is the HP Pavilion Aero 13. For around $750, you’ll get a Full HD screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and surprisingly thin bezels, as well as a comfortable keyboard and spacious trackpad. Importantly, the Aero 13 provides relatively powerful components compared to others in this price range, with an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor and Radeon graphics. Plus, it has a generous array of ports and enough juice to last you the entire work day and then some.Buy Pavilion Aero 13 at HP starting at $739Best convertible: Microsoft Surface Pro 9Devindra Hardawar/EngadgetFor those who need their laptops to occasionally double as tablets, the Surface Pro series is a good option. Compared to notebooks with rotating hinges, tablets with kickstands are often much slimmer and lighter. The Surface Pro 9 is Microsoft's latest model and if you've had your eye on a Surface for a while, just know to get the Intel version of this machine rather than the ARM model. In our testing, we found that the 5G ARM version of the Pro 9 was much slower than a flagship convertible should be and that's mostly due to the fact that lots of the Windows apps readily available on Intel's x86 hardware have to be emulated to work on Microsoft's custom ARM SoC. Considering you'll pay at least $1,000 for any Surface Pro 9 model, you might as well get a configuration that has as few limitations as possible.While we have our gripes about the Pro 9's overall ergonomics, it's undoubtably one of the thinnest and lightest laptop alternatives you can get. It's attractive and has a gorgeous 13-inch display, and we still consider Microsoft's Type Cover to be one of the best you can get, period. They will cost you extra, though, so be prepared to shell out another $100 to $180 for one. Microsoft's Slim Pen 2 is another highlight, and it will be a must-buy accessory for anyone that loves to draw or prefers to take handwritten notes. Overall, if you want a machine that can switch seamlessly from being a laptop to being a tablet, the Intel Surface Pro 9 is one of your best bets. Of course, if you're married to the Apple ecosystem, you should consider an iPad Pro.Buy Surface Pro 9 at Amazon - $1,100

02.11.2022 16:31 Fujifilm is delivering a follow-up to the well-received X-T4. The company has introduced the X-T5, a sequel to the higher-end APS-C mirrorless camera that delivers some major technical upgrades — the largest in five years — while refining the basic formula. The new model now packs Fuji's current 40MP sensor that can shoot 6.2K video at 30 frames per second. You don't need to buy a top-tier cam like the X-H2S to venture beyond 4K. You can also expect a jump in computing power through the X-Processor 5 that allows for AI-based autofocusing, 4:2:2 10-bit output, F-log2 and support for the HEIF photo format.The X-T5 design is also smaller, lighter and simpler than its predecessor, and moves the shutter button and front control dial for a better hold. There are some under-the-hood changes, too, including slightly better in-body stabilization , a mildly higher-resolution tilting LCD and an electronic viewfinder with 0.8X magnification instead of the X-T4's 0.75X. You'll theoretically notice improvements, then, even if the body still seems very familiar.Don't expect many other changes. There are still dual UHS-II SD card slots, a USB-C port and HDMI. The X-T5 still uses the same battery, although Fujifilm says the upgraded processor should help with power management.Fujifilm ships the X-T5 on November 17th for $1,699 for the body alone, $2,099 with an 18-55mm lens and $2,199 with a more flexible 16-80mm lens. It's debuting alongside a $599 XF30mm f/2.8 macro lens that can focus on subjects as close as 3.9 inches from the sensor, and just 0.5 inches from the 11-element glass. In some ways, this is a return to form. Our primary gripes with the X-T4 were its not-so-compact form factor and imperfect autofocus tracking — both of those are hopefully fixed. The price still makes it costlier than rivals like Sony's A6600, but the improved performance may help justify the premium.

02.11.2022 16:31 Sony has finally revealed when its next-gen virtual reality headset will arrive and how much it will cost — the price is far higher than many people will have been expecting. Playstation VR2 will be available on February 22nd and it will cost an astonishing $550. That’s more than the price of a PlayStation 5, the base hardware you’ll need to use the headset, even after Sony jacked up the cost of the console in many countries. Folks in Europe will have to pay €600 for PS VR2 and those in the UK will need to shell out £530. In Japan, the price will be ¥74,980. PS VR2 comes with Sense controllers and stereo headphones. A bundle with Horizon Call of the Mountain will run you $600. Meanwhile, a charging station for the controllers costs an extra $50.For those with deep enough pockets, pre-orders will be available on November 15th. At the outset, folks in the US, UK, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg will only be able to pre-order from PlayStation directly. Those in other countries will be able to lock in a pre-order from various retailers.Sony's latest VR hardware has a display resolution of 2000 x 2040 pixels for each eye, 4K HDR support, a 110-degree field of view and refresh rates of up to 120Hz. It will support 3D audio and eye tracking, while the Sense controllers borrow haptic feedback and adaptive triggers from the DualSense.The PS VR2 price is just the latest example of sticker shock from PlayStation. When it arrives in January, the premium DualSense Edge controller for PS5 will cost $200 .Meanwhile, Sony has announced 11 more titles that are coming to PS VR2. Among them are a new game in Supermassive's The Dark Pictures horror series, entitled Switchback VR, and a fresh entry in Smilegate's popular first-person shooter franchise Crossfire. Also in the pipeline are a VR version of Cities: Skylines, a new Hello Neighbor game, Jurassic World Aftermath Collection and Pistol Whip VR.It was previously confirmed that the likes of No Man's Sky, Among US VR, Ghostbusters: Rise of the Ghost Lord, Star Wars: Tales From The Galaxy's Edge and Resident Evil Village will also be available on PS VR2. Sony says there will be more than 20 games available at launch.However, PS VR games are not compatible with the latest headset. For technical reasons, developers will need to update their games to make them work on the new platform. That means that not only is the PS VR2 headset itself expensive, you may need to shell out more to have any games to play on it.

02.11.2022 16:31 It’s easy to assume that the best gadget gifts are the most expensive things. But there are plenty of options out there for the techie in your life that don’t require you to empty your wallet. If you’re struggling to come up with the right present for an early adopter or a tech obsessive, we’ve gathered some of our favorite things that are both small and affordable. The best part: Everything comes in at $50 or less.Chromecast with Google TVWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetIf you’re at a loss when it comes to a good, cheap gift for the techie in your life, you can’t go wrong with a Chromecast. Google has two models available now: the $50 4K Chromecast with Google TV and the new, $30 model that supports FHD streaming. Like previous Chromecasts, these let you stream movies and TV shows from major services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu andHBO Max, among many others.The Google TV interface has always been pretty easy to navigate, but it’s simpler than ever thanks to the remote that comes included with both Chromecasts. It has an Assistant button, giving you quick access to voice commands, plus a circular D-pad, shortcut buttons for YouTube and Netflix, and support for HDMI-CEC and IR, allowing you to control your entire TV with it. And, unlike larger set-top boxes or smart TVs that your recipient may already have, the Chromecast is portable, so they can take it with them to make binge-watching their favorite shows easier when they’re not at home.Buy Chromecast with Google TV at Amazon - $508BitDo Lite 2Will Lipman Photography for EngadgetThe best gifts for the Nintendo Switch lover in your life are those that let them play games anywhere and everywhere more easily. 8BitDo’s Lite 2 controller does exactly that by giving them a more convenient controller to use with their Switch, or an extra option or two to play with friends while on the go. It’s small enough to fit in a pocket, but that doesn’t mean it compromises on ergonomics. The Lite 2 has joysticks and shaped trigger buttons, things that are often left off of ultra-compact and super affordable controllers. Plus, it supports customizable turbo functionality. It also pairs wirelessly with the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite, and it works with Android devices and Raspberry Pi, too. Lastly, it powers up via USB-C, so chances are your giftee already has a charging cable ready to use with their new controller.Buy 8Bitdo Lite 2 at Amazon - $35Anker 511 Power BankWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetEvery new phone claims to have better battery life than the one that came before it, and that may be true in some cases, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be enough juice for everyone every day. If you know someone who constantly uses their phone until it reaches one percent, Anker’s 511 Power Bank would make a great gift for them. It’s a 5,000 mAh portable battery and a power adapter in one, so they can use it in two ways: to fast-charge their phone when they’re near a wall outlet or recharge the device when they’re out and about. It has a built-in plug for wall usage, but it folds down into the device when you’re not using it, keeping the whole thing pretty compact. We like that it’s basically a little bit bigger than a tube of lipstick, and all your giftee needs on hand to use it is a USB-C cable.Buy Anker 511 Power Bank at Amazon - $40Apple AirTagsWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetMost of us have someone in our lives who misplaces everything — their keys, wallet, purse or backpack, the list goes on. If that person happens to also own an iPhone, AirTags make great gifts and you can buy one for only $30. These quarter-sized Bluetooth trackers pair almost immediately with iOS devices and can then be tracked using the Find My app.You can use them to keep track of nearly anything, but they work best on items that take clips or keyrings or things like backpacks that have small pockets. In addition to showing their location, the Find My app also lets you force the AirTag to play a loud chime so you can more easily find it in your home. And if you’re close enough to the missing item, Apple’s Precision Finding feature can literally guide you to it using the tech in your iPhone’s U1 chip.Buy Apple AirTag at Amazon - $29Peak Design Packable toteWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetIt never hurts to have an extra bag with you whenever you go out. Whether you’re going to pick up groceries and know you’ll need one, or you’re heading out with friends and unexpectedly pick up a few things, a lightweight tote bag is crucial. There are thousands of options out there, but we like Peak Design’s Packable tote because it doesn’t have the typical reusable bag design and it remains fairly affordable at only $20.The bag is made of 100-percent recycled ripstop nylon, which is resilient and as well as water resistant, and it has a zip closure, which is something most other reusable bags don’t have. It’ll keep your items more secure thanks to that, and it’s easier to carry in different ways thanks to its single shoulder/hand strap that sports microfiber padding for extra comfort. We also like that it has an interior pocket that can hold a phone, wallet or keys, and it takes up a surprisingly little amount of space when it’s packed into itself.Buy Packable tote at Peak Design - $20Logitech Signature M650 mouseWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetThere are dozens of mice out there, and if you’re buying gifts on a budget, it can be easy to get distracted by the ultra-cheap options from unfamiliar brands on sites like Amazon. But Logitech, a leader in this space, has some budget-friendly options as well and we like the Signature M650 mouse for most people. Not only is it lightweight and made of recycled materials, but you have a number of ergonomic options to choose from. It comes in regular and large sizes, plus you can pick from right- or left-hand orientation, which really just changes the placement of the device’s customizable side buttons. It has Logitech’s SmartWheel scrolling technology, which provides more precision when you need to scroll line by line, and it connects to computers via Bluetooth or a Logi Bolt receiver. But the best part might be its two-year battery life; your giftee will only have to replace the mouse’s two AA batteries once in a blue moon.Buy Logitech M650 mouse at Amazon - $40Sony PS5 Media RemoteWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetIf someone you love recently got their hands on a PS5, it’s probably the only thing they care about at the moment. Gifting them the PS5 Media Remote can take their experience using their new console to the next level. It essentially gives them a better way to control the device when they want to use it as an entertainment portal. The compact remote has dedicated media controls that let them easily play/pause, fast forward and otherwise navigate, along with quick-launch buttons for services like Netflix and YouTube. Those service-specific buttons even work when the console is powered off, too. Plus, if they have a compatible TV, they’ll be able to use the Media Remote to turn it on and off and adjust the volume.Buy PS5 Media Remote at Amazon - $29Anker Nano 3 30W charger + cable bundleWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetWhether your loved one just picked up a new iPhone 14 or is still running on an older model, an extra charger will be of use to them. Anker’s latest bundle that includes its new Nano 3 30W charger and bio-base USB-C to Lightning cable will give them everything they need to power up their phone, tablet, earbuds and even their MacBook Air. The 30W output allows this tiny adapter to charge a variety of devices, plus it’s foldable so it’ll disappear into their bag. We also like that it uses GaN technology to keep it compact, but also for better heat management.As for the cable, it’s one of Anker’s newest and it’s made out of plant-based materials rather than petroleum-based plastic like many others. While this may not seem like the most exciting gift, it’ll definitely be one of the most useful your loved one receives. Charging accessories are often things we buy at the last minute, like right before you board a plane as you remember you forgot your cable or adapter at home. A gift like this one might prevent them from feeling that panic in the future.Buy Anker Nano 3 bundle at Amazon - $38Blink MiniWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetIf someone you love just moved into their own place, a Blink Mini would make a thoughtful housewarming gift. The compact camera plugs into a regular wall outlet and monitors activity inside the home, detecting motion and sound and delivering alerts to their phones via the Blink mobile app. It records in 1080p and supports two-way talk as well, so they can soothe their overly-excited pets even when they’re not home. We also like that the Blink Mini works with Alexa devices, so if they have an Echo Show 5 or similar device at home, they can use it to see the Blink Mini’s video feed without even opening the mobile app.Buy Blink Mini at Amazon - $35TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug MiniWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetMaybe you have a tech lover in your life or someone who just wishes their home could be a bit smarter – if so, TP-Link’s Kasa smart plugs would make a great gift for them. Building up a smart home ecosystem from scratch can be intimidating, but starting off with smart plugs like these is a convenient and mostly stress-free way of doing it. These blocks plug into standard wall outlets and then turn whatever they plug into them into app-controllable gadgets. That means they can set a schedule for their coffee maker to turn on at the precise time each morning so it’s ready to go for them when they need to make a new pot. They could also use Away Mode to automatically turn on and off lights when they’re on vacation to make it seem like they’re actually home. Those are just a few things these smart plugs let you do with otherwise “dumb” items around your home, so your giftee can go as deep with it as they want.Buy Kasa smart plugs at Amazon - $50Yubico Yubikey 5 NFCWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetIt’s important to keep your dozens of accounts safe with two-factor authentication whenever possible, and Yubico’s Yubikey NFC 5 is a good way to do so. It’s a physical key that you can use to authenticate when you’re trying to log in to accounts like Dropbox, Lastpass, Gmail and others. It uses the USB-A port on your device or NFC to validate your login attempt, and it’s small enough to fit on a keychain and come with you wherever you go. This model specifically works with USB-A connections, but if you’re willing to spend slightly more than $50, you can get the USB-C version that has all the same features.Buy Yubikey NFC 5 at Amazon - $45Panasonic EneloopWill Lipman Photography for EngadgetThere are few things worse for a gamer than their controller running out of battery in the middle of a session. Whether they have a backup ready to go or not, it’s a stumble that can totally throw them off their game – especially if they have to fumble around for another option while also looking for the charger for the dead peripheral. Panasonic’s Eneloop rechargeable batteries can be a big help for them in times like this by providing an easily accessible power swap for Xbox controllers and the like that run on AA or AAA cells. These also come with a quick charger that has level indicators for each battery, plus it’s capable of fully powering up four AA batteries in only three hours.Buy Eneloop rechargeable batteries at Amazon - $28Phone casesSmartishMaybe someone you love just got a new phone and can’t stop talking about it, showing it off, and coming very close to dropping it on a regular basis. You can help them protect it by gifting them a case that not only provides extra cushion against falls and scratches, but also expresses their personality a bit. There are hundreds of phone case brands out there, but a few that we constantly turn to are Incipio, Case-Mate, Speck, Spigen and Smartish. Speck and Spigen are great for no-frills kind of people; most of their phone cases are slick, protective and come in a variety of attractive colors. Incipio is similar, but they also have their excellent Organicore line of compostable cases that make thoughtful gifts for the eco-conscious. Case-Mate and Smartish are great options for those who would like something more fun. Think: psychedelic flowers, outer space prints, glitter explosions and other similar designs.Shop Incipio phone casesShop Case-Mate phone casesShop Speck phone casesShop Spigen phone casesShop Smartish phone cases

02.11.2022 16:31 DJI's Mavic 3 is a useful cinematic drone, but its steep price can be off-putting compared to the $1,449 of the older Mavic 2 Pro. The company thinks it has a simple solution, though: offer a trimmed-back version. DJI has introduced the Mavic 3 Classic, a new variant that drops the telephoto lens in exchange for a better $1,469 starting price .The Classic otherwise includes the features that might draw you to the Mavic 3 in the first place. The centerpiece remains a 20-megapixel, 24mm-equivalent Hasselblad camera that can shoot 5.1K video up to 50 frames per second and capture 12-bit RAW photos. You can likewise expect a healthy 46-minute peak flight time, a range of up to 9.3 miles and an O3+ transmission system that can send 1080p 60FPS video to your remote. You're still asked to fly within line of sight, but an AirSense ADS-B receiver can warn you of nearby aircraft if you operate at higher altitudes.This still isn't a trivial expense. The base price is for the drone only, and doesn't include a remote or charger. It's meant for upgrading DJI users who have the necessary gear. Everyone else will have to pay at least $1,599 for the standard kit, which includes the charger and the basic RC-N1 remote. Spend $1,749 and you'll get the display-equipped DJI RC remote. And if you need accessories, the $649 Fly More add-on includes two batteries, a charging hub, a car charger, three pairs of quiet propellers and a convertible carrying bag.The Mavic 3 Classic clearly isn't meant for newcomers, or even many enthusiasts. You'll want to look at the $679 Mini 3 Pro or $999 Air 2S if you're on a tighter budget. However, it might represent a solid value if you care about drone camera quality but don't need long-zoom shots to create your next magnum opus.