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26.03.2025 17:50  GeoGuessr, the geography game that tasks players with guessing a location in the world based on a random Google Street View image, is coming to Steam. It’s slated to hit early access on the platform sometime in April. That should hopefully make the game much easier to access on Steam Deck without having to fiddle with browser settings on desktop mode. The developers are taking the early access approach on Steam so they can "refine the gameplay, introduce new features and ensure the best possible experience with direct feedback from players" with the aim of making "the ultimate competitive and casual geography game." The early access version on Steam will at the very least have a competitive solo mode and casual Team Duels, though there are plans to add more modes and competitive features in the coming months. GeoGuessr has a fairly thriving competitive scene — this year's world championship has a $100,000 prize pool — so you could stand to cash in if you become great at the game. But be warned: if you think pro GeoGuessr might be your calling, you'll be up against some incredibly skilled players. They can pinpoint parts of the world based on corn growing at the side of a road, clouds in the sky and room decor. GeoGuessr pros are absolutely absurd. It's not clear how much the full Steam version will cost. A free version will include unlimited access to the amateur division, which is GeoGuessr's lowest rank, as well as unranked Team Duels. A Steam Pass that's available to purchase inside the game will be required to access the full Solo Duels mode. The store page notes that the price won't change during the time the game is in early access . Nor do the developers expect to increase the price when the game exits early access. The original, 12-year-old web version allows players to make three free daily guesses, but to play more you have to pay for a subscription, which starts at $2.50 per month. Unlimited access on the mobile apps is available on the $3 per month Pro Unlimited plan. While there will be cross-play between Steam and the browser/mobile versions, the current GeoGuessr plans don't include full access to the Steam edition.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/geoguessr-is-coming-to-steam-in-april-150001770.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50  It turns out Nintendo Directs are like buses. You wait ages for one then get two in quick succession. Days before Nintendo fully spills the beans on the Switch 2 during a dedicated showcase on April 2, the company is hosting a surprise Direct on March 27 at 10AM ET. You can watch it above. The stream will run for around 30 minutes and focus on upcoming Switch games. There won't be any Switch 2 info, but pretty much every game you see here will run on the new console anyway, thanks to backwards compatibility. Since this isn't billed as an Indie World Direct , it's not really clear what we can expect from this one. Nintendo's developers will largely be focused on making Switch 2 games at this point. Still, the Switch has a massive install base — the company has sold more than 150 million of those consoles — so Nintendo probably won't want to leave all those players behind any time soon. To that end, we can expect a stream of games for the original Switch to keep coming for the foreseeable future. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, for instance, is still slated to hit the Switch sometime this year. Third-party games will still be coming to the Switch as well, including a certain one from Team Cherry that we expect to show up in every single gaming showcase but won't mention here because we don't want to jinx it.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/a-switch-2-less-nintendo-direct-will-stream-on-march-27-145809333.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 The Amazon Spring Sale has given us a few great deals so far, but anyone looking for affordable earbuds is going to really appreciate this one. Right now, the Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are down to $45 from $80 — a 44 percent discount. That's an incredible price for earbuds with active noise cancellation. The $45 deal on our favorite budget wireless earbuds is available for the Black and Blue models, while the White, Green and Purple options are slightly more expensive at $50. However, the latter two typically retail for $100, so they're actually half off with the current sale. As mentioned above, one of the great things about Anker's Soundcore Space A40 earbuds is that they offer ANC. Anker claims that using it can reduce potential noise by 98 percent. The earbuds also hold up to 10 hours of battery and up to 50 hours with the charging case. Plus, you can get up to four hours of extra juice with just 10 minutes in the case. The sound quality is also pretty decent, especially for the price. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-spring-sale-deals-include-our-favorite-budget-anker-earbuds-for-45-144520277.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 As someone who paid full price for Sony's WH-1000XM5 headphones, I am jealous to report that they are 20 percent off right now as part of Amazon's Spring Sale. Yes, our choice for 2025's best wireless headphones have dropped to $318 from $400 — a 20 percent discount. They briefly dropped to $250 earlier in the sale, but have since jumped back up a bit. Nevertheless, this is a good sale price overall; you can grab them on discount in either the silver of smoky pink colors. There are few tech products I would recommend to anyone, but Sony's XM5 headphones are one of them. I've raved so much about them that my parents and brother all bought a pair . One of the biggest things for me, as someone who gets headaches easily, is that they're so comfortable. I've worn them on quite a few overnight flights now and can easily keep them on the whole time. Speaking of flights, the active noise cancellation is another reason they're a treat for those overnight hauls. The XM5s have double the processors and and microphones for ANC as their predecessor. I once slept two rows away from a crying baby and, with music on, I couldn't hear a thing. Plus, the 30 hours of battery life means I don't have to worry about them dying half way through my travels . Their excellence on flights isn't the only reason we gave Sony's XM5 headphones a 95 in our review. They're also great for listening to music while working or out for a walk. The XM5s have 30mm carbon fiber drivers and DSEE Extreme, together boosting the sound's quality and depth. My only complaint is that the M5s don't fold up, but especially at this price, they're still such a great buy. This discount is part of a larger sale on headphones and earbuds for the Amazon Spring Sale. If the XM5s don't quite meet your criteria, there are other models on sale from Beats, Bose and other brands. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-sony-wh-1000xm5-headphones-are-20-percent-off-for-the-amazon-spring-sale-123340401.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 Microsoft has launched two new "reasoning agents" for Copilot that were designed to analyze vast amounts of work data, including emails, meetings, chats and documents. The first tool called "Researcher" is based on OpenAI's deep research model combined with Copilot's advanced orchestration and deep search capabilities. Researcher was made for "complex, multi-step research" at work. It can take a user's internal work data along with additional information from the web, such as competitive data, emerging trends and the latest market analysis, to create market strategies and comprehensive quarterly reports, among other potential uses. Plus, it can pull data from Salesforce, ServiceNow and other external sources. Meanwhile, the new "Analyst" tool was built to function like a skilled data scientist. It's based on OpenAI's o3-mini reasoning model and uses "chain-of-thought reasoning" to solve issues in multiple steps to provide answers that Microsoft says "mirror human analytical thinking." It can process raw data across multiple spreadsheets to, say, predict future revenue and expenses, forecast demand for a new product and visualize the purchasing patterns of customers. For the most complex data queries, it can run Python, and users will be able to view the code while it's running in real time. Both Researcher and Analyst will be rolling out to customers with a Microsoft 365 Copilot license starting in April as part of "Frontier." Customers enrolled to the new Frontier program will get access to Copilot technologies while they're still in development, starting with these two new tools. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/microsoft-introduces-deep-research-and-analysis-tools-for-copilot-143001894.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 I don’t review a lot of $650 headphones. That’s because most audio companies sell their top-of-the-line gear around $300-$400. Noble Audio isn’t like most companies. The FoKus Rex5 earbuds, for example, cram in five separate drivers where much of the competition uses two at the most. Noble was also among the first to employ xMEMS drivers in wireless earbuds in a bid to improve bass performance. Enter the FoKus Apollo, a $649 pair of active noise canceling headphones with a detachable boom mic and up to 80 hours of battery life. The real star of the show is the driver setup, which Noble says is the first time this configuration appears in wireless headphones. The company is once again on a quest for the absolute best sound quality, but it may sacrifice a little too much along the way. Sound quality is the main attraction Noble Audio’s proposition is simple: the “world’s first” headphones that offer a hybrid speaker pairing of a 40mm dynamic driver with a 14.5mm planar magnetic driver. A dynamic driver is nothing new for a set of cans, but adding the latter makes the FoKus Apollo’s audio setup unique. For the uninitiated, planar magnetic drivers have a thin, flat diaphragm that typically offers a wider, more immersive soundstage and enhanced detail compared to dynamic drivers. Planar magnetic drivers are typically reserved for audiophile-grade headphones since they’re larger and more fragile. With the FoKus Apollo, Noble capitalized on the best of both worlds for the stock tuning. You get the bass power of a dynamic driver with the clarity of a planar magnetic driver. Since planar magnetic units can’t move enough air for the robust bass that most of us crave, and as dynamic drivers are limited with mid- and high-range details, the company argues it has created the optimal solution. From the first second of the first song, I could tell the FoKus Apollo was built differently. The addition of planar magnetic drivers offers the most bass-heavy genres an almost absurd amount of detail. Albums like Spiritbox’s Tsunami Sea that lack clarity on other headphones greatly benefit from the treble boost, serving up more nuance in the guitar riffs and texture in the kick drum blasts. The FoKus Apollo also excels with mellow styles, allowing you to hear every bit of sound coming from the acoustic guitars, banjo, bass and more on Julien Baker TORRES’ “Sugar in the Tank.” Going from most over-ear headphones to the FoKus Apollo is like going from standard music streaming to vinyl. And I don’t think that’s hyperbole. FoKus Apollo in-use: ANC, battery life and more Billy Steele for Engadget A pair of $649 ANC headphones better damn well provide some decent noise cancellation, even if you’re primarily buying them for the audio performance. Noble opted for a hybrid ANC setup with three microphones on each side and a Qualcomm QCC3084 chip. That processor provides the necessary digital signal processing and algorithms to reduce background distractions. Like a lot of ANC headphones, the FoKus Apollo struggles with voices. That means any hopes of silencing a chatty colleague won’t pan out. However, the headphones do a solid job with constant noise sources — fans, appliances, noise machines, etc. — so they do offer some relief. The noise-blocking prowess isn’t as good as the likes of Bose, but I found ample room to focus during my test sessions. While the ANC here isn’t among the best, it’s perfectly serviceable in most environments. Noble promises a whopping 60 hours of battery life with ANC enabled, with another 20 hours of use if you turn it off. I found that those figures hold true during my time with the FoKus Apollo. After 30 hours of music, podcasts and work calls with noise cancellation active, the headphones still had 57 percent battery remaining — tracking slightly better than the company’s stated numbers. The Fokus Apollo comes with all the accessories you’d ever need right in the box. Noble includes a detachable boom mic, 3.5mm to 4.4mm adapter, two-prong airline adapter, USB-C cable and 3.5mm aux cable. The headphones can be used with either of those two cords, and the company recommends you do so when employing the microphone for optimal voice quality. If you’re planning to use the Fokus Apollo for calls, you can expect mixed results. In quiet spaces with little echo, you’ll sound good enough for a professional presentation. When you move to a room with some natural reverb, the mics on these headphones pick that up a little too well. What’s more, they’re not great at blocking background sounds, as fans, white noise machines and raucous appliances were all clearly heard on the other end during my tests. Design that matches the sound The FoKus Apollo is really expensive, so Noble couldn’t just give us a set of headphones built mostly out of plastic and call it a day. Thankfully, the company chose a mix of anodized aluminum, premium protein leather and a soft Alcantara headband. The leather-wrapped memory foam ear pads are replaceable, which will extend the life of the headphones under heavy use. There’s also a nice textured cloth pattern on the outside of the ear cups and headband that provide both tactile and visual contrast. Noble Audio provides physical controls on the FoKus Apollo, so you’ll never have to struggle with tap or touch gestures to make changes. On the right side, there’s a dedicated button for ANC modes with a three-control array just below it. Here, the top and bottom buttons handle the volume and track adjustments while the center one is used for power, Bluetooth pairing, play/pause and to summon Google Assistant, Siri or some other virtual helper. On the left ear cup, a single slider allows you to mute all the microphones, even the boom when it’s attached, without reaching for your phone or keyboard. The lack of advanced features Billy Steele for Engadget The FoKus Apollo is really only focused on the basics, so it doesn’t offer any of today’s advanced features. Heck, there aren’t even tools that have been on other sets for years — like wear detection. Although you’ll get support for Sony’s LDAC codec along with AAC, aptX, aptX HD and SBC, there’s no mention of Dolby Atmos or any form of spatial audio. You don’t find any discussion of adaptive audio or adaptive ANC that makes automatic adjustments to both overall sound and noise cancellation either. Look, I’m well aware the premise here is pristine sound quality above all else. But at $649, which is $100 more than the AirPods Max by the way, I expect some degree of convenience that allows me to keep these headphones on for most of the day. Automatic pausing or wear detection should be standard at this price and it would be nice to have some additional sound/ANC options. I’m not picky about whether those are the automatic, adaptive type, or whether they’re settings I have to toggle on in the app. Just, please, give me something more than EQ adjustments when your sound out of the box is already incredible. The competition Once you hit $500 and above, you’ve surpassed what most companies charge for their flagship-level wireless headphones. You’re also in a price range where I’ve only reviewed a handful of models. If money is no object, the $699 Px8 from Bowers Wilkins delivers excellent sound quality in a design that might be preferable to some folks . Its ANC performance isn’t earth shattering either, and one of my biggest gripes with the company’s products is the lack of advanced features like the FoKus Apollo. There’s also the AirPods Max and Dyson On-Trac, but neither of those are easy to recommend. Apple’s over-ear headphones have barely been updated since they arrived in 2020, except for an upgrade to USB-C and the upcoming addition of lossless audio. Dyson’s headphones have long battery life and a unique design, but they didn’t impress me sound-wise, have average ANC performance and lack the modern features I expect for $500. I also need to mention Master Dynamic’s MW75 in the over-$500 discussion. If you’re after high-end looks, no other company consistently nails its trademark aesthetic like M&D. True to its lineage, the company pairs leather and metal on these headphones, along with tempered glass panels on the outside of the earcups. I’ve always enjoyed the balance of M&D’s stock tuning and the ANC performance is solid. You won’t get any advanced features here either, but like the Px8, there are multiple color options if you’re after something other than Noble’s black and silver paint scheme. Wrap-up I have no doubts there are a lot of people that will thoroughly enjoy the FoKus Apollo. If you crave the absolute best sound quality on the market, these headphones are the best I’ve tested in that regard. For me, to pay $649 I expect more in terms of features. The first item would be better ANC performance, but I don’t feel like spatial audio support and wear detection are too much to ask. Even without any of that, you do get a novel driver setup that produces some ridiculously detailed sound across diverse genres. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/noble-audio-fokus-apollo-review-the-high-price-of-pristine-audio-141521043.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 Anker power banks and other charging gear have been discounted thanks to the Amazon Spring Sale. Noteworthy among the deals is this Anker 321 MagGo power bank that's going for only $20 for Prime members. The discount applies to all colorways, too, including white, black, pink, green and purple. Anker devices are some of our favorites and a few of them have made it onto our list of the best power banks and portable chargers. This particular model on sale is MagSafe-compatible, so it will magnetically attach to the back of your iPhone when you need a power-up. It's also compatible with MagSafe iPhone cases, too. Inside, there’s a 5,000mAh battery that provides up to 19 hours of additional use for modern iPhones. It’s equipped with heat sensors that continuously monitor temperatures to avoid accidental damage and it can juice up a phone while it’s being charged itself. This power bank is also on the smaller side, so it easily fits into pockets, bags and purses. The only downside is that this is only for Prime members. However, the Anker Nano 3-in-1 portable charger is on sale for everyone. This non-magnetic charger includes a large 10,000mAh battery and is currently $35. Even some of Anker's latest power banks and chargers that it debuted at CES have discounts as part of the Spring Sale as well. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/this-anker-magnetic-power-bank-is-on-sale-for-20-during-the-amazon-spring-sale-152009775.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 This year’s Amazon Spring Sale is in full swing, and as promised, a ton of household, fashion and outdoor gear has dropped to record-low prices. Tech isn’t a huge focus for this sale, but there are a decent number of devices on sale right now for some of the best prices we’ve seen all year. The selection may not be as good as that of Amazon Prime Day in July, but it still provides a good opportunity to save on things like headphones, robot vacuums, air purifiers and more.We’ve collected the best Amazon Spring Sale deals on tech gear here so you don’t have to go searching for them. The Spring Sale runs through March 31, so check back here for all of the latest deals as they drop. Best Amazon Spring Sale deals 10th-gen iPad for $269 : The previous version of most affordable iPad gives you an A14 Bionic chip, a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, TouchID built into the lock button and more. It’s compatible with the first-gen Apple Pencil and the keyboard folio, plus we found it to have solid performance and a matching battery life. Dyson AM09 heater and fan for $300 : The AM09 has been around for ages, and for good reason. It's an excellent heater during cold months and fan during warm months, so you can use it all year round. Jet Focus control lets you choose from Focused or Diffused for personal or whole-room heating or cooling, and the handy sleep timer lets you set when the device turns off in intervals from 15 minutes up to nine hours. Sonos Ray for $179 : This is our favorite midrange soundbar thanks to its compact, attractive design and easy setup. It's best for those who have a smaller living room or den they want to outfit with better TV sound. Also available at Sonos in their March Madness sale. Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $318 : These top our list of the best wireless headphones you can get right now thanks to their supreme comfort, excellent sound quality and ANC, multipoint connectivity and 30-hour battery life. Bose QuietComfort headphones for $249 : These Bose over-ear headphones provide excellent noise cancellation, a comfortable fit and up to 24 hours of listening time on a single charge. A quick-charge feature will net you 2.5 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes of charging, so you'll rarely have to go without them, too. Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $349 : These hold the top spot in our best wireless headphones guide for excellent noise cancellation. These cans will give you a step up in ANC, blocking out most noise and chatter of those around you. General audio quality has been improved as well, and they have a comfy fit. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for $280 : A version of one of our favorite air fryers, this air fryer toaster oven has 11 cooking modes including air fry, broil, bake, roast and more, and it has a large capacity that can fit up to six slices of bread at once or a 13-inch pizza. The Pro model is also on sale, down to $320 from $400. Levoit Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $150 : The lowest price we’ve tracked on this stick vac is $130 but this matches the lowest price we’ve seen this year. It’s our runner up budget pick for a stick vac in our guide. It doesn’t have a storage base and the bin is smallish, but it’s lightweight and super affordable. It also disassembles easily for storage making its lack of base less of a deal breaker. Dyson V15s Detect Submarine for $800 : This Dyson cordless stick vacuum and mop is a top pick in our best cordless vacuums guide thanks to its sleek design and included mop attachment that easily swap in so you can clean tile, hardwood and other flooring with liquid solution. Yes, it's expensive, but you're essentially getting two cleaning machines in one — plus, when used as a vacuum, it has excellent suction power and great battery life. Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $20 : Our top pick for the best budget streaming device can play content at 1080p/60fps and now its remote can also control your TV's power and volume. There's also Alexa support built into the remote, so you can use voice commands to search for content. Apple Watch Series 10 for $299 : Apple’s flagship wearable is the best smartwatch you can buy, period. While the Series 10 was an iterative update, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It sports a slightly longer battery life, a slimmer design and wide-angle OLED screen for better viewing angles. It tracks workouts accurately and delivers alerts to your wrist efficiently. Apple Watch SE for $169 : Those on tighter budgets can opt for the Apple Watch SE and know they’re getting the core Apple wearable experience with few compromises. We consider it to be the best smartwatch for newbies. Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $170 : The AirPods Pro 2 remain Apple’s best set of wireless earbuds, as they offer the full set of Apple-focused features, strong ANC, onboard volume controls, a comfy in-ear design and a warm sound profile that most should find agreeable. They can even work as a hearing aid, though their six-hour battery life still isn’t the best, and you should only get them if you’re all-in on Apple hardware. If that’s the case, though, we call them the best choice for iPhone owners in our wireless earbuds buying guide. We saw this pair drop as low as $154 back in December, but this deal comes within a dollar of its best price since then. AirPods Max for $480 : If you’re looking for over-ear headphones with all of the conveniences of in-ear AirPods, the AirPods Max are one of your only options . The latest models have the same design as the originals, but now charge up via USB-C instead of Lightning. Mac mini M4 for $529 : If you're on the market for a new desktop, the upgraded M4 Mac mini is one that won’t take up too much space, but will provide a ton of power at the same time. Not only does it come with an M4 chipset, but it also includes 16GB of RAM in the base model, plus front-facing USB-C and headphone ports for easier access. Beats Studio Pro for $180 : These Beats headphones have improved sound quality, good Transparency mode and USB-C charging, plus decent mic quality for phone calls. They support wired USB-C audio, plus they have solid ANC as well. Beats Fit Pro for $169 : These are the best wireless earbuds for working out thanks to their comfortable, secure fit, good sound quality with thumping bass and handful of convenient features provided by Apple's H1 chipset. It provides quick-pairing and switching between Apple devices , Find My compatibility and hands-free Siri. Chipolo One for $20 : The Chipolo One is the top overall pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers. While Apple’s AirTag can tap into a substantially larger crowd-sourcing network, we’ve found the One to send separation alerts faster when you’ve left an item behind and ring louder when you’re back in its vicinity. Blink Mini 2 for $20 : Blink's latest wired, indoor security camera is one of our favorites, particularly if you're just starting out building a security camera system. It's easy to set up and use, and it works seamlessly with Amazon's Alexa. Plus, if you want a local storage option, you can buy the Blink Sync Module 2 and a thumb drive to store video clips locally. Audible for $3 : This deal gives you access to Audible Premium Plus, which includes one credit each month that you can spend on any book you'd like, along with listening access to thousands of other books, podcasts and Audible Originals. You also get to take part in Audible's exclusive member sales. Anker Eufy Robot Vacuum 3-in-1 E20 for $400 : If you can’t decide between a robot vacuum or a lightweight stick vac, you don’t have to. The new Eufy E20 combines a robo vac, cordless upright and handheld vacuum in one machine. Plus the automatically emptying base holds a lot of debris for its size. While we found the robot performance to be better than the stick vac suction, it’s still impressive and convenient for an all-in-one model. iRobot Roomba Combo Vac and Mop for $150 : This "essential" Roomba is relatively no-frills, but it has the added benefit of being a mopping robot in addition to a vacuum. It includes a washable mopping pad and a water reservoir so you can clean hard floors, and it will autonomously vacuum just like all of iRobot's other basic robovacs. Cosori 9-in-1 air fryer for $90 : One of our favorites in our best air fryers guide, this Cosori model has nine preset cooking modes and a spacious cooking basket that can handle more food at once than you might expect. It's not too large, so it can sit on your countertop all the time, and the basket has a safety release button that prevents accidental pulls. Levoit Core 400S air purifier for $190 : Our top pick for the best air purifier for most people, the Core 400S has easy-to-use onboard controls, powerful filtering technology that isn't too loud and relatively affordable replacement filters. It reliably improved air quality in our testing, and even though its mobile app is a little overstuffed, it gives you another way to control and monitor the device. TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro mesh Wi-Fi system for $280 : Our current pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi system you can get, this TP-Link bundle may be no-frills, but it gets the job done nicely. It's easy to set up and provides excellent Wi-Fi 6E performance, plus the three included nodes can cover up to 7,200 square feet. Samsung Evo Select microSD card for $35 : A value pick in our best microSD cards guide, this Evo Select card provides respectable read and write speeds, and it comes with a full-sized adapter. Samsung T7 portable SSD for $140 : We're on the T9 series now, but if you're looking to save a bit of cash, the T7 remains a great option for on-the-go storage. It supports read and write speeds up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s and sports a pocket-friendly design. Amazon Spring Sale FAQs When is the Amazon Spring Sale? The Amazon Spring Sale 2025 runs from March 25 through March 31. What is Amazon's Spring Sale? The Amazon Spring Sale is a multi-day sale event that has taken place at the end of March since 2024. Do I have to be a Prime Member to shop the Amazon Spring Sale? No, Amazon Spring Sale deals are available to all, including those who do not subscribe to Prime. What types of deals can I expect to find during the Amazon Spring Sale? In the past, we've seen a lot of spring cleaning and fashion items in sale during the Big Spring Sale. We expect this year to be no different. We at Engadget in particular will be on the lookout for discounts on our favorite spring cleaning tech, including robot vacuums, cordless vacuums and air purifiers, along with deals on kitchen and smart home gear. Are there deals I can shop now ahead of the Amazon Spring Sale? Yes, check out our list of the best Amazon Spring Sale deals you can get right now above. How long does the Amazon Spring Sale last? The Amazon Spring Sale lasts seven days this year, running from March 25 through March 31. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-spring-sale-2025-the-best-tech-deals-from-apple-bose-sonos-beats-anker-and-others-130607393.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 No Man’s Sky already lets players dig deep into the terrain of its near-infinite universe of planets, but now there will actually be cool stuff to find. Hello Games just announced general availability of a new update called Relics that brings a bit of Indiana Jones to everyone’s favorite space exploration sim. The update lets players "feel like true paleontologists" as they dig up the “skeletal remains of alien creatures.” When bones are discovered, folks can piece them together to match their own design aspirations. The game will also allow players to create museums and share collections with other players. Hello Games Hello Games boasts that there is a "truly huge variety of procedural prehistoric bones, in all shapes and sizes." There’s a rarity system in place, with the most uncommon finds holding a "huge value." If digging gets a bit tiresome, the developer has placed a fossil specialist at space stations that can be bartered with. However, digging up bones comes with a major risk, as "things have been buried for a reason." Some of the rarest items are guarded by dangerous creatures like Stone Ghosts, the colossal Stone Golem and something called a Titan Worm. Fun times. This is just the latest gameplay update for No Man’s Sky. Recent updates have added new planets and stars, freighter combat and black holes. Relics is available for PCs, consoles and VR.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/no-mans-sky-now-lets-players-dig-up-planets-to-look-for-ancient-alien-skeletons-140002442.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 The last few years have seen an ongoing debate over what rights AI companies have to utilize copyrighted material. The latest development tips the scales in favor of use: A judge has rejected Universal Music Group, ABKCO and other music publishers' preliminary bid to block Anthropic from using their lyrics to train its AI assistant Claude, Reuters reports. US District Judge Eumi Lee ruled that UMG and co had submitted too broad a request and failed to demonstrate that Anthropic's use of the lyrics caused the companies "irreparable harm." Lee stated, "Publishers are essentially asking the Court to define the contours of a licensing market for AI training where the threshold question of fair use remains unsettled." The case dates back to 2023, when UMG joined some of its fellow music publishers in suing Anthropic for copyright infringement. They claimed that Anthropic used and distributed copyrighted material, including at least 500 songs. "Anthropic’s copyright infringement is not innovation; in layman’s terms, it’s theft," UMG stated at the time. The two sides came to a partial agreement in January of this year. Anthropic confirmed it would maintain current guardrails for reproducing, displaying or distributing copyrighted material. It also agreed to "expeditiously" respond to the music producers' copyright concerns with a written statement outlining how it plans to or why it won't do so in an individual case. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/anthropic-might-get-to-use-universal-music-groups-lyrics-after-all-133020685.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 When it debuted in 2022, Apple’s 10th-generation iPad sat in something of a no-man’s land, bringing a long-overdue design revamp at an inflated price. A year and a half later, Apple gave the slate a $100 price cut and immediately turned it into a much more enticing value. Now, the company has quietly released a follow-up. Dubbed the iPad , the new tablet is a far less dramatic update, one with welcome performance improvements that otherwise refuses to rock the boat. It even lacks the Apple Intelligence features Apple has endlessly promoted over the past year. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Compared to the iPad Air, iPad Pro and iPad mini, this might be the easiest Apple tablet to grok — it’s the cheapest, it only comes in one size and it’s clearly designed for the core iPad Things. That doesn’t make it a slam dunk, though. What hasn’t changed Almost everything about the latest iPad is identical to the previous entry-level iPad from 2022, which brought many of the iPad Air’s features down to a lower price. The design is unchanged, with the same dimensions, weight, bezels, display and aluminum finish as before. Apple now lists the screen as being 11 inches instead of 10.9 inches, but it’s merely rounding up for marketing purposes — the size is no different. There are still competent 12-megapixel cameras on the front and back, with the selfie cam conveniently located along the device’s long edge for FaceTime calls. The same reliable Touch ID fingerprint sensor is built into the power button in lieu of Face ID. Two speakers, one on either end, sit behind a quartet of grilles, while a lone USB-C port continues to max out at basic USB 2.0 transfer speeds. There’s no difference in accessory support either, and the whole thing is available in the same bold colors: blue, pink, yellow or silver. Battery life, meanwhile, still checks in at around 10 hours per charge, give or take a few depending on how you push it. I got 11 hours and 19 minutes out of the slate after playing a 1080p movie on loop at roughly 70 percent brightness and volume . Gaming and media editing will naturally sap it faster. Most of this is still perfectly fine for a $349 tablet. The last iPad was a light and comfortable slab, with a substantial aluminum finish and flat sides that made it feel modern. This one is no different. And iPadOS is still a level above Android and Windows tablets when it comes to app and game support, long-term updates and features optimized for large displays. But if the 10th-gen iPad was a “tick” update, the iPad is clearly a “tock.” That said, there are some important changes, namely a faster chip, more memory and higher storage options, plus a few minor tweaks like Smart HDR 4 processing for photos and support for Bluetooth 5.3 instead of Bluetooth 5.2. It’s a spec bump through and through, with most of those tweaks being for the better, although I do think that some of the things that haven’t been touched could really use an update next time. A faster chip and more RAM As the name implies, the latest iPad’s headline upgrade is its A16 chip. This is a slightly weaker version of the A16 Bionic found in 2022’s iPhone 14 Pro and the regular iPhone 15 from 2023. Compared to that SoC, this A16 has five CPU cores instead of six and four GPU cores instead of five. But in practice, it’s still more than fast enough for the vast majority of things people do with iPads: browsing the web, streaming video, reading ebooks, viewing and editing photos, playing most games and the like. I tested this iPad against my personal 13-inch iPad Air M2 for much of this review, and the two consistently booted up and loaded popular apps at virtually the same speed. The few times the Air M2 was quicker, the difference wasn’t long enough to be significant. Geekbench 6 results back this up: The iPad earned a single-core CPU score of 2,582, while the iPad Air M2 was only marginally better at 2,632. This is a roughly 20 percent jump from the 10th-gen iPad, though the most recent iPad Air M3 still measures about 16-18 percent faster. But for media consumption and common work tasks, it won’t feel slow anytime soon. These performance gains are helped by the 6GB of RAM, which is 2GB more than the last model and twice as much as the 9th-gen iPad from 2021. While this is still 2GB short of the iPad Air and lower-spec iPad Pros, getting more memory for the same price is always a good thing: It lets the tablet hang onto apps and Safari tabs longer before it has to start refreshing things for new tasks. It will only improve the chances of the device holding up four or five years down the road, too. Where the iPad lags behind its higher-end siblings is multi-core and graphics performance. In Geekbench 6, the tablet’s multi-core CPU score was about 40 percent below the iPad Air M2 , while its GPU score was about 55 percent worse . Other graphics benchmarks were largely the same: It scored about 60 percent lower than the Air M2 in 3DMark’s Wild Life Extreme test and anywhere between 45 to 55 percent worse on GFXBench’s Aztec Ruins benchmark, depending on the resolution. Of course, the difference will be a little greater with the newer iPad Air M3. This sounds more dramatic on paper than it does in real life. Many everyday iPad workloads won’t tax the chip’s multi-core abilities all that hard, and the scores above are still a good 15 to 30 percent higher than the last entry-level iPad. I could still play Call of Duty Mobile at its highest settings without any hitches. Diablo Immortal warned that maxing out its settings would put the device under “high” load — with the Air M2, it only goes up to “medium” load — but I still got through the opening areas totally fine. You can still edit RAW photos in Lightroom or create music in GarageBand without major frustration. The iPad on top of a 13-inch iPad Air. Still, the Air is better if you ever want to push things further. This is easiest to see in the newest and most taxing iPadOS games. With Infinity Nikki, for instance, playing at ultra or high settings on the new iPad brought a constant bit of choppiness and some slowdowns during more involved animations. It also warmed up the device’s back and drained the battery faster. The game was still totally playable at medium settings, but there’s less need to knock it down on the iPad Air M2, where it looked sharper and ran smoother at high settings. Likewise, the Air will be noticeably quicker to export higher-res videos in apps like Adobe Premiere Rush. Arguably, the main benefit of the iPad Air’s M-series chip and extra RAM has less to do with today than it does the future. Features like Apple Intelligence and the Stage Manager multitasking mode aren’t available here, nor are some especially demanding games. Those aren’t essential right now — though omitting Stage Manager does make the device more cumbersome to use with an external display — but there’ll always be some risk that the next great iPadOS feature or power-hungry game won’t work with this entry-level model. More storage — hallelujah The best improvement with the iPad is also the simplest: It now starts with 128GB of storage, which is twice as much as the last model. There’s also a new 512GB option for $649. There isn’t much to say about this besides “good.” It’s a common-sense upgrade that makes the tablet a much safer long-term investment than its predecessor, especially when there’s no hope of Apple ever letting us upgrade storage manually. A fine display, but it’s time to improve In his iPad Air M3 review, my colleague Nathan Ingraham argued that it’s time for Apple to update the Air’s display with a higher refresh rate or a mini LED panel, as the OLED tech exclusive to the iPad Pros represents a major upgrade on its own. Since the iPad ’s screen is no different than the last one, I want to make a follow-up case for the entry-level model, albeit on a smaller scale. It's much easier to see in person than through photos, but if you look at the bottom corner of the display, near the bezel, you can see the air gap between the iPad's LCD panel and front glass. Out of context, the IPS display here is still totally adequate. It’s comfortably sized, it’s sharp enough, it’s not a massive smudge magnet and it doesn’t have any serious color accuracy issues. A tablet is nothing if not a big display, and most of the people Apple is targeting with this one will still enjoy watching and reading stuff on it. I can also live with the 60Hz refresh rate — that’s the minimum in 2025, but it’s a harsher limitation on a $599 tablet like the iPad Air than a $349 device. The other restrictions are more annoying. This screen still isn’t laminated, most notably, which means there’s a visible air gap between the LCD panel and the glass above. This helps the screen’s repairability but makes it look cheaper and feel more distant when you interact with the glass. This is particularly discernible with the Apple Pencil: Writing out notes on the iPad Air is both quieter and more natural. Those who’ve never used a higher-end iPad probably won’t care, but once you notice the difference, you can’t unsee it. The display also lacks an anti-reflective coating, so it’s worse at fending off glare. It’s certainly not unusable outdoors, but you’ll see your reflection much more clearly on the iPad than you will on the iPad Air M2 in sunlight. You’re much more likely to have to angle its display to make things out. Unlike the iPad Air and iPad Pro, the base iPad isn’t tuned for the wider P3 color space either. While the difference in color reproduction between the iPad Air and iPad is nowhere near as dramatic as the one between the Air and the iPad Pro, colors on the Air can still look slightly bolder and less washed-out when you put the two side-by-side. I appreciate that Apple wants to keep its “good, better, best” hierarchy intact, but at this point the iPad Pro’s display is so far ahead of the rest of the lineup that there’s room to even things out. If the next Air can upgrade to 120Hz, as Nathan suggests, then the next entry-level iPad should at least have a laminated display with better glare protection. Those aren’t premium features anymore. The USB-C Pencil can attach magnetically but lacks wireless charging and pressure sensitivity, so it's not a great choice for more involved work. Continued weirdness with accessories Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard support is another ongoing pain point. Like its predecessor, the iPad isn’t compatible with the Pencil Pro or the older, second-gen Pencil. That means the only stylus you can buy with pressure sensitivity — a key feature for digital artists that lets you make darker marks by pressing down harder — is the original Pencil, which is nearly a decade old , isn’t as comfortable as the newer models and can’t attach to the tablet magnetically. It also requires a USB-C cable and a USB-C to Lightning adapter to charge. All of this is bad. You can still get the $79 USB-C Pencil, which is nicer to hold and can attach to the iPad’s side magnetically but isn’t pressure-sensitive and still requires a separate cable to pair and charge. Really, though, most people who want an iPad for drawing should start with the iPad Air. I’ve never been a big fan of this iPad’s Magic Keyboard Folio either, as its Surface-style kickstand is hard to keep stable on your lap and it lacks backlit keys. That’s tough given its exorbitantly high price of $249. Not built for Apple Intelligence, but that’s OK As noted above, the iPad isn’t compatible with Apple Intelligence, which is Apple’s catch-all term for the suite of generative AI features it’s gradually rolled out since late last year. In fact, it’s the only major device Apple has released without the AI tools since they became available. Right now, though, you won’t miss much without them. Sure, the “Clean Up” feature that lets you scrub unwanted objects from photos is nice. Some of the writing-assistance tools are fine if you’re completely out of gas, and being able to access ChatGPT through Siri is convenient. But just as many of the tricks are either half-cooked or, let’s say, less than essential. A promised Siri revamp has been significantly delayed. If anything, many people will appreciate that their tablet won’t push AI onto them with every update. There’s always a chance Apple Intelligence becomes more useful down the road, and buying the iPad means locking yourself out of that potential future. But it’s not there yet, and Apple is reportedly well aware of that, so we can’t call it a major omission today. Wrap-up The iPad isn’t a massive leap forward from the last entry-level iPad, and some of its display and accessory quirks are getting long in the tooth. We still recommend stepping up to the iPad Air if you can swing it: It’s faster and more futureproof, with small but meaningful upgrades to the screen, better accessory support and speakers that sound less compressed. It’s also worth the upgrade if you want to use your iPad as a pseudo laptop replacement without spending top dollar. If you see a great deal on refurbished iPad Air M2, that’s a good buy as well. But for $250 less than the latest Air, the iPad does well to meet most iPad users where they live. It’s largely well-built and plenty quick for reading, watching and playing things, with solid battery life and an eternally easy-to-use OS. If you’re upgrading from a 9th-gen iPad or older, buying for a kid or just looking for a competent slate you won’t use for hours every day, it should be plenty of tablet for your needs. It’s not the most delightful iPad, but it’s good enough for the masses.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/ipad-2025-with-a16-review-no-apple-intelligence-no-problem-132641539.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 Block has laid off 931 workers, which make up around eight percent of its entire staff, according to TechCrunch and The Guardian. The publications have viewed an email, wherein the financial technology company's co-founder and CEO, Jack Dorsey, has discussed the latest organizational changes. Dorsey said that Block is eliminating roles based on three areas, starting with strategy. The company is letting 391 people go, because it's reducing "teams that are off strategy." It's also parting ways with 460 workers who scored a "below" rating or are trending towards a "below" rating in its internal performance tracking metrics. Finally, Block is laying off 80 managers, as well as moving 193 to individual contributor roles, to flatten the organization and remove layers of middle management between workers and the high-level bosses they'd now have to report to. In his email, Dorsey denied that the layoffs were made to hit any specific financial target and headcount goal, or because the company was replacing workers with artificial intelligence. He said that it was all about strategy and because flattening its org will allow it to "move faster and with less abstraction." The CEO admitted, however, that everyone in Block has equity in the company and that the reorganization "will help focus and execute better to do just that." Block's stock prices have plummeted by around 30 percent this year. Dorsey explained that the company is laying off nearly 1,000 workers all at once instead of over time, because it's behind in its actions. "We need to move to help us meet and stay ahead of the transformational moment our industry is in," he wrote. In addition to the layoffs, Block is also closing 748 previously open jobs and is only leaving key leadership and critical roles, along with those that have already progressed to offer stage, open. Block, which owns Square and Cash App, also underwent a reorganization in early 2024. It laid off nearly 1,000 people back then, as well, to make the company leaner and to limit its headcount to around 12,000 workers. As TechCrunch notes, Block had around 11,300 workers around the world by December 2024, which means its headcount is now far below the original goal it set for itself in 2023. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/block-reportedly-lays-off-almost-1000-employees-130056952.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 17:50 A day without a company announcing some new way AI can supposedly make our lives better is rare. Today it's Amazon, which has announced a new AI-powered feature called "Interests." It lets you enter personalized shopping prompts based on your, well, interests and price limits — and it arrives just in time for Amazon's Spring Sale. Interests can handle prompts with everyday language, like "Brewing tools and gadgets for coffee lovers" or "Natural makeup products for summer glow from top brands." The AI-powered feature will then look through Amazon's store to see current offerings and send you notifications about any deals, new products or restocks that are relevant to your prompt. Shopping on Amazon can sometimes feel like a never-ending pit of decent enough options, so hopefully this feature provides a more tailored selection. Amazon has only released Interests to a small group of customers in the US and only through the app or mobile website. You can check if it's available to you by looking under the "Me" tab in the Amazon shopping app. Otherwise, Amazon plans to roll out Interests to all of its US users in the coming months. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/amazon-has-a-new-ai-powered-tool-for-shopping-125314016.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 13:20 There’s a good chance learning a new language is one of your New Year’s resolutions, unless you’re hoping Google Translate will be enough for your next international adventure. Either way, you’ll need a reliable method to guide you through speaking and understanding the foreign language of your choosing. Fortunately, we're no longer confined to flashcards and textbooks as you can learn using your phone from the comfort of your couch.Many of the best language learning apps today offer a multi-tier approach, with AI-powered conversations, extensive vocab libraries and even podcasts you can listen to to help you master your target language. Whether you're just starting because you're just trying to understand what Bad Bunny means when he says "un verano en Nueva Yol," or you want to brush up on your Korean before that planned vacation, there’s a language learning app to suit your needs. Best language learning apps for 2025 Others language learning apps we tested Memrise Memrise has a library of more than 200 languages to learn. From Spanish to isiXhosa, Memrise can teach you all the basics and dive into more regional differences. As a Spanish learner, I could choose to learn from Spain or Mexico and I enjoyed that Memrise didn’t just teach me a more generalized version of the language. While Memrise could be great for polyglots, its hefty $60 monthly fee was too steep and prevented it from gleaning one of our top slots. Pimsleur Dr. Pimsleur believed speaking and listening were key to learning a new language. This app allows you to take its audio lessons offline, even going as far as integrating into Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. As a commuter, I appreciated having a lesson or two stored away for my journey to the office. However, I wanted more ways to practice reading and writing. With other apps offering podcasts for listening along and other forms of teaching, Pimsleur didn’t offer enough to make our list. Rosetta Stone Gone are the large, yellow disc sets of yesteryear; now Rosetta Stone lives squarely in the digital age with its app. Using the same visual learning tools as the old-school Rosetta Stone, the app shows you pictures and terms to get you to understand what things mean. Users can repeat after voice recordings and match phrases to the images to learn slowly. Rosetta Stone could be great for beginners, but in order to get access to all 25 languages and a lifetime subscription, you’d have to dish out $400. There are cheaper apps on this list that provide comparable experiences. HelloTalk Similar to Discord, HelloTalk provides voice and chat rooms to talk to folks from different countries. Its users can learn regional terms and talk about cultural differences. With a paid subscription, you can practice with a tutor or their AI chatbot. If you’re looking to learn a new language outside of your inner circle, HelloTalk can be a great fit. I enjoyed connecting with others on the app, but, as always when meeting strangers online, beware — some users treat it like a dating app. Fortunately, there are apps on this list that offer a similar AI learning approach without that added concern. How we test language learning apps As an intermediate Spanish learner, I was looking for an app that best catered to my needs, but I know everyone learns differently. So for each app, I assessed based on several factors. Can beginners use this to gain confidence? Will advanced speakers feel challenged? Are there enough opportunities to test reading and writing skills? How many ways can you learn vocabulary words? For those who want to have more conversations, what opportunities did each app provide to speak in that language? Bonus points if an app helped you learn a bit of the culture surrounding that language.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/best-language-learning-app-120001600.html?src=rss

26.03.2025 03:41 The Amazon Spring Sale has arrived, bringing a slew of discounts on household essentials, fashion, outdoor gear and even furniture. We at Engadget are focused on tech, and while the selection this time around isn’t quite as good as that of Amazon Prime Day in July, there are some decent discounts to be had. Some of our favorite robot vacuums, air purifiers, headphones and storage gear are on sale right now for some of the best prices we’ve seen this year so far.Below, you’ll find all of the best tech deals we could find in the Amazon Spring Sale. The shopping event runs through March 31, so be sure to check back for the latest deals as they become available. Best Amazon Spring Sale deals 10th-gen iPad for $269 : The previous version of most affordable iPad gives you an A14 Bionic chip, a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, TouchID built into the lock button and more. It’s compatible with the first-gen Apple Pencil and the keyboard folio, plus we found it to have solid performance and a matching battery life. Sonos Ray for $179 : This is our favorite midrange soundbar thanks to its compact, attractive design and easy setup. It's best for those who have a smaller living room or den they want to outfit with better TV sound. Also available at Sonos in their March Madness sale. Bose QuietComfort headphones for $249 : These Bose over-ear headphones provide excellent noise cancellation, a comfortable fit and up to 24 hours of listening time on a single charge. A quick-charge feature will net you 2.5 hours of battery life in just 15 minutes of charging, so you'll rarely have to go without them, too. Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $349 : These hold the top spot in our best wireless headphones guide for excellent noise cancellation. These cans will give you a step up in ANC, blocking out most noise and chatter of those around you. General audio quality has been improved as well, and they have a comfy fit. Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $318 : These top our list of the best wireless headphones you can get right now thanks to their supreme comfort, excellent sound quality and ANC, multipoint connectivity and 30-hour battery life. Dyson AM09 heater and fan for $300 : The AM09 has been around for ages, and for good reason. It's an excellent heater during cold months and fan during warm months, so you can use it all year round. Jet Focus control lets you choose from Focused or Diffused for personal or whole-room heating or cooling, and the handy sleep timer lets you set when the device turns off in intervals from 15 minutes up to nine hours. Levoit Cordless Vacuum Cleaner for $150 : The lowest price we’ve tracked on this stick vac is $130 but this matches the lowest price we’ve seen this year. It’s our runner up budget pick for a stick vac in our guide. It doesn’t have a storage base and the bin is smallish, but it’s lightweight and super affordable. It also disassembles easily for storage making its lack of base less of a deal breaker. Dyson V15s Detect Submarine for $800 : This Dyson cordless stick vacuum and mop is a top pick in our best cordless vacuums guide thanks to its sleek design and included mop attachment that easily swap in so you can clean tile, hardwood and other flooring with liquid solution. Yes, it's expensive, but you're essentially getting two cleaning machines in one — plus, when used as a vacuum, it has excellent suction power and great battery life. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for $280 : A version of one of our favorite air fryers, this air fryer toaster oven has 11 cooking modes including air fry, broil, bake, roast and more, and it has a large capacity that can fit up to six slices of bread at once or a 13-inch pizza. The Pro model is also on sale, down to $320 from $400. Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $20 : Our top pick for the best budget streaming device can play content at 1080p/60fps and now its remote can also control your TV's power and volume. There's also Alexa support built into the remote, so you can use voice commands to search for content. Apple Watch Series 10 for $299 : Apple’s flagship wearable is the best smartwatch you can buy, period. While the Series 10 was an iterative update, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It sports a slightly longer battery life, a slimmer design and wide-angle OLED screen for better viewing angles. It tracks workouts accurately and delivers alerts to your wrist efficiently. Apple Watch SE for $169 : Those on tighter budgets can opt for the Apple Watch SE and know they’re getting the core Apple wearable experience with few compromises. We consider it to be the best smartwatch for newbies. Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $170 : The AirPods Pro 2 remain Apple’s best set of wireless earbuds, as they offer the full set of Apple-focused features, strong ANC, onboard volume controls, a comfy in-ear design and a warm sound profile that most should find agreeable. They can even work as a hearing aid, though their six-hour battery life still isn’t the best, and you should only get them if you’re all-in on Apple hardware. If that’s the case, though, we call them the best choice for iPhone owners in our wireless earbuds buying guide. We saw this pair drop as low as $154 back in December, but this deal comes within a dollar of its best price since then. AirPods Max for $480 : If you’re looking for over-ear headphones with all of the conveniences of in-ear AirPods, the AirPods Max are one of your only options . The latest models have the same design as the originals, but now charge up via USB-C instead of Lightning. Mac mini M4 for $529 : If you're on the market for a new desktop, the upgraded M4 Mac mini is one that won’t take up too much space, but will provide a ton of power at the same time. Not only does it come with an M4 chipset, but it also includes 16GB of RAM in the base model, plus front-facing USB-C and headphone ports for easier access. Beats Fit Pro for $169 : These are the best wireless earbuds for working out thanks to their comfortable, secure fit, good sound quality with thumping bass and handful of convenient features provided by Apple's H1 chipset. It provides quick-pairing and switching between Apple devices , Find My compatibility and hands-free Siri. Chipolo One for $20 : The Chipolo One is the top overall pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers. While Apple’s AirTag can tap into a substantially larger crowd-sourcing network, we’ve found the One to send separation alerts faster when you’ve left an item behind and ring louder when you’re back in its vicinity. Blink Mini 2 for $20 : Blink's latest wired, indoor security camera is one of our favorites, particularly if you're just starting out building a security camera system. It's easy to set up and use, and it works seamlessly with Amazon's Alexa. Plus, if you want a local storage option, you can buy the Blink Sync Module 2 and a thumb drive to store video clips locally. Audible for $3 : This deal gives you access to Audible Premium Plus, which includes one credit each month that you can spend on any book you'd like, along with listening access to thousands of other books, podcasts and Audible Originals. You also get to take part in Audible's exclusive member sales. Anker Eufy Robot Vacuum 3-in-1 E20 for $400 : If you can’t decide between a robot vacuum or a lightweight stick vac, you don’t have to. The new Eufy E20 combines a robo vac, cordless upright and handheld vacuum in one machine. Plus the automatically emptying base holds a lot of debris for its size. While we found the robot performance to be better than the stick vac suction, it’s still impressive and convenient for an all-in-one model. iRobot Roomba Combo Vac and Mop for $150 : This "essential" Roomba is relatively no-frills, but it has the added benefit of being a mopping robot in addition to a vacuum. It includes a washable mopping pad and a water reservoir so you can clean hard floors, and it will autonomously vacuum just like all of iRobot's other basic robovacs. Cosori 9-in-1 air fryer for $90 : One of our favorites in our best air fryers guide, this Cosori model has nine preset cooking modes and a spacious cooking basket that can handle more food at once than you might expect. It's not too large, so it can sit on your countertop all the time, and the basket has a safety release button that prevents accidental pulls. Levoit Core 400S air purifier for $187 : Our top pick for the best air purifier for most people, the Core 400S has easy-to-use onboard controls, powerful filtering technology that isn't too loud and relatively affordable replacement filters. It reliably improved air quality in our testing, and even though its mobile app is a little overstuffed, it gives you another way to control and monitor the device. TP-Link Deco XE75 Pro mesh Wi-Fi system for $280 : Our current pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi system you can get, this TP-Link bundle may be no-frills, but it gets the job done nicely. It's easy to set up and provides excellent Wi-Fi 6E performance, plus the three included nodes can cover up to 7,200 square feet. Samsung Evo Select microSD card for $35 : A value pick in our best microSD cards guide, this Evo Select card provides respectable read and write speeds, and it comes with a full-sized adapter. Samsung T7 portable SSD for $140 : We're on the T9 series now, but if you're looking to save a bit of cash, the T7 remains a great option for on-the-go storage. It supports read and write speeds up to 1,050/1,000 MB/s and sports a pocket-friendly design. Amazon Spring Sale FAQs When is the Amazon Spring Sale? The Amazon Spring Sale 2025 runs from March 25 through March 31. What is Amazon's Spring Sale? The Amazon Spring Sale is a multi-day sale event that has taken place at the end of March since 2024. Do I have to be a Prime Member to shop the Amazon Spring Sale? No, Amazon Spring Sale deals are available to all, including those who do not subscribe to Prime. What types of deals can I expect to find during the Amazon Spring Sale? In the past, we've seen a lot of spring cleaning and fashion items in sale during the Big Spring Sale. We expect this year to be no different. We at Engadget in particular will be on the lookout for discounts on our favorite spring cleaning tech, including robot vacuums, cordless vacuums and air purifiers, along with deals on kitchen and smart home gear. Are there deals I can shop now ahead of the Amazon Spring Sale? Yes, check out our list of the best Amazon Spring Sale deals you can get right now above. How long does the Amazon Spring Sale last? The Amazon Spring Sale lasts seven days this year, running from March 25 through March 31. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-amazon-spring-sale-2025-is-live-the-best-tech-deals-from-apple-bose-sonos-anker-and-others-130607826.html?src=rss