Engadget

21.11.2024 23:50 Black Friday promos are in full swing now, and that’s brought many of our favorite gadgets down to their lowest prices of the year. Case in point, the Fitbit Charge 6, which is down to a record low of $100 right now. It’s a top pick in our best fitness trackers guide in part because of its comprehensive exercise tracking capabilities and its built-in GPS. The Charge 6 has a few things going for it. With the new model, Fitbit added a more accurate heart rate sensor, the ability to pair with exercise machines over Bluetooth and a physical side button to aid with menu navigation. If you’re a YouTube Music Premium subscriber, you can also use the device to control YouTube Music playback. Carrying over from older iterations, the Charge 6 offers comprehensive tracking for 20 discrete exercises, with built-in GPS for activities like running and cycling. It also retains the design of the Charge 5, which in this case, is a good thing. The fact it’s not a smartwatch means the Charge 6 is comfortable to wear and offers a battery that will last you for several days instead of just one at most. The full-color AMOLED display is easy to read and looks great, even outdoors. Other notable features include support for contactless payments through Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet. The only downsides to the Charge 6 are that Fitbit doesn’t offer Apple Health integration and that some data and features are locked behind the company’s premium subscription. However, if you’re looking for a fitness tracker that can basically do it all, the Charge 6 is one of the best options right now. For those looking to spend less on a fitness tracker, I'll mention that Amazon has also discounted the Inspire 3. It's currently $70, down from $100. Fitbit's entry-level fitness tracker is a good option for those who don't mind bringing their phone to their bike rides and runs as the device lacks built-in GPS tracking. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-bring-the-price-of-the-fitbit-charge-6-down-to-a-record-low-of-100-171919780.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 23:50 Meta is making progress in its fight against pig butchering scams. In an update, the company said it has taken down more than 2 million accounts associated with such scams this year and that its effort to work with other companies to take down fraudsters has had some success. Described by Meta as “one of the most egregious and sophisticated” online scams, pig butchering is an increasingly common ruse in which scammers trick victims, who they often find on social media and dating apps, into making crypto investments and other financial schemes before disappearing with their funds. One study, published earlier this year and reported by Bloomberg, found that these scams “have likely stolen more than $75 billion from victims around the world” since 2020. Meta says it’s been tracking the criminal networks behind these scams for the last two years as these groups have increasingly grown their geographic footprint. “This year alone, we’ve taken down over two million accounts associated with scam centers in Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, the United Arab Emirates and the Philippines,” the company said in a blog post. “We also continue to update behavioral and technical signals associated with these hubs to help us scale automated detection and block malicious infrastructure and recidivist attempts.” Earlier this year, Meta joined Match Group, Coinbase and others in forming a coalition to jointly fight financial scams. In its latest update, Meta notes that it has also worked with other firms exploited by scammers. It says that OpenAI recently tipped off the social media company to “a newly stood up scam compound in Cambodia” after the AI company caught the would-be scammers attempting to translate scam content.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-says-its-taken-down-2-million-accounts-linked-to-pig-butchering-scams-180036668.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 Australia’s majority party has introduced a bill in Parliament that would ban children under 16 from social media. The legislation, which would put the onus on social platforms rather than children or parents, could fine infringing companies up to AUD$49.5 million . The Labor Party’s bill would apply to Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram and X. It would require platforms to cordon off and destroy any underage user data collected. However, the legislation would include exceptions for health and education services, like Headspace, Google Classroom and YouTube. “For too many young Australians, social media can be harmful. Almost two-thirds of 14- to 17-year-old Australians have viewed extremely harmful content online, including drug abuse, suicide or self-harm, as well as violent material,” Australia Communications Minister Michelle Rowland told Parliament on Thursday. “A quarter have been exposed to content promoting unsafe eating habits.” Reuters notes that the law would be one of the most aggressive globally in tackling the problems related to children’s social media use. It wouldn’t include exemptions for parental consent or pre-existing accounts. Essentially, social platforms would have to police their platforms to ensure no child under 16 can use their services. The bill is supported by the majority Labor Party and opposition Liberal Party. “This is a landmark reform,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. “We know some kids will find workarounds, but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act.” The Australian Greens have criticized the legislation, saying it ignores expert evidence in “ramming” the law through Parliament without proper scrutiny. “The recent Parliamentary Inquiry into Social Media heard time and time again that an age-ban will not make social media safer for anyone,” Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said in a statement. “ is complicated to implement and will have unintended consequences for young people.” Last year, US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy sounded the alarm about the risks of underage social media use. “Children and adolescents who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media face double the risk of mental health problems including experiencing symptoms of depression and anxiety,” the 2023 advisory from the Surgeon General’s office read. The US requires tech companies to seek parental consent to access the data of children under 13, but it doesn’t have any age restrictions. Reuters notes that France enacted a social media ban for children under 15 last year, but it allows children to still access the services with parental consent.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/australia-introduces-a-bill-that-would-ban-children-under-16-from-social-media-174547712.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 Wearables are always a good category of tech to look for during the Black Friday time period, since some of the best once out there typically go on sale. This year in this space, we’re seeing the Google Pixel Watch 3 down to $280, which is a record low. That represents a $70 discount on the 41mm model. The LTE-enabled version of that size is on sale too, but only if you opt for the matte black aluminum case with an obsidian band. That Pixel Watch 3 model has dropped by 22 percent to $350. The Pixel Watch 3 is our pick for the best smartwatch for Android users. It's Google's finest Pixel Watch yet. It has a display with a 60Hz refresh rate. The screen can drop to just 1 nit of brightness while you're asleep to help conserve battery life. The smartwatch can run for over 24 hours on a single charge. Handily, the Pixel Watch 3 charges faster than previous models too. Thanks in part to the help of Fitbit's knowhow, the wearable is a great activity tracker. Functions include detection and custom running plans, along with the ability to track other metrics such as Cardio Load. However, you'll need to stump up for a Fitbit Premium plan to access more in-depth coaching. Some software quirks and slight bulkiness are other drawbacks of the Pixel Watch 3. Other features include the likes of weather forecasts, calendar alerts and map directions that you can access via Google Assistant voice commands. In the end, we gave the Pixel Watch 3 a score of 84 in our review, with Engadget deputy editor Cherlynn Low calling it a "a serious smartwatch ready for the competition." Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-drop-the-google-pixel-watch-3-to-280-on-amazon-183726553.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 A four-pack of Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 trackers are on sale via Amazon for just under $62. This Black Friday deal brings this particular combo pack down to a record low price. The typical cost is $100, so this represents a discount of 38 percent. This is one of our favorite Bluetooth trackers, and with good reason. They are the perfect companion accessory to Samsung phones. The finding network is vast and the battery life is fantastic. These trackers will stay powered on for up to 500 days, or even longer with Power Saving Mode enabled. We also appreciate the simple, yet aesthetically pleasing, design. There’s an actual hole for keychains, which is something Apple AirTags lack. These trackers are IP67-rated for water and dust-resistance. This means that the unit is protected from dust that’s larger than 1mm in diameter and that it can be submerged in water up to one meter deep for up to 30 minutes. Just don’t throw it in a lake and you should be good to go. The four-pack includes two white tags and two black tags, for a little yin and yang action. There’s not really a serious downside here for Samsung users. However, there’s a major caveat for everyone else. The SmartTag2 trackers only work with Samsung phones and tablets. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-black-friday-deals-include-a-four-pack-of-samsung-galaxy-smarttag2-trackers-for-38-percent-off-194307679.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 The Spotify audiobook experience has been lacking when compared to rivals like Audible, but it looks like that’s beginning to change. The streaming platform just announced a bevy of updates for audiobook listeners and some are downright useful. Perhaps the biggest one for me is the addition of a sleep timer. Audiobooks are great for lulling people to sleep, but it sucks when you sleep through a hundred pages and can’t remember where you left off. The built-in sleep timer lets users set how long the content will play. This sleep timer already exists for podcasts and music. Spotify users can also now make audiobook-specific playlists, helping people keep track of what they want to read or, uh, listen to. The platform says this tool will “help you keep your library organized” and that playlists will “be a place for you to aggregate the audiobooks on your reading list.” In addition to traditional playlists, the streamer will publish curated playlists from the audiobook editorial team. There are new Countdown Pages, which are splash pages for forthcoming audiobooks. These let people save a book prior to the release date, making it easy to find once it actually comes out. Spotify says this feature can be used by authors, publishers, and narrators” to “help promote their upcoming titles ahead of launch.” Spotify Speaking of promotions, Spotify’s new Author Pages display biographical information on specific writers and will allow perusal of their entire catalogs. This is in a pilot program for now, with only a “select number of authors” having access to the tool. There’s also a new video player specifically for audiobooks, that lets "select authors and publishers submit a short video about a specific title.” The platform likens this to a book’s jacket, offering a “taste of an audiobook before pressing play.” Finally, some audiobooks are getting a follow-along feature. This is described as an “immersive visual experience” akin to a music video that displays illustrations, photos and graphics as the audiobook is being read. Look for this in the “extras” section of eligible audiobooks. Last year, Spotify began offering 15 hours of audiobook listening to Premium subscribers. There’s also a subscription specifically for audiobooks that costs $10 per month that provides 15 hours of listening. The Premium subscription, however, costs $12 per month and adds ad-free music to the mix. It’s good to know that humanity’s collective musical output is worth $2 per month.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/spotify-drops-a-bunch-of-new-tools-for-audiobooks-including-a-sleep-timer-173327861.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 Between the ”Let Loose” iPad event in May, the iPhone 16 “It’s Glowtime” event in September and the Mac Week non-event in October, Apple has been busy releasing a slew of new iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, MacBooks and more for 2024. If you’ve been waiting for a good sale before diving in, now is the time. Black Friday often represents the best discounts on Apple gear and this year is no different. We’re seeing new all-time lows on the Apple Watch Series 10, the 10th generation iPad and the M3 MacBook Air. There are also some returning discounts on new models and previous generations. We had to wait a minute for Black Friday deals to hit the AirPods Pro 2 but those are live now. Here are the best Black Friday discounts on Apple gear we could find, from retailers including Amazon, Target, Walmart and B&H Photo. The best Black Friday Apple iPad deals Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget The line between Apple’s tablets and laptops is a little blurry at this point, especially with the release of the iPad Pro this year, which housed the company’s most powerful chip. The iPad Air is our current pick for the best iPad you can buy and we were delighted by the iPad mini that came out just last month. The only problem is iPads are among the more expensive tablets you can buy. Hopefully these Black Friday iPad deals help out. Apple iPad for $279 : This is a new all-time low price on the base model iPad. It didn’t get an upgrade during Apple’s Let Loose event back in May, though it did get a quiet price reduction by $100 to $349. Now Black Friday sales are bringing down the price even more. This is our current favorite budget iPad because it’s a capable tablet that’s great for casual browsing, streaming and gaming. It can even handle everyday productivity tasks well. Also at Walmart. Apple iPad mini for $450 : Click the coupon to save nearly $50 on Apple’s newest iPad overall. The iPad mini was just released this October right before the announcement of a few new Macs . In his review, Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham called the mini a “necessary update to the best small tablet on the market.” Apple iPad for $200 : Apple discontinued this model with the release of the new iPad Pro and Air models earlier this year. In what's likely an effort to get rid of current stock, the price is down to a new record low. The 9th generation iPad is the former budget pick in our guide to the best Apple tablets and will serve well as a casual browsing, streaming and game playing machine. Apple iPad Pro for $899 : The latest iPad Pro came out back in May and, notably, was the first Apple device to sport the M4 system-on-a-chip. We gave it an 84 in our review calling it an engineering marvel and the best screen our reviewer had ever seen. It’s also our pick for the best iPad for power users. The only problem is it’s very expensive, but this sale helps a little. Also at Amazon. Apple iPad Air for $499 : The iPad Air is the Apple tablet we recommend for most people in our buying guide and it earned a high score of 91 in our review. It strikes the best balance between performance, price and features of all slabs in the lineup. It has an M2 chip which is really overkill for casual browsing and gaming, but will ensure that your tablet is compatible with the latest Apple Intelligence tricks and demanding games. Also at Target. The best Black Friday Apple AirPods deals Billy Steele for Engadget Apple has four models of AirPods right now: The AirPods Pro 2, the over-ear AirPods Max and two AirPods 4, one with active noise cancellation and one without. Apple has been doing a lot of interesting things with their headphones lately, making this a good time to dive in. Though the discounts for Black Friday look to be minor, it's better than paying full price. Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $160 : We already think the AirPods Pro are the best earbuds iPhone users can get, but Apple’s tiny white gizmos recently got even better with the addition of hearing aid features. They have a remarkably natural-sounding transparency mode, solid active noise cancellation and make a great go-between for Siri’s assistance. This is a new low price for the buds, also at Walmart. Apple AirPods Max for $499 : Apple’s only over-ear headphones haven’t had a full revamp in a few years. When the iPhone 16 came out, Apple swapped out the lightning port for a USB-C connector and introduced new colors. While the overall design and build is a bit old at this point, they still deliver balanced sound in a premium package. Apple AirPods 4 for $119 : Here's a minor discount on Apple’s newest personal audio device. They were announced alongside the iPhone 16 back in September. There are two versions of the AirPods 4, this is the standard version without active noise cancellation. Both have a redesigned shape for a better fit and offer an open ear design . We gave them an 88 in our review. Apple AirPods 4 for $169 : The new buds with ANC got a respectable 86 in that same review. We noted they had pro-level features like letting you nod or shake your head to respond to Siri’s questions and Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. The best Black Friday Apple Watch deals Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget If you take steps or do a workout and you’re not wearing a smartwatch, does it really count? Of course, the Apple Watch is more than a fitness tracker, it’s also a shortcut to your iPhone notifications, a handy Siri portal and an always-on weather forecast. Plus it tells time. While they’re not cheap, these Black Friday Apple Watch discounts should help. Apple Watch Series 10 for $329 : This is the lowest price we've seen yet on an Apple Watch Series 10. It is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can buy and has a slightly thinner and lighter design, a wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, plus all of the watchOS 11 features that Apple recently released. Also at Walmart. Apple Watch SE for $189 : Apple’s budget smartwatch hasn’t had an update since 2022. There were rumblings that we’d see an update with the launch of the Apple Watch Series 10 but that didn’t happen. But if you just need a reliable wrist companion for your iPhone and an accurate fitness and workout tracker, this will serve. It went as low as $170 for October Prime Day, so this isn't an all-time low. Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $719 : The Ultra model is big and has a big price tag to match, so this discount might help. It’s our Apple Watch recommendation for adventurers and athletes thanks to its specialized features like a depth meter, SOS siren, and dual frequency GPS for more accurate route tracking. The best Black Friday Mac and MacBook deals Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget Apple held a quiet Mac Week at the tail end of October in which it announced the new desktop M4 Mac mini, the all-in-one M4 iMac and the M4 MacBook Pro laptop. The MacBook Air from back in March is still the model we recommend for most people Apple MacBook Air for $849 : Here's a new all-time low on the latest MacBook Air. It's our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount so it can tackle the demands of the burgeoning Apple Intelligence. Also at B&H Photo for $200 off. Apple MacBook Air for $749 : The previous MacBook Air has a M2 processor and it’s our previous pick for the best overall laptop for most people. This is the 13-inch model with 16GB of RAM. This is a return to an all-time low. Apple iMac for $1,150 : Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, but now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia. Also at B&H Photo for $100 off. Apple Mac mini for $549 : Use the coupon to get the full deal as this is a first-time low on Apple’s $599 example of good things, small packages. The five-inch by five-inch box can tackle some serious workloads and remains the most affordable entry point to accessing Apple’s latest silicon. We gave it a solid score of 90 in our review, praising the incredibly fast M4 chip and useful ports. Also at B&H Photo, no coupon required. Apple MacBook Pro for $1,400 : The main update Apple gave to its most powerful laptops is the faster than ever M4 chip. Not much else changed, but that’s not a bad thing as the Pros are excellent machines that we recommend to pro users. They have enough power to handle even the most demanding video, audio and any other productivity tasks you can throw at it. The best Black Friday deals on Apple gear Apple Apple AirTags for $73 : These are the Bluetooth trackers we recommend if you have an iPhone. They allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings using the Find My app and nearly every other nearby iPhone. Note that you’ll need an AirTag holder or case to use them with your keys and a new generation is rumored for next year. The record low for the four pack was $70 which we saw earlier this month, this deal is a few dollars more. Also at Walmart. Apple Pencil Pro for $99 : It’s true that you may need a roadmap to help you figure out which stylus is compatible with which iPad. The Pro is the newest Apple Pencil and it’ll work with the newest iPad Air and Pro models and adds haptic feedback, squeeze and barrel roll movements to the mix of features. The all-time low was $90, but this is still a decent deal. Also at Target. Apple Pencil for $69 : The USB-C Apple Pencil was released late last year and effectively serves as Apple's "budget" stylus. It works with the widest range of Apple tablets, though not all of them so check before you buy. This is about $4 more than the all-time low. Also at Walmart. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-2024-the-best-apple-sales-on-ipads-airpods-apple-watches-macbooks-and-airtags-165143404.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 November is in full swing, which means Black Friday is right around the corner. But the days in which you had to wait for Black Friday proper to get good deals have long been behind us. The holiday shopping season is effectively the entire month of November now, with early Black Friday deals already popping up across the web . We’re seeing deep discounts on a bunch of your favorite tech we’ve tested this year, which means you can start crossing things off your to-buy list right now. While we typically recommend holding out until the week of Black Friday to get the best of the best deals, the sales we're already seeing right now are some of the best of the year. These are the best early Black Friday deals we could find; we’ll be updating this post regularly throughout November, so check back for the latest discounts. Engadget's top picks Apple AirPods Pro 2 for $160 : The best AirPods you can get right now, these offer a secure, comfortable fit, good sound quality and ANC, plus excellent transparency mode. Thanks to a recent software update, the Pro 2 earbuds can be used as hearing aids if the user takes Apple's new hearing test and it discovers mild to moderate hearing loss. Apple 10th-gen iPad for $279 : The best iPad for those on a budget, this model has a modern design, good performance, a landscape-oriented front-facing camera and a solid battery life. It has also done away with the Lightning port in favor of a more modern USB-C port. Apple Watch Series 10 for $330 : The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can get thanks to its slightly thinner and lighter design, wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, watchOS 11 features and slightly improved battery life. We gave it a score of 90 in our Apple Watch Series 10 review. Apple MacBook Air fore $849 : The latest MacBook Air is our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount. If you're ok with getting an M2 processor, that 13-inch MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM is also on sale for $749. DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 : The latest version of DJI's smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming. Kindle for $85 : The 2024 base Kindle is lighter than ever before, and it has a 6-inch, glare-free screen with an adjustable front light, 16GB of storage, speedier performance and six weeks of battery life. reMarkable 2 bundles starting at $529 : Our top pick for the best E Ink tablet for most people has now been discounted when you pick up one of its folio cases and a marker to go along with it. The reMarkable 2 provides an excellent, distraction-free reading and writing experience, plus it has handy integrations with Google Drive and Dropbox. Blink Mini 2 for $35 : The newest Blink Mini wired security camera came out earlier this year and it supports 1080p video recordings, a wider field of view than the previous model and improved low-light performance. It may be wired, but you can use it outside if you wish provided you have the separate $10 weather-resistant adapter. Samsung SmartTag 2 Bluetooth trackers for $62 : These trackers have a handy, built-in keyring hole, an IP67-rated design, a vast finding network and good battery life. The best early Black Friday tech deals Apple Watch SE for $169 : The most budget-friendly Apple Watch has all of the core features that the flagship one has, but lacks things like ECG monitoring. We consider it to be the best Apple Watch for first-timers, and anyone who's on a tight budget. Apple AirTags for $73 : These are the Bluetooth trackers to get if you have an iPhone, and they allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings from within the Find My app. Just make sure to pick up an AirTag holder or case if you plan on using them with your keys. Apple Mac mini for $500 : Apple's newest tiny desktop is on sale for $574, but a $25 coupon will bring it down to a record low of $549. It earned a score of 90 in our Mac mini review for its incredibly fast performance, standard 16GB of RAM, smaller design and front-facing USB-C and headphone jack. Apple 2024 M4 iMac desktop computer for $1,150 : Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, and now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia. Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget Anker 10K MagGo power bank for $60 : This is one of our top picks for the best power banks you can buy today thanks to its versatile capacity, speedy Qi2 charging capabilities, clear screen that shows remaining battery power and its built-in kickstand. Anker 3-in-1 10K portable charger for $30 : A top pick in our best power banks guide, this 10K brick has a built-in USB-C cable so you don't need to remember to bring one with you, plus it has an extra USB-C port for charging other devices. Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $45 : The Space A40 is the longtime top pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, as it delivers the kind of robust feature set we expect from pairs that cost three times as much. Call quality isn't the best, and it won't auto-pause when you take out an earbud, but its warm sound, powerful ANC, eight-ish hours of battery life and comfy design all impress for the money. This deal ties the lowest price we've seen — it's only available to Prime subscribers at Amazon, but you can also grab it at Anker's online store with an on-page coupon. Bose QuietComfort headphones for $199 : The latest version of Bose's iconic QC headphones, these cans have excellent ANC, a comfortable design, 24 hours of battery life and a quick-charge feature that will get you two hours of battery after just 15 minutes of them being plugged in. Xbox Series X with extra controller for $490 : This bundle includes a total of two Xbox wireless controllers with the Series X console, and the built-in 1TB SSD is a good starting point for most gamers. Seagate Storage Expansion Card 2TB for $200 : Seagate's expansion card is one of the best options for expanding your Xbox Series X/S storage. A 2TB version has dropped to $200, its lowest price to date. It's one of our picks for the best Xbox Series X/S accessories. Also available at Seagate. Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 : This set recreates the scene in which Darth Vader and his Stormtroopers battled the Rebels, and it includes seven Star Wars minifigures. Lego Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion 71436 for $60 : This set opens out for more convenient play when it's all built, and it includes King Boo, Yellow Baby Yoshi, Dry Bones and Boo figures. Lego Google Pixel Watch 3 for $280 : Google's latest smartwatch is down to an all time low price. This is the model we recommend for anyone with an Android phone in our guide to the best smartwatches and it earned an 84 in our review. It detects workouts quickly, has an extra long battery life and is one of the more attractive smartwatches on the market. The deal applies to the 41mm size with GPS only but the larger and cellular-enabled models are on sale too. Also at Best Buy and Target. Google Nest Indoor security camera for $70 : Google's security camera can tell the difference between people, animals and vehicles while it's monitoring your home, and it supports 1080p video, night vision and two-way audio. Theragun Mini 2.0 for $149 : This compact massager makes a great gift for a beloved parent or anyone else you think could use a little more TLC. It supports a couple of different head attachments that help relieve different muscles of the body and it’s arguably the easiest of Thergun’s devices to throw into a carry on or gym bag. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer for $270 : One of our favorite air fryers, this machine does a lot more than just air fry thanks to its 11 cooking modes, and while it's larger than a typical air fryer, that means it can cook larger things like a full turkey or chicken. Echo Dot for $23 : This is one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its compact design, physical button controls that compliment voice commands and its solid sound quality for its size. Amazon Echo Spot for $45 : This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands. You can also grab it bundled with a free TP-Link smart light bulb. Echo Buds for $25 : These are one of our top picks for the best budget wireless earbuds you can get right now thanks to their comfortable design, pocket-friendly case, automatic wear detection, multi-device connectivity and, of course, built-in Alexa voice controls. Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 : Amazon's most powerful dongle supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision, Wi-Fi 6E and live picture-in-picture mode so you can see security camera feeds directly on your TV as you're watching a show or movie. In addition to being a solid streamer, it also makes a good retro gaming device. Ring pan and tilt security camera for $50 : This security camera joined the Ring lineup only a few months ago, and this is the best price we've seen on it. It's part of a larger Ring sale that discounts home security gear by up to 50 percent. Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget Hisense U8N 4K TV for $698 : The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense's TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don't mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low. Also at Best Buy. Samsung 55-inch The Frame smart TV for $898 : The latest Frame TVs can show art on the screen when you're not using it, and it has a matte finish to make it look more like a picture frame on your wall. Also available at Samsung. Samsung Music Frame for $248 : This unique smart speaker can show art or your own photos while it plays music, and it can sync with your Samsung TV speakers. Also available at Samsung. Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $150 : Our top pick for the best budget Android tablet sports an 11-inch 90Hz display, a microSD card slot for extra storage and a hefty battery. Segway Ninebot Max G2 electric scooter for $799 : The latest electric scooter from Segway can reach a maximum speed of up to 25mph, and it can run for up to 43 miles in Eco mode. Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard Bundle for $400 : Solo Stove Black Friday deals include up to 30 percent off fit pit bundles that give you all of the necessary accessories to make the most out of your new fire pit. Alternatively, you can pick up the Bonfire fire pit with its stand over at Amazon for only $196. Ooni Black Friday deals: Get 20 percent off pizza ovens: Most pizza ovens at Ooni have been discounted, including a few of our favorites. The Karu 16 multi-fuel oven is down to $519, a whopping $280 off its normal price. Audible Premium Plus for $0.99/month for three months + $20 Audible credit : Those who don't currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service's Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn't call it essential, but if you've been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it'd work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel. Plus, you'll now also get an additional $20 Audible credit to use at your discretion. Amazon Kindle Unlimited for $0 for one month : Amazon's ebook subscription service gives you access to a catalog of thousands titles for unlimited reading, select Audible audiobooks to listen to and included magazines to read. Prime members can get a different deal: two months for only $5. Headspace annual plan for $35 : Our top pick for the best meditation app has tons of courses that address specific anxieties and worries, a good in-app search engine that makes it easy to find the right meditation you need and additional yoga routines, podcasts and music sessions to try out. MasterClass Premium for $10/month : Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are half off for the holidays. MasterClass' other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields. Adobe Creative Cloud for $30/month : First-time subscribers can get half off Creative Cloud for their first year of membership, bringing the cost down to just $30 per month. This gives you access to Photoshop, Illustrator and the rest of Adobe's suite of apps. ProtonVPN Plus two-year plan for $72 : Our top pick for the best VPN is based on open-source framework and has a no-logs policy. Its easy-to-use apps are available on most platforms including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows and more, and some of them even include a kill-switch feature. ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 : Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager. Black Friday FAQs When is Black Friday 2024? Black Friday 2024 lands on November 29 this year. When do Black Friday deals start? We expect some Black Friday tech deals to start as early as November 1. Over the past few years, retailers have been kicking off the holiday shopping season earlier and earlier. This trend will continue in 2024, and you’ll likely find early Black Friday deals available online and in stores in the weeks before the actual shopping event. When do Black Friday deals end? Some Black Friday tech deals will end immediately on Saturday, November 30. But those will likely be few and far between. Along with starting deals earlier and earlier, retailers have also extended Black Friday deals past the day for a while now, too. In the tech space, we’ve seen many Black Friday deals in the past run through Cyber Monday. Where are the best Black Friday deals? There is no one place to buy all of the best Black Friday deals, but you can expect the big retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Target to have many of the same Black Friday deals available — both in the lead up and on the day itself. We also recommend checking direct-to-consumer sites like Apple, Samsung, Sonos and others to make sure you’re getting the best deal before you cross things off your list. Does Apple have Black Friday deals? You typically will not find cash discounts on Apple’s website for Black Friday, though it has offered various gift card bundles during Black Friday in recent years. You may be able to find local Apple store discounts on accessories, but Apple isn’t a retailer known for slashing prices on its products. However, you can find more traditional Apple Black Friday tech deals at other retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target and Best Buy. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-44-black-friday-tech-deals-worth-shopping-from-amazon-walmart-apple-anker-and-others-163039085.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 WhatsApp added voice message transcripts on Thursday. Handy for when you’re in a loud environment , they’ll be rendered on-device, so they’ll remain encrypted and private. To set them up, head to Settings > Chats > Voice message transcripts and toggle the feature on. There, you can also pick your preferred language. Once set up, you can transcribe a message by long-pressing on it and tapping “transcribe.” The feature will roll out globally over the coming weeks, so you may not see it right away. WhatsApp says message transcripts are launching in only “a few select languages,” but the company plans to add more in the coming months. Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, has apparently earmarked this week for new messaging features. On Wednesday, Messenger added the ability to leave audio or video messages if a call goes unanswered. Also new in Messenger are AI video call backgrounds, HD video calling, background noise suppression and voice isolation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/whatsapp-adds-voice-message-transcripts-170148660.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 When the Rabbit R1 arrived earlier this year, it was an unfinished product. Engadget’s own Devindra Hardawar called it “a toy that fails at almost everything.” Most of the features Rabbit promised, including its signature “large action model” , were either missing at launch or didn’t work as promised. Now, after more 20 software updates since the spring, Rabbit is releasing its most substantial update yet. Starting today, every R1 user now has beta access to teach mode, a feature that allows you to train Rabbit’s AI model to automate tasks for you on any website you can visit from your computer. Rabbit CEO and founder Jesse Lyu gave me a demo of teach mode ahead of today’s announcement. The tool is accessible through the company’s Rabbithole hub, and features a relatively simple interface for programming automations. Once logged into your Rabbit account, you navigate to a website and input your credentials if they’re required to access the service you want to teach the R1 to use for you. Lyu was quick to note Rabbit won’t store any username and password you input; instead, the company saves the cookie from your teach mode session for the R1 to use later. In June, Rabbit had to move quickly to patch a security issue that could have led to a serious data breach. Once you’ve named your automation and written a description for it, all you need to do is carry out the task you want to automate as you usually would. Rabbit’s software will translate each click and interaction into instructions the R1 can later carry out on its own. When Lyu demoed teach mode for me, he taught his R1 to tweet for him. Once the software has had a chance to analyze a lesson, you can replay the automation before trying it out on your R1 to ensure it works properly. While it’s technically true you don’t need any coding knowledge to use teach mode, approaching it from a programming perspective is likely to produce better results. That’s because you can annotate the steps the software records you doing when showing it an automation. It’s also useful from a troubleshooting perspective, as you can see from the video embedded above. After you’ve tested your automation, it’s just a matter of asking your R1 to complete a query using teach mode. The resulting process isn’t exactly the polished experience I imagine most people have come to expect from their mobile devices. The R1 announces each step of a task, and it can take a few moments for the device to work its way through a query. According to Rabbit, part of that is by design. Early testers found it helpful for the R1 to state its progress. I’ll be honest, it’s hard to escape the conclusion that some of the R1 automations Lyu showed me, while creative, don’t offer a more efficient way to do certain tasks than the apps people are already familiar with, a point he conceded when I said as much during our call. “There are a lot of tasks that are not a single destination,” Lyu said. To that point, where he believes teach mode will be transformational is in interactions involving multiple platforms. Lyu gave an example of an R1 user who taught his device to order groceries. With some work, that person could use the R1’s camera to take photos of the shopping lists his wife produced, which the device would then use to order the family’s weekly groceries from their preferred stores. Another area where the R1 could provide a better experience than a dedicated app is in situations where there are competing standards, like the situation that exists with smart home automation currently. Say you’re trying to get some HomeKit and Google Home devices to work together. You won’t need to wait for the Matter Alliance to sort things out. With teach mode, the R1 will navigate that mess for you. “You need to think about velocity,” Lyu tells me before laying out Rabbit’s end game with teach mode. For now, R1 users can freely add community lessons they find on Rabbithole to their devices. Lyu envisions a future where users will be able to sell their automations, with Rabbit taking a cut. Moreover, while teach mode is currently limited to navigating websites, Lyu suggests it will eventually learn to use more complex apps like Excel. At that point, Lyu contends Rabbit will be in a position to deliver an artificial general intelligence, one that will understand every piece of software ever made for humans. Of course, questions remain. One major one is whether people will pay for community lessons if they could just as easily replicate an automation on their own. Here, Rabbit expects things to play out like they’ve done on existing app stores, with most people choosing to download apps they like instead of making their own. “For the future agent store, we anticipate a similar situation where any user could teach their own lesson if they want to, but most people will probably find lessons or agents created by other users that meet their needs very well,” the company told me in an email. I also asked Rabbit if the company is preparing for the possibility that some platforms might block people from using teach mode to automate tasks on their R1. In the company’s view, bot detection systems like CAPTCHA will need to evolve to differentiate between “good agents” like those created by Rabbit users and malicious bots. “When a user uses LAM to perform tasks on third-party platforms, they are logging into their own accounts with their own credentials, and paying those companies directly for those subscriptions or services,” the company added. “We are just providing a new platform for those transactions to happen, similar to you can play music on your phone and on your laptop... We do not see a conflict of interests here.” I’m not so sure if things will play out as smoothly as Rabbit hopes, but what is clear is that the company is closer to the future Lyu promised at the start of the year — even if that future still feels years away and may be decided by another company. For now, Rabbit hopes R1 users embrace teach mode enthusiastically, as that will allow the software to improve more quickly. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/teach-mode-rabbits-tool-for-automating-r1-tasks-is-now-available-to-all-users-170036677.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 Black Friday deals have come for Apple’s AirPods: the AirPods Pro 2 have dropped to $160, which is a record-low price. At the moment, you can also get the AirPods 4 starting at $119. These are some of the most sough after wireless earbuds during this time of year precisely because the sales are so good. While we periodically see AirPods dip in price throughout the year, the best time to buy is during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period. However, that also means they can be some of the first tech items to sell out, so if you’ve had your eye on a new pair or want to gift one this holiday season, we recommend buying them now. AirPods Pro 2 are the best wireless earbuds that Apple makes with excellent sound quality and ANC, plus good battery life. They have all of the conveniences you’d expect from a pair of Apple earbuds, like quick paring and switching between Apple devices and hands-free Siri. And with a recent software update, the AirPods Pro 2 can double as hearing aids for those who take Apple’s hearing test and the results show mild to moderate hearing loss. Whereas the AirPods Pro 2 have looked and felt mostly the same since their initial launch, the AirPods 4 received a big overhaul this year. They now come in ANC and non-ANC styles, and they have a slightly revised open-wear design. The H2 chipset inside gives them the same Apple conveniences as the AirPods Pro 2, but note that neither model supports MagSafe charging via wireless chargers. But these buds have improved sound quality and a better fit than the AirPods that came before them, and they’re noticeably more affordable than the Pro 2. If you prefer over-ear headphones, your only option in the Apple ecosystem is the AirPods Max. You can grab them for $400 right now. We always recommend waiting for a sale to buy these cans since they start off much more expensive than all of our other top picks for the best wireless headphones. They also sport the H2 chipset inside, plus good sound quality and ANC, reliable touch controls and a solid battery life. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-include-the-airpods-pro-2-for-a-record-low-of-160-165732874.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 Black Friday is usually the best time of the year to save on big-ticket items like smartphones, robot vacuums and even kitchen gear. To that end, one of our favorite air fryer toaster ovens has a steep discount right now. The Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer has dropped to $280 in most colorways, which represents a savings of $70. The "Pro" model made it into our best air fryers guide, but this one is quite similar: it has 11 cooking functions and takes up a bit less counter space than the Pro version. Breville’s Smart Oven Air Fryer has a long list of cooking functions: toast, bagel, broil, bake, roast, warm, pizza, air fry, reheat, cookies and slow cook. The oven uses five quartz heating elements known for quick and consistent heating. It uses algorithms to direct heat to where it’s needed most for each mode. The oven uses “super convection” tech to reduce cooking time by up to 30 percent. It speeds up cooking by raising hotter air and sinking the cooler, less dense air. It supports a wide temperature range of 120 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The appliance requires a decent amount of counter space: 18.9-inch wide x 15.9-inch deep x 10.9-inch high. But in return, you can squeeze in six slices of pizza or toast, a whole chicken or nine muffins. Breville’s oven has a smooth-looking brushed stainless steel texture, including snazzy-looking knobs and buttons and an interior light that automatically turns on at the cooking cycle’s end. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-breville-smart-oven-air-fryer-is-70-off-for-black-friday-on-amazon-130032962.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 If you're looking to treat yourself or a loved one to a new laptop without breaking the bank, there are plenty of early Black Friday deals worth considering. Even better, there's a discount on what we reckon is the best laptop for most people and the best laptop for college students. Apple's M3 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM has dropped to its lowest price to date. The laptop is available for $849, which is $250 off the list price. That's the base amount of storage, but other configurations with more storage space are on sale too. One with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is available for $999, though we'd recommend having at least 16GB of memory. It's not possible to upgrade the RAM in an Apple Silicon MacBook, but you can always add external storage if need be. Apple just released its first M4-powered Macs, but it has yet to slot the latest chip into the MacBook Air. The 13-inch MBA's blend of power and portability makes it a potent choice and we gave it a score of 90 in our review. It delivers fast performance and has a killer display. The design is sleek and sturdy and it sounds great thanks to a quad-speaker array. We like the trackpad and keyboard as well, while the upgrade to Wi-Fi 6E connectivity is a definite plus. Our main quibble is that the USB-C ports are on the same side of the unit as the one for the charger — having even one USB-C on the right side would be handy. But that's a minor complaint about an otherwise terrific laptop. If you're willing to go with a slightly older processor, the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage has dropped to $749 — another record-low price. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-include-the-apple-m3-mackbook-air-with-16gb-of-ram-for-an-all-time-low-price-180617908.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 Black Friday deals present good opportunities to pick up expensive tech, including gear for the outdoors. Solo Stove’s Black Friday sale includes some of our favorite fire pits, and you’ll save the most by going with a bundle. Of note here is the Bonfire Backyard Bundle, which is down to $400 from $580. This pack includes the Bonfire smokeless fire pit and a whole swath of related accessories including a removable ash plate, a lid, a carry case, a stand and an outdoor shelter. Solo Stove’s fire pits easily made our list of the best outdoor gear for the fall, and the medium-sized Bonfire is likely the company’s most popular item. It creates a roaring fire, but without all of that hazardous smoke. What's not to like? The Bonfire is a wood-burning fire pit that gets much hotter than conventional fires, allowing for “uninterrupted enjoyment in the outdoors.” The sale extends to other fire pit bundles. The high-end Yukon bundle is $650 instead of $940 and the budget-friendly Ranger bundle is $310 instead of $445. Amazon is also getting in on the action. Outdoor enthusiasts can pick up the Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 fire pit, complete with a removable ash pan and stand, for $196. That’s a discount of over 40 percent. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-solo-stove-deals-discount-fire-pit-bundles-by-up-to-30-percent-182758010.html?src=rss

21.11.2024 18:50 Amazon has already started to mark down its in-house made gear for Black Friday, and some of the best deals so far are on its streaming devices. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, the company's most powerful streaming dongle, has dropped to a new low of $33. That's a 45 percent discount off its original $60 price tag. This compact streamer supports 4K content and comes with an enhanced Alexa Voice Remote and Wi-Fi 6E support. You can, of course, use it to access Amazon Prime Video, along with Netflix, Disney+ and all your favorite services. While the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a good option for streaming, we also use it for something a bit different: playing retro games. Our senior reporter Jeff Dunn bought one to play games from the PS1, Game Boy, Genesis, old arcade games and more. He finds it works much better than having to lug around any bigger devices. However, using your Fire TV Stick 4K Max to play old games requires a bit of setup so, if you're interested in trying it, may I direct you to Dunn's helpful guide here. Amazon's Fire TV Cube is also discounted as part of a larger sale on Fire TV devices for Black Friday. Right now, you can pick up the streaming device for 29 percent off, dropping to $100 from $140. The Cube is your pick if you want access to ethernet and hands-free use with Alexa. It's more powerful than the 4K Max, but, for the price difference, it's a tough call if it's worth it. Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/amazon-black-friday-sale-discounts-the-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-to-a-record-low-of-33-140334734.html?src=rss