Black Friday TV deals include Samsung Frame TVs for 40 percent off

21.11.2024 18:50 There are Black Friday deals on kinds of tech goodies already available. But how about snapping up a TV that doesn't look like a TV when it's not in use? Rather than a large black rectangle that dominates a room, Samsung designed its Frame TVs to fade into the background, making them look like framed art when you're not watching anything or playing games. Several 2024 The Frame models are 40 percent off for Black Friday, including the 55-inch model. That has dropped by $600 to $898, which is a record low price. The offer is available at Amazon and Samsung directly. The TV is slim and can be mounted to the wall to make it look like a real piece of framed art. It comes with a Connect Box into which you can plug devices like your cable box and games console so that you only need to hook up a single cable to the TV itself. The idea is to reduce clutter and make it even easier to disguise The Frame when it's not in use. You can further personalize the TV with various bezels and such. Through the Samsung Art Store, you can choose from more than 2,500 artworks to display on The Frame when you're not watching it. The selection includes works from renowned museums and artists such as The Met, the Museum of Modern Art, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Salvador Dali. Some are free to use but many are locked behind a subscription. Meanwhile, the TV has a glare-free matte screen to make it appear as though the art is printed. The latest Frame lineup includes a motion sensor to activate the artwork when you enter a room, as well as a brightness sensor that helps adjust the TV's brightness automatically. In addition, you'll get access to many of the same features as other Samsung TVs, such as the free Samsung TV Plus, a streaming service with hundreds of ad-supported channels and many on-demand shows and movies. There's also the Gaming Hub, which includes access to game streaming services such as Xbox Cloud Gaming and NVIDIA's GeForce Now. 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-tv-deals-include-samsung-frame-tvs-for-40-percent-off-155241405.html?src=rss

Apple pledges $100 million Indonesia investment to lift iPhone 16 ban

21.11.2024 18:50 Apple has offered $100 million to Indonesia as part of an effort to lift a recent ban of the iPhone 16 in the country, as reported by The Wall Street Journal. The company has presented an investment plan that would use that $100 million to set up a manufacturing plant in the nation. Earlier this month, Apple offered the country $10 million to reverse the ban. This latest proposal is worth ten times that, so the company certainly sees Indonesia as an important market. After all, the country is home to 280 million potential smartphone customers. The Ministry of Industry of Indonesia is scheduled to review Apple's proposal this week. This all started because Apple missed a local investment threshold by around $15 million. Indonesia mandates that certain devices sold in the country must have at least 40 percent “domestic content.” This percentage can be met by using domestically-sourced materials, building manufacturing plants or by employing local workers. Apple previously invested around $94 million in the country through a variety of means, but it wasn’t enough to stave off the ban. The sale stoppage also applies to other recently-released Apple products, like the Apple Watch Series 10. The ban doesn’t impact older Apple devices, which are still available for purchase throughout the country. Apple has opened up several developer academies throughout the country, but an actual manufacturing plant would be a major boon for Indonesia. Both Samsung and Xiaomi have already set up factories in the nation.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-pledges-100-million-indonesia-investment-to-lift-iphone-16-ban-162217627.html?src=rss

The best self-care gifts for 2024

21.11.2024 18:50 Caring for yourself can be as simple as sitting down to do a breathing exercise or curling up under a weighted blanket. Or it can be getting a massage, going for a workout or dressing up for a fancy dinner. There are plenty of things you could get for someone that not only shows how much you care about them, but also remind them that it’s worthwhile to take time for themselves. And while there’s nothing wrong with an aromatherapy candle, it’s more fun to go beyond the obvious choices and look at what tech products could help your loved ones feel their best. Our picks include things like styling gadgets and grooming devices, but also less techy options like a hair turban and face masks.It’s worth calling out that these beauty tech and personal care suggestions are highly personal, so it’s important that you take time to learn about your giftee’s preferences. What type of hair do they have? What are their skincare concerns? What aches and pains have they been feeling lately? Getting just a few more details from them can better inform your holiday shopping and improve your relationships, too. The best self-care gifts for 2024 Check out the rest of our gift ideas here. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-self-care-gifts-160025041.html?src=rss

Our favorite pair of budget wireless earbuds is on sale for only $45 for Black Friday

21.11.2024 18:50 You don't necessarily need to break the bank for a very good set of wireless earbuds, and that's even more true around this time of year when there are Black Friday deals aplenty to be had. Our pick for the best budget wireless earbuds is on sale for the occasion. Anker's Soundcore Space A40 earphones are 44 percent off, which brings the price down to $45. That matches a record-low price for these earphones. We first saw them dip to $45 during the October Prime Day event. While the audio quality isn't on the level of high-end earbuds from the likes of Sony and Bose , we feel that the Space A40s have a pleasant, warm sound. They also have features that you'd often have to spend much more to get from earbuds, such as an adaptive active noise cancellation system that adjusts settings automatically depending on the audio in your surroundings. Other features multipoint connectivity to link the earbuds to two devices simultaneously. They're IPX4-rated for water resistance too. The Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are slated to run for 10 hours on a single charge, with the case adding an extra 50 hours of listening time. A 10-minute charge can add four hours of listening time. The case supports wireless charging too. 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/our-favorite-pair-of-budget-wireless-earbuds-is-on-sale-for-only-45-for-black-friday-154250578.html?src=rss

The best Black Friday kitchen deals on gadgets, appliances, cookware and more: Get up to 50 percent

21.11.2024 18:50 We’ve probably got enough foodies on the Engadget staff to start our own restaurant. While we’re not all home chefs , we all love food. So we’ve used, tested and reviewed plenty of kitchen gadgets for the site. Right now for Black Friday, some of the gear we’ve tried is already on sale. And since there's still a week left until the official day, we'll update this guide with new Black Friday deals as they go live. For now, we found deals on air fryers, sous vide machines, pizza ovens and more, with some discounts hitting the lowest prices of the year. Whether you already cook up a storm, or you’re ready to build on your reheating skills, now is a great time to finally pick up that new bit of kitchen electronics you’ve been thinking about. Here are the best Black Friday deals on appliances, gadgets and the kitchen tech we recommend. The best Black Friday kitchen deals for 2024 Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget Whether for buying guides, reviews or our own use, we’ve tried plenty of gadgets that make home cooking simpler and more enjoyable. We also recently put together a cooking gift guide full of our favorite stuff. Our picks include low and high tech devices for kitchens both indoor and outdoor and right now, lots of those recommendations are currently on sale for Black Friday. Meater Pro for $100 : In our official review, Engadget’s Billy Steele praises the longer battery life and extended range of this updated smart thermometer from the Trager-owned company. It also packs increased heat resistance and is more durable overall. Also direct from Meater. Ooni Karu 16 outdoor pizza oven for $520 : The Karu 16 is our favorite multi-fuel outdoor pizza oven but it’s not cheap, so it’s best to get it when it’s on sale. It has a large capacity that can handle full size pizzas — and even cast iron cookware — using wood, charcoal or propane fuel. Plus the bottom-mounted digital thermometer helps you keep tabs on your cooking. Thermapen One for $76 : We recommend this blazingly fast thermometer in our grilling guide because it’ll give you a readout in one second on its auto-rotating screen. Stanley IceFlow tumbler with straw for $25 : Our resident grill master, Billy Steele recommends having a reliable source of frosty beverage at the ready when you grill. This is the one he picked for our grilling gear buyer’s guide. Anyday Microwave Cookware Starter Set for $70 : Our resident microwave aficionado Cherlynn Low speaks highly of these plastic-free dishes, which she’s been using for two years now. The design allows you to steam and even bake foods in the zapper box while also acting as excellent food storage containers. The best Black Friday deals on coffee and tea gear Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget Like most workplaces, Engadget runs on coffee — or at least the people responsible for it do. Many of us put our collective caffeinated experiences together to come up with a gift guide for coffee lovers. Of course, some of us are partial to tea, so we put a guide to tea gifts together as well. Right now for Black Friday, many of the picks from both lists are on sale. Cosori Electric Gooseneck Kettle for $60 : This is a return to a discount we've seen multiple times this year, and it's about $14 more than the all-time low. But this kettle has earned its spot on one of our editors’ tiny countertops. It has different built-in temperature settings for different types of drinks and an elegant gooseneck pour. Firebelly Tea Travel Mug for $32 : This travel mug not only keeps your iced tea cold and your hot tea steamy, its insert also stops infusion when you press it down so you can steep on the go. The best Black Friday deals on sous vide machines Photo by Avery Ellis / Engadget If you know someone without a sous vide machine, now might be a good time to ameliorate that situation as many of our favorite models are on sale. And if you happen to be without one, here’s your chance to get in on the low-effort, high-result water-bath cooking method. This is the best what’s on sale for Black Friday, as pulled from our picks. Anova Culinary Sous Vide 3.0 for $112 : This is the best overall sous vide machine, according to testing for our buyer’s guide and this price beats the one from July. We like the easy digital controls and the high flow rate that maintains water temperature better. Also the companion app is stuffed with recipes. It's $120 at Best Buy and directly from Anova. Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano for $97 : We've seen this price for much of the past month, so it's not exactly a new deal, but still a good discount on the machine that led Engadget's Avery Ellis to dub the sous vide stick the “Millennial crockpot.” She uses this one a few times a week to make unfussy meals that keep her alive. The Nano model is a slightly smaller and less expensive version of the top pick in our buyer’s guide. Also direct from Anova for $99. Breville Joule Turbo Sous Vide Machine for $200 : If maximum power and fancy phone controls is what you want, go for the premium pick in our guide. It has a powerful 1,100-watt heater that cuts down on cooking times and uses your phone as the controller . Also at Williams Sonoma and direct from Breville. The best Black Friday deals on air fryers and Instant Pots Instant Brands Air fryers make microwaves jealous. Food that would otherwise come out hot yet soggy comes out hot and crisp and doesn’t take that much more time. Another kitchen MVP is the ever popular Instant Pot, which can cook everything from soups to rice, beans and more. Here are the best Black Friday deals on the air fryers and Instant Pots we recommend. Instant Vortex Plus 6QT Air Fryer for $99 : This is the top recommendation in our guide to air fryers and happens to be the model I bought for myself after reading our guide. It preheats quickly and keeps cooking odors to a minimum with replaceable filters . Plus clean-up is easy and the window is handy for making sure the nachos don't burn. Also at Walmart. Cosori 9-in-1 air frier for $88 : This is the newest addition in our list, earning a runner up nod for best overall. It has nine preset cooking modes and a six-quart capacity that makes it just the right size to cook a good amount of food without taking up too much space on most countertops. Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro for $300 : If you want a more traditional toaster oven design with a huge capacity, go for our premium air fryer pick. The fryer-and-oven combo can accommodate a five-quart dutch oven, so it’s almost an auxiliary oven, which could come in handy for holiday cooking. Also at Target and Best Buy. Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer for $280 : This is the non-Pro version of the Breville air fryer we recommend. It has a slightly smaller capacity . But still has most of the same features including 11 of the 13 cooking functions. Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 pressure cooker for $100 : These ubiquitous and highly versatile cookers can make just about anything you can dream up — Instant Pot recipes make up a considerable portion of online recipes. This is the pro version of the model we recommend in our buyer's guide to kitchen tech and it has five favorite buttons and extra wattage for a faster preheat. Best Buy has the eight-quart model on sale for $120. Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker for $80 : We like this Instant Pot model because it's simple to use and has several quick-cooking modes including beans, cake, sous vide and more. Instant Pot Pro Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker for $99 : We also suggest this fancier Pro Plus model in our guide to kitchen tech and it's half price right now. It has a canning function, is Wi-Fi connected, lets you release the steam remotely and the companion app has over 800 recipes. Ninja AF150AMZ Air Fryer for $90 : This gets an honorable mention in our air fryer guide. Though the round cooking basket doesn’t feel as roomy as square ones, the taller and thinner design might make the most of limited countertop space. Plus it has a dehydrate option for making your own dried fruit. The best Black Friday deals on blenders and mixers KitchenAid Black Friday is a good time to upgrade an aging hand blender or finally get that Vitamix you’ve been thinking about. Whether for yourself or as a gift for the home cook on our list, these blender and juicer deals come straight out of our kitchen tech guides and will bring plenty of extra muscle for a low price. KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer for $330 : Small wonder that the home cook’s gold standard of mixers made its way onto our kitchen tech guide. Its ton of available attachments can be used to make pasta, grind food, strain or spiralize fruits and veggies and more. This is no unitasker. Also at Target and direct from KitchenAid. KitchenAid Go Cordless Hand Blender for $90 : The big selling point here is the removable battery that you can use for other KitchenAid Go appliances. In our testing, it had enough power to turn a roasted butternut squash into a smooth, creamy soup. 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-best-black-friday-kitchen-deals-on-gadgets-appliances-cookware-and-more-get-up-to-50-percent-off-153533997.html?src=rss

The Oura Ring Gen 3 drops to a record low on Amazon for Black Friday

21.11.2024 18:50 Smart rings are having a moment, and now you can get one of the most popular models at a deep discount. The Oura Ring Gen 3 is on sale for as low as $249, depending on the style you decide to pick up. You’ll get the lowest price on the black and silver finishes, while the brushed titanium and stealth materials are on sale for $279, down from the usual of $349. The premium gold and rose gold rings are down to $349 instead of the usual $449. The company did just release the Oura Ring Gen 4, so this deal won't give you the most cutting edge developments in sensors and design. But for someone who wants a less intrusive approach to a wearable, the Gen 3 still has a lot to offer. Our review by Daniel Cooper pointed out that the Oura Ring offers impressively accurate readings even though all its sensors are packed into a much smaller form factor than a smartwatch. While he felt the design of the ring is a little bulky, in practice it was easy to forget that he had it on. Keep in mind that unless you're upgrading from another Oura product, you'll want to buy the size guide to make sure your new ring fits correctly. When you do buy a sizing kit for the Gen 3, you'll get $10 towards the purchase of the actual wearable. 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-oura-ring-gen-3-drops-to-a-record-low-on-amazon-for-black-friday-195248194.html?src=rss

The Beats Solo 4 headphones drop to $100 for Black Friday

21.11.2024 18:50 Thanksgiving is just a week away and Black Friday deals are already coming in hot. Take Beats, which is leaning into the sale season with discounts on a range of its products across Amazon. There are a few great deals, including a 50 percent drop on the Beats Solo 4 wireless headphones bringing them to $100 from $200. The Beats Solo 4 headphones came out in April and received a 79 in our review. They're a solid item, especially for 50 percent off, and offer features like over 50 hours of battery life. They also have solid sound quality and clarity, especially with Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos. However, they aren't the most comfortable of headphones on the market and don't have automatic pausing. The overall sale includes the Beats Pill, a portable bluetooth speaker, that's also down to $100, from $150 — a 33 percent discount. The Pill can wirelessly connect to your Android or Apple device or to a laptop through a USB-C cable. It also holds 24 hours of battery and can charge your phone and other devices through that USB-C cable. Plus, it has an IP67 dust and water resistance rating so it's shouldn't have issues if you use it outside. 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-beats-solo-4-headphones-drop-to-100-for-black-friday-150722417.html?src=rss

Amazon Black Friday Lego deals include up to 29 percent off Star Wars, Super Mario sets

21.11.2024 18:50 It’s not hard to understand why Lego sets are some of the most sought-after gifts for the holidays. We’re big fans of the building blocks here at Engadget, and we know they make particularly good gifts this time of year. Whether it’s a Super Mario starter set or a mammoth Star Wars collectible, there are dozens of Lego sets to consider shopping for right now — be it for yourself or for someone on your gift list. And no, you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good set as some come in at $50 or less. These are the best Black Friday deals on Lego sets you can get this year. The highlights for Black Friday include a couple of Lego advent calendars: one for Disney fans and another that's more general for all kids. Lego makes a bunch of other advent calendars in addition to these, and we expect to see more of them go on sale in the coming days. There's also the beautiful Insect Collection, which when completed, includes three life-size, posable models of a butterfly, Hercules beetle and Chinese mantis. Even as someone who detests bun appreciate the elegance of this set and how striking they'd look sitting on a shelf. Star Wars, Super Mario and Harry Potter sets have been discounted as well. For example, This King Boo's Haunted Mansion set is on sale for the first time since launch, and in addition to the brick mansion that opens out for better play, it includes King Boo, Yellow Baby Yoshi, Dry Bones and Boo figurines. We'll be updating this post through the entire Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period, so check back for the latest offers. Black Friday Lego deals Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 for $25 Lego Technic Planet Earth and Moon in Orbit Building Set 42179 for $60 Lego Ideas The Insect Collection 21342 for $64 Lego Marvel Dancing Groot 76297 for $36 Lego Super Mario Yoshis’ Egg-cellent Forest Expansion Set 71428 for $7 Lego Super Mario Bowser’s Muscle Car Expansion Set 71431 for $24 Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant 71426 for $48 Lego Super Mario King Boo's Haunted Mansion 71436 for $60 Lego Star Wars: The Clone Wars Captain Rex Y-Wing Microfighter Building Set 75391 for $10 Lego Star Wars: The Mandalorian Ambush on Mandalore Battle Pack 75373 for $17 Lego Star Wars Spider Tank 75361 for $40 Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 Lego Star Wars Droideka Model 75381 for $52 Lego Harry Potter Hedwig at 4 Privet Drive 76425 for $16 Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle Owlery Toy 76430 for $36 Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds 76419 for $136 Expired Black Friday Lego deals Lego Friends Advent Calendar 42637 for $21.19 Lego Harry Potter Expecto Patronum Collectible 2-in-1 Building Set 76414 for $56 Lego Disney Advent Calendar 43253 for $20 Lego Super Mario Nabbit at Toad’s Shop Expansion Set 71429 for $12 Lego Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Mos ESPA Podrace Diorama 75380 for $60 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-lego-deals-include-up-to-29-percent-off-star-wars-super-mario-sets-150013566.html?src=rss

The 14 best Black Friday deals on robot vacuums from iRobot, Shark, Dyson and others

21.11.2024 18:50 Robot vacuums can help automate a chore you may loathe doing yourself. And even if you don’t mind vacuuming regularly, it’s undeniable that it takes time out of your day that you could be using for other things. The Black Friday and Cyber Monday time period is a great time to look for one of these smart home gadgets because you can often find them for hundreds of dollars off their usual prices — this year is no different. We’re seeing steep discounts on many of our favorite robot vacuum cleaners, as well as some cordless vacuums too. These are the best Black Friday vacuum deals you can get this year. Black Friday robot vacuum deals iRobot Roomba Vac robot vacuum for $149 : This entry-level robot vacuum has strong suction power with three cleaning modes and smart navigation, and you can control it and set cleaning schedules from the iRobot mobile app. iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $999 : If you're looking to splurge, this robo vac-and mop combo machine is one of our top picks for the best robot vacuums thanks to its excellent cleaning power, good mopping capabilities, solid battery life and well-designed self-emptying base. Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum with self-emptying base for $300 : A version of one of our top picks, this Shark robot vacuum cleans both carpet and hard flooring well, has an easy-to-use app, a self-cleaning brushroll and a bagless self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris before you need to empty it. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $550 : This Shark combo machine automatically picks up and drops its mop pad when you program it to clean hard floors, plus its self-emptying base can hold up to 60 days of vacuumed debris and up to 30 days of cleaning liquid for mopping. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $900 : The PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro is the most premium robot vacuum and mop that Shark sells and it has suction and mopping capabilities to match. The self-emptying base takes care of most things for you for up to 30 days, including emptying the machine's dustbin, emptying and refilling the mop reservoir and the pad-drop system that holds the mopping pad when not in use. Roborock Q5 Pro robot vacuum for $140 : Roborock's midrange vacuuming has 5500Pa of suction power, a 240-minute runtime and you can set no-go zones from within its companion app. Eufy 11S Max robot vacuum for $130 : One of our top picks for the best budget robot vacuums, the 11S Max has a slim design that lets it get under furniture better than other models, good suction power for its size and a long battery life. Just remember that this robovac doesn't have Wi-Fi connectivity, but it comes with a handy remote that lets you control it, set cleaning schedules and more. Black Friday cordless vacuum deals Dyson Digital Slim cordless vacuum for $250 : As its name suggests, this Dyson stick vacuum is 30 percent lighter than the V11, which should make it even easier to handle and maneuver while you clean. It also has a 40-minute runtime and an LCD display that shows the amount of battery life left. Dyson V15 Detect Absolute cordless vacuum for $550 : This is our top pick for the best cordless vacuum you can get right now thanks to its excellent suction power, relatively light weight and good battery life. This model comes with a Fluffy Optic cleaning head that illuminates the ground in front of you so you can see where the most debris lies, and the pack-up includes three additional cleaning head attachments. Dyson Gen 5 Outsize Absolute for $800 : This Outsize model has 150 percent bigger bin capacity than the standard Gen 5 vacuum, making it better for those with larger homes or those who regularly have big messes to clean up. Its cleaner head is 25 percent wider as well, allowing it to cover a larger surface area in one go, and it comes with two batteries for a total of over two hours of runtime. Dyson Gen 5 Detect cordless vacuum for $805 : The Gen 5 Detect is another excellent Dyson machine, very similar to the V15 Detect. We like that it has a single-button start and even stronger suction power, and it's slightly newer than the V15 Detect as well. Tineco Pure One S11 cordless vacuum for $180 : Our top budget pick in our best cordless vacuums guide, the One S11 provides good suction for the price and it includes Tineco's iLoop smart sensor, which auto-adjusts suction power as you clean to account for messes big and small. Tineco Pure One Station 5 cordless vacuum with self-emptying base for $300 : One of Tineco's newest machines, the Station 5 stick vacuum cleans hard floors and carpets well, doesn't choke when it meets pet hair and includes a self-cleaning HEPA filter to maintain strong, consistent suction power. Plus, the bagless, self-emptying base cleans the machine's brush, tube, filter and dustbin after every time you use it. Tineco Pure One Station Furfree cordless vacuum with self-emptying base for $400 : This model has a massive 3L self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris, and it comes with cleaning attachments that can make grooming your pets easier. 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-14-best-black-friday-deals-on-robot-vacuums-from-irobot-shark-dyson-and-others-161528012.html?src=rss

Neuralink gets approval to start human trials in Canada

21.11.2024 18:50 The first Neuralink clinical trials outside the US will take place in Canada. Neuralink has secured Health Canada's approval to launch human trials in the country, with the Toronto Western Hospital being the "first and exclusive surgical site" for the procedure. The company first opened its Canadian patient registry in March this year, but now it's actively looking for potential participants. "Recruitment is now open," it has announced on X. Under the CAN-PRIME study, Neuralink will embed its implant in the brain of the participant so that it can interpret their neural activity. The implant will allow them to control a computer or a smartphone with their brain without the need for wires or any kind of physical movement. Neuralink says the study aims to "evaluate the safety of implant and surgical robot and assess the initial functionality of for enabling people with quadriplegia to control external devices with their thoughts." What it learns from the trials could help the company find safer ways to place the implant inside the brain, as well as to enhance the technology's capabilities. Neuralink's first human patient received his implant earlier this year. He experienced some issues, wherein the implant's threads retracted from his brain, though he seems to be doing well these days. On X, he said that he will soon challenge himself to use Neuralink for 72 hours to demonstrate what the technology can do. For its second patient, Neuralink employed mitigation measures to prevent thread retraction. That patient was already using computer-aided design software mere weeks after his surgery in July. At the moment, Neuralink is specifically looking for patients who "have limited or no ability to use both hands due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis " for its trials in Canada.

The Google Pixel 9 Pro with 1TB of storage is $150 off for Black Friday

21.11.2024 18:50 Black Friday is really in the air now, and we got the deals to prove it. Google’s latest and greatest smartphone, the Pixel 9 Pro, is $150 off. This deal applies to 1TB version of the standard model. With the discount applied, the Pixel 9 Pro is $1,300. We're seeing various discounts on the beefy XL version as well, but they aren't super consistent. At the moment, the lowest price on the Pixel 9 Pro XL is $934. That’s still a lot of money, but these are maxed out versions of Google’s most powerful phones. The latest iPhone 16 Pro models with a full 1TB of storage cost between $1,500 and $1,600. These Pixel handsets are also unlocked, so feel free to bring it to any carrier out there. The Google Pixel 9 Pro easily made our list of the best smartphones in 2024, and this is especially true for those tied to the Android ecosystem. The camera features are outstanding, including the much-improved telephoto camera. We said the “Pixel camera is still the best smartphone camera” in our official review, and that holds true today. The battery life is on point and the bright screen makes these phones a joy to use outdoors. The newly-adopted Tensor G4 chip even allows the phones run cooler than their predecessors. Both the Pixel 9 Pro and the XL are absolutely best-in-class smartphones, with access to all of the AI tomfoolery one would expect from a modern Google handset. Google Gemini is nearly-baked, while Apple Intelligence is about as half-baked as it gets. On the downside, there’s the price. This is a serious investment, even with the discount. Also, 1TB of storage is a whole lot and in today’s world, with streaming and cloud storage, is likely overkill. However, avid shutterbugs could probably fill up that drive in no time flat. 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-google-pixel-9-pro-with-1tb-of-storage-is-150-off-for-black-friday-143005140.html?src=rss

Avowed preview: Classic Obsidian fantasy on a AAA budget

21.11.2024 18:50 It looks like 2025 is going to be an excellent year for action role-playing games. We’ve already started things off with a big Dragon Age: The Veilguard bang, but next year will also bring Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Fable and the subject of today’s dissection, Avowed. Each title offers something distinct for single-player RPG fans, and Avowed is poised to provide top-tier dialogue trees and rich worldbuilding, courtesy of Fallout: New Vegas, The Outer Worlds and Pentiment studio Obsidian Entertainment. This is Obsidian's first tentpole title under the Xbox Game Studios banner and its first AAA fantasy game ever. While I couldn’t determine its full scope in the preview I played this week, I’m pleased to report that so far, Avowed’s world is as gorgeous as its writing. The preview included the game’s first two hours or so, from character creation through the initial main missions. Avowed is a spin-off of the Pillars of Eternity series and it’s set in the Living Lands, an area unexplored in the existing games, giving Obsidian a blank canvas for an epic original story. A blight called Dreamscourge is spreading across the region, infecting plants, animals and people with a prismatic fungus that induces madness, rage and death. You play as the envoy of the emperor of the Aedyr Empire, which has a deep history of invading and colonizing the surrounding lands. Of course your protagonist is special, even by the standards of this magical world. Players are a godlike, meaning they’ve been touched by the divine and marked by facial growths of rainbow fungus. Generally, your godlike status and relationship with Aedyr automatically instills respect and suspicion in the people you meet. As you learn more about the Dreamscourge, it becomes impossible to ignore its similarities to the godlike marks you carry, and this existential terror builds beautifully in the game’s first few hours. Are nature’s mutations madness or divinity? It’s a thin distinction with a long and dark history, and Avowed wallows in this gray area. Its first few hours introduce multiple narrative themes that can be mined throughout the game — the violence of colonization, palace intrigue, spiritual visions, insanity and religious fervor form the most prominent talking points. These arcs play out in conversations with supporting characters and in interactive pieces of lore scattered around the environments, each concept unspooling in a natural and intriguing fashion. There are plenty of opportunities in the dialogue trees to investigate these ideas and learn more about the world or your companions, with specialized responses that unlock if you have the right stats. In general, dialogue in the Avowed preview is nice and quippy, and each new character comes with a distinct, believable personality. Already, I’m curious to know more about the people of the Living Lands. There are no strict classes in Avowed. Instead, players freely level up their abilities across fighter, ranger and wizard categories using acquired skill points. There’s also a godlike tree, a page to upgrade your companions’ skillsets and a character sheet with classic RPG attributes that you can place points into. I focused on building up my magic, health and damage, and it took a minute to find my preferred combat style. There are two weapons loadouts you can swap between on the fly, a pop-up radial with extra abilities, and four programmable spots on the D-pad. It’s a lot to manage in the frenzy of battle, but new weapons and tools are added to your inventory at a steady pace and it’s easy to experiment with different builds. In terms of weapons, I stumbled across a knife, spear, bow, shield, grimoire, wand, pistol and giant hammer, but I suspect there were even more tools hidden in the world. The bow and pistol have unlimited ammo, but reloading the pistol is a lengthy process, and the hammer is incredibly powerful, but its swing takes a moment to connect, leaving you vulnerable between hits. Combat is chaotic — especially when fighting hordes of giant spiders — but the game responds well to rapid-fire inputs and generally, each encounter feels like a real skills test. Obsidian Entertainment For me, everything felt right once I found the wand. I closed out the preview with the bow in one loadout, and the grimoire and wand in the other, and I was starting to feel like a real badass. The wand is a quick midrange weapon, and combined with the rechargeable spells in the grimoire and the long range of the bow, it worked really well for my preferred fighting style. One annoyance I noted was the fact that I couldn’t draw my bow while taking sustained toxic damage, as each small hit made my character lose focus — this was a tough lesson to learn while trying to fight off a gang of rat-toothed reptilian creatures, but I definitely absorbed it. In any RPG, I have a hard time leaving an area without smashing every vase, breaking every box and exploring every path. Avowed rewards this behavior with bits of worldbuilding, potions, strange animals, coins and tools hidden in the corners and crannies of the Living Lands. Or, sometimes, there’s just a breathtaking view. Either way, it makes me excited to see what secrets the full game is hiding. I also played Avowed for about 45 minutes at Xbox’s Gamescom event in August, starting with a pre-built mage character in the middle of a search-and-rescue mission a few hours into the game. I had a good time flinging spells from my grimoire and chatting with characters in the caves I was exploring, but I sensed a slight disconnect that I attributed to the rushed and public nature of the demo. Now, I know what was missing: Character creation. Obsidian Entertainment Rich character customization is a massive reason RPGs can feel so immersive and emotionally powerful, and it was a treat to play around with this system in Avowed’s latest preview. As a godlike, your character’s face is dotted with technicolor fungal growths, and tweaking the placement and appearance of these details was delightful, allowing my brain to build the foundations of my character’s story immediately. I chose a face with fuschia butterfly-wing paddles covering my eyes and forehead, and a crown of neon ridges draped over my skull. I then started molding my character’s backstory as a witchy scholar with a logical mind and a heart of gold, and swapped a dexterity attribute point for constitution. All of the expected customization mechanics were there, allowing me to tweak the size and shape of each facial feature, and change my hairstyle and color, skin tone, body type, voice, background, basic skills, pronouns and name. Put simply, the Monster Factory boys could have a lot of fun with this one. That said, it’s hard to find anything ugly in Avowed. It’s shaping up to be a beautiful game, and the preview showcases expansive medieval vistas, shimmering psychedelic spores, rainbow-flecked animals and highly detailed NPCs. I was particularly impressed with the skin textures in the preview: Our main companion, Kai, has snakelike teal skin, and I very much enjoyed watching the light shine on his scales as we chatted by the fire of our party camp. Maybe I’m developing a reptile fetish, or maybe Avowed is just a really pretty game — at least when running on a PC with an RTX 4070 Super. I haven’t had the chance to try it out on an Xbox yet, and I’m curious to see how it will perform on both the Series X and Series S. Obsidian Entertainment I have it on good information that Pillars of Eternity players will recognize the rainbow fungus and its infesting ways, but I don’t because I’ve never played those games. Avowed is my introduction to Obsidian’s dark fantasy universe, and I’m not alone in this position. Developers at Obsidian are keenly aware that Avowed will be the first Pillars game for many players, as art director Matt Hansen and production director Ryan Warden explained to me in August. “We don't want players to feel like there's required reading,” Hansen said. “So everything that we do should be accessible and fun and enjoyable on its own. If you're just playing Avowed and that's the only game you play, you'll have a good time. And then on top of that, we're finding ways to weave in little winks and nods.” He specified that these take the form of documents, books and even a few familiar faces. He continued, “We just wanted to make sure that this is a game that's fun for everyone, and thankfully the world is rich enough that it's easy to inject someone in at any point. It's also part of the reason we picked the Living Lands. Its unexploded territory gives us a lot of freedom.” Warden added, “Even on the quest front, we try to keep it enriched by lore, but you’re not completely lost when you're a new player.” He said that characters in Avowed offer more information on the history of any given situation if you’re interested in asking them for it, and there’s a lore tooltip feature that allows you to look up terms mid-conversation . Obsidian Entertainment Hansen and Warden also shared some thoughts about the scope and layout of the full game, something that can’t be conveyed in a two-hour preview. “The game is structured similar to Outer Worlds, where there's open zones that are open-world in structure, but not one contiguous open world,” Warden said. “So it allows the critical path, the main story to be more focused and have key moments that happen at a cadence that doesn't feel weirdly paced, but it also allows a ton of freedom for player choice. You can go off and do side quests and the regions are just small enough to be manageable. You can do a lot, you can explore, but it’s not just checking off a bunch of icons. Everything is bespoke. It's hand-done. There's not much reuse of things.” Hansen nodded and said, “Lots to explore, but you're not punished for not exploring it. I mean, frankly, I'm becoming an old man. I don't want to spend 120 hours on a game anymore. I like being able to play through our game relatively swiftly. Or, I've had playthroughs that were like six times as long as other playthroughs because I started to get into the nitty gritty. And that's a nice accommodation.” “It can be as long as you want it to be,” Warden finished. Avowed is due to hit Steam and Xbox Series X/S on February 18, 2025. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/avowed-preview-classic-obsidian-fantasy-on-a-aaa-budget-140056761.html?src=rss

Anker Black Friday deals include up to 47 percent off power banks, wireless chargers and more

21.11.2024 18:50 Black Friday and Cyber Monday present great opportunities to get a bunch of tech for less, and some of the best deals you can typically find are on charging gear and mobile accessories. Anker makes some of our favorites in both departments, and this year a ton of Anker gear has been discounted as part of the Black Friday deals. Whether you’re looking for a new power bank to take with you on your next trip or a wireless charger to put on your nightstand, Anker probably has one that will fit your requirements. We’ve collected all of the best Black Friday Anker deals below so you don’t have to sift through them yourself. Anker Nano 5K USB-C foldable power bank for $16 : If you have an Android phone or a newer iPhone, this compact power bank is one of the best you can get. The built-in USB-C connector makes it so you do not have to remember to bring a cable with you, and it fits neatly under your phone while it powers it up. Anker MagGo 3-in-1 foldable charging station for $82.50 : This Qi2 charging station supports up to 15W of power output and can charge an iPhone, Apple Watch and a pair of AirPods all at once. It also comes with a 40W USB-C charger and connecting cable, so you get everything you need to use it in the box. 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 Prime Power Bank 200W with charging base for $110 : This high-capacity power bank is one of our favorites thanks to its speedy charging performance, onboard display which shows how much juice is flowing to each connected device and the included charging station that provides a neat space for the brick to live when you're not using it. Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $44 : 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. More Anker Black Friday deals Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station, Qi2 Certified 15W for $56 Anker MagGo UFO 3-in-1 MagSafe Compatible Charger for $63 Anker 15W 3-in-1 MagSafe Wireless Charger Stand for $104 Anker 15W 6.6K MagSafe-Compatible Portable Charger for $60 Anker USB A to USB C Cable for $12 Anker 20W USB C Charger with USB C Cable for $12 Anker GaNPrime Power Bank, 10K 2-in-1 Hybrid Charger for $59 Anker 727 GaNPrime 100W Charging Station for $48 Anker 525 7-in-1 USB C Power Strip Charging Station for $36 Anker Prime 100W GaN USB C Wall Charger for $55 Anker Nano 100W USB-C Charger, USB-C Cable Included for $33 Anker 25,600mAh 87W Portable Charger, bundled with 65W USB-C Wall Charger for $86 Anker Soundcore 2 portable Bluetooth speaker for $38 Anker 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/anker-black-friday-deals-include-up-to-47-percent-off-power-banks-wireless-chargers-and-more-134553819.html?src=rss

Herman Miller has a 25 percent off sale for Black Friday

21.11.2024 18:50 Herman Miller is not where you go to pick up a casual item — well maybe you do, and that's great. But, a 25 percent off sale on all its products in-store and online ahead of Black Friday is making the high-end brand's home offerings more accessible. Take their famous Aeron Chair, which is over $450 off, dropping from $1,805 to $1,354 . There are a range of items on sale that are relatively more affordable, like the Eames Wire Base Low Table, down to $221 from $295, and the Verus Task chair, which is down to $630 from $840. Accessories are also a lower point of entry if you want to take advantage of this sale. Take the Oripura Laptop Stand, available in three colors for $37, down from $49. Plus, there's a range of throw pillows, like the Mela Lumbar Throw Pillow by Sonnhild Kestler for $112, down from $150 and the Toostripe Pillow by Alexander Girard for $131, down from $175. Then there's Herman Miller's crème de la crème pieces, including the Eames Lounge Chair and Ottoman. The 25 percent discount brings this set down to between $4,046 and $7,496 . It's available in a range of wood shells and upholstery, as well as a standard or tall size. The company also has a few funkier pieces that are sure to get people talking if you're willing to drop a couple grand . 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/herman-miller-has-a-25-percent-off-sale-for-black-friday-133010737.html?src=rss

The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will now regulate Apple Pay, Venmo and others

21.11.2024 18:50 The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is no longer regulating just banks, now supervising Apple and other companies offering digital wallets and payment apps. It will focus on companies that handle over 50 million transactions per year and ensure they have "the authority to conduct proactive examinations to ensure companies are complying with the law in these and other areas," the bureau said in a statement. "Supervision also is an important tool for the CFPB to assess risks that can emerge rapidly in this market, including from outages and other issues that could lead to millions of consumers losing access to their funds." The CFPB will supervise Apple Pay, Google Pay, Venmo and others in the areas of privacy and surveillance, debanking and errors and fraud. This could provide more options for opting out of data collection and restricting them from misrepresenting their data protection practices, among other regulations. "Digital payments have gone from novelty to necessity and our oversight must reflect this reality. The rule will help to protect consumer privacy, guard against fraud, and prevent illegal account closures," said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra. In October, the CFPB fined Apple and Goldman Sachs $89 million over misleading customers and not following through with disputed transactions on the Apple Card. The CFPB originally proposed this setup in November 2023, but the final policies have changed. Most notably, businesses originally had to process just five million transactions, rather than the 50 million. It also reduced the number to just count US dollars, rather than a wider scope. The supervision will go into effect 30 days following the Federal Register publication. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/the-us-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-will-now-regulate-apple-pay-venmo-and-others-132129928.html?src=rss

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