Engadget

03.12.2024 01:40 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've seen steep discounts on many of our favorite robot vacuum cleaners, as well as some cordless vacuums too. These are the best Cyber Monday vacuum deals you can still get in the final hours of the sale. Cyber Monday robot vacuum deals 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. iRobot Roomba Combo robot vacuum and mop for $157 : This basic robot vacuum also comes with a mop pad and a water reservoir for cleaning hard floors like wood and tile. It also works with the iRobot mobile app so you can set cleaning schedules, and it'll automatically return to its base when it needs a recharge. 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. 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. 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. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $700 : 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. 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. Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum for $999 : Yes, it's still expensive, but this is the first major discount we've seen on Dyson's only robot vacuum since it launched in the US a few months ago. It earned a spot on our list of the best robot vacuums thanks to its superior suction power that can handle all kinds of messes and pet hair, its easy-to-use app and simple setup process. Also available at Dyson. Cyber Monday cordless vacuum deals Dyson V15 Detect Absolute cordless vacuum for $500 : 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 Detect cordless vacuum for $700 : 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. 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 Digital Slim cordless vacuum for $230 : 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. Tineco Pure One S11 cordless vacuum for $200 : 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 $339 : 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. Expired Cyber Monday deals iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $980 : 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. 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-cyber-monday-robot-vacuum-deals-you-can-still-get-from-shark-irobot-dyson-and-more-200110230.html?src=rss

03.12.2024 01:40 Three years after buying Crunchyroll for over $1 billion, Sony plans to capitalize on its purchase by shutting free users out of one of its most popular series. The company said that starting soon, you’ll need a paid subscription to watch past the first 206 episodes of One Piece. Cue the obvious jokes about locking a show about pirates behind a paywall. Crunchyroll will use a tiered rollout to block free members from most of the anime, which has been in production since 1999. On December 23, the Water 7 to Fishman Island story arcs will become paywalled. On January 20, Punk Hazard to Whole Cake Island will be locked behind subscriptions, followed by Reverie and Wano Kuni to Egghead Island on February 17. Until Sony’s new content lockdown takes effect, free users can watch the entire series with ads. Snippets of One Piece are also available on Hulu and Netflix . But Hulu’s library only reaches episode 384, while Netflix’s goes to 238. The series currently has over 1,100 episodes. Sony is reportedly in talks to buy Japanese publisher Kadokawa. In addition to games like Elden Ring, Dark Souls and Bloodborne, the studio produces anime like Overlord and The Rising of the Shield Hero. If today’s news is any indication, watching much anime in the West that doesn’t go through Sony may soon require the digital equivalent of the Straw Hat Pirates.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/crunchyroll-will-soon-paywall-most-of-one-piece-214652714.html?src=rss

03.12.2024 01:40 Good kitchen tech isn’t always cheap; waiting for a good sale can take some of the bite out of the cost. Cyber Monday is here and many of the really good brands — KitchenAid, Breville, Ninja and Fellow to name a few — are on sale. We’ve compared the gear we recommend in our kitchen guides with what’s discounted right now to come up with this list of the best Cyber Monday deals on kitchen tech, from retailers across the web. The best Cyber Monday kitchen deals for 2024 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 harder-to-categorize recommendations are currently on sale for Cyber Monday and listed here. Photo by Billy Steele/Engadget 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. 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 $23 : 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 Cyber Monday 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 Cyber Monday, many of the picks from both lists are on sale. Breville the Bambino Plus Espresso Machine for $400 : As we said in our coffee gift guide, this quality machine has two things going for it for the home barista: It’s not gigantic and not crazy expensive . The controls are simple enough for newbies, but the results are cafe-quality. Also at Williams Sonoma and direct from Breville. Fellow Tally coffee scale for $148 : If you, or someone you’re buying presents for, are Very Serious about coffee, this scale might make sense. It combines precise weight measurements with a timer and a Brew Assist Mode to help you dial in the correct ratio for perfect pour-overs. Also at Amazon. Fellow Atmos Vacuum canister for $32 : Only people who spend top dollars on the good coffee or loose leaf tea need this rather pricey canister. But it does the job of removing the air so oxidation can’t occur. 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. Fellow Stagg EKG electric kettle for $132 : This exquisitely designed kettle has an LCD panel built into the base so you can choose a specific temperature down to the degree. And the hold feature keeps water hot for up to an hour. It’s great for coffee pour over but is also excellent for tea. 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. The best Cyber Monday 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 Cyber Monday 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 $99 : 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. The best Cyber Monday deals on blenders and mixers KitchenAid Cyber Monday 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. Breville Juice Fountain Plus for $113 : The powerful Juice Fountain impressed us with its extraction abilities. Plus it’s relatively easy to clean . It takes up a good amount of space, but can extract an impressive amount of juice from even the driest-seeming carrot. Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender for $255 : Oh, the Vitamix. I can attest from personal experience it really is as powerful as you’ve heard. It’s of course a recommendation in our guide to kitchen gadgets for its ability to make even the toughest ingredients smooth and creamy. Also at Best Buy and direct from Vitamix. Vitamix Immersion Blender for $145 : For an immersion blender that matches the power of a countertop version, go for the one from Vitamix. We found the 625-watt motor impressively powerful and think it’s great for people who want to make crushed ice drinks but don’t have space for a full-sized blender. Also at Amazon and Williams Sonoma. Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker for $80 : Engadget’s Vallentina Palladino recommends this smoothie blender in our gift guide for cooks saying it doesn’t take up that much space and the swappable lids make it easy to take one’s health shakes on the go. Also at Target and directly from Ninja. 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 $77 : 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. KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender for $45 : If you’d rather a corded model of the KitchenAid recommendation, that’s on sale too — and is cheaper to begin with. This one comes with extra accessories to make it a true multitasker and has a powerful 180 watt motor, just like the cordless version. Also at Target. Expired Cyber Monday kitchen deals 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. 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. Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $160 : One of our favorite kitchen gadgets, this ice cream maker is super easy to use and makes an infinite amount of frozen treats; you're really only limited by your imagination. This is an Amazon exclusive model that comes with just one pint. The model with two pint jars is on sale too, but it’s $40 more, making it cheaper to buy extra containers separately. The two-pint model is also direct from Ninja. Cosori Electric Gooseneck Kettle for $50 : 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. Also at Amazon. Anova Culinary Sous Vide 3.0 for $99 : 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. Ninja DZ401 Foodi 10-quart air fryer for $130 : What if you want to air fry two different foods at once? Go for our recommendation for a dual-zone air fryer. It’s best for larger kitchens and big meals and takes up a commensurate amount of space. It went as low as $150 for Cyber Monday last year. Mannkitchen Pepper Cannon for $160 : Our own Sam Rutherford admitted that $200 is a ridiculous price for a pepper mill . But in his writeup, he details how the Pepper Cannon has become one of his favorite kitchen tools in such a way that makes me strongly consider it, ridiculous or not. 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-cyber-monday-kitchen-deals-will-save-you-up-to-41-percent-on-ninja-breville-kitchenaid-fellow-and-more-184142267.html?src=rss

03.12.2024 01:40 On Monday, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became the first individual account with a million followers on Bluesky. The decentralized platform has seen a spike in adoption since the US election, with its user base tripling within three months. As for the reason why, AOC wrote about Elon Musk’s X in a recent post, “People are leaving Twitter because it’s not fun anymore and no one is obligated to be on a platform they don’t enjoy. It’s not rocket science.” AOC has been active on the platform long before its post-election surge, posting 437 times since joining the platform in April 2023. “Waitress turned Congresswoman for the Bronx and Queens,” her profile description reads. “Grassroots elected, small-dollar supported. A better world is possible.” Bluesky’s account is still the most popular on the platform by far, with nearly 17 million followers at the time of publication. But AOC’s audience of 1,032,729 users is the most of any individual. The next closest are George Takei’s 862,646 followers and Mark Hamill’s 797,541. As it turns out, being in a legendary “Star...” franchise and having witty, sharp and socially conscious takes pays off. The top publication is The Onion , followed by The New York Times , perhaps illustrating that satire is today’s most trusted news source. Shameless plug: You can follow Engadget on Bluesky, too.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/us-representative-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-is-the-first-bluesky-user-with-a-million-followers-202125073.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 Sony is giving gamers a surprise shot of nostalgia to celebrate PlayStation’s 30th anniversary — and not just the retro hardware that sold out in a flash. A software update pushed on Monday adds the classic boot screen and themes for each generation of console hardware. “Choose your favorite generation,” Sony’s introduction advises before popping up a menu with screen theming options for the PS1 through PS4. After receiving today’s update, the software will prompt you to pick one when you boot up for the first time. As you’d expect, the themes change the PS5 dashboard’s menu colors and sound to match each console’s UI. You can try other themes in a new “PlayStation 30th Anniversary” item atop the console’s settings menu. Sony / Nathan Ingraham for Engadget Unfortunately, Sony says the themes are only available “for a limited time.” The decision not to keep them around permanently seems like a missed opportunity. Perhaps someone on Sony’s marketing team saw creating a perception of scarcity or avoiding settings menu clutter as more important than letting folks permanently make their dashboard look like something that could fire up Metal Gear Solid or Crash Bandicoot. Sony did a more pared-down version of this a decade ago when it celebrated 20 years of PlayStation. A free 2014 anniversary theme fitted the PS4, PS3 and Vita with the PS1’s look and startup sound.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/ps5-anniversary-update-adds-themes-for-each-generation-of-the-playstation-184623315.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 Amazon has revealed the list of PC games that Prime members can claim at no extra cost, as well as the titles they can stream for free on Luna. One of those in the latter camp is Death Stranding. You'll be able to check out the Director's Cut edition of Hideo Kojima's hit walking sim for the rest of the month on Luna. That might just be long enough to start making sense of the game. Another notable title in the Luna lineup this month is The Expanse: A Telltale Series. The narrative-heavy adventure game is a prequel to the TV show that ran for a few extra seasons on Prime Video after Syfy canceled it. Along with those two and the mainstays of Fortnite, Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition, Fallout New Vegas: Ultimate Edition, Trackmania and XDefiant, Prime members can play a bunch of other games on Luna this month. Those are The Jackbox Naughty Pack, Endling — Extinction is Forever, Disney•Pixar Cars, El Hijo, Disney•Pixar Wall-E, Split/Second, Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader, Chicken Police — Paint it RED!, Spitlings and Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure. Of course, you can claim a whole host of PC games at no extra cost too. There are some great games in the mix, such as the excellent Overcooked 2 and the compelling puzzle platformer Planet of Lana. Also available will be the likes of Star Wars: Bounty Hunter, Tomb Raider: Underworld, Call of Juarez: Gunslinger, Dredge, Quake II and Predator: Hunting Grounds. Once you claim these games, they're yours to keep forever, even if you cancel your Prime membership. Here's what you can snap up and when, along with the launcher you can play each game on: December 2 Star Wars: Bounty Hunter Tomb Raider: Underworld Overcooked! 2 Call of Juarez: Gunslinger Dredge December 5 Quake II Disney•Pixar Wall E December 12 Planet of Lana Hero’s Hour The Coma: Recut Electrician Simulator ReDrawn: The Painted Tower Collector’s Edition December 19 Nine Witches: Family Disruption Predator: Hunting Grounds Aces of the Luftwaffe — Squadron Extended Edition Simulakros Christmas Fables: The Magic Snowflake Collector’s Edition December 26 The Town of Light That December 26 lineup looks suspiciously light, so there's a chance that Amazon will reveal more additions to the lineup as a holiday treat. In the meantime, if you act quickly, you can still snap up many of the previously added offerings, including Overcooked: Gourmet Edition, Super Meat Boy, Tomb Raider: Anniversary, Mafia: Definitive Edition and BioShock: Remastered.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/amazon-prime-members-can-play-death-stranding-for-free-on-luna-this-month-183907865.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 Here’s a collaboration I wasn’t expecting. The hit gaming franchise Call of Duty and the hit Netflix show Squid Game are teaming up for some kind of game mode to commemorate the latter’s second season. We don’t exactly know what this partnership will entail, but it looks like a game mode for both Black Ops 6 and Warzone. There’s a trailer but it’s devoid of any real details. We do know that we don’t have long to wait. The description underneath the trailer notes that “Squid Game comes to Call of Duty this January.” This makes sense, given that season two of the Netflix show drops on December 26. Maybe players will enter the titular Squid Game with a full arsenal of modern weaponry. Or maybe we’ll actually play as the psychotic guards, gunning down desperate contestants with reckless abandon. Late stage capitalism, baby! In any event, we’ll find out next month. This is just the latest promotion for the Netflix sensation. There’s a multiplayer smartphone game launching in a couple of weeks and a bizarre LARPing experience that costs $40. There’s even an actual reality show based on its fictional counterpart. Nobody actually dies on that one, but there were some on-set injuries and other ridiculous issues.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/call-of-duty-is-getting-some-kind-of-game-mode-inspired-by-squid-game-175829671.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 There are plenty of great gadgets on sale today for Cyber Monday that will track your steps or wake you up. But, personally, I'm more interested in the discounts on tools that will boost my beauty routine this winter. So, I'm very excited that the Dyson Airwrap is down to $490 from $600 on Amazon — a 18 percent discount. That brings it to only $10 more than what we saw last year. Ok, so spending half a grand on hair tools is still quite an investment, but it should be a big boost to your hair. We named it one of the best self-care gifts for 2024 thanks to its air flow system. It uses the Coanda effect to style your hair — theoretically causing less damage to your locks than typical hot tools. The device also comes with six attachments, including a wide-tooth comb, diffuser and Coanda smoothing dryer. The Airwrap is only one of the Dyson hair products on sale for Cyber Monday. Right now, you can buy the Dyson Airstrait Hair Straightener for $399, down from $500 — a 20 percent discount. The same deal is available on the Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener, while the Supersonic Hair Dryer has dropped to $329 from $430. 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/cyber-monday-deals-include-a-110-discount-on-the-dyson-airwrap-153056335.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 Cyber Monday deals are here, and that includes many Apple devices. You can pick up a four-pack of Apple AirTags for just $70, which brings the price per tag down to $17.50. That's a record-low price for the four pack and the cheapest we've seen on the price per unit. Apple AirTags easily made our list of the best Bluetooth trackers, particularly for regular iPhone users. We love the vast finding network, which really helps when you misplace a tag. Just think of all of those AirTags, iPhones and other Apple devices out there helping to create this network. Apple AirTags also offer the ability to tap into the ultra-wideband wireless protocol. This creates a sort of game out of finding lost items, as long as the object is within 25 feet of the phone. The screen will display directional arrows and a distance meter so you can zero in on the lost item without having to ring the AirTag. There are some caveats. These trackers only really work with iPhones, so Android users should buy something else. Also, the ringer only goes for seven seconds at a time, which isn’t always enough time to track something down. Finally, there’s no attachment point for connecting to a keychain or a related item. However, there are plenty of good AirTag accessories to solve that problem. 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/apple-cyber-monday-deals-bring-a-four-pack-of-airtags-down-to-70-191040048.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 Tesla is finally adding SiriusXM integration to its best-selling models. The long-requested feature is coming to the Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck as part of the 2024 Tesla Holiday Update. SiriusXM was already available in the Model S and Model X. However, older versions of those vehicles require a $500 “Radio Upgrade” hardware installation when owners have them retrofitted to the newer infotainment system. Model 3, Model Y and Cybertruck owners can try SiriusXM for a month without entering credit card info. If you subscribe before March 31, 2025, you’ll receive an introductory offer of $10 monthly for your first two years. After receiving the Tesla Holiday Update, owners will see SiriusXM in the media sources menu. You’ll need Tesla Premium Connectivity or an active Wi-Fi connection for access.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-model-3-model-y-and-cybertruck-owners-finally-get-siriusxm-access-171435762.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 Come later this month, GOG will stop selling the first two entries in Blizzard’s seminal Warcraft real-time strategy game series. On December 13, the marketplace will delist Warcraft: Orcs Humans and Warcraft II: Battle.net Edition, which packages together the original game, Tides of Darkness, and its Beyond the Dark Portal expansion. In a blog post published Monday, the CD Projekt-owned storefront said it was removing the games “at the publisher’s request.” If you want to grab them before they leave GOG, CD Projekt is offering a modest discount on its Warcraft I II bundle until December 13. If you pay for the game using US dollars, you can save $2 off the package. Similar discounts are available for customers paying in Euros, Pound sterling and Polish złoty. To take advantage of the discount, use the code “MakeWarcraftLiveForever” at checkout. Blizzard did not immediately respond to Engadget’s comment request, asking the studio to explain the reason for its request. In 2019, Blizzard worked with GOG to bring Warcraft and Warcraft II to the storefront. Prior to that, Warcraft: Orcs Humans had effectively become abandonware, which made the game difficult to obtain and get running on modern operating systems. If I had to guess, the fact Blizzard now offers remasters of both Warcraft and Warcraft II likely played a major role in the decision. As a fan of these games, I wish Blizzard would allow GOG to continue selling them. I wrote about the remasters last month, but, in short, I would argue the GOG versions do a better job of preserving Warcraft and Warcraft II as they were. If there’s a silver lining to the situation, it’s that GOG has pledged to continue supporting both games through its recently announced Preservation Program. “Once a game joins the Program, we pledge to maintain its compatibility even if it gets delisted from the store,” GOG said. “This means that owners of those titles can still expect a seamless experience and tech support for those titles. This also considers potential changes in Windows OS that may impact games' playability.” We’ll update this article if we hear back from Blizzard.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/warcraft-and-warcraft-ii-are-leaving-gog-on-december-13-165855359.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 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 Cyber Monday vacuum deals you can get this year. Cyber Monday robot vacuum deals 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. iRobot Roomba Combo robot vacuum and mop for $157 : This basic robot vacuum also comes with a mop pad and a water reservoir for cleaning hard floors like wood and tile. It also works with the iRobot mobile app so you can set cleaning schedules, and it'll automatically return to its base when it needs a recharge. 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. 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. 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. Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $700 : 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. 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. Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum for $999 : Yes, it's still expensive, but this is the first major discount we've seen on Dyson's only robot vacuum since it launched in the US a few months ago. It earned a spot on our list of the best robot vacuums thanks to its superior suction power that can handle all kinds of messes and pet hair, its easy-to-use app and simple setup process. Also available at Dyson. Cyber Monday cordless vacuum deals Dyson V15 Detect Absolute cordless vacuum for $500 : 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 Detect cordless vacuum for $700 : 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. 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 Digital Slim cordless vacuum for $230 : 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. Tineco Pure One S11 cordless vacuum for $200 : 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 $339 : 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. Expired Cyber Monday deals iRobot Roomba Combo j9+ robot vacuum and mop with self-emptying base for $980 : 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. 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-15-best-cyber-monday-robot-vacuum-deals-from-shark-irobot-dyson-and-more-200110706.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 Pat Gelsinger is retiring after over 40 years at the company, and close to four years at the chip manufacturer's helm. Effective as of December 1, Gelsinger has left both his post and his position on the board of directors. The board has now created a search committee to "diligently and expeditiously" find a new CEO. In the meantime, Michelle Johnston Holthaus, the next CEO of Intel Products, and David Zinsner, executive vice president and CFO, will serve as interim Co-CEOs of the entire company. While Gelsinger held previous positions at Intel, he had most recently spent a decade-plus in senior positions at EMC and VMWare. In 2021, he returned to Intel to replace Bob Swan, who held the title of CEO for for a bit over two years. "As a leader, Pat helped launch and revitalize process manufacturing by investing in state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing, while working tirelessly to drive innovation throughout the company," said Frank Yeary, who will become interim executive chair during the transition. "While we have made significant progress in regaining manufacturing competitiveness and building the capabilities to be a world-class foundry, we know that we have much more work to do at the company and are committed to restoring investor confidence." Gelsinger oversaw Intel during a tumultuous time for the company. In late 2022, for example, Intel laid off about 20 percent of its staff in some divisions. This year alone, Intel has failed quality tests and announced it would lay off another 15,000 people — or 15 percent of their workforce — amid a $10 billion cost-reduction plan. Reporting by Bloomberg indicates the company's board lost confidence in Gelsinger's leadership due to these setbacks, and he was given the option to either retire or be forced out, which explains his very sudden departure. Update, December 2 2024, 11:26AM ET: This story now includes additional reporting from Bloomberg.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/intels-ceo-pat-gelsinger-has-suddenly-retired-151410215.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 Until very recently, my only experience with VR was a one-minute demo about nine years ago. With an Oculus Rift strapped to my face, a virtual catapult hurled me over a low-res city. It was painfully disorienting and I felt my legs give way a bit. I swore off VR for a long time after that unpleasant experience. Fast forward to 2024 and I was finally ready to try again. An attractive Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal on a PlayStation VR2 proved irresistible. But I felt like I needed to get my sea legs under me before tackling something more immersive and ambitious like the bundled-in Horizon: Call of the Mountain. As it happened, the day on which my PS VR2 unit arrived also marked the debut of a VR version of one of my favorite games of the last few years, Trombone Champ. The original game is a bit like Guitar Hero or Rock Band, only instead of using a plastic imitation of a musical instrument to play notes as they appear on screen, you're moving a joystick or mouse and pressing a button to "toot." This time around, in Trombone Champ: Unflattened, you hold a virtual instrument to your mouth with one hand while using the other to slide to the correct notes, mimicking an actual trombone. Unfortunately, I had some trouble setting up my PS VR2. The right controller was working just fine in my PS5's menus and such, but button presses weren't working in-game and I couldn't grab the slide of the virtual trombone. I found the solution on Reddit, where users have mentioned similar trouble with new controllers, which in some cases appears to be due to debris getting stuck behind a trigger. In my case, I was able to fix the problem by desyncing the controllers and only re-registering them with the PS5 once I was in-game. Obviously, the first thing I had to do in the Trombone Champ: Unflattened tutorial was more or less figure out how to play the opening fanfare of the main Super Mario. Bros theme. From there, I dove straight into the campaign. The aptly named Flat2VR adapted Trombone Champ for VR. It did an admirable job of bringing Holy Wow Studios’ game to a new format with a fresh look and feel. Rather than trying to follow the notes of a song on a 2D chart, you’ll need to be on your toes as they fly at you on both sides. After a couple of songs, though, I changed a setting to have them on just one side to make it easier to focus. You're also tooting your way through these songs on stage in front of an audience of Nintendo Mii-style characters. I was trying my best to play these songs properly to get a good score, so I tuned out the crowd for the most part so I could concentrate. That changed when I tried a ska song I don’t recall hearing before. I didn’t know where it was going and I struggled to keep up at the highest difficulty. The crowd wasn’t having any of it. Unlike in Guitar Hero and Rock Band, there’s no fail state here if you miss several notes in a row. The song keeps going, no matter how badly you mess up. As such, the audience was booing me relentlessly and I couldn’t get them back on board. Flat2VR Studios/Holy Wow Studios It’s been a long time since I’ve been on stage in a band or doing musical theater , but I’ve never had a reaction like that. It weirdly cut to my soul, yet I was having a blast at the same time. Sorry to disappoint my virtual haters. I tried flipping them off with my floating hands, but it didn’t work. I resorted to pointing at myself with my thumbs in a “that’s right, this guy” motion, another thing I wouldn’t have tried in a non-VR experience. Trombone Champ: Unflattened is wildly fun and easily one of the most delightful gaming experiences of 2024. Astro Bot and Another Crab's Treasure, two of my favorite games of the year, both kept a smile on my face throughout — but Trombone Champ: Unflattened had me full-on cackling. I can’t imagine that I could have chosen a better intro to VR. There’s a bit more to it, including a free play mode that unlocks all the songs for you . I did enjoy vandalizing — I mean, customizing — my trombone with spray paint too. I’m sure Glenn Miller would have loved that. Maybe I’ll get better at Trombone Champ: Unflattened over time. If not, I don’t care. Being bad at this game makes it all the more enjoyable. The game's at its best when you’re playing along with a song you’re familiar with. You know how it’s supposed to sound, so screwing up is much funnier. While there are challenges that reward you for doing well, it’s almost as if the game wants you to suck at it. The toughest songs would be nearly impossible to nail, maybe even for actual professional trombone players, since they wouldn't have the same tactility of having the instrument in their hands. The PC adapter for PS VR2 has been out of stock for a while in Canada. But when I get one I’ll probably also snap up the PC version of Trombone Champ: Unflattened there because modders are already adding custom songs into the game. One song that modders inevitably added to Trombone Champ was the ultimate rhythm game track: Dragonforce’s “Through The Fire and Flames.” In the original game, it's so tough that even an "autotoot" tool that plays notes automatically struggles. So I've no doubt that trying to play it myself in VR will go very wrong and be highly entertaining. Trombone Champ: Unflattened is out now on PS VR2, Meta Quest and Steam VRThis article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/trombone-champ-in-vr-is-some-of-the-most-ridiculous-fun-ive-had-all-year-161811221.html?src=rss

02.12.2024 20:00 According to Reuters, Uber now offers boat-hailing services on Dal Lake, located in the Kashmir region in India. These wooden Shikara boats are decorated with bright colors and have seemingly comfortable pillows to let tourists enjoy a scenic boat ride. Those who want to enjoy the Dal Lake Shikara rides through Uber can make reservations at least 12 hours in advance. Currently, around 4,000 Shikaras operate on Dal Lake. According to Uber, the app will let riders match with Shikara operators but won’t charge a fee. All of the boat ticket money paid by the passenger goes to the operator. The Shikara operators shared mixed feelings about Uber's entry into the market with Reuters. Some say working with Uber can help prevent bargaining and cheating, while others claim this won’t make a difference. Of course, this isn’t the first time Uber is offering transport besides cars. Uber Copter launched in 2019. Uber Boat by Thames Clippers is another service available in London, and it recently launched across Europe this summer. The company has also inserted itself into scooter rentals, flight bookings and, improbably, coders for hire.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/uber-now-offers-boat-hailing-in-india-160156465.html?src=rss