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Ford and Rivian cancel plan to jointly develop an EV

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 01:43 PM PST

Ford and Rivian have abandoned a plan they had to jointly develop an EV together. In an interview with Automotive News, Ford CEO Jim Farley said the automaker will go it alone as it aims to produce 600,000 vehicles per year by the end of 2023.

When the company invested $500 million in Rivian in 2019, the two said they would work together to produce a Ford-branded EV featuring the startup's "skateboard" powertrain. In early 2020, the two, citing the pandemic, canceled a Lincoln-branded EV. At the time, they said they still planned to go forward with an "alternative vehicle" based on Rivian's technology. Now, that project won't go forward either.

"Right now, we have growing confidence in our ability to win in the electric space," Farley told Automotive News. "When you compare today with when we originally made that investment, so much has changed: about our ability, about the brand's direction in both cases, and now it's more certain to us what we have to do."

According to Farley, part of the reason Ford and Rivian decided not to move forward with the project is the complexities of marrying their hardware and software together. The companies say the decision has not affected their relationship.

"As Ford has scaled its own EV strategy and demand for Rivian vehicles has grown, we've mutually decided to focus on our own projects and deliveries," a spokesperson for Rivian told Engadget. "Our relationship with Ford is an important part of our journey, and Ford remains an investor and ally on our shared path to an electrified future."

'Call of Duty: Warzone' Pacific update delayed to December 8th

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 12:51 PM PST

Activision has delayed the release of Call of Duty Vanguard's season one update and Warzone Pacific by about a week. The publisher now plans to make both available on December 8th, instead of December 2nd and December 3rd as previously planned. Activision did not provide a reason for the delay. However, it has been mired in controversy this week following an explosive report from The Wall Street Journal on CEO Bobby Kotick and the role he may have played in creating the toxic "frat boy" culture that has seen the company in the news frequently in recent months.

According to a tweet from the official Call of Duty Twitter account, Vanguard's first seasonal update includes new maps and modes, an update to the game's Zombies mode and the addition of new gear and weapons for players to earn. Warzone Pacific, meanwhile, adds a map called Caldera to Activision's popular battle royale. If you own a copy of Vanguard, you'll get the chance to play the new battleground 24 hours before everyone else.

Hulu's live TV plans will soon be $5 more per month

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 12:20 PM PST

If you're a Hulu + Live TV customer, Disney plans to add Disney+ and ESPN+ to your subscription, and you have no choice in the matter. On Friday, the company sent an email to current subscribers informing them of the impending change. Starting on December 21st, all Hulu + Live subscriptions will include access to Disney's two other streaming platforms. Previously, you could get Hulu + Live TV on its own.

And with the change, the price of Hulu + Live TV plans is increasing by $5 per month for both current and new customers. Come the 21st, the ad-supported tier will cost $69.99 per month, while the "no ads" package will cost $75.99 every 30 days. If you're a Hulu + Live TV customer with an existing Disney+ and or ESPN+ subscription, those will roll into the new plan.

Disney previously increased the price of its live TV packages in 2020 when they went up by $10 per month. People never like paying more for a service, but the way in which the company is handling this latest price hike may irk some customers. Disney's latest earnings report may provide some insight into the company's motivations. In Q4, the company added 2.1 million Disney+ subscribers, far fewer than the 9.4 million Wall Street had expected it to attract. It's possible Disney anticipates whatever Hulu subscribers it loses will be worth an increase to its Disney+ customer base.

Rockstar apologizes for broken GTA remasters and pledges to fix bugs

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 11:51 AM PST

Rockstar Games has apologized for the shoddy quality of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - Definitive Edition. It plans to fix "the unexpected technical issues" and improve the three games in the collection.

"We want to sincerely apologize to everyone who has encountered issues playing these games," the publisher said. "The updated versions of these classic games did not launch in a state that meets our own standards of quality, or the standards our fans have come to expect." The first update is scheduled to arrive in the coming days and it will "address a number of issues."

It didn't take long for players to start sharing clips of bugs and glitches on social media after the remastered collection of GTA III, GTA: Vice City and GTA: San Andreas arrived last week. Digital Foundry took a deep dive into GTA III and found there were "issues that are so blatant and jarring and ridiculous, it's hard to understand how the game made its way through quality control."

What's more, Rockstar pulled the PC version of the bundle soon after launch to "remove some data files that were unintentionally included in the new versions of these games" (those are believed to include files related to the infamous San Andreas "Hot Coffee" mod). The collection was available to buy again a few days later. Rockstar Launcher services were unavailable for over a day too, making the collection and the PC versions of Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online unplayable during that time.

Soon after Rockstar announced the release date for the trilogy in October, it removed the original versions the games from digital storefronts. Now, the classic versions of GTA III, Vice City and San Andreas are returning to PC as a bundle on the Rockstar Store. Players who buy the remastered trilogy on PC by June 30th will receive the originals at no extra cost.

Meanwhile, Rockstar has asked everyone to refrain from attacking developers on social media. "We would kindly ask our community to please maintain a respectful and civil discourse around this release as we work through these issues," it said. Grove Street Games, which is behind ports of several other Rockstar titles, worked on these remasters.

Tesla factory employee alleges 'rampant sexual harassment' in lawsuit

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 10:59 AM PST

Female employees at Tesla's Fremont factory in California face "rampant sexual harassment," according to a lawsuit filed on Thursday. In a complaint with the state's Superior Court in Alameda County, Jessica Barraza, a production associate with Tesla, said she was subjected to "nightmarish" working conditions over the past three years. Barraza's lawsuit describes a factory floor that looks more like "a crude, archaic construction site or frat house" than the site of advanced EV production.

Barraza's allegations against Tesla are numerous. In one incident, the suit alleges a male co-worker stuck his leg between her thighs when she went to punch in after a lunch break. Amid the harassment, Barraza says her complaints fell on deaf ears. In one instance, she says a supervisor did nothing when she complained of a co-worker staring at her breasts. "Maybe you shouldn't wear shirts that draw attention to your chest," her supervisor told her, according to the suit. Barraza told the man she was "wearing a work shirt provided by Tesla."

"After almost three years of experiencing all the harassment, it robs your sense of security — it almost dehumanizes you," Barraza said in an interview with The Washington Post, which was the first outlet to report on the suit. We've reached out to Tesla for comment. The company does not typically respond to media requests. 

The suit comes one month after Tesla was ordered by a federal court to pay $137 million to a Black employee who said they were subjected to daily racist abuse at its Fremont factory. "We continue to grow and improve in how we address employee concerns," the company said at the time. "Occasionally, we'll get it wrong, and when that happens we should be held accountable." Tesla is appealing the award.

Tesla also isn't the only EV-maker accused of fostering a toxic workplace for women. Just days before its IPO, Rivian was sued by Laura Schwab, one of its former executives. In her lawsuit, Schwab alleges the automaker fired her after she complained of a "toxic 'bro culture'" that saw her excluded from meetings and more. "The culture at Rivian was actually the worst I've experienced in over 20 years in the automotive industry," Schwab said at the time.

Halo Infinite's campaign co-op and Forge modes have been delayed again

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 10:37 AM PST

The first previews for the Halo Infinite campaign have arrived and it's looking like an exciting step forward for the series. Unfortunately, players will have to wait even longer than expected to play the mode with their friends.

Developer 343 Industries announced in August that Halo Infinite won't have campaign co-op (a stalwart mode in the Halo series) or Forge custom games when it arrives on December 8th. It plans to add campaign co-op when season two starts, which was initially supposed to happen three months after launch, with Forge to follow in season three.

However, 343 Industries revealed this week that season one will run until May. The studio's head of creative, Joseph Staten, confirmed to Eurogamer that means campaign co-op won't arrive until May at the earliest, and Forge will arrive even later.

That'll likely come as a disappointment to fans, but 343 Industries' decision to focus on the campaign and multiplayer might have been the right one. It already delayed Halo Infinite by a year, so getting the two core modes right was critical.

Fortunately, the free-to-play multiplayer component, which 343 Industries surprise launched three weeks early on Monday, is a blast. It's evidently a hit already, too. The mode quickly hit 272,000 concurrent players on Steam, and that's before you include those playing on console, through the PC Xbox app and on cloud gaming. 

Amazon opens pre-orders for its Halo View fitness band

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 09:44 AM PST

Amazon announced a new version of its Halo fitness band at its September hardware event, and now you can lock in a pre-order. Halo View, Amazon's first wearable with a display, is $50 during the pre-order period. It'll typically cost $80.

Pre-order Halo View at Amazon - $50

The device, which will ship sometime in December, comes with a year-long Halo membership. The plan includes workouts and nutrition guidance, and it typically costs $4 per month.

Halo View has a similar design to Fitbit's Charge bands. The AMOLED color screen displays details about your live workouts, activity history, blood oxygen and sleep scores, among other things (some of those features are exclusive to the Halo subscription). You can view text notifications too.

The swim-proof device contains a skin temperature sensor, heart rate monitor and an accelerometer. Amazon claims the battery runs for up to seven days on a single charge, and that it will fully recharge in two hours.

Although Halo View doesn't have a built-in microphone, there is integration with Alexa. If you connect to the voice assistant through the Halo app settings, you can ask an Alexa-enabled device to tell you about your health summary, sleep quality and other information.

Amazon says privacy was a key consideration in how it designed Halo. "There are multiple layers of protections in place to keep data safe and in your control," the company claims. It also pledged not to sell health data that's linked directly to you. You'll have the option to download your health data or delete it from the Halo app at any time too.

Why Apple changed its mind on Right to Repair

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 09:30 AM PST

Apple does not have a good track record in terms of letting customers repair their hardware. The last decade-plus has seen Apple's computers become essentially impossible for users to service or upgrade, and the iPhone has always been a locked box. Adventurous owners might follow guides from iFixit to try and do repairs themselves, but it's a dangerous proposition. Remember, it was just earlier this year, when we discovered that replacing the display on an iPhone 13 would disable Face ID. (Apple later backpedaled on this.)

So Apple's announcement earlier this week that it would start selling parts and tools directly to consumers and offer repair guides was a huge surprise, and a move immediately hailed as a victory by right-to-repair activists. "One of the most visible opponents to repair access is reversing course," said Nathan Proctor, a senior Right to Repair campaign director at Public Interest Research Groups (PIRG). "Apple's move shows that what repair advocates have been asking for was always possible." iFixit was similarly pleased, saying that the move is "exactly the right thing for Apple to be doing."

Both groups caveated their statements by noting a few catches. PIRG says that Apple's plans weren't as comprehensive as the right-to-repair legislation being discussed in more than two dozen states, while iFixit wants to "analyze the legal terms and test the program" before it can say just how much credit Apple deserves. But regardless, it's still a major about-face. So what led Apple to this move?

Proctor told Engadget in an email exchange that he thinks "combined pressure from consumers, regulators and shareholders has shifted Apple's thinking." But he was also quick to point out that there was pressure coming from inside Apple itself. "We saw from some leaked emails from 2019 that many inside Apple never wanted to be hostile to repair in the ways that Apple has been at times," he said. You probably saw that [Apple co-founder Steve] Wozniak called [out] the practices, but leaked emails show internal concern they were doing the wrong thing."

Apple has made some other movies recently that show that potential government scrutiny and oversight could be driving change at the company. In 2020, Apple finally let users set different browser and email apps as default on the iPhone and iPad, and Siri has gotten smarter about learning your preferences for different music apps when you ask it to play tunes.

While it's likely that Apple is thinking about government pressure, this change might also simply be part of the company listening to its users and correcting some mistakes it made over the last five years or so. Take the new MacBook Pro, perhaps the biggest "mea culpa" Apple has ever offered: The company reversed its trend of pursuing thin and light design at all costs and instead actually made the both the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros thicker and heavier than their predecessors. The company also added back ports it had previously removed, killed the unpopular Touch Bar, and generally made a laptop that made it seem like they were listening to consumer feedback. The same could be said for its new home repair program.

A worker refurbishes an Apple Iphone cell phone at a workshop of the Oxflo company, specialised in refurbishment of broken European smartphones which will be resold and provided with a warranty as part of an eco-responsible approach, in Lusignac, France, June 20, 2019. REUTERS/ Regis Duvignau
Regis Duvignau / Reuters

Apple's move this week can also be seen as an extension of a program the company launched last year, when it started providing parts and training to third-party repair shops that met Apple's qualifications. Obviously, this isn't the same as making it easy for anyone to do repairs, but opening up access means the repair landscape for Apple products has changed significantly in the last few years.

However big of a change this new plan is, though, Proctor and PIRG see this as a first step, something Apple will need to keep up and expand to really deliver what right-to-repair activists think consumers deserve. "I think Right to Repair knows what it wants, and it will be really hard to convince us to settle for anything less than an open market for repair," Proctor said. "If they had done this step years ago, maybe we would have to settle, but we have the momentum, and we are going to empower repair as much as we can. I think most legislators agree: This is just one company and a limited program. The floor got raised, but we aren't near the ceiling yet."

iFixit has a similar view on the situation. "[Apple] pioneered glued-in batteries and proprietary screws, and now they are taking the first steps on a path back to long-lasting, repairable products. iFixit believes that a sustainable, repairable world of technology is possible, and hope that Apple follows up on this commitment to improve their repairability."

As for what's to come, it sounds like Apple is committed to making this just a first step. The company said that repair options would initially focus on commonly-repaired modules in the iPhone 12 and 13, like the screen, battery and cameras, but it says that more options will come in the following year. We don't know if Apple will ever give right-to-repair activists everything they want. It seems unlikely that Apple will make an iPhone where you can just pop it open and drop a new battery in, like the phones of old.

Apple can often be a bellwether for the rest of the industry — just look how quickly other phone-makers dropped their headphone jacks. So, it's possible we'll see some other big consumer electronics companies make similar moves. "I think other companies will follow," Proctor said. He also noted that Google had just released software that lets a replacement display on the Pixel 6 be properly calibrated to work with the in-screen fingerprint sensor." We see a lot of changes in the works, and we are hopeful we can set a new baseline [for] access to repair." If that happens, we'll likely remember Apple's about-face as a catalyst for these changes — assuming the company follows through with its new stance and makes it easier for owners to repair a wider variety of its products.

The OnePlus 9 Pro is $270 off right now

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 09:17 AM PST

If you're looking for an alternative smartphone to an iPhone, Samsung handset or Pixel, you can't go far wrong with the OnePlus 9 Pro. It has many of the bells and whistles you'd expect from a premium smartphone. Just before Black Friday, you can pick up the OnePlus 9 Pro from the OnePlus website, Amazon or Best Buy for $799, $270 less than the regular price.

Buy OnePlus 9 Pro at OnePlus - $799Buy OnePlus 9 Pro at Amazon - $799Buy OnePlus 9 Pro at Best Buy - $799

We gave the OnePlus Pro 9 a score of 88 in our review, calling it the best OnePlus phone to date. The IP68-rated device has a 6.7-inch, 3,216 x 1,440 screen with brightness of up to 1,300 nits and a 120Hz maximum refresh rate. It includes dual speakers, a microSIM slot and a USB-C port that's compatible with the OnePlus Warp Charge adaptor.

The OnePlus 9 Pro features Hasselblad lenses on the rear, including a 48MP main camera, 50MP ultra-wide camera and 8MP telephoto camera. The array can shoot 8K video at 30fps, but we had reservations about the telephoto lens, which sometimes overexposed images in scenarios with a lot of light.

The device is powered by a Snapdragon 888 processor, which is plenty capable. It comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. The dual 4,500mAh battery cells should get you a full day of use on a single charge.

The standard OnePlus 9 is on sale too. You can pick it up for $599 at Amazon and Best Buy — $130 off the regular price. It has a slightly smaller 6.5-inch, Full HD display and also runs on a Snapdragon 888 with the same RAM and storage as its larger sibling. Although it too has Hasselblad cameras, the OnePlus 9 has an older 48-megapixel sensor to reduce the cost.

Buy OnePlus 9 at Amazon - $599Buy OnePlus 9 at Best Buy - $599

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Miami votes to end electric scooter pilot program

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 09:02 AM PST

Once home to most electric scooters in the US, Miami is turning its back on the micromobility vehicles. Per the Miami Herald, city commissioners voted on Thursday to end a multi-year pilot that had allowed companies like Bird and Lime to operate shared scooter rentals within the city's core. Those companies now have until 5PM on Friday, November 19th, to collect their electric scooters. If they don't comply in time, the city will impound the vehicles.

"We're shutting it down," Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla told the outlet. "That's it." Like in many other cities across the US and other parts of the world, electric scooters were a source of controversy in Miami. Supporters claimed they were an effective solution for last-mile travel, while detractors said they made city sidewalks unsafe. It's that latter point of view that swayed the commission's vote.

"On Biscayne Boulevard, at whatever hour of the day, you see kids on these scooters," said Commissioner Díaz de la Portilla. "This is an accident waiting to happen." Ken Russell, the lone commissioner who voted against ending the program, pointed out it had been a revenue generator for the city. Miami had earned approximately $2.4 million through the pilot program, and it had used that money to fund new bike lanes.

The vote caught the scooter companies off guard. "We're extremely disappointed in the Commission's hasty and short-sighted action to end the scooter program, taking away a safe and popular transportation option used by thousands of Miami residents daily and putting dozens of workers out of a job the week before Thanksgiving," said Caroline Samponaro, vice president of transit, bike and scooter policy at Lyft, in a statement shared with Engadget.

As the Miami Herald points out, there is a chance scooters could return to Miami. City staff are drafting rules that would allow rental companies to bid for a contract to operate in the city as part of a permanent program. But based on the fact the Miami City Commission would need to vote to authorize such a program, it's not clear if there's enough support.

Bose's QuietComfort 45 headphones drop to $279, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 08:45 AM PST

We're officially one week out from Black Friday and it seems most retailers have launched at least a portion of their deals and sales already. You can find the exhaustive list on our deals homepage, but we've gathered the highlights here. Bose's new QuietComfort 45 headphones remain on sale for $279, while the Mac Mini M1 is still $100 off. A bunch of Amazon and Google devices have been discounted, and you can still get the second-generation Apple Pencil for $100. Here are the best early Black Friday tech deals that you can still get today.

Bose QuietComfort 45

With the latest installment in its popular QuietComfort lineup, Bose revisits some of its best headphones ever with timely upgrades.
Billy Steele/Engadget

Bose's new QuietComfort 45 headphones are on sale for $279 right now, or $50 off their normal price. We gave them a score of 86 for their clear, balanced audio, improved ANC and long battery life.

Buy QuietComfort 45 at Amazon - $279

Mac Mini M1

Apple Mac mini
Engadget

Apple's Mac Mini M1 is on sale for $600 thanks to an automatically applied coupon at Amazon. It was already the most affordable M1 machine you could get, but these deal makes it even cheaper. It's the best option if you need a compact desktop that runs macOS and has a newer, more powerful processor.

Buy Mac Mini M1 at Amazon - $600

HomePod Mini

Apple HomePod Mini
Apple

The new colors of the HomePod mini are $5 cheaper right now at B&H Photo, bringing them down to $95 each. It's not a huge discount, but we rarely see these smart speakers drop below $85 - $90 a piece. We gave the HomePod mini a score of 84 for its solid audio quality, cute and compact design and improved Siri smarts.

Buy HomePod mini at B&H - $95

Apple Pencil (2nd-gen)

Apple Pencil 2nd generation
Valentina Palladino / Engadget

The second-generation Apple Pencil is on sale for $100 right now, which is an all-time-low price. It works with all iPads except for the latest 10.2-inch entry-level model, which still supports the first-gen stylus. It's a must-have if you plan on taking notes or creating artwork with your iPad.

Buy Apple Pencil (2nd gen) at Amazon - $100

Samsung foldables

The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3 half folded and set up on a table.
David Imel for Engadget

Samsung's latest foldables are on sale for Black Friday, and you can get a free pair of Galaxy Buds 2 when you buy. The Z Flip 3 is down to $850 while the Z Fold 3 is on sale for $1,500 — if you buy through Amazon, you just have to apply the free-earbuds promotional offer on the product page before checking out.

Buy Z Flip 3 at Amazon - $850Buy Z Flip 3 at Samsung - $900Buy Z Fold 3 at Amazon - $1,500Buy Z Fold 3 at Samsung - $1,500

Google deals

Google Nest Audio smart speaker sitting on a wooden tablet next to a green plant, against a blue wall.
Engadget

A number of Google gadgets have been discounted ahead of Black Friday. Key among them are the Pixel 6 smartphone for up to $100 off, the Nest Hub for half off and the Nest Audio for only $60.

Buy Pixel 6 at Best Buy - $499Buy Nest Hub at Best Buy - $50Buy Nest Audio at Best Buy - $60

Sony WH-1000XM4

Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones
Billy Steele / Engadget

Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones are on sale for $248, which is a record-low price. These are our current favorite ANC cans and we gave them a score of 94 for their excellent sound quality, good ANC and multi-device connectivity.

Buy WH-1000XM4 at Amazon - $248

Sony WF-1000XM4

Sony totally overhauled its true wireless earbuds with a new design, more powerful noise cancellation, improved battery life and more. However, the choice to change to foam tips leads to an awkward fit that could be an issue for some people. The M4 is also more expensive than its predecessor, which wouldn’t be a big deal if fit wasn’t a concern.
Billy Steele/Engadget

Sony's excellent WF-1000XM4 earbuds are still down to $248. We gave them a score of 86 for their great sound quality, powerful ANC and improved battery life.

Buy WF-1000XM4 at Amazon - $248

Jabra Elite 75t

Jabra Elite 75t wireless earbuds
Billy Steele / Engadget

Jabra's Elite 75 earbuds are on sale for $80, which is $70 off and a record low. While not the latest earbuds from Jabra, they remain some of our favorites thanks to their solid audio quality, comfortable design and new ANC abilities that came through a recent software update.

Buy Elite 75t at Amazon - $80

August WiFi smart lock

August WiFi smart lock
Engadget

The 4th-generation August WiFi smart lock is on sale for $179 right now. We gave the smart home gadget a score of 80 for its minimalist design, easy installation process and mandatory two-factor authentication.

Buy August WiFi smart lock at Amazon - $179Buy August WiFi smart lock at Wellbots - $179

Samsung T7 SSD

Samsung T7 SSD
Samsung

Samsung's T7 portable SSD in 1TB has dropped to a record low of $130. You can also grab the 2TB model on sale for $250 right now, too. We like these compact drives for their durable yet sleek design, speedy performance and optional password protection.

Buy Samsung T7 (1TB) at Amazon - $130Buy Samsung T7 (2TB) at Amazon - $250

Roku Streambar

Roku Streambar soundbar on a white table.
Valentina Palladino / Engadget

Roku's Streambar is on sale for $80 right now, or $50 off its normal price. That's the best price we've seen on the compact soundbar. It earned a score of 86 from us for its solid audio quality, Dolby Atmos support and built-in 4K streaming technology.

Buy Streambar at Amazon - $80Buy Streambar at Roku - $80

Amazon Echo devices

Amazon Echo 2020
Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

Amazon's slashed the prices of most of its Echo devices ahead of Black Friday. Of note are the Echo smart speaker for $60 and the latest Echo Show 5 for $45. The sale includes other items like the Echo Buds and the Echo Frames, and we recommend grabbing Echo devices now while they're at all-time-low prices and before shipping times get too long.

Buy Echo at Amazon - $60Buy Echo Show 5 at Amazon - $45

Amazon Fire tablets

Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020)
Valentina Palladino / Engadget

A number of regular and kids edition Fire tablets have been discounted ahead of Black Friday. Notably, the Fire HD 8 and HD 10 are half off, while all Fire Kids Pro devices are at record-low prices. 

Buy Fire HD 8 at Amazon - $45Buy Fire HD 10 at Amazon - $75

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
Amazon

The new Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $35, or $20 off its normal price. It has all of the same features as the standard 4K streaming stick that Amazon sells, but it also supports WiFi 6 and picture-in-picture live view.

Buy Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon - $35

Kindle

Amazon Kindle
Engadget

The basic Kindle is on sale for $50, which is a record-low price. While it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Paperwhite, it remains a solid e-reader thanks to its front-lit display, sleek design and improved contrast display.

Buy Kindle at Amazon - $50

Blink cameras

Blink security cameras
Amazon / Blink

Most Blink security cameras have been discounted ahead of Black Friday: a one-pack of the Outdoor cam is on sale for $60, the same configuration for the Indoor camera is down to $50 and the tiny, wired Blink Mini is on sale for $20.

Buy Blink Outdoor at Amazon - $60Buy Blink Indoor at Amazon - $50Buy Blink Mini at Amazon - $20

Solo Stove

Solo Stove
Engadget

Solo Stove's early Black Friday sale knocks up to $200 off its fire pits. The midrange Bonfire is on sale for $225, which is $125 off its normal price. These stainless steel fire pits have made it into some of our outdoor-focused guides, and we like them for their attractive designs and their ability to create a cozy fire that doesn't emit tons of smoke.

Shop Solo Stove Black Friday sale

Adobe All Apps plan

Over the Shoulder: Creative Young Woman Digital Editor Works in Photo Editing Software on Her Personal Computer with Big Display. In the Background Loft Office with Diverse Team of Young Professionals
gorodenkoff via Getty Images

New Adobe subscribers can get the All Apps plan for only $30 per month, which is 40 percent off its normal price. That gets you Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro and Acrobat, which are most of Adobe's most popular programs. Students can save even more: the discount is $16 per month for them, or 70 percent off the normal rate.

Buy All Apps plan at Adobe - $30/month

Arturia sale

Arturia FX Collection 2 synth plugins
Arturia

Arturia's early Black Friday sale knocks 50 percent off software through December 8th. That includes the FX Collection 2 vintage plugin set, which is now $199, the V Collection 8 synth keyboard pack for $299 and the Pigments soft synth with the Spectrum sound pack for $99.

Shop Arturia Black Friday sale

New early Black Friday tech deals

Jabra 85h

Jabra's 85h wireless headphones are back down to their lowest price yet, only $150. We gave them a score of 84 when they first came out in 2019 for their custom EQ and ANC modes, solid onboard controls and insane battery life.

Buy Jabra 85h at Amazon - $150

NordVPN

NordVPN has a promotion going on right now that gets you two years of the service for $89. That's 68 percent off its normal price. We like NordVPN for its speed, its no-logs policy, the thousands of servers it has to choose from and that one account supports up to six connected devices.

Buy NordVPN (2 years) - $89

Segway Kickscooter Max

Wellbots has the Segway Kickscooter Max for $150 off, bringing it down to $799 when you use the code ENGADGET150 at checkout. This model has the longest driving range of all Ninebot scooters, pneumatic inflatable tires, 6-hour fast charging and more.

Buy Kickscooter Max at Wellbots - $799

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Early Black Friday gaming deals include one year of PS Plus for $40

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 07:42 AM PST

Just ahead of Black Friday, some solid gaming deals are popping up. A 12-month subscription to PlayStation Plus is currently $40 on Amazon. It typically costs $60 and it's a digital code, so you won't have to wait for delivery. If you're already a PS Plus member, it's still worth checking out this deal, since you can stack additional subscriptions.

Buy PS Plus (1 year) at Amazon - $40

You'll need a PS Plus membership to play most multiplayer games on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5. There are exceptions for some free-to-play games, including Fortnite. In addition, members often get discounts on digital purchases through the PlayStation Store, as well as cloud storage and backups for game save files.

One of the major value adds of PS Plus is that players receive a mystery bag of a few games each month across PS4 and PS5. There are three extra PS VR games this month to mark the headset's fifth anniversary. You'll retain access to claimed PS Plus games as long as you maintain your subscription.

PS5 owners can take advantage of the PS Plus Collection too. It's a selection of first-party and third-party PS4 games, some of which have been patched for better performance on PS5. The lineup includes God of War, Monster Hunter: World, Final Fantasy XV, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Ratchet & Clank, Days Gone, Battlefield 1, Batman: Arkham Knight, The Last Guardian, The Last of Us Remastered, Persona 5 and Resident Evil 7. The same rule applies: if your PS Plus subscription lapses, you won't be able to play games you claimed through the collection.

Of course, given that this is the biggest shopping season of the year, there are discounts on games as well, and many of the better deals are for physical editions. You can find savings on PlayStation console exclusives like Deathloop ($25 at GameStop if you click 'New' and $30 at Amazon, usually $60), the director's cut of Ghost of Tsushima on PS5 (down from $70 to $50), Demon's Souls (also reduced by $30 to $40) and, in one of the bigger discounts, Returnal, which has dropped from $70 to $30.

There are good deals on multi-platform titles too, such as Eidos-Montreal's surprisingly wonderful Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy, which is half off at $30 on all platforms. Hitman 3 and Resident Evil: Village are both less than half price at the minute at $20. Hades, which is widely regarded as one of the best games of 2020, is also $20 on all platforms.

Far Cry 6 is a third off at $40, and you can save on FIFA 22 as well. The latest edition of EA's famed soccer series is $40 on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S (it's a digital code for the latter consoles), and $28 on PS4 and Xbox One.

The PS5 digital edition and Xbox Series X don't have disc drives, so deals on physical games won't mean much to owners of those consoles. However, it's worth checking out the PlayStation and Xbox digital stores for Black Friday deals there too.

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Sony's excellent WH-1000XM4 headphones are back down to $248

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 07:11 AM PST

Sony made the best even better with this year's WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones and they're back on sale ahead of Black Friday. You can grab the cans for $248 right now, or more than $100 off their normal price. If you prefer earbuds, the WF-1000XM4 have been discounted for a bit and remain down to $248 as well.

Buy WH-1000XM4 at Amazon - $248Buy WH-1000XM4 at Best Buy - $248Buy WF-1000XM4 earbuds at Amazon - $248Buy WF-1000XM4 earbuds at Best Buy - $248

All of the key (and stellar) features of the previous WH-1000XM3 are in the latest headphones, but the new model has a few upgrades, too. The design is slightly sleeker and more comfortable, and you'll get about 30 hours on a single charge so you can wear them for long stretches of time. Sound quality is great with punchy bass, and Sony's 360 Reality Audio provides an immersive experience similar to that of Dolby Atmos. Active noise cancellation is also solid and, with Adaptive Sound Control enabled, the headphones will automatically adjust the level of noise cancellation based on your environment.

We also appreciate the addition of two new features: multi-device connectivity and Speak to Chat. The former allows you to connect the XM4 to a couple of devices at once, switching between them at will. The latter will automatically pause audio coming from the headphones when it detects you speaking. Most people will likely use the former feature more on a regular basis, but the latter is nice to have, too.

For those who prefer earbuds, you'll get many similar features in the WF-1000XM4. These earned a score of 86 from us for their excellent sound quality and ANC, improved battery life and wireless charging case. They also have the same Speak-to-Chat feature that the headphones have, even if it can be a bit finicky sometimes. The ANC on these buds is noticeably better than that of their predecessors, and they also support 360 Reality Audio.

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Samsung’s Black Friday sale knocks up to $300 off foldables and includes free earbuds

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 05:55 AM PST

Samsung's latest family of foldables is its best yet, but also its most expensive. Their high price tags can make it hard to be an early adopter without emptying your bank account. But Black Friday sales have come in clutch for the Galaxy Z Flip 3 and the Galaxy Z Fold 3 — both are on sale for record-low prices at Amazon right now. The Z Flip 3 is $150 off and down to $850 while the Z Fold 3 is $300 off and down to $1,500. Both also come with a free pair of Galaxy Buds 2 if you apply the promotional offer on the product page before checking out. If you'd rather order directly from Samsung, you can get the same deal on the Z Fold 3 there, but the Z Flip 3 costs an extra $50.

Buy Z Flip 3 at Amazon - $850Buy Z Flip 3 at Samsung - $900Buy Z Fold 3 at Amazon - $1,500Buy Z Fold 3 at Samsung - $1,500

Out of the two, the Z Flip 3 impressed us more, in part because Samsung fixed many of the problems found in its predecessor. While you'll still notice a crease in its 6.7-inch AMOLED display, it's not as noticeable as before, and the screen and the device overall seems more durable this time around. The handset doesn't scratch as easily anymore and it's IPX8 water resistant, too.

The main screen runs at 2,640 x 1,080 resolution and is lovely to use, and it supports up to 120Hz refresh rates. When folded, the 1.9-inch external screen displays short bits of information like the weather and calendar events, and it can be used to quickly access certain features like Samsung Pay. We also appreciate the new software features that Samsung built in that are foldable specific such as Flex Mode, which will show things like a a YouTube video on the top half of the display when the device is partially folded and the comments section on the bottom.

While the Z Flip 3 is both impressive and fairly practical, we found the Z Fold 3 to be remarkable but much less useful. It's larger and heavier for one, and when closed, it's narrower than most smartphones, which makes it a bit awkward. Its 7.6-inch AMOLED interior display provides an immersive experience and is more flexible than previous iterations, and we appreciate the S Pen support. But overall, it's not the best smartphone nor the best small tablet. However, that might not matter to those who are super excited about owning a foldable — and these Black Friday sales make that reality a bit more accessible.

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Engadget Podcast: The storm around Activision Blizzard’s CEO

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 05:30 AM PST

This week, Cherlynn and Devindra are joined by Engadget's Jessica Conditt to dive into the latest controversy around Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. According to a recent Wall Street Journal report, he was well aware of sexual misconduct allegations at the company, and he deliberately kept Activision's board in the dark. Also, we chat about what Apple's self service program means for you, as well as a new accessibility gadget that brings eye tracking to the iPad.

Listen below, or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcasts, the Morning After and Engadget News!


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Video livestream

Credits
Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Devindra Hardawar
Guest: Jessica Conditt
Producer: Ben Ellman
Livestream producers: Julio Barrientos,Luke Brooks
Graphics artists: Luke Brooks, Kyle Maack
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien

UK to ban any handheld use of a mobile phone behind the wheel

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 04:50 AM PST

The UK government is strengthening its existing laws against the use of mobile phones while driving. It's already illegal to text and make calls behind the wheel unless it's an emergency. Starting next year, though, any use of mobile phone while driving will be deemed illegal — that includes using phones to take photos or videos, to play games or to scroll through playlists and other content. 

Drivers can't do any of those even while their vehicle isn't moving. The government will revise The Highway Code to explain that being stationary on the road, such as at traffic lights or in the middle of traffic jams, still count as driving. Anybody caught using their phones in those circumstances will still be fined £200 (US$269) and will get six penalty points on their license, which means new drivers could get their licenses revoked. 

The only exception is if they're using their phone to make payments at a card reader, say at a drive-through window or a road toll. Paying for online shopping purchases isn't an acceptable reason to get out of being penalized if they're caught. To note, drivers can continue using their devices hands-free, such as for navigation purposes, so long as they're secured in a cradle.

The UK has long been planning to close the legal loophole allowing drivers to use their mobile devices, so long as they're not texting or calling. Authorities consulted the public about expanding its existing laws, and 81 percent of responders apparently supported their proposals.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in a statement:

"Too many deaths and injuries occur while mobile phones are being held. By making it easier to prosecute people illegally using their phone at the wheel, we are ensuring the law is brought into the 21st century while further protecting all road users."

The Morning After: Pressure on Activision Blizzard CEO to resign grows

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 04:15 AM PST

We reported on employees calling for Activision Blizzard boss Bobby Kotick's resignation earlier this week in TMA, but pressure continues to mount. Alongside more than 800 Activision Blizzard employees and contractors that have signed a petition calling for CEO Bobby Kotick to be removed, there have been responses from both the head of PlayStation, Jim Ryan, and Microsoft's Phil Spencer.

In a memo obtained by Bloomberg, Spencer reportedly said he and other leaders at Xbox are "disturbed and deeply troubled by the horrific events and actions" that reportedly took place at Activision Blizzard and that Microsoft was "evaluating all aspects" of their relationship with the game publisher.

-Mat Smith

Apple's fully self-driving car ambitions reportedly still exist

The company may be narrowing its focus.

Bloomberg sources claim Apple is now shifting its attention to a fully self-driving car, not just a more conventional vehicle with semi-autonomous features. New project leader Kevin Lynch wants the very first model to drive itself, according to sources.

The company is reportedly speeding up its plans, too. Instead of a targeted launch in five to seven years, the sources said it was now aiming for 2025 — that's just four years away.

Continue reading.

 

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Canadian police arrest teen for stealing $36.5 million in cryptocurrency

It's one of the biggest crypto thefts involving a single person.

Police in Canada say they recently arrested a teen who allegedly stole $46 million CAD (approximately $36.5 million) worth of cryptocurrency from a single individual in the US.

The owner of the currency was the victim of a SIM swap attack. Their cellphone number was hijacked and used to intercept two-factor authentication requests, thereby allowing access to their protected accounts. Some of the stolen money was used to purchase a "rare" online gaming username, which eventually allowed the Hamilton Police Service, as well as FBI and US Secret Service Electronic Crimes Task Force, to identify the account holder. Police seized approximately $7 million CAD ($5.5 million) in stolen cryptocurrency when they arrested the teen.

Continue reading.

Nike is building its metaverse inside of 'Roblox'

Yes, there's a product showroom.

The Morning After
Roblox

Nike announced a partnership with Roblox to offer a free virtual playspace called Nikeland. In its current iteration, Nikeland includes minigames such as tag, dodgeball and the floor is lava that players can check out with their friends. Mobile integration allows you to use your phone to translate real-life movement into the game. In that way, you can do things like long jumps and fast sprints.

Why did Nike team-up with Roblox? Because it's huge. With more than 200 million estimated monthly active users, it's one of the most popular games among kids and teenagers.

Continue reading.

Google's second-gen Pixel Stand is available for pre-order

It has a fan?

The Morning After
Google

The new Pixel Stand is both bigger and more powerful than its predecessor — even if it didn't make it in time for the Pixel 6 launch. It can charge the Pixel 6 Pro at up to 23W (21W for the regular Pixel 6) and has a fan to keep everything cool, but also presumably make noise while you charge. And while it will charge many Qi-compatible devices at up to 15W, Google phone owners receive some extra perks. You can use the Pixel 3 and newer models as makeshift Google Assistant smart speakers, display personal data like calendars while unlocked or turn your phone into a photo frame.

Continue reading. 

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Twitch increases the number of custom emotes affiliate streamers can offer

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 03:50 AM PST

Emotes are a great way to add character and distinctiveness to a Twitch community — they can also get casual viewers to pay for subscriptions. A Twitch affiliate who's just starting out, however, used to only have a single custom emote slot. Now, the livestreaming website has upped the initial number of emote slots to five, based on affiliates' feedback. That means streamers can offer five custom emotes from the get-go, simply by meeting the bare requirements needed to become part of the affiliate program. In all, affiliates can earn nine slots for custom emotes by reaching certain subscription milestones. 

Twitch is also carrying the change over to its partner program, increasing the slots available for them, as well. To be able to apply for partner status, an affiliate must reach a certain number of streaming hours, views and subscribers. Even then, they might not get in. That's why giving potential subscribers more incentive in the form of emotes could help beginners reach their goal sooner and earn more money.

The website has also given affiliates the capability offer animated emotes to their community. They'll start with one slot and can unlock up to five as their audience grows. Those who can't afford to pay an artist to create animated emotes for them can use the website's Easy Animate feature to quickly convert static emotes into animated versions for free. These updates have started rolling out to Twitch streamers and will be reaching everyone in the coming weeks. 

Earthworm Jim is set to return in a new TV series

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 03:15 AM PST

The cult classic '90s game Earthworm Jim is coming back to TV as a new series, according to Variety and a tweet from Interplay Entertainment. Interplay holds the rights to Earthworm Jim games and recently announced it was bringing the franchise back as an Intellivision Amico exclusive. 

The project will be headed be Interplay's newly formed TV and film studio division, working with the animation studio Passion Pictures. "There's so much potential in this story universe: a galaxy full of animals battling for power," project lead Michel K. Parandi told Variety. "Jim is an earthworm in a universe where Earth is nothing more than a myth. His struggle to find meaning is surreal and comical, but it's also relatable."

The first Earthworm Jim game came out on Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo in 1994, with the last released in 1999. There's still no word on when the new game will arrive. There was also a Warner Bros. cartoon series based on the game that ran for two season in 1995, with the lead character played by none other than Dan Castellaneta, best known as the voice of Homer Simpson. 

In a follow-up tweet, Interplay said that the original creator of the game, presumably Doug TenNapel, "is not involved at all." TenNapel was originally brought in as a creative consultant on the game, but his participation was called into question after he made a number of racist and homophobic comments on a podcast. 

Amazon's early Black Friday sale knocks Blink cameras down to as low as $20

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 02:30 AM PST

Blink's security cameras have the benefits of being small, wireless and relatively affordable, and you can grab most of them for less during Amazon's Black Friday sale. Both Indoor and Outdoor models have been discounted so you can grab a one-camera kit of either for $50 and $60, respectively. Most packs are on sale, too, so you can grab enough to outfit a good portion of your home and save a decent amount of money while doing so. Also, the wired Blink Mini is down to $20 in this sale, which is a record-low price.

Buy Blink Indoor at Amazon - $50Buy Blink Outdoor at Amazon - $60Buy Blink Mini at Amazon - $20

You only have to decide if you want to put Blink cameras inside or outside your home before you buy them. Aside from the weather resistance on the Outdoor models, the cams are basically the same. Both record 1080p video, have infrared night vision, support two-way audio and send motion alerts to your phone. Two-way audio lets you chat with whomever (or whatever) is on the other end of the camera while motion alerts will keep you posted about any movement the camera's detect, be it a deliveryman or a rogue bird. Plus, these cameras support Alexa voice commands, so if you have an Echo Show device, you can ask it to show you the video feeds from any of your Blink cameras.

If you're unsure about going all-in on these cameras, the Blink Mini is a cheap way to try them out first. It's not wireless like the standard cams, but it has most of the same features and is even more compact. It'll record in 1080p and it supports two-way audio, motion alerts and Alexa — you'll just have to make sure you place it close to an outlet in your home.

Amazon also knocked down the prices of its Eero 6 routers for Black Friday. The Eero 6 is down to $77 whi;e the Eero Pro 6 is on sale for $171. While both support WiFi 6, the Eero Pro 6 can cover up to 2,000 square feet with just one router while the Eero 6 has a more modest 1,500 square feet of coverage. Also, the Pro 6 is a tri-band router and will be better for speeds up to a gigabit, whereas the dual-band Eero 6 supports speeds up to 900 Mbps.

Buy Eero 6 at Amazon - $77Buy Eero Pro 6 at Amazon - $171

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Twitter brings its in-app tipping feature to Android

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 01:55 AM PST

After introducing its "tip jar" feature to all iOS users over 18, Twitter has brought the feature to Android as well. The idea is that if you see a particularly entertaining or informative tweet, you can send money to the creator's Cash App, Patreon, Paypal, Bandcamp and Venmo from directly within the app. 

Twitter first introduced tip jars in May, then rolled it out widely to iOS users in September. A similar feature is available inside Twitter's Clubhouse-like "Spaces" feature, letting creators charge for "tickets" to its live access features. Twitter also recently opened "super follows" to select creators, allowing them to monetize tweets and provide exclusive content, along with a subscription service that could eliminate publications' paywalls on the platform.

On top of using regular money via payment services, Twitter may soon let you tip others using Bitcoin. According to a leak, Twitter is planning to use the Lightning Network to enable Bitcoin payments with high speed and relatively low fees.

Amazon Fire tablets are down to record-low prices right now

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 01:30 AM PST

Amazon's Fire tablets make great portable, secondary devices, or primary devices for the kids in your life. They're already pretty affordable — that's one of the best things about them — but Black Friday has knocked their prices down even more. Most Fire tablets are on sale right now, including the primary three in the lineup: the Fire 7 is down to $35, while the Fire HD 8 and HD 10 are on sale for $45 and $75, respectively. These deals are all the same or better than those we saw during Prime Day back in June — but now you don't have to be a Prime subscriber to get the discounts.

Buy Fire 7 at Amazon - $35Buy Fire HD 8 at Amazon - $45Buy Fire HD 10 at Amazon - $75

Out of the three, the Fire HD 8 will suit most people well. We gave it a score of 81 due in part to its refined design, long battery life and new USB-C charging port. It runs on a quad-core 2.0GHz processor and has up to 64GB of onboard storage, but you can expand it to up to 1TB with a microSD card. It's a handy device to use on the couch or on the go when you want a larger screen to online shop, check email and even video chat with friends and family. It also may be a better option than a Kindle if you read a lot of graphic novels and manga since it has a full-color 1,280 x 800 display.

If you're willing to spend a bit more, the Fire HD 10 gives you a number of extra perks. Key among them are a larger, 1,920 x 1,200 display, an octa-core 2.0GHz processor, an extra gigabyte of RAM and an improved rear camera. Those planning on primarily streaming TV shows and movies with the tablet should opt for the bigger HD 10, along with those who don't want to sacrifice speed and performance even when getting an affordable slab.

Fire tablets make good kids devices since they have a bunch of parental controls and they cost significantly less than that expensive slab you may have just bought for yourself. You could opt to simply buy one of the above devices for your child, or you can get one of Amazon's Kids Edition bundles which pair the tablets with a kid-friendly case, a two-year warranty and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. All of the Kids devices are on sale right now, too: the Fire 7 Kids Pro is down to $60 while the Fire HD 8 Kids Pro has been discounted to $70 and the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is on sale for $120.

Buy Fire 7 Kids Pro at Amazon - $60Buy Fire HD 8 Kids Pro at Amazon - $70Buy Fire HD 10 Kids Pro at Amazon - $120

Amazon Kids+ is one of the key benefits to these bundles. The service gives your child access to over 20,000 apps, games, books, audiobooks and more that are age appropriate directly on the tablet. It's essentially a whole ton of content that parents don't have to screen beforehand to know if it's kid-friendly. Just make sure to keep an eye on your subscription because it will renew for the full $3-per-month price after one year. Also, the Kids Pro tablets come with a special digital store in which kids can request apps to download with parental approval. Overall, they're good, affordable options if your child has been bugging you for a tablet and you'd rather get one that you have a bit of extra control over.

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Amazon's Kindle drops to an all-time low of $50 ahead of Black Friday

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 01:00 AM PST

As ever, Amazon is discounting many of its products for the Black Friday shopping period. Like many other companies, Amazon is getting out of the gate a little early with deals on Kindles. The standard Kindle is down from $90 to $50, which is the lowest price we've seen for the e-reader. Back in the summer, it dropped to $55 for Amazon Prime Day.

Buy Kindle at Amazon - $50

This is the ad-supported version of the tenth-generation Kindle, which has a 167 ppi glare-free display with a built-in front light. It comes with 8GB of storage, which is enough to store thousands of books. You can also pair it with Bluetooth headphones or speakers to listen to audiobooks.

Elsewhere, two Kindles for kids are on sale. Kindle Kids is down to $60 (usually $110) and Kindle Paperwhite Kids, which usually costs $160, has dropped to $115, only a couple of months after Amazon announced it. Both come with a year of access to Amazon Kids+, a kid-friendly cover and a two-year worry-free guarantee — Amazon will replace the device if it breaks during that period.

Buy Kindle Kids at Amazon - $60Buy Kindle Paperwhite Kids at Amazon - $115

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

A bunch of Amazon Echo devices are already on sale for Black Friday

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 12:30 AM PST

Black Friday for Echo and Fire TV devices has already started — Amazon knocked down the prices of many of its Echo gadgets today. Most of the sale prices are the same as we saw during Amazon Prime Day in June, or even better. Discounts of note are the Echo for $60 and the second-generation Echo Show 5 for $45. While the latest Echo Show 8 isn't on sale yet, the first-gen device bundled with a Blink Mini security camera is $80 off as well, bringing it down to $65.

Buy Echo at Amazon - $60Buy Echo Show 5 (2nd gen) at Amazon - $45Buy Echo Show 8 (1st gen) bundle at Amazon - $65

You probably already know the deal with Echo devices, but we'll recap here. The Echo and the Echo Dot are the big and little versions of Amazon's smart speaker. The Echo is actually one of our favorites thanks to its solid sound quality, even better sound with in stereo mode and attractive design.

Those who have less space to play with should consider the Echo Show 5, especially now that it's nearly half off. The latest version of the tiny smart display has a slightly better camera for video calls, but otherwise it's the same as last year's model. The five-inch screen is just the right size for a bedside smart alarm clock, and we liked its surprisingly good sound quality, physical camera shutter and sunrise alarm feature. The Echo Show 8 is a good alternative if you want a slightly larger display, which will make it better in a kitchen, living room or entryway setting. The bundle currently on sale that includes a Blink Mini camera is a solid deal, especially since you can ask Alexa to show you the camera's video feed directly on the Show 8's screen.

Amazon’s second-gen Echo Buds are a big improvement over the first version, but a few key areas show there’s still work to be done.
Billy Steele/Engadget

A couple of other Echo devices are on sale, including the Echo Buds and the Echo Frames. The former earned a score of 80 from us for their improved sound quality, good ANC and smaller size. Wireless charging is optional, but thankfully both models have been discounted and both come in at less than $100. The Echo Frames are Amazon's version of smart glasses, and we gave them a score of 76 for their lightweight design, hands-free Alexa access and compatibility with prescription lenses.

Buy Echo Buds (2nd gen) at Amazon - $70Buy Echo Frames at Amazon - $155

On top of all the Echo discounts, most Fire TV devices are cheaper than usual, too. Many of these went on sale starting last weekend, but they're worth another mention. The new Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which supports WiFi 6 and picture-in-picture live view, is down to $35, while the Fire TV Stick Lite and the Fire TV Stick are on sale for $18 and $20, respectively.

Amazon's most powerful streaming device has also been discounted — the Fire TV Cube is down to a record low of $80, and it's the device to get if you want to stream 4K, Dolby Vision and HDR content, and want hands-free TV controls with Alexa. And if you're on the market for an over-the-air DVR, the Fire TV Recast is $100 off right now, bringing it down to $130.

Buy Fire TV Stick 4K Max at Amazon - $35Buy Fire TV Stick Lite at Amazon - $18Buy Fire TV Stick at Amazon - $20Buy Fire TV Cube at Amazon - $80Buy Fire TV Recast at Amazon - $130

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by visiting our deals homepage and following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter.

All products recommended by Engadget are selected by our editorial team, independent of our parent company. Some of our stories include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

'Halo Infinite' is best when it stops being 'Halo'

Posted: 19 Nov 2021 12:01 AM PST

Stop me if you've heard this one before: In Halo Infinite, you play as the Spartan super-soldier Master Chief who must defeat a dastardly group of aliens (somehow, the Banished returned!) before they take over a mysterious ring world. Playing through the game's first few missions is like plowing through an abridged Halo campaign, for better or worse. It starts off with Master Chief drifting in space, where he's miraculously rescued by a human soldier. In short order, he was back in action taking down feisty grubs, plowing helmet-first into increasingly bigger firefights and going toe-to-toe with angry looking space ape. Been there, plasma grenaded that.

To be blunt: Halo Infinite's opening had me worried, especially after its year-long delay. Sure, it was nice to be back in Master Chief's shoes after six years, but it still felt like a retread, even with the addition of a new grappling hook. It was as if I was walking down the same corridors and fighting enemies that I already faced in Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, the previous two games developed by 343 Industries. Once again, I feared that the studio would be too afraid to push Halo into fresh territory and reach the heights of Bungie, the franchise's creator. (Bungie's Halo 3: ODST, in particular, was a unique attempt at delivering a human-focused story in a world filled with super soldiers.)

But a few hours in, once I showed that ape who was boss and acquired a Cortana-like AI called "The Weapon," Halo Infinite finally opened up. I made may way to the nearby semi-destroyed ring world, dubbed "Zeta Halo," along with my soldier buddy. After clearing out a Forward Operating Base (or FOB) filled with baddies, I was presented with something rarely seen in Halo: choice. Before me lay a chunk of Zeta Halo that I could explore freely. Judging from my map, which was populated by taking over that FOB, there was plenty to do. I could rescue some nearby soldiers, go hunt for new equipment, or take on notorious targets. This Halo was my oyster (or more fittingly, a broken disc-shaped sea creature of some kind).

I chose to embrace the freedom. My next story mission could wait. As I wandered around Zeta Halo, a grassy environment that's clearly reminiscent of the first entry, I quickly learned that the grappling hook was more than just a way to climb up. It also gives you a bit of a speed boost as you traverse the open world. Movement in Halo has always been slow, a quirk that likely made the game easier for players to grasp when console shooters were rare.

Halo Infinite
343 Industries/Microsoft

Halo Infinite still feels a bit like you're trying to hop around on the moon, but I appreciated being able to zip forward quickly by grappling onto a nearby hill or tree. You can also dash, something that the series didn't have until its fourth major entry, Halo Reach, but this time around it's more like a light jog. Time and again, it was the grappling hook that saved my Spartan butt if I needed to quickly run from a battle. It also gives you the freedom to approach enemies from multiple angles. When I noticed some soldiers pinned down by the Banished, I was able to scale up the side of a cliff and clear out the aliens easily.

While Halo Infinite technically presents you with an open world, it's more akin to a slimmed-down Far Cry map than something filled with detail like Assassin's Creed or Grand Theft Auto. Zeta Halo feels large, but it's not exactly teeming with life (though it's nice to see a few stray animals hopping around). Still, the ability to chart my own path felt thrilling, and investigating waypoints was well worth it. Helping those soldiers, for example, gave me valor points which can unlock new weapons at FOBs. There are also Spartan Cores throughout the map, which can be used to upgrade your equipment (I was quick to beef up my shields and make my grappling hook faster.) Everyone will be able to turn Master Chief into their own customized super soldier.

Halo Infinite campaign map

As you'd expect, everything in Halo Infinite ultimately comes down to you blasting aliens into a pulp. Sometimes, you blow stuff up. But 343 Studios still found a few ways to change up the gameplay. When you go after a High Value Target, for example, you have to be prepared take on a over-powered enemy that's typically surrounded by plenty of goons. Some of those encounters took me several tries on the Heroic difficulty setting, which forced me to optimize and reassess my attack strategy. Taking down those notorious bad guys nets you unique guns and plenty of valor points.

For a bigger challenge, you could also try to take over Banished Outposts teeming with enemies. Tackling one of those down was a multi-step process: I sniped the tougher looking soldiers from afar, grappled along the rooftops, and manually opened up and destroyed four fuel cores. What started out as a semi-stealth mission turned into an all-out frag fest—at one point I hopped into a trusty Battle Tank and started blasting Banished ships left and right. The escalation of that encounter left me breathless.

I waited until the very last moment before I tackled that overdue story mission—I just wanted to explore every nook and cranny of the world before my preview session was up. By that point, my shields and grappling hook were upgraded several times, and I fully grasped the importance of approaching combat encounters thoughtfully. As I peered at the looming tower before me, I noticed a rocky outcrop along one side. A bit of grappling led me to a sniper's nest, where I found a rifle that helped me take out some of the more dangerous Brutes.

Halo Infinite
343 Industries/Microsoft

I could only do so much damage remotely, though. So I held my breath, took a running start, and leaped towards several Banished soldiers patrolling a nearby tower. I couldn't quite clear the distance on my own, but thankfully my trusty grappling hook pulled me right up. At that point, I was in a typical Halo firefight, but it felt all the more special because I chose how to get there. 

Once I made my way into the center of the tower, a new tool awaited me: the threat detector. Think of it like a three-dimensional radar that can be deployed on any surface. It shows you exactly where enemies are hiding for a limited period. That was particularly useful as I made my way up every level of the tower, which was filled with Banished aliens waiting around corners and hiding behind debris. The threat detector was also key to defeating that mission's boss, a Banished leader who spent the entire fight cloaked in invisibility. (Not so sportsman-like, I know.)

Despite the rocky start, I came away from my glimpse at Halo Infinity's campaign with the urge to keep exploring. I wanted to optimize my Master Chief build, and I was eager to see if the game would somehow wrap up his relationship with Cortana, his previous AI who turned into a galactic threat. Mostly, though, I was curious to see what else 343 Industries had in store. After a decade leading the franchise, it seems like the studio is finally ready to let Halo evolve.

Halo Infinite
343 Industries/Microsoft

That's also true of Halo Infinity's free-to-play multiplayer mode, which Microsoft launched this week as a celebratory surprise. As someone who mainly plays Halo for its campaign, I really didn't expect much from the game's multiplayer, but it still managed to hook me during 343's closed betas. Now that it's open to everyone (though still a beta), I'm even more impressed. The maps are fun and inventive, the gunplay feels tight, and every match feels like a life-or-death battle between super soldiers. It's the closest the franchise has come to replicating the glory days of Halo 3 (or back when I was hooked on the first game in college). And judging from its massive popularity on Steam, where more than 270,000 people were playing on launch day, it seems like for many gamers, the wait was worth it.
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