Posts Tagged: Watch

My Best Buy Plus subscribers can save $70 on the Google Pixel Watch

My Best Buy Plus and Total members benefit from an exclusive Google Pixel Watch deal that sees you saving quite a bit.
Digital Trends

It’s not quite its Prime Day price, but the Apple Watch Series 8 is $70 off

If you missed Amazon’s Prime Day offer for the 41mm version of the Apple Watch Series 8, you can still purchase the wearable device with a discount — $ 70 off.
Digital Trends

Save up to $80 on the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 with this flash deal

Best Buy launched discounts of up to $ 80 on the various models of the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5, so if you want to buy the wearable device, don’t miss this sale.
Digital Trends

Apple’s stunning Milanese Loop Apple Watch strap is 46% off

The Milanese Loop Apple Watch Band is an elegant watch band based on styles designed in old Milan, Italy.
Digital Trends

Motorola’s folding phone just had a durability test — and it’s painful to watch

The Motorola Razr Plus is one of the best folding phones you can buy today. But just how durable is it? Well, it doesn’t look great.
Digital Trends

Don’t buy the Apple Watch Series 8 on Prime Day, buy this smartwatch instead

Want a smartwatch for your iPhone this Prime Day? Don’t automatically choose the Apple Watch Series 8 — we think the Apple Watch SE 2 is the better deal.
Digital Trends

WatchOS 10: how to add widgets to your Apple Watch

WatchOS 10 allows you to add widgets on your Apple Watch to see the weather, calendar appointments, and more. Here’s how to add these widgets to your watch!
Digital Trends

Google’s 2nd-Gen Pixel Watch could get a big chip upgrade

Alongside the Pixel 8 series we can expect Google to launch a successor to last year’s Pixel Watch which ran on an Exynos processor and was the first non-Samsung smartwatch to run Wear OS 3. The development of the Pixel Watch 2 came as something of a surprise with reports suggesting that it may launch […]

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Apple Watch SE is down to its cheapest-ever price

The 40mm model of the Apple Watch SE 2 is currently on sale for its cheapest-ever price of $ 219 on Amazon, but you need to hurry because the offer may end soon.
Digital Trends

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 6 is getting a minor chip upgrade

Now that the Snapdragon W5+ Gen 1 powered TicWatch Pro 5 from Mobvoi is finally on sale and showing just what Wear OS can do with a modern processor, a new report has revealed that Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Watch 6 series will also get a new SoC. Well, new-ish anyway. We say that because it […]

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Watch Capcom’s Summer Game Fest showcase here at 6PM ET

It’s Capcom’s turn for a Summer Game Fest livestream. The publisher will host its Capcom Showcase at 6PM ET and you can watch it below. The stream will run for around 36 minutes, Capcom said, though we’ll be getting things underway with a pre-show at 5:30PM. If you miss the stream as it happens, you’ll be able to catch up on YouTube later.

The company has revealed three of the titles it will feature. We’ll see Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective, a remastered version of an adventure game that debuted over a decade ago. The latest edition will arrive on June 30th.

One segment of the showcase will be devoted to Exoprimal, a multiplayer dinosaur-slaying game that’s coming to PlayStation, Xbox and PC on July 14th. Capcom will also provide another look at Dragon’s Dogma 2. The hotly anticipated sequel doesn’t have a release date as yet.

The publisher will have other things to share, but the rest of the lineup remains a mystery for now. Knowing Capcom, though, there’ll probably be some mention of Resident Evil. Perhaps we’ll get an update on the upcoming virtual reality mode for the Resident Evil 4 remake.

Engadget has been in Los Angeles over the last few days to go hands-on with some of the many titles that have been showcased during Summer Game Fest. You can check out news, previews and impressions from the various events at our Summer Game Fest hub.

Catch up on all of the news from Summer Game Fest right here!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-capcoms-summer-game-fest-showcase-here-at-6pm-et-200021083.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Samsung’s One UI 5 Watch Beta Program is live in the US

Got a Galaxy Watch 4 or Watch 5 smartwatch on your wrist? You’ll be pleased to learn that Samsung has officially opened up the One UI 5 Beta program for its Watch 4 and Watch 5 smartwatches in the US. The beta brings new features such as improvements to Samsung Health, receiving heart rate guidance […]

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I thought I would hate the Apple Watch Ultra, but I love it

Since it was announced, I thought I would hate the Apple Watch Ultra’s big, bulky design. But I finally tried one for myself — and now I love it.
Digital Trends

Watch Apple’s WWDC 2023 keynote in 23 minutes

Apple’s WWDC 2023 keynote was today, and with it came the company’s long-awaited mixed reality headset. Apple Vision Pro is the company's name for its much-hyped entrance into spatial computing. The headset runs a new operating system called visionOS and starts at $ 3,499 when it launches next year.

Vision Pro wasn’t Apple’s only new hardware for the day; it also launched several new Macs. The 15-inch MacBook Air is the biggest-ever version of that model, running the M2 chip and starting at $ 1,299. The company also launched a second-gen Mac Studio and the first-ever Mac Pro with Apple silicon. Of course, it also upgraded its software ecosystem, announcing iOS 17, iPadOS 17, watchOS 10 and macOS Sonoma.

That’s a lot to catch up on, but we’ve made it easier by trimming the company’s announcements down to this 23 minute edit that focuses on the highlights while leaving out the filler and extra details.

Follow all of the news from Apple's WWDC 2023 right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-apples-wwdc-2023-keynote-in-23-minutes-233038310.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Apple Watch Series 8 is down to $329 right now

The 41mm, GPS model of the Apple Watch Series 8 is on sale from Amazon at $ 70 off — don’t miss this chance to get the wearable device for cheaper than usual.
Digital Trends

This Pixel Watch 2 leak just made it the 2023 smartwatch I can’t wait for

One of the first big Pixel Watch 2 leaks just dropped. And if this one is true, I already can’t wait to get my hands on Google’s next smartwatch.
Digital Trends

The Pixel Watch has been utterly crushed by its latest rival

After being impressed by the TicWatch Pro 5, we made a return to the Pixel Watch — and it shows exactly where Google went wrong with its smartwatch.
Digital Trends

Apple Watch Ultra just got a big price cut for Memorial Day

The Apple Watch Ultra is the ultimate Apple Watch right now, and you can snap one up for less as part of Amazon’s Memorial Day sales.
Digital Trends

Watch the Microsoft Build 2023 keynote in under 10 minutes

Microsoft Build 2023 kicked off with an opening keynote from CEO Satya Nadella, followed by two other keynote sessions. Surprising absolutely no one, there was a big focus on AI. While we have coverage of all the big news, if you want to hear the updates straight from the source without watching the entire thing, you can check out our supercut below.

Perhaps the biggest announcement is that Microsoft will soon embed AI deeply into Windows 11. Windows Copilot, which you'll be able to try a preview of next month, can be used in a similar way to Bing AI. So, you can ask it general questions like you would of the search engine chatbot. However, you can also use text prompts to change Windows settings, summarize documents and carry out a host of other tasks on your desktop.

Also on the Windows 11 front, AI will power live captions for more languages and Microsoft will roll out Bluetooth Low Energy Audio support for compatible devices. Elsewhere, the company will infuse AI into the Microsoft Store and Edge. On top of that, Bing Search will soon be integrated into ChatGPT, while Microsoft plans to help third-party developers build their own AI apps and copilots that are compatible with ChatGPT.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-the-microsoft-build-2023-keynote-in-under-10-minutes-202055599.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

This deal gets you an Apple Watch for $149, but it’s selling fast

The 40mm model of the first-generation Apple Watch SE is on sale for $ 149 from Walmart, which is nearly half its original price, but stocks are selling quickly.
Digital Trends

Ends tonight: Save $70 on the Google Pixel Watch at Best Buy

If you want to expand your Google ecosystem further, this deal will snag you the Google Pixel Watch for just $ 330.
Digital Trends

Google Pixel Watch 2 may launch a lot sooner than we thought

Alongside the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro, rumor has it that Google will also launch the Pixel Watch 2 later this fall.
Digital Trends

Apple is reportedly developing an AI health coach for Apple Watch

Apple devices can already offer health insights, but they might soon tell you just how to improve. Bloombergsources claim Apple is developing an AI-based health coach, nicknamed Quartz, that draws on Apple Watch data to create personalized programs for exercise, diet and sleep. The offering will reportedly require a subscription and launch sometime in 2024, provided nothing changes.

In the near term, the Health app may become more useful. Apple is finally bringing Health to the iPad with this year's iPadOS 17 release, the insiders say. A further update will supposedly help you track your mood by answering questions about your day. You may also use Health to manage vision issues like nearsightedness. A recent rumor also hinted that Apple may release a journaling app to help document your days, much like Day One.

Apple has already declined to comment. If the claims are accurate, you'll most likely hear about all but the coach at WWDC on June 5th. The company is expected to unveil its long-expected mixed reality headset at the developer event, and rumors suggest the wearable may offer health-related features like a VR edition of Fitness+ and a meditation tool. This initial product would be aimed at developers and power users, but a more affordable follow-up is believed to be in the works.

A coaching app wouldn't be shocking. Apple is still leaning heavily on services to improve its bottom line, and Quartz may be appealing to those who would otherwise pay for a human coach to rethink their habits. Apple has already made health a major selling point for its devices, particularly the Apple Watch. Of course, the coach could further entrench Apple users — you may be less likely to switch to Android if you have to give up your watch and digital trainer at the same time.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-is-reportedly-developing-an-ai-health-coach-for-apple-watch-212515646.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Google Fi gets a new name, a refreshed app, and full connectivity for the Galaxy Watch 5 and Pixel Watch

With Google’s messaging apps seemingly safe from being rebranded for the time being, the search giant’s marketing department kept themselves busy by giving Google Fi a once over. Now known as Google Fi Wireless, the MVNO carrier also gained some useful features including a revamped app which makes it easier to access and full connectivity […]

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Apple Watch Ultra is almost back down to its cheapest-ever price

Amazon is offering an Apple Watch Ultra Deal that drops it down to one of its lowest-ever prices. Now’s the time to buy!
Digital Trends

Spring sales mean you can get an Apple Watch for $199

Thanks to Walmart’s Spring Sale you can get the Apple Watch SE (1st Gen) for an excellent price.
Digital Trends

Google Pixel Watch is back down to its Black Friday price

Best Buy is offering Black Friday pricing with a Google Pixel Watch deal, but no telling how long it will last.
Digital Trends

Pixel Watch update brings a much-requested Apple Watch feature

The Pixel Watch launched without one major health feature that’s found in most other smartwatches on the market. Today, it’s finally being added.
Digital Trends

The Galaxy Watch 6 may fix one of the Galaxy Watch 5’s biggest mistakes

The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro is a great smartwatch — but the upcoming Galaxy Watch 6 Pro could fix one of its biggest mistakes.
Digital Trends

Watch the Galaxy S23 Ultra and iPhone 14 Pro Max face off in brutal drop test

The Galaxy S23 Ultra has Corning’s Gorilla Glass Victus 2, while the iPhone 14 Pro Max has Ceramic Shield. Find out which is better in this drop test!
Digital Trends

You paid too much money for your Pixel Watch — and Google knows it

A new report shows just how much money Google is making from each Pixel Watch sale and, as it turns out, it’s a lot.
Digital Trends

How and when to watch the Honor Magic 5 Pro and Magic Vs launch event at MWC 2023

Like it or not, MWC 2023 is looming big on the horizon and this year Honor is launching its follow-up to the excellent Magic 4 Pro which is naturally called the Magic 5 Pro and packs in the new Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset. While that’s already something to look forward to, we are more […]

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Best Apple Presidents Day Deals: AirPods, iMac, Apple Watch

With good Apple discounts being so few and far between, take advantage of the Apple President’s Day sale to grab the tech you’ve been eyeing!
Digital Trends

G-Shock’s latest watch turned my wrist into a poisonous frog

G-Shock’s latest connected Frogman watch is styled after a poisonous frog, but don’t let that put you off. We wore it and loved it.
Digital Trends

Don’t watch ‘Star Trek: Picard’ season three, it’ll only encourage them

The following article contains spoilers for earlier Star Trek properties but doesn’t reveal specific spoilers about Star Trek: Picard season three, not that you should be watching it anyway.

It’s 2034 and Warner Bros. decides it needs to wring more cash out of Friends, the decade defining cultural juggernaut and sitcom behemoth. Imagine what that show would be like; A warm and cozy three-decades-later check-in on characters you know intimately well. After all, you probably spent your formative years watching them mature from young single New Yorkers to a series of families. Maybe it’ll tickle those nostalgia glands, reminding you of when you watched the show with your own family as a kid.

Unfortunately, the hotshot creator of the age decided they want to go in a different direction this time. This needs to be a dark and gritty miserycore grief orgy that better reflects our more rough-and-tumble times. After all, TV these days can’t be gentle or comforting, offer escapism or posit a better world, not since Trump, Brexit, Bolonosaro, January 6th and Ukraine. The creative team have got that quote on a poster in their office, the one about thetriumph of evil, and they’re not going to sit idly by, they’re taking a stand.

In the sequel, Rachel’s famous for her wellness TikTok that often makes allusions to “reclaiming” the US as a white ethnostate. Joey lost an arm while filming a movie and is now in prison after a failed heist to pay off his life-ruining medical debt. Monica’s got a crippling adderall addiction and slips away most nights to murder the neighborhood cats and dogs. Everything’s shot in ultra gloomy vision, and there’s no laugh track, jokes or a studio audience, just unrelenting misery.

This revival is dense with references to the Friends backstory as well as the broader Friends universe. Remember that Lisa Kudrow played Phoebe’s twin sister Ursula on Mad About You, right? If not, you better get yourself to Wikipedia to study up. I mean, it won’t be relevant to the plot, but it’s something you remember, so clap, go on, clap.

You might be wondering why such a project would be allowed to happen, given that it wouldn’t be fun for fans of the original series. Times change, characters age, but you can’t turn a cozy sitcom into Breaking Bad overnight and expect that to be satisfying. You’d hardly think it’d be a big pull for newbie viewers either, who’d probably steer clear if they weren’t already familiar with 236 episodes of intricate backstory. Nostalgia revivals don’t need to be slavish to their source material, but it’s hard to see the appeal for something so grim and unpleasant.

Apropos of nothing, let’s talk about the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard.

Image of Patrick Stewart and Michael Dorn from 'Star Trek: Picard' in the USS Titan transporter room.
Trae Patton / Paramount+

Season three was sold as something of a course correction for Picard after its first two deeply unpopular runs. It ditched all but Raffi from the roster of original characters created for it, and instead pulled in the stars from Star Trek: The Next Generation. As well as the returning Jonathan Frakes, Marina Sirtis and Brent Spiner, we’ll see LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden and Michael Dorn back in action. And, in the six of ten episodes I’ve been permitted to watch under strict embargo, I’d say only one of them feels like the character we know and love.

Unfortunately, while we have the other TNG stars, the creative team of Executive Producer Alex Kurtzman and showrunner Terry Matalas didn’t bother to grab any of that show’s lightness of tone. Picard remains a grimdark slog, shot on perpetually underlit sets and featuring a succession of increasingly-bleak setpieces. The plot is stretched so thin that the first four episodes turn out to be little more than an extended prologue for the rest. A prologue that could, I should add, have been an efficient, and possibly more enjoyable, hour. The story is so obvious, too, that you’ll be ahead of the characters pretty much non-stop as they stumble from one idiot plot to the next.

It’s maddening that we can see how much of the plot is blocking itself to ensure things can’t move forward too quickly. There’s a whole episode of gosh-isn’t-this-tense tension that could have been eliminated if anyone in Starfleet pulled out a tricorder and used it as God intended. In this utopian future, where science and technology really are advanced enough to look like magic, why does nobody employ the tools hanging from their waistband? Mostly because Paramount ordered ten episodes, and ten episodes is what we’re going to give them. Another episode has a time-filling punch fight runaround because it’s now somehow impossible for a serving officer to use a Federation ship’s intercom system to call the bridge and warn them of impending danger.

Picard is one of those series where you often find yourself shouting at the screen as the next stupid moment unfolds in front of you. Even worse is that the show’s creative team seem to think that it’s us, the audience, who are deficient in the thinking department. There is scene after scene in which characters repeat the same lines back to each other because the crew assume we’re not paying attention. Because of the limits on spoilers, I’ve re-written a scene to match the sentiment, if not the words verbatim, so you can get a sense of what to expect:

CREW 1: The ship is being pulled closer to the black hole’s gravity well.

CREW 2: We do not have enough power to pull ourselves away, sir.

RIKER: Are you saying that we’re dead in the water?

CREW 1: We will be passing the black hole’s event horizon in 17 minutes.

RIKER: We’re dead in the water and we’re sinking.

PICARD: We’re going to be dead in 17 minutes, Will, unless we can find a way to solve this.

RIKER: We’re sinking into quicksand, and there’s no time to grab a helping hand.

The irony is that this run is so thicket-dense with references that the show basically assumes that you’ve already seen pretty much everything produced during Trek’s gold, silver and bronze ages. But, to make sure nobody’s left behind, everyone has to speak in exposition so hamfisted that, now that this is over, I think Michelle Hurd deserves personal injury compensation. Raffi gets saddled with so many cringe-inducing lines where she states, and restates and re-restates the obvious that I started grasping fistfuls of my own hair to relieve some of my discomfort.

And as for the storyline, what can I say? It’s clear that Alex Kurtzman is only comfortable writing in a single register. His go-to is usually a militaristic, testosterone-fuelled paranoid Reaganite fantasy in which the real villain was our own government all along. He did it in Into Darkness, Discovery season two and even the first season of Picard – to the point where Starfleet is now so lousy with double agents that all of their schemes fail because the saboteurs are all too busy sabotaging each other’s plans instead of that of the wider Federation.

If Picard is nothing else, it’s nearly pornographic in its use and misuse of franchise iconography. I always felt that Jeff Russo’s Picard theme sounded more like the library music for a corporate advert than the makes-your-heart-soar theme a Star Trek deserves. And here, it’s been ditched in favor of Jerry Goldsmith’s sumptuous, nectar-for-the-ears score for First Contact. The first title card is a direct pull from Wrath of Khan, and pretty much every element therein is an elbow to the ribs, reminding you of older, better Star Trek movies and TV series.

An early scene has a character “hijacking a starship” under false pretenses while it’s in spacedock. You know, the mushroom-shaped megastation orbiting Earth from The Search for Spock onwards. And because we’re already going beat-for-beat for a sequence xeroxed from 1984, said starship even jumps to warp as soon as it’s past the exit doors. Despite the fact that the sort of hardcore Trek fans who would spot the reference would also note that you’re not meant to jump to warp while inside a solar system when there’s no urgent need to do so.

I’ll admit, this is postgraduate degree-level Star Trek nerdery, but you can’t have it both ways: If you’re trying to placate hostile viewers with the excessive fan service, you can’t then complain when they point out that you’re doing it all wrong.

The show’s teaser trailer already revealed we’re getting an overstuffed roster of villains to round out the run. Amanda Plummer’s captain of an enemy ship that shares a design with the Narada from Star Trek ‘09. Then there’s Daniel Davis’ holographic Professor Moriarty, as well as Data’s evil twin brother Lore. Both of these sorta make sense in the context, but there’s a hell of a lot of narrative scaffolding to explain away the fact that Brent Spiner is now 74 years old. (The dude looks good for it, but it’s hard to play an ageless android when time marches on and the de-aging CGI budget is spent on smoothing out Patrick Stewart’s face for a single flashback and the pointless needle-drops that open every episode.)

Now, before you scurry off to Memory Alpha to confirm that Moriartywas locked away in a holobox at the end of “Ship in a Bottle,” and Lorewas disassembled at the end of “Descent Part 2,” yes, they were. Try to remember that showrunner Terry Matalas and executive producer Alex Kurtzman treat Star Trek’s continuity less as something which informs storytelling and more as a series of shiny objects to keep us all amused when the plot sags or anyone has any time to think about what’s going on.

I’ll also add that the trailers and promotional material have very intentionally kept a lot of material back. There are more classic-era heroes and villains crowbarring their way into the story in the way that, if it were fanfiction, would seem excessive. But, if I’m honest, the second or third time someone, or something, familiar popped up, I wasn’t whooping and cheering, I was sighing. The Star Trek universe is vast and broad and deep, but Picard makes it feel like a puddle where everyone knows each other, and everyone under the age of 30 has grown up watching The Next Generation. If you’re serving in the US Navy, for instance, how likely is it that you’d know the ins and outs of every exploit of even the most well-traveled combat vessel?

Now, I don’t have the language or experience to discuss this properly, and I’m aware of others who do feel differently. This is just my opinion, but I think the depiction of drug and alcohol use in Picard has always felt off. And since I can’t talk about the third season, I’ll talk about the first, where something very similar happened and is just as vexing here as it was back then. Raffi deals with her son’s rejection by relapsing, but then mere hours later, she’s back at her station and advancing the plot. I don’t recall a sense that her use clouded her judgment and I don’t think it was discussed subsequently – so despite the portentiousness in the build-up, it was depicted almost like someone just having a bad day and knocking back some drinks. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, because there are plenty of people who use drugs and it doesn’t impact their professional lives at all. (Read any Making-Of book about The Original Series and you’ll notice how more than a few references to the production team’s drug use.) But if you’re going to write a plot where scenes hang on the will-she-or-won’t-she tension of relapse, but it all turns out to be hunky dory straight after, what was the point of depicting any of this in the first place?

Then there’s the violence, and the casual way that it’s doled out, especially in the show’s numerous interrogation scenes. I’m not advocating for forced confessions, but given Starfleet’s advanced science, and the Federation has a planet of literal telepaths at its disposal, why are we always punching people in the nose with a butt of a phaser pistol? I mean, I know why: It’s a nerdy sci-fi show play acting as a muscular basic-cable drama, but that doesn’t mean it works. I’ve often theorized that many modern-day Star Trek creators would much rather be over the hall making their own Star War instead. Maybe I’m wrong, and the Picard crew is really nostalgic for the hamfisted Bush-era politics of 24.

Image of Amanda Plummer and some aliens in a dark corridor in an unnamed location during 'Star Trek: Picard's third season
Trae Patton / Paramount+

It was always going to be hard to pull Picard out of its creative slump that started back when the show was greenlit. If there was ever a character who we’d seen grow, change, mature and treat his own life with more kindness, it was Jean-Luc Picard. Some of TNG’s best episodes forced Picard to consider his own life, his history, his mortality, his motives, including the series’ grand finale. “All Good Things” isn’t just good Star Trek, it’s one of the best series finales ever made, encompassing the entire breadth and depth of The Next Generation in one glorious sweep. And between seven years of TV and four less essential but still important movies, he was done.

I wrote somewhere, I forget where, that a smarter idea would have been to center the action on a less-well served member of the Enterprise D crew. I’d have been second in line to watch a Geordi LaForge spin-off (behind uber fan Rihanna, of course), and there’s plenty to explore there. Or a Beverley Crusher spin-off, as she solves people’s problems as a simple country space doctor back on Earth or on some far-flung planet. Maybe a sci-fi version of In Treatment fronted by Marina Sirtis could have worked, and would have certainly cost less than this.

All of which would be preferable to what we got, which despite initially having a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist at the helm, was two years of go-nowhere, do-nothing bore-a-thons. Its brief moments of cleverness drowned out by the baffling character decisions, tin-eared dialog and ligneous acting. And both had plots which would have struggled to fill a movie stretched out across a painfully slow ten hour runtime.

And that’s before we get to the moralizing, which had characters pointing at a bad thing and saying “thing bad.” I don’t think the second season’s 26 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes is because the (inexplicably) conservative wing of Trek fandom was outraged that a show about happy space communists solving problems while remaining friends suddenly “got woke.” Good, old-fashioned Star Trek at least had the good grace to cloak its progressivism in allegory that could slide past the otherwise closed minds of some of its viewers. By comparison, Picard felt like the first draft of a high school theater production made the term after the teacher had explained agitprop.

Maybe that’s why I feel so annoyed by Picard, because all of the things that are wrong with the show, and its kin, are examples of amateurishness. Amateurish plotting, amateurish dialogue, a lack of thoughtfulness about the material, what it says, or what it’s doing. Just an endless parade of big, dumb, brash, po-faced melodrama used in place of some sort of maturity or integrity. I don’t expect Star Trek to be brilliant all the damn time, but I do expect a minimum standard of something to be upheld. And this falls so far below it, it’s hard to call it Star Trek. Some people will call that gatekeeping, but Star Trek can be anything it damn well wants to be, so long as it’s competently made and halfway entertaining. 

The constant callbacks got me thinking about the period when Nicholas Meyer was, directly or indirectly, the major creative force behind Star Trek. It’s been 32 years since his 1991 swansong, The Undiscovered Country, and it remains a high-water mark of cinematic Trek. Drawing to a close the story of The Original Series crew, Meyer didn’t go for nostalgia, but savaged his characters, exposing their flaws, their bigotries, their failings. There was redemption, and heart, and it never needed Meyer to stage endless close-quarters phaser-fu fights in unlight rooms.

But that was a filmmaker with a clear vision, and the good graces to really drag his characters in the dirt before washing them clean. Imagine what would happen if Picard encountered any of the same level of subtext – they’d probably spend an hour running from it before beating it over the head with the butt of a phaser rifle and then spend the next hour feeling glum about it. If nothing else, I’d say don’t even watch Picard for ironic kicks, lest Paramount think it’s somehow a runaway hit and continue to produce crap like this.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Mobvoi’s new TimeShow app brings new watch faces to Wear OS smartwatches

One of the best things about owning a smartwatch is the vast array of watch faces that are available to fine-tune the device to your personal taste. On top of the default package of watch faces included in its range of TicWatch wearables, Mobvoi has just launched a new website that graphic designers and digital […]

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The best Apple Watch accessories for 2023

It didn’t take long for the Apple Watch to become perhaps the most ubiquitous wearable. Even more so than the iPhone, the Apple Watch is a device you can truly make your own with the right accessories. It is, after all, a watch, and like traditional timepieces it’s meant to reflect your personal style. While the most obvious way to customize your Apple Watch is with funky bands, there are cases, stands, wireless chargers and other accessories you can buy that can inject a bit of you into all aspects of Apple Watch ownership. We tested out a bunch of Apple Watch accessories to see which are worth your money.

Spigen Thin Fit case

While plenty of us use cases to protect our smartphones from drops and scrapes, you may not think to use a protective case for your smartwatch. After all, a device that’s literally strapped to your body isn’t as prone to accidental drops as a device that moves in and out of your pocket all day. Chalk it up to me being clumsy, but I’ve knocked my Apple Watch on more door frames than I’d like to admit. For less than $ 25, a case is a good option if you don’t want to take any chances with that $ 279-plus smartwatch on your wrist.

“Cases” are basically bumpers that surround the edges of the Apple Watch, and some of them even cover the screen. I personally prefer a bumper-style case because, if I’m going to cover the display, it’ll be with a dedicated screen protector. Spigen’s line of Apple Watch cases are solid and they come in two different levels of bulk. The Rugged Armor series has a shock-absorbent layer and raised bezels, making it especially well suited for those who prioritize protection over fashion. Spigen’s Thin Fit series is more my speed: It sits flush against the Watch’s display, but still gives you an extra layer of protection. You can even choose a color that matches your Watch to help it blend in. Two added perks of Spigen’s cases are that they snap on quickly and easily, and they’re quite affordable at around $ 14 a piece.

Zagg InvisibleShield screen protector

If you don’t want the extra bulk that comes with a case, a screen protector will give you at least a bit more of a safeguard than sporting a naked Watch. Zagg’s InvisibleShield line is a reliable one that provides shatter protection, clarity and enhanced touch-sensitivity. When installed properly (Zagg gives you clear instructions and all the tools you need to do so), you’ll probably forget you have a screen protector on your Watch. This accessory blends in almost seamlessly with the Watch’s hardware, and if you do accidentally ding the screen, the protector should take all of the damage.

Anker Nano 3 30W charger

The latest Apple Watches don’t come with power adapters, so you’ll have to dig one out of your drawer or get a new one to charge it up. Anker’s 30W Nano 3 is a good pick because it’s compact, foldable and has ActiveShield 2.0, an improvement on Anker’s temperature-monitoring technology. In brief, it just means that the charger will keep an eye on its temperature to prevent overheating or damaging your device while it’s powering up. It has more than enough wattage to charge your Apple Watch quickly and efficiently, and enough to fast-charge your iPhone whenever you need to switch off and use it for that.

Apple MagSafe Duo charger

Apple makes one of the more elegant solutions to charging your iPhone and Apple Watch while traveling. The MagSafe Duo has spaces to wirelessly charge both devices and folds up into a neat square when not in use. The Apple Watch pad flips upward as well, allowing you to use the gadget in Nighttime mode while it’s charging. While this wireless charger does come with a USB-C to Lightning cable to provide power to the system, it does not come with an AC adapter so you will have to remember to pack your own.

Belkin Boost Charge Pro portable fast charger

Apple Watch chargers are a bit different than Lightning cables in the sense that you probably have only one of the former and many of the latter. Those who travel or commute often should consider getting a second Apple Watch charger, that way you’re not stuck if you forget to pack your one and only before a long weekend trip. Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro portable fast charger is a great option, particularly for those who have a Series 8. The square pad uses Apple’s new fast wireless-charging module, so it’ll be able to power up the Series 8 from 0 to 80 percent in roughly 45 minutes.

You can simply sit your timepiece on the module to charge, but it also flips up so you can use the Watch in Nightstand mode while it’s powering up on your bedside table. To support different Watch sizes and protective cases, the pad also has a dial on its underside that lets you adjust the height of the charging module. Plus, the attached USB-C cable that tucks away on the bottom of the pad is four feet long, giving you a bit more placement flexibility than other chargers.

Incase Bionic organizer

You’ll likely have your Apple Watch strapped to your wrist while traveling, but it’s a good idea to have a pouch or case that can hold the gadget along with any accessories you need when you’re not wearing it. We’ve recommended Incase’s Bionic organizer in the past, and it remains a great option to hold all of your tech essentials while you’re out and about. It’s relatively compact at 9.5 x 6 x 2 inches and it has a number of internal pockets and loops to hold things like extra Watch bands, your charging cable and adapter, and even your AirPods. We also appreciate the semi-hidden external pocket in which you can store things you need quick-access to. And you can feel good about picking up this bag as it’s made out of 100-percent recycled, ripstop fabric.

Elago W6 Apple Watch stand

If you want to use the Apple Watch’s handy Nightstand mode while it’s charging, a stand or holder can make that experience much easier. There are tons of options in this space, but Elago’s stands have a lot of personality and are pretty affordable to boot. The brand’s W-series comes in a number of fun designs, including that of a retro handheld gaming system, an old Mac and even some Line characters. They’re not the sturdiest stands out there (they’re mostly made of lightweight plastic, making them prone to sliding around if you pull on the charging cord), but they will inject some cuteness into your space – and for only $ 15, what more could you want?

Spigen ArcField MFi-certified charging

Most Apple Watch stands you’ll find have a spot for you to weave in the magnetic charging pad that comes with your Watch. But if you want to keep that in your travel bag, or simply want a second charger, we recommend Spigen’s ArcField stand. It has a built-in wireless charger for your Apple Watch, with a weighted, non-slip base that prevents the whole thing from moving around on your nightstand. Attached to the stand is a 6.6-foot USB-C cable, so all you’ll need to provide is an adapter. We also like that it comes with an assortment of rubber strips that you can use to get the right position and viewing angle for your specific Apple Watch. That means this stand works with all Apple Watches, even the beefy Ultra.

Apple Watch band multi-packs

One of the easiest ways to make your Apple Watch your own is by picking up a couple of bands that suit your style. Like with iPhone cases, you could easily turn to Apple’s first-party options – but you’ll spend more money in the long run if you do that. It’s easy to find good Apple Watch bands online from other brands in a variety of styles and materials. When it comes to basic silicone straps, you can find packs of three to six bands for less than $ 20 but the quality may be questionable. Look for brands with many high ratings on Amazon if you insist on getting the best bang for your buck. You can also use FakeSpot’s Amazon integration to get an idea for how trustworthy a product’s reviews are.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

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Watch NASA’s latest Artemis 1 launch attempt here at 1:04AM ET

NASA is once again preparing to launch Artemis 1 after technical issues and hurricanes upended previous attempts. The next launch window for the uncrewed test flight around the Moon will be open for two hours, starting at 1:04AM ET on November 16th. In case NASA has to scrub it once again, the agency has scheduled another backup launch window, which opens at 1:45AM on November 19th.

The agency had penciled in a launch attempt for November 14th, but Hurricane Nicole forced a slight delay to those plans. NASA kept the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft on the launch pad as the hurricane battered the Kennedy Space Center. They sustained minor damage, but not enough to force a lengthier delay.

NASA first tried to send Artemis 1 into space on August 29th, but engine issues and a hydrogen fuel leak forced the agency to scrub the initial launch attempts. The next stab at a launch in late September didn’t work out either. NASA took the SLS and Orion back to the Vehicle Assembly Building to protect them from Hurricane Ian. Here’s hoping NASA can finally send them on their way this time.

You can watch a livestream of the latest launch attempt below. Alternatively, you can watch the launch in virtual reality. If you happen to be in Florida or the south east region of Georgia, you may be able to see the SLS and Orion soar into the skies by going outside, if conditions are favorable enough.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

The Apple Watch Series 8 is $50 off ahead of Black Friday

At just $ 349, this is the lowest price we’ve seen on the Apple Watch Series 8. It’s gone this low before, but it never stays on sale for long. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading or getting your first Apple Watch, now might be a good time to move on it. 

Both the 45mm and 41mm sizes are $ 50 off, and the deal applies to the midnight, red and silver case colors. The starlight case is still regular price as of this writing. This is the GPS model, without cellular connectivity, so you’ll need your phone around to make calls and texts, but with its built-in capabilities, the watch can still track runs, play music and check your heart rate if you leave your phone behind

The Apple Watch is our current favorite smartwach overall, as it’s a robust wearable that balances activity and health tracking with plenty of lifestyle and connectivity features, such as keeping up with podcasts or staying on top of your calendar. And of course, if you’re an iPhone user, adding an Apple Watch to the mix is a no-brainer. 

When we tested out the Series 8 upon its debut, we liked the extended battery life, quick charging and a low power mode that squeezed out an extra two hours of use after the watch ran down to 20 percent. New for the Series 8 are temperature readings (which can help track ovulation) as well as crash detection. While the look is pretty unchanged from the Series 7, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, particularly if you want that iconic, square Apple Watch look. 

In the end, we named the Apple Watch Series 8 the “new best smartwatch,” with our reviewer deciding to use it as her primary smartwatch. But like we said, this $ 50-off deal doesn’t tend to stick around long, so you might want to grab it now.  

Get the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

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Watch the last total lunar eclipse until 2025 on November 8th

You’re about to get your last chance at witnessing a total lunar eclipse for quite some time. NASA has pointed out that the last such eclipse until March 2025 begins in the early morning hours of November 8th in North America. Parts of Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America can also get a glimpse. The partial eclipse will start at 4:09AM Eastern, with totality lasting from 4:16AM through 5:42AM. The ending partial phase will finish at 6:49AM. Those on the eastern US coast will miss some or all of that last segment as the Moon sets. However, you might not have to venture outside if it’s too chilly — there are ways to watch from the warmth of home.

Livestreams will be available. Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona will offer multiple telescope views of the total lunar eclipse starting at 4AM Eastern. Timeanddate.com will have streams in multiple cities, including its own view from Roswell, New Mexico as well as feeds from San Diego and Perth in Australia. The Virtual Telescope Project will also provide international coverage.

You’ll want to have a look even if 2025 doesn’t seem that far away. Total lunar eclipses (where the Earth sits directly between the Moon and Sun) earn their “blood Moon” nickname due to the optical tricks that paint the lunar surface a dramatic red. Where short-wavelength blue light tends to get caught in the particles of Earth’s atmosphere, the longer wavelengths of red, orange and yellow help them complete the cosmic journey. It’s a stunning effect you can see with your naked eyes. And if you have a telescope, you may even spot Uranus in the distance.

There will be partial and penumbral lunar eclipses during the interval. The first visible in the Americas will take place on October 28th, 2023, with others due on March 25th and September 18th the following year. You’re not completely out of luck, then, even if those events won’t be quite so eye-catching.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

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