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Should You Upgrade To The OnePlus 12 From The 10 Pro?

We pit the OnePlus 12 and its predecessor from two years ago, the OnePlus 10 Pro, to see if it is worth the technical upgrade.
TalkAndroid

How to remove location data from your iPhone photos

When you take a picture with your iPhone, chances are it’s saving your location data with each photo. What if you want to remove this info?
Digital Trends

This is what it looks like to reenter Earth’s atmosphere from a space capsule’s POV

Incredible footage released by Varda Space Industries gives us a first-person view of a space capsule’s return trip to Earth, from the moment it separates from its carrier satellite in orbit all the way through its fiery reentry and bumpy arrival at the surface. Varda’s W-1 capsule landed at the Utah Test and Training Range, a military site, on February 21 in a first for a commercial company. It spent roughly eight months leading up to that in low Earth orbit, stuck in regulatory limbo while the company waited for the government approvals it needed to land on US soil, according to Ars Technica.

“Here’s a video of our capsule ripping through the atmosphere at mach 25, no renders, raw footage,” the company posted on X alongside clips from reentry. Varda also shared a 28-minute video of W-1’s full journey home from LEO on YouTube.

Varda, which worked with Rocket Lab for the mission, is trying to develop mini-labs that can produce pharmaceuticals in orbit — in this case, the HIV drug ritonavir. Its W-1 capsule was attached to Rocket Lab’s Photon satellite “bus,” which the company said ahead of launch would provide power, communications and altitude control for the capsule. Photon successfully brought the capsule to where it needed to be for last week’s reentry, then itself burned up in Earth’s atmosphere, SpaceNews reported. Now that the capsule has returned, Ars Technica reports that the ritonavir crystals grown in orbit will be analyzed by the Indiana-based pharmaceutical company, Improved Pharma.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-is-what-it-looks-like-to-reenter-earths-atmosphere-from-a-space-capsules-pov-211120769.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Biden signs executive order to stop Russia and China from buying Americans’ personal data

President Joe Biden has signed an executive order that aims to limit the mass-sale of Americans’ personal data to “countries of concern,” including Russia and China. The order specifically targets the bulk sale of geolocation, genomic, financial, biometric, health and other personally identifying information.

During a briefing with reporters, a senior administration official said that the sale of such data to these countries poses a national security risk. “Our current policies and laws leave open access to vast amounts of American sensitive personal data,” the official said. “Buying data through data brokers is currently legal in the United States, and that reflects a gap in our national security toolkit that we are working to fill with this program.”

Researchers and privacy advocates have long warned about the national security risks posed by the largely unregulated multibillion-dollar data broker industry. Last fall, researchers at Duke University reported that they were able to easily buy troves of personal and health data about US military personnel while posing as foreign agents.

Biden’s executive order attempts to address such scenarios. It bars data brokers and other companies from selling large troves of Americans’ personal information to countries or entities in Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela either directly or indirectly. There are likely to be additional restrictions on companies’ ability to sell data as part of cloud service contracts, investment agreements and employment agreements.

Though the White House described the step as “the most significant executive action any President has ever taken to protect Americans’ data security,” it’s unclear how exactly enforcement of the new policies will be handled within the Justice Department. A DoJ official said the executive order would require due diligence from data brokers to vet who they are dealing with, similar to the way companies are expected to adhere to US sanctions.

As the White House points out, there are currently few regulations for the multibillion-dollar data broker industry. The order will do nothing to slow the bulk sale of Americans’ data to countries or companies not deemed to be a security risk. “President Biden continues to urge Congress to do its part and pass comprehensive bipartisan privacy legislation, especially to protect the safety of our children,” a White House statement says.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/biden-signs-executive-order-to-stop-russia-and-china-from-buying-americans-personal-data-100029820.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

How to remove malware and viruses from an Android phone

Downloaded an infected app? Our guide will show you the steps to take and some recommended security measures.
Digital Trends

Galaxy S24 Suffering From Android Auto Connection Problems

Very recent Samsung Galaxy S24 users are now immediately faced with car connection issues with Android Auto.
TalkAndroid

The 60 best space photos of all time from Nasa, Hubble, and more

From distant galaxies to stunning portraits of planets close to home, there’s nothing like an image of space to blow your mind. Here are 60 of our favorites.
Digital Trends

How to get a refund from the Google Play Store

What do you do if you accidentally buy the wrong app or decide you don’t want that game after all? Here’s how to get a refund in the Google Play Store.
Digital Trends

T-Mobile Users Will Receive Fewer Spam Texts From Now On

Spam messaging is the bane of owning a mobile phone but T-Mobile is on the case and is implementing fines and even permanent suspensions for repeat offenders.
TalkAndroid

NASA beamed a video of a cat named Taters from deep space to Earth

In a successful demonstration of new laser communications capabilities, NASA beamed an ultra-high definition video across 19 million miles of space from its Psyche spacecraft to Earth earlier this month. It’s the first time a UHD streaming video has been sent from deep space via laser. The history-making video? A 15-second clip of an orange cat named Taters chasing a laser dot.

The signal from the video, sent on December 11, made it to Earth in 101 seconds from Psyche’s location at the time, which was about 80 times as far as the distance between Earth and the moon. It was uploaded before the mission launched, and sent back home by a flight laser transceiver aboard Psyche at a rate of 267Mbps. The spacecraft, which set off on its journey in October, is on its way to study a metal-rich asteroid in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

“Despite transmitting from millions of miles away, it was able to send the video faster than most broadband internet connections,” said Ryan Rogalin, the receiver electronics lead for the project at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. “In fact, after receiving the video at Palomar, it was sent to JPL over the internet, and that connection was slower than the signal coming from deep space.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nasa-beamed-a-video-of-a-cat-named-taters-from-deep-space-to-earth-175814869.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

A One Piece anime remake is in the works from Netflix and Wit Studio

Right now’s a really good time to be a One Piece fan. Netflix announced on Sunday that it’s working with Wit Studio — the animation studio behind the early seasons of Attack on Titan and Vinland Saga — for a new anime adaptation of the long-running series. It’ll start fresh from the East Blue saga, or the beginning of Eiichiro Oda’s manga, which is now in its final saga and expected to wrap up in the next few years.

One Piece follows the adventures of the rubber-limbed pirate Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, known as the Straw Hats. Both the manga and the original anime series have been ongoing since the late ‘90s. And, just this summer, Netflix released a live-action One Piece adaptation that was surprisingly well received considering Hollywood’s track record with live-action anime remakes. 

As many have been preparing for the inevitable void that will be left when the manga and original anime come to an end, the latest announcement couldn’t be better timed. There’s little information available about the new series at this stage beyond the fact that it will be called The One Piece and “will recreate the story of the original One Piece manga.” We don’t have a release date yet, but Netflix says it’s in production now.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-one-piece-anime-remake-is-in-the-works-from-netflix-and-wit-studio-221411871.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

How to save your data from Google’s purge of inactive accounts

Google is about to begin deleting inactive Google accounts, meaning you could lose valuable data. Here’s what you need to do to keep your account.
Digital Trends

MediaTek’s new Dimensity 8300 SoC benefits from hefty performance and power efficiency boosts

After unveiling the new Dimensity 9300 flagship processor, MediaTek has just announced the Dimensity 8300 chipset which will power a range of affordable but still premium smartphones. As with the flagship chip, the Dimensity 8300 features on-device generative AI plus hefty performance and power efficiency boosts. Unlike the 9300 which went big on all its […]

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The best Samsung Galaxy Watch Black Friday deals — from $140

With these Black Friday deals you can save big on almost every model of the Samsung Galaxy Watch currently on the market.
Digital Trends

Over 3,000 iPhone 15 cases discounted for early Black Friday — from $3

With thousands of iPhone 15 cases on sale, Amazon’s early Black Friday deals are the perfect source for a case for your new phone.
Digital Trends

You should probably stay away from the Instagram Wrapped app

An app called Wrapped for Instagram has been making waves lately. But is it safe to use, or is it a scam? Here’s what you need to know.
Digital Trends

Black Friday 2023: The best early deals from Amazon, Target, Best Buy and more

With each passing year, the phrase “Black Friday” becomes more of a misnomer. What was once a day of post-Thanksgiving special offers has become a month of sales promotions from retailers across the web. It’s happening again in 2023: Target and Best Buy are already advertising their early Black Friday deals; Amazon is price matching many of those discounts and has its own “Holiday Deals” landing page; and Walmart says it’ll kick off its first wave of Black Friday deals on November 8. Many other shops and manufacturers have (or will soon have) early deals as well.

This barrage of sales promos can be aggravating, but it also presents a good opportunity to get your holiday shopping done at something closer to your own pace. To help, we’ve rounded up the best early Black Friday deals we can find below. There’s always a chance we get bigger discounts on November 24, but we’re already seeing all-time lows on Apple’s AirPods Pro, Google’s Pixel 7a, Amazon’s Echo Show 5, LG’s A2 OLED TV and other gadgets we like. We’ll be updating our list regularly in the lead-up to Black Friday, so check back if there’s anything else you’ve had your eye on. 

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

The latest version of Apple’s AirPods Pro is back on sale for $ 190 at Amazon and Target. That’s only a dollar more than the lowest price we’ve tracked and $ 59 less than buying from Apple directly. The AirPods Pro are the “best for iOS” pick in our wireless earbuds buying guide thanks to their easy pairing and deep integration with Apple devices. Effective active noise cancellation (ANC), a superb transparency mode and a pleasingly warm sound profile help as well, as does a new “adaptive audio” mode that can adjust the earphones’ noise control settings based on your surroundings. That said, their battery life is just average at six-ish hours per charge, and you really have to use an iPhone to get anything out of them. We gave the Lightning-based version of the second-generation AirPods Pro a review score of 88 last year; this new iteration is almost identical, only it comes with a USB-C charging case and has a higher IP54 dust-resistance rating.

Beats headphone sale

A handful of wireless headphones from Apple subsidiary Beats are also discounted this week. The Beats Fit Pro, for one, is back down to $ 160. That’s $ 15 more than its all-time low but about $ 20 less than its average street price. The Fit Pro is the top pick for workouts in our wireless earbuds guide, as it offers a fun sound and many of the Apple-friendly perks of the AirPods Pro in a more stable and sporty design. Its ANC isn’t as strong, however, and it lacks support for wireless charging and multi-device pairing. We gave the Fit Pro a review score of 87 in 2021. 

Elsewhere, the more basic Beats Studio Buds + are back at a low of $ 130, while the over-ear Beats Studio Pro is on sale for $ 200. Neither of those are top picks in our guides, but they may be worthwhile if you’re an Apple fan and dig the Beats aesthetic. We gave the Studio Buds + a review score of 84 in May and the Studio Pro a review score of 81 in July.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Amazon’s latest Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max have received their first discounts since they arrived in September. The former is $ 20 off at $ 30, while the latter is $ 15 off at $ 45. Between the two, the Max has a slightly faster processor clocked at 2.0GHz (instead of 1.7GHz), 16GB of internal storage (instead of 8GB) and support for the Wi-Fi 6E (instead of just Wi-Fi 6). It also includes Amazon’s “Ambient Experience” mode, which displays artwork and widgets when the streamer is idle. That said, both dongles should be quick to load content. Both support the requisite streaming apps, Dolby Atmos and all the major HDR formats as well.

The downsides are the familiar ones with Fire TV devices: The UI is saddled with ads and not shy about nudging you toward Amazon services like Prime Video and Freevee. But if you often use those apps (or Alexa) and just want a competent 4K streamer for cheap, that may not be an issue. 

On the higher end of the Fire TV lineup, the Fire TV Cube is also on sale for $ 110. That ties the all-time low for the streaming box/Alexa speaker hybrid. You can also pair the Fire TV Stick 4K Max with Blink’s 1080p Video Doorbell for $ 65 total, though that offer is only available for Prime members and is only scheduled to run through November 3.

Google Chromecast with Google TV

In other streaming deals, the Google Chromecast is on sale for $ 39 at Amazon. This is a deal we’ve seen several times before, and it’s about $ 10 higher than the 4K streamer’s all-time low, but it’s still $ 11 off Google’s list price. Walmart, Target and others have the device on sale for a dollar more. The Chromecast is the runner up in our guide to the best streaming devices: It was released way back in 2020 and doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, but it streams fast enough and works with the major streaming apps. Its biggest selling point is its Google TV interface, which does well to proactively suggest shows you might like based on your viewing history and offers genuinely convenient voice search. If you’re shopping for an older TV, the 1080p version of the Chromecast is also on sale for $ 20.

The top pick in our media streamer guide is the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which pairs solid performance and wide app support with a more straightforward interface centered on apps. That dongle isn’t discounted as of this writing, but we should see a sale at some point in the coming weeks.

Amazon Echo Show 5

Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is back down to $ 40, which ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. That’s $ 50 off the 5.5-inch smart display’s list price, though the device has been on sale for much of the past month. We highlight the Echo Show 5 in our smart display buying guide: The 8-inch Echo Show 8 has a better screen, richer speakers and a much sharper camera for video calls, but the Echo Show 5 offers much of the same functionality in a more compact design. If you prefer Alexa to the Google Assistant and want a smarter kind of alarm clock for your nightstand, it should work well. The Echo Show 8 isn’t discounted, though that may change by Black Friday.

Google Nest Hub

If you’re partial to the Google Assistant, Google’s Nest Hub is also on sale for $ 60 at Target, B&H, Best Buy, Google’s online store and others. That’s $ 20 higher than its all-time low but still $ 40 off Google’s list price. The Nest Hub is the top overall pick in our smart display buying guide, and we gave it a review score of 89 back in 2021. It has a 7-inch screen, so it’s a bit bigger than the Echo Show 5 but should still be compact enough to fit neatly in a bedroom or small office. While it lacks a built-in camera, that may be a selling point for those who especially sensitive to their privacy (though no smart display is truly privacy-conscious). 

Ultimately, whether it’s worth getting a Nest Hub or Echo Show depends on what services you use: If you own a bunch of Nest devices and depend on apps like Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Photos, Google’s display will make sense. If you want a larger model with a webcam and stronger speakers, the 10-inch Nest Hub Max is also on sale for $ 129. That’s a $ 100 discount. Google says these offers will last through November 5.

Sony WH-1000XM5

The Sony WH-1000XM5 is down to $ 328 at Amazon and B&H. Though this isn’t an all-time low, it’s about $ 70 off Sony’s list price and $ 20 lower than the headphones’ usual recurring sale price. The XM5 is the top recommendation in our guide to the best wireless headphones, as it offers a comfortable design, powerful ANC, crisp call quality and 30 or so hours of battery life. It also comes with a number useful bonus features such as “Speak to Chat,” which automatically pauses your music when you start talking to somebody else. By default, its bass-heavy sound plays well with hip-hop and EDM, though you can easily customize the EQ curve through Sony’s app. We gave the XM5 a score of 95 in our review last year. B&H’s product listing says that this particular deal will end on November 5.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony’s WF-1000XM5, meanwhile, is the top overall pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds, and it’s now down to a new low of $ 248 at Amazon and B&H. Several other retailers have it for $ 2 more. Normally, these noise-canceling earphones go for $ 300. Like the over-ear XM5, this in-ear model delivers excellent ANC (with strong passive isolation), loads of helpful features and a warm sound that’s fun out of the box but can be customized if needed. Battery life is decent at seven or eight hours per charge and, notably, the design is lighter, smaller and altogether more comfortable than past Sony earbuds. The WF-1000XM5 earned a score of 87 in our review this past July. This deal also runs through November 5.

iRobot Roomba 694

The Roomba 694 is down to $ 159 at Amazon, iRobot’s online store and other retailers, which is another all-time low and roughly $ 60 below the robot vacuum’s average street price. This is the top pick in our guide to the best budget robovacs. It’s a relatively basic model, so it navigates around rooms semi-randomly instead of intelligently mapping set paths. That means it’ll bonk into your furniture every now and then. But it’s sturdily put together and an effective cleaner across carpet and hard floors. iRobot’s companion app makes it easy to remotely turn the vacuum on and off, set cleaning schedules and check battery status as well. Battery life is rated at up to 90 minutes, though that’ll vary depending on what surfaces you need to clean. Other Roombas we like are also on sale, including the vac-and-mop Roomba Combo j7+ for a low of $ 699.

Google Pixel 7a

Google’s Pixel 7a is down to $ 374 at Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Google’s online store. That’s a new all-time low and $ 125 off Google’s list price. The Pixel 7a is the top midrange pick for Android fans in our smartphone buying guide, and we gave it a score of 90 in our review this past May. While it’s a clear step behind the best flagship phones, its steady performance, detailed photo quality, robust battery life and wireless charging support help it punch above its price range. A lovely 6.1-inch 1080p OLED display, IP67-rated water resistance and the promise of OS updates into 2026 (with security updates into 2028) only further the value. The design is mostly plastic, and the display maxes at a 90Hz refresh rate instead of 120Hz, but those are hardly complaints for less than $ 400. Again, Google says this deal will run through November 5.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

Apple’s 9th-gen iPad is down to $ 249 at Amazon, Walmart and Target, which is a deal we’ve seen for much of the past month but still matches the tablet’s lowest-ever price. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide, and it earned a review score of 86 in 2021. It’s the last iPad to use Apple’s old design language, so it has thick bezels, a Lightning port, a Home button and a non-laminated display. This variant also comes with a paltry 64GB of storage. At this price, though, it’s still hard to do better if all you want is a large screen for streaming video, playing games and browsing the web. Its 10.2-inch display remains a step up from cheaper slates, its A13 Bionic chip is plenty fast for casual media consumption and its battery still lasts around 10 hours per charge. Most importantly, it’s the cheapest route into Apple’s huge app library, customer support and years of software updates. 

If you want a more modern design, the iPad Air is the top pick in our guide, and it’s now on sale for $ 500. Be warned, though: A recent Bloomberg report says that Apple plans to launch new tablets in the spring. If you don’t need an iPad right away, it’s probably worth waiting.

Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet is on sale for all-time low of $ 399 at Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Google’s own online store. That’s $ 100 off the 11-inch slate’s list price and $ 10 less than the deal we saw during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale last month. We gave the Pixel Tablet a review score of 85 earlier this year: Its crisp LCD display, clean software and solid Tensor G2 chip make it a solid Android tablet in its own right, but its biggest selling point is the charging speaker dock that comes with it. Plop the Pixel Tablet onto that and it becomes a Nest Hub Max-style smart display and smart home hub. This deal applies to the base model with 128GB of storage, but the 256GB version is also $ 100 off at $ 499. As with the other Google deals above, Google says this offer will run through November 5. 

Amazon Fire Max 11

Amazon’s Fire Max 11 tablet is back down to $ 150, which matches the lowest price we’ve seen and comes in $ 80 below its typical going rate. This is the largest and fastest slate Amazon makes, and its aluminum frame gives it a more substantial feel than the cheaper plastic models in the Fire lineup. The 11-inch display has a relatively sharp 2,000 x 1,200 resolution as well. The usual limitations of all Fire tablets are still here — a weak app store with no Google apps and an ad-heavy interface that heavily pushes you toward Amazon services chief among them. But at this price, the Fire Max 11 could make sense if you regularly use apps like Prime Video or Kindle and don’t want to pay for an entry-level iPad.

LG A2 OLED TV

We expect to see many more TV deals as we get closer to Black Friday, but for now one standout is LG’s 48-inch A2 OLED TV on sale for a new low of $ 550 at Best Buy. This is an entry-level model from 2022, so it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, lacks HDMI 2.1 ports and doesn’t support other gaming-friendly features like VRR. That said, it’s still an OLED TV, so it delivers deep contrast, bold colors, wide viewing angles and low input lag. At this price, it should be a nice step-up option for smaller or secondary rooms. Just note that it can’t get as bright as higher-end OLED sets, so it’s best situated away from direct sunlight. 

Apple MacBook Air (15-inch)

A configuration of Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage is down to $ 1,499 at Best Buy. That’s $ 200 less than Apple’s MSRP. If you can live with less memory, a version with 8GB of RAM is on sale for $ 1,250 at Amazon with an on-page coupon. Either way, the MacBook Air is the top pick in our laptop buying guide, as it has just about everything we want from a mainstream notebook: A premium design, a comfortable keyboard and trackpad, a lovely display, long battery life, great speakers and solid performance. Compared to the 13-inch Air, this model has more powerful speakers alongside its larger screen. We gave it a score of 96 in our review this past June.

The MacBook Air’s main downsides are that it only has two Thunderbolt ports and, as always, it’s virtually impossible to upgrade after the fact. Plus, with the recent introduction of the new M3 chip, the countdown is on for a refresh. A recent Bloomberg report says that Apple plans to launch an M3-powered MacBook Air at some point in 2024, though that shouldn’t make this current model obsolete if you need a new laptop right away. 

Blink security camera sale

A range of Blink security cameras and video doorbells are on sale ahead of Black Friday. The notables include a two-pack of the latest Blink Outdoor cameras for half off at $ 100, a three-pack of Blink Mini indoor cameras for $ 60 off at $ 40 and a bundle that pairs the Blink Video Doorbell with an Outdoor 4 camera for $ 90. All of those match the lowest prices we’ve seen. Blink cameras generally sit on the budget end of the security camera market — each of the devices noted above max out at 1080p — but they’re relatively simple to set up, and the outdoor models here can last up to two years on a pair of AA batteries. The Outdoor 4 in particular is the top wireless security camera pick in our guide to the best smart home gadgets

Be aware that Blink is an Amazon subsidiary, though, so these devices only work with Alexa. If you want a camera that works with the Google Assistant, a number of Google Nest devices are also on sale. Those include the wired Nest Cam for $ 70, the wired Nest Doorbell for $ 150, and the battery-powered versions of those devices for $ 120 apiece. 

FAQs

When is Black Friday 2023?

Black Friday 2023 lands on November 24 this year, with Cyber Monday 2023 following up a few days later on November 27. However, the early deals have already begun. The entire month of November might as well be renamed Holiday Shopping Month as that’s when companies really start to get serious with their discounts.

What day is Black Friday 2023 at Walmart?

Walmart Black Friday deals will begin early this year on November 8. Walmart+ members will get a few hours of early access to Black Friday deals if they shop online on November 8, with access for everyone else starting later that day. Walmart will match its online Black Friday deals in stores starting November 10.

Will Amazon have a Black Friday sale in 2023?

Amazon will likely have a Black Friday sale in 2023. While the online retailer hasn’t made its deals known yet like Walmart has, Amazon will almost certainly have deals across all of the types of products it sells, including electronics. We anticipate seeing record-low prices on Amazon devices in particular, like Echo speakers, Fire TVs, Kindles and more. In years past, Amazon Black Friday deals have brought some of the best prices of the year on our favorite gadgets and gear, including headphones, tablets, smartwatches, robot vacuums and more.

What other retailers have Black Friday sales in 2023?

Most retailers have Black Friday sales, so you can expect to see Target, Best Buy, and others join Walmart and Amazon in discounting inventory to capitalize on holiday shopping interest. In the consumer electronics space, we expect most companies to have some sort of Black Friday promotion, so that means you will likely be able to get big-ticket items from brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Sony, LG, Sonos and others for much cheaper prices.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/black-friday-2023-the-best-early-deals-from-amazon-target-best-buy-and-more-163054419.html?src=rss

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

EU users can now pay Meta to remove ads from their Facebook and Instagram feeds

We all know there’s no such thing as a free lunch. In one way or another you’ll end up paying for the meal and it’s the exact same philosophy with most things in life. Facebook and Instagram offer free access to their platforms but it’s paid for by you viewing and they hope, clicking on […]

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How to download videos from X, previously Twitter

X, the social network formerly known as Twitter, lets users download videos from its website. This feature has been live since August 2023, when Twitter owner Elon Musk personally announced the feature via — how else? — an X post. Before you attempt to download the first video you see in your feed, though, know that there are a few limitations in place. First, the creator must explicitly allow downloads for the content they post. (That means, try as you might, you won't be able to download Engadget videos. Sorry.)

Also, as you might expect, given Elon Musk's push for paid subscribers, the ability to save videos from the website is only available to verified users — i.e., mainly people who pay for a Blue subscription.

A verified user can download content by tapping the ellipsis (…) menu on the upper right corner of the screen when a video is in full screen mode. Musk also said that X will soon make it easy to download videos on mobile simply by tapping and holding the content on the screen.

Previously, people have had to use to third-party websites and apps to be able to save videos. Of course, non-paying users still have to use those tools if they want to download content from X. That doesn't come as a surprise, seeing as the company has been releasing new features specifically for paying members while making the website less usable for the rest of its userbase. It announced in July that it will limit the number of DMs non-paying users can send to address its spam issues, and it also previously limited the number of posts non-verified users can see to 600 a day.

Meanwhile, X gave verified users the ability to publish posts with up to 25,000 characters and allowed them to post videos up to three hours in length. More recently, it also gave Blue subscribers the option to hide their blue checkmark in case they don't want to make it obvious that they're paying for the service. For those interested to see how X has evolved since Elon Musk took over Twitter, company CEO Linda Yaccarino has just published the list of changes it has implemented right here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-blue-subscribers-can-now-download-videos-from-the-website-065336710.html?src=rss

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

How to send a text message from a computer

Texting is a vital part of everyday life. But what if you don’t have your phone? Here’s how to send a text message from a computer, whether it’s a Mac or a PC.
Digital Trends

Check out the new Chromebook Plus laptops from Acer and Asus

With Google’s new Chromebook Plus category officially announced, setting a threshold of performance, hardware, and features one can expect to experience. With pricing starting from $ 399 and with models needing to feature at least 8GB of memory, 128GB of storage, 1080p webcam, FHD IPS display, and powered by an Intel i3 12th Gen or AMD […]

Come comment on this article: Check out the new Chromebook Plus laptops from Acer and Asus

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Walmart iPhone deals: Get a prepaid iPhone from just $149

If you want to get a new iPhone for cheaper than usual, you should check out the available Walmart iPhone deals if you’re fine with taking on a prepaid plan.
Digital Trends

Hermès removes all leather Apple Watch bands from its site

It’s not yet clear if the move confirms recent reports that partner Apple is planning to pivot away from leather accessories for its range of devices.
Digital Trends

Clubhouse is pivoting from live audio to group messaging

Clubhouse, once the Silicon Valley darling of pandemic-era social media, announced earlier this year that it was laying off half its staff as its founders pivoted to building “Clubhouse 2.0.” Now, the company is sharing the results of its big reset, with a redesign meant to make Clubhouse “more like a messaging app.”

The audio app is pivoting from its signature “drop-in” audio conversations to friend-centric voice chats, the company said in an update. Instead of sprawling rooms where users host live-streamed conversations open to any and all of the app’s users, the new Clubhouse will instead encourage users to join groups with people they know.

The groups are, somewhat confusingly, called “chats,” and allow friends and friends-of-friends to exchange voice messages. There’s still a “drop-in” element, but it’s less focused on real-time talking and geared more toward something like an Instagram Story — a destination for checking in and sharing quick updates. The app is also ditching text-based direct messages in favor of private audio messages which, yes, it’s calling voicemails or VMs.

The biggest shift, however, isn’t just the format of the conversations but that Clubhouse is now positioning itself as more of a Snapchat, where smaller groups of friends communicate privately or semi-privately, than a Twitter, where all the app's users are shouting into the void. “It’s not about passively listening to people speaking,” the company wrote in an update. “You can listen to great conversations on podcasts, YouTube, TikTok, and a lot of other platforms. It’s about talking with people … and becoming real-life friends with your friends’ friends, and people you never would have met otherwise.”

While the pivot to messaging app may make more sense given the steep decline in engagement Clubhouse saw after pandemic restrictions eased, it’s unclear if the company will be able to return to the same buzzy highs of 2021, when it attracted millions of users and a multibillion-dollar valuation. Clubhouse, whose founders claimed earlier this year that they had “years of runway remaining,” seem like they aren’t taking success for granted their second time around.

They ended their announcement of the redesign with a bit of caution. “It’s a big bet, and we hope we’re right…”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/clubhouse-is-pivoting-from-live-audio-to-group-messaging-001520371.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Catch the livestream of Honor’s “Unfold Tomorrow” keynote at IFA on September 1st from 10AM CEST

IFA 2023 is upon us and Honor is scheduled to give a keynote speech on the opening day where it’s expected to show off the Magic V2 foldable as well as a futuristic new device (also thought to be folding) which incorporates a ‘trendsetting fashion element’. Titled “Unfold Tomorrow”, the keynote is yet another step […]

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Twitch streamers can soon block banned accounts from tuning in

Twitch announced this week that an upcoming change will allow streamers to block banned users from tuning into their streams. “You can choose to have your banned chatters no longer be able to watch the stream,” Senior Product Manager Trevor Fisher revealed on Twitch’s Patch Notes podcast (viaTechCrunch), stressing that the feature won’t be enabled by default. The new blocking feature will roll out in the next few weeks.

“The way that it will work is if you ban somebody and they’re currently watching, then the stream playback will be interrupted for them so that they immediately lose the ability to view the stream,” he explained. “And then if you go offline, you stream again, they won’t be able to watch your subsequent streams either until you choose to un-ban them.” He said it would have the same effect regardless of whether the streamer or a moderator bans someone: That person can’t watch your streams until they’re unblocked.

One significant limitation to the new feature is that it only applies to logged-in users: Anyone viewing a stream while logged out of their account can still watch it. Twitch isn’t blocking IP addresses (at least for now), which leaves room for the noteworthy exception.

Fisher stressed that this is an incremental change that only partially addresses some of the platform’s moderation problems, including multiple women accusing Twitch streamers of sexual abuse and misconduct. Other moves to address the issue have included adding a one-button anti-harassment tool, enhancing its reporting and appeals process, rewriting its community policies and taking a stronger stance against deepfakes. “We know that this is an area where people want us to do more, and it’s just been shipping off one part of the problem at a time,” Fisher said.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/twitch-streamers-can-soon-block-banned-accounts-from-tuning-in-195923803.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Baldur’s Gate III localization studio apologizes for omitting contract workers from credits

A studio that handled Baldur’s Gate III translations has apologized after outsourced workers were omitted from the game’s credits. "We take full responsibility for this omission of our freelancers' names and apologize for the effects that it had," Altagram Group founder and CEO Marie Amigues said in a statement. "We would like to thank Larian for allowing us to quickly fix that error and update the credits section. The names of the Brazilian Portuguese translators will be included in an upcoming patch to the game."

Although the credits did not feature the translators Altagram worked with, they included the names of the company's executives and department leads. Contractors who translated Baldur’s Gate III into languages other than Brazilian Portuguese were credited, though different companies handled those localizations.

Baldur’s Gate III developer and publisher Larian Studios said Altagram was to blame for the oversight. It asked the company to rectify the situation, and it seems Altagram swiftly obliged.

Unfortunately, outsourced workers who contribute to games are not always fully credited for their work. That can impact their future prospects, as it makes it slightly more difficult to prove to potential employers that they worked on a given game.

Crediting workers may not be a concern for some localization studios in the coming years, though. We'll surely see certain developers attempting to use artificial intelligence to translate games into different languages in the hopes of reducing costs. However, localization is skilled work that requires people who can not just mechanically translate text from one language to another, but can take into account factors like idiomatic quirks and cultural references that may not make sense to a certain audience.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/baldurs-gate-iii-localization-studio-apologizes-for-omitting-contract-workers-from-credits-195936678.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

These Back-to-School deals from TCL bring big savings on phones, tablets, and TVs

Here with a bunch of savings on back-to-school essentials is TCL with deals on a number of its latest devices ranging from phones to tablets to smart TVs. Whether its studying, watching TV, or keeping in touch, there’s something for everyone and we’ve got the details for you after the break. TCL 40 XL The TCL 40 XL […]

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Check out these Back-to-School deals from AT&T

Whether its a phone, smartwatch, laptop, or a charging or audio accessory, AT&T have a bunch of options for you to check out. There are discounts on phones such as the Razr+ which is just $ 5 monthly or the brand new Pixel Fold at only $ 25 monthly to be hand, plus smartphone mount from Scorsche […]

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Russia bans state officials from using Apple devices over US spying concerns

Russian authorities have begun to ban government employees from using Apple devices for official state use, according to the Financial Times. As of Monday, the country’s trade ministry will prohibit the use of iPhones for all “work purposes.” Other agencies, including Russia’s telecommunications and mass media ministry, either have similar mandates already in place or plan to begin enforcing ones soon. The Times reports the ban covers all Apple products. In some cases, however, officials can continue using those devices for personal use, provided they don’t open work correspondence on them.

Apple did not immediately respond to Engadget’s comment request. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February, the company cut off access to Apple Pay. It later halted all product sales in Russia. At the time, Apple made clear the decision was in response to the invasion, noting it stood “with all of the people” hurt by the incursion.

The ban comes after Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed at the start of June that it had uncovered a “spying operation by US intelligence agencies” involving Apple devices. The FSB said thousands of iPhones, including those in use by the country’s diplomatic missions in NATO countries, had been “infected” with monitoring software. The FSB went on to claim — without showing evidence — that Apple had worked closely with US signal intelligence to provide agents “with a wide range of control tools.” The tech giant denied those allegations, stating it had “never worked with any government to build a backdoor into any Apple product, and never will.”

More broadly, the move is reflective of a desire by Russia’s government to lessen its dependence on foreign-made technology. As The Times notes, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree last year ordering institutions involved in “critical information infrastructure” to migrate to domestically developed software by 2025. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/russia-bans-state-officials-from-using-apple-devices-over-us-spying-concerns-183732151.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

From $500 to $210: This Segway electric scooter is $290 off for Prime Day

Electric scooters are the newest craze in carless travel, and Segway has foot their foot in the ring. Grab one during Prime Day for a huge discount.
Digital Trends

How to print from your Android smartphone or tablet

Printing from a mobile device is now easier than ever — you don’t even need a PC. Here’s how to print from an Android smartphone or tablet in multiple ways.
Digital Trends

Scientists make ibuprofen and other common painkillers from paper industry waste

It's probably fair to say that when most people conjure images of the pharmaceutical industry, it's not often there's an association between the production of life-saving drugs and environmental decline. But according to one 2019 study by The Conversation, drug companies produce more tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents per million dollars than the automotive industry. "By our calculations, the pharma market is 28 percent smaller yet 13 percent more polluting than the automotive sector," the outlet said of the state of the pharmaceutical industry in 2015. Put another way: drug companies need to reduce their carbon emissions for the health of the planet and everyone living on it.

Thankfully, a group of scientists from the University of Bath in the United Kingdom may have found a way for the industry to do exactly that. In a study published in the journal ChemSusChem, the team describes a process they created for converting β-pinene, a component found in turpentine, into pharmaceutical precursors that they then used to synthesize paracetamol and ibuprofen. Right now, most companies producing those painkillers use chemical precursors derived from crude oil. Turpentine, meanwhile, is a waste by-product the paper industry makes at a scale of more than 350,000 metric tonnes per year. The researchers say they also successfully used turpentine to synthesize 4-HAP, a precursor for beta-blockers, the asthma inhaler drug salbutamol and a range of household cleaners.

In addition to being more sustainable, the team's "bio-refinery" process could lead to more consistent drug costs for consumers since turpentine isn't subject to the same geopolitical pressures that can send energy and oil prices skyrocketing. However, a significant pitfall of the process in its current form is that it costs more to produce drugs with turpentine than crude oil. The team suggests consumers may be willing to pay slightly higher prices for more sustainable drugs, but let's be honest, when someone is sick or in pain, paying more for relief is the last thing most people want to do.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/scientists-make-ibuprofen-and-other-common-painkillers-from-paper-industry-waste-182758699.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Here’s everything we expect from Samsung’s next Unpacked event

Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked July 2023 event will be held on July 26. Here’s everything we’re expecting to see at the event.
Digital Trends

Grab a free phone from Cricket Wireless when signing up for a new line

Cricket Wireless is offering a free or nearly free phone when bringing in a number and signing up for a new Unlimited plan from the carrier. Phones on offer consist of a bunch of own-branded devices as well as the new Moto G Stylus 5G (2023) and Samsung’s Galaxy A13 and A14 5G handsets. Customers […]

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The Motorola Defy Satellite Link will let you send messages from almost any location

Whether you’ve been stranded on the side of a highway, exploring the jungle, or perhaps sailing the high seas, it can be nigh on impossible to get cellular coverage to send a message to your loved ones. This may well be a thing of the past thanks to Motorola’s new Defy Satellite Link which enables […]

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Animated GIF generator from Picsart makes AI fun again

Remember the early days of the AI hype train, when everyone spent their time making stupid images using text prompts? If you want to recapture the nostalgic haze of, uh, late 2022, Picsart has got you covered. The popular image editor just launched an AI-powered animated GIF generator.

The major difference between earlier text-to-image platforms like DALL-E and Picsart’s new tool is animation. DALL-E is best known for making static images, whereas Picsart’s software creates animated GIFs, just like the ones you’ve been sending in group chats and social media platforms for years. Only, now you don’t have to search for your favorite It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia characters doing outlandish things. You can just make those outlandish things up. You can even make two cats arm wrestle.

Picsart GIF of two cats paw wrestling
Picsart

Picsart is calling the tool its “most unhinged” platform yet, and it works exactly how you expect. Type a bunch of nonsense into the chat box, wait a minute or so and marvel at your “chaotic and eccentric” creation. The platform’s integrated into the regular Picsart app and is available for iOS devices, Android devices and on the web. You can download the GIF directly to your device to share with your group chat or to send anywhere else.

The images created by this platform are on the cartoony side, so don’t expect photorealism. However, that just adds to the fun. Picsart’s AI GIF generator is available right now, so let the nonsense begin. Just don’t use these tools to make the opening credits for an uber-expensive TV show based on popular comic book characters.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/animated-gif-generator-from-picsart-makes-ai-fun-again-175935532.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Researchers reconstruct 3D environments from eye reflections

Researchers at the University of Maryland have turned eye reflections into (somewhat discernible) 3D scenes. The work builds on Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF), an AI technology that can reconstruct environments from 2D photos. Although the eye-reflection approach has a long way to go before it spawns any practical applications, the study (first reported byTech Xplore) provides a fascinating glimpse into a technology that could eventually reveal an environment from a series of simple portrait photos.

The team used subtle reflections of light captured in human eyes (using consecutive images shot from a single sensor) to try to discern the person’s immediate environment. They began with several high-resolution images from a fixed camera position, capturing a moving individual looking toward the camera. They then zoomed in on the reflections, isolating them and calculating where the eyes were looking in the photos.

The results (here’s the entire set animated) show a decently discernible environmental reconstruction from human eyes in a controlled setting. A scene captured using a synthetic eye (below) produced a more impressive dreamlike scene. However, an attempt to model eye reflections from Miley Cyrus and Lady Gaga music videos only produced vague blobs that the researchers could only guess were an LED grid and a camera on a tripod — illustrating how far the tech is from real-world use.

A dream-like scene of a room with a wall covered with various hanging frames. A broom leans against the wall, and two shirts hang nearby. A dresser sits farther to the left. We see the wall at a slight angle.
Reconstructions using a synthetic eye were much more vivid and lifelike — with a dreamlike quality.
University of Maryland

The team overcame significant obstacles to reconstruct even crude and fuzzy scenes. For example, the cornea introduces “inherent noise” that makes it difficult to separate the reflected light from humans’ complex iris textures. To address that, they introduced cornea pose optimization (estimating the position and orientation of the cornea) and iris texture decomposition (extracting features unique to an individual’s iris) during training. Finally, radial texture regularization loss (a machine-learning technique that simulates smoother textures than the source material) helped further isolate and enhance the reflected scenery.

Despite the progress and clever workarounds, significant barriers remain. “Our current real-world results are from a ‘laboratory setup,’ such as a zoom-in capture of a person’s face, area lights to illuminate the scene, and deliberate person’s movement,” the authors wrote. “We believe more unconstrained settings remain challenging (e.g., video conferencing with natural head movement) due to lower sensor resolution, dynamic range, and motion blur.” Additionally, the team notes that its universal assumptions about iris texture may be too simplistic to apply broadly, especially when eyes typically rotate more widely than in this kind of controlled setting. 

Still, the team sees their progress as a milestone that can spur future breakthroughs. “With this work, we hope to inspire future explorations that leverage unexpected, accidental visual signals to reveal information about the world around us, broadening the horizons of 3D scene reconstruction.” Although more mature versions of this work could spawn some creepy and unwanted privacy intrusions, at least you can rest easy knowing that today’s version can only vaguely make out a Kirby doll even under the most ideal of conditions.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/researchers-reconstruct-3d-environments-from-eye-reflections-203949099.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

This is what to expect from Samsung’s Unpacked event next month

As we wait for Samsung to set a specific date for its upcoming Unpacked event near the end of July, a serial leaker has revealed all that the Korean brand is planning to unveil. Thanks to the official marketing renders posted by Evan Blass, we’ve got the lineup of Galaxy devices scheduled to be announced […]

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Sony Bravia TV owners can soon take Zoom calls from the couch

Sony Bravia TVs will be the first hardware to support the upcoming Zoom for TV app on Google Play. Although remote work has dwindled as corporations beckon their underlings back to the office, those still enjoying work-from-home or hybrid arrangements could soon attend virtual meetings from their living room couches. It follows Apple’s WWDC 2023 announcement that FaceTime is coming to Apple TV (via mounted iPhones) later this year.

Bravia TVs don’t have built-in webcams, so you’ll need to buy a Bravia Cam to make the setup work. In addition to enabling Zoom calls, the $ 200 accessory can adjust sound and picture settings based on your location and distance from the television. It also allows you to control your TV with hand gestures without picking up the remote, enables a proximity alert that detects when kids sit too close (as they’re wont to do) and adds a power-saving mode that dims the screen if nobody is watching.

Split-panel image. On the left, a rendered figure sitting on a living-room couch with his TV's brightness set to max. On the right, the same figure sitting on an ottoman closer to the TV with the brightness tuned to around 70 percent.
Sony

Sony says the Zoom for TV app will be available for Bravia TVs “by early summer.” The company’s head of Bravia product design, Shusuke Tomonaga, said, “This partnership will make it possible for our customers to enjoy more realistic video communication on a large TV screen in the living room, enabling them to be more connected with the people they care about, whether they are working from home, learning remotely, or just catching up with friends and family.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-bravia-tv-owners-can-soon-take-zoom-calls-from-the-couch-213024871.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Japan will try to beam solar power from space by 2025

Japan and JAXA, the country’s space administration, have spent decades trying to make it possible to beam solar energy from space. In 2015, the nation made a breakthrough when JAXA scientists successfully beamed 1.8 kilowatts of power, enough energy to power an electric kettle, more than 50 meters to a wireless receiver. Now, Japan is poised to bring the technology one step closer to reality.

Nikkei reports a Japanese public-private partnership will attempt to beam solar energy from space as early as 2025. The project, led by Naoki Shinohara, a Kyoto University professor who has been working on space-based solar energy since 2009, will attempt to deploy a series of small satellites in orbit. Those will then try to beam the solar energy the arrays collect to ground-based receiving stations hundreds of miles away.

Using orbital solar panels and microwaves to send energy to Earth was first proposed in 1968. Since then, a few countries, including China and the US, have spent time and money pursuing the idea. The technology is appealing because orbital solar arrays represent a potentially unlimited renewable energy supply. In space, solar panels can collect energy no matter the time of day, and by using microwaves to beam the power they produce, clouds aren’t a concern either. However, even if Japan successfully deploys a set of orbital solar arrays, the tech would still be closer to science fiction than fact. That’s because producing an array that can generate 1 gigawatt of power – or about the output of one nuclear reactor – would cost about $ 7 billion with currently available technologies.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/japan-will-try-to-beam-solar-power-from-space-by-2025-214338244.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Google will start deleting inactive accounts from December 2023

As part of its efforts to prevent security lapses, Google has announced that starting it will begin deleting unused accounts starting from December 2023. This means that if you haven’t logged in to an account for a period of two years or longer that it’s likely to be erased by Google.  According to a statement […]

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This 3D printer just had its price slashed from $399 to $140

Been wanting a 3D printer but also been worried about the price? This deal from Monoprice has you covered!
Digital Trends

Flash deal drops the price of this 3D printer from $500 to just $200

If you’re planning to purchase a 3D printer, you shouldn’t miss Monoprice’s $ 300 discount for the Monoprice Maker Ultimate 2, which lowers its price to $ 200.
Digital Trends

How to transfer files from Android to your PC

Knowing how to transfer files from your Android device to a Windows PC, MacBook, or Chromebook can save you a lot of hassle. Here’s how to do it.
Digital Trends

It’s your last chance to buy from Nintendo’s Wii U and 3DS eShops

It's the end of an era as Nintendo is shutting down its Wii U and 3DS eShops today (March 27th) at 5PM PST (8PM EST). After that, you'll no longer be able to purchase new games for those consoles, though you'll still be able to redownload titles you've already purchased for the time being. 

The company first warned of the eShop closures back in February 2022, and barred users from adding funds to their accounts on August 29th. Nintendo wrote at the time that that the move was "part of the natural lifecycle for any product line as it becomes less used by consumers over time."

That may be true, but a trove of over 1,000 digital games will be lost in the shutdown, including Dr. Luigi, Mini Mario & Friends: Amiibo Challenge, and Pokémon Picross, to name but a few. In total, 450 digital-only Wii U games, 600 digital-only 3DS games and 530 virtual console games will disappear, VGC reported. Of the latter, 335 aren't currently available on Nintendo Switch Online. 

That means the only option for folks who want to play these classic games will be physical copies, which have soared in value. Many other download-exclusive games, meanwhile, will disappear for good. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/its-your-last-chance-to-buy-from-nintendos-wii-u-and-3ds-eshops-072838697.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

France bans TikTok (and Candy Crush) from government phones

It's no shock to see another country banning TikTok from government phones, but France is taking the restrictions a step further. Le Mondereports the French government is banning "recreational" apps like TikTok, Twitter, Netflix and even Candy Crush from public servants' devices. The apps represent cybersecurity risks that could jeopardize data for both the employees and the administration, according to the office of public service minister Stanislas Guerini.

The government hasn't provided an exact list of banned apps. However, Guerini said certain there could be some exceptions for the sake of necessary communication. This won't prevent a social media team from posting content, in other words. The ban takes effect immediately, but the penalties for defying the rule can be decided at the "managerial level," Guerini's office says. The approach doesn't affect personal devices.

The clampdown comes after the US federal government, dozens of states, Canada, the European Commission and the UK have banned TikTok on their workers' devices. In those cases, the rationale has been similar: officials are worried the Chinese government could collect data about important individuals, spread propaganda and compel ByteDance (TikTok's parent company) to hand over sensitive information.

TikTok has repeatedly denied collaborating with the Chinese government. In testimony before a House committee yesterday, CEO Shou Chew said ByteDance was "not an agent of China" and that American user data wouldn't be accessible to staff in other countries by the time a migration project wraps up later this year.

The French policy, however, isn't aimed at any one country or app category. Instead, it represents a general concern that entertainment apps may put government data at unnecessary risk. That's not so hot for employees hoping to watch Netflix during lunch, but it may reassure politicians worried employees might inadvertently expose info through their social media accounts.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/france-bans-tiktok-and-candy-crush-from-government-phones-170434409.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

T-Mobile customers can snag a free Season Pass to MLB TV worth $150 from March 28th

Having already given its customers an MLS Season Pass worth $ 99 back in February, T-Mobile is following up with a free Season Pass to MLB TV in case you had spare time left to watch yet another favorite sporting pastime. This latest reward is also courtesy of the T-Mobile Tuesday program which you’ll need to […]

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Verizon subscribers can grab a year of Netflix Premium for free* and other perks from March 12

Verizon subscribers can look forward to the return of a year’s subscription to Netflix Premium as part of the carrier’s +play service from March 12 worth ($ 240). The +play product has also seen the addition of a further 10 partners offering anything from streaming services to meal deliveries. Naturally, there is a catch to the […]

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