NASA’s Mars exploration robots will be on their own for the next two weeks while the space agency waits out a natural phenomenon that will prevent normal communications. Mars and Earth have reached positions in their orbits that put them on opposite sides of the sun, in an alignment known as solar conjunction. During this time, NASA says it’s risky to try and send commands to its instruments on Mars because interference from the sun could have a detrimental effect.
To prevent any issues, NASA is taking a planned break from giving orders until the planets move into more suitable positions. The pause started on Saturday and will go on until November 25. A Mars solar conjunction occurs every two years, and while the rovers will be able to send basic health updates home throughout most of the period, they’ll go completely silent for the two days when the sun blocks Mars entirely.
That means the Perseverance and Curiosity rovers, the Ingenuity helicopter, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the Odyssey and MAVEN orbiters will be left to their own devices for a little while. Their onboard instruments will continue to gather data for their respective missions, but won’t send this information back to Earth until the blackout ends.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/nasa-cant-talk-to-its-mars-robots-for-two-weeks-because-the-sun-is-in-the-way-213022922.html?src=rss
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While it’s a bit late for most tech gifts to ship in time for Christmas, there are still many deals going on for those looking to buy something nice for themselves. Apple’s AirPods Pro, for one, are down to an all-time low of $ 200, while Sony’s WF-1000XM4 earbuds are still at a low of $ 178. Several recommended gamepads from 8BitDo are on sale, as are various well-regarded OLED TVs from LG. And if you’re a PC gamer, both Steam and the Epic Games Store have kicked off sweeping holiday sales on their respective storefronts. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Apple’s AirPods Pro have dropped back to $ 200 at multiple retailers, which matches the lowest price we’ve tracked and comes in about $ 30 below the pair’s usual going rate over the last few months. We gave the AirPods Pro a review score of 88 earlier this year and currently recommend them as the “best for iOS” pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds. The sound quality and active noise cancellation (ANC) here are among the better options on the market, as is the included transparency mode. Plus, like all AirPods, they offer a host of features that make them particularly convenient to use with other Apple devices. Their call quality and six-ish hours of battery life are just average, however.
Buy AirPods Pro (2nd gen) at Amazon – $ 200
If you don’t own an iPhone, the top overall pick in our best wireless earbuds guide is Sony’s WF-1000XM4, which is also on sale for $ 178, matching the lowest price we’ve seen. We gave this pair a review score of 86 last year, praising its upper-tier ANC, solid yet customizable sound quality, 8- to 10-hour battery life and array of useful bonus features. The earpieces here are on the bulkier side, so they might not fit all ear shapes comfortably, but they do isolate an impressive amount of noise even without the ANC turned on. If you’re on a tighter budget, meanwhile, Anker’s Soundcore Space A40 is another noise-canceling set we like that’s on sale for a new low of $ 60 at Target.
Buy Sony WF-1000XM4 at Amazon – $ 178
8BitDo’s Pro 2 gamepad is down to $ 40, which is a $ 10 discount and tied for the best price we’ve tracked. This is a comfortable and extensively customizable wireless controller we’ve recommended in past gift guides. It doesn’t work with PlayStation and Xbox consoles, but if you need a spare gamepad for Switch, PC or mobile devices, it’s arguably a better value than Nintendo’s Switch Pro Controller. Just note that it can’t wake the Switch up from sleep mode, if you plan on using it with that console.
If you’re willing to pay more for a controller with Hall effect joysticks, which are traditionally more resistant to drift over time, or if you prefer an Xbox-style layout, 8BitDo’s Ultimate Controller is also on sale for $ 63. While that’s only $ 7 off its typical price, this is the first discount we’ve seen for the recently-launched device. For those who play lots of retro-style games, meanwhile, the company’s Sn30 Pro is like a more modern version of an old Super Nintendo pad, and it’s currently $ 10 off at $ 35.
Buy 8BitDo Pro 2 at Amazon – $ 40Buy 8BitDo Ultimate Controller at Amazon – $ 63Buy 8BitDo Sn30 Pro at Amazon – $ 35
If you need a spare gamepad for your PlayStation 5, Sony’s DualSense controller is still available for an all-time low of $ 49 at various retailers, including Amazon, GameStop, Walmart, Adorama, Target and Best Buy. The sale applies to several color finishes and comes out to a $ 20 or $ 25 discount depending on which model you choose. The DualSense itself isn’t as convenient on PCs as the 8BitDo pads above or Microsoft’s Xbox Series X/S controller (which is down to $ 40), but it still provides a comfortable shape and impressive haptic feedback for newer PlayStation games.
Buy PS5 DualSense Controller at Amazon – $ 49Buy PS5 DualSense Controller at GameStop – $ 49
Apple’s latest MacBook Air is still on sale for $ 999 at B&H, matching the lowest price we’ve seen. Normally, Apple sells this version, which includes 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD, for $ 1,199, though we’ve seen it fall to $ 1,049 a number of times in recent months. Either way, the M2-powered Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and we gave it a glowing review score of 96 earlier this year. As an everyday notebook, it gives little to complain about, but note that this entry-level configuration has slower storage performance than Apple’s higher-priced SKUs. Still, if you aren’t planning to do more involved work like editing high-resolution videos, this shouldn’t be a major hindrance on a day-to-day basis. Just be aware that B&H says this deal is set to end later Friday afternoon.
Buy MacBook Air M2 at B&H – $ 999
A configuration of Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Go 2 with a Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD is on sale for a new low of $ 600. That’s about $ 100 off this model’s typical street price as of late. We gave the 12.4-inch notebook a review score of 86 back in June and currently recommend it in our guide to the best affordable Windows laptops. The main appeal here is in the design, as the Surface Laptop Go 2’s slim and lightweight chassis, comfortable keyboard and bright display lend it a classier feel than most options in this price range. Its performance is quick enough for casual work, too, but don’t expect a powerhouse, and the keyboard is unfortunately devoid of backlighting.
Buy Surface Laptop Go 2 at Amazon – $ 600
It’s a good time to be a PC gamer (or Steam Deck owner), as Steam and the Epic Games Store have kicked off their annual holiday sales. Both promotions are scheduled to run until January 5. There are simply too many deals for us to run down everything, but some highlights on Steam include the acclaimed action-RPG Elden Ring down to $ 42, the cutesy cat adventure Stray for $ 24, the sharply written Disco Elysium for $ 10, the VR shooter Half-Life: Alyx for $ 24 and a bundle that includes a bunch of Valve-made games for $ 7. Several other picks from our best PC games guide are also on sale.
Epic’s sale doesn’t cover as many games, but it does include a recurring coupon that takes 25 percent off any purchase you make over $ 15. This can save you a few bucks if you aren’t beholden to Steam: The PC port of 2018’s God of War, for instance, is down to $ 23 at Epic with the coupon, but only down to $ 30 at Steam. For console owners, note that PlayStation and Xbox are running holiday sales as well, though the deals there are generally ones we’ve seen several times throughout the year.
Shop Winter Sale at SteamShop Holiday Sale at Epic Games Store
If you’re looking to upgrade your TV, a handful of LG’s well-regarded OLED sets are down to all-time lows. The 42-inch model of LG’s C2 TV, for instance, is down to $ 797 at Amazon, which is about $ 200 off its usual going rate. (If you’d rather not shop through Amazon, BuyDig is throwing in a $ 40 gift card on top of the discount.) This model can’t get as bright as the QD-OLED panel on Samsung’s S95B OLED TV, so it’s best suited in dark or moderately-lit rooms, but it still provides the deep black levels, high contrast and wide viewing angles you’d expect from a high-end OLED display.
If you need something larger, the 65-inch LG B2 is down to $ 1,099 at Walmart (via authorized dealer Beach Camera), which is again roughly $ 200 off the price we’ve seen for most of the last couple of months. The B2 is a step down from the C2 with lesser HDR performance and a slower processor, but at this price it still offers excellent picture quality. Beyond that, the 48-inch LG A2 is back down to a low of $ 570 at Best Buy. This is the cheapest route into an LG OLED panel, but note that it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and lacks HDMI 2.1 ports, reducing its appeal for gaming.
Buy LG C2 42-inch at Amazon – $ 797Buy LG B2 65-inch at Walmart – $ 1,099Buy LG A2 48-inch at Best Buy – $ 570
Apple’s Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air and 11-inch iPad Pro is still on sale for $ 210, which isn’t an all-time low but still $ 65 off the peripheral’s average street price in recent months. We gave the Magic Keyboard a review score of 84 back in 2020, and it still offers a comfortable typing experience, smooth trackpad and extra USB-C port to those who’d like to use their iPad more like a laptop. The main hangup is that it’s wildly expensive, but this deal lessens the burden at least somewhat.
Buy Apple Magic Keyboard 11-inch at Amazon – $ 210
Amazon is running a promotion that lets new subscribers get four months of Amazon’s Audible Premium Plus audiobook service for $ 5.95 per month. Normally, you’d have to pay $ 14.95 a month after a 30-day free trial. This offer has been available for the past several weeks, but we’re noting it here because it’s set to end on December 31.
As a reminder, Premium Plus is Audible’s upper tier: In addition to granting you access to the full Audible library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. It’s not an essential upgrade for most, but if you’ve been thinking of giving Audible a try, this is a decent way to see if the plan works for you. Just note that your membership will be set to auto-renew by default.
Buy Audible Premium Plus 4-month at Amazon – $ 5.95/month
Samsung’s Smart Monitor M8 is still available for $ 400, which is an all-time low and roughly $ 180 below the 32-inch monitor’s average street price in recent months. This is a decent VA panel with a 4K resolution, but its big selling point is that it can double as a sort of tuner-less smart TV. Since it runs Samsung’s Tizen interface, it’s able to stream apps like Netflix, HBO Max and the like even when it’s not hooked up to a PC. It comes with a remote, webcam, mic and built-in speakers, and it can serve as a SmartThings hub. If you know you’ll actually use that smart TV functionality, the M8 is among the most versatile monitors you can buy, even if it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and lacks local dimming.
Buy Samsung Smart Monitor M8 at Amazon – $ 400Buy Samsung Smart Monitor M8 at Samsung – $ 400
Earlier this year, we gave Google’s Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro review scores of 90 and 92, respectively, calling them the “best bargain in flagship phones” in the process. Both handsets are back on sale this week, with the 128GB Pixel 7 available from $ 499 and the Pixel 7 Pro down to $ 749 for the same amount of storage. We’ve seen these deals before, and neither marks an all-time low, but they’re still about $ 65 and $ 95 off the devices’ respective street prices over the last few months.
Between the two, the 6.3-inch Pixel 7 gets a bit more battery life, while the 6.7-inch Pixel 7 Pro has a faster 120Hz refresh rate. Both phones, though, get you top-notch cameras, vibrant OLED displays, and a clean take on Android that’ll receive version updates through late 2025. They aren’t quite as powerful as something like Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra, but at these prices they carry strong value.
Buy Pixel 7 at Amazon – $ 499Buy Pixel 7 Pro at Amazon – $ 749
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BLUETTI, a leading company of clean energy storage systems, has recentlylaunched a crowdfunding initiative on Indiegogo for its newest flagship productAC500. At the time of writing, BLUETTI has raised $ 5 million in two weeksunder the aegis of 1,300+ backers. The crowdfunding is expected to hit a record highby the end of October 15, 2022. Stretch Goals & Gifts […]
Come comment on this article: [Promoted] BLUETTI AC500 Has Crowdfunded $ 5 Million on Indiegogo Within Two Weeks
If you’re still looking for the perfect Father’s Day gift, you have a bunch of options that you can get for less right now. A rare sale on the Sonos Roam and Move speakers discounts them both by 20 percent, while a number of Apple devices are on sale, too. The Google Pixel 6 Pro smartphone is still $ 100 off, plus Solo Stove’s fire pits are up to 43 percent off. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Sonos’ portable Roam speaker remains 20 percent off and down to just over $ 143. We gave it a score of 87 for its great audio quality, compact and durable design and ability to play stereo audio when two are paired together.
Buy Sonos Roam at Amazon – $ 143Buy Sonos Roam at Sonos – $ 143
The outdoor-friendly Sonos Move is also 20 percent off and down to just under $ 320. It earned a score of 80 from us for its excellent sound quality, Bluetooth connectivity, weather-resistant design and great battery life.
Buy Sonos Move at Amazon – $ 320Buy Sonos Move at Sonos – $ 320
Sonos has discounted a bunch of refurbished speakers and soundbars. You can pick up the Arc soundbar for $ 718, or $ 180 less than the cost of a new model, and the Sonos Five speaker for $ 439, or $ 110 less than a new unit. Sonos’ refurbished program tests all devices to make sure they’re as good as new and these devices come with the same one-year warranty as new products do.
Both the 41mm and 45mm versions of the Apple Watch Series 7 are $ 70 off right now and down to record lows: $ 329 and $ 359, respectively. We gave the wearable a score of 90 for its larger display, faster charging capabilities and powerful watchOS 8 features.
Buy Apple Watch Series 7 at Amazon starting at $ 329
The Apple Watch SE in 44mm is down to a record-low of $ 229 right now, or $ 80 off its normal price. We gave it a score of 88 for its powerful performance, comfortable design and handy watchOS features.
Buy Apple Watch SE at Amazon – $ 229
The latest AirPods are $ 30 off and down to $ 150, which is only $ 10 more than their all-time-low price. We gave the buds a score of 88 for their improved audio quality, more comfortable design and longer battery life.
A pack of four AirTags is down to $ 89 right now, or $ 10 off its regular price. If you have a few things you want to keep track of, this is a good opportunity to pick up a few AirTags that can help you do so. AirTags show you the location of your things in Apple’s Find My app, and if you have an iPhone that supports Precision Finding, it can lead you directly to your stuff.
Buy AirTags (4 pack) at Amazon – $ 89
You can still get half off a bundle that includes a 12-month membership to Nintendo Switch Online’s Family plan and a 128GB SanDisk microSD card. Nintendo’s subscription includes cloud backup for game data, online gaming and access to a bunch of NES and SNES titles, while the microSD card will let you easily add more space to your Switch.
Buy Switch Online + microSD card bundle at Amazon – $ 35
The Beats Fit Pro earbuds are back on sale for $ 180, or $ 20 off their usual price. We gave them a score of 87 for their good sound quality, strong ANC and handy features provided by Apple’s H1 chipset.
Buy Beats Fit Pro at Amazon – $ 180
The battery-powered Nest Doorbell is on sale for $ 130 at Amazon right now, or nearly 30 percent off its normal price. This IoT device is easy to install since you don’t have to hardwire it, and it’ll send you alerts when someone shows up at your doorstep. You can also pick up the Nest Cam Outdoor for $ 129 or the Nest Cam Indoor for $ 80.
Buy Google Nest Cameras and Doorbells at Amazon
Google’s Pixel 6 Pro smartphone remains $ 100 off and down to $ 799. We gave the flagship a score of 91 for its excellent cameras, lightweight design and clever voice software.
Buy Pixel 6 Pro at Amazon – $ 799
The 2022 Roku Ultra is 20 percent off and down to a new low of $ 80. The updated set-top box just came out last month and it includes the new Voice Remote Pro with a rechargeable battery and a remote-finder feature, plus support for 4K, HDR10+ streaming. It’s also worth noting that the Roku Streambar remains on sale for $ 99.
Buy Roku Ultra at Amazon – $ 80Buy Roku Streambar at Amazon – $ 99
You can get up to 43 percent off fire pits at Solo Stove right now.You’ll find the deepest discount on the big Yukon, which is $ 320 off and down to $ 400. We like these fire pits because they create much less smoke than their cheaper competitors and, out of the three models available, two of them are pretty portable, too.
iRobot’s Roomba 694 has dropped to $ 180, or $ 94 off its usual price. It earned a spot in our best affordable robot vacuums guide thanks to its good cleaning power and easy to use mobile app.
Buy Roomba 694 at Amazon – $ 180
iRobot’s Roomba j7+ is down to $ 599 at Amazon, or $ 200 off its normal price. We included the Roomba j7 in our best robot vaccums guide because it did a good job cleaning both carpeted and hard floors, plus it has good obstacle avoidance and an easy to use companion app. The j7+ adds a clean base into the mix, so the robot will automatically empty its bin into the clean base after every job.
Buy Roomba j7+ at Amazon – $ 599
Sony’s Days of Play sale on Amazon discounts a bunch of PlayStation accessories, including all six PS DualSense controllers. You can pick up any of them, including the vibrantly colored ones, for $ 59, which is up to 21 percent off their normal prices.
Shop Days of Play sale at Amazon
Anova’s Precision Cooker sous vide machine is down to $ 133 right now, or 39 percent off its normal price. We like its easy to use onboard controls, WiFi connectivity and 1,000 watts of power.
Buy Anova Precision Cooker at Amazon – $ 133
Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones are down to $ 278, which is 21 percent off its normal price. While Sony just came out with the XM5 headphones, these cans remain a good option for those that want excellent sound quality and ANC to match. Plus, you’ll save more than $ 100 compared to the XM5 if you pick up the XM4 while they’re on sale.
Buy WH-1000XM4 at Amazon – $ 278
Fitbit has discounted most of its wearables ahead of Father’s Day, and if you spend $ 125 or more, you’ll get $ 20 off your next purchase before the end of June. The Charge 5 tracker is down to $ 130, while the Versa 3 is on sale for $ 170 and the Sense smartwatch has fallen to $ 200.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
Google’s upcoming Pixel 6a has just passed FCC certification, hinting at an impending launch.
Mobile | Digital Trends
I’ve worn the Apple Watch Series 7 every day for the last six weeks, and am beginning to see the health-related value in committing to a smartwatch this way.
Wearables | Digital Trends
The holiday shopping season is in full swing — and yes, we know it’s only early November. Retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy have already kicked off the first rounds of their big sale events, and there will be more to come in the lead-up to…
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For years, people have been buying brand new iPhones in September, typically weeks after a splashy press conference at Apple’s ring-shaped headquarters. Not so, this year. During a customary post-earnings conference call, Luca Maestri — the company’s…
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Alongside the Mate 30 Pro, Huawei also announced the Watch GT 2. We were expecting this watch from some previous leaks, but there were some things that still surprised us. The watch is running LiteOS instead of HarmonyOS, for example, and Huawei claims it can deliver up to 14 days of battery life, which is […]
Come comment on this article: Meet the Huawei Watch GT 2 (with up to two weeks of battery life)
When Razer announced the original Razer Phone, it was up in the air how well they’d do with software updates. Razer isn’t a phone company, and their purchase of Nextbit was the only thing that really got them into the market. Up to this point, those software updates have been pretty lackluster, with the original […]
Come comment on this article: Original Razer Phone is due for an Android Pie update in a few weeks
Intel's decision to bail on 5G modems may have gone hand-in-hand with Apple's truce with Qualcomm, but it's now clear there were hints of a shift weeks earlier. The Telegraph has learned that Apple poached Intel's 5G phone modem leader, Umashankar T…
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Family tracking apps can be very helpful if you're worried about your kids or spouse, but they can be nightmarish if that data falls into the wrong hands. Security researcher Sanyam Jain has revealed to TechCrunch that React Apps' Family Locator lef…
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We’re just over two weeks into January of 2018, and to put it bluntly, someone at Motorola or Lenovo seriously screwed up. The company’s entire phone lineup for this year has supposedly leaked to Droid Life, including the Moto Z lineup, Moto G lineup, and the next Moto X. The only thing that’s missing is […]
Come comment on this article: Motorola’s entire 2018 lineup has leaked two weeks into the year
If you tend to work in Google Docs, you already know about it being down for hours on Wednesday, but only AT&T users had the pleasure of realizing their phones also didn't work for a good portion that same day. To fix it, AT&T told users…
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Sorry, Tesla, but someone just stole the thunder from the electric big rig you were planning to unveil this fall. The engine giant Cummins has unveiled a concept semi truck, the AEOS, that runs entirely on the power of an electric motor and a 140kWh…
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It looks like the wait for the Essential Phone to be released is coming to an end soon. When a phone launches, the expectation is that it’ll be released in a couple of weeks. Companies don’t like waiting to long to go from launch to release as all of the hype generated typically dies off. […]
Come comment on this article: Andy Rubin says the Essential Phone will be released “in a few weeks”
It goes without saying, Pokémon Go is the biggest Android game launch of the year so far. And many are capitalizing off of its success, including T-Mobile. Next week’s T-Mobile Tuesday will be all about Pokémon Go, according to an announcement from the carrier. T-Mobile will be offering free data to Pokémon Go players and […]
Come comment on this article: ‘Pokémon Go’ will be at the center of next week’s T-Mobile Tuesday
Thanks to the International Date Line, a nearly Pacific-wide total eclipse of the sun will actually begin on March 9, but end on March 8.
The post Time warp: This week’s solar eclipse starts on Wednesday, but ends on Tuesday appeared first on Digital Trends.
In a statement posted on its official blog, Rovio announced that the brand new sequel to its incredibly popular Angry Birds title has surpassed 30,000,000 downloads in just two weeks, making it one of the company’s most successful games in its 12-year career.
Rovio claims that about one-third of all Angry Birds 2 downloads come from China alone, which perfectly coincides with the reality that a new generation of mobile gamers is brewing in the region. Seeing as there are more than 700,000,000 smartphone users in China, this is a huge growth potential for the franchise.
Angry Birds 2 includes a plethora of new levels, characters and tournaments for us to enjoy. You can see it in action in the gameplay video below:
Click here to view the embedded video.
If you like the look of Angry Birds 2 and would like to install it on your Android-powered smartphone or tablet to see if its just as addictive as its predecessor, hit the download link below.
Come comment on this article: Angry Birds 2 surpasses 30 million downloads in 2 weeks