Category: Technology

Apple’s M1 iPad Air has dropped to a new low price of $399, just as the latest model prepares to hit store shelves. This sale is from Amazon and it doesn’t include every color, though both blue and purple are covered by this steep discount. The other colors are also on sale, but the deals aren’t quite as spicy. Amazon’s sale is for the base 64GB model.

This device tops our list of the best iPads, though that’s likely to change once the new models enter the chat. No matter what happens with our list in the future, however, this is still a powerful and highly capable tablet with plenty of bells and whistles. We love the gorgeous screen, which is a serious step up from the bottom rung 10th-gen iPad. This one also gets you a more powerful chip.

We also enjoyed the form factor. It’s called the iPad Air and it shows. This is a lighter-than-average tablet that’s easy to hold and maneuver, even for long periods of time. The M1 chip is powerful enough to handle just about any app or game you throw at it and the 10.9-inch display is bright, sharp and accurate. It’s pretty much the Platonic ideal of a tablet. We even called it “the closest to being universally appealing and the best iPad for most people.” 

There’s no Face ID, which isn’t a huge deal by my estimation as tablets are harder than phones to wrangle into that sweet spot for a quick facial scan. The 64GB of available storage is also on the smaller side, making this device more of a content consumption machine than anything else. The only major downside is that the new iPad Air is a hair better in just about every aspect, though it’s also at least $200 more expensive.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-m1-ipad-air-drops-to-a-new-low-of-399-155816959.html?src=rss 

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is on sale via Amazon for just $34, which is a savings of 32 percent and one of the best prices we’ve seen all year. As the name suggests, this is a streaming stick that provides 4K visuals and ships with a voice remote that works with Siri, Alexa and Hey Google. Of course, this remote also has buttons.

The stick easily made our list of the best streaming devices, for a great many reasons. We were impressed by the sheer amount of free and live content available via Roku’s ecosystem. There’s a diverse array of free linear channels and video-on-demand (VOD) services here, with thousands of series and films to choose from. Not having to pony up for yet another subscription is always nice.

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K can also access all of those paid subscription services, from Disney+ to Peacock and beyond. The interface is uncluttered and easy to navigate, with a simple content list at the left and an app grid on the right. In addition to 4K, the device supports HDR10+ and Dolby Vision. The player even supports Apple AirPlay 2 for streaming audio and video from a tablet or phone.

If we had to nitpick, and that’s pretty much our job, the device’s What to Watch menu prioritizes the aforementioned free content over titles pulled from paid apps. It’d be nice if things were a bit even, just in case people need a little reminder to finish Sugar on Apple TV+ or Shogun on Hulu. However, it’s tough to be too miffed, as free content is where this Roku device really shines.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/one-of-our-favorite-roku-streaming-sticks-is-on-sale-for-only-34-145718364.html?src=rss 

Amazon’s Prime Video is riding a high after the success of Fallout and it has more video game-related projects lined up. The streaming service has ordered a Tomb Raider series with Phoebe Waller-Bridge of Fleabag fame set as writer and executive producer. The show was rumored to be happening as far back as January 2023 and now it’s official.

“If I could tell my teenage self this was happening I think she’d explode. Tomb Raider has been a huge part of my life and I feel incredibly privileged to be bringing it to television with such passionate collaborators,” Waller-Bridge said in a statement. “Lara Croft means a lot to me, as she does to many, and I can’t wait to go on this adventure. Bats ‘n all.”

Few other details about the “epic, globetrotting” project have been revealed (it’s not yet known who’s playing Lara Croft, for one thing), though it stems from a deal between Amazon MGM Studios and Crystal Dynamics to develop shows and movies based on Tomb Raider. There’s no release window for the series as yet, but Amazon says it will premiere in more than 240 countries and territories. The company’s games division is also publishing Crystal Dynamics’ next Lara Croft adventure, while a long-awaited animated Tomb Raider series is slated to hit Netflix this year.

Prime Video has also lined up a docuseries about EA’s blockbuster Madden NFL games. EA Sports will open up its vault of rare and unreleased footage for the project. A documentary crew will follow the development of the next game in the series.

These are just some of the many announcements that Prime Video is making today as it tries to win over advertisers at its upfront event. A pop culture version of Jeopardy! is on the way to the service, which will host its first NFL Wild Card Playoff game in January. A Legally Blonde prequel series called is coming too.

Elsewhere, Prime Video renewed its hit show The Boys for a fifth season, announced a live-action Spider-Man Noir show starring Nicolas Cage and revealed the first trailer and release date for the second season of Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. In addition, a documentary following the last 12 days of Roger Federer’s professional tennis career is coming to Prime Video on June 20.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-tomb-raider-series-from-phoebe-waller-bridge-is-on-the-way-to-prime-video-153636273.html?src=rss 

As if it wasn’t already clear enough that streaming is basically just cable by another name at this point (though it’s arguably less expensive for now), many of the top services are banding together to create bundles. A package combining Peacock, Netflix and Apple TV+ is expected to debut later this month. This StreamSaver bundle will be available to Comcast customers, according to CEO Brian Roberts.

While Roberts didn’t reveal how much the package will cost or what tiers of each service it will include, he said StreamSaver will offer them “at a vastly reduced price to anything available today.” According to Variety, he told attendees at MoffettNathanson’s Media, Internet and Communications Conference that the aim was to “add value to consumers” and take dollars away from competing streaming services.

The StreamSaver announcement comes a few days after it emerged that a bundle of Disney+, Hulu and Max is coming this summer. A super-sized sports bundle featuring ESPN, Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox services is also slated to arrive later this year, though critics such as FuboTV have claimed that the offering is anti-competitive. No pricing for either package has been announced.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/a-vastly-reduced-netflix-peacock-and-apple-tv-bundle-is-coming-this-month-135815744.html?src=rss 

Your experience while taking a flight comes down to many random factors, including who sits next to you. Your seatmate has plenty of ways to bother you — you’ve lived them, we don’t need to remind you how — but now there’s a whole new option. Meta has announced a new feature called Travel Mode for its Quest 2 and 3 headsets that lets people use the devices while on a plane.

Meta claims it has “specially tuned” its algorithms, so the experience remains stable, even if you direct it out the window. Users can try Travel Mode out for themselves by visiting the experimental features section in settings. They can quickly turn the feature on and off in quick settings and should also get a prompt to activate it while flying on some airlines — though Meta doesn’t specify which ones.

In general, if someone is traveling on a flight with Wi-Fi, then they can access entertainment like movies, games, and messages, but, as Meta’s photo indicates, it definitely could go into the next person’s space (or at least mean their seatmate is flailing their arms all around. However, Meta is also partnering with Lufthansa to offer Quest 3 headsets with custom content and entertainment on select flights’ Business Class Suites. As usual, getting any dedicated space on a plane costs a lot of money. 

Interestingly, Meta decided to introduce Travel Mode on planes and not something more stable (read: moving on the ground), but it plans to expand the feature to trains and other modes of transportation.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-encourages-you-to-disregard-your-seat-mates-and-use-vr-headsets-on-a-plane-141942620.html?src=rss 

Amazon’s Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power was both extremely successful and extremely divisive in the LOTR fan community. (Separate question, has any recent adaptation or new content in a beloved franchise not been divisive? Thoughts for another time.) Lots of people whined about how Amazon should just trash the first season and start over, but clearly that was never going to happen. What is happening is that season two of The Rings of Power has its first trailer and an August 29 release date.

I’m a pretty big Lord of the Rings fan and found season one enjoyable if not essential, but I like the looks of how things are ratcheting up here for season two. We get plenty of teases of epic battles and creepy creatures as Sauron reveals himself and begins to tighten the noose on all of Middle-earth; there are also looks at him in his “fair” form as he forges the titular Rings of Power with Celebrimbor. 

Amazon says the first three episodes will arrive on August 29, with subsequent entries following every week. Like the first season, this one will consist of eight episodes total. 

This announcement comes less than a week after Warner Bros. Discovery announced it would release a new live-action Lord of the Rings film in theaters in 2026. Tentatively titled The Hunt for Gollum, the film is directed by and will star Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. That project will be set in the same universe that Jackson built, while Amazon’s series is an entirely separate entity. There is some shared DNA, though — the first season of The Rings of Power was shot in New Zealand, like Jackson’s films, and composer Howard Shore wrote the main credits theme for Amazon’s show after scoring all six of the Middle-earth films. 

Oh, and Lego just dropped this incredible Barad-Dur set — it’s a big week for Lord of the Rings across the board!

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lord-of-the-rings-the-rings-of-power-trailer-reveals-season-two-release-date-142522261.html?src=rss 

The United States is taking additional measures to quash China’s influence on its economy. The White House has announced a tremendous increase in tariffs on $18 billion worth of Chinese imports, including semiconductors, steel, aluminum and EVs. The latter’s tariff is set to increase fourfold, from 25 percent to 100 percent—a move that the White House claims “will protect American manufacturers.” The announcement further reported that China’s EV exports grew 70 percent between 2022 and 2023.

Other tariff increases, such as the jumps from 25 percent to 50 percent for semiconductors and solar cells, are also significant. Then there are batteries, which are getting a tariff raise from 7.5 percent to 25 percent. Medical products are also a part of this hike, with tariffs on needles and syringes increasing from zero percent to 50 percent.

The Biden administration stresses that American companies need a real shot at competing against Chinese imports. “China’s unfair trade practices concerning technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are threatening American businesses and workers. China is also flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports,” the White House stated in a release. Biden’s decision builds on tariffs implemented by his predecessor and current election opponent, Donald Trump.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/biden-administration-quadruples-import-tariff-for-chinese-evs-130047911.html?src=rss 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/technology/gaming/test-section-095524709.html?src=rss 

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SEI) has announced a new leadership structure that puts two people in charge of different parts of its business. Hideaki Nishino, who is currently serving as the SVP for the Platform Experience Group, will become the CEO of SIE’s Platform Business Group starting on June 1. On the same day, Hermen Hulst will take on the role of CEO for SIE’s Studio Business Group after serving as SVP and Head of PlayStation Studios. 

The two executives are stepping into their roles after Jim Ryan decided to leave his seat as SEI’s CEO in March. When he announced his departure, he said he was finding it “increasingly difficult” to juggle his home life in the UK and his job that’s located in the US. Ryan helped establish the company’s presence in Europe and oversaw the launch of the PlayStation 5 in the midst of the pandemic. Both Nishino and Hulst will report to interim CEO Hiroki Totoki, who will take a step back and continue his role as Chairman of SIE as as well as President, COO and CFO of Sony Group Corporation. 

Nishino currently leads the team that develops all the experiences and tech for PlayStation services and products. He’ll continue being responsible for those, but he will also oversee the company’s work with third-party publishers and developers. Nishino will be in charge of SIE’s commercial operations, including sales and marketing for all PlayStation hardware, services and peripherals, as well. Meanwhile, Hulst has been heading efforts for content development across PlayStation consoles and PCs. He’s also in charge of the development of video game adaptations for movies and TV, such as The Last of Us. In the future, he will be “responsible for the development, publishing, and business operations of SIE’s first-party content.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-playstation-will-soon-have-two-ceos-090041004.html?src=rss