Category: Technology

Sony’s PS5 Slim is starting to become available in the US. A standard model that comes with a copy of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 at no extra cost has hit Dell and Walmart, but the $500 bundle is going in and out of stock. It seems likely that the PS5 Slim (which isn’t actually the official name for the latest models) will surely become available at other retailers soon.

Listings for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III bundles have appeared at Walmart too, though those cost $609 and come with your choice of accessory. Sony initially suggested that the PS5 Slim would only be available in the US at the outset, but standard models that come with Modern Warfare III as a freebie have popped up in Canada for $650 CAD. 

When Sony revealed the leaner PlayStation 5 models last month, it indicated they would be available some time in November. However, the company didn’t say exactly when they’d hit its own storefront (where the systems are not yet available at the time of writing) and third-party retail shelves.

The latest PS5 units have 30 percent less volume than the original chonksters. Depending on which model you go with, it’ll be 18 percent or 24 percent lighter than its predecessor too. While the latest versions have a similar curved look as the original PS5 units, there’s one key way to tell them apart at first glance. The new systems have a black band that separates the cover panels on the top and bottom.

At $450, the new PS5 digital edition is $50 more expensive than the previous version. If you pick up the latest model and decide later that you want to use physical game discs or watch DVDs or Blu-rays on your PS5, you’ll be able to connect an $80 disc drive that seems to easily clip onto the console. Sony says that when the original PS5 consoles are sold out, they’ll be discontinued. So if you want a less expensive digital edition, you may not have a ton of time left to snag it.

If want to position the PS5 Slim in a vertical orientation you’ll need to buy a $30 stand. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck with inelegant-looking plastic clips that stabilize the console in its horizontal alignment.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/you-can-now-buy-a-ps5-slim-in-the-us-and-canada-if-youre-lucky-172529067.html?src=rss 

Black Friday is just a couple of weeks away, but you don’t need to bide your time to check out some significant discounts on an array of devices. If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can snag a bundle of Blink cameras for $140, which is 61 percent off the regular price of $360. It includes two Outdoor 4 cameras, one Wired Floodlight Camera, one Mini Pan-Tilt Camera and one Sync Module 2.

It’s a deal worth considering if you’re looking to set up a home security system without breaking the bank. The discount is available for three days.

The bundle will effectively give you a full indoor and outdoor camera system. You’ll also get three mounting kits, four AA batteries, two USB cables and two power adapters. You could always add more Blink devices to your set up if you feel the need to. It’s worth bearing in mind that Blink devices only work with Alexa, so they may not be suitable if you’re, for instance, already heavily invested in Google’s smart home ecosystem.

In our guide to the best smart home devices, we highlighted the new Blink Outdoor 4 as our favorite wireless security camera. It can be placed indoors and it’ll run for up to two years before you need to replace the AA batteries. The Blink Outdoor 4 has support for night vision, motion detection and two-way audio (via the Blink app and devices like Echo Show). It’s weather resistant too.

The bundle comes with a 30-day trial of the Blink Subscription Plan, which you’ll need if you prefer to store clips in the cloud. Alternatively, you can save clips locally on the included Blink Sync Module 2 or a USB flash drive (which you’ll need to buy separately).

You’ll receive an alert when the cameras detect movement. If you have the Blink Subscription Plan, you’ll also be alerted when the Outdoor 4 and Wired Floodlight Camera detect a person using their computer vision features.

Meanwhile, the Outdoor 4 and Wired Floodlight Camera both support customizable privacy zones. This feature enables you to select areas that the cameras don’t record at all. You might want to use this to avoid viewing your neighbor’s door or yard. Alternatively, if you use the Outdoor 4 indoors, you may wish to block out the area between your bathroom and bedroom for post-shower privacy.

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/a-blink-outdoor-4-bundle-is-61-percent-off-for-amazon-prime-members-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-161520398.html?src=rss 

What the Golf just got a free update inspired by the beloved multiplayer whodunnit Among Us. The update features 35 new levels that may or may not be chock full with saboteurs and imposters. It’s available today on PC via Steam and was already available on Nintendo Switch and Apple Arcade.

What the Golf regularly offers free updates like this, with some Thanksgiving-themed levels dropping next week. Most devs would go for a Halloween-themed update, but Triband chose Thanksgiving, which is indicative of the kind of chaos that populates the game itself.

We’ve long sung the praises of this game, as it offers a fresh take on golf that, well, isn’t really golf at all. Many of the levels offer completely different rules to keep you on your toes and, often, you aren’t even hitting a ball toward a hole. Instead, the game has you trying to hit a big house or even a horse. Other levels have you playing soccer or battling enemy combatants. In short, you never know what the game is going to throw at you next, including cute little multicolored imposters.

The Among Us-flavored update is available now, but it doesn’t seem to be hitting PS4 or PS5 just yet, which is a bummer. Developer Triband recently released a baseball-themed spinoff, of a sort, for VR called What the Bat.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/what-the-golf-just-got-a-free-among-us-inspired-update-on-steam-163029801.html?src=rss 

The holidays are a time to gather, drink and share your favorite dishes. And for the people who are doing the cooking, there’s no better way to show your appreciation (besides offering them a helping hand) than by giving them something to make the process faster, simpler, or just more fun. So regardless of whether they prefer baking, cooking savory dishes or making healthy juices, we’ve got a huge range of tried and tested gear that will make great gifts for foodies.

KitchenAid Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender

Made-in Half Sheet Pan

Silpat Baking Sheet

Breville Juice Fountain

Kan Kitchen Chef Knife

Kyocera Ceramic Chef Knife

Misen Non-stick pans

Instant Vortex Plus air fryer

Anova Precision Cooker 3.0

Microplane Classic Grater

ThermoWorks ThermoPop 2

John Boos cutting board

The Good Shears by Material

Zojirushi Neuro Fuzzy rice cooker

Vitamix Explorian blender

OXO Good Grips Precision scale

SodaStream Terra

ButcherBox Favorites

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-cooking-gifts-140038552.html?src=rss 

Omegle, a chat service that pairs users with a random person so they can talk via text or video, is shutting down. Leif K-Brooks, who launched the service when he was 18 years old, announced its closure and talked about its humble beginnings, as well as how it grew organically because “meeting new people [is] a basic human need.” While he didn’t delve into the specific reasons for Omegle’s shutdown, he admitted that “some people misused [the service], including to commit unspeakably heinous crimes.”

Critics have raised concerns about the website’s safety over the past years, with some even calling it a “magnet for pedophiles.” In 2021, an American woman sued the website for pairing her with a person who coerced her into sending explicit images for three years, starting when she was just 11 years old. Her legal team said that the way the platform works allows it to become a “hunting ground for predators.” Last year, two men in the US were sentenced to federal prison for exploiting children they met on apps, including Omegle, forcing them to perform sexual acts and to send them explicit photos and videos. A BBC investigation also revealed a rise in cases of users exposing themselves on Omegle chat. These users included minors, because while the website is technically meant for use by people 18 and older, it has no age verification in place. 

In his farewell note, K-Brooks said he worked with law enforcement agencies, as well as “the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, to help put evildoers in prison where they belong.” His website, he said proactively collected evidence against these people and tipped authorities to put them in jail. However, he said the fight against crime is “a never-ending battle” and that the “world has become more ornery” in recent years. He also said that there’s been “a constant barrage of attacks on communication services… based on the behavior of a malicious subset of users.”

In the end, he found the “existing stress and expense of operating Omegle, and fighting its misuse” to no longer be sustainable, both financially and psychologically. “Frankly, I don’t want to have a heart attack in my 30s,” he added. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/omegle-shuts-down-after-14-years-of-random-chats-125007355.html?src=rss 

Amazon is expanding its grocery services to the masses — well, at least to everyone who has an account with them. Now, non-Prime Members can also get Amazon Fresh groceries delivered or utilize free pickup at all locations. 

This expanded access will soon include Amazon-owned Whole Foods Market, with every customer able to choose two-hour delivery from either retailer. The online retailer is also making a play to compete with food delivery on the likes of Uber Eats or GrubHub as Amazon will also now drop off groceries from local shops, even pet food stores. 

Of course, Prime Members will still get additional benefits, including free shipping on Amazon Fresh orders over $100. Amazon raised the free delivery threshold to $150 earlier in the year before dropping it to $100 in October. Prime Members also get discounts on items at Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market. 

Amazon’s grocery service has struggled between an unclear strategy and poor sales. Time will tell if expanding its delivery availability will be of any help. The retailer also announced that it has revamped three Los Angeles-based stores to include new products and — the American Dream — a Krispy Kreme donut shop. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-makes-fresh-grocery-deliveries-and-pickups-available-to-everyone-132018745.html?src=rss 

The first step towards potentially an entire new type of listening experience is upon us. Creative has announced the release of the Aurvana Ace series, earbuds powered by Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) from the company xMEMS. The Aurvana Ace and Aurvana Ace 2 are considered to be the first proper TWS MEMS earbuds available for general consumers. News of their impending arrival first came back in August.

MEMS have been used in cellphones for years but haven’t been capable of integration into earbuds until recently. The technology uses piezos and silicon, compared to typical speakers’ coils and magnets. The claim is that MEMS can produce a sound with higher fidelity and durability while reducing power consumption. For instance, Creative’s Aurvana Ace series has a frequency ranging from 5Hz to 40KHz.

According to Creative, the MEMS-based drivers are small flaps placed on silicon chips. “What makes this technology stand out is how it replicates sound when these flaps swiftly respond to short electrical signals,” the company explains. “In doing so, these drivers are able to generate sound waves that closely mimic the way users naturally hear sounds in the world around them.”

The Creative Aurvana Ace will retail for $130 and the Creative Aurvana Ace 2 will go for $150. Along with MEMS, both earbuds also have hybrid ANC, six built-in microphones and up to 24 hours of playtime. Each set is also IPX5 certified, meaning you can sweat all you want while wearing them. They are available for pre-order starting November 10, though an official release date has yet to be announced.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/creative-unveils-first-true-wireless-headphones-with-mems-drivers-110525999.html?src=rss 

Sony has had a blockbuster quarter when it comes to PlayStation 5 sales. The company has sold 4.9 million PS5 units in its second financial quarter ending on September 30, bringing the total number of consoles sold to 46.6 million. It didn’t quite reach last year’s holiday figures, but it still moved 1.6 million units more than the same period in 2022. To note, Sony couldn’t keep up with the demand for the console for quite some time due to the supply chain issues that plagued the tech industry, but it was finally able to ramp up production last year after the shortages had eased up. By July 2023, it announced that it had already sold more than 40 million PS5 consoles since the model came out in November 2020. 

To be able to reach its sales target of shipping 25 million PS5 units for this financial year, however, Sony will have to sell 16.8 million more units. That’s a massive figure, considering it only sold 19.1 million PS5 consoles for the whole financial year of 2022. But according to Reuters, Sony President Hiroki Totoki is confident that the goal is something the company “can attain very easily.” The company is likely expecting a boost in sales when its smaller PS5 models come out this month, just in time for people’s holiday shopping sprees. 

In addition to its hardware sales, Sony has also reported that it sold 67.6 million games in the second quarter, though only 4.7 million are first-party titles. It will most likely post much higher first-party sales in the next quarter, though, seeing as Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 sold 5 million units within its first 11 days, eclipsing the performance of its prequel that sold 9 million copies in 80 days. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sony-has-now-sold-over-466-million-ps5-consoles-102604943.html?src=rss 

Snap is going through a reorganization and has laid off “nearly 20 product managers,” according to The Information. The job cuts follow a string of departures and position shuffling over the past few months. A company spokesperson told the publication that the layoffs were meant to speed up the company’s decision-making process, presumably because they’d be cutting out people between lower-level employees and higher-level managers. They’re also meant to reduce costs for the company, which could then use the resources for “core priorities.”

In its recently announced third quarter earnings report, the company said that its revenue rose by 5 percent to $1.19 billion after two quarters of decline. However, its ad business has yet to recover, and it warned its investors that advertisers are hitting pause on their social media campaigns due to the current situation in the Middle East. According to Campaign, brands have slowed down their advertising activities on various social networks because of the influx of misinformation regarding the Israel-Hamas war. 

This round of layoffs isn’t directly linked to any product, though, and no features or offerings are being discontinued as a result. It’s also much smaller in scale than the company’s layoffs last year, which saw 1,300 employees lose their jobs. That time, Snap also canceled most of its original shows and put its games and mini-apps into maintenance mode. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/snap-lays-off-20-product-managers-to-speed-up-decision-making-071010069.html?src=rss