Technology

Amazon has rolled out another round of discounts on Samsung storage devices, dropping various microSD cards and SSDs we recommend to their lowest prices to date. Among the highlights, the 1TB version of Samsung’s 980 Pro SSD is down to $100, which is about $25 off its average street price over the last few months … Read more

Snapchat is testing out a new way for its augmented reality lens creators to make money from their creations. The company is experimenting with a new feature that will allow creators to sell paid upgrades to lenses with Snapchat’s in-app currency . Creators have flexibility in terms of the “digital goods” they can build into … Read more

Meta thrives on ad targeting, but it may have to tone down its use of the technology in Europe. The Wall Street Journalsources claim the EU’s European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has ruled that Meta can’t require users to accept personalized ads. You could opt out of targeted ads on Facebook or Instagram if you’d … Read more

YouTube is rolling out Twitch-style custom global emotes for comments and live chats. Threeindependentillustrators created the first batch of emotes, which are focused on gaming, though it appears that they work on any type of channel. YouTube plans to develop emotes for other types of communities in the future. To use the emotes, click on … Read more

The main thing that has put me off of playing more Valorant over the last couple of years is the length of matches. Riot Games is looking to do something about that with a shorter casual mode that it’s starting to test in the game’s public build. Matches in the core competitive and unrated (or unranked) … Read more

Many Elden Ring fans are hoping to hear news of an expansion for the blockbuster title at The Game Awards this week. Publisher Bandai Namco has jumped the gun a bit by announcing a free multiplayer-focused update, which will go live on Wednesday. The Colosseum update will open up the titular arenas in Limgrave, Leyndell … Read more

You don’t need Spotify or a dedicated app to try karaoke at home. Apple Music has introduced a Sing feature that lets you take over the vocals. You can not only adjust the voice levels, but use multiple lyric views depending on what you want to belt out — you can perform a duet or … Read more

The White House and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing co. (TSMC) have announced plans to build a second chip plant in Arizona, AZCentral has reported. That will boost the company’s investment in the state from $12 billion to $40 billion, while heavily reducing US reliance on semiconductor imports.  Both TSMC factories combined will produce 600,000 wafers per … Read more

Whether you or someone you love is prone to losing things, or you just want the peace of mind of having a digital helper keep track of your stuff, Tile trackers are solid, inexpensive options that work with both iOS and Android devices. The company is having a holiday sale on Amazon at the moment … Read more

The long-running squabble between Amazon and HBO appears to be over. Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery have returned HBO Max to Prime Video Channels in the US. Pay $15 per month and you’ll have access to House of the Dragon and other shows from within Prime Video — you won’t have to manage separate apps … Read more