Category: Technology

Whether it’s in anticipation of the holiday season or you just need a new machine for work, a new laptop computer may be near the top of your shopping list right now. Given we’re still dealing with the global chip supply shortage, you might find yourself concerned about rising prices or what might be in stock. The good news is, companies are still making a ton of new laptops, and there are plenty of models for you to choose from the budget HP Pavilion Aero 13 to the convertible Microsoft Surface Pro 9 to our best overall pick of the Apple MacBook Air M2. We’ve made it less complicated for you to pick out the best laptop for your needs.

Engadget’s picks

Best overall: MacBook Air M2

Best Windows: Dell XPS 13 Plus

Best for gaming: Razer Blade 15 Advanced

Best Chromebook: Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook

Best budget: HP Pavilion Aero 13

Best convertible: Microsoft Surface Pro 9

What to expect

You probably have an idea of your budget here, but just so you know, most laptops with top-of-the-line specs can cost you around $1,800 to $2,000 these days. That doesn’t mean you won’t find a good system for under $1,000 — a grand is the base price for a lot of premium ultraportables in the 13-inch category, with chips like Intel’s Core i3 or i5 series. And if that’s too expensive, you’ll still have respectable options in the $600 to $800 range, but they might come with older, slower processors and dimmer screens. I’ve included our favorite budget-friendly model in this best laptop roundup but we have a list of more-affordable laptops that you can check out as well.

After working out how much money you want to spend, the laptop’s operating system is usually the first thing you have to narrow down. As always, the decision is slightly easier for people who prefer MacBooks. Now that Apple has brought its M-series chips to its whole lineup — your only real considerations are budget, screen size and how much power you need.

Over on Team Windows, however, the shift to ARM-based chips hasn’t been as smooth. Though Apple has been able to bring huge increases in battery life while maintaining (and in some cases improving) performance with its own silicon, PC makers have been limited by Windows’ shortcomings. Microsoft released Windows 11 last year, and it’s supposed to run better on ARM-powered machines. Since the first of these laptops, like Lenovo’s ThinkPad X13s or 10w tablet, haven’t been available for review yet, we can’t tell how well the system runs. Of course, you can upgrade to Windows 11 on existing ARM-based PCs, but for now, it’s still safer to stick with an Intel or AMD processor.

Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Let’s not forget there’s a third and fairly popular laptop operating system: Chrome. If you do most of your work in a browser (lots of online research, emails and Google Drive), then a Chromebook might be a suitable, and often more affordable option.

As for other things to look out for, it’s worth pointing out that a couple of laptops coming out this year are doing away with headphone jacks. Though this doesn’t seem to be a prevalent trend yet, it’s a good reminder to check that a machine has all the connectors you need. Most laptops in 2022 offer WiFi 6 or 6E and Bluetooth 5.0 or later, which should mean faster and more stable connections if you have compatible routers and devices. While 5G coverage is more widespread this year, whether you need support for that depends on how much you travel.

Where you plan on taking your laptop also helps in deciding what size to get. Many companies launched new 14-inch machines in the last year, straddling the line between ultraportable and bulkier 15-inch offerings. For most people, a 14-inch screen is a great middle ground. But if you’re worried about weight, a 12- or 13-inch model will be better. Those that want more powerful processors and larger displays will prefer 15- or 16-inch versions.

Best overall: MacBook Air M2

As a Windows user, I find myself reluctant to name an Apple MacBook the best overall laptop. But I can’t deny that Apple’s transition to its own Silicon has made its machines better. The latest MacBook Air M2 is a worthy sequel to the M1 that came out in 2020, bringing a fresh design and a performance boost that all users will appreciate.

That’s not to say the M1 was a sluggish machine — quite the contrary. We found it to be impressively fast, and the M2 only builds on top of that stellar performance. It’s probably overkill for a MacBook Air, but that means it will serve most people well for both work and play. Plus, its 16.5-hour battery life should be enough for anyone to get a day’s worth of work and then some.

As for its design, we like that Apple took a more uniformly thin approach here and retired the wedge shape of the previous model. The M2 Air also has a lovely 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, interrupted only by the top notch which holds its 1080p webcam. Its quad-speaker setup is an improvement as well, and all of these small hardware changes add up to a machine that looks and feels more different than you may expect from its predecessor. However, both the M1 and M2 MacBook Air laptops remain solid machines. Considering the M2 starts at $1,199, those with tight budgets may be willing to forgo the new design improvements in order to save some cash and get a still-speedy laptop.

Buy MacBook Air M2 at Amazon – $1,199Buy MacBook Air M1 at Amazon – $999

Best Windows: Dell XPS 13 Plus

The best PC has long been Dell’s well-rounded XPS 13 series and I still recommend it to anyone that doesn’t want a Mac. Yes, the new XPS 13 Plus lacks a headphone jack, and we haven’t got one in to test yet. But the XPS 13 is a well-rounded Windows laptop and still one of the best-looking PCs out there.

Like its predecessors, the XPS 13 Plus offers a lovely OLED screen with impressively thin bezels and packs a roomy, comfortable keyboard. It also features a new minimalist design that looks more modern. I’m not sure about the row of capacitive keys at the top in lieu of traditional function keys, but I’m confident that the laptop’s 12th-gen Intel Core processors will provide a healthy performance boost from the last model.

If you’re not sure about the changes Dell has made to the XPS 13, or if you definitely need a headphone jack, the older generations are still solid options. There’s also the Samsung Galaxy Book 2 Pro series, which feature beautiful OLED screens and sharper webcams in thin and light frames. I also like Microsoft’s Surface Laptops, and the most recent edition offers great performance and battery life, albeit in an outdated design.

Shop XPS 13 Plus at Dell

Best for gaming: Razer Blade 15 Advanced

Gamers should look for machines with responsive screens and ample ports for their favorite accessories that can best help them defeat their virtual enemies. My colleague Devindra Hardawar goes into more detail about what to consider in his guide to buying a gaming laptop, which you should read to learn about different CPUs and GPUs, minimum specs and more. Our pick for the best gaming laptop is the Razer Blade 15 Advanced, which has an Intel Core i7 processor, and an NVIDIA RTX 3070 graphics for $2,500.

It’s the most expensive item on this list, but you also get a 15-inch quad HD screen that refreshes at 240Hz. Different configurations are available, depending on your preference, including a Full HD 360Hz and a 4K 144Hz version. The Blade series is also one of the most polished gaming laptops around.

Those looking for something cheaper and more portable should consider the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14, which was our favorite model last year. The main reason it got bumped down a notch is because the 2022 refresh is almost $600 more expensive. It’s still a solid gaming laptop though, with an excellent display, roomy trackpad and plenty of ports in spite of its thin profile.

Buy Blade 15 Advanced at Razer – $2,500

Best Chromebook: Lenovo Flex 5 Chromebook

Our favorite Chromebook is Lenovo’s Flex 5 Chromebook, which Engadget’s resident Chrome OS aficionado Nathan Ingraham described as “a tremendous value.” This laptop nails the basics, with a 13-inch Full HD touchscreen, a fantastic keyboard and a 10th-generation Intel Core i3 processor. The 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage may sound meager, but in our testing the Flex 5 held up in spite of this constraint. It’s also nice to see one USB-A and two USB-C ports, eight-hour battery life and a 360-degree hinge that makes it easy to use the Flex 5 as a tablet. That’s a bonus, especially now that Chrome OS supports Android apps.

Though the Flex 5 is almost two years old by now, it’s a solid deal at around $400. In fact, you can sometimes find it on sale for as little as $300, making it a great option for someone looking for a basic browser-based machine on a tight budget.

Buy Flex 5 Chromebook at Amazon – $430

Best budget: HP Pavilion Aero 13

If you’re looking for something under $800, your best bet is the HP Pavilion Aero 13. For around $750, you’ll get a Full HD screen with a 16:10 aspect ratio and surprisingly thin bezels, as well as a comfortable keyboard and spacious trackpad. Importantly, the Aero 13 provides relatively powerful components compared to others in this price range, with an AMD Ryzen 5000 series processor and Radeon graphics. Plus, it has a generous array of ports and enough juice to last you the entire work day and then some.

Buy Pavilion Aero 13 at HP starting at $739

Best convertible: Microsoft Surface Pro 9

For those who need their laptops to occasionally double as tablets, the Surface Pro series is a good option. Compared to notebooks with rotating hinges, tablets with kickstands are often much slimmer and lighter. The Surface Pro 9 is Microsoft’s latest model and if you’ve had your eye on a Surface for a while, just know to get the Intel version of this machine rather than the ARM model. In our testing, we found that the 5G ARM version of the Pro 9 was much slower than a flagship convertible should be and that’s mostly due to the fact that lots of the Windows apps readily available on Intel’s x86 hardware have to be emulated to work on Microsoft’s custom ARM SoC. Considering you’ll pay at least $1,000 for any Surface Pro 9 model, you might as well get a configuration that has as few limitations as possible.

While we have our gripes about the Pro 9’s overall ergonomics, it’s undoubtably one of the thinnest and lightest laptop alternatives you can get. It’s attractive and has a gorgeous 13-inch display, and we still consider Microsoft’s Type Cover to be one of the best you can get, period. They will cost you extra, though, so be prepared to shell out another $100 to $180 for one. Microsoft’s Slim Pen 2 is another highlight, and it will be a must-buy accessory for anyone that loves to draw or prefers to take handwritten notes. Overall, if you want a machine that can switch seamlessly from being a laptop to being a tablet, the Intel Surface Pro 9 is one of your best bets. Of course, if you’re married to the Apple ecosystem, you should consider an iPad Pro.

Buy Surface Pro 9 at Amazon – $1,100

 

Tumblr changed enormously in 2018 after it started blocking all adult content, reportedly because images of child sexual abuse were posted on the website. It deleted tons of sex blogs and communities to comply with its new rule, and its already dwindling community never quite recovered since. Now, the website has updated its community guidelines so that the naked human form is once again allowed. Under its new policy, users can post images and videos with nudity, as well as text with mature subject matter and sexual themes, but they still can’t post visual depictions of sexually explicit acts or any content with an overt focus on genitalia. 

In its full Community Guidelines page, Tumblr explained that by “visual depictions,” it means pictures, videos, GIFs, drawings, CGI and any other kind of visual media. Artwork considered historically significant is an exemption, so long as it’s properly labeled. Content with nudity and sexual themes now allowed under the new policy will also have to be labeled so that users can filter them out. 

In addition to the continued ban on visual depictions of sexually explicit acts, users can’t post links to adult affiliate networks or anything that promotes escort or erotic services. They also aren’t allowed to post images with extreme violence and gore or any kind of content that promotes pedophilia, including images of children when the “intent of the blog is sexually suggestive.” Any blog that violates those rules will be removed. Tumblr also admits that the list isn’t exhaustive and that further interpretation is up to the company. 

Tumblr was one of the few sites that not only tolerated but seemingly embraced its sex worker and adult artist communities, so it caught considerable flak when, with little warning, it banned adult content four years ago. Earlier this year, it reached a settlement with New York City’s Commission on Human Rights, which found that the ban disproportionately impacted LGBTQ+ users. As part of the settlement terms, Tumblr had to bring in an expert to review its moderation algorithms for potential bias. In September this year, it launched Community Labels with the category “sexual themes,” hinting that it was going to loosen its rules and would allow some adult content on the website again. That’s exactly what happened, but it doesn’t look like Tumblr is open to supporting porn communities anytime soon. 

Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of Automattic (the company that now runs Tumblr), explained why in a post on his blog. Credit card companies are anti-porn, he wrote in the post, pointing out that they had cut off payments for advertising on Pornhub. “App stores, particularly Apple’s, are anti-porn,” he continued. The website can’t take a chance when most of its users are on mobile. Tumblr also has no means to ensure that individuals featured in sexually explicit content are of legal age and had consented to being pictured or filmed. “I agree with ‘go nuts, show nuts’ in principle,” he said, “but the casually porn-friendly era of the early internet is currently impossible.”

 

DJI’s Mavic 3 is a useful cinematic drone, but its steep price ($1,899 as we write this) can be off-putting compared to the $1,449 of the older Mavic 2 Pro. The company thinks it has a simple solution, though: offer a trimmed-back version. DJI has introduced the Mavic 3 Classic, a new variant that drops the telephoto lens in exchange for a better $1,469 starting price (more on that later).

The Classic otherwise includes the features that might draw you to the Mavic 3 in the first place. The centerpiece remains a 20-megapixel, 24mm-equivalent Hasselblad camera that can shoot 5.1K video up to 50 frames per second (4K at 60FPS) and capture 12-bit RAW photos. You can likewise expect a healthy 46-minute peak flight time, a range of up to 9.3 miles and an O3+ transmission system that can send 1080p 60FPS video to your remote. You’re still asked to fly within line of sight, but an AirSense ADS-B receiver can warn you of nearby aircraft if you operate at higher altitudes.

This still isn’t a trivial expense. The base price is for the drone only, and doesn’t include a remote or charger. It’s meant for upgrading DJI users who have the necessary gear. Everyone else will have to pay at least $1,599 for the standard kit, which includes the charger and the basic RC-N1 remote. Spend $1,749 and you’ll get the display-equipped DJI RC remote. And if you need accessories, the $649 Fly More add-on includes two batteries, a charging hub, a car charger, three pairs of quiet propellers and a convertible carrying bag.

The Mavic 3 Classic clearly isn’t meant for newcomers, or even many enthusiasts. You’ll want to look at the $679 Mini 3 Pro or $999 Air 2S if you’re on a tighter budget. However, it might represent a solid value if you care about drone camera quality but don’t need long-zoom shots to create your next magnum opus.

 

It’s easy to assume that the best gadget gifts are the most expensive things. But there are plenty of options out there for the techie in your life that don’t require you to empty your wallet. If you’re struggling to come up with the right present for an early adopter or a tech obsessive, we’ve gathered some of our favorite things that are both small and affordable. The best part: Everything comes in at $50 or less.

Chromecast with Google TV

If you’re at a loss when it comes to a good, cheap gift for the techie in your life, you can’t go wrong with a Chromecast. Google has two models available now: the $50 4K Chromecast with Google TV and the new, $30 model that supports FHD streaming. Like previous Chromecasts, these let you stream movies and TV shows from major services like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu andHBO Max, among many others.

The Google TV interface has always been pretty easy to navigate, but it’s simpler than ever thanks to the remote that comes included with both Chromecasts. It has an Assistant button, giving you quick access to voice commands, plus a circular D-pad, shortcut buttons for YouTube and Netflix, and support for HDMI-CEC and IR, allowing you to control your entire TV with it. And, unlike larger set-top boxes or smart TVs that your recipient may already have, the Chromecast is portable, so they can take it with them to make binge-watching their favorite shows easier when they’re not at home.

Buy Chromecast with Google TV at Amazon – $50

8BitDo Lite 2

The best gifts for the Nintendo Switch lover in your life are those that let them play games anywhere and everywhere more easily. 8BitDo’s Lite 2 controller does exactly that by giving them a more convenient controller to use with their Switch, or an extra option or two to play with friends while on the go. It’s small enough to fit in a pocket, but that doesn’t mean it compromises on ergonomics. The Lite 2 has joysticks and shaped trigger buttons, things that are often left off of ultra-compact and super affordable controllers. Plus, it supports customizable turbo functionality. It also pairs wirelessly with the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite, and it works with Android devices and Raspberry Pi, too. Lastly, it powers up via USB-C, so chances are your giftee already has a charging cable ready to use with their new controller.

Buy 8Bitdo Lite 2 at Amazon – $35

Anker 511 Power Bank

Every new phone claims to have better battery life than the one that came before it, and that may be true in some cases, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be enough juice for everyone every day. If you know someone who constantly uses their phone until it reaches one percent, Anker’s 511 Power Bank would make a great gift for them. It’s a 5,000 mAh portable battery and a power adapter in one, so they can use it in two ways: to fast-charge their phone when they’re near a wall outlet or recharge the device when they’re out and about. It has a built-in plug for wall usage, but it folds down into the device when you’re not using it, keeping the whole thing pretty compact. We like that it’s basically a little bit bigger than a tube of lipstick, and all your giftee needs on hand to use it is a USB-C cable.

Buy Anker 511 Power Bank at Amazon – $40

Apple AirTags

Most of us have someone in our lives who misplaces everything — their keys, wallet, purse or backpack, the list goes on. If that person happens to also own an iPhone, AirTags make great gifts and you can buy one for only $30. (You could even throw in an AirTag case for them and still spend less than $50.) These quarter-sized Bluetooth trackers pair almost immediately with iOS devices and can then be tracked using the Find My app.

You can use them to keep track of nearly anything, but they work best on items that take clips or keyrings or things like backpacks that have small pockets. In addition to showing their location, the Find My app also lets you force the AirTag to play a loud chime so you can more easily find it in your home. And if you’re close enough to the missing item, Apple’s Precision Finding feature can literally guide you to it using the tech in your iPhone’s U1 chip.

Buy Apple AirTag at Amazon – $29

Peak Design Packable tote

It never hurts to have an extra bag with you whenever you go out. Whether you’re going to pick up groceries and know you’ll need one, or you’re heading out with friends and unexpectedly pick up a few things, a lightweight tote bag is crucial. There are thousands of options out there, but we like Peak Design’s Packable tote because it doesn’t have the typical reusable bag design and it remains fairly affordable at only $20.

The bag is made of 100-percent recycled ripstop nylon, which is resilient and as well as water resistant, and it has a zip closure, which is something most other reusable bags don’t have. It’ll keep your items more secure thanks to that, and it’s easier to carry in different ways thanks to its single shoulder/hand strap that sports microfiber padding for extra comfort. We also like that it has an interior pocket that can hold a phone, wallet or keys, and it takes up a surprisingly little amount of space when it’s packed into itself.

Buy Packable tote at Peak Design – $20

Logitech Signature M650 mouse

There are dozens of mice out there, and if you’re buying gifts on a budget, it can be easy to get distracted by the ultra-cheap options from unfamiliar brands on sites like Amazon. But Logitech, a leader in this space, has some budget-friendly options as well and we like the Signature M650 mouse for most people. Not only is it lightweight and made of recycled materials, but you have a number of ergonomic options to choose from. It comes in regular and large sizes, plus you can pick from right- or left-hand orientation, which really just changes the placement of the device’s customizable side buttons. It has Logitech’s SmartWheel scrolling technology, which provides more precision when you need to scroll line by line, and it connects to computers via Bluetooth or a Logi Bolt receiver. But the best part might be its two-year battery life; your giftee will only have to replace the mouse’s two AA batteries once in a blue moon.

Buy Logitech M650 mouse at Amazon – $40

Sony PS5 Media Remote

If someone you love recently got their hands on a PS5, it’s probably the only thing they care about at the moment. Gifting them the PS5 Media Remote can take their experience using their new console to the next level. It essentially gives them a better way to control the device when they want to use it as an entertainment portal. The compact remote has dedicated media controls that let them easily play/pause, fast forward and otherwise navigate, along with quick-launch buttons for services like Netflix and YouTube. Those service-specific buttons even work when the console is powered off, too. Plus, if they have a compatible TV, they’ll be able to use the Media Remote to turn it on and off and adjust the volume.

Buy PS5 Media Remote at Amazon – $29

Anker Nano 3 30W charger + cable bundle

Whether your loved one just picked up a new iPhone 14 or is still running on an older model, an extra charger will be of use to them. Anker’s latest bundle that includes its new Nano 3 30W charger and bio-base USB-C to Lightning cable will give them everything they need to power up their phone, tablet, earbuds and even their MacBook Air. The 30W output allows this tiny adapter to charge a variety of devices, plus it’s foldable so it’ll disappear into their bag. We also like that it uses GaN technology to keep it compact, but also for better heat management.

As for the cable, it’s one of Anker’s newest and it’s made out of plant-based materials rather than petroleum-based plastic like many others. While this may not seem like the most exciting gift, it’ll definitely be one of the most useful your loved one receives. Charging accessories are often things we buy at the last minute, like right before you board a plane as you remember you forgot your cable or adapter at home. A gift like this one might prevent them from feeling that panic in the future.

Buy Anker Nano 3 bundle at Amazon – $38

Blink Mini

If someone you love just moved into their own place, a Blink Mini would make a thoughtful housewarming gift. The compact camera plugs into a regular wall outlet and monitors activity inside the home, detecting motion and sound and delivering alerts to their phones via the Blink mobile app. It records in 1080p and supports two-way talk as well, so they can soothe their overly-excited pets even when they’re not home. We also like that the Blink Mini works with Alexa devices, so if they have an Echo Show 5 or similar device at home, they can use it to see the Blink Mini’s video feed without even opening the mobile app.

Buy Blink Mini at Amazon – $35

TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini

Maybe you have a tech lover in your life or someone who just wishes their home could be a bit smarter – if so, TP-Link’s Kasa smart plugs would make a great gift for them. Building up a smart home ecosystem from scratch can be intimidating, but starting off with smart plugs like these is a convenient and mostly stress-free way of doing it. These blocks plug into standard wall outlets and then turn whatever they plug into them into app-controllable gadgets. That means they can set a schedule for their coffee maker to turn on at the precise time each morning so it’s ready to go for them when they need to make a new pot. They could also use Away Mode to automatically turn on and off lights when they’re on vacation to make it seem like they’re actually home. Those are just a few things these smart plugs let you do with otherwise “dumb” items around your home, so your giftee can go as deep with it as they want.

Buy Kasa smart plugs (4 pack) at Amazon – $50

Yubico Yubikey 5 NFC

It’s important to keep your dozens of accounts safe with two-factor authentication whenever possible, and Yubico’s Yubikey NFC 5 is a good way to do so. It’s a physical key that you can use to authenticate when you’re trying to log in to accounts like Dropbox, Lastpass, Gmail and others. It uses the USB-A port on your device or NFC to validate your login attempt, and it’s small enough to fit on a keychain and come with you wherever you go. This model specifically works with USB-A connections, but if you’re willing to spend slightly more than $50, you can get the USB-C version that has all the same features.

Buy Yubikey NFC 5 at Amazon – $45

Panasonic Eneloop

There are few things worse for a gamer than their controller running out of battery in the middle of a session. Whether they have a backup ready to go or not, it’s a stumble that can totally throw them off their game – especially if they have to fumble around for another option while also looking for the charger for the dead peripheral. Panasonic’s Eneloop rechargeable batteries can be a big help for them in times like this by providing an easily accessible power swap for Xbox controllers and the like that run on AA or AAA cells. These also come with a quick charger that has level indicators for each battery, plus it’s capable of fully powering up four AA batteries in only three hours.

Buy Eneloop rechargeable batteries at Amazon – $28

Phone cases

Maybe someone you love just got a new phone and can’t stop talking about it, showing it off, and coming very close to dropping it on a regular basis. You can help them protect it by gifting them a case that not only provides extra cushion against falls and scratches, but also expresses their personality a bit. There are hundreds of phone case brands out there, but a few that we constantly turn to are Incipio, Case-Mate, Speck, Spigen and Smartish. Speck and Spigen are great for no-frills kind of people; most of their phone cases are slick, protective and come in a variety of attractive colors. Incipio is similar, but they also have their excellent Organicore line of compostable cases that make thoughtful gifts for the eco-conscious. Case-Mate and Smartish are great options for those who would like something more fun. Think: psychedelic flowers, outer space prints, glitter explosions and other similar designs.

Shop Incipio phone casesShop Case-Mate phone casesShop Speck phone casesShop Spigen phone casesShop Smartish phone cases

 

What’s stopping me (or you) getting an iPad Pro? The cost, for one. And a belief that anything I’d want to use an iPad for, I can already do with my eighth-generation vanilla model. That said, Nathan Ingraham’s review of the M2 iPad Pro did make me check if my bank balance could sustain the purchase. It can’t.

Apple’s top-end iPad hasn’t changed much since last year, with the same compromises around displays evident if you get the smaller model. In fact, aside from the M2, it’s pretty much the same as before, for better and, occasionally, worse. The major changes are all enabled by the even brawnier silicon inside that chassis.

That includes Stage Manager, the multitasking setup Apple hopes will unlock the iPad’s clearly hidden potential. Certainly, the system has not been warmly received by all iPad users, and Nathan found it lacking the usual level of elegance. Oh, and you can now shoot video in ProRes 4K at 30 fps. Useful? Not for many. Cool? Undoubtedly.

Unfortunately, such an iterative upgrade gave Nathan plenty of time to look for things that really should be fixed on a tablet that can cost well north of $2,000. That includes the awkward front camera placement − it’s clear for all to see it’ll be moved to the “top” side, like the new iPad, at some point.

– Dan Cooper

The biggest stories you might have missed

Audio-Technica resurrects its Sound Burger portable turntable from the ’80s

The best home theater gear worth gifting in 2022 (even if the giftee is you)

NASA’s first test of its next-generation heat shield is delayed until at least November 9th

YouTube brings Showtime, Paramount+ and other streaming services into its main app

Sony has sold over 25 million PS5s

And expects to sell a bunch more before March.

Sony’s most recent financial results revealed it has sold more than 25 million PlayStation 5 consoles. That’s a staggering figure given the hardware’s high price, poor availability and strong competition. The company says it’s not even done and expects to shift a significant number of units through the holiday season. That’s the only way it’ll be able to hit an ambitious target to shift 18 million units in the financial year, which ends March 2023.

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Microsoft now implies it will support Call of Duty on PlayStation forever

It needs to quell objections to its proposed purchase of Activision Blizzard.

Microsoft’s purchase of publisher Activision Blizzard has met resistance from fans and rivals for obvious monopoly concerns. Once it owns franchises, like Call of Duty, Microsoft could pull those titles to funnel buyers toward buying an Xbox. But Phil Spencer, head of Xbox, has promised that isn’t the case, saying it will support PlayStation for “as long as there’s a PlayStation.” That may not be enough to quell regulators, however, who are still picking through the deal to see if it’s going to hand the software giant too much power.

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SpaceX may send Starship on its first orbital flight in December

A NASA official said it expects to see the flight take place next month.

We may see the first orbital flight for SpaceX’s Starship craft as early as December, according to a senior NASA official. The trip, if successful, will see Starship launch from Boca Chica in Texas, orbit for a while, then land back in the ocean near Hawaii. It would also mean SpaceX has satisfied the FAA’s stringent requirements to ensure a launch is safe, both for SpaceX itself and the environment.

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Twitter has removed 1,500 accounts following a coordinated trolling campaign

The company’s head of safety said the tweets weren’t widely seen.

Shortly after Elon Musk took over Twitter, a campaign of coordinated trolling started, to make people think the platform had relaxed its moderation policies. This included a surge of hate speech and hateful conduct on the site, forcing Twitter to address it. The company’s head of safety has revealed the platform has removed 1,500 accounts identified to be part of the campaign. Yoel Roth added that many instances of hate speech were not widely seen, and that work was continuing to address gaps in its enforcement policies.

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Elon Musk says Twitter Blue will cost $8 and be required for verification

Perks include fewer adverts and the ability to post longer videos.

Elon Musk says Twitter Blue will be a prerequisite for users looking to be verified, and its price will increase to $8 a month. The Twitter CEO added that Blue users will gain priority in replies, mentions and Twitter’s search feature. Some high-profile users, including author Stephen King and gaming account Nibellion, have already denounced the change. It remains to be seen if users will pay, or if this will just encourage more to look for greener social media pastures.

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Kids love to use smart speakers, but it’s all too easy for things to go horribly wrong — including content that’s decidedly not family-friendly. Google is trying to address those worries by both revising parental controls for Assistant and providing more child-oriented responses. To start, an update will let you disable some Assistant features, restrict the services children can use and establish downtime hours. You can bar kids from making calls, or limit them to watching YouTube Kids on a Nest Hub.

The controls will be available in the “coming weeks” through the Google Assistant, Google Home and Family Link apps for Android and iOS. They’ll be available in the Assistant settings for your child’s account.

Google is simultaneously encouraging kids to ask more questions. It’s adding a “Kids Dictionary” to Assistant that provides age-suitable answers on speakers, displays and mobile devices. If your young one asks what a telescope is, for instance, you’ll get a simple explanation rather than discussions of optics and electromagnetic radiation. There are also four new “kid-friendly” voices that are slower, more expressive and otherwise better-matched to childhood development.

Google is relatively late to these kinds of features. Amazon’s Alexa has had parental controls for a while, and can help kids read stories. Even so, this is good news if you’ve wanted more choice in kid-oriented smart speakers and displays. You can likely get the device that meets your grown-up needs without worrying quite so much about your little ones.

 

You can add the standalone Street View app to Google’s growing product graveyard. Upon decompiling the latest version of the application for Android, 9to5Google found shutdown notices that the company has yet to publish. In those notices, the tech giant is announcing that the Street View app is going away and that support will end on March 21st, 2023. Spokesperson Madison Gouveia has confirmed to The Verge that the app truly is getting the ax. Gouveia also told the publication that Google will pull Street View from app stores in the coming weeks. 

Google announced that it was spinning off Street View into its own app back in 2015. Available for both Android and iOS, it lets you upload your own spherical photos from your phone or from spherical cameras. Last year, the company also introduced Photo Paths, which lets you contribute a series of 2D photos for roads and locations that haven’t been documented by a Street View car (or camel or sheep) in the past. 

Street View will continue being a key Google Maps feature, so you can still virtually explore all the places the tech giant had documented with its cameras. You can also keep adding Photo Spheres within Maps and publishing 360-degree videos using Street View Studio. As 9to5Google notes, though, there will be no way to add Photo Paths anymore after Google completely shuts down the dedicated Street View app. Previously submitted Photo Path images, however, will continue being viewable within Google Maps. 

 

The Xiaomi 12S Ultra surprised us with its 1-inch camera sensor and Leica co-branding back in July, but it turns out that the Chinese brand was working on something far more ambitious at the same time. Earlier today, the “Xiaomi 12S Ultra Concept Phone” was unveiled with an appearance almost identical to the namesake flagship device, but with a second 1-inch 50.3-megapixel sensor occupying the middle of the camera island instead. Let that sink in for a bit. Not only that, but this new sensor is designed to work with an interchangeable Leica M lens.

Interestingly, Xiaomi has instead chosen to shield this additional 1-inch sensor — also a Sony IMX989 with 10-bit RAW support — underneath a large, circular piece of durable sapphire glass, as opposed to cutting out an opening for it as you’d find on traditional interchangeable lens cameras. While this would protect the sensor against dust and larger foreign objects, we do wonder how this extra layer of glass would affect the overall optical transmittance. But hey, better safe than sorry. 

Meanwhile, the 48-megapixel ultra-wide camera that was originally positioned in the middle of the camera island has been shifted to the side, taking up the space that once housed a 48-megapixel periscopic telephoto camera.

As shown in Xiaomi’s video, in order to install an interchangeable lens onto this 5G concept phone, you must first unscrew the protection ring around the rear camera island, then by way of an adapter, you’ll be able to mount any Leica M lens. As captured by a Xiaomi staffer in the above photo, the full assembly with a Leica Summilux-M 35mm f/1.4 ASPH lens looks rather impressive from the side. Previously, the closest thing to this intriguing combination would be one of those Yongnuo 4G-connected Android cameras (which never left China). Or you may travel further back in time and reminisce the good old days with the Samsung Galaxy NX.

Xiaomi stopped short at saying whether the 12S Ultra Concept Phone will ever be mass produced. All we know is that this project was developed alongside the actual 12S Ultra, and in the end, only 10 units of the former were made. A few of those samples were seeded to some lucky influencers for some quick hands-on time, but with each unit costing around 300,000 yuan or about $41,210 to make, they better not drop them.

 

T-Mobile may be joining rivals Verizon and AT&T by introducing an $35 charge for all new postpaid activations and upgrades, according to The T-Mo Report and some Redditors. According to T-Mobile internal documents, it’s introducing a “Device Connection Charge” for “all activations and upgrades for mobile, Beyond the Smartphone and broadband devices.”

Before, the Uncarrier charged activation fees only if you received in-store customer support for new activations, with online orders exempt. Now, all new postpaid activations are charged, whether or not you were assisted. This includes updating to a new device, adding a Bring-Your-Own-Device line, or ordering a Home Internet line, according to The T-Mo Report.

T-Mobile has always tried to separate itself from regular telecoms, but charging customers for essentially nothing doesn’t sound very Uncarrier-like, if the reports are accurate. And you can’t take your business to Sprint, as it no longer exists thanks to its merger with T-Mobile. When that deal was finalized, T-Mobile said things would be “better for customers,” but constant activation charges would definitely not be better.

Worse, it appears to be justifying the new fee in a dubious way, saying it’s “simplifying” the system to bring a “more consistent and straightforward experience for customers.” In other words, you’ll no longer need to wonder if you’ll get soaked for the charge or not — you definitely will. Engadget has reached out to T-Mobile to confirm the report’s accuracy.  

 

Google has laid Hangouts to rest, a couple of years after it first announced that it was going to push people to use Chat, its Slack-like app, instead. After allowing users to move to Chat on their own in 2021, Google phased out the Hangouts Chat app for Android and iOS in July. Users were shown a prompt telling them that “Hangouts has been replaced by Google Chat” and to switch to either the standalone Chat app or the Chat experience within Gmail. As TechCrunch notes, the last version of the messaging service, Hangouts for the web, is now also going away for good.

When users access the Hangouts website, they might see a message that says: “Starting November 1, 2022, Hangouts on the web will redirect to Chat on Web. We recommend moving to Chat now.” We can still access the website without being automatically redirected, but there’s a link to Google Chat that we can click to load the new messaging experience. The website might completely disappear in the coming days. 

Chat used to be one of Google’s business offerings before the company switched up its messaging strategy and made it available to everyone. The company says Chat “opens up new and better ways” to collaborate with features that weren’t available on Hangouts. Users can edit Docs, Slides or Sheets side-by-side within Chat. Teams at work or groups of friends can also work on documents and manage tasks using Spaces, which is a dedicated place they can use for topic-based collaboration. And since Gmail features Chat integration, people can easily access conversations without having to open the Chat website. 

Google previously said that those who want to keep a copy of their Hangouts data will have to use its Takeout tool before the service is gone for good. We still see Hangouts on Takeout, so those who want to do some last-minute data-saving may want to do so now while it’s still possible.