Category: Technology

The Golden Globes is expanding beyond film and TV with a new category. It will dole out an award for the best podcast of the year starting at next January’s ceremony. Organizers told Variety that the idea was to recognize the influence and reach of podcasts within the spectrum of entertainment.

Six finalists will be selected from the 25 most popular podcasts across audio and video formats (sorry, middle-aged dads who spent hundreds of dollars on recording gear to grouse about their team in their basement studios). So it’s likely that more celebrities could appear on the show.

Amy Poehler and Trevor Noah have podcasts that are among the 25 largest in the US on Spotify. SmartLess — the show hosted by actors Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes — is on the list too. As such, the best podcast award feels like a ploy by the Golden Globes to get more stars on the show, which would make it quite funny if, say, The Daily won instead.

It feels like an odd move for the Golden Globes (which started handing out an award for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement last year) to wade into the podcasting world. Still, it’s nice to see a mainstream awards ceremony shining a spotlight on podcasts. There are dedicated awards shows for podcasts, but the Golden Globes is putting them on a bigger stage.

Other awards shows have been refining their category lineups. We’ll soon start seeing a long-overdue category for stunt work at the Oscars. On the other hand, it was a little disappointing to see the Emmy for short-form animated program being cut last year due to a drop in submissions.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/the-golden-globes-will-start-giving-an-award-to-the-best-podcast-of-the-year-154905589.html?src=rss 

Electronic Arts has confirmed that the next Battlefield game will be revealed this summer, ahead of a launch date some time before April 2026. The news was shared in the company’s Q4 and and financial year 2025 results, published this week.

EA CEO Andrew Wilson called the latest installment in the long-running first-person shooter series a “pivotal step in delivering on our next generation of blockbuster entertainment” and recommitted to a previously announced FY26 release window for the currently untitled game. That means it can’t launch any later than March 2026, when EA’s fiscal year ends.

A launch date before April next year would mean the new Battlefield game will get a bit of room to breathe before the recently delayed Grand Theft Auto 6, which is supposed to arrive on May 26, 2026. Like every other publisher on the planet, EA has likely factored GTA 6 into its own upcoming launch plans for a number of titles. Eurogamer reported earlier this year that Wilson had admitted a willingness to delay games in order to get out of the way of the (unnamed, but heavily implied) competition.

The most recent Battlefield game was 2021’s Battlefield 2042, to which EA has steadily added new content. Back in February, EA launched Battlefield Labs, a community testing initiative that allows registered fans to playtest and give feedback on series fundamentals such as combat, destruction, vehicles and map designs.

EA also confirmed in an investor call that it currently has no plans to increase the price of its games, following the recent Xbox price hike and Nintendo making the decision to charge a whopping $80 for Mario Kart World on its upcoming Switch 2.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-next-battlefield-game-will-launch-sometime-before-april-2026-161521602.html?src=rss 

Netflix has been gradually culling its library of interactive content for a while now, but Black Mirror’s Emmy award winning Bandersnatch was one of the few survivors. Until now. As spotted by What’s on Netflix, the choose-your-own-adventure film set in a fictional game development studio will be leaving the service globally on May 12.

At the beginning of December 2024, only four of Netflix’s “Interactive Specials” remained, of which Bandersnatch was one. As of today there are only two left. The other is Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy vs. The Reverend, which first debuted back in 2020 and is also being removed imminently.

Netflix’s first interactive effort was 2017’s Puss in Book: Trapped in an Epic Tale, but Bandersnatch, which arrived the following year, was the first to be targeted at an adult audience, and arguably the company’s most successful of these experiments. Set in the UK in the mid-80s, it follows a young programmer who sets out to adapt a dark fantasy novel into a story-driven video game, before things inevitably take a dark turn. The film featured multiple endings and branching paths based on the decisions you made, and went on to win two Primetime Emmy Awards.

Which probably leaves you wondering why Netflix is getting rid of it. Back in December, company spokesperson Chrissy Kelleher told The Verge that the technology had “served its purpose, but is now limiting as we focus on technological efforts in other areas.”

Actual video games still feature prominently in the overhauled Netflix TV app, which the company has been working on since last year and will roll out over the coming weeks and months. It is also experimenting with a vertical video feature on mobile that will include clips and trailers, presumably to appeal more to the native TikTok audience. Just don’t expect to see Bandersnatch in there.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/black-mirrors-bandersnatch-is-leaving-netflix-for-good-144518207.html?src=rss 

Apple’s latest diminutive desktop, the M4 Mac mini, is on sale via Amazon for more than $100 off. That brings the price of the entry-level model down to just $495. This version includes 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. The 16GB/512GB model costs $743 and the 24GB/512GB model is down to $906. Even some of the versions with the slightly more powerful M4 Max chip are on sale.

The M4 Mac mini is a nice little upgrade. We called it “shockingly small” and “incredibly powerful” in our official review of the Pro model. Both of those descriptors stand. The mini is still cute and teensy and the M4 chip is still more than enough for everyday computing tasks and fully capable of more intensive applications.

There are some front-facing USB-C ports, which is always handy with a desktop, and support for up to three external displays. Even the entry-level version offers 16GB of RAM, which is great. The chip is faster than ever, making this an extremely budget-friendly way to get in on the Apple Silicon party.

There are a few more USB-C ports on the back, which is useful, but this unit offers no USB-A ports. The 256GB of storage offered by the base model could get a bit tight, but it’s certainly doable for more casual users. Plus, those ports are always available for an external SSD.

One curious design choice here is that the power button is along the bottom of the rear end. This can lead to some awkward movements when trying to turn it on, as it basically has to be tipped over. Otherwise, this is a great device.

Check out our coverage of the best Apple deals for more discounts, and follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/computing/apples-m4-mac-mini-is-more-than-100-off-at-amazon-151509626.html?src=rss 

Sony has expanded its PlayStation Studios roster with teamLFG, which spun out from Bungie and is working on an “ambitious” incubation project. The studio is based in Bellevue, Washington (where Bungie’s HQ is), though some team members work remotely elsewhere in the US and Canada. The crew includes a mix of industry newcomers and veterans who have worked on the likes of Destiny, Halo, League of Legends, Fortnite and Roblox.

The focus of teamLFG will be on immersive multiplayer games. That’s perhaps not too much of a surprise given the veterans’ experience and that “LFG” stands for “looking for group,” a phrase used by players who are seeking teammates for multiplayer games.

Its first project takes place in “a lighthearted, comedic world set in [a] brand new mythic, science-fantasy universe.” The studio is taking inspiration from platformers, MOBAs, life sims, fighting games and elsewhere for its team-based action title. Since it’s an incubation project, the game is likely quite some time away from seeing the light of day.

Bungie went through a restructuring process last summer, which included 220 people being laid off as it narrowed its focus on Destiny and Marathon. To that end, the company spun out an incubation project to be housed under Sony’s umbrella, which turned out to be this.

The new studio aims to make “action games that players can learn, play and master for countless hours.” That certainly sounds like a live-service game, an area where Sony hasn’t had much luck over the last few years despite trying to focus on such titles. The company has canned several live-service games that were in development, including The Last of Us Online. And then there was the whole Concord disaster. Here’s hoping, for the sake of the workers at teamLFG, things go more smoothly this time around.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/new-playstation-studio-teamlfg-is-working-on-a-multiplayer-action-game-143020198.html?src=rss 

Tesla has started offering a cheaper configuration of its refreshed 2025 Model Y electric vehicle in the US. As first noticed by Electrek, you can now get a Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y in the US with prices starting at $37,490 if it’s with $7,500 in tax credits. Without tax credits, prices start at $44,990. The automaker was only previously offering the Long Range All-Wheel Drive version in the country for at least $48,990 without tax credits. 

The updated Model Y retains the old version’s proportions, but it has rounder edges and smaller headlights, as well as taillights bookending a redesigned lightbar. It has ambient lighting wrapping around most of the car inside, and it also comes with ventilated seats and a 15.4-inch touchscreen display in the front. Passengers in the backseat have access to a Bluetooth-enabled 8-inch display. The new rear-wheel drive model has an EPA-estimated range of 357 miles on a single charge, 30 miles longer than the all-wheel drive’s 327-mile range. They have the same top speed of 125 mph, but the all-wheel drive has a faster acceleration rate and can go from zero to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds. It will take the rear-wheel drive 5.4 seconds to reach 60 mph.

Delivery for the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive Model Y in the US starts in the next three to five weeks. As Electrek noted, the automaker has already started deliveries in China and Europe. Tesla’s sales continue to plunge across Europe, however, and have plummeted to their lowest in years for certain regions, including the UK and Germany. Elon Musk’s politics and his backing of far-right political candidates in the continent have sparked backlash and inspired protests against the company. In addition, Tesla is facing increasing competition from Chinese rivals, such as BYD, which is the best-selling EV car brand from the country. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/tesla-starts-selling-cheaper-model-y-evs-in-the-us-124506011.html?src=rss 

Sonos and IKEA are ending their partnership and phasing out existing products. The duo collaborated on the Symfonisk lineup, which included lamp speakers, picture frame speakers and bookshelf speakers. Software updates will still be available for Symfonisk products. 

Over the past eight years, we’ve had the pleasure of working closely with IKEA and are proud of what we’ve achieved,” Sonos told Engadget. “Although our work together has largely wound down and we won’t be releasing new products as partners, we’ll continue to support every existing SYMFONISK product so customers can keep enjoying great sound in their homes for many years to come.”

The Symfonisk lineup offered Sonos technology at a cheaper price point than buying its speakers outright. The cheapest speaker directly from Sonos is just under $200, with other models easily doubling or tripling that. Symfonisk speakers, however, are available for as low as $120, while a floor lamp with a speaker — and IKEA’s classic bamboo top — is the most expensive item at $300. Items could become even more discounted now that they’re being cleared out. 

Sonos has struggled recently, canceling the release of its streaming video device in March and launching a simply terrible new app in Spring 2024. The latter led to CEO Patrick Spence’s ousting and hundreds of workers being let go. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/sonos-and-ikea-end-their-partnership-130052348.html?src=rss 

Harman International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung, is purchasing the audio business of health technology company Masimo for $350 million in cash. The deal is expected to finalized by the end of 2025, though it’s still subject to regulatory approvals. Samsung purchased Harman International back in 2017 for $8 billion, though it allowed the company to operate as an independent subsidiary. Harman’s brands include JBL, Harman Kardon, AKG, Mark Levinson, Arcam and Revel. If and when the acquisition pushes through, Masimo’s audio brands under Sound United will be added to the list, including Bowers & Wilkins, Denon, Marantz and Polk Audio. 

It is unclear if the purchase will lead to layoffs, but it sounds like Harman is taking on Sound United’s employees. “Built on a shared legacy of innovation and excellence in audio technology, this combined family of brands, together with the talented employees of both companies, will deliver complementary audio products, strengthen our value proposition and offer more choices to consumers,” said Dave Rogers, the President of Harman’s Lifestyle division. 

As noted by The Verge, Samsung published a press release, where it briefly talked about the history of the brands it’s acquiring. It mentioned some of Bowers & Wilkins’ most iconic products, such as the Nautilus loudspeaker (pictured above) and its Zeppelin wireless speaker, as well as Denon’s history as an early adopter of the CD player. Harman had a 60 percent market share in portable audio devices last year, and the company is looking to maintain that position with this purchase. “By combining the audio business of Masimo, which is being acquired this time, with Harman’s lifestyle business division, the company plans to solidify its global No. 1 position in the consumer audio market,” Samsung said. Samsung also plans to apply the new brands’ audio technologies to its smartphones, TVs, wireless earphones, soundbars and other devices in the future. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/samsung-is-paying-350-million-for-audio-brands-bowers–wilkins-denon-marantz-and-polk-131514754.html?src=rss