Category: Technology

There’s a new TMNT game in town, and it’s unlike anything the franchise has attempted before. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, as the name suggests, is a turn-based strategy RPG. This means that players will control characters on a grid-based map, with each turn representing movement or an action of some sort.

There’s one thing that sets this game apart from its SRPG cousins. Battles take “minutes” to complete, which is a far cry from the time-consuming affairs found in games like Unicorn Overlord. From the trailer, the fights look even zippier than the Mario + Rabbids series. Also, players control each turtle independently on a solo campaign before teaming up to take on a boss. 

The graphics look cartoony and on-brand, bringing to mind a tabletop session with D&D miniatures. It looks like all of the turtle’s favorite hang out spots are represented here, from the sewers to the NYC subway system. This could be a neat way to bring new players into the genre.

This is a unique entry in the TMNT franchise, but it’s also a new type of game for developer Scaffold Games. This is the company that brought us the absolutely disturbing Clickholding and the third-person shooter El Paso, Elsewhere. The company also made I Am Your Beast and Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator. None of these titles are turn-based tactical RPGs.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown will be released for PCs sometime next year. You can preorder the game right now via Steam. Publisher Paramount Game Studios hasn’t said anything about a potential console release, so perhaps hold off on organizing that pizza party. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-tactical-takedown-is-the-first-turn-based-game-in-the-franchises-long-history-175730833.html?src=rss 

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are in the rear-view mirror, but some of the better deals from the onslaught of sales are still available. Both PlayStation 5 consoles are still $75 off, for instance, while the Apple Watch Series 10 remains about $70 off at $330 (with a coupon). 

If you’re looking to grab a few tech gifts for the holidays, we’ve sorted through the best of what’s left for our latest weekly deal roundup. We’ve also included a few new discounts, including the noise-canceling version of Apple’s AirPods for a new low of $139. Keep in mind that shipping times may be delayed in some cases after the shopping rush last week, though.

PlayStation 5 (slim) for $424 at Amazon ($76 off MSRP): While this 15 percent price drop isn’t the biggest we’ve seen, larger discounts for Sony’s console have been uncommon over the past year. This bundle throws in a few Fortnite skins and V-Bucks, while the console alone is available for the same price. Alternatively, you can pair the machine with the recent RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard or an EA sports game for $450 at Walmart or Best Buy. Also at Target, GameStop and PlayStation Direct. Sony says its holiday PS5 sale will run through December 24. 

PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (slim) + NBA 2K25 for $374 at GameStop ($76 off): If you don’t care about owning physical discs, you can save another $50 upfront by getting the all-digital PS5. This bundle includes the latest NBA 2K game as a freebie, though the Fortnite bundle noted above and the standalone console are each available for $375 too. Also at Amazon, Target, Best Buy and PlayStation Direct.

The PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller.

PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller for $54 at Amazon ($21 off): While not an all-time low, this is cheaper than most deals we’ve seen for Sony’s PS5 pad in the last year. The discount applies to several different color options, but note that some are priced $5 higher than the others. Also at Best Buy, Walmart, Target and PlayStation Direct. 

Xbox Wireless Controller for $39 at Walmart ($21 off): This is another deal we’ve seen a few times before, but it’s a decent $5 to $15 off the Xbox pad’s typical street price, depending on which color you pick. A few different color options are still on sale, with some models priced $5 higher. Just remember that this gamepad requires a pair of AA batteries or a separate pack for power. Also at Amazon and Target.

PlayStation VR2 + Horizon Call of the Mountain for $349 at Amazon ($251 off): Sony’s middling software support has made the PSVR2 difficult to widely recommend, but if you have cash to burn and want to dive into games like Gran Turismo 7, Tetris Effect or the Horizon spin-off bundled here, this is the headset’s lowest price to date. Also at Best Buy, Walmart, Target, GameStop and PlayStation Direct. Sony says this deal will go through January 3.

The Apple AirPods 4.

Apple AirPods 4 with ANC for $139 at Amazon ($40 off): This is a new low for the noise-canceling version of Apple’s latest AirPods, which arrived in September. We gave them an 86 in our review, touting their improved sound quality, iPhone-friendly features and surprisingly effective active noise cancellation (ANC) despite their open design. They’re worth considering over the AirPods Pro if you hate the feeling of traditional in-ear headphones, though their four- to five-hour battery life isn’t great and there’s still no way to adjust volume from the earbuds themselves.

Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm) for $330 at Amazon ($69 off): The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the best smartwatch. It’s slightly thinner and lighter than previous models, with a rich wide-angle OLED display, (mildly) improved battery life and the usual array of fitness tracking features. We gave it a score of 90 in our review. This ties the best price to date for the 42mm model, though you’ll need to clip the on-page coupon to see the full discount at checkout. The larger 46mm version is also on sale for $360.

Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $73 at Amazon ($26 off): Apple’s Bluetooth tracker is our top pick for iPhone users, unsurprisingly, as it can accurately locate your belongings right from the Find My app. A waterproof design and replaceable battery help as well. Just make sure to grab a holder or case if you want to attach one to your keys. This deal is $5 off the lowest price we’ve seen but still $7 off the four-pack’s typical street price on Amazon. Also at Walmart.

The Samsung Evo Select.

Samsung Pro Plus (1TB) for $90 at Amazon ($30 off): The Pro Plus is the top pick in our microSD card buying guide. It’s not the cheapest card you can buy, but it tested faster than most of its peers in our benchmark tests, with a particular edge in random performance. That lets it play a bit nicer in a portable gaming PC or a device like the Raspberry Pi, where it’d more frequently have to access smaller bits of data in random locations. This is a new low for the 1TB model, which Samsung released earlier this year. Also at Samsung and B&H.

Samsung Evo Select (2024) (256GB) for $18 at Amazon ($4 off): The Evo Select is our favorite microSD card in the budget bracket. Its mediocre write speeds make it less-than-ideal for a camera, but it should yield few complaints for most people just looking to add space to a Nintendo Switch or Android tablet. This is an all-time low for the “new generation” 256GB model, which brings sequential read speeds more in line with the Pro Plus. Also at Samsung.

Razer Basilisk V3 for $40 at Amazon ($30 off): The Basilisk V3 is the top wired pick in our gaming mouse buying guide for those who prefer a more ergonomic shape. This discount ties the device’s all-time low. Razer released an revised version with an improved sensor a few months back, but that one costs $80 and isn’t an essential upgrade while the old model is still in stock. Also at Best Buy.

The Razer Basilisk V3.

Astro Bot for $50 at Walmart ($10 off): The inventive 3D platformer Astro Bot is the closest thing the PS5 has to a modern Super Mario game, even if it is a bit too reverential to the PlayStation brand. Engadget’s Jessica Conditt called it “one of the best games Sony has ever made” in her review. The game briefly fell to $43 at Amazon on Black Friday, but this is its best price otherwise. Also at Best Buy, Target and GameStop.

Helldivers 2 for $25 at Amazon (Prime only, $15 off): The co-op shooter Helldivers 2 straddles the line between Starship Troopers-esque satire and genuinely rousing, strategically engaging action. You could do much worse if you want a multiplayer game you can hop in and out of at your leisure. This deal is for Amazon Prime subscribers only, but it beats the previous low we saw on Black Friday by $5.

Metaphor: ReFantazio for $50 at Amazon ($20 off): It’s about as subtle as you’d expect a game named “Metaphor” to be, but the latest from the minds behind Persona 5 is a fantasy JRPG through and through: bombastic, stylish and deeply earnest. (And long.) This leftover Black Friday deal marks its lowest price to date. Also at Walmart.

Super Mario RPG for $33 at Best Buy ($17 off): The lively and brisk Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars is one of the Super Nintendo’s essential games. It didn’t necessarily need a Switch remake, but it got one last year anyway. Thankfully, the new version keeps the original’s oddball spirit intact as it spruces up the visuals for true 3D. If you’re in the market for a lighter RPG, this discount is only $1 above the price we saw on Black Friday.

The Bose QuietcComfort Ultra.

Hisense U7N 4K TV (55”) for $478 at Amazon ($320 off): Several reviews around the web call the U7N one of the year’s best TV values. It pumps out better brightness and contrast than most alternatives in its price range, plus it supports a fast 144Hz refresh rate at 4K, which helps PS5 and Xbox games look more fluid in motion. Its picture will look washed out if you don’t view it straight-on, however, and it’s limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports. This is the 55-inch model’s all-time low. Other sizes are similarly discounted. Also at Best Buy and Walmart.

Amazon Echo Buds for $25 at Amazon ($25 off): We highlight the Echo Buds in our guide to the best budget earbuds for those who prefer an unsealed design that doesn’t totally mute the outside world. They sound decent for the price and can connect to multiple devices at once, though they aren’t fully water-resistant. This deal matches their all-time low.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra for $299 at Amazon ($130 off): The QuietComfort Ultra is the top noise-canceling pick in our guide to the best wireless headphones. Its ANC is not only among the strongest we’ve tested, it’s also adjustable on a 10-point scale, so you can set it to a more comfortable level in quieter environments (unlike our top overall pick). It’s exceptionally comfortable, too, though there are crisper-sounding and longer-lasting options out there. While this deal isn’t an all-time low, we don’t see the headphones fall below $300 often. Note that the offer only applies to the “Diamond” finish. Bose says it’ll end later on Friday. Also at Bose, B&H and Best Buy.

The Amazon Echo Buds.

Amazon Echo for $55 at Amazon ($45 off): The latest Echo is the “best under $100” pick in our smart speaker buying guide thanks to its strong-for-its-size audio quality, stereo pairing support and (mostly) handy range of Alexa skills and smart home integrations. This discount comes in $5 above the lowest price we’ve seen. Other Echo devices are still on sale as well, including the smaller Echo Dot for $23 and the Echo Spot smart alarm clock for an all-time low of $45.

Ultimate Ears Everboom for $200 at Amazon ($50 off): The Everboom is a mid-sized entry in Ultimate Ears’ portable speaker lineup. We gave it a review score of 75 this past September and currently include it in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. Its rugged waterproof design, 20-hour battery life and 360-degree sound make it a solid outdoor companion, though it’s somewhat bulky, and it’s not the best at reproducing fine details in tracks. This deal price is an all-time low but only applies to the blue colorway as of this writing.

The Ultimate Ears Everboom.

Audible Premium Plus (3-month) for $3 at Amazon ($42 off): Non-subscribers can still get a three-month Audible Premium Plus trial for $1. Normally, the audiobook service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible’s upper tier: Apart from giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn’t call it essential, but this is a good way to see if it’d work for you if you’ve been on the fence. Remember that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel.

MasterClass Premium (1-year) for $144 at MasterClass ($96 off): MasterClass is still taking 40 percent off the cost of its annual subscription plans for new or returning users, bringing the “Plus” and “Premium” tiers down to $108 and $144, respectively. As a refresher, both options support offline viewing — the cheaper “Standard” tier does not — but the Premium plan lets you watch from six devices simultaneously instead of two. Either way, this is a decent chance to save if you’ve been interested in taking one of the service’s many celebrity-led courses.

The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024).

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) for $1,650 at Best Buy ($350 off): The 14-inch ROG Zephyrus G14 is the top pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. We gave it a score of 91 in our review, praising its (relatively) elegant aluminum chassis and beautiful 120Hz OLED display. It can get toasty under load, and the memory isn’t upgradeable, but this config can still handle more demanding games at high settings and the native 2.8K resolution without much trouble. It includes a Ryzen 9 8945HS chip, 32GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and an RTX 4070 GPU. Outside of one drop to $1,600 back in July, this ties the best price we’ve seen.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (13.8-inch) for $899 at Amazon ($300 off): We gave the latest Surface Laptop a score of 88 in our review, and we currently recommend it as a great ultraportable in our laptop buying guide. The caveat is that it uses an ARM processor, which runs well but may not work with every app or peripheral you use. If you can live with that, however, its bright 120Hz display, upscale aluminum design and long battery life all impress. Besides in-store-only deals, this is an all-time low for the config with a Snapdragon X Plus chip, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. A 15-inch version with a faster Snapdragon X Elite chip and 256GB of storage is down to a new low of $1,044. Also at Best Buy.

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon (Gen 12) for $1,099 at Lenovo ($500 off): The ThinkPad X1 Carbon is an honorable mention for business-minded users in our laptop buying guide, and it earned a score of 87 in our review. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the config with Intel’s Core Ultra 5 135U chip, 16GB of (non-upgradeable) RAM, a 512GB SSD and a 14-inch 1,920 x 1,200 display. Just use the coupon code X1G12TDDEAL at checkout. Other configs are still discounted, including a more powerful model with a Core Ultra 7 155U chip and 32GB of RAM for $1,391. Enter HOLIDAYTHINKDB at checkout for that one.

The Dyson V15 Detect.

Dyson Airwrap for $490 at Amazon ($110 off): This multipurpose styling tool uses the Coanda effect to create curls without excessive heat, and it comes with a bunch of other attachments that let it work as a hairdryer, heated brush and more. It’s certainly not cheap, but this is a good 18 percent off its normal street price. Also at Dyson.

iRobot Roomba Vac Essential (Q0120) for $149 at Amazon ($101 off): This entry-level robot vacuum has decent cleaning power with three cleaning modes and the ability to set cleaning schedules from iRobot’s mobile app. It’s a fairly basic model with no obstacle avoidance tech, but it should work for first-time or budget-minded robovac buyers. This deal has been live for a few weeks now but comes within a couple bucks of the device’s all-time low. Also at Best Buy.

Dyson V15 Detect Absolute for $500 at Dyson ($250 off): The V15 Detect is our pick for the best cordless vacuum thanks to its excellent suction power, impressively portable design and hour-long battery life (which is fairly long for these things). This model comes with a “Fluffy Optic” cleaning head that illuminates the ground in front of you so you can better see where dust and debris is hiding. You get a few other cleaning head attachments in the box alongside that. This discount matches the lowest price we could find.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-playstation-5-is-still-75-off-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-155032019.html?src=rss 

Google Photos just unveiled a yearly recap feature, which is a play on stuff like Spotify Wrapped and PlayStation Wrap-Up. This is a highlight reel of notable photos culled from the entire year, along with “fun graphics and cinematic effects.” I can’t wait to see snazzed-up photos of my cats.

In addition to random graphics and effects, the system will also generate captions to help denote two important events from the year for each user. These captions will be generated by Gemini, though users have to opt in. Google gave us examples of attending a wedding and taking a trip to Seoul.

The Recap feature will even provide “insights” in the form of tidbits about a particular user’s photo-taking habits. This could detail anything from a favorite color to the person a user smiles the most with. Google also promises that Recap will detail a user’s “2024 vibes.” The vibes of 2024? Yikes.

Just like rival yearly recap tools, folks can easily share everything to social media platforms. There’s also a little bit of a competitive element here, as each link will include data as to a particular user’s longest photo streak. Nothing creates more bragging rights than saying “you only took 560 photos this year, whereas I took 570.”

This feature is rolling out right now to all users. Just look for a notification from Google Photos that says it’s ready to view. The app also recently added a tool to detect images that have been manipulated by AI and, uh, other tools to manipulate photos by using AI.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/google-photos-now-has-a-2024-recap-feature-150037384.html?src=rss