Category: Technology

Streaming company Plex just announced that it’s introducing a new reviews feature for TV shows and movies, as reported by TechCrunch. This is great for people who want to quickly find something good to watch, as the reviews are culled from other Plex users, professional critics and friends. This move places Plex in direct competition with apps like Letterboxd.

There’s also going to be a social media component to this toolset. Reviews can be shared with your friends and even friends of friends. The company says that, eventually, there will be an update that will allow users to share their ratings and reviews with anyone using Plex. The feature is in beta release right now and you can sign up with a verified email address on the web interface or the mobile app.

Of course, reviews must abide by Plex’s community guidelines, so keep it family-friendly. Once activated, you can access a new “Ratings and Reviews” option in settings that allows for criteria adjustments. These settings can be adjusted to only display reviews from Plex users, critics, or a combination of both.

This update follows the app’s Discover Together feature, which allows people to create profiles on the app and follow friends for personalized recommendations. Plex has been absolutely hoovering up investment capital lately. It scored $40 million earlier this year and $50 million back in 2021.

For the uninitiated, Plex is an extremely popular free, ad-supported television (FAST) streaming app. It easily made our list of the best live TV streaming services. However, it also acts as a portal to other streaming platforms, making for a centralized entertainment hub.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/plex-is-adding-reviews-for-tv-shows-and-movies-173622067.html?src=rss 

October Prime Day 2024 has given Prime members another opportunity to save one some of our favorite tech — and maybe even snag some holiday gifts early and for less. If you checked out Amazon’s site yesterday, you may have quickly gotten overwhelmed by the volume of deals. But Engadget can help make it easier to navigate the sea of discounts. We’re curating the best October Prime Day deals on gadgets and gear we can find, including discounts on smartphones, tablets, gaming accessories, robot vacuums and more. These are the best Prime Day deals you can get for day two of the sale. We’ll be updating this post regularly throughout the duration of October Prime Day, so check back to see the latest discounts.

Best Prime Day deals: Engadget’s top picks

Apple AirPods Pro for $169 ($80 off)

Apple Watch SE (2nd gen, GPS) for $170 ($79 off)

Apple 9th-gen iPad for $199 ($130 off)

Dyson Airwrap for $500 ($100 off)

Dyson V15 Detect Plus cordless vacuum cleaner for $570 ($180 off)

Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $298 ($102 off)

Sonos Era 100 for $199 ($50 off)

Marshall Emberton II speaker for $100 ($70 off)

Anker MagGo 10K power bank for $60 ($30 off)

SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch (128GB, 2-pack) for $28 ($12 off)

Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 for $19 (46 percent off)

Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant 71426 for $48 (20 percent off)

Best Prime Day Apple deals

Apple deals can be hit or miss during Amazon Prime Day, but this year there are a number of good ones you can shop. Whether you’ve been on the hunt for a new Apple device for yourself or you know you want to pick one up as a gift, you can save a bit of cash if you do so now.

Apple AirPods Pro for $169 ($80 off): Apple’s most powerful wireless earbuds have excellent ANC, a good sound profile and decent battery life, and thanks to a software update, they just got new features like voice isolation and Siri interactions (hearing aid features are coming soon).

Apple AirPods Max for $395 ($154 off): These expensive cans are a much better buy when on sale, and they boast excellent sound quality, good ANC, a luxe design and a solid battery life. They’re available in Lightning or USB-C.

Apple Watch SE (2nd gen, GPS) for $170 ($79 off): The entry-level Apple Watch remains a fine choice for first-time smartwatch buyers, so long as you can live without the larger always-on display and more advanced health features of the pricier Series 10. This is another one of the lowest prices we’ve tracked for the 40mm model; the larger 44mm variant is similarly discounted at $200.

Apple 10th-gen iPad for $299 ($50 off): The new, baseline iPad updates a familiar device with a fresh design, improved performance, USB-C charging and a better battery life.

Apple 9th-gen iPad for $199 ($130 off): This model is on its way out, but $200 for an iPad is a solid sale price. This slab has a 10.2-inch display, an A13 Bionic chip and 64GB of storage — plus the antiquated physical Home button.

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M2 for $749 ($250 off): Despite having a slightly older chipset, the M2 MacBook Air remains a great budget option for most anyone, save those who regularly push their daily driver to the limit with activities like video editing.

Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M3 for $849 ($250 off): This is our top pick for the best MacBook you can buy right now thanks to its excellent performance, thin-and-light design, bright screen and comfortable keyboard and trackpad.

Best Prime Day Anker deals

One can never have too many charging accessories, be they cables, wireless charging pads or power banks. Anker makes some of our favorites across all those categories, and you’ll find deep discounts on Anker gear for Prime Day.

Anker MagGo 10K power bank for $60 ($30 off): This is our current favorite power bank for iPhones in our guide to the best power banks thanks to its Qi2 fast charging, LED display that shows battery percentage and sturdy, built-in kickstand.

Anker MagGo 3-in-1 foldable charging station for $84 ($26 off): This compact charging station doubles as a power bank for iPhones and can charge up an iPhone, Apple Watch and a pair of AirPods all at the same time.

Anker MagGo 3-in-1 charging stand for $72 ($28 off): This stand supports an iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously, and it comes with a 40W wall charger and a USB-C to C cable which which to connect all the necessary pieces together.

Anker Prime Power Bank 240W with 100W charging base for $160 ($75 off): This is the top premium pick in our best power banks guide thanks to its high capacity, sleek design, informative built-in display and the charging base that makes it convenient to store and easy to charge up.

Best Prime Day Amazon device deals

Aside from Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day is the best time of the year to pick up a piece of tech made by the online retailer. Usually, you can snag record-low prices on things like Echo speakers, Fire TV devices, Kindle ereaders and much more.

Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands. You can also grab it bundled with a free TP-Link smart light bulb.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $35 ($25 off): Amazon’s most powerful Fire TV dongle supports 4K, HDR content and Dolby Vision, plus Wi-Fi 6E and Dolby Atmos audio.

Fire HD 8 tablet for $55 ($45 off): Amazon just released this new version of the HD 8 tablet, which includes more RAM, a better camera and new AI features not found on the previous model.

Ring pan and tilt security camera for $50 ($30 off): This security camera joined the Ring lineup only a few months ago, and this is the best price we’ve seen on it. It’s part of a larger Ring sale that discounts home security gear by up to 50 percent.

Best Prime Day deals on headphones and earbuds

Headphones and earbuds are typically some of the most plentiful deals on Prime Day, which makes it a great time to consider upgrading or picking up a pair for someone as a gift. Whether you prefer over-ear headphones or in-ear wireless buds, you’ll find steep discounts across all types for Prime Day.

Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $298 ($101 off): Our top picks for the best wireless headphones have never been cheaper, and they offer excellent sound quality, ANC, multi-device connectivity and a 30-hour battery life.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $329 ($100 off): These headphones offer class-leading noise cancellation and they’re a much better buy then normal at this sale price.

Bose QuietComfort headphones for $199 ($150 off): These are some of our favorite noise-canceling headphones and most of the colorways are on sale for Prime Day.

Anker Soundcore Space A40 wireless earbuds for $45 ($35 off): This is a new record-low price for our favorite budget wireless earbuds, which offer solid ANC, a good sound profile, multi-device connectivity, wireless charging and a comfortable fit.

Jabra Elite 4 Active for $70 ($50 off): These are some of our favorite headphones for running thanks to their comfortable, IP57-rated design, good sound quality and ANC, multipoint connectivity and solid battery life.

Best Prime Day Lego deals

A number of Lego sets have already been discounted for October Prime Day. Some of our favorites come from the Star Wars, Super Mario and Harry Potter lineups, and you’ll find savings up to 41 percent on those.

Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant 71426 for $48 (20 percent off)

Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding The Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $44 (20 percent off)

Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle and Grounds 76419 for $136 (20 percent off)

Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box 10696 for $19 (46 percent off)

Best Prime Day deals on robot vacuums and smart home gadgets

Everyone needs a vacuum, regardless of if you prefer to do the chore yourself or automate it with a robotic gadget. Plenty of top robot vacuums (and cordless vacuums) are on sale for Prime Day, along with a number of other smart home gadgets we recommend.

Anker Eufy Boost 11S Max robot vacuum cleaner for $130 ($120 off): This is one of the best budget robot vacuums available now thanks to its good suction power, long battery life and slim design that lets it get underneath more furniture than other, taller machines.

Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum cleaner for $280 ($139 off): Shark’s robo-vac can clean both carpet and hard floors well and maps your home while it cleans so you can more easily send it to specific rooms and areas when you want. Its self-emptying base can also hold up to 60 days worth of debris.

Dyson V15 Detect Plus cordless vacuum cleaner for $570 ($180 off): This version of our top pick in our best cordless vacuum cleaner guide has superior suction power and can handle pet hair without breaking a sweat, plus it has 60 minutes of run time and comes with a number of cleaner-head accessories.

Best Prime Day deals on kitchen tech

The right kitchen tech can make all the difference in your cooking journey, whether you’ve just started to meal-prep or you have a multi-course Thanksgiving menu already planned. This fall Prime Day, we’re seeing big discounts on some of our favorite small appliances from air fryers to pizza ovens to ice cream machines.

Ninja DualZone air fryer for $164 ($36 off): This 8-quart model of one of our favorite air fryers can cook two totally different foods at the same time, and you can set it up for both foods to be done cooking at the same time. The larger, 10-quart model is $50 off and down to $200.

Cosori 9-in-1 air fryer for $85.49 ($33.51 off): This newer air fry from Cosori has nine preset cooking modes and a six-quart capacity that makes it just the right size to cook a good amount of food without taking up too much space on most countertops.

Ooni Volt 12 electric pizza oven for $719 ($180 off): Ooni’s electric pizza oven can be used indoors and it has handy, front-mounted controls that let you easily adjust the top and bottom cooking elements.

Best Prime Day deals on tech

Yes, Black Friday is right around the corner, but it would be unwise to sleep on Prime Day tech deals (particularly if you already pay the annual fee to be a Prime member). We’re seeing steep discounts on smartphones, TVs, streaming devices, gaming gear and much more this time around, making it a good time to pick up something for yourself or cross a few items off your holiday shopping list early.

Dyson V15 Detect Plus cordless vacuum cleaner for $570 ($180 off): This version of our top pick in our best cordless vacuum cleaner guide has superior suction power and can handle pet hair without breaking a sweat, plus it has 60 minutes of run time and comes with a number of cleaner-head accessories.

Dyson Airwrap for $500 ($100 off): Dyson’s immensely popular hair styling tool uses the Coanda effect to help create waves and curls without excess heat.

Samsung The Frame smart TV for $978 ($668 off): This is a return to the July Prime Day price for this bundle that includes Samsung’s iconic art TV and a white bezel.

LG 55-inch C4 evo OLED smart TV for $1,297 ($700 off): LG’s midrange OLED sets, the C4 family includes upgraded Alpha 9 Gen 7 chip, improved brightness and a 144Hz max refresh rate. Most sizes are discounted at the moment.

SanDisk microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch (128GB, 2-pack) for $28 ($12 off): SanDisk’s Switch-branded microSD card isn’t the fastest we’ve used, but it’s perfectly suitable for most use cases, and this is a solid value for a two-pack.

SanDisk Ultra microSD card (1.5TB) for $89 ($61 off): If you don’t care about performance so much and just want a big chunk of space for as little cash as possible, this deal should work. You’ll have to deal with slower transfer speeds, but the discount takes roughly $20 off this 1.5TB card’s typical going rate in recent months.

Crucial X9 Pro portable SSD (1TB) for $85 ($10 off): The X9 Pro is the top pick in our guide to the best portable SSDs, combining dependable performance with a rugged compact design. We’ve seen this 1TB model go for much less in previously sales, but it’s sat in the $90 to $100 range for almost all of the past year. This discount marks the lowest price we’ve seen since January.

Sonos Era 100 for $199 ($50 off): This is one of our favorite smart speakers thanks to its excellent sound quality, Trueplay tuning and Bluetooth support. Plus, if you have two of them, you can pair them for a stellar stereo sound experience.

Marshall Emberton II speaker for $100 ($70 off): One of our favorite Bluetooth speakers, this model has an attractive, retro design, a pleasant, balanced sound profile and up to 30 hours of battery life.

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for $920 ($380 off): The entirety of the Galaxy S24 lineup has dropped in price for this sale event; the Galaxy S24+ has been discounted to $750, while the Galaxy S24 is just $600.

Google Pixel 8a for $379 ($121 off): Our top pick for the best midrange smartphone impresses with a 120Hz display, excellent cameras and a strong battery life.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $34 ($16 off): One of our top picks for the best streaming devices, this Roku dongle supports 4K, HDR10+ and Dolby Vision content and provides access to a lot of free content thanks to Roku’s operating system.

Roku Ultra (2024) for $79 ($21 off): The brand new Ultra is 30 percent faster than the previous model, and it supports Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and Wi-Fi 6.

Elgato Stream Deck+ for $170 ($30 off): This upgraded version of the popular streaming controller includes eight programmable buttons, four dials and a touch strip, all of which work together to let you build the ultimate controller for your gaming or productivity setup.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-prime-day-deals-to-shop-for-on-the-last-day-of-amazons-big-deal-days-sale-apple-anker-sony-and-more-162402816.html?src=rss 

Amazon’s fall Prime Day sale has brought a handful of decent discounts on Apple devices, from the AirPods Pro 2 to the Apple Watch SE to the latest MagSafe Charger. If you’ve been waiting to take the plunge and don’t want to hold out until Black Friday, here are the best Apple deals we could find from the Prime Big Deal Days event. We’ll update this post if we find anything new. As a refresher, the sale runs through October 9, and you’ll need to subscribe to Prime to view some of the deals.

Best Prime Day Apple deals

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) for $169 ($80 off MSRP): This is the lowest price we’ve seen for Apple’s noise-canceling wireless earbuds, which we consider the best choice for iOS users.

Apple AirPods Max for $395 ($154 off): This matches the all-time low for Apple’s over-ear noise-cancelers, though this price only applies to the older Lightning-based model, not the newer revision with USB-C. If you can live with the outdated charging port and somewhat bulky design, though, the old model still offers clean sound and top-notch ANC.

Apple AirPods 4 for $119 ($10 off): This modest discount has been available for a few weeks now, but it’s still worth highlighting given that Apple only launched its new wireless earbuds last month. We gave the pair a review score of 88, praising its improved fit, comfort and overall sound quality. This model doesn’t include active noise cancellation or wireless charging, however.

Apple Watch SE (2nd gen, GPS) for $170 ($79 off): It’s getting a bit long in the tooth, but the entry-level Apple Watch remains a fine choice for first-time smartwatch buyers, so long as you can live without the larger always-on display and more advanced health features of the pricier Series 10. This is another one of the lowest prices we’ve tracked for the 40mm model; the larger 44mm variant is similarly discounted at $200.

The AirPods Pro 2.

Apple Watch SE (2nd gen, GPS + Cellular) for $220 ($79 off): If you need more than Wi-Fi, the 40mm and 44mm versions of the Apple Watch SE with cellular support are also cheaper than usual at $220 and $250, respectively.

Apple MacBook Air M2 (13-inch) for $749 ($250 off): It’s a generation old now, but the M2 MacBook Air offers most of the same benefits as the latest model, minus the slightly faster chip, dual external monitor support and improved storage speeds in the base model. This discount matches the lowest price we’ve seen. Just be sure you can live with 8GB of RAM before pulling the trigger. And if you need more storage, the 512GB model is also on sale at $200 more.

Apple MacBook Air M3 (13-inch) for $849 ($250 off): If you’re willing to pay more for those upgrades, however, the latest and greatest MacBook Air is also discounted for $100 more. We’ve seen this discount a few times before, but it matches the entry-level model’s lowest price to date. In general, we consider the M3 Air to be the best laptop for most people.

Apple MacBook Air M3 (15-inch) for $1,044 ($255 off): The 15-inch Air is a half-pound heavier than its 13-inch counterpart, but it has a more robust speaker system, and the added heft may be worth it if you need the extra screen space. This deal only beats the previous low by $5, but it’s the best price we’ve tracked all the same. Note that this is the base model with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD; a config with double the memory and storage is down to a low of $1,424 as well.

The 15-inch Apple MacBook Air with an M3 chip.

Apple iPad (9th gen) for $199 ($130 off): This model has technically been discontinued, and we’ve seen this discount for much of the last couple of months, but it bears repeating that $199 is a great price for an iPad that’s still perfectly competent for casual media consumption. You’ll have to put up with thicker bezels, the antiquated Home button and a meager 64GB of storage, but you get (almost) the same clean software and expansive app library as any other Apple tablet.

Apple iPad mini (6th gen) for $350 ($149 off): To be clear, this is a bad time to buy the iPad mini, as Apple is expected to launch a long-overdue refresh before the end of the year. But if you don’t care about owning the latest and just want a small iPad for (relatively) cheap, this is about $30 less than the 8.3-inch slate’s typical street price over the last few months.

Apple Pencil Pro for $97 ($32 off): This is the biggest drop to date for Apple’s top-end stylus; just make sure you own (or plan on buying) one the latest iPad Airs or iPad Pros before taking the plunge.

Apple MagSafe Charger (25W) for $32 ($7 off): While not a huge discount, this is the lowest price we’ve seen for the company’s newest MagSafe charger, which now supports wireless charging speeds up to 25W with the iPhone 16 (and an appropriate power brick).

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-prime-day-deals-on-airpods-apple-watches-ipads-macbooks-and-more-that-are-still-available-today-072544277.html?src=rss