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Call of Duty cheaters are now being named and shamed in real-time when they’re kicked out of a game. The latest season of CoD: Modern Warfare II and CoD: Warzone season five went live this week, and the update includes an addition to the Ricochet anti-cheat system.

When Ricochet detects and removes a “problem player,” the game will notify everyone in the match of such an occurrence right in the kill feed. That will let all players know for sure that they’ve been dealing with a cheater and also that Activision’s systems were able to spot that person and boot them from the game.

It’s not super novel for a game to tell players that someone has been kicked out for cheating. I recently played some BattleBit Remastered — a fun, low-poly riff on the Battlefield series — and the game notified me whenever a cheater was banned.

Still, this is a welcome update from Team Ricochet, which has been trying all kinds of tactics to mess with cheaters and to try and catch suspected hackers out. Over the last couple of years, Call of Duty has made cheaters unable to see enemies and taken their guns away. More recently, Team Ricochet has been deploying clones of real players against detected and suspected cheaters. If a potential hacker interacts with one of these clones, they’ll make it obvious that they’re cheating.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/call-of-duty-is-publicly-shaming-cheaters-in-the-kill-feed-154544553.html?src=rss 

VR technology has come a long way from the early Virtuality systems that inhabited our local malls in the ‘80s and ‘90s, with modern headsets offering 4K resolution, Dolby Atmos surround sound, and motion-sensing controllers. But even the most convincing optical and auditory illusions can’t fully fool our inner ears.

“If you want to feel these big sensations, you’ve got to have the infrastructure first,” University of Chicago PhD student, Romain Nith, told Engadget. “You’ve got to go to theme parks, ride roller coasters, or you need bungie cords pulling you from the ceiling.” And while the sensations are really like what they’re simulating (because you’re really being thrown around), “you can’t have that in your living room.”

The JumpMod Haptic Backpack prototype, on the other hand, can effectively fool its user’s sense of proprioception to make jumping in VR feel much more lifelike with a device the size of, well, a backpack. It has been developed by Nith and his research team from the University of Chicago’s Human-Computer Integration Lab, which is headed by Pedro Lopes, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science. The HCI Lab’s research focuses on using technology to “borrow parts of the body for input and output, rather than adding more technology to the body” and, as such, has generated a veritable menagerie of novel devices exploring that concept.

“I think the next generation of devices is not going to be defined by how small they are, or how implanted they are in the body… but more about how deeply they integrate with your body,” Lopes told Engadget. He points to the functional issues of dealing with Google Maps in 2007 — specifically the need to physically print them out for them to be useful. “Now when that runs on your smartphone, the device that can move with you, in your pocket, you can access information anywhere, anytime,” he said. “All of a sudden that makes a lot of sense. So every jump of these paradigms allows you to do something new.”

“We’re looking at the body and trying to create technology that really hybridizes with you,” Lopes continued, using smartwatches as an example, which rely on small spinning motors to create the notification vibration. “That is one of the reasons smart watches are so big.”

Instead, a small electrical charge can elicit the same tingling sensation without the need for a “big rotating mass type of device,” Lopes explained. “The sensations, the functionality, ends up being the same and the device looks very different.”

JumpMod takes a similar approach, rapidly shifting the position of a weight worn by the user to fool their senses rather than hoist the user wholesale to practically recreate the sensation. The untethered device is designed to modify the user’s sense of jumping, when used with a VR program, by rapidly lifting and lowering a 2-kilogram weight (which doubles as the device’s power cell) in time with their physical movement. Adjusting the speed of weight’s motion impacted the user’s perceived jump momentum, enabling the team to create sensations of higher and broader jumps, softer and harder landings and being pulled up or down.

The device itself is completely untethered and can operate both indoors and out. In the demo above, the researcher team used the backpack to improve its user’s timing when jumping rope and even took JumpMod to a basketball court to show how it could be used to help (or hinder) players in a game of one-on-one. The current iteration is built to generate as much force as comfortably possible, in order to maximize the generated sensation, so it does tend to be rather loud and heavy.

“We probably don’t have to drive it as fast, which generates less noise, and probably don’t even need all the weight that we have, which would make for a slimmer backpack,” Lopes said. “Where does that sensation start to occur? Is that at 100 grams, is it at 300 grams? We optimized it for maximum power, rather than for a minimal device. That’s the kind of stuff one would do if one were to commercialize [the technology].”

Technically, the device doesn’t even need to be worn, it could theoretically be implanted into the backs of theater seats. “I think that the tension here in VR is really interesting,” Lopes said. “ If you go to the Disney theme park, they play these super-immersive VR scenes, you’re on a motion platform and when the scene jumps, the motion platform goes up.” Lope argues that a similar sensation could potentially be produced at a fraction of the infrastructure requirements using JumpMod.

“There’s lots of proto-motion platforms for VR, some with special shoes, some move around, some rotate but none of them have really paid off,” Lopes said. “It’s a really difficult challenge where, if you want to create an involuntary force and involuntary movement, you need a big infrastructure. We are interested in whether that’s possible, but honestly, we don’t even know if it is.“

The “involuntary” aspect of these devices and technologies is an ethical sticking point for the field, and one which Lopes’ lab has studied frequently. His students have developed passive systems that allow one user to dictate the hand motions of another, or use electrical muscle stimulation to improve the users’ dexterity — artificially boosting their reaction speeds and shaping their finger positions on a guitar fretboard. They can even be controlled through an exoskeleton to properly form the words of American Sign Language. However, all of those devices require the user to relinquish some degree of control over their bodies to let the machines do their things.

“We call it ‘optimizing agency,’” Lopes said. For most of the projects in his lab, “agency is not super critical.” Stakes are low when allowing a robot to guide your finger positionings when learning to play guitar or have one physically guide your head using electrical muscle stimulation during a workplace safety training experience. “We apply the [EMS pads] to the neck muscles,” Lopes reassured Engadget, which gently buzz the user to make them look around their office space, “so they know where the fire extinguisher is, where the fire exit is.”

Lopes does concede that physically instigating a user to turn their head by externally stimulating their nervous system could be construed as “making people completely lose their sense of agency,” however he notes that his lab consistently includes user overrides for all EMS-related devices. “In all these, we design some form [of override] to keep you in control. For example, in the case of [the head actuation study], if you push against the device, it senses that you’re pushing against the direction that it’s starting to move your head and turns off.”

“I think there’s more research to be done there, more complex ways to tackle this,” he continued. “Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) are really interesting because you can kind of detect what people are thinking, what their goal is, and then you don’t even have to activate the system if it’s not needed.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-jumpmod-haptic-backpack-makes-virtual-leaps-more-realistic-160003718.html?src=rss 

Arturia has officially begun its annual summer sale, offering steep discounts on a vast array of digital instruments, effects and sound bank packs. The average discount is 50 percent, so you can pick up the well-regarded Pigments synthesizer for $100 instead of $200 or the infamous Dist Coldfire distortion effect plugin for $50 instead of $100.

The sale applies to nearly every standalone digital instrument and effect, so check the site to find something up your alley. The sale also includes sound banks, which are basically packs of presets available in a number of musical genres. You can pick up a pack of 32 presets for just $5 or a more extensive pack of 150 presets for $15.

However, this sale is only for individual instruments and effects, so it doesn’t include combo packs like the V Collection 9. Each synthesizer within the collection, like the Solina V and Vox Continental V, is on sale, but buying the whole pack at full price is still the better deal, as each synth is $100 and the pack is $600. The same goes for effects bundles.

The sale also doesn’t include hardware instruments, like the PolyBrute or the MatrixBrute. Those are still full price via Arturia, though you could find deals at retail outlets. Arturia’s summer sale lasts until August 15th, so make haste if you want to catch some discounts. The company does regularly offer similar site-wide sales if you miss out. The next one will likely be for the holidays.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/arturias-summer-sale-is-here-with-deep-discounts-on-instruments-and-effects-161851712.html?src=rss 

QuakeCon is returning to an in-person event on August 10th, and id Software might have a re-release to mark the occasion. Historically reliable leaker billbil-kun claims id will unveil a remastered version of Quake II when QuakeCon kicks off next week. Details of the upgrade aren’t available, but the classic sequel would make its way to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Switch. The title would be available through Microsoft’s Game Pass on launch.

An enhanced version of Quake from 2021 might provide some clues as to what to expect. That remaster added support for widescreen resolutions as high as 4K, new character models and upgraded visual effects like dynamic lighting, depth of field and antialiasing. The refresh also bundled every official expansion while adding a new campaign created by Wolfenstein: The New Order developer MachineGames.

This won’t be the same as Quake II RTX, provided the rumor is accurate. The 2019 tweak was meant to showcase NVIDIA’s newer computer GPUs with ray-traced lighting and improved textures, but didn’t include truly new content or hardware-agnostic visual improvements.

Quake II was originally released in 1997 and represented major strides forward in technology and gameplay over its predecessor. It introduced a semi-open world, objective-based gameplay and visual effects upgrades like colored lighting. The very first release was heavily focused on the single-player mode (competitive online play even took place on single-player maps), but it quickly became a go-to game for multiplayer thanks to updates and third-party upgrades like ThreeWave’s Capture the Flag.

An introduction won’t be surprising.given that a Quake II Remastered game went through South Korea’s game rating authority in June. Billbil-kun also saw documents for North American (ESRB) and European (PEGI) ratings. As it stands, id, Bethesda and Microsoft have incentives to keep producing Quake remasters — they keep the first-person shooter in the limelight and make it playable on modern platforms without resorting to unofficial modifications and ports.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/quake-ii-remaster-might-debut-at-quakecon-next-week-141123462.html?src=rss 

Just like pretty much every other major tech company, Amazon is placing a heavy focus on generative artificial intelligence. CEO Andy Jassy noted on Amazon’s latest earnings call that every division has multiple generative AI projects in the works.

“Inside Amazon, every one of our teams is working on building generative AI applications that reinvent and enhance their customers’ experience,” Jassy said. “But while we will build a number of these applications ourselves, most will be built by other companies, and we’re optimistic that the largest number of these will be built on [Amazon Web Services]. Remember, the core of AI is data. People want to bring generative AI models to the data, not the other way around.”

To that end, Jassy said that AWS provides services and infrastructure that can help its customers power generative AI apps, as The Verge notes. The AWS CodeWhisperer system, for instance, aims to speed up developers’ workflows by suggesting snippets of code they can use directly in the code editor.

As for the ways that Amazon plans to use generative AI in its consumer-facing products and services, Jassy was slightly more coy, but underlined the importance of the technology to all facets of the company moving forward.

The projects “range from things that help us be more cost effective and streamlined in how we run operations in various businesses to the absolute heart of every customer experience in which we offer,” he said. “And so it’s true in our stores business. It’s true in our AWS business. It’s true in our advertising business. It’s true in all our devices, and you can just imagine what we’re working on with respect to Alexa there. It’s true in our entertainment businesses, every single one. It is going to be at the heart of what we do. It’s a significant investment and focus for us.”

We might learn more about some of Amazon’s consumer-focused generative AI efforts when it reveals new devices on September 20th. The company will inevitably have a range of Alexa-powered products to show off. Meanwhile, considering what Google and Microsoft have been doing with gen AI chatbots, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Amazon start offering one of its own on its storefront.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/every-amazon-division-is-working-on-generative-ai-projects-142836534.html?src=rss 

Johnson & Johnson’s Medical technology arm received FDA approval for a new workflow that will make it safer for medical professionals to treat atrial fibrillation, a condition that makes your heartbeat irregular and can cause stroke or heart failure. Several products developed by Biosense Webster, which is part of J&J MedTech, got the OK for a “zero fluoroscopy workflow” from the FDA, meaning live X-ray imaging will no longer be needed during catheter insertion procedures. Instead of using X-rays to insert Biosense catheters, medical professionals can now use ultrasound to guide treatments.

Using fewer X-rays, or fluoroscopy, lowers radiation exposure for both patients and medical professionals. Currently, doctors and medical staff who work in treatment rooms that specialize in treating relevant heart procedures often get too much exposure to radiation over time, which can lead to problems like eye issues, cancer, and bone injuries. This FDA approval helps address the recurring occupational hazard. Providers working in cath labs also won’t have to wear heavy protective gear like lead aprons anymore when applying the newly approved workflow, reducing the risk of long-term muscle and bone pain.

This move by the FDA marks the first and only approval of its kind. The thumbs up was based on data from clinical trials and research from the REAL AF Registry, or the real-world evidence registry in the electrophysiology field. The data backed how well the treatment works in real-life situations. The new method will only apply for Biosense products like the THERMOCOOL SMARTTOUCH SF catheter, the most commonly used ablation catheter, among others.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/johnson–johnson-gets-fda-approval-for-heart-treatments-that-dont-require-x-rays-150913343.html?src=rss 

There hasn’t been a big Pokémon news update since February, but don’t worry — you’re about to get up to speed. The Pokémon Company has announced its next Pokémon Presents event for August 8th at 9AM Eastern. The creators aren’t saying much, but you can expect 35 minutes of info when the presentation streams through the company’s YouTube channel.

The event might include plenty of video game news. There’s still much to learn about Pokémon Scarlet and Violet’s first DLC, The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero. You might also hear more about Detective Pikachu Returns ahead of the adventure’s October release. Don’t be shocked if you hear more about content updates for Pokémon Go, Pokémon Unite and other titles. We wouldn’t rule out surprises like remakes of classic games, and you could see more of streaming shows like Netflix’s Pokémon Concierge.

Just don’t count on teasers for next-gen games. Rumors from VGC suggest Nintendo might ship its next console in the second half of 2024. If so, you’re unlikely to see previews — neither the hardware nor software is likely to be ready. The event’s 35-minute runtime at least suggests The Pokémon Company has plenty to say, even if it’s not all major or game-related.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-next-pokemon-presents-event-takes-place-august-8th-152512734.html?src=rss 

This week’s best tech deals include Apple’s MacBook Air M2 falling back to an all-time low of $949. While Apple may announce a new Air later this year, the top pick in our best laptops guide is still a strong value at this price if you need a new notebook today. Beyond laptops, several Amazon devices are available for the same prices we saw during Prime Day last month, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $25 and the Echo Show 8 for $60. Google’s Pixel Tablet has received its first major discount, while a few wireless earbuds and gaming accessories we like are also on sale. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Apple MacBook Air M2

Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip is down to $949 at B&H and Best Buy, matching the lowest price we’ve tracked. Apple normally sells this 8GB RAM/256GB SSD configuration for $1,099, though we’ve often seen it go for $50 less elsewhere. Regardless, this is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and it earned a review score of 96 last year. It continues to offer almost everything we look for in a mainstream notebook: a thin design, a bright and accurate display, long battery life, a comfortable keyboard, useful speakers and dependable performance for most day-to-day tasks. The storage in this config is technically slower than higher-capacity models, but that shouldn’t be a major hindrance unless you plan on doing more intense tasks like media editing. 

The older M1-based MacBook Air is still available for an all-time low of $750 if you want to pay as little as possible for a competent MacBook, though you’ll have to deal with a more dated design and a mediocre 720p webcam. There’s an important caveat to both of these deals, too: According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple could launch an updated 13-inch MacBook Air with a new M3 chip as soon as this October. The current models are still strong values if you need a notebook right now, but if you can afford to wait for the latest and greatest, you may want to hold off.

Anker 622 Magnetic Battery

The Anker 622 Magnetic Battery is a pocket-friendly wireless power bank that we’ve recommended in the past. Right now it’s down to $40, which isn’t quite an all-time low but is still $20 off its typical going rate. 

This 5,000mAh (19.25Wh) battery can’t fully refill most iPhones from nothing, and it only charges at 7.5W, so like many wireless models, it won’t be as fast as using a cable. It can also get hot. Still, its slim frame snaps easily onto the back of any MagSafe-compatible iPhone, and it can deliver around an 80 percent charge to a standard iPhone 14. It also has a built-in kickstand, so it can prop your phone up when you’re not using it. If you really want the convenience of a fully wireless charger, it’s a fine value. 

Note that Anker sells an “upgraded” version of the 622 with a USB-C port on the side instead of the bottom, though that’s a bit more expensive as of this writing. If you’re willing to trade some thinness for more power, the 10,000mAh Anker 633 is also worth a look. Just be aware that all of these won’t work if you use a case that isn’t MagSafe-compatible.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

A number of Amazon devices are available for the same prices we saw during the company’s Prime Day sale last month. This time, however, the deals are only available at non-Amazon retailers. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, for instance, is back down to $25 at Lowe’s, Target and Best Buy. That matches the best price we’ve seen for the 4K streaming stick and comes in about $20 off its average street price. While we generally prefer Roku and Google’s streaming platforms over Amazon’s Fire OS, the 4K Max is still a suitable option for casual streaming. It supports just about all the major apps and HDR standards, it has Alexa voice controls built into its remote and it’s fairly quick to load menus. 

You’ll get the most out of any Fire TV device if you already use Amazon services like Prime Video or Alexa, as Fire OS tends to prioritize the company’s own offerings throughout the UI. You’ll have to deal with ads as well, and there’s no support for Apple AirPlay or Google Cast. For $25, though, those issues might be easier to look past.

Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD)

If you’re looking to add streaming functionality to an older 1080p or 720p display, note that the 1080p version of the Google Chromecast with Google TV is on sale for $20 at various retailers. That’s $10 off the streaming dongle’s typical going rate and within $2 of its all-time low. 

This model is effectively identical to the 4K Chromecast we recommend in our media streamer guide, only it maxes at a 1080p resolution, comes with 0.5GB less RAM and doesn’t support Dolby Vision HDR. Otherwise, it provides the same extensive app support, impressive search and intuitive interface. Like the 4K model, you’d get this if you want a streamer that’s more proactive about recommending shows and movies you might like based on your viewing history. Just note that, unlike Roku’s streamers, there’s no AirPlay support. You can read our review for more details.

Amazon Echo Show 8

The Echo Show 8 is down to an all-time low of $60 at Lowe’s, Kohl’s, Target and Best Buy. That’s $70 below Amazon’s MSRP and $15 below the price we usually see when the device is on sale.

The Echo Show 8 is the top Alexa pick in our guide to the best smart displays and earned a review score of 87 in 2021. If you already prefer Alexa over the Google Assistant for smart home matters, this should be the best balance of price and utility: It’s cheaper and less cumbersome than the Echo Show 10, but its 8-inch display and 13-megapixel camera are much better suited to streaming, glancing at information and making video calls than the diminutive Echo Show 5. It’s a clear upgrade in the sound department as well. If you do want a smaller display for a bedside table, though, the 5.5-inch model is also back at its Prime Day price of $45.

Amazon Echo Dot

For a more affordable Echo device, the latest Echo Dot is back at its all-time low of $23. The Clock variant, which includes an LED display for displaying the time and other basic info, is also down to a low of $30. The globe-shaped Dot is the “best under $50” pick in our smart speaker buying guide, as it offers all the Alexa functionality you’d expect, plus balanced sound quality for its size. A set of useful tap controls let you whack the speaker to pause music or snooze alarms as well. There’s no 3.5mm jack to connect to larger speakers, and no always-listening device like this will ever be ideal for the privacy-conscious. But if you’re already sold on the usefulness of smart speakers, this is one of the better bargains in that market. 

Amazon Fire HD 10

The Amazon Fire HD 10 is on sale for $75 at Target and Best Buy, matching another Prime Day discount. For reference, this 10.1-inch tablet has normally sold around $140 in recent months. Though it’s a few years old at this point, the Fire HD 10 remains the best value for those interested in a Fire tablet. Its 1080p display is large and sharp enough for enjoying video, its processor is just powerful enough for casual streaming and web browsing, and it gets a solid 10 or so hours of battery life. 

You’ll still have to deal with the usual trade-offs of a Fire slate: The app selection is severely limited compared to iPadOS or Android, with no Google services; you’ll see lock screen ads unless you pay an extra fee; and the OS goes out of its way to steer you toward Amazon services. Still, if you just want a cheap slate for browsing the web, using Alexa and consuming Amazon e-books and media, there isn’t much better for less than $100.

SK Hynix Gold P31

If you want to speed up the storage performance of an older desktop or laptop, the SK Hynix Gold P31 is a well-regarded internal SSD that’s received highmarkselsewhere for its power efficiency. Right now, both the 1TB and 2TB models of the drive are down to new all-time lows: the former at $50, and the latter at $93. This is a PCIe 3.0 drive, so it’s not the absolute fastest model available, nor is it compatible with the PlayStation 5. For most people looking to load up games or transfer large files, though, it’s a great value at these deal prices. It also comes with a five-year warranty. 

Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet has dropped to $439 for a 128GB model, which marks the first significant discount we’ve seen for the 11-inch slate since it arrived in June. That’s $60 off its list price. If you need more storage, the 256GB model is $80 off at $519. We think Samsung’s Galaxy Tab devices work better purely as Android tablets, but the Pixel Tablet’s big hook is that it can attach to an included speaker dock and double as a Nest Hub Max-style smart display. If that functionality sounds useful to you, it may be worth grabbing. We gave the device a review score of 85 last month.

Logitech G203 Lightsync

The white version of the Logitech G203 Lightsync is available for $20 at Amazon when you clip a $5 on-page coupon. That’s roughly $10 below its usual street price. The G203 is the top budget pick in our guide to the best gaming mice thanks to its reliable tracking and sturdy, lightweight (85g) frame. There are a couple of customizable buttons on the side, and the overall shape should work for both righties and lefties. It’s certainly on the smaller side, its scroll wheel is somewhat mushy and its rubber cable isn’t super flexible, but for $20 it’s hard to do better.

HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless

The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is down to $152 at Amazon, which is about $30 lower than its average street price in recent months. If stock runs dry at Amazon, it’s available for $2 more at Best Buy. The Cloud Alpha Wireless is the top wireless pick in our guide to the best gaming headsets, mainly due to its astounding battery life, which can last more than 300 hours on a charge. Its microphone and bass-heavy sound profile aren’t nearly as class-leading, but they’re fine, and the whole thing is comfortable to wear for hours at a time. The big catch is that you shouldn’t bother with HyperX’s companion software, as there’ve been variousreports of it introducing significant latency. The headset only works over a USB dongle, too, not Bluetooth or a cable, and it’s not compatible with Xbox. 

Anker Soundcore Motion+

The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is back down to $80 at Amazon and Soundcore when you use the $20 on-page coupon. That’s $10 more than the lowest price we’ve seen but still $20 below Anker’s list price. We recommend the Soundcore Motion+ in our guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers: It’s not especially small or light, but it can get loud enough to fill a crowded room, and it delivers a more spacious sound than most speakers in this price range. Its IPX7 water-resistance rating means it can survive in the pool or shower, and it has a 3.5mm input for connecting other devices. The 12 to 15 hours of battery life is a plus as well.

EarFun Air Pro 3

Along those lines, the EarFun Air Pro 3 is available for $60 with an on-page coupon at Amazon. We saw these wireless earphones go for $10 less on Prime Day, but this is a $20 drop from EarFun’s list price all the same. 

The Air Pro 3 is the runner-up pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds. It has a similar feature set as our top pick, the Soundcore Space A40, with serviceable active noise cancellation, support for wireless charging and multipoint connectivity, IPX5 water resistance and a stable fit. While its excited sound isn’t for everyone, it does gives hip-hop and electronic music an intense bass response. Its battery life and ANC aren’t quite as impressive as the Space A40’s, but if you want to save some cash or just prefer an AirPods-style “stem” design, it’s a strong alternative. 

Nothing Ear Stick

The Nothing Ear Stick is an honorable mention in that same guide, and it’s now down to $79 at Nothing’s online store. That’s still a bit pricey for open-style earbuds that inherently lack deep bass, but it’s $20 less than usual. 

We recommend the Ear Stick to those who hate the feeling of truly in-ear headphones, as that open design rests on the concha instead of going all the way into the ear canal. While the $50 Amazon Echo Buds are a better overall value, the Ear Stick has a more fashionable design, with a transparent case that twists open like a tube of lipstick. Its audio quality is solid for this style of earbud (and can be customized if needed), while the AirPods-style touch controls are easy to use. Battery life is passable at 6-ish hours per charge. Just remember that this type of design barely blocks outside noise, so it’s not ideal for a flight or crowded office.

Apple AirTag

The Apple AirTag is back down to $25 at Amazon and Walmart, which is only a modest $4 discount but nevertheless matches the lowest price we’ve seen this year. The AirTag is the “best for iPhones” pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers, as it leverages Apple’s giant Find My network and ultra-wideband wireless tech to locate lost items accurately. 

Bluetooth trackers like this have certainly faced their share of scrutiny in recent years, as there’ve been numerouscases of bad actors using the devices to track unsuspecting victims, prompting Apple and Google to develop new anti-stalking measures. The device can be unintentionally overactive about sending alerts, and on a much less serious note, it lacks a ring hole or built-in adhesive to easily affix the device to something like a keychain. All that said, if you own an iPhone and just want some extra peace of mind in case you lose your wallet, keys or whatever else, the AirTag is one of the better options available.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 + Z Fold 5 pre-orders

Amazon still has a number of pre-order deals for Samsung’s upcoming crop of foldable phones and smartwatches. The 512GB Galaxy Z Flip 5 is available with a $150 Amazon gift card for $1,000, while the 512GB Galaxy Z Fold 5 is bundled with a $200 gift card for $1,800. When those phones become widely available on August 11, they’ll start with half the storage space. The $300 Galaxy Watch 6 and $400 Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, meanwhile, are each available with a $50 gift card. We’ll have reviews for all these devices in the near future, but if you already know you’re going to get one, consider this a PSA. For early impressions, you can read our hands-on previews for the Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Watch 6.

49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC)

If you want to go all-out on your next monitor, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is a mammoth 49-inch display that’s excessive in almost every way. Its curved QD-OLED panel has a 32:9 aspect ratio, 240Hz refresh rate, 5,120 x 1,440 resolution and dual built-in speakers alongside the usual color, contrast and response time benefits. We haven’t tested the device ourselves, but otherreviewsaroundthe webhave been glowing. 

The downside is that it costs $2,200. That’s a lot! Right now, though, the device is $400 off. Clearly, that’s lightyears from cheap, and even at that price, the panel won’t get as bright as the best non-OLED options. But if money is no object, this looks to be as high-end as ultrawide monitors currently get, and now it’s a smidge less expensive.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-macbook-air-m2-drops-to-an-all-time-low-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-154028563.html?src=rss