DeepMind releases a new weather forecasting model for more accurate predictions

Google’s DeepMind just released WeatherNext 2, a new version of its AI weather prediction model. The company promises that it “delivers more efficient, more accurate and higher-resolution global weather predictions.” To that end, it should be able to provide accurate forecasts up to two weeks out, including information on temperature, pressure and wind.

It should also be able to better predict tropical storm tracks, according to researchers. This means that predictions of a hurricane’s path should be accurate up to three days out. The previous model only predicted things up to two days ahead of the storm.

The model also brings hourly forecasts into the mix. All told, Google says this new model is eight times faster than the previous iteration. This should help businesses like energy traders make more precise decisions, according to a report by Bloomberg.

“It gives you a more granular forecast,” DeepMind AI researcher Akib Uddin said. “Many other industries are quite interested in these one-hour steps. It helps them make more precise decisions. Their goal is, how can they make their business more resilient to weather?”

Google

The improvements here stem from a new approach to weather models, as explained in this recently-published research paper. Older methods demanded the use of machine learning models that were built for image and video generation. This required repeated processing to ensure an accurate result. The new model only requires a single processing step, which also reduces reliance on costly AI computing systems.

AI may not be great at everything, despite what proponents want you to believe, but it is great at predicting the weather. Newer models typically outperform traditional prediction methods, even those that rely on supercomputers.

These models aren’t perfect, however, as even Google has acknowledged that WeatherNext 2 will likely struggle to predict outlier rain and snow events. This is due to gaps in the training data. “It’s one limitation of our forecast, but one that we are working on improving,” DeepMind research scientist Ferran Alet told Bloomberg.

AI weather prediction is becoming a crowded field. Companies like NVIDIA, Microsoft, AccuWeather and Huawei are all throwing their hats in the ring in one way or another.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/deepmind-releases-a-new-weather-forecasting-model-for-more-accurate-predictions-175451228.html?src=rss 

The best Black Friday TV deals we can find so far: Samsung, LG, TCL and more

Generally speaking, there are two ideal periods to buy a TV: the late spring stretch when new models are announced and last year’s sets are heavily discounted to clear out inventory, and the holiday shopping season, right around Black Friday. We’re firmly in the latter now, so if you’ve been thinking about making that big living room upgrade, it’s OK to take the plunge.

To help you out, we’ve sorted through the many sales already floating around the web and picked out the best Black Friday TV deals we could find below. The current selection includes several well-reviewed sets from Samsung, LG, TCL and Hisense, but we’ll update this post through Black Friday itself as more deals pop up.

Best Black Friday TV deals: Under $500

Hisense U65QF (55-inch) for $428 at Amazon ($372 off MSRP): The U65QF is another entry-level LED TV with generally positive reviews. Most feedback around the web suggests that it can’t match the QM6K in terms of contrast, gaming features and overall accuracy, so TCL’s model should be a better buy for most. This iteration also uses Amazon’s Fire TV platform instead of the cleaner Google TV. It can achieve a higher peak brightness, however, so it’s worth considering if you get particularly bad glare in your living room. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 55-inch model, but the 65-inch ($548), 75-inch ($748) and 85-inch ($998) models are also at all-time lows. Also at Best Buy.

Best Black Friday TV deals: Between $500 and $1,000

LG B5 (55-inch) for $897 at Amazon ($100 off): The B5 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2025. It gets you the core benefits of any OLED TV — excellent contrast, wide viewing angles, smooth motion and so on — but it can’t get as bright as the higher-end LG C5, so it doesn’t look as colorful. (The C5 isn’t significantly discounted as of this writing.) It’s technically limited to a 120Hz refresh rate instead of 144Hz, too, though that isn’t a big deal unless you plan to play PC games on your TV. While not huge discount, this matches the lowest price we’ve seen for the 55-inch model. Also at Best Buy and LG.

TCL QM7K (65-inch) for $800 at Amazon ($200 off): The TCL QM7K is a fairly sizable step-up over the QM6K, with noticeably improved contrast, brightness and color volume. It has a 144Hz refresh rate with 288Hz@1080p support as well, though like the budget model it’s limited to two HDMI 2.1 ports. And like most LED TVs, it can’t compete with a good OLED set when it comes to colors and viewing angles. This deal matches the all-time low for the 65-inch model. The 55-inch version is $30 above its previous best at $598. Also at Best Buy and Walmart.

Best Black Friday TV deals: $1,000 and up

Samsung S95F (65-inch) for $2,298 at Amazon ($700 off): The S95F is a premium model that has received almost universally stellar reviews for being especially bright among OLED TVs while keeping the bold colors and contrast expected from a QD-OLED panel. That brightness, combined with the display’s matte finish, means it’s especially adept at fending off glare in a bright room. It also has a 165Hz refresh rate for gaming. That said, there’s still no Dolby Vision HDR, and the matte coating means that black tones won’t look as deep in a well-lit room. It’s not cheap, but this is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 65-inch model. Also at Samsung and Best Buy.

TCL QM8K (75-inch) for $1,400 at Amazon ($600 off): If you’re willing to pay an OLED-level price but want the increased brightness of a high-end LED TV, the TCL QM8K is worth a look. It won’t be as good in a dark room as something like the Samsung S90F or LG C5, as its contrast isn’t as deep and black tones aren’t as uniformly dark. Its viewing angles are clearly worse, too. But reviews say it still performs excellently compared to other LED sets, and since it gets way brighter than most OLED alternatives (especially with non-HDR content), it can better withstand glare. It also has a 144Hz refresh rate with support for 288Hz at 1080p, though it only comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports, and it’s not available in a size smaller than 65 inches. This is the best price we’ve seen for the 75-inch variant. Also at Walmart.

Best Black Friday streaming device deals

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus for $25 at Amazon ($25 off): The newly rebranded Fire TV Stick 4K Plus offers the same core experience as the more expensive Fire TV Stick 4K Max, only it has a slightly slower processor, half the storage space (8GB) and Wi-Fi 6 support instead of Wi-Fi 6E. For most people who just want to stream casually, those shouldn’t be huge losses. Just keep in mind that its Fire OS interface is still fairly ad-heavy and prioritizes Amazon’s own apps over everything else. This deal is $3 more than the device’s all-time low but ties the best price we’ve seen in the past year. Also at Best Buy.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $35 at Amazon ($25 off): If you want the best Amazon streaming stick possible, the 4K Max gets you faster hardware than the Plus model and may be worthwhile if you have a Wi-Fi 6E router at home. This deal isn’t an all-time low, but it matches the best price we’ve seen over the past year.

Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $18 at Amazon ($17 off): The Fire TV Stick HD is the budget pick in our guide to the best streaming devices. It only streams up to 1080p and runs a bit choppier than Amazon’s 4K models since it has a slower chip and a meager 1GB of RAM. The usual complaints with Fire OS still apply, too. But if you just want to add streaming apps to an aging TV for as little as possible, it’ll work well enough. This discount matches the best price we’ve tracked. Also at Best Buy and Target.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-black-friday-tv-deals-we-can-find-so-far-samsung-lg-tcl-and-more-181143919.html?src=rss 

Anker Black Friday deals are here early: Power banks, wireless chargers and other tech accessories

If smartphones and tablets are the stars of the tech world, Anker is the faithful costar. We’re big fans of the brand’s charging gear and accessories — Anker has earned kudos in a number of our buying guides, from power banks to wireless chargers. Now for Black Friday, a whole slew of the company’s gear is on sale, and some are hitting the best prices we’ve seen this year. So if you’re looking for dependable sidekicks and supporting players to keep your heavy hitters in business, check out the best Anker Black Friday deals we could find. Just note that some of the deals from Amazon require you to be a Prime member. Others are open to anyone. 

Best Black Friday Anker deals: Power banks

Power banks revive dead phones, let you work longer while away from an outlet and let you play with your tablet/ereader/gamepad while it charges without being tethered to the wall. Anker power banks are among the best. After testing out brands from a slew of different makers, our picks just keep coming back to Anker. The mix of value, capacity and clever features make Anker batteries just a little bit better than most brands out there. 

Anker makes the Laptop Power bank, which our reviewer (me) called the culmination of all the best battery features. The brand is also responsible for our top MagSafe battery pick (the MagGo Qi2) thanks to its clever stand, excellent charging speeds and generous capacity. Many of the other banks we’ve tested and tried are also on sale for Black Friday, so consider this your opportunity to make sure your phone never goes dead on you again.

Best Black Friday Anker deals: Wireless chargers

A rats nest of cables on your desk is not the loveliest look. Now that phones, earbuds, smartwatches and even ereaders can refill on a charging coil, wireless chargers are a tidy solution. There are options that’ll let you view your phone while it charges, as well as some that will charge three devices at once. We’ve tested units from dozens of brands for our buying guides and keep putting Anker on our lists of winners. The brand makes some of the top picks in both our wireless charger guide and our list of the best multi-device chargers. Now, thanks to Black Friday, you can keep your devices topped off with quality accessories that are an even better value than usual.

Best Black Friday Anker deals: Power adapters

While wireless charging is faster than it’s ever been, cords are still the fastest way to charge your phone. Bigger devices like your laptop will reup faster on a high-wattage brick than on a dinky 20-watt adapter and if you want to keep your outlets more streamlined, go for a multi-port power adapter that will let you charge multiple devices at once. Again, after testing many brands, some of our most reliable picks continue to be from Anker. It shows up three times in our guide to the best fast chargers and we recommend the brand in a number of our accessories guides. Now that Black Friday is here, some of our favorite Anker power adapters are on sale — so we rounded them all up here.

Best Black Friday Anker deals: Soundcore audio

We mostly think of Anker as a charging accessory brand. But they’ve expanded their scope by getting into audio equipment — and the effort was a success. You might not immediately pick up that these are Anker speakers — Soundcore shows up on the products themselves, but it’s the same company. We recommend a couple Soundcore music makers in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. With Black Friday deals, these are the best Anker Soundcore deals we could find.

More Anker Black Friday deals

My personal favorite USB-C cable is made by Anker. It’s rated at 240 watts, has a durable build, plus it’s long enough and has a handy right angled connector at one end. Anker of course also makes plenty of other gear, from webcams to mice — that continually show up in our guides to the best accessories. Here are the best Black Friday deals on Anker gear that don’t quite fit into the categories above.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/anker-black-friday-deals-are-here-early-power-banks-wireless-chargers-and-other-tech-accessories-164907851.html?src=rss 

Google expands AI Mode’s flight and event booking features

Google has introduced some new tools in AI Mode alongside the expansion of others. The beta for Flight Deals, the AI-powered search tool that operates within Google Flights, is expanding globally. The tool works to find the best deals on flights in response to natural-language prompts from the user. The company is also expanding AI Mode’s agentic capabilities to more users across the US, helping to book restaurants, event tickets and beauty or wellness appointments.

The search giant is also adding a new feature to AI Mode called Canvas. This tool offers an organized space for users to build plans or projects. It can also help plan trips. Within the Canvas environment, users can describe the kind of trip they want to book, and the various tools will suggest destinations, hotels and bookings.

Last week, Google also added a host of new AI-powered shopping features, including an agentic checkout that helps find and buy an item at a specific price. Shoppers can have Google track the price of an item and give the AI permission to purchase it once it hits the desired discount.

Google has been rolling out a slew of AI features across its product suite, including Google Photos, Google Messages and Android.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/google-expands-ai-modes-flight-and-event-booking-features-170017656.html?src=rss 

The Game Awards 2025 nominees include Clair Obscur, Hollow Knight: Silksong and Hades 2

We won’t have to wait too much longer to find out which game will follow the wonderful Astro Bot‘s triumph at last year’s edition of The Game Awards. The 2025 ceremony takes place on December 11 at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. In between a cavalcade of video game trailers and announcements, the show will squeeze in some actual awards. We now know what the contenders for The Game Awards 2025 are after Monday’s announcement of the nominees.

Those vying for the top prize of game of the year are:

Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 – Sandfall Interactive/Kepler Interactive

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Kojima Productions/Sony Interactive Entertainment

Donkey Kong Bananza – Nintendo EPD/Nintendo

Hades II – Supergiant Games

Hollow Knight: Silksong – Team Cherry

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II – Warhorse Studios/Deep Silver

Half of those are also up for game of the year at the Indie Game Awards. Those three games (Clair Obscur, Hades II and Hollow Knight: Silksong) are up for the best independent game award at this ceremony as well, alongside Absolum, Ball x Pit and Blue Prince.

With 12 nods in total — including three in the best performance category — Clair Obscur isn’t just the most-nominated game this year. It’s the most-nominated game in the 12-year history of the ceremony. Death Stranding 2 and Ghost of Yōtei have eight nods each, Hades II has seven and Silksong has five. Sony Interactive Entertainment leads the way among publishers with 19 nominations.

Here are the most nominated games at #TheGameAwards 2025.

⁰Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is the most nominated game in TGA history with 12 total nominations. pic.twitter.com/bn4KjSDuoP

— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) November 17, 2025

A whole bunch of high-profile games missed out on nominations for the main award. However, the likes of Arc Raiders, Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Mario Kart World, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, Elden Ring: Nightreign, Battlefield 6, Split Fiction, Monster Hunter Wilds and Silent Hill f have picked up nods in other categories. It’s neat to see games like Consume Me, Despelote, Rematch and Dispatch pick up nominations this year too. Meanwhile, Marvel’s Deadpool VR, a game that isn’t even out until tomorrow, picked up a nod.

Fan voting for this year’s edition of The Game Awards starts today on the TGA website and social platforms. Public ballots account for 10 percent of the final vote, with a jury comprising dozens of media outlets accounting for the remaining 90 percent. The nominees for the players’ voice award — the only one determined entirely by fans — will be announced on December 1.

The Game Awards (which is under fire over its handling of the discontinued Future Class program) will be streaming across a wide variety of platforms, including Prime Video for the first time. As ever, we’ll be on top of all of the big news from the event, so stay tuned to Engadget for all the juicy details. Place your bets now on what will be announced. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get a glimpse of Half-Life 3?

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-game-awards-2025-nominees-include-clair-obscur-hollow-knight-silksong-and-hades-2-173626649.html?src=rss 

Meta and Google delay undersea cables over security concerns

Meta and Google are facing delays with long-promised undersea cable projects, according to a report by Bloomberg. A Meta spokesperson blames the delays on a “range of operational factors, regulatory concerns and geopolitical risk.”

Meta’s 2Africa subsea cable system is supposed to wrap around the African continent to deliver fiber internet to the region. It’s also intended to connect Europe with Asia and Africa. The 28,000-mile project was first announced all the way back in 2020.

Interesting: Meta is one of the largest investors in 2Africa, the largest subsea fibre optic cable system ever:https://t.co/sNWd8SoYUZ

Meta’s subsea cable investments are expected to contribute over half a trillion dollars to Asia-Pacific and European economies by 2025.… pic.twitter.com/gVuuztqhd7

— Jack Prescott (@JackPrescottX) October 5, 2024

However, the company has experienced issues when running cable through the southern portion of the Red Sea. A whole section has yet to be built due to regional conflicts and difficulty obtaining certain permits from local governments.

The Google-backed Blue-Raman intercontinental cable system has also been delayed in the region, after first being announced in 2021. This system was originally supposed to go live in 2024, connecting countries like France, Italy, India, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Oman. The company has not provided an updated timetable.

These are just two examples, as plenty of other fiber internet cables have yet to go live in the Red Sea. Builders have experienced repeated missile attacks, allegedly by the Iran-backed Houthis, which forced them on lengthy detours and disrupted work.

“They are not only unable to monetize their investments by sending data over these cables, but they are forced to purchase capacity on alternative cables to meet their near-term requirements,” said Alan Mauldin, research director at telecommunications firm Telegeography.

New from Meta: Project #Waterworth. connecting US to 3 BRICS countries🙃

“Once complete, the project will reach five major continents and span over 50,000 km (longer than the Earth’s circumference), making it the world’s longest subsea cable project…” https://t.co/jcR74wyHfY pic.twitter.com/BQ6oaGbEmv

— Juan Ortiz-Freuler (@juanof9) February 14, 2025

It’s worth noting that these delays shouldn’t impact two previously announced undersea fiber projects by Google and Meta. Google is building a cable to connect Togo to Europe, which will wrap around the Atlantic side. Meta is building a gigantic cable system that looks to connect five continents, which isn’t crossing the Red Sea.

Undersea cables are a great way to give the various regions of the world fiber internet, but there are some downsides. We’ve already covered geopolitical concerns when it comes to building, but the installed cables can tear and break. This is typically caused by natural disasters, extreme weather and human activities like fishing.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-and-google-delay-undersea-cables-over-security-concerns-163508037.html?src=rss 

The first images from The Legend of Zelda movie are here

Over the weekend, unofficial videos from filming of Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda film hit the internet, and now we’re getting our first proper look at Link and Zelda. Nintendo released three images in its Nintendo Today app today as part of a little teaser indicating that filming has officially commenced. One photo shows Link and Zelda with the lush backdrop of New Zealand behind them, while the others are close-ups on the characters themselves.

There wasn’t anything else to go with these photos besides the note that the film arrives on May 7, 2027 as previously announced. Link is played by Benjamin Evan Ainsworth, while while Bo Bragason stars as Zelda.

Bo Bragason as Princess Zelda.

Nintendo

Despite the minimal details, there are a few things worth noting here. One, Link is in his signature green tunic rather than the blue garb he primarily wears in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. Zelda, on the other hand, is rocking the blue. So good luck figuring out what era of the game we’re in. In all likelihood, the movie won’t stick to any one particular timeline or story but instead mash everything up to create a new entry that stands on its own.

Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Link.

Nintendo

Even more exciting is the fact that Zelda is armed with a bow, giving me hope that she’ll be more than just a damsel in distress. It’s 2025, after all, and the titular character certainly deserves to smack down some moblins. I’m sure we’re all eager for more details — but given that filming has just started, we’re probably going to be waiting a while for a proper trailer.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-first-images-from-the-legend-of-zelda-movie-are-here-150309616.html?src=rss 

Amazon Autos now sells pre-owned Ford vehicles

Amazon Autos is offering a wider array of options starting today, as you can buy a pre-owned Ford vehicle through the platform. Folks in Los Angeles, Seattle and Dallas (and more markets in the future) can see what’s available at a local dealer through Amazon’s website, take care of most of the paperwork there and then pick a time to collect the automobile. Financing options are available too.

Certified pre-owned vehicles that Ford dealers sell through Amazon Autos include a money-back guarantee. You can return the vehicle within 14 days or before you’ve driven it for 1,000 miles — whichever of the two you’d reach first.

There’s a certification program for these pre-owned vehicles too. The gold certification process is for Ford vehicles that are less than six years old and have fewer than 80,000 miles on the clock. These are given a 172-point inspection and have a 12-month/12,000-mile warranty. There’s a separate program for Ford EVs with the same benchmarks, though electric vehicles undergo a 127-point inspection.

The blue certified program is for Ford vehicles (and ones from other brands) that are less than a decade old and have driven fewer than 150,000 miles. These undergo a 139-point inspection and have a 90-day/4,000-mile warranty.

Amazon Autos started offering used and certified pre-owned cars in August. The platform has been around for less than a year, as it debuted in December 2024 with Hyundai vehicles.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/amazon-autos-now-sells-pre-owned-ford-vehicles-153410092.html?src=rss 

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