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Nintendo has confirmed that the top-notch development team behind Super Mario Odyssey, one of the best games for the Switch, has also developed Donkey Kong Bananza for the Switch 2, according to reporting by Eurogamer. The highly anticipated platformer starring Nintendo’s iconic ape will be the first 3D Donkey Kong game since 1999’s Donkey Kong 64.

We got a chance to go hands-on with Donkey Kong Bananza earlier this year, and we loved the fresh look on the timeless character. DK and his supporting cast were sporting an almost cel-shaded look, reminiscent of the art style seen in recent Zelda games.

Donkey Kong also gained some new skills since we last saw him, including the ability to punch, dig and butt-stomp his way below, into and through much of the terrain around him. It seems that tunneling and shaping the world to your needs will be key to navigating and adventuring in Bananza.

After spending time with the game, we noted, “thanks to all of its new traversal mechanics, in a lot of ways, Bananza reminds me more of Mario Galaxy than Odyssey. It just swapped out the gravity-bending physics for bombastic spelunking.”

Donkey Kong Bananza arrives on July 17 for the Nintendo Switch 2.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/donkey-kong-bananza-was-made-by-team-behind-super-mario-odyssey-155453024.html?src=rss 

Big ticket items like TVs and iPads might get the lion’s share of the attention during Amazon’s sale, but there are plenty of Prime Day deals under $50 to check out, too. We’ve combed through the pages (and pages) of discounts to find sales on the brands and gadgets we’ve tested and recommend. Our picks include power banks from Anker, smart plugs from TP-Link and smart speakers from Amazon Echo. We’ve also linked back to our reviews and buying guides to help with your shopping decisions. Here are the best Prime Day tech deals under $50 you can get right now.

Best Prime Day tech deals under $25

Apple AirTag for $23 ($6 off): Here’s our pick for a Bluetooth tracker for iPhone users. These little discs have the most accurate finding ability of any fob we tested, thanks to Apple’s vast Find My network that taps into all nearby iPhones to track down your missing stuff. They could be louder and hole would be nice, but nothing beats its accuracy.

Samsung Fit Plus 56GB flash drive for $23 ($12 off): We named this the best thumbstick drive in our guide to the best SSDs. It has a sleek design, five-year warranty and has a USB 3.1 connection. There’s even a small attachment point for a keychain so you can take your extra storage drive with you when you go.

Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Repeller for $25 ($10 off): The mosquitos aren’t going anywhere. Even places that didn’t used to have these evil bloodsuckers are now overrun. If you would like some reprieve from the bites, this is the repeller we recommend in our guide to outdoor tech.

TP-Link AC1200 WiFi extender for $20 ($10 off): If you’ve got some dead spots in your home’s internet coverage and aren’t quite ready for a mesh setup, a Wi-Fi extender can help. This is our favorite budget option in our guide to these plug-in devices thanks to its easy setup and user-friendly app.

Amazon Echo Pop for $22 ($18 off with Prime): The smallest (and cheapest) Echo speaker is ideal for small apartments or rooms. The half-sphere design comes in purple and teal in addition to the standard black and white colorways.

Kasa TP-Link Smart Wi-FI outdoor plug for $20 ($5 off): We tested this one for our buying guide to smart plugs and named it the best outdoor pick for HomeKit users — but it’ll work with Alexa and the Google Assistant too. The range was decent and setup was easy, like most TP-Link plugs. Grab this now and have automatic control of your holiday lights.

Anker Nano USB-C charger block for $16 ($4 off): Remember when tiny bricks like this all maxed out at a dinky five-watts? This tiny but mighty cube is the best cheap fast charger in our guide to fast chargers and it outputs a generous 30 watts, plus the prongs fold down to make it even more teensy.

Best Prime Day tech deals under $35

TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (4-pack) for $35 ($9 off): This is our favorite smart plug overall because it works with all four major smart home assistants (Alexa, Siri, Google Assistant and Samsung’s Bixby). In our tests, it connected easily and reliably controlled our lamps and other simple appliances.

Amazon Echo Dot for $32 ($18 off with Prime): Amazon seems to wait for Prime Day sales to give its smart speakers hefty discounts. We see minor sales throughout the year, but not quite this steep (though it’s gone as low as $23 in past sales). So if you want to bring Alexa’s peppy helpfulness into your home, this is a good time to do so. The Dot is our favorite smart speaker under $50.

Best Prime Day tech deals under $50

Blink Outdoor 4 for $45 ($55 off): We named this outdoor camera the best for Alexa homes in our security cameras guide. It can go just about anywhere you want as the wireless design runs on AA batteries and can last for two years before needing to be replaced. The motion alerts are accurate, but keep in mind you’ll need a subscription to enable person detection and cloud storage.

Anker Nano 3-in-1 portable charger for $36 ($9 off with Prime): We recommend this one in Engadget’s guide to the best power banks. It’s a wall adapter and power brick in one and comes with a handy built-in USB-C cable as well as an additional port. The 10,000 mAh capacity will get just about any smartphone from dead to full, with a little left over.

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 gaming headset for $36 ($14 off): In our guide to gaming headsets, we ultimately recommend getting an external mic along with a good pair of wired headphones for chatting. But if you really want a two-in-one, the Cloud Stinger 2 is our pick for a budget gaming headset.

Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse for $40 ($30 off): Some prefer a wired connection when playing games. Razer’s Basilisk V3 is our top budget pick for a wired mouse in our gaming mouse guide. It’s comfortable, well-built, accurate and a good value — particularly with a Prime Day discount.

Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off with Prime): The Spot speaker was resurrected last year with a slightly different design than it first had. Now the display is a half-circle on the round face of the clock and it can show you the weather, time and song title. The speaker itself brings you all Alexa can do, like setting timers, adding stuff to your grocery lists and answering questions about the weather.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-2025-deals-under-50-save-on-gear-from-blink-anker-tp-link-and-others-160028343.html?src=rss 

Meta announced just a couple weeks ago that it would finally start testing a dedicated inbox for direct messages on Threads. Now, it’s making the feature official and rolling out DMs to everyone. As with the earlier test, the update will add a messaging tab to the Threads app where users can access the inbox and exchange DMs with mutuals. 

Meta says that initially people will only be able to send messages to users who already follow them or mutual followers from Instagram, though it plans to roll out more customizable inbox controls in a later update. Messaging will also only be available to Threads users over the age of 18. The app also won’t support group messaging for now, though it’s apparently in the works. Those limitations could be a bit frustrating as it makes Threads DMs more limited than what’s available on Instagram, but it’s still a lot more convenient than Meta’s previous insistence on relying on the Instagram inbox for Threads.

The company’s executives were initially very much opposed to bringing DMs to Threads. Instagram head Adam Mosseri explained his thinking in 2023, noting that “two redundant message threads with each of your friends with the same handles in two different apps” seemed like a less than ideal solution. But that position has made less and less sense as Threads has grown to more than 350 million users. “More than a third of daily Threads users with connections follow mostly different accounts on Threads than on Instagram, showing that Threads is establishing its own unique user base,” Meta notes in a blog post.

Two years in, the company is also more explicitly positioning Threads as an alternative to X rather than another offshoot of Instagram. While Mosseri once said that the goal of Threads “isn’t to replace Twitter,” Meta has since walked back its prohibition on recommending political content and experimented with features to help users find familiar creators from X. The company has also leaned more heavily into real-time conversations and news by making trending topics more prominent in the app and surfacing more links in recommendations. Today’s update also adds a “highlighter” feature that will make trends even more visible in users’ feeds.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/two-years-later-meta-is-making-dms-on-threads-official-160056258.html?src=rss 

Xbox has confirmed the first batch of Game Pass additions for July. The headliner this time around is Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4, which is coming to Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on July 11, which is the game’s release day. It was already known that this remake bundle was going to arrive on Game Pass on day one, but hey, there’s nothing wrong with a little reminder.

The rest of the first wave of July additions include some titles that are returning to Game Pass. Several are coming to the entry-level, console-only Game Pass Standard tier. Here’s a breakdown of what to expect and when across Xbox Cloud Gaming, console and PC:

July 1

Little Nightmares II — Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard

Rise of the Tomb Raider — Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard

July 2

Legend of Mana — Game Pass Standard (already on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass)

Trials of Mana — Game Pass Standard (already on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass)

July 3

Ultimate Chicken Horse — Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard

July 8

The Ascent — Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard

July 9

Minami Lane — Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass

July 11

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 – Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass

July 15

High On Life – Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass and Game Pass Standard

Little Nightmares II, Rise of the Tomb Raider and High on Life are perhaps among the bigger games on the list. I meant to try The Ascent the last time it was on Game Pass, so maybe I’ll get a chance to do so this time around. Minami Lane, meanwhile, is a cozy, lovely-looking street management sim. 

Meanwhile, there are several titles leaving Game Pass on July 15. Among them is the fantastic Tchia, one of my favorite games of 2023. The others are Flock, Mafia Definitive Edition, Magical Delicacy, The Callisto Protocol and The Case of the Golden Idol.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/xbox/xboxs-first-game-pass-additions-for-july-include-tony-hawks-pro-skater-3–4-144233284.html?src=rss 

If you’ve put off buying an MLS Season Pass this year then you’re in luck. Today, Apple TV is cutting the price in half, dropping to $49 from $99, for the rest of the 2025 season. If you have an Apple TV+ subscription then you can get a seasonal subscription to the pass for just $39.

To be fair, the season runs from February to October so the savings more than makes sense — though it wouldn’t be suprising for a streamer to charge full price no matter the number of matches left. Apple announced the same deal on July 1 last year so, if you regret paying $99, it’s a good thing to keep in mind for next year. 

You can watch matches and the matchday whip-around show in English and Spanish, which has interviews, highlights, replays and more. The seasonal subscription also gives you access to a “featured game of the week” broadcast during Sunday Night Soccer. Plus, watch live MLS Next Pro and MLS Next matches. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/apple-tvs-mls-season-pass-is-half-off-for-the-rest-of-the-season-144305030.html?src=rss 

Apple is suing one of its former design engineers for allegedly stealing a trove of trade secrets that he then provided to his new employer, Snap. As reported by SiliconValley.com, Di Liu left his role as senior product-design engineer after a seven-year stint with Apple, citing personal and family reasons in his resignation to the company.

Before leaving Apple, Liu had worked on the Vision Pro headset, where according to the lawsuit seen by SiliconValley.com he was given “access to various Apple technologies that are embodied in Apple Vision Pro or not yet released.” The lawsuit also claims that Liu did not disclose to Apple that two weeks prior to resigning he’d been offered a job by Snap — where the designer has been working since January 2025 according to his Linkedin profile — that was “substantially similar” to his role at the company he departed. As well as owning Snapchat, Snap also makes AR glasses called Spectacles, which are currently in their fifth generation.

According to the report, Liu’s decision not to inform Apple that he’d soon be working on a similar product to the Vision Pro at another company meant he was allowed to work his standard two-week departure period. The lawsuit alleges that three days before leaving the company, Liu used his company credentials to download “thousands” of Apple’s corporate documents, which he uploaded into personal cloud storage. It claims he likely intended to deliberately use Apple’s proprietary information at Snap, given the obvious similarities between the products, and added that he deleted files from his company laptop that could have implicated him.

Apple is reportedly seeking unspecified damages, as well as the return of the allegedly stolen trade secrets, and for its former employee’s devices and cloud accounts to be handed over for inspection. SiliconValley.com unsuccessfully approached Liu for comment, but Snap said it has read the claims in Apple’s lawsuit and had “no reason to believe they are related to this individual’s employment or conduct at Snap.”

This isn’t the first time Apple has sued an ex-employee. In 2019, the company accused Gerard Williams III, who worked on mobile chips for 10 years before joining NuVia Inc, of breaching his contract. Williams disputed the lawsuit and claimed Apple had been spying on his text messages. In 2022, Apple accused the then startup Rivos of poaching employees from its chip design division, with two former employees allegedly taking with them gigabytes of confidential data.

Earlier this year, an ex-Apple engineer issued an apology after confessing to leaking information about upcoming products to journalists during his eight years at the company. A lawsuit alleging that Andrew Aude leaked information about the then unreleased Vision Pro to reporters at The Wall Street Journal and The Information was dismissed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-claims-former-engineer-shared-vision-pro-secrets-in-new-lawsuit-144914706.html?src=rss 

Amazon’s Prime Day doesn’t officially begin until Tuesday, July 8, but we’re already seeing deals on some of our recommended Apple gear. Right now, Amazon has discounts on the AirPods Max, the latest iPad, the Apple Watch Series 10, and the M4 MacBook Air. So if your old AirPods are due for an upgrade or you’re ready to pass down your current iPad to your nephew and get yourself a new one, this is a good time to shop. While we don’t know whether these deals will get better once the sale officially starts, some of the discounts are already the best prices we’ve seen so far this year.

Best Prime Day iPad deals

Apple iPad Pro (11-inch, M4) for $899 ($100 off): We named the iPad Pro the best tablet money can buy. The screen is one of the best we’ve seen and Apple somehow managed to make the Pro model lighter than Air models. If you plan on handling heavy productivity — video rendering and editing, machine learning apps and the like, this is the way to go.

Apple iPad Pro (13-inch, M4) for $1,099 ($200 off): The larger iPad pro is the ultimate laptop replacer. The M4 chip is faster than many computers out there but the thin and light design makes it super portable. The battery life will last through a whole day of work and more (we clocked over 10 hours of use in our review) and the screen is brilliant. Our only real complaint is the price, and this Prime Day helps at least a little.

Apple iPad Mini (A17 Pro) for $399 ($100 off): Apple’s smallest iPad earned an 83 review score from us when it came out late last year. Despite its compact size, it’s still a fully-featured iPad, with support for accessories and a laminated, anti-reflective screen. It’s not a laptop-replacer, but rather the perfect couch companion, handling games, video, web browsing and email triage.

Best Prime Day AirPod deals

AirPods Max (USB-C) for $480 ($69 off): Apple’s only over-ear headphones are due for an update. The company outfitted the AirPods Max with a USB-C port late last year, but the internals haven’t had an overhaul since 2020. Still, we named them the best (and only) over-earn AirPods. They are comfortable and relatively lightweight, have a balanced sound and the noise cancellation is solid.

Best Prime Day Apple Watch deals

Apple Watch SE (Gen 2) for $169 ($80 off): We wouldn’t be surprised to see an update to Apple’s budget smartwatch sometime soon (and we have a few suggestions on the matter). But thanks to some serious discounts, the Apple Watch SE has turned out to be the most affordable way to get an iPhone companion for your wrist. Despite the lackluster screen and limited extra features, it handles the basics well.

Best Prime Day MacBook deals

MacBook Air (M4, 15-inch) for $1,049 ($150 off): If you want a little more screen real estate, go for the 15-inch Air. Devindra found the screen more immersive than the smaller model, and only slightly less portable. The slightly larger battery gave it a few more minutes of life. Whichever size you go for, the MacBook Air will be able to handle all but the most demanding rendering tasks without breaking a sweat.

MacBook Air (15-inch, M3, 24GB RAM) for $1,249 ($450 off): This higher-specced version of the M3 MacBook Air from last year has a 15-inch screen and a little extra internal memory. We gave the 15-inch model a score of 90 in our review when it came out in early 2024. Outside of its older M3 chip (which is still plenty fast for everyday use), marginally improved camera and inability to power two external displays with the lid open, this MacBook is virtually identical to the M4 version.

Best Prime Day deals on Apple accessories

Apple Pencil (USB-C) for $59 ($20 off): Before you buy an Apple Pencil, check this compatibility page to make sure it’ll work with your model and generation of iPad. To say the least, it’s confusing. This model has the widest compatibility, but note that it doesn’t charge through its magnetic attachment, you’ll need to use the USB-C for refilling it.

Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off): Apple announced the Pro version of its pencil at the same time as the iPad Pro with the M4 chip. It adds haptic feedback, squeeze gestures and roll capabilities to the usual stylus tricks. It works with the newest iPad Pro, Air and Mini models.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-apple-deals-on-ipads-airpods-apple-watches-and-more-150005194.html?src=rss 

Edgar Wright is remaking The Running Man, and there’s a trailer to prove it. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1987 classic imagined a dystopian 2025 in which an authoritarian government forced cruelty on incarcerated people for entertainment. Now it’s actually 2025 and, well, that doesn’t sound that far off.

Wright’s version injects a bit of humor into the proceedings, while widening the stakes. The 1980s film, which was based on a novel by Stephen King, chronicled a game show in which prisoners had to survive in an abandoned section of Los Angeles while being chased by lethal assassins.

This new movie keeps the basic premise, but expands the location. The participants have to survive 30 days in the outside world while “the entire nation” hunts them down. It looks like they can go anywhere in the country, but there are cameras, prying eyes and, of course, trained killers everywhere.

The cast is pretty stacked. Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) replaces Schwarzenegger and Colman Domingo stands in for the iconic Richard Dawson as the nefarious game show host. This is a big year for Domingo. He starred in the hit Netflix show The Four Seasons and is currently filming an upcoming Steven Spielberg film. The rest of the cast includes Josh Brolin, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, Jayme Lawson and Lee Pace.

As for Edgar Wright, this is the guy behind classics like Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. If anyone could put their own spin on a 1980s movie, it’d be Wright. The Running Man opens on November 7 in theaters.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/the-running-man-trailer-edgar-wright-adds-comedy-to-stephen-kings-sci-fi-dystopia-151559833.html?src=rss 

Robot vacuums can be a big help around the house by automating a regular chore, but they can be pretty expensive. That’s why it’s a wise decision to wait for a shopping event like Amazon Prime Day to buy one, when you can usually save hundreds off the sticker price.

Amazon Prime Day 2025 is nearly here, and it’s already brought excellent deals to many of our top picks for the best robot vacuums available today. The devices range from entry-level to midrange to high-end dirt suckers, and iRobot, Shark, Eufy and others are represented among the deals. There are even some solid cordless vacuums on sale as well as part of the Prime Day deals. Here are the best Prime Day vacuum deals we could find.

Best Prime Day robot vacuum deals

Eufy 11S Max robot vacuum for $150 (46 percent off): A favorite budget robot vacuum of ours, the 11S Max has a slim profile that allows it to easily get other some furniture that other robovacs can’t reach. It does a good job of sucking up dirt and debris, and even though it doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity, it comes with a remote control that gives you most of the functions an app would have.

iRobot Roomba 104 Combo robot vacuum and mop for $250 (44 percent off): This combo machine will vacuum and mop on its own, plus it comes with an auto-empty base as well. That means it will automatically empty the dry debris it collects into the base after every cleaning job.

Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum for $280 (49 percent off): A version of our favorite robot vacuum, this Shark machine has strong suction power and won’t choke at the first sight of pet hair or big dust bunnies. Its self-emptying base is bagless as well, which means you won’t have to buy propriety bags to refill it with over time. This auto-empty base has a 30-day capacity, but you can spend a bit more if you want a model with a 60-day capacity.

Best Prime Day vacuum deals

Levoit LVAC-300 cordless vacuum for $250 ($100 off): One of Levoit’s newest cordless stick vacuums, the LVAC-300 has HEPA filtration, strong suction and an easily maneuverable design. Its single-button start makes it super easy to use, and you can choose from three power modes: Eco, Mid and Turbo. You’ll get a maximum of 60 minutes of battery life, and it comes with a few attachments for cleaning furniture, car interiors and more.

Tineco Pure One Station Furfree cordless vacuum for $299 (63 percent off): This cordless vacuum has its own self-emptying base, and it comes with attachments to groom your pets. It has solid suction power and the built-in iLoop smart sensor automatically adjust suction power depending on the messes in its path.

Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum for $350 (26 percent off): This Dyson stick vacuum has 40 minutes of runtime, a lightweight design and two power modes to choose from. It comes with four attachments, including the Motorbar cleaner head that works on all floor types, and it can easily convert to a more compact handheld vacuum to take out to your car when it needs a cleaning.

Shark PowerDetect Clean & Empty cordless vacuum for $430 (28 percent off): Shark’s cordless vacuums are just as good as their robot vacuums, and you can usually find them on sale for less than other major brands. This one has great suction power and a relatively lightweight design, but the fact that it comes with a self-emptying base makes it an ultra-convenient choice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-prime-day-robot-vacuum-deals-for-2025-140049036.html?src=rss